Inside the Fairy Tail guild hall, an unusual silence blanketed the room.
All eyes were on Mirajane, who stood near the bar, trying to steady her breathing. Her usual warm smile was absent, replaced by a strained, vacant look. She barely moved, except for the occasional twitch of her fingers clenching the fabric of her skirt. Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
Across the room, Rudra sat at his table, casually eating while completely ignoring the stares and the tension in the guild.
He muttered to himself, speaking to his system, "I still don't get it... why the hell would Shibi Otsutsuki show up? Didn't he become a godlike being after ditching his body?"
The system replied calmly, as always, "If my hypothesis is correct, host, the chakra fruit you appropriated is likely the one Shibi would have consumed to achieve godhood."
Rudra paused, chewing thoughtfully before scoffing, "Stealing? Strong word. I just... relieved it from an abandoned spot. It wasn't like anyone was laying claim to it."
The system countered with dry precision, "That, host, is the textbook definition of theft. And you would've been dead if not for me."
Rudra waved a hand dismissively, clearly uninterested. "Eh, whatever. Point is, I've got this chakra fruit now. Should I eat it or what?"
The system responded instantly, "No, host. You should wait until you have the Six Tomoe Rinnegan."
Rudra sighed dramatically, frustration edging his voice, "Yeah, I know. Problem is, I don't even have Otsutsuki chakra."
The system's tone shifted, now a hint of amusement creeping in, "Well, host... maybe you should take a look at your right palm."
Rudra raised an eyebrow and glanced down. His eyes widened as he saw the karma mark. "Oh... crap," he muttered, facepalming. "Damn, after... well, that... with Kagura, I completely forgot about this." He let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "Man, must be my age catching up to me."
The system chuckled softly, but refrained from commenting further. "I'd love to make a remark about that, host, but I'm afraid someone's approaching."
Without skipping a beat, Rudra replied, "Yeah, I know. You don't need to remind me."
Before Rudra could turn to see who it was, a loud BANG echoed through the room as a heavy fist slammed into the table beside him. Plates jumped, mugs toppled, and gasps rippled through the air.
Rudra slowly looked up, his eyes locking with Elfman Strauss's furious glare. After a brief, calm pause, he spoke nonchalantly, "Didn't anyone teach you manners?"
Instead of responding, Elfman bellowed, his voice booming through the guild like thunder. "What did you do to my sister?!"
Rudra blinked once, his expression unfazed. "And what exactly are you accusing me of?"
Elfman's finger trembled as he jabbed it toward Mirajane, his face now flushed with anger. "Look at her! She won't even raise her head! She's terrified! What did you say to her, you bastard?!"
Rudra casually turned his head to glance at Mirajane. She sat at the bar, eyes cast downward, her body slightly hunched, arms wrapped protectively around her stomach. The usually confident and cheerful barmaid now looked utterly shaken, as if she'd just seen a ghost.
"See?!" Elfman growled, stepping forward, his fists clenched tighter. "She won't even look looj! You did something to her!"
Rudra shrugged nonchalantly, his voice oozing with indifference. "Are you seriously this dense? I literally just walked in. If you're trying to pin something on me, you're wasting your time."
Elfman's face turned an even deeper shade of red. He took a step closer, towering over Rudra. "Don't play dumb with me!" he roared, his fists trembling with fury. "I won't let anyone hurt my sister! A real man protects his family!"
In a sudden burst of fury, Elfman's hand shot out, grabbing Rudra by the collar and yanking him upward. The sudden motion sent cutlery clattering to the floor with a sharp clang, and shocked gasps rang out across the guild, the air thick with mounting tension.
Rudra's golden eyes, once calm, turned into cold, unforgiving slits. The half-smile that had lingered on his lips vanished as his expression darkened, a dangerous glint flickering in his gaze.
"Listen here, muscle-head," Rudra's voice was low, each word like a cold blade. "If you don't want your teeth scattered across this room and your jaw wired shut for the next month, I suggest you let go. Now."
But Elfman, his face twisted with rage, only tightened his grip, his fury clouding his judgment.
Rudra's eyes gleamed with contempt as he acted in an instant. With a fluid, precise movement, he seized Elfman's wrist, twisting it in a way that forced a sharp cry of pain from the larger man. The grip loosened with a sickening crack, but Rudra didn't stop there.
Before Elfman could react, Rudra's foot shot out, landing a swift, calculated kick to Elfman's leg. The force sent Elfman off balance, stumbling forward into a nearby table with a resounding crash. Chairs toppled with a loud clatter, mugs flying through the air, and the guild's patrons gasped in shock.
"Elfman!" Lisanna's voice rang out in alarm, her shout cutting through the chaos as she rushed forward. "No!"
With one final push, Rudra propelled Elfman across the room, sending him hurtling into the far wall with a deafening thud. The impact shook the very foundation of the guild, dust and debris flying from the point of collision. The wall itself groaned under the pressure, leaving a visible dent in the stone as Elfman crumpled to the floor, groaning in pain.
But as he turned to walk away, a sharp shing echoed behind him—a sword's edge glinting as it hovered dangerously close to his back.
"Do you even realize what you just did?" a firm, icy voice questioned.
Slowly, Rudra turned his head, eyes locking onto the fiery gaze of Erza Scarlet. Her sword was already out, its gleaming edge pointed directly at his back, hovering dangerously close to piercing.
His lips curled into a faint, unimpressed smile. "If I were you, Erza," he said calmly, almost lazily, "I'd lower that sword. Before someone gets hurt."
Erza took a step forward, unwavering. "Not until you apologize for what you did to Elfman. That was excessive, even for you."
Rudra raised an eyebrow, fully turning to face her now. His expression was unreadable, but something cold flickered behind his gaze. "Apologize?" he repeated, almost as if the word was foreign to him. "Apologize for what? For defending myself from an overgrown meathead who doesn't understand what 'back off' means?"
"You didn't just defend yourself," Erza snapped. "You humiliated him. You threw him like he was nothing. You could have killed him."
He shrugged. "If he's going to charge at someone without knowing who he's dealing with, that's his problem."
A murmur rippled through the guild hall. Gray shook his head. Even Natsu, now standing tensely beside Lucy, didn't move. No one dared interrupt the standoff.
Erza's grip on her sword tightened. "You went too far, Rudra. That's not how we treat our family here. If you're not going to apologize... then I'll have to punish you."
Rudra tilted his head. For a second, he just looked at her. Then, a soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Punish me? That's cute."
"I'm not joking."
"Neither am I."
His eyes gleamed as he stepped forward. The air seemed to shift with him, a palpable tension rising in the room. "Tell me something, Titania," he said, his voice low but cutting through the silence like a dagger. "Are you the guild master?"
Erza blinked. "No."
"Are you the owner of this place? Do you write the rules? Are you the one who decides who stays and who goes?"
"No, but that's not the point—"
"Then," Rudra interrupted, stepping even closer, "who the hell are you to tell me what to do?"
A collective gasp erupted through the guild. No one—not even Natsu in his worst tantrums—had ever spoken to Erza Scarlet like that and gotten away with it.
Then Rudra gave a mocking tilt of his head. "So, Titania, why don't you go sit down and enjoy your strawberry cake or whatever it is you do in your free time? Because I'm a firm believer in gender equality..."
His eyes burned with dangerous clarity as his final words dropped like a hammer:
"...and that means I won't hesitate just because you're a woman."
There was no sound. No breath. Not even the creak of the floorboards.
Erza's eyes blazed. But even she was taken aback by the bluntness. Her grip didn't falter, but her stance shifted slightly, processing the weight of his words.
But before she could respond, Rudra sighed heavily, his gaze flicking to the side. "Here comes another idiot."
A roar came from behind—"You don't talk to Erza like that!"—as Natsu charged in, flames erupting around his clenched fist. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Rudra didn't even blink. He sidestepped smoothly, letting the fiery punch miss entirely, and brought his hand down in a clean, precise karate chop to the back of Natsu's head.
The Dragon Slayer crumpled to the ground, unconscious before he even hit the floor.
"Natsu!" Happy cried out in horror, flying over to him in panic.
Rudra glanced down at the fallen fire mage and exhaled slowly. "And people call him Salamander, the Dragon Slayer? How disappointing."
He turned back to Erza, brushing dust from his sleeve. "Now... where was I?"
He paused for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Ah, yes. So, Erza, go exercise your authority on someone who's actually scared of you. That might work better."
He turned his back to her, walking away, but paused one last time to deliver his final blow.
"And remember this, Erza," he said over his shoulder, his voice cold and sharp. "I'm not the same Rudra who proposed to you... or the one who was ever afraid of you."
With that, he walked off, heading toward the bar where Mira sat, curled up and detached from the chaos, lost in her own world.
She hadn't moved. Hadn't spoken. Hadn't even looked up. She didn't know what was happening around her, her thoughts distant and tangled.
Rudra slowly approached her—but before he could get too close, Cana stepped in front of him, her arms outstretched. "Don't go near her, Rudra. She's not well."
He stared at her, his patience clearly running thin. "Cana, I don't have time for everyone's bullshit right now."
With that, his Mangekyō Sharingan spun to life, glowing ominously. He activated Kamui, his body warping slightly as he phased through Cana like a ghost, leaving her stunned.
In a moment, he reappeared near Mira, where Master Makarov was already standing nearby, keeping watch over her quietly. The old master had seen everything—but he had chosen not to intervene.
Rudra gave a small smile and bowed his head respectfully. "Master."
Makarov nodded silently, his expression unreadable.
Rudra then crouched down beside Mira, gently lifting her head so their eyes could meet. She barely responded, lost in a haze.
"Mira," he whispered, pressing two fingers to her forehead, "I'm sorry if my presence has caused you trouble."
Her eyes flickered slightly, and she gave the faintest nod before losing consciousness completely.
Rudra gently set her down, then turned to Makarov. "I know you want answers. I'll give them to you—just not today. Right now, I need to go home."
Makarov gave a tired smile. "It's okay, my boy. Go on."
Rudra nodded once and walked toward the guild's exit. The others watched in silence as he approached the gate.
Just before he stepped out, he paused, smirking slightly. His eyes lifted toward the upper beams.
"It seems you've stopped training while I was gone, brat."
From the shadows above, Romeo dropped down, a knife in hand. "Oh man, I thought I had you."
Rudra caught him mid-air by the leg, flipping him upside down. "You're a hundred years too early to think you can sneak up on me."
"Still... some don't notice me. That's something, right?" Romeo chuckled, hanging upside down.
Rudra smirked. "You've improved. A little."
He gently set the boy down. Romeo grinned. "Welcome back, Master."
Rudra nodded. "It's time I taught you something new."
With that, the two of them left the guild hall behind, the heavy doors swinging shut behind them as Fairy Tail watched in solemn silence.