This is my first fan fiction, written after several years of isolation from the real world and people. The purpose of writing it is to express myself and reclaim what I've lost (ability to communicate), while also providing a bit of entertainment. I will be using the AU setting as an excuse for any inconsistencies or poor writing.
*
[Fairy Tail year X775]
A tall, muscular man with shoulder-length, slicked-back orange hair and a stubbly beard stood atop a boulder, his black boots sinking into its surface, leaving a faint trail.
This man is a mage from the guild Fairy Tail, currently in the process of completing an S-rank mission: to investigate dark guild activities in [Red Blossom Village]. The only S-rank and strongest mage of the Fairy Tail guild—
Akagami Shanks?
No, it's Gildarts Clive!
The wind blows his tucked-in pant leg, colored dark, causing it to ripple in waves along with his high-collared black cloak. Looking down, he surveys the pathway that has become a battleground for the swirling dust. His light blue eyes gleamed faintly as they caught a glimpse of scattered debris.
"Is this... the village...?"
His sharp nails press against his palm in frustration, causing a bone-breaking sound that echoes through the bleak atmosphere.
"It would take days and nights, starting from Magnolia Town, to reach this place..."
"I rushed here as soon as I could, yet I—"
A lump in his throat silenced him before he could say another word.
"How unfortunate..."
A heavy sigh slipped from his lips as he felt a tinge of regret.
"No... No time to stray—I have to go."
"There might be survivors nearby. I need to assess the situation first."
With determination, Gildarts gazes at the archway, surrounded by broken trees. At the gate, a giant boulder rests, overlapped by sundered pillars forming an X-pattern.
If he wants to enter, this is the only way—otherwise he would have to climb the ravine. Although the passage is blocked, ensuring that ordinary people wouldn't be able to pass through it—who is he?
Bending his knees, he increases the tension in his legs and springs into the air, leaving a spiderweb depth pattern as he cuts through the wind at unbelievable speed.
Swoosh—
Behind a tree there's a young individual, dressed in all black, his light blue eyes watch him with intent.
"He sure is fast," he mumbles.
"But I don't think that's his full strength... Perhaps he can go even faster and become the fastest in the world."
He thought for a moment and acknowledged it with a slight nod.
"After all, he is the fastest when it comes to running—running away from his responsibilities, that is..."
Whispering his thoughts, he chases after him in silence.
*
A silhouette emerges at the center of the smiling sun, its iconic figure etched against the light.
Gildarts executes a flawless front flip mid-air, soaring over the boulder before plummeting like a meteor to the earth.
"Hmm... Impressive acrobatic skills!"
"If there were any women watching, they might strip on the spot and beg him to have their child."
I said while standing atop a broken pillar, feeling impressed.
But—
After landing, his movement disturbed the sleeping dust, sending it swirling into the air, engulfing him like a swarm of bees, stinging his eyes.
"AARGHH!! Damn it!"
Gildarts screamed in agony.
"Pfft!!" I almost choked in laughter.
"He didn't see that coming. Well, after all, I made it happen," I said, wiping the tears on the corner of my eye.
Desperate to shield himself from the blinding haze, Gildarts raised his right arm, but it was futile—the chaos I had unleashed was too overwhelming.
Whooshing!!
"...Shit!"
After a minute, the chaos has finally settled. Gildarts lowered his arm, blinking rapidly before rubbing his eyes to get rid of the dust.
He found it odd that the wind suddenly blinded him, but having priorities, he didn't think much of it.
However, as the haze lifted, a sudden wave of nausea crashed over him. The air felt thick—heavy and suffocating. A strange scent lingered, drifting around him like an unseen menace.
"This is..."
His eyes widened in shock. Years of field experience couldn't stop his stomach from twisting in revulsion.
"Damn, dark guild!"
Gildarts was clearly upset. He already knew the village had been attacked before he arrived, but the sight before him was far worse than he had imagined.
The ruins were painted in blood, the ground littered with freshly scattered flesh and pulverized remains. The corpses were reduced to unrecognizable minced meat, splattered across the wreckage. It was impossible to tell if the torn flesh belonged to humans—or if the blood soaking the earth was ever theirs to begin with.
If he didn't feel frustrated about this, who would?
"What a cruel thing to do..."
"Oh? Really?" I muttered to myself, feeling amused.
Despite the grim atmosphere, I remained unfazed. For me, this kind of thing was "trivial." Death was a common occurrence. While I could admit this massacre might seem brutal to most, it was nothing special.
Gildarts turned to scan the surroundings. However, just as he was about to step forward, his body tensed—an invisible force holding him in place.
A sudden chill ran down his spine. Gildarts instinctively glanced around the surroundings, making sure he wouldn't miss even a single insect.
"Something was off... There's a monster lurking…"
Feeling someone's prying eyes on him, Gildarts remains vigilant. However, after several minutes of observation, he found no one.
He furrowed his brows and kept on looking again. "Am I imagining things? No… I can feel it. My gut is telling me someone is nearby…"
I narrow my eyes while observing him. "I'm 100% confident in suppressing my presence; the fact that he could still detect even the slightest amount of intent clearly proves he is worthy of being S-rank."
I said, then blended in the shadows.
Once Gildarts confirmed there was no one. He stepped onto the ground heavily, and realization hit him.
"There's no sound…?"
At first, he remained oblivious to the silence blending too naturally within the environment. The air itself felt thick and heavy, swallowing every noise except for the steady drip of blood.
"Could this be Silence Magic!?"
He frowned, then immediately dismissed the thought.
"No… It's a powerful one! The caster must still be nearby! It must be the presence I sensed earlier! A very strong assassin."
Reaching a conclusion, Gildarts expanded his magic detection to its maximum range, ensuring no one could escape his surveillance.
"Detecting magic?"
I furrowed my brows at him. The thought made me pause. "This is similar to En from Hunter x Hunter—you spread your magic around to sense any reactions. The only difference is it cannot be seen, only felt, so when two people are trying to sense each other, the one with a wider range and sensitivity could win."
"Anyway, he's proficient. Does he use this ability to hunt women? I suppose that's enough to prove its effectiveness."
"Even without magic, if it somehow works, then no one (wizard) should be able to escape his surveillance. His magic sensitivity has refined over the years… this could be troublesome."
I said that, but I remained unmoved, not caring in the slightest as I simply watched him while sitting on the debris.
Gildarts scanned the surroundings; still no changes in result.
"It's very likely someone is good at hiding."
If he couldn't detect them, either they fled or they are still nearby. Either way, it's pointless to think about it.
"If he is indeed an assassin, then he will likely attack me himself; it's better that way rather than surveying the whole town."
As Gildarts made his way through the center of the village, a faint groan reached his ears. It was subtle, barely more than a whisper, but enough to tingle his sharp senses and pull him back to reality.
"Argh... Haa... Ahh..."
"...?"
That was... a voice? It was faint but unmistakable—someone was groaning in pain. Gildarts pushed aside his thoughts and focused on searching. Considering his sense of hearing is in effect, it's very likely he goes out of range.
His eyes scanned the ruins, shifting from one collapsed structure to another, trying to pinpoint the source. But no matter where he looked, he couldn't narrow it down.
"What's going on?"
Just when he thought he was out of range.
The sound seemed to come from everywhere at once, echoing through the village as if the ruins themselves were groaning.
With no better option, he randomly picked a spot and began rummaging through the wreckage.
He lifted a large chunk and hurled it into an empty space. If he threw it carelessly, there was a high chance he could injure—or even kill—the person trapped beneath.
"Despite the harsh situation, he made the correct judgment—proof of his extensive field experience," I said.
However, even after tossing aside the shattered chunks of rock, the silence remained—
"I see..."
Such a thing didn't escape his perception.
"So, he could cast silent magic on the field. Not only could it silence the sound inside, it also affected the outside."
Then, he turned his gaze back, looking at the direction where he could hear groans.
"Additionally, he could also manipulate its source, making it impossible to locate him if he attacked. He could attack in silence while hiding his magic power, or he could make loud noises and attack from a blind spot."
"This is going to be tough."
Gildarts said to himself, although he isn't feeling the pressure. After all, he had a basic understanding of his opponent.
"A cautious individual, he won't attack without certain victory. Being an assassin means he isn't good at direct confrontation. He would likely wait until I let my guard down or given a chance."
"Additionally, he needs to strike cleanly and swiftly. It's a do or die for him. If his attack fails, then he is as good as dead."
Gildarts isn't underestimating his opponent, but to pull that tactic off successfully against an S-rank mage isn't so easy. Knowing this, he remains vigilant and leaves a not-so-obvious opening.
*
Observing him from a distance, I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Interesting... So you are intentionally leaving
yourself vulnerable to counterattack?"
"Not too bad."
I silently give him a compliment.
"You underestimate me too much."
I said, and intentionally let him track my trail as I retreated.