Tang Wulin figures appeared instantly in outer space.
All around him were glittering stars, with the sun shining down upon him and the planets scattered around.
Yet only one planet caught his eye, one that drifted below him. Even though the planet was doing nothing, it sent ripples through Tang Wulin.
"Hm? This is?"
The Universal Law asked, but Tang Wulin didn't answer him, he simply moved.
He vanished from outer space, appearing down on the planet, above a small island. The Island was barren of life. The only thing that was here was forests, mountains, and tall hills that stretched to the sky.
Tang Wulin didn't say anything, moving down to one of the hills.
Before he sat down on the distinct edge of the hill, staring off into the distance, extremely quiet. The Universal Law kept quiet, it could feel that Tang Wulin didn't want any noise, just silence as he stared in front.
As the sun was shining down on him, Tang Wulin began to recall.
He began recalling it all as scenes from the past began to flash through his eyes. Making him feel sentimental as delighted laughter filled his vision and ears.
He watched as the innocent children runs through the streets. Watched as the adults laughed with a basket in their hands filled with fruits and water.
He watched as some of the children climbed on a smiling dragon, all of them were smiling as they soared through the air.
Then he felt the disappointment rushing into him, as the scene changed to one of fire and destruction.
Dragons flying above, burning everything down below to a crisp. He saw the fear in the eyes of the adult and children as they were consumed by the flames, alongside their homes.
And then he felt the emotional frustration, as he watched everything that was built up. The unity and harmony between humans and dragons, falling apart.
Without any warning and tell, what a tragedy it was.
"Back then... Everything was so simple."
Without another word, Tang Wulin stood up and stared at the swaying land in front before vanishing once more.
He appeared once more, in a ruin-like place. All around him were shattered pillars, broken floors, countless cracks, and charred rubble around.
Yet it was a place that made him get lost in thought once more.
"Was this where it started... Zeref?"
Tang Wulin said, his voice extremely quiet as his hair swayed from the wind alongside the ray of light.
He was silent as he stared in the distance, countless scenes playing in his mind. A black hair boy moving through this place, a book in his hand.
The black hair boy is obsessed with the thought of life and death, wanting to achieve the impossible.
The black hair boy sat in the library, going through rows of books and books while ignoring the adults around him.
He continued with his research, forming up to two terrifying plans that force the adult's hand. He was expelled from the school, enraging the boy and making him curse out.
But this only led to the boy undoing, a wave of black aura shot out and massacred everyone around the boy.
Leaving a broken boy with tears, in the lifeless academy.
Getting up once more, Tang Wulin vanished from this ruined land. Appearing in a small cave, that was lit up with light green crystals and the rays of the sun.
Staring at this cave, he felt the memories streaming into.
A man sitting down in this cave, away from humanity and all of civilization.
A place where this man could call something of a home, a place where he could find peace and sanctuary.
He could feel and tell this man was content with his life, held no urge to rule the world or destroyed.
He had no urge to even watch the world at all, the world itself had no longer held any meaning to the man.
All this man wanted was to be left alone.
And once again Tang Wulin left.
This time he began wandering all of Ishgar, taking in the sights and reminiscing fondly about his four hundred years here.
As he did this, he was able to recall and see it all. All of the past emotions, past battles, past cheers, and laughter.
All of the past tragedies and fortune, the blood that was spilled on this land. See the people of the past, humans, dragons, beastmen, all races.
He even saw himself, saw all of his actions, felt all of his emotions and pain. It was as if he was walking alongside, only a thin line of time separating the two apart.
He saw his first home, the towering dragons moving through the sky. He felt his younger self's joy as he soared through the sky on top of those dragons, laughing in the wind.
He watched himself laughing, hands outstretched to the sky with the largest grin that had ever graced his face.
'Has it been that long?'
Time truly was ruthless, the people he once knew were dead and gone. Those times as a little kid who had nothing to worry about were long gone, turned to ash.
He saw them as well, two couples who were holding each other as a little blue-haired boy ran to them.
Both of them held smiles on their face, all of them laughing as the boy dived in their arms.
A little bit of him wanted to stay, to continue watching his younger days.
That was how beautiful it was to him and how dear it was.
But he still turned to leave, continuing his journey through Ishgar.
He had changed so much.
At that time, he was young and naive with nothing to worry about and love for the world. In his teen he became bitter and destructive, trying his best to keep everything he could grasp safe.
Then in his adulthood, he grew numb to it all. He stopped caring for the world, no longer wanting any attachment and to be simply left alone.
And now?
He felt relaxed and at peace, content with everything in his life. Although he lost everything once, he was able to regain it all back, although in a different way.
Tang Wulin was like a specter, just moving through the scenes as he traveled around before the nighttime came.
As he walked through the forest, scenes of his 400s years here, continue replaying in his mind.
As if the past joys and sorrow were following him on his journey through the land. But in the end, they started to flow away, no longer flashing in his mind as he came to a stop.
Magnolia was in front, his last destination on this trip of his.
Even though it was nighttime, he hears the sounds of laughter and cheer. See the flashing lights and dazzling fireworks that continue to pop in the night sky.
'Celebration?'
Tang Wulin walked into the town, moving through the streets that were filled with kids and adults laughing.
He saw some people dressed up and others who were not, all of them carrying plates of food in their hands.
But strangely enough, none of them notice him.
The people that were walking past Tang Wulin didn't seem to notice him as if he was invisible to them.
Still, none of them ran into him. Whenever one of them got close to Tang Wulin, they would strangely walk around him.
As if space around was moving them without their notice.
Tang Wulin kept on walking through the bustling streets, seeing all sorts of familiar figures. Some of them were dressed in dresses, tuxedos, or their normal apparel.
But only one person caught his eyes, a pink-haired boy who was laughing at a blue-furred cat that was wobbling in front.
#
"The fish is so good... And this wine as well."
"Happy! Who gave you wine!"
"But Nastuuuu~ This wine tastes like fish-."
"Happy!"
Natsu roared out but before he could go to Happy, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.
Blinking his eyes, he turned around and saw a very handsome man with goldish-white hair walking past him with a smirk.
Normally Natsu would have thought this man had accidentally tapped or bumped him. But he felt something stirring inside of him, something urging him to follow this man.
'Just what is this?'
Furrowing his brow, Natsu turned to Lucy who was trying to calm Happy down. "Lucy! Take care of Happy, I will be right back."
"Eh? What do you mean you will be right back? Natsu!"
"Thanks!"
That was all Natsu said before he began to run, moving through the crowd, as he tried to find that man.
Fortunately, for Natsu, he was able to get a whiff of the man's smell, so could track him down.
It didn't take long before Natsu found the man at the edge of the celebration, leaning on the silt and staring into the night sky.
But strangely enough, Natsu saw that no one was going toward the man.
Not even the women around, which surprised Natsu since he thought some of them would be all over a handsome man.
Regardless, Natsu made his way over to the men, although he didn't quite understand the exact reason himself.
But as he approached the man, the man spoke out.
"It's been a long while Natsu... Although for you it's only been a few days, I suppose."
"Huh? Do I know you or something-"
Natsu's voice trailed off as he saw the image of the man changing, in the man's place was someone he was very familiar with.
How could he not be?
It was the image of a person he defeated and maybe killed.
"Acnologia..."
#
Tang Wulin smiled in amusement when he saw the guarded look on Natsu. Even more when he saw Natsu stepping back, his hand moving up and him opening his mouth.
"No point in calling them, only you can notice me right now."
"What?... How?"
"Because you're the only one I give that right to... Think of it as a gift for being the only one to beat me."
"And I can do it again."
Natsu said while his eyes narrowed, his fist clenched but this only made Tang Wulin chuckle.
"Please. Even before, you could only compare to me after absorbing those other Dragon Slayer powers. And even then, you still needed them to freeze my body to win, but now? You aren't even in, let alone near my league."
Natsu furrowed his brows, pondering why his instincts were confirming Acnologia's answer.
"Hm, I guess you aren't the type to believe in words... Here."
Natsu's expression changed as overwhelming pressure descended upon him. He felt like the entire sky was pressing down on his shoulders, on his mind, and even his soul itself.
For one moment, Natsu thought the entire universe was trying to crush him before it instantly vanished.
He could finally breathe but barely, only shallow and pained breaths. Every single bone was releasing creaking noise, feeling as if they were on fire and almost crushed.
Yet he was able to struggle back up as Tang Wulin's voice rang out.
"As you can see, the difference is...Really? Even with all of that, the fire in you still burns."
Tang Wulin said as he saw the fire burning in Natsu's eyes.
His pressure didn't seem to have quelled the Will inside of Natsu, in fact, it seemed to have made it burn even brighter.
"It doesn't matter if you're stronger than before... If you dare to try and-."
"Hurt your friend. You will stop me, heard it tons of times, and still don't care. Fortunately, for you, I have no interest in hurting your friends or this world."
"You don't?"
"Nope, I only came here to reminisce, and well, thank you."
"Huh?"
Natsu's eyes widen at Tang Wulin's words. But Tang Wulin only turned around with a smile, leaning back and staring upwards.
"Believe it or not. It's because of you that I was able to reclaim the things I once lost... So, I came here to say thank you."
"... No, I believe you. The emotion and the feeling around you aren't fake, that is for sure. I am guessing you did it huh? Wherever you were sent to, you were able to gain some friends and families?"
"... It's that obvious?"
"Haha, how could I miss it? It's similar to the way I feel and show when I think about my friends... Even though they can get rowdy and crazy sometimes, they really are amazing people."
Tang Wulin fell silent at Natsu's words, his mind recalling the memories with Xie Xie, Yue Zhengyu, and the others.
All of them irritated and annoyed him, yet he still thought of them as great people.
"More than that... Their family."
"Right? Haha, I never thought I would hear that come out from you but then again, this world is filled with wonders!"
Natsu let out a laugh while Tang Wulin shook his head, both at Natsu's words and his view of the world.
'Yeah... I guess to him. Every moment to him is a wonder and adventure.'
Pushing himself off the wall, Tang Wulin spoke.
"If that's how you view the world, then I am curious about what you will do when you meet them."
"Meet who?"
Natsu asked with a tilt of his head, feeling relaxed and at ease around Acnologia. Part of it was from finding Acnologia had friends, and another part was his Life Goddess alongside his Existence Bloodline.
Which was putting Natsu at ease, suppressing all of his doubt and anxiety.
"Five pesky little dragons that I couldn't find before... Although I can now."
"Huh?! There are more dragons alive! Ones that are like Igneel!"
"Indeed, you can consider them survivors of the slaughter I unleashed four hundred years ago... Even though I have hunted them down, I couldn't find them."
"...Are you going to hunt them down now?"
"No, I will leave that to you."
"Oi!" Natsu glared at Tang Wulin with a scowl." I am not hunting down any dragon, just because you asked me to. They might not be evil dragons and be similar to Igneel."
"I suppose that may be true... Which is why I will leave it all to you."
"What do you mean?"
Tang Wulin smiled grew as he moved towards Natsu, gasping his shoulder. "Kill them, save them, look for them, or whatever. I will leave it all up to you, I leave the choice all up to you."
"So, you won't interfere with their lives?"
"Nope, after this. I plan to go relax and do nothing."
Natsu's lips twitched as he stared at Tang Wulin who took his hand off and began moving.
Furrowing his brows, Natsu spoke up.
"So, what are you going to do now? Can I meet you again? Since you aren't an asshole anymore, maybe we can become-."
"Friends? Haha, you sure have an entertaining way of looking at things... Then again I did make friends with Zeref who tried to kill me."
"Zeref?"
But before Tang Wulin could reply, his eyes slightly widened, staring in a certain direction. Furrowing his brows, Natsu also turned in the direction and his eyes widened as well.
He saw them, a barefooted girl with long golden hair and a black-haired boy.
Both Tang Wulin and Natsu watched as the two people talked. Even though they called themselves Mio and Arleos, they knew it was Mavis and Zeref.
"This..." Natsu uttered while Tang Wulin sighed before he waved his hand.
Leading to the sight of the barefooted girl and black-haired boy freezing before they vanished.
"What did you do?"
Natsu asked as he shifted his head to Tang Wulin but saw he was gone.
But he heard Tang Wulin's voice in his head.
"Don't worry, we will meet again one day... Just keep doing what you're doing and one day, our paths will cross once more."
"As for these two... I will take them until we meet again. The newest Dragon King."
Natsu wanted to say something, but the voice faded away.
He let out a sigh as he knew there wasn't much he could do since they were gone. Besides, he doubts Acnologia was going to hurt them.
There was no hatred from Acnologia when he saw Zeref and Mavis. The only thing he felt was content as if the sight of both of them was something he was delighted about.
"And what's this about being the newest Dragon King? I didn't accept that title, you bastard!"
"Natsu!"
"Huh? Happy... What are you doing? Get away from that!"