The Magic Merchant in Fairy Tail

Natsu knew that Kira wasn't genuinely upset about him secretly taking on an S-class mission. Kira's scolding stemmed more from frustration at Natsu's carelessness and his failure to protect his companions effectively.

Kira genuinely cared for his teammates.

This time, Natsu admitted to himself, the mistake was his. He thought he could handle the challenge, but he underestimated the enemy and paid the price for his recklessness, resulting in both him and Happy suffering serious injuries.

But Natsu wasn't the type to wallow in self-pity. If he made a mistake, he'd acknowledge it, train harder, and make sure it didn't happen again. This was the way he'd always been, and this time was no exception.

Natsu looked up at Kira with renewed determination. "Kira, let's fight when we get back! I'll make sure I get stronger!"

"Haha, don't worry." Kira chuckled. "You'll definitely get your fight."

Of course, Kira thought to himself, it won't just be me you'll be fighting. If the timeline was correct, he might soon face Phantom Lord as well.

"And Lucy should join in too!" Kira added, grinning slyly.

"Huh? Me?" Lucy gasped, caught off guard.

"Of course," Kira replied smoothly. "While this injury was mostly Natsu's fault, as a teammate, you didn't contribute much to the fight. That's a disgrace to Fairy Tail!"

Lucy's face turned beet red as Kira continued.

"Since you're a team, you'll all train together. And…" Kira's expression grew darker, and he leaned in slightly, "You don't think you're going to avoid punishment for participating in an S-class mission, do you?"

"Uh… Well… Hehe…" Lucy tried to laugh it off, but she couldn't meet Kira's gaze.

"Either you take part in my devilish training," Kira said ominously, "or you leave the guild. You can choose."

Lucy groaned. "Do I even have a choice?"

"Smart answer." Kira grinned.

"Ohhhh!! Devilish training? Sounds exciting!" Natsu cheered, fire practically sparking from his body.

Lucy sighed deeply. "Why do I always end up in these situations?"

Lucy walked over to Klaue, who was still sealed in Kira's stone prison, and studied her curiously. "What a powerful spell… It can seal even someone who can turn into an element. I've never seen magic like this before."

"Is this the demon?" Natsu added, tapping the stone. "Kira's magic is always weird. But it's strong!"

"That's right!" Happy piped up. "It's sealing magic, like healing magic—it's a long-lost art!"

"Healing magic?" Lucy suddenly recalled. "That's right! Kira healed me and Happy earlier. So Word Magic is like… a combination of everything?"

Kira, now listening, approached with a casual smile. "Pretty much. Word Magic manipulates the real names of all things, including magic. By understanding and commanding their true names, I can use their properties."

"That's why it looks like I have so many different spells. But," Kira continued, "this kind of magic requires three things: enormous magical power, deep knowledge of magic, and extensive experience. Without all three, it's impossible to wield."

"Wow…" Lucy murmured, visibly impressed.

Kira didn't mention the biggest flaw of Word Magic—that it required the caster to speak the magic's name aloud. After all, in the world of magic, shouting out spell names during a fight was commonplace. Nobody would suspect it was a limitation.

Natsu shifted the conversation back to the mission. "So… what now? We've defeated her—does that mean the mission's over?"

Lucy glanced at Klaue, sealed in stone, and frowned. "And what about her? What do we do with her?"

"Let's take her back," Happy suggested. "We can ask the tavern uncle about her!"

Kira, crossing his arms, furrowed his brow. "This mission was supposed to be about repelling monsters, but we ended up fighting a demon. It seems your client isn't as simple as he seems."

"Well… the uncle said he was a descendant of some clan," Natsu recalled.

"The… Ice-something tribe!" Happy added helpfully.

"The Isisnu tribe," Kira corrected.

"Yeah, that's it!" Natsu nodded. "He said they served gods or something."

"Serving gods?" Kira's eyes narrowed. "Interesting… Let's go meet this uncle. I have some questions for him."

"And the demon?" Lucy asked, gesturing to the stone prison.

"Take her with us," Kira decided. "She might be useful for getting answers. And if nothing else, we can prove the mission's complete."

Kira retrieved a "Snow Magic Car" from his collection. The sleek, sled-like vehicle glided smoothly over the snowy terrain, powered by magic crystals and balance enchantments.

"Hop in!" Kira called as he loaded Klaue's prison onto the vehicle.

As the group began their journey, Kira glanced back. "By the way, tell me more about this uncle of yours."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the snowy mountains, Erza and Gray stood among the aftermath of their battle.

The ground was littered with fallen snow wolves, their bodies strewn across the field like broken toys. Blood-stained snow mixed with shattered ice, creating a surreal and eerie tableau.

"It looks like the enemy has retreated," Erza said, lowering her sword. Her armor gleamed with the evidence of battle, her presence as commanding as ever.

Gray, catching his breath, put his coat back on. "Suddenly attacking us, then suddenly pulling back… What kind of strategy is this?"

Erza frowned, scanning the horizon. "It's not just wolves. That woman—she was a demon."

Gray nodded grimly. "Yeah. That magic… It was definitely demonic. No doubt about it."

"What concerns me," Erza continued, "is why they're here in the first place. This mountain… What could they be after?"

As Gray mulled this over, Erza turned toward the distance. "We need to move."

"Wait," Gray called, hurrying after her. "That's not the direction we were heading! Where are you going?"

Erza pointed forward, her eyes sharp. "I felt a faint magic fluctuation earlier. It came from this direction, and it wasn't natural. We should investigate."

Gray frowned, unsure. "Magic fluctuation? I didn't feel anything…"

Erza didn't stop walking. "Perhaps you were too focused on the fight. But trust me, someone—likely Kira or the others—was involved."

"Let's go find out."

As Gray followed her lead, an unshakable sense of urgency spurred them forward.

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