"Is he already dead?"
Looking at the man lying still with his eyes closed and barely breathing, Happy spoke in a soft voice.
"He shouldn't be!"
The two people and one cat were completely at a loss.
"I remember now, people who fall into water need CPR. Lucy, hurry up and do it."
A light bulb seemed to go off in the blue cat's head, his eyes lighting up as he immediately turned to the golden-haired girl beside him, whose face was already slightly flushed.
"C-CPR… Me…"
Lucy panicked and waved her hands quickly. What a joke. This was her first kiss. How could she waste it on a stranger?
"You're the only one here. Do you want Natsu and me to do CPR?"
"I'm not doing it."
Natsu shuddered. The thought of doing mouth-to-mouth with a man made his skin crawl, and he shook his head repeatedly.
"So, Lucy…"
Happy and Natsu exchanged a glance, then turned together to stare at her.
In an instant, Lucy felt overwhelming pressure.
To be honest, she was not completely against it. Although the man lying on the ground had a scar on his face, he was actually quite handsome when she looked closely.
But this was still her first kiss.
For a moment, Lucy hesitated.
"Lucy, if you don't save him, he'll die."
Happy spoke casually, placing his hands on his hips as if standing on moral high ground.
"O-Okay!"
Left with no choice, Lucy crouched down and slowly leaned closer to the unconscious man.
Closer and closer.
As she looked at his face, her cheeks grew hotter.
His eyelashes were long and sharp, like the wings of a swallow.
Even his breathing felt warm.
Lucy took a steady breath, made up her mind, and leaned in.
Their lips met.
But the moment they touched, the man's tightly shut eyes suddenly opened.
Their gazes locked.
Time seemed to freeze.
A sharp, dangerous awareness quickly surfaced in those dark, clear pupils.
Then, without the slightest hesitation or mercy, Lucy cried out in pain as she was violently struck and sent flying.
"Lucy!"
Natsu and Happy were stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"It hurts so much…"
Lucy lay several meters away, clutching her chest, her face pale.
"Damn it! We tried to save you, and you attacked Lucy!"
Fury ignited in Natsu as flames burst from his hands. He charged forward and threw a punch.
That was how they met.
...
Earth-land was a world of magic, where magic had long become a part of everyday life. There were magic shops where spells and items could be bought and sold, and many people made a living through magic.
Guilds were born from this system.
Anyone who awakened magic became a mage and could accept jobs from guilds in exchange for money.
Fairy Tail was one of the many magic guilds.
Of course, in any world, there is both good and evil, and guilds are no exception.
There were Light Guilds and Dark Guilds. However, so-called Light Guilds were not always righteous, and Dark Guilds were not always purely evil.
Fairy Tail was classified as a Light Guild, and its reputation was widely known.
The Kingdom of Fiore was a neutral nation with a population of seventeen million. Magnolia Town, where Fairy Tail was located, was one of its territories.
Akane Resort was a coastal city.
It was the most popular seaside destination in Fiore, filled with massive theme parks and luxurious hotels. The beach itself was breathtaking, with endless blue waters that drew visitors back again and again.
Beneath one of the hotels was an underground amusement area and casino, packed with attractions for tourists.
Today, the weather was bright and clear.
The beach was already filled with people enjoying the sea.
About five hundred meters away from the shore, a figure suddenly appeared in midair and plunged straight into the ocean, sending up a large splash. Because of the distance, no one paid it much attention.
At the bottom of the sea, Lucien held a wolf-tooth club in one hand and a Gatling gun in the other, his senses fully alert. If necessary, he was prepared to charge a Kamehameha.
Safe.
Underwater felt no different from land to him.
Fish scattered in panic as sunlight filtered down, illuminating the seabed.
Lucien's perception spread outward, covering everything within range. The beach five hundred meters away formed clearly in his mind.
The weapons in his hands vanished.
His body shifted, his physique shrinking into that of an ordinary young man. Within moments, he blended seamlessly into the crowd.
Walking out of the sea, he stepped onto the beach, glanced at the lively scene, and headed straight toward a nearby tavern.
This world resembled a classic sword-and-magic setting rather than modern society. The architecture alone made that obvious.
Taverns were always the best place to gather information.
"What do you need, guest?"
As he entered, a young waitress greeted him politely, her voice lively.
"I'll start with an iced drink, then bring me your specialty dishes."
Lucien smiled faintly.
"Please wait a moment."
Sitting by the window, he observed the bustling street outside.
It felt… stable.
Lighting a cigarette, Lucien fell into deep thought.
Because of the Odin Curse, he was significantly weakened.
His Ki, defense, recovery, endurance, and stamina had all dropped by more than half.
However, abilities like Giant Power, Demon Progenitor, Six Styles, Soul Fruit, and Thunder Breathing were still usable, since they did not rely on Ki.
Techniques such as Time Pause, Ground Shrinkage, Kamehameha, and Death Beam could still be used, but activating them even once might completely drain his remaining Ki.
Worse, the Odin Curse would inflict unbearable pain, like being sliced apart countless times, leaving him on the brink of death.
Compared to his peak, he was undeniably weaker.
But weak did not mean powerless.
Even now, Lucien remained far beyond ordinary people.
It was a shame he did not bring his vibranium gloves. With that armor, his defense would have been much stronger.
Still, he was not concerned.
He could create Hoz whenever necessary.
At first glance, the Odin Curse seemed to have reset him, but a dying beast was still dangerous.
Everything had two sides.
From another perspective, this was an opportunity.
Lucien was essentially rebuilding himself.
His Ki would become more refined.
In the past, he relied on near-death experiences to increase his strength. While effective, it left his foundation unstable.
Now, that weakness could be corrected.
When he eventually broke the Odin Curse and returned to his peak, his strength would surpass what it once was.
At the same level, quality always surpasses quantity.
The path back would be painful, but the result would be worth it.
After spending some time in the tavern, Lucien explored the surrounding area and gradually understood the nature of this world.
Fairy Tail.
A once popular world.
More importantly, it held things that might help him weaken the Odin Curse.
For example, Fairy Heart, a source of infinite magic power.
Ki and magic were fundamentally the same.
There was also the Curse of Contradiction, an immortal curse. Perhaps one curse could counter another.
This world might not rival others in scale, but it still held valuable opportunities.
And more importantly, it was filled with powerful individuals.
Lucien smiled faintly, a cruel glint flashing in his eyes.
For him, that only made things more interesting.