"When I touched you earlier, I sent my own Ethernano into your body. It disabled the internal spell Halphas was using. Well, more specifically, I messed with your Takeover magic to suppress her. You did the hard part—keeping her inside long enough for me to act."
She nodded, staring at the ground. "I can still feel her presence. It's strange… like she's sleeping."
"She probably is," Kazu said. "The connection's sealed. You need to be careful when you that takeover in the future. Maybe do it after you have reached S-rank with your satan form. You would need to completely subdue her later."
They turned toward the coast, the air finally clearing of the heavy pressure as they began leaving.
They were halfway down the slope when Mira slowed. Her eyes lingered on the horizon—the direction where the small island once stood. Only fragments of rock and a faint plume of smoke remained.
She stopped walking. "Kazu… can we go back there?"
He turned to her, puzzled. "Why?"
"There was a boy," she said quietly. "Before everything started. He reminded me of Elfman. I want to see what's left."
He internally sighed, glancing toward Cana, who shrugged.
"Yeah," he muttered. "All right. We will wait."
'So, she was affected after all.'
The flight back was silent. The wind carried the smell of salt and ash.
When they landed, the place was barely recognisable—charred earth, molten rock, and faint remnants of destroyed structures.
Mira walked ahead slowly, her shoes crunching over blackened soil. She stopped near a crater filled with seawater.
There was nothing left but the reflection of the gray sky.
Kazu watched her from a few meters away. She didn't cry, but her posture said enough.
In his head, he noted how small she looked against the wasteland. 'Still a kid. Trying to carry guilt that isn't hers.'
He exhaled, folding his arms. 'At least Cana handles pain differently.'
He looked back to where Cana sat on a piece of driftwood, pulling a bottle from her pack. She popped the cork with her teeth and took a long drink.
"Really?" he asked.
"Liquid reflection," she said, waving the bottle. "Want some?"
"I'd rather drink seawater."
"Suit yourself."
'I take that back. She seems too indifferent to everything here. Is it because she's drunk? I wonder.' Kazu still feels weird seeing a kid his age drinking.
He just shook his head. 'One doesn't feel anything. The other mourns what she can't change.'
Kazu looked at his reflection in the seawater. An indifferent expression stared back. He snorted. 'Well, I am the one to talk.'
The three of them stayed there for a while, the sound of waves filling the silence.
By the time the sun dipped, a faint humming filled the air. The wind shifted.
A tall figure approached from the shoreline—barefoot, robes trailing behind, skin with a faint green tint like moss. His steps left sprouts in the sand.
Cana leaned forward. "Okay, that's new."
Kazu recognised him immediately. "Warrod Sequen. Wizard Saint."
The man smiled faintly, voice calm. "You children made quite a mess."
Kazu gave a half-bow. "Apologies. We had an uninvited guest from the Book of Zeref."
Warrod studied the scorched horizon, eyes narrowing in quiet understanding. "Ah… Halphas. I felt the disturbance from the mainland."
Cana leaned against a rock. "So, you're like the clean-up crew?"
He chuckled softly. "Something like that. I was tending my garden until the sky turned black. Thought I'd check before my trees got nervous. Makarov also contacted me."
Kazu exchanged a glance with Mira, who still looked uneasy. "It's contained," he said. "Though...I don't know about the number of casualties. Only one island was gone, and that also just when we arrived."
Mira clenched her fist. She took a deep breath before releasing a sigh.
Warrod nodded approvingly. "Good. Most would've died trying to restrain her. You've done well."
Cana smirked. "You hear that, Kazu? Compliment from a Wizard Saint. Maybe I should retire now while my reputation's intact."
"Maybe you should," Kazu said. "But who will pay your bills? Your old man is too unreliable."
"He would definitely support my idea." Cana took another swig from her bottle.
Warrod smiled faintly. "Keep your humour. You'll need it." He turned toward Mira. "And you—learn from this. Power without balance leads only to ruin."
Mira bowed her head. "Yes, sir."
Warrod waved his hand, and the burnt ground beneath them began to sprout green shoots. "The land will heal, as you did. Nature forgives faster than people."
With that, he started walking back toward the sea, vanishing into the mist.
Cana stared after him. "Was he always that cryptic, or do they teach that when you become a Saint?"
"Probably a graduation requirement," Kazu said.
They started heading back towards the guild.
"You guys did pretty well on the mission. I would give you a better analysis later, but you have surpassed my expectations." Kazu smiled while looking at the two.
Mira instantly brightened up while Cana only smirked.
"It's to be expected from me." She sounded a bit too smug.
'Well, she had finally overcome her first major weakness. To not rely on other people to restock her magic cards. Now, she doesn't need me to put my Ethernano manipulation magic in her cards.
Though her mastery sucks. She could barely be considered advanced level for Ethernano manipulation. That also, because of the cards as a clutch and her innate affinity towards it. For other magics, it's all beginner or intermediate level.
If she wants to surpass her limits, she would have to figure out a way to bypass mastery requirements and make all her copied spells reach Advanced levels.'
He turned towards Mira. 'Her Ethernano increased significantly due to the takeover. Even if she doesn't use the form, she might be able to compete with Erza more evenly. Maybe even have a decent chance to defeat her.'
He returned his gaze to the front as he started humming.
'The future is looking pretty interesting.'
---
October, X779.
Magnolia was calm again.
Kazu sat across from Makarov in the master's office, the table cluttered with paperwork and a half-eaten sandwich.
"So," Makarov said, wiping his hands, "you want to learn one of the three great magics of Fairy Tail?"
"Yes," Kazu said simply.
The old man squinted at him. "You barely learned Three Pillar Gods, and now you want to fry your brain with ancient spells?"
Kazu shrugged. "I call it momentum."
Makarov sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fairy Law's a big no—it takes life force, but the other two—Glitter and Sphere—are still stored in the guild's archives."
He paused, eyeing Kazu. "You're not ready to cast either. But seeing them won't hurt."
Kazu nodded once. "That's all I need."
"Good," Makarov said. "Then we'll arrange it next week. Just don't blow up the library."
"No promises," Kazu teased with a smile.
As he left the office, the guild's familiar noise echoed from below—arguments, laughter, and the faint sound of Cana yelling about a drinking contest she was already losing.
Kazu stopped at the stairs, a faint smile tugging at his face.
'Maybe today is the day Cana will finally lose her winning streak. Let's do some gambling.'
***
December 23rd, X779.
The sea was calm that morning—eerily calm.
A line of small boats drifted toward a crescent-shaped island shrouded in mist. Beyond it, Tenrou Island loomed, its cliffs glinting faintly under the winter sun.
On the outer beach, eight pairs stood assembled—each team chosen, tested, and now silently waiting for Makarov's signal. Behind them, the guild's support mages prepared the projection lacrimas that would broadcast everything to the spectators stationed safely on Tenrou.
Makarov floated above them on a glowing platform, wind tugging at his coat. His expression was unusually serious.
"All right, brats. Listen carefully, because I'm not repeating myself."
The chatter died instantly.
"The annual S-Rank Promotion Trial will be held on Tenrou Island, Fairy Tail's sacred ground. The purpose is simple: to decide which among you are ready to carry the guild's highest rank."
He paused, glancing around at the faces below—some eager, some tense, a few clearly hungover.
"This year's format has four stages. You clear all four, and you'll have your name engraved in Fairy Tail's history."
He raised a finger.
"First Trial — The Path of Challenge. Each team will choose one of eight routes on the island's perimeter. Some paths will pit you against S-Rank mages guarding the way. Others have natural or magical hazards. You pass by overcoming the trial or surviving against whoever you meet."
***
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