"Preparing for Hell: Training Before the New World"
The sun had barely risen over the horizon when Kara pushed open the door to her house, a frown on her face.
The first thing she found was chaos: broken dishes, furniture out of place, and some suspicious stains she preferred not to investigate. The dull throbbing in her temple reminded her that Fairy Tail members never knew how to behave in someone else's home.
She sighed, ignoring the mess as one ignores a minor enemy.
With firm steps, she advanced toward the makeshift dining room, where the guild members were already eating breakfast... or planning to escape. Some were sneaking toward the door, eager to explore the new world.
"Hold it right there," Kara ordered, her voice as sharp as a sheathed sword. "Before you run off like headless chickens, there are things you need to know."
Fairy Tail's strategist's natural authority took hold effortlessly. Everyone stopped"even Natsu, who already had one foot on the windowsill.
"First, I'll assign tasks and explain our next moves. We're not here to play around."
The room fell silent. Kara straightened her posture, crossing her arms solemnly.
"A group will come with me to the Marines. I need trustworthy people at my side. During the World Recruitment, it's almost certain the Government will try to infiltrate agents. I won't allow the Marines' power to fall into the wrong hands."
She paused, her gaze hardening as she turned toward Makarov.
"And you, old man... you'll be the president of the Bounty Hunters Guild."
"What!?" Makarov exclaimed, choking on his tea. "You expect me to spend my days filling out paperwork? I thought this was going to be a vacation!"
"That guild earns up to ten times more than all of Fiore's combined. And the president's salary is even better," Kara added with a sly smile.
Makarov swallowed hard, his expression shifting from annoyance to greed in a matter of seconds.
"Ha... I'm one of the Ten Wizard Saints! Running a guild like that will be a piece of cake. I've got the experience."
"As long as you don't create a Fairy Tail 2.0," Kara grumbled suspiciously.
"Dad, you... do whatever you want. You're useless at anything other than fighting," she finished, glaring at him with disdain.
Gildarts, who had been watching silently, turned to Cana.
"I'm... useless?" he asked with a nervous smile.
Cana slowly nodded, patting his shoulder.
"Only for paperwork, Dad. Just for that."
Gildarts hung his head, defeated for the second time that morning.
"In the coming months, everyone needs to make a name for themselves," Kara continued.
"And why's that?" asked Lucy, curious.
"Because soon, both the Bounty Hunters Guild and the Marines will have official permission to operate in the New World. That is... the territory of the planet's most dangerous pirates."
A smile formed on Kara's lips, and with it, a spark of excitement lit up in almost everyone present.
Everyone except Wendy and Lucy, who paled at the news.
"But before that," Kara added with a sinister grin, "you've got two months of hellish training ahead of you."
"–––
Hours later...
"Kara, let us go! We can walk on our own!" shouted Gray, crawling like a worm. He and several others were bound with anti-magic chains, unable to use their abilities.
"It's more fun this way," Kara replied with a mocking smile, ignoring their complaints. Only Gildarts and Laxus were exempt from punishment.
"Where are we going?" asked Wendy, the only woman in the group.
"To see my teacher," Kara replied, just before kicking open the door to an office with absolutely no ceremony. "Master Zephyr, I'm here!"
Zephyr, who had just sat down after returning from the front lines of the New World, looked up in exasperation.
"What do you want now? I'm busy."
"Wendy, heal him."
"Huh?" Zephyr muttered, confused.
Wendy, who had already prepared the spell under Kara's earlier orders, stepped forward. A soft light covered the veteran, who quickly noticed something strange: for the first time in years, his chest didn't hurt. His lungs were clear, his body light.
"You... what did you"?"
"It's not permanent," Kara interrupted. "One month. Then you'll need another session. But it's more than enough. Now, train these useless ones. They all have mana, like me. You'll have fun."
Zephyr looked at her silently, understanding the game. She had healed him in exchange for a favor.
"Fine. I'll only teach them Haki. No Rokushiki."
"Perfect," Kara replied, dropping her prisoners in the office before walking away with Wendy. Her mischievous smile was the promise of imminent torture.
"–––
Gildarts was sent to Garp, and Laxus to Sengoku. Kara didn't expect them to accomplish much, but she trusted they'd learn at least the basics. Garp would probably lose Gildarts within a week when he escaped to explore the world. Sengoku, soon to retire, would act more as a mentor than a soldier.
As for Kara, she now stood before the female members of Fairy Tail, with Gion at her side.
"Alright, I'll be your instructor," she announced with a sharp smile. "And Gion will assist me."
"Only because I know Kara's going to take advantage of everyone during training," Gion said calmly.
"100% guaranteed," Kara nodded shamelessly. "And I'm also 100% sure you won't mind."
They all blushed. Some looked away, pretending they hadn't heard anything.
Hours earlier...
"What a peculiar island," commented Cornelia as she stepped off the ship, observing the natural crescent shape of the coast. The half-destroyed houses didn't surprise her"she was used to Fairy Tail's madness.
"During the broadcast, the island wasn't this wrecked," said Levy, concerned.
"Gray-sama! Juvia is here!" shouted Juvia, running excitedly toward the group. Upon seeing Kara, her face lit up. "Kara-sama! Juvia is so happy to see you again!"
"Why are you taller?" asked Levy, raising an eyebrow.
"Nutrition," Kara answered with her usual excuse.
"Ugh, I need this world's nutrition then," Levy muttered.
"Hello, Mother," Kara said with a smile, leaning in to hug Cornelia.
"It's good to see you safe, daughter," Cornelia whispered, tears in her eyes. "Your father nearly destroyed an island looking for you..."
.....
"Alright, then everyone needs to learn at least one type of Haki," said Kara quickly, and the training plan began for all the members of Fairy Tail.
And just as Kara had predicted, Gildarts, as soon as he learned Armament Haki, set out on a mission to capture a Logia-type pirate"not without first saying goodbye to Cornelia and his daughters, and receiving the usual warning he always got before leaving on a trip:
"If you even think about cheating on Mom, Kara will throw you in prison."
It was the same in Fiore, since Kara used to keep a file with all the illegal things her father had done.
Zoro could now use Armament Haki, so he was used by Zephyr to fight Gajeel, whose magic could create swords"but he didn't even know how to use them. Meanwhile, Zoro was slicing through like butter, although the two were still pretty evenly matched, and both kept improving steadily.
Chopper, on the other hand, wanted to join the training too, so he ended up fighting Elfman in his various transformations, trading raw punches.
Panther Lily found himself a rather strange teacher: Tokiake. For some reason, he ended up teaching him the art of the sword... quite an odd mix.
Meanwhile, Erza would usually spar with Gion using swords.
Two months passed, and everyone's training time was over. It wasn't much, but they could continue training on their own during their missions. They were strong, so they could handle most pirates in the first half of the Grand Line while continuing to improve in preparation for entering the New World.
But Kara wasn't only concerned with the members of Fairy Tail.
"Kara! I brought them," said Koki, as Kara stepped down from the warship on a fortress island near Sabaody, where the bounty hunters' guild was based. Besides taking the members of Fairy Tail, they had to pick someone up.
Meanwhile, behind Koki, all the Straw Hats were tied up in chains, as if they had just been kidnapped.
"Aaah, Kara. Tell them to let us go," said Luffy quickly, struggling.
"Luffy!" said Uta happily, seeing her childhood friend again. She had previously let him go under Kara's orders, so they could escape Marineford, since they couldn't be seen there as they were part of a secret Marine group.
"Alright. You can let them go, Koki," said Kara with a smile, as all the Straw Hat members were freed.
"Looks like you had fun on Fishman Island," Kara said with a smile, looking at the Straw Hats, who had gone there prepared to enter the New World. But Kara had Jinbe capture them before they left the island. Still, it seemed they had fought Hody Jones, who was just beginning to form his anti-human Fishman group.
"Yeah, it was fun," said Luffy quickly.
"By the way, Queen Otohime sends her regards," said Robin, remembering something.
"Why did you bring us back here? We were about to enter the New World and look for Shanks!" Luffy said in annoyance.
"Well, it's obvious: because you need training," said Kara casually. "All of you are weak, and the moment you set foot in the New World, you'll be killed," she added with an evil smile. "Especially since I need you to carry out some dangerous missions once you're there."
"By the way, I won't accept a 'no' as an answer. Your training locations are already assigned. You'll be sent off once everything's ready… for two years," Kara added quickly.
"Two years!?" they all shouted in surprise.
"That's right," said Kara.
"But…" Luffy tried to complain, but Kara looked at him seriously.
"Luffy, even though you're part of SWORD, only I and the admirals know that. If you run into any vice admiral, they'll try to kill you. And you still don't have the strength to face the strongest among them. Or are you so overconfident that you want your friends to get hurt or, worse, killed?" said Kara firmly.
"When Ace first arrived in the New World, one of his friends was killed by a pirate from Whitebeard's crew. Do you want the same thing to happen?" she asked seriously.
"Of course not," said Luffy firmly.
"Then accept the training and grow stronger. In two years, the New World will be a brutal battlefield. That's why, as official pirates, you'll be very useful for what the Marines can't handle," she added quickly.
"Where will we be sent?" Usopp asked quickly.
"All of you will be separated. Gin will be trained by an S-Class from the guild… that'll be a surprise for now."
"From the bounty hunters' guild, right? Alright," said Gin.
"The cook will be sent to the Pink Color Island. I think he'll have fun there," said Kara with a hidden smile.
"Sounds like an island full of women!" said Sanji quickly, excited.
"Yeah… sure," Kara muttered.
"Usopp, to the Boin Archipelago, where there are all kinds of plants and a botanist who's been studying them for years."
"Plants?" asked Usopp, confused.
"They're special. Many of them could improve your fighting style," said Kara.
"Rab will be studying medicine with Chopper, who will be sent on a mission to the island of giant birds to gain the knowledge protected there."
"With Chopper… well, then I won't be so alone," said Rab quickly.
"The perverted robot will be sent to one of Vegapunk's bases. The old man gave his consent, as long as you don't destroy anything."
"Super!" said Franky.
"The musician skeleton… hmm… how about forming a band with Uta, and both of you improve your musical skills? Uta's ability is based on that. As for yours… honestly, I have no idea," said Kara quickly. "That way, you'll be able to protect her."
"Being the guard of a charming lady is my pleasure," said Brook to Uta.
"Nami, to the sky island where they study the weather. Only a couple of old folks live there, so you could become their queen in a week," said Kara quickly.
"Weather? Alright."
"And the beautiful Nico Robin will train in the guild, with the help of Pale and the information and espionage department. But she'll also work with another group… but that's a surprise too," said Kara with a smile.
"And lastly, Luffy will be trained by Grandpa. Any questions?"
"Why Grandpa?" said Luffy, frightened.
"Yes, lots!" said everyone.
"Don't care. See you," said Kara, turning around and walking away, leaving everyone standing there.