"Ugh... blegh..." Natsu was slumped over the side of the boat, vomiting continuously until his eyes rolled back. Chen Fan knew Natsu was sensitive to transportation, but he hadn't expected it to be this severe.
Chen Fan felt a sense of smug satisfaction. Serves you right for causing trouble and threatening me, he thought.
Despite his schadenfreude, he sat down next to Natsu and patted his back. "Don't worry. If you just keep throwing up, eventually you'll get used to it. Heh..." His eyes darkened at the end as a sinister smirk crossed his lips.
Seeing that grin, Lucy, Happy, and the bound Gray all shivered. They scooted further away, terrified that Chen Fan might turn his attention to them. Scary!! they thought in unison.
Natsu was so close to passing out that he didn't even hear what Chen Fan said; he just kept retching.
Looking at the gloomy weather and the occasional flash of lightning on the horizon, Lucy hugged Happy tighter. "Even though we're already here, I'm still a little scared," she whispered.
"You're the one who dragged everyone into this, and now you're complaining?" Gray said, sounding annoyed.
He then turned his gaze toward Chen Fan, but Chen Fan just shrugged and spread his hands, indicating he was only there because he had been forced.
Gray then turned to the boatman. "And you, why were you willing to set sail?"
"My name is Bobo. I was a resident of that island, Galuna Island. I escaped from that cursed place. Calamity will fall upon you too. Going to that island means... this." He extended his hand, revealing a hideous transformation. "Can you really break this curse? The Curse of the Demon?"
"Ah! Uncle, your hand!" Gray and the others gasped in horror.
"Don't worry. We have the world's best doctor here. He can solve any curse," Happy said, closing his eyes and waving a paw dismissively.
"That's right! Chen Fan is an expert in healing!" Gray and Lucy realized, their eyes lighting up as if the S-Class Quest was already finished.
Finding everyone's eyes on him, Chen Fan quickly shook his head. "No way. I can't heal that. Curses and injuries aren't the same thing. Besides..."
Bobo quickly cut him off. "He's right. A curse is a curse. We've hired countless doctors, but none could cure it." His voice sounded hurried.
"Ah, is that so?"
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Lucy asked, looking lost.
Chen Fan hated being interrupted, especially by someone who clearly had an ulterior motive. He shot a meaningful glance at Bobo.
Catching that gaze, Bobo quickly looked away. Suddenly, he shouted, "I see it! It's Galuna Island!" Everyone's eyes fixed on the distant land.
Suddenly, Lucy pointed. "What is that? The mountaintop is glowing!" She turned back and stood up in shock. "Huh... where's the uncle?"
"Did he fall in?" Gray asked, leaning over the railing to look down.
"He was just there a second ago," Happy added.
Chen Fan pointed at the sky and said flatly, "He ran away."
"Ran away?!" Gray, Lucy, and Happy shouted in disbelief. Chen Fan simply pointed behind them. They turned around to see a massive tidal wave bearing down on them.
"Aah! A giant wave!" Lucy screamed.
"Hold on tight!" Gray yelled. "Happy, make the boat fly!"
"I can't do that!"
Boom!
The massive wave slammed into them, dragging them into the sea.
Chen Fan was in the water as well, but a faint membrane surrounded him. Not even the hem of his clothes got wet.
Looking at the unconscious trio, Chen Fan sighed. "Always making trouble." Two whirlpools appeared beneath his feet, and he shot toward Natsu and the others.
With a loud rushing sound, the sea parted, creating a path. The water on both sides crashed against an invisible wall, unable to advance an inch. Chen Fan walked steadily toward the shore, several figures Natsu, Gray, and the rest floating silently beside him.
After laying them out on the beach, Chen Fan sat on a large rock nearby, silently watching them and waiting for them to wake up.
As time passed, he grew bored and decided to walk along the shore to take in the scenery. It wasn't often he got to visit a place like this. Unlike the stormy sea, the island was bathed in brilliant sunlight. With the lush trees surrounding the beach, it felt like a hidden paradise.
Stepping on the soft sand and listening to the waves, Chen Fan felt his heart relax. It was a refreshing feeling. His superpowers, which hadn't progressed in a long time, seemed to enter a more refined state of mastery.
Suddenly, he heard someone shouting his name. The voice sounded urgent. Knowing it was Natsu and the others waking up, he walked quickly back to them.
Natsu and Gray were relieved to see Chen Fan unharmed, but they immediately yelled at him, "Where did you go?! We've been looking everywhere for you!" Though their tone was harsh, Chen Fan could feel the genuine concern behind it.
"I didn't go anywhere. I just washed up over there," Chen Fan said with a wave of his hand.
"I promised Grandpa I'd bring you back safely!" Gray roared, his anger flaring at Chen Fan's nonchalant attitude.
"Now, now, as long as Chen Fan is okay, it's fine," Lucy said quickly, seeing Gray this angry for the first time.
Seeing Gray and Natsu so upset actually made Chen Fan a little happy. After all these years, he looked at them like younger brothers. They were the first people he had met when he joined the guild.
He stepped forward and patted their shoulders with a smile. "Am I not fine? Don't look down on me too much. If nothing else, I know how to protect myself. You just don't know it yet. Alright, the quest is waiting for us."
"You're still thinking about the quest?" Gray asked.
"Don't you feel a bit unwilling to let Natsu and the others go to the Second Floor before you?" Chen Fan asked seriously. He then turned around and walked away, leaving a pensive Gray behind.
Mentioning the quest instantly energized Natsu. He jumped up and down, shouting, "Since Chen Fan is fine, then let's not worry! Adventure time! Adventure!"
"Aye!"
"According to the request details, that's exactly what you shouldn't do," Lucy complained.
She pulled out a map and showed it to Natsu and Chen Fan. "There seems to be a village on this island. The village chief is the client who posted the request. Let's head there first." She folded the map.
Just then, Gray spoke up. "Wait."
Natsu looked back. "What? The boat is broken, you can't take us back anymore."
"No, I'm coming too. Chen Fan is right. It would be pretty embarrassing to let you guys get to the Second Floor first. Besides, it would be lonely if you got expelled. If we complete the quest perfectly, Grandpa won't have anything to say, right?"
Natsu and Lucy beamed at his words, and a smile finally touched Gray's face as well.
"Alright! Let's head out! Oh!"
"Let's go!"
"Aye!"
With that, they ran forward. Chen Fan followed at a steady pace behind them. Listening to their happy voices, he looked up at the azure sky. A soft smile appeared on his face, and his resolve to protect those smiles grew even stronger.
He looked down and saw that Natsu and the others had already gotten quite far. He waved his hand and shouted, "Wait for me!" before breaking into a run.
"Catch us if you can!"
"Hurry up!"
"Haha!" Natsu and Lucy shouted back as they ran faster, leaving a trail of laughter in their wake.
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