— — — — — —
[System upgrading... Advanced Mission Board unlocked.]
[Missions will now be divided into Advanced and Normal categories]
[Completing a Normal Mission grants only the usual magic capacity buff—no extra rewards.]
[Completing an Advanced Mission grants an additional 100 mission points.]
[The "Curse of Galuna Island" has been classified as an Advanced Mission.]
---
Kazuma skimmed the notice and understood it right away. Nothing major had changed—he'd just be earning a little extra this time.
"So I still have a hundred mission points right now… plus another hundred if I clear this mission. That's two hundred total. Enough to upgrade my backup energy again."
He paused, eyes narrowing in thought. "I wonder… will that give me another blue bar this time? Or maybe something entirely new?"
He couldn't be sure, but that uncertainty only made him more excited.
"Alright," Kazuma said finally. "I'll take the job. And you can come with me. Consider it a personal favor."
Cana thought for a moment, then nodded. As long as Kazuma agreed to bring her along for an S-rank mission, that was all she wanted.
The fifty thousand-jewel cost was steep, but manageable. A few fewer nights of drinking and she'd make it work.
"Then it's settled! Let's get moving!"
Kazuma and Cana headed for the door.
"Take care, you two," Mira called after them. "Cana—don't try to be a hero, okay? Your life's worth more than pride."
Mira watched them leave with a faint smile. She wasn't worried about Kazuma—S-rank mages didn't die easily. Even if they couldn't win, they could always escape. Cana, though… that was different. If things went bad, she might not even have the chance to run.
...
Outside the guild, Kazuma noticed a familiar presence. He turned—and sure enough, there was Mystogan lurking in the shadows.
"Huh? Mystogan? I thought you were out on a job. What are you still doing here—slacking off?"
He grinned and gave a lazy wave.
Mystogan simply nodded. After a brief, awkward pause, he muttered something that sounded like a quiet congratulations… then vanished.
That was just how he was—distant, solitary. Even though the guildmaster had told him about Kazuma's promotion to S-rank, the moment he saw the packed guild hall full of cheers and laughter, Mystogan decided not to go in. He didn't belong in that kind of noise. Watching from the shadows suited him better.
Cana frowned. "Was someone there?"
She peered in the direction Kazuma had looked, but saw nothing. And in that moment, she felt it—the gap between them.
He'd spotted Mystogan immediately, while she hadn't sensed a thing. If someone like that ever came for her, she'd be dead before she even realized what happened.
"Don't worry about it," Kazuma said, shaking his head. "He's just… shy. Came to congratulate me but couldn't bring himself to step inside."
He sighed softly. "Whatever. There'll be plenty of time to talk later."
They continued down the road, and when they reached the city gate, another figure caught Kazuma's attention.
"Laxus?" Kazuma blinked. "You haven't left either? What, planning to challenge me outside the city?"
The blond man on the wall crossed his arms, electricity flickering faintly around him. "Hmph. Don't get cocky just because you've got that S-rank badge. It's temporary. Fail the follow-up exam and you'll lose it."
He turned away with a sharp crackle of lightning. "I don't have time to spar. I've got a mission to finish."
In a flash of light, he was gone.
Kazuma watched the fading sparks. Makarov was right—Laxus wasn't an enemy. He just didn't know how to connect with people. To him, power was everything. Be strong or be crushed—there was no in-between.
"Damn, that speed…" Cana muttered, wide-eyed.
She was stunned. After seeing where Laxus had been, by the time she reacted, he was already gone. The difference in power between her and these S-rank mages felt like a wall she couldn't see the top of.
Then suddenly, Cana turned to Kazuma. "Wait, I thought you two didn't get along? Why would he come to see you off?"
Kazuma smirked. "Guess even he's got a sense of respect buried somewhere under that arrogance."
"Anyway... Cana," Kazuma said quietly, "I know why you wanted to come with me. But I'll be honest—you're still a long way off."
He didn't sugarcoat it. "Your magic, your body, your instincts, even your awareness—they all need work. If you became an S-rank mage right now, it'd only hurt you. You know that saying—'To wear the crown, you must bear its weight.'"
Cana met his gaze, eyes unwavering.
Kazuma sighed. Determination was good—but too much of it turned into stubbornness.... And stubbornness could get you killed.
"I know," Cana said softly. "I'm not strong. My magic isn't impressive. I don't have your resolve or your body's endurance… but I do have a reason I can't give up."
Her voice trembled but didn't break. "I let fear hold me back once before. I missed my chance. This time… this might be my last one."
If she failed this mission, she'd have to leave the guild. Maybe she should never have tried to face Gildarts. He was Fairy Tail's strongest mage, while she—she was just Cana Alberona. A nobody.
"Alright," Kazuma said finally. "But just so you know—this mission isn't the kind of fight you're expecting."
A faint smile curved his lips. "Because if I'm there… there won't be any enemies left."
Cana nodded. "Got it. No matter what happens, I have to try."
She looked at him, his presence shining bright like the sun—so bright it lit up everything around him, even her. If only she could shine like that… maybe then Gildarts would truly see her as his daughter.
But the truth was simple—She wasn't Kazuma. She was just ordinary.
---
Meanwhile, in a quiet, unremarkable little town, a squad of shadow soldiers had just finished exterminating a pack of monsters. Each one carried two severed monster heads, still dripping blood and steaming in the cool air.
They found the client—a young woman in her twenties—waiting by the street. The moment she saw six tall figures in black cloaks approach, holding bloody heads in both hands, her face went white.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
Her voice trembled, knees nearly buckling. She forced herself to stay calm, realizing the crest on their armor. Fairy Tail. Oh thank god—they were from Fairy Tail.
Except… why were they still holding the heads?
The six soldiers exchanged glances, then silently raised the heads and held them out to her. Task complete. Payment due.
"Wh-what do you want from me?!" she cried. "Say something!"
The heads dangled inches from her nose, hot blood nearly dripping onto her shoes. Her mind went blank. Weren't Fairy Tail mages supposed to be nice? Was the payment too low? They could've just asked—no need for this horror show!
The shadows stood frozen, expressionless.
Their master's orders had been simple: complete the mission and collect the payment. But the client wasn't signing the receipt… nor refusing either. Now they were stuck.
"F-fine! I'll pay more! Ten percent extra!"
No reaction.
"Twenty! That's all I can afford!"
Still nothing.
"Thirty! Just—please, stop scaring me! I'll give you whatever you want, just don't hurt me!"
Tears streamed down her face as the black-armored figures loomed silently, red eyes glowing through their visors. To her, they weren't Fairy Tail mages—they were cold, blood-soaked assassins.
And that silence was the worst part.
The shadow soldiers tilted their heads slightly, confused. They had no idea what the woman was babbling about. They just wanted her to confirm the mission was complete.
While the awkward standoff dragged on, dark clouds rolled in, and fat raindrops began to fall. From down the street, a girl in a blue dress strolled toward them, holding a parasol over her shoulder.
"Well, what's this then?" she said, eyes narrowing. "Dressed in black in broad daylight, robbing people? No—this looks more like a mugging."
She spun the umbrella once, raindrops scattering like tiny crystals. "Since Juvia has seen it with her own eyes, Juvia cannot just stand by. Stop right there, all of you!"
The Rain Woman, Juvia of the Great Sea, had arrived.
The six shadow soldiers exchanged glances. The rain hitting their armor shimmered faintly with magical energy. That counted as an attack, right? Which meant they were free to retaliate.
First strike advantage: attack before being attacked.
They melted into the darkness almost instantly, closing in on Juvia.
"You dare raise your hands against Juvia? How cruel!" Juvia shouted, twisting her wrist. Water surged around her, coiling like living snakes.
She wasn't a powerful S-rank mage like Erza, but as one of Phantom Lord's elite, her strength was nothing to laugh at.
Against these silent assassins, she more than held her ground. And with her body composed of living water, she was naturally immune to physical attacks—their blades passed through her like ripples in a pond.
The shadow soldiers' signature assassination tactics were useless.
"You shouldn't have done that," the client stammered, watching Juvia drive back the shadows. "They're from Fairy Tail! If you hurt them, they'll never forgive you!"
She hesitated, torn between fear and gratitude. "You should run while you can, miss. Don't worry—I won't tell anyone you helped me."
Fairy Tail had a good reputation, sure, but she hadn't expected their members to use silent intimidation as a negotiation tactic. That was just cruel!
Juvia huffed, flicking a droplet of rain from her cheek. "Juvia isn't afraid of Fairy Tail. If they want to come after her, she'll be right here waiting—and she'll give them a lesson they won't forget."
Honestly, if the woman hadn't said that, Juvia might've just left. But now? There was no way she'd walk away after being told to fear someone else's guild. Fairy Tail? Meh. They weren't that special.
---
Meanwhile, aboard a train bound for the port city, Kazuma's eyes snapped open.
"Hm? My shadow soldiers were just wiped out... and not far from here." His voice dropped to a dangerous calm. "Whoever did that clearly doesn't value their life. Should've let them take a few magic bombs with them—then I could've blown that bastard sky-high."
"Change of plans," he said, turning to Cana. "Something came up. We'll have to postpone Galuna Island. You coming with me or staying behind?"
Cana looked up, surprised but resolute. "I'll come. If you need help, I'll be there."
She didn't know what had happened, but anything that got Kazuma worked up had to be serious. And if there was a fight involved—perfect. Maybe this would be her chance.
"Good. We'll switch trains at the next stop. The client for that mission… should be nearby."
He recalled the details—it had been a simple monster-extermination job. Could the soldiers have been taken out by the target creature? If so, that was pathetic.
...
Half an hour later, they arrived at the town.
"Want me to use my cards to locate the enemy?" Cana asked, pulling out her Magic Cards.
Her cards weren't just for combat; she could use them for fortune-telling too—love readings, missing persons, even success rates for her own S-rank trials.
The problem was… her accuracy was too good. Every reading she'd done about her own promotion had said extremely low probability. And every time, she'd failed—until now, when she'd finally decided if she failed again, she'd give up the dream entirely.
"No need," Kazuma said. "Whoever killed my shadows will have their energy all over them. I'll find them soon enough."
"But the town's huge, and there's only—"
Before she could finish, the world around them dimmed. Kazuma's shadow stretched outward, swallowing the streets, alleys, and rooftops in inky darkness.
From within, countless soldiers rose silently from the blackness and knelt on one knee before him.
"Find whoever dared attack us," Kazuma ordered, voice echoing like thunder. "And erase them."
The shadow legion dispersed instantly, melting into the night. Within seconds, the entire town was covered in a living sea of darkness.
Cana stood frozen, staring at the overwhelming display of power. "That's… terrifying," she whispered. "That magic… that endless mana…"
He really was a monster—no, beyond a monster.
BAM
A blast cracked through the air—dark smoke flared from the eastern district.
"That's the signal," Kazuma said coldly.
"Should we move in?" Cana asked, already summoning her cards.
"No need," he replied. "If I know the location, I can end it from here."
The air behind him shimmered, and a massive magic cannon phased into existence, humming with power. Its barrel glowed as mana spiraled inside.
"M-Magical Convergent Cannon?!" Cana gasped. "But that's supposed to be fortress-grade weaponry! You can't just… summon one!"
She stared in disbelief at the towering weapon, feeling the heat from the raw magic gathering at its core. At this rate, it looked like he was going to blow up the entire town.
"Wait—don't! We just need to take out the enemy, not destroy everything!" she protested.
"Relax," Kazuma said calmly. "I'm only using ten percent output. It won't be that bad."
"'Not that bad'?!" Cana looked from the cannon back to him, utterly unconvinced. From the amount of power surging through the weapon, she was pretty sure ten percent could still vaporize her in an instant.
She muttered under her breath, "that's definitely not 'not that bad'…"
.
.
.