Short Chapter this one
Cana couldn't sleep the night before. She stared at the ceiling of her rented room, wrestling with herself. The morning sun offered no peace. Instead, it brought a fresh wave of anxiety.
She found herself pacing around the guild entrance for an hour, her courage flickering like a weak flame.
But when she saw Lucky approaching from the distance, calm as ever, she dashed forward and grabbed him by the arm.
"Help me," she whispered, eyes pleading.
Without needing to ask, Lucky simply nodded. Together, they approached Makarov.
"We need to talk privately," Lucky said.
Makarov let out a heavy sigh but gestured for them to follow. "Again, huh?"
He led them into the quiet corner of the guild, the same place he had taken Erza not long ago.
Inside, Lucky nudged Cana gently.
"You should be the one to talk."
Cana hesitated, her throat dry. Then she exhaled and said, "I joined Fairy Tail… because my father is here."
Makarov's eyes narrowed. He studied her carefully. "Does your father know you're here?"
She shook her head.
That made Makarov stand up in alarm. "Who is it?! Who leaves a cute kid like you alone?! Tell me his name I'll teach him a lesson!"
Lucky smirked.
Cana muttered under her breath, "Gildarts."
Makarov immediately deflated like a popped balloon.
He coughed awkwardly and waved his hand. "Ahem. Never mind. I'll… deal with him later."
After the emotional talk, the two stepped out of the room. Cana looked lighter, like a weight had been lifted off her chest.
As they exited, Lucky spotted Gray wearing only his shorts as usual and Erza, dressed in her signature armor.
Cana's demeanor shifted instantly. Her usual laid-back attitude was replaced by a beaming smile.
Gray raised an eyebrow. "What's with you?"
"It's nothing," Cana said cheerfully. "You'll find out later."
That only made Gray more confused.
Lucky sat down with them and looked at both Gray and Erza. "I have a gift for both of you."
Gray blinked. "A gift?"
"It'll make you stronger."
That changed Gray's demeanor completely.
Lucky pulled out a small blue vial and handed it to him.
Item: Ice Magic +
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Tier: 3
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Type: Item (Consumable – Potion)
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Use: 1
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Description: A blue vial that, when consumed, grants a permanent enhancement to Ice Magic.
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Effect: Increases Ice Magic by 1% of the user's current/future Ice Magic.
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Limitations: Can only be taken up to 25 times. Becomes ineffective beyond that point.
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Gray stared at the bottle, confused. "What… does this do again?"
Lucky explained, "It boosts all your Ice Magic effects by 1%. Permanently."
Erza and Cana both widened their eyes.
"Unheard of," Erza muttered.
"I only have five of these," Lucky said. "You can take up to twenty-five in your life. But each one is rare."
Gray frowned and tried to hand it back. "No thanks."
But Lucky smiled. "You're the only one who can use it. Don't be stubborn."
Still, Gray hesitated until Cana nudged him and said, "Just take it. Call it a meeting gift."
Gray sighed and finally nodded.
Then Lucky turned to Erza.
Before he could speak, she immediately said, "No."
Lucky blinked. "You're still in debt?"
"Yes."
"Do you have enough armor?"
"No."
"How much does repairing or replacing it cost?"
"A lot… but the answer is still no."
Lucky sighed. "How about I show you what it is first?"
He handed her what looked like a simple paper talisman with a string. It didn't seem impressive until Lucky explained:
Item: Repair Talisman
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Tier: 4
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Type: Item (Passive)
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Use: 1
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Description: Slowly repairs equipped items by converting ambient magic into restoration energy. Works on magical gear unless fully destroyed.
Current Stats:
Material Complexity: 6/10
Repair Rate: 1% durability/minute
Fuel Source: Magic infused by user or ambient mana
Additional: Can be used on structures via pedestal placement
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The others were stunned. It was too perfect for Erza's Requip Knight style.
She hesitated, clearly tempted. Her magic burned through armor and weapons constantly. But after a moment of silence, she finally sighed and said, "Fine. You win."
Lucky smiled as she took the talisman.
"Put it in your inventory," he said.
She did. Some of her broken swords remained the same, but Lucky added, "It's not instant. It heals 1% every minute."
Erza nodded slowly. "Thank you. I'll need this now and in the future."
From the side, Cana gave a playful envious glance.
"Where's my gift, if you're giving them out?" she asked with a pout.
Lucky just chuckled, leaving the question hanging.
Just then, the guild doors creaked open, and Laxus entered.
Lucky spotted him immediately. "Yo, Laxus! Let's go on a mission together."
Laxus raised an eyebrow, then slowly nodded. "Sure. But first…"
He cracked his knuckles. "Let's spar."
Lucky blinked. "Wait, what?"
But Laxus was already heading outside.
Curious and amused, the others followed.
As they stepped into the open field beyond the guild, Laxus turned around with a grin.
"Let's make a bet," he said.
Lucky narrowed his eyes. "A bet?"
"One of your summons," Laxus replied casually.
Lucky turned to glance at Makarov, who gave a sheepish laugh to hide his Embarrassment.
"Fine," Lucky said. "But let me say my condition first ..."