Chapter 3: Jura Neekis

POV: No one

Walking through the town of Margaret is usually a pretty serene experience, the soft crashing sounds from the winding river that splits the town, and the blowing wind creating a relaxing and generally peaceful experience that not even the town square at it's busiest can set a stop to.

That's why, when a very loud, and very off-key, whistling somehow manages to destroy that atmosphere, it draws a lot of attention to the source.

POV: Tobi

"There sure are a lot of people staring at me... I guess my whistling is just that good." I think to myself as I walk down the street, whistling a tune from back on earth.

For the last week I've been training in the forest where I first landed in Earthland, doing physical workouts, getting myself used to kamui and extending the time I can keep it active for.

I'm now able to use it continously for thirty seconds straight before I need to turn it off for a, a clear improvement compared to the barely five seconds I could keep it up for when I first visited Fairy Tail.

Along with training kamui I've been trying out the magic I managed to copy with my sharingan while I was in the guild, AKA... creating flames using my magic, a spell that the very newest of fire mages learn...

Natsu was the only one that used any magic against me, okay!? It's not my fault!

Anyway, now that I've finished my quick one week training arc I've made my way to Margaret, the town featuring the headquarters of my next victi- I mean next recipients of a lovely visit from Tobi.

Lamia Scale.

I considered going straight to Phantom Lord. But I've decided to leave them for last, especially since my visit to them is gonna be a extra special.

"Umm, Sir, what are you doing?" I hear from my right, standing there is a nervous looking old man wearing an apron, probably a butcher.

I tilt my head to the right to look at him, "Hm? What do you mean?"

"W- well you've been staring the the guildhall for the last five minutes while... 'whistling' to yourself."

"Oh, I was just thinking about how the entrence could use a remodelling job." I respond, rolling my shoulders.

"Ah, so you're an exterior decorator?" He questions in a less awkward tone than before.

"Something like that." I let out a small chuckle and start walking towards the front doors, setting my right hand alight and causing the old man to back away in fear.

"Let's see how I measure up to a wizard saint."

POV: No one

Smoke, dust, and wooden splinters scatter across the guildhall floor as the front doors fly off their hinges, smashing a few tables before crashing into the floor.

"Oh Juuuuura, come out to play~!" The figure hidden in the smoke says in a sing-song voice, cutting through the silence that fills the building.

A pillar of rock quickly shoots towards, and somehow through, the man attacking the guild.

A quick 'tsk' is heard as the man simply walks forward, as if he doesn't even notice the pillar of rock currently piercing his abdomen.

The smoke clears, revealing the man who just busted down the doors, clad in a black cloak, featuring red clouds with white outlines, and with a bright orange one-eyed mask covering his face.

"You're that man that attacked Fairy Tail last week." The gruff voice of Jura Neekis, wizard saint and the ace of Lamia Scale, is heard as the man in question steps forward, "Tobi."

"Mhm, mhm! Got in one!" Tobi responds as he sidesteps the next rock pillar that aims to run him through. "I didn't know those fairies went and blabbed to the press about my little visit."

"They didn't, we were informed by their guildmaster to keep an eye out for you." Jura calmly informs the intruder.

The two wizards stare at each other for a second, Jura's face one of calm and controlled anger, while Tobi's is hidden behind his mask.

"Explain then, why have you done this?" Jura questions, gesturing to the broken remains of the guild doors.

Tobi simply cocks his head to the right, "Why..? Hmm... Well, to test myself, I guess." He shrugs lightly.

Jura sighs at hearing Tobi's words, "You are not the first, and you will not be the last." He says and gets into a fighting stance.

Tobi does the same, getting into a similar stance and pulling out a kunai from his sleeve.

"Well, however this fight goes, at least I'll learn something." Tobi says, and before Jura can respond he rushes forward at a blistering speed.

Jura swiftly extends a hand, creating a magical circle, and making a long arm of rock break through the floor in front of Tobi, but once more the arm simply goes through his body.

"You missed~!" Tobi shouts gleefully as he nears Jura, kunai aimed straight at the wizard saint's throat.

Before Jura can cast another defensive spell, the kunai reaches his neck.

And breaks on his skin.

"Wha-" Is all Tobi manages to get out before a fist hits him in the chest, sending him flying through the air and into a wall.

A weak groan is heard, "But... I spent good money on that thing." Is heard from the pile of rubble Tobi created with his impact.

Deciding not to waste any time, Jura creates a sphere of earth around Tobi's landing spot.

"Mastet Ooba, please evacuate any civilians and call the rune knights, I shall keep him subdue-"

A flaming fist hits Jura in the abdomen, sending him back by a few meters.

Slowly rising out of the ground from where Jura just stood, is Tobi, with his hand alight.

"What's the matter Jura!? Aren't you acting a little too high and mighty? Not even bothering to use those mighty sensory abilities of yours to keep an eye on me!?" Tobi laughs maniacally, his cloak now covered with dirt and dust.

Jura is about to respond but Tobi rushes forward again, his fist racing towards Jura's face, but it hits nothing but air as Jura dodges to his right and tries to hit Tobi in return.

"You're much quicker than a guy your size has any right to be." Tobi complains as the two start to fight in hand-to-hand.

Tobi nimbly dodges Jura's fists while throwing hits at his body, hits that the large man simply deflects with his forearms.

After a few seconds of this Tobi scowls under his mask, before jumping backwards and extending his arm, creating a magical circle.

Jura's eyes narrow, recognising the magic, and he quickly dodges to the left as an identical arm to the one he sent at Tobi earlier emerges from underground.

"You can copy spells." Jura states as the two mages stare at each other.

Tobi lets out a tired laugh, "Figured that out, did ya?"

Hovering in the air, his cloak swaying in the wind and with a limb of earth hanging menacingly behind him, like a serpent poised to strike, Tobi cuts a terrifying image.

But Jura is unfazed.

"You are strong, but you cannot win this, your fists don't deal me any real damage, and your newly learnt earth magic isn't good enough to be of any use." He says calmly.

As if to test his statement, Tobi sends the earthen arm towards Jura, only for it to be destroyed by a similar, but ultimately stronger, earth arm from Jura.

Tobi stares as Jura's spell races towards him, letting it pass through him completely.

"You're right." Tobi admits, "I'm not strong enough to win against you, yet." He floats down to the ground and lets his boots hit the floor.

"You win this time Jura, I'll see you all around." Tobi announces, giving a sweeping glance to the Lamia Scale members gathered around the guildhall.

He stops to look at Jura again for a few seconds before he quietly sucks himself into his eye, disappearing completely.

There's a few quiet conversations from some of the Lamia Scale members as they survey their now completely wrecked guildhall.

Meanwhile, the people from outside have formed a crown around the smashed entrence, with several reporters and journalists making sure to get some good pictures of the carnage.

POV: Tobi

As soon as I enter kamui's dimension I rip my mask off my face and start coughing up blood.

Jura's first hit managed to crack a few ribs, and while I'll heal eventually because of the Hashirama cells inside my body, I do currently have a punctured lung.

"Fuck, I lost that, badly..." I let out a groan as my body hits the ground.

Staring up at the featureless sky of kamui I reflect on the fight, analysing what I did well and what I could've done better, that kind of stuff.

"At least I know roughly where I stand, powerful but nowhere near the absolute powerhouses that make up the wizard saints."

I let out a small laugh.

I'll probably stay in kamui for a few days, just to lick my wounds and recover.

POV: No one

While Tobi is recovering inside kamui, the outside world is in a tizzy.

Near everyone in Fiore, and a fair few outside the kingdom, have heard of Tobi and Jura's fight.

"Lamia Scale attacked by rogue mage!" Reads the headline of this week's edition of sorcerer weekly, with the picture attached being one of the trashed guildhall, along with a few candid pictures taken of Tobi and Jura.

-----

While the reconstruction efforts of the Lamia Scale guildhall are starting, the members of the Magic Council, or rather their projections, stand gathered in Era.

"Now that we're finished with all our important matters, let's discuss the situation that happened in Margaret yesterday." Crawford Seam, the leader of the Magical Council, announces.

Siegrain speaks up upon hearing this, "You're referring to the fight between Jura Neekis and that rogue mage, Tobi?" His projection asks, with a small frown on it's face.

Crawford nods, "Indeed, while not a truly dire situation, it is disconcerting that someone as powerful as this 'Tobi' has managed to remain beneath our notice." He says bitterly.

"Despite our best efforts we could find no evidence of this 'Tobi' appearing anywhere before his first reported sighting in Magnolia." One of the council's frogmen workers inform the councilors.

At this, Crawford continues, "Thankfully we have heard no reports of him being a member of any dark guilds, though we cannot rule it out completely, especially since it appears he's targeting legal guilds, along with the fact that he tried to inflict a lethal blow to Jura with a kunai..."

"Then, we should keep a look out for this 'Tobi' and, if possible, bring him in for questioning." Ultear Milkovich offers, gaining a nod of approval from Crawford and the rest of her fellow councillors.

"Indeed, now, onto the next grievance, a member of the noble house..." The voice of Crawford is tuned out by both 'Siegrain' and Ultear Milkovich.

"Just who are you, Tobi?" The two idly wonder to themselves as the meeting goes on.

-----

And in the continent of Alakitasia, an old man hears faint rumors of a person that can copy magic.