4 The Villain And The Noble

The lone Uchiha left Magnolia when the light of day finally started its last descent. He had to refuse another seven invitations from Makarov before he could walk out of his office.

On top of that, Erza didn't want him to leave, he had become somewhat of a net of safety for her. But he needed to travel on his own for a bit. Before making a decision to join anything, he needed to experience what kind of world this was.

He needed to see the good side and the bad side. The only way to do that was to have no one monitoring his movements.

He had received, with some light persuasion some essential information. He got a book on magic as well. Nothing advanced and nothing that he had been told classified as dark magic. It was mostly about magical history, the most common magics and how to utilize them.

He had forgotten to ask how to identify what magic you had. There was so much information that it kind of slipped his mind to ask. Not that he cared. He wasn't sure that he even wanted to use magic. With any luck, the book he got would cover that as well.

His goal, for now, was to make his way to the capital of Fiore. it was, if Makarov's words were to be believed, massive. The hidden villages clearly were not even half the size of most proper cities on this continent.

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A day on the road was much more boring than he remembered. Maybe because he didn't have a partner to share the journey with this time. First, it was Akatsuki's partner system where he had Kisame, and until yesterday he had Erza. Now he was alone with his thoughts, and while he had needed some solitary time to go over his plans, he still wished he had something to occupy his time.

As if the universe bent to his will, a few miles ahead of him his eyes scouted smoke rising into the sky. His eyesight had improved quite drastically. A few miles and he could still see relatively well. It was just one of the many attributes about him that had improved.

He quickened his pace. Meaning, he started dashing towards whatever was going on in the distance. Eventually, his eyes made out a carriage. A decently decorated one, looking high standing.

Probably a noble, he mused. What his eyes focused on though, was the barbarians throwing spells as if there was no tomorrow. They attacked the carriage, but it was apparently pretty well protected as the spells bounced off.

"We have to use something stronger, boss." One barbarian spoke to another.

"The newbie is right, boss. We're close to two legal guild locations. If we take too long the chances of encountering their mages increase. We can't take that risk, especially since she isn't with us."

Standing by the roadside were three people not actively taking part in the attack. The man standing in the middle with his bulky arms crossed over his chest sighed. This was meant to be a simple snatch and grab, but the information was wrong. The carriage was more heavily protected than they thought.

"Alright, prepare a bigger spell. Make it count because it will likely garner some attention. Dark magic in these parts are rare, and if the legal guilds get wind of this... Well, let's not think about it. We don't have the means to outrun Fairy Tail if they should notice."

"Don't worry, boss. I'll blow those doors wide open for ya."

His right-hand man raised his arms and a black magic circle appeared underneath the carriage. Magic was being drawn towards it on droves. Before he could finish though, a kunai struck him in the leg.

Itachi appeared behind him and kicked the kunai farther inside the leg. While the man was busy screaming in pain, Itachi performed hand signs and spat a massive blazing fireball at the group attacking the carriage.

His senses screamed for him to move and he did just in time to dodge a massive axe flying overhead.

"Boss, he knocked them all out! Every single one! He must be from Fairy Tail! Let's retreat!"

"Forget it, newbie. If we go back without the target, we die. If we stay, at least it's straight to prison for us." The boss raised his hand and the massive axe came flying back.

"What makes you think I am a Fairy Tail mage?" Itachi stood with his hands by his side.

"If you were like us, I would be dead." The heavily injured barbarian stated.

'Legal guilds don't kill people? Maybe I shouldn't kill carelessly. They might brand me as a villain.'

The men hit with the fireball were alive, albeit barely. He hadn't put much power into it. He didn't know how durable mages were in comparison to shinobi. The fireball told him mages were not inhumanly durable since a Chunin would have been able to continue after being hit with that.

"I see no reason to confirm that for you. If you leave now, I won't track the rest of your guild down and destroy you." Itachi stated calmly.

"Sounds sincere enough. Unfortunately, I can't comply with that." The boss readied his massive axe for another swing. Itachi was impressed enough with the strength it had to take to casually lift and throw such an axe.

"Time to die, stranger."

He took off in a sprint. He was a physical combat mage and therefore had ampler stamina and overall a more impressive battle prowess. But no matter what, mages couldn't be compared to shinobi in hand to hand combat.

'I wish I knew how strong this man was in comparison to the rest of the magical society. Makarov is clearly many times stronger so that leaves out this man being the group's true leader.'

Itachi flawlessly sidestepped the incoming axe, and followed the flow of movements and landed a punch in the man's gut.

"Boss!" The newbie yelled out seeing his boss gets sent flying into the carriage by nothing but a casual punch. From observation alone, he couldn't have known the sheer power behind that punch. The boss was knocked out when his body hit the carriage.

"You two looking to end up like him? I will give you the option of leaving."

Thinking that they didn't have a chance whatever option they chose, the newbie decided for them. He raised his hands ready to fire off a spell, but he wasn't given the chance as Itachi appeared before him in the blink of an eye. He then delivered a savage kick to the newbie, knocking him out as well. He knocked the rest out directly after.

"The standard for strength is lower here. Maybe competent mages are a real threat, but these would lose against a decent genin. Makarov is so far the most competent warrior I've seen. He would probably be difficult to take down without the use of my more elusive jutsus."

"Very well done, Sir mage!" He turned to see a young girl step out of the carriage. Long brown hair with green, maybe yellow eyes depending on the lighting. A beauty no doubt, and a noble, clear as day.

"Thank you for saving us." She said with a sleekness and grace that showed her many years of noble training.

She waited for the inevitable reply and compliment of her beauty that she was used to. But it came not, as Itachi had walked off. He was already way past the carriage and on his way down the road.

"Hey! Come back here! I wasn't done!"

"I know. But I do not have time." His voice was barely above a whisper.

The young noble was stuck between confusion and irritation. Ignorance in her presence wasn't a common occurrence. She yelled for the driver to catch up.

The carriage passed Itachi and the doors almost flew off its hinges as the young woman came storming out. Her eyes darkened from the fading daylight, the air grew cold from her presence.

"I wasn't done talking to you. Stop!"

"Unlike you, I do not have a magically protected carriage to sleep in so I need to find some shelter for the night." He didn't turn around to see the smoke released from her ears.

"I have never met someone as disrespectful as you. I said STOP!"

This finally got him to stop.

"Raised in privilege has made you ignorant. I was as they call it, messing with you." He still didn't smile, but for a strange reason, the young noble could still see a phantom smile on his face that annoyed her.

"You sir, are infuriating. I am simply trying to thank you for saving us! My escort was killed by those barbarians. You saved me and I wished to reward you." She turned her head to the side, something Sasuke would do whenever he tried to guilt-trip his older brother into training him.

"I take it that is no longer your wish?"

"I could still reward you with riches and grandeur! Only if you apologize for embarrassing me!" She was still fuming from his behaviour.

"You should not assume to know people, miss. I have no need for riches. But, a ride to the capital would be most appreciated." She could almost see a smile on that face of his. Just a little more she thought, just a little more and she would break that stoic mask of his.

"You know what to do, Sir Mage." She said as if not caring. She veiled her tone with something akin to indifference.

"I do not see what I should apologize for. I have done no wrong, have I."

Her head snapped in his direction at neck-breaking speed. "Y-You... A-Are messing with me... AGAIN!" She stomped right up to him and pointed at his face.

"You are infuriating. Just apologize already!"

"I apologize. You remind me of my little brother with your easily agitated temper. I simply couldn't resist."

"Hmph! Do not expect to ride in my carriage unless you kiss my feet." She smiled triumphantly. Her head cocked to the side with her eyes closed.

"You see, I always get what I-" She turned to him only to see an empty spot where he ones stood. She panicked and looked only to see him walking away with a casual stride.

"GODDAMIT!" She swore in the most un-noble way. The low gasps heard from inside the carriage spoke of the rarity of it. A proof of Itachi's magnificent ability to anger nobles.

"Wait up, you infuriating villain!"

She yelled and rushed after him in her uncomfortable-looking high-heels. Since dirt roads weren't designed to be traversed with such shoes, it wasn't a surprise to Itachi that she fell.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he hovered above her.

"I-I'm f-fine!"

"Then our business is concluded."

"Villain!" She hissed at him.

"Hm? Did you want something else?" Itachi asked.

"Why did you walk away from me?" She answered with barely restrained anger.

"An impulse. I felt trouble brewing if I should have stayed around you. I don't play well with politicians."

"I am no disgusting politician."

"A pervert then?"

"What!? How dare you call me such?" She fumed, almost over the edge. She looked ready to kill him.

"You asked me to kiss your feet."

"It has been interesting but I am on a schedule."

"W-Wait!"

"I am not kissing your hand either." He said.

"T-That's not what I want. Forget that. You can ride with me if you want. No payment or anything, just, if you want."

"Much obliged."

"What's your name, Sir Mage." She said trying to fight off the instinct telling her to bisect him.

"Itachi Uchiha. Nice to meet you." He left her to fill in the blanks.

"Rita Serpentgrip. Nice to meet you, Itachi Uchiha." She bowed in a regal greeting. She looked most impressive, Itachi noted.

"Likewise. The roads will get more dangerous at night so we should get moving." He said.

"What of those barbarians?"

"I do not have contact with any authority figure so I can't have them arrested. We also can not take them with us, so I will leave them tied up at the side of the road for now."

"I have ways of contacting the magic council. We could do that." Rita suggested.

"That should work."

"Great, it's in the carriage, let's go!" She resisted the urge of taking him by the hand and dragging him there. It would be unbecoming of her as a noble.

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End