A taut stillness filled the cavern corridor.
Cana's breath was shallow, one hand hovering over her card deck, her eyes fixed on the silhouette ahead. The slight scrape of its movement echoed like a warning. Kai took a single step forward, eyes narrowing.
Something shifted.
A whisper of motion—barely audible—but enough.
Kai blurred forward in an instant. "Stay alert," he called back without turning.
The shadowy figure reacted immediately, as if expecting the pursuit. It darted away with astonishing speed, leaping across uneven rock. Its feet skimmed the stone walls with effortless, trained precision. Cana gasped—the agility was almost inhuman.
Kai chased, boots pounding lightly, speed rising with each stride. His eyes sharpened, tracking the faintest shifts in posture and momentum.
Good. Fast… quiet. Skilled. He was intrigued.
The figure bounded off a protruding ledge, landing on the tunnel wall for a split second as if weightless—
—and something about the motion was off.
Kai sensed it instantly.
A half-beat drop in momentum. A subtle stiffening of one shoulder. The smallest wrong angle of the foot.
His instincts screamed.
He pushed off the ground and twisted backward just as a silver blur coated lightning sliced through the air where his chest had been.
Clang— The blade grazed stone, splitting them apart.
The figure didn't hesitate. The slash flowed into a thrust this time winds flowing around it so fast it blurred, piercing straight toward Kai's sternum.
Kai pivoted—sharp, fluid—a full 360° spin on his heel. The thrust cut through empty air the sharp wind grazing his back.
Using that momentum, he snapped a back kick toward the attacker's shoulder—
At the same time, the cloth wrappings around Kai's arms unfurled, alive with magic. They lashed out like serpents, looping around the blade and the attacker's wrist, binding them together in a tight grip.
The swordsman's eyes widened a fraction.
But he didn't falter.
Instead, he braced his free forearm against the kick, absorbing the impact with a practiced block. The blow sent him sliding back across the stone floor, boots scraping. Kai landed lightly, lowering his foot with a small, impressed exhale.
He took that clean. Strong frame… reinforced stance. He knows what he's doing.
Kai tugged the wrappings, tightening them—but not too much. Enough to ensure they held. Enough to test.
The figure regained balance, turning smoothly to face him.
The cave light flickered across his features.
A young man—likely Kai's age.
Black hair, bangs framing his face. Sharp red eyes, cool and watchful, dressed in black , he was around the same height as natsu with lean body and wide shoulders. His grip on the beautiful sword was relaxed, almost delicate, despite being partially restrained.
He stood easily, like someone who had fought so many times that his body found equilibrium without thought.
For a moment, the two simply stared at each other—quiet, assessing, measuring.
The water dripping somewhere in the distance was the only sound.
Finally, the young man spoke, voice calm and even but intrigued:
"That was impressive."
Kai's lips curved, amused. "Indeed. You managed to surprise me. Very impressive."
The air between them shifted—tense, but no longer hostile. Mutual respect crackled quietly there, subtle but unmistakable.
Cana came rushing up from behind, panting lightly as she reached Kai's side—though staying carefully a few steps back from the swordsman. She pulled out her cards, the golden paper shimmering under Pixie's soft glow.
"Who—who the hell is this guy?" she demanded, eyes darting between them.
Before things escalated, Kai lifted his hand slightly.
"Don't attack, Cana. It's alright."
She blinked, startled. "You're sure?"
Kai nodded, eyes still fixed on the swordsman. "Yeah. If he wanted to fight he would have attacked already."
Cana swallowed, keeping her card ready but lowering it just slightly before nodding, "Fine ."
Kai raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Now then… since we're all being polite about this—who are you, mister mystery swordsman?"
The young man shifted his stance—subtle, measured—relaxing but not lowering his guard. His red eyes flickered between the two Fairy Tail mages, studying them with composed patience.
The wrapped sword glinted faintly, the magic-charged fabric binding it shimmering faintly in the dim light.
He drew a quiet breath.
The cavern stayed unnervingly quiet as the young swordsman glanced down at the bindings on his wrist and blade. His expression did not change, but the subtle lift of one eyebrow clearly asked:
Is this your idea of a conversation?
Kai followed the gaze, blinked once, then clicked his tongue.
"Oh. Right."
He turned slightly. "Oi, Cana. Come here."
Cana frowned. "Huh? I'm right—"
Then she realized. She was standing directly behind the swordsman—well within his striking range if he chose to turn hostile.
Her eyes widened. "—oh crap."
She rushed to Kai's side with surprisingly light steps for someone who drank like she breathed. Only when she reached him did she exhale, tension draining from her shoulders.
Satisfied, Kai tugged his fingers slightly and the magical wrappings loosened. They slithered off the sword and wrist like obedient silk serpents, curling back around his arms.
The swordsman flexed his hand once, rubbing the faint pressure mark left behind. Then, without a word, he slid the beautiful silver blade smoothly into its sheath. His movements were precise, economical—someone well-trained, well-disciplined, and comfortable with violence.
He lifted his eyes toward them.
"Who I am," he said calmly, "is of no consequence to you. Is it?"
Kai shrugged. "Kinda is mr. cave creeper."
A flicker of amusement passed through the swordsman's red eyes. Kai continued, tone casual but edged with authority:
"This place is under Fiore. I'm here to investigate what's happening, what the previous team found, and why they aren't responding. So yeah—I need to know what you're doing here. And whether you had anything to do with them."
Cana crossed her arms, glaring slightly in agreement.
The man stared back for several seconds, gaze steady and unblinking. Then he shook his head once.
"I see , but regardless i had nothing to do with the archaeological team," he said. "I came here because I was interested in the ruins and during that i didn't encounter anyone here."
He said it plainly, without hesitation or guilt.
Kai studied his face carefully—posture relaxed, shoulders loose, breathing even. No twitch, no flicker of nerves.
He's telling the truth.
The swordsman added, tone still neutral, "I have searched this area and since you have business here, I will leave you to your job", he stops before staring at them before asking, "Are you going to stop me ?"
Kai shakes his head, "Not really."
The swordsman turned slightly, ready to walk away through the winding darkness.
Cana narrowed her eyes. "Seriously, Kai? You're letting him go? He hasn't even told us his name!"
Kai didn't look away from the stranger. "I believe him."
Cana stared at him like he'd grown another head.
Kai went on, voice calm but probing, "And since you were here before us… mind telling us what you found?"
The man paused.
For a moment, there was only the distant drip of water hitting stone.
Then he turned back. The torchlight from Pixie reflected in his eyes—sharp, clear, observing.
"This place is active."
Both Kai and Cana stiffened.
The swordsman continued.
"It is absorbing ethernano from whatever enters. Living or otherwise."
Kai and Cana exchanged a look—one filled with the sudden clarity of pieces falling together.
The drained lamps. The faint hum under the stone. The emptiness in the air.
Kai exhaled slowly. "Well," he muttered, "that explains it."
Cana rubbed her arm, suddenly uneasy. "Creepy as hell…"
Kai stepped forward a bit, offering a small nod of gratitude.
"Thanks for the information. I'm Kai, what will your name be my not so charming friend ?"
Cana elbows kai for still joking, as he just shrugs.
A brief silence.
Then the swordsman inclined his head ever so slightly—a gesture both polite and distant.
"I am Rei, don't call me wierd names if we meet again."
His voice echoed softly through the stone corridor as he vanished back into the shadows.
Kai calls out to him,"Hey what's the rush?", but rei had already left.
Kai sighs amused and relived, "Well that was rude."
Cana standing behind him walks up to him curious, "Why did you let him go so easily he might have known something?"
Kai turns to her calm before responding," We are mages cana not rune knights to arrest anyone who looks suspicious ,besides he was cooperative."
Cana huffs before turning away," Even so genius ,we were tasked to investigate and eliminate threats here so we do have the authority to arrest a suspicious swordsman here."
"What's the real reason kai ?"
Kai was silent before smiling, "Well that guy was pretty strong and i would have loved to fight him but not here as that would cause some collateral damage to this ruin and you."
Cana smiles amused, "So you were worried about me ?"
Kai just starts walking away before saying, "I was more worried that I won't get to study the ruins if it gets destroyed in the fight."
"Liar", Cana calls him out smiling,before following behind him.