Kai looked at Mira's worried face and chuckled. Having someone care about you was, in its own way, something worth being happy about.
"If you know all that, then why do you still..."
Mira started to say something, but Kai cut her off halfway.
"We are like people in a little boat on the open sea. It looks calm and peaceful, but in truth a storm can hit at any moment."
"There is no hoping that danger will simply spare me."
"I keep getting stronger for one reason. When that moment really comes, I do not want to be left with nothing but helpless crying."
"When danger arrives, I will use my guns and cannons to silence everything. I will not let it hurt the things I love and treasure."
His eyes were steady. Kai knew that one day, he would face enormous danger, but he had no intention of running from it.
Maybe he could run and dodge this crisis, but what about everyone else.
What about Makarov, who had brought him into the guild. Mira, who cooked for him. The guild mates who argued and fought with him every day.
Would they all make it through safely.
Kai did not know. But he would never pin his hopes on so called luck. The only thing he trusted was his own strength.
When danger came, he would rather fight to the death than turn and flee like a coward.
As far as he was concerned, fate lived squarely inside the range of his cannons.
If he decided something should happen, he would make it happen. If he decided something must never happen, then even if Heaven itself willed it, he would not allow it.
Mira stared at him. This was the first time she truly understood why Kai wanted to grow stronger. She was stunned.
A new thought suddenly rose in her chest. If she had become even stronger back then, would Lisanna have survived.
Would she have been able to protect everyone. Then she shook her head.
"No wonder people outside call you a tyrant. That name is not an exaggeration at all."
"You are so arrogant you want everything to follow your will. But what if you meet something you cannot defeat."
"What if your arrogance leads to consequences you can never take back."
Mirajane's emotions were running hot. The smoke of old battles in her heart made it impossible to keep her usual calm smile.
"Then at the very least, I have to be the one to act first. Right or wrong, you only find out after you move. I would rather make mistakes than sit still and surrender."
A fierce, domineering aura radiated from him, a presence that refused to bow to anything.
"You really are arrogant."
Mira's face tightened in anger. She truly was upset. Ever since Lisanna's death, she had faced everything with a smile, no matter what happened.
Even when guild members accidentally hurt her, she would smile and brush it off. But this time she was genuinely unhappy.
The feelings buried deep in her heart slipped out before she could stop them.
"If you are not a little reckless while you are young, are you not wasting the best years of your life."
Kai sat back down and laughed. Call it arrogance, call it pride, he did not care. He just wanted to handle his life his own way.
"If you wait until you are as old as that fossil Makarov to decide you want to do something, it will be far too late."
He snorted.
"Nonsense. I still have plenty of hair. How would I be bald. Do not jinx me."
Kai ran a hand through his hair. Lately more strands had been coming out than usual. Was that supposed to be some kind of sign.
"Eat up. Once you finish, go back and get a good night's sleep."
Mirajane told him.
Even though she was angry, she still worried about Kai's health. No matter how strong you were, working at this pace could wear your body down.
"All right, thank you for the thought."
He finished eating and headed toward the door. Halfway there, something occurred to him. He stopped, turned back, and spoke to Mira in a very serious voice.
"Mira, when I said I would protect the people I treasure, you are one of them. If you ever fall into danger, I will be the first one there."
With that, Kai walked out. The rain outside was still pouring down, but he did not care. With his constitution, a little downpour meant nothing.
Mira watched the water streaming down outside and found herself wondering. If Kai had joined the guild earlier, back when she and Lisanna faced that day.
Would he have appeared before them then, like he had today for Romeo, and helped her save Lisanna.
Mira knew that the past was the past. No amount of thinking could change what had already happened. Even so, Kai's words moved her and filled her with a quiet sense of peace.
"As expected, Fairy Tail really is the best guild."
She started clearing the dishes Kai had left, already wondering whether she should try a new recipe tomorrow and let him taste something different.
...
Meanwhile, Kai finally returned to his long neglected room. He changed into fresh clothes and lay down on his bed.
[Client: Yotsuya Miko][Request: Help Resolve a Crisis][Summary: Mister God, please help me. Every day I see many strange, dangerous things. I am really, really scared.][Reward: 100 Mission Points][Accept this mission?]
"Yes."
Kai accepted without hesitation. When a mission appeared in front of him, there was no reason to refuse. A mission existed to be taken.
"Yotsuya Miko... that name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before."
As he was trying to remember where he had seen the name, his vision warped.
In the blink of an eye, night turned into day.
A beautiful girl with long, straight black hair stood before him. Tears shimmered in her eyes, but she was forcing herself to pretend nothing at all was wrong.