The Queen of Fairies, Erza—one of the main heroines of Fairy Tail. While technically the second female lead, her popularity far surpassed that of the actual heroine.
Kaien had always liked Erza's character, so he recognized her instantly.
This was actually his first time seeing Erza in real life. When he first joined the guild, she hadn't been around—probably out on a mission.
"What's going on?"
"Looks like Erza wants to take on an S-Class mission, but the Master rejected her."
"An S-Class mission?!"
S-Class missions were brutally difficult—even for S-Class Mages, they were often life-threatening. One wrong move and you could lose your life.
Unless you were ridiculously powerful, like Gildarts, even S-Class Mages rarely took on S-Class missions.
"Master! I have the confidence to complete this S-Class mission!"
Erza said firmly to Makarov.
She had been an S-Class Mage for three years now, having passed the S-Class promotion trial at just fifteen—making her the youngest S-Class Mage in Fairy Tail's history.
But after achieving that rank, she hadn't rushed to accept S-Class missions. She knew she still lacked the necessary strength and instead chose to hone her abilities patiently.
She had originally planned to take on one last year, but that plan got interrupted by what happened with Mirajane, so she continued refining her skills for another year. Now, at eighteen, she was ready.
And the news that a newbie had completed an S-Class mission on his first job only fueled her competitive drive.
She, an S-Class Mage, had yet to complete one, while a newcomer had already pulled it off?
She couldn't let that slide.
So, she made up her mind to take on an S-Class mission.
"No way! This job is far too dangerous. This isn't about confidence—it's about strength."
"I do have the strength to complete it!"
"You stubborn girl! Why are you always like this?!"
Makarov slammed the table in frustration.
Elfman muttered, "Why does this scene feel so familiar?"
As he said that, he glanced at Kaien—just a few days ago, Kaien had been arguing with the Master in the exact same way.
"Master, I'm not being stubborn. I really believe I can finish this mission."
Makarov sighed. "You just don't get it, do you? This S-Class request has been up for over two years. In that time, seven or eight highly capable mages have attempted it—and none of them came back. Do you see why I can't let you take it?"
"What?!"
"Seven or eight mages failed?!"
The guild was shocked. If someone qualified to take an S-Class mission failed, that meant they were seriously powerful. And if that many powerful mages had all failed... then this job was far more dangerous than anyone had imagined.
"Master, I still want to give it a try!"
Erza said seriously. Every mission carried risks. It was only by constantly challenging yourself that you could truly grow stronger.
"You're impossible to reason with, kid..."
Makarov was nearly at his wits' end.
Then, his gaze landed on Kaien standing by the request board.
'Hmph... this brat's been eyeing the second-floor missions from the start,' he thought.
"Alright then! I'll allow it."
"Really?!"
Erza was surprised. From how stubborn the Master had been earlier, she was sure he'd never agree.
"But! I have one condition."
"What condition?"
"You can't go alone. It's too dangerous. I'm assigning someone to go with you—only then can I rest easy."
As he spoke, Makarov pointed at Kaien.
"Kaien! You're going with Erza!"
Kaien blinked and pointed to himself. "Me?!"
"Ehhhhh?!"
The entire guild was floored by what Makarov had said.
Kaien was just a rookie who'd only recently joined Fairy Tail. Sure, he'd completed one S-Class mission, but now he was being assigned a second? This was getting ridiculous!
"That's right, you brat. Haven't you been itching to do another S-Class mission? Well, here's your chance—go with Erza and take this one. You in?"
[Ding! Do you accept S-Class Mission: "Legendary Sword"?
Mission reward: 10x Draw!]
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Kaien shot his hand up the moment he saw the system message.
No way he'd pass this up. An S-Class job was worth ten A-Class jobs. And let's be real—doing ten A-Class jobs meant running all over the place. Way more of a hassle than doing one big mission.
Kaien walked over without hesitation.
"Master, I'm in!"
"Erza, you'll be completing this mission with Kaien. If you don't agree, then I won't let you go at all."
Makarov looked her straight in the eye.
S-Class jobs were far too risky. Erza was indeed strong and well-rounded, but even she had a decent chance of failure. Kaien might be a rookie, but he had successfully completed an S-Class mission. And based on Elfman's descriptions, while Kaien's endurance wasn't great, his explosive combat strength was top-tier among S-Class Mages.
If not for the fear of inflating his ego, Makarov would've already made him an S-Class Mage.
Kaien was the only person he could send with Erza and still sleep at night.
"I accept!"
Erza replied without hesitation. She wasn't the type to let pride get in the way of safety. If going with someone increased her chances of success, she had no reason to object.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Erza. Let's work well together."
Erza extended her hand politely.
Kaien took her hand and replied,
"I'm Kaien. Looking forward to it."
"I've heard about you—you defeated the entire Phantom Thief Guild by yourself and completed an S-Class mission. That's impressive!"
"It was just luck, really."
"You don't finish an S-Class mission through luck. We should spar sometime."
"Uh… sure!"
Kaien could see the fire in Erza's eyes. She was already seeing him as a rival to beat.
"Kaien, check out the mission."
Makarov handed him the request form.
This would be Kaien's first time seeing a proper S-Class mission request up close.
The form had a large, bold red S stamped across the top—an unmistakable mark of danger.
Legendary Sword (S):
Retrieve the Legendary Sword from the temple hidden deep within the Western Great Forest of the Kingdom of Sobea, and return it to the Sobea royal palace.
"Huh… doesn't look that complicated."
Makarov's face was grim.
"The simpler a mission looks, the more dangerous it often is. Seven or eight powerful mages have already failed this one."
"I don't know much else about it, but I do know the Western Great Forest of the Kingdom of Sobea. Its official name is 'Western Great Forest'—but it's also known by another name: the Forest of Monsters."