Kira circled the crime scene, his mind sharp and focused. The chandelier was still warm, meaning someone had been here for a while. The chairs were toppled, but their positions suggested they'd been gathered around the table—definitely a group. Iron shavings littered the floor, a sure sign of Gajeel munching on something. The wine stains were still wet—Kanna's doing, no doubt. Fresh cigarette ash pointed to Wakaba and Macao. And those clothes on the floor? Classic Gray. Oh, and… cat hair? There's only one cat in the guild…
These guys were sneaking around, holding some secret meeting and keeping him out of it. Something was definitely up.
"A ghost hunt, huh…" Kira grinned. Tonight was going to be fun.
Up in a corner of the second floor, a dozen shadowy figures huddled together, barely daring to breathe. Freed cast a rune spell, ensuring no sound could escape their hiding spot.
"Alright, we can talk now," he whispered.
Wakaba let out a relieved sigh. "Phew! While Kanna's keeping Kira busy, let's get outta here. If he finds out we're betting without him, he's gonna lose it."
"No way!" Dispers countered, gripping his sword. "What's the big deal? I'm just as tough as Kira! Plus, we've got the great Guild Master backing us up! Wait… where's the Master?"
Bickslow snickered. "He bolted ages ago. Oh, and Happy and Loke bailed too."
Dispers: "…"
So much for otherworldly creatures with wings or Spirit Keys—they sure ran fast! "Those traitors! I'll deal with them tomorrow!"
"Since the Master's gone, should we just leave too?" someone suggested.
Dispers shook his head. "Leave? Why? This is getting fun! Let's play a ghost hunt!"
It was uncanny—two Kiras, without even talking, had the same idea. That's the kind of bond counterparts share in the Fairy Tail world.
"Ghost hunt? Now that sounds interesting…"
"Ohh! Is this the long-awaited… Mage vs. Swordsman showdown?"
…
Tap, tap, tap…
Kira climbed the stairs to the second floor, ears sharp, eyes scanning every corner, hands ready to grab anyone who popped up. The hallway was eerily empty, not a single "ghost" in sight. But in the corner, he sensed faint traces of magic.
"This magic… runes?" Kira closed his eyes, feeling it out. "Freed's in on this too? Now I'm really curious."
"Shadow Clones!"
"Swift Step!"
With a shout, several dark figures split from Kira's body, darting in different directions. A faint gasp echoed in the darkness, and Kira zeroed in on it. In a flash, he lunged forward, grabbing into the shadows. "Gotcha!"
"Wah!" The figure yelped as Kira hoisted him up by the collar—it was Wakaba.
"Spill it," Kira demanded. "What are you guys hiding from me?"
Wakaba opened his mouth to beg for mercy, but a barrage of attacks came from all sides—ice, iron rods, energy blasts, and sword slashes. Kira dropped him to dodge, and by the time he regained his footing, Wakaba was out cold.
"Alright, fine!" Kira shouted. "One hour. If I find you all, I win. If anyone escapes my detection, you win!"
With a surge of magic, he cast: "Barrier!"
A magical shield enveloped the entire guild, trapping everyone inside. In the darkness, Gray and the others groaned. "No way out now…"
At that moment, in the guild's tavern, Kira reached into his pocket and pulled out a glowing magic crystal. With a flick, he tossed it into the air.
Whoosh!
"Argh! My eyes!" came a chorus of pained cries.
Slash! Clang! Crash!
The crystal's blinding light lasted only three seconds before a sword slash from above shattered it, sending fragments scattering across the floor.
"Come out!"
"Got you!"
"No escaping me!"
Even with Dispers's quick reaction, several others weren't ready for the flash. Three seconds was all Kira needed to pinpoint their locations. With agile leaps, he nabbed four or five people in a flash—Alzack, Bisca, Marcus, Lidas, and others—tossing them to the first floor where they sat, trembling.
Seeing this, the remaining "ghosts" knew they couldn't just hide. They scrambled to new spots or used magic to buy time. "Ice Make: Ice Sculptures!" Gray summoned several ice copies of himself, scattering them around the guild to confuse Kira. Gajeel, copying the idea, crafted crude iron figures, though his magic meant he could only make one at a time before moving. Freed laid rune traps, his magic perfect for stalling. Bickslow and Dispers relied on their stealth skills to stay hidden.
Ten minutes later, Kira caught Bickslow on the fourth floor.
Twenty minutes in, he nabbed Gray and Gajeel in a third-floor corner.
With ten minutes left, only Dispers remained.
It's true what they say—few can resist the thrill of "you win." Kira lived for it, and Dispers was no different. This showdown was going to the wire.
"As expected, it's just you and me now!" Kira called out.
The captured guild members had gathered under the chandelier, drinking and chatting. Kira glanced at the time—five minutes left. "This Dispers… all those years of travel weren't for nothing. His stealth is top-notch."
No time to waste. Time to cheat! Kira unleashed a detection spell, his senses sweeping the guild. In an instant, he locked onto Dispers—on the first floor, of all places.
Kira blinked, surprised. "This close, and I didn't notice?"
Dispers, sensing the spell, stepped out of the shadows, smirking. "Resorting to cheating because you couldn't find me? Shameless!"
"Hey, I never said magic was off-limits," Kira shot back.
The game ended, and the group gathered around the table. Kira held the betting list, scanning it with a grimace. "This is brutal. Absolutely brutal. So this is why you're all sneaking around the guild so late?"
"Exactly!" Dispers said. "Me, Happy, Master Makarov, and Kanna were running the bets. These guys were the gamblers."
Kira's lip twitched as he looked at the others. "The judges are running the bets, and you're not worried they'll rig it?"
"That's why we got Kanna," Dispers explained.
"This is my kind of thing!" Kira protested. "You should've let me in on it!"
"No way!" Dispers laughed. "With your personality, you'd throw the match just for kicks, even if you weren't betting. You'd probably mess with their money for your own amusement. That's why we kept you out!"
"That's harsh!" Kira slammed the table, turning to the others. "Tell me, am I the kind of guy who'd throw a match?"
Wakaba and the others chuckled, clinked their bottles, and took a swig, saying nothing.
Kira's face fell. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to throw punches, then sighed and lowered his fists. "Fine. Tomorrow, I'll throw the match. I'll surrender."
Dispers's eyes lit up. Jackpot! But the others paled, dropping to their knees, some even clinging to Kira's legs, pleading.
"We're sorry! We were wrong! Totally wrong!"
"Have some mercy!"
"Please don't do this!"
"Leave us something, Kira!"
"I bet everything on you winning the championship! You can't let me down!"
"Throwing a match is shameful! A noble guy like you wouldn't do that, right?"
Kira looked down, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Oh? I'm noble?"
"The noblest!" they chorused.
"Heh… I kinda liked your rebellious attitudes better."
The group froze, speechless.
That night, many in Magnolia couldn't sleep. But Kira? He slept like a baby, perfectly content.
---