"Ehhh—?!" Lucy shrieked in terror. "Then why on earth are you still going?!"
"If I don't, I'll never get my chance at an S-Class mission!" Natsu yelled back.
"Fine, you two go—but I'm staying right here!" Lucy refused flatly. First, it was a blatant violation of guild rules. Second, she remembered all too well how terrifying Kael could be—especially in his "Tyrant" form. Just thinking about his aura made her knees weak.
She couldn't imagine the consequences if Kael found out she had helped steal his mission.
"Tch, fine. I was going to invite you along, but whatever. Let's go, Happy!"
"Aye!"
Without a second thought, Natsu and Happy leaped out the window.
"Sigh..." Lucy slumped. Natsu was far too reckless, daring to steal an S-Class mission right under the Master's nose. "Forget it. I'm not getting involved. Time for bed."
Just as Lucy turned toward her room, she spotted a piece of paper on the floor. It was the S-Class request. Her heart skipped a beat.
"What?! Why didn't they take the paper?! Now it looks like I'm the one who stole it! What am I going to do?!"
Then Lucy's eyes caught the reward listed at the bottom. Besides the 7 million J, there was a "Golden Key."
She snatched it up instantly. "No way... Is this really a Zodiac Key?!"
To a regular mage, a Zodiac Key was just a rare artifact, but to a Celestial Spirit Wizard, it was a priceless treasure. There were only twelve in the entire world. She couldn't believe a mission like this actually offered one.
"..."
Lucy didn't hesitate another second. She dashed to the window and screamed, "Natsu! Happy! Wait for me!!"
"This is bad—!!"
"Master! The request from the second floor is gone!" Mira reported breathlessly.
Mira checked the board every morning to ensure everything was in order. But today, the second-floor board was empty. The S-Class mission she had specifically saved for Kael had vanished.
Mira's face went pale. A missing S-Class request was a major crisis. She rushed downstairs to find Makarov.
"Pfft—!" Makarov spat out his drink in shock. The noisy guild fell into a sudden, heavy silence.
Laxus's lazy voice drifted from the balcony. "Last night, I saw a cat sneakily tear it off. Oh yeah… the cat had wings."
"Happy?!"
The only winged cat in Fairy Tail was Happy.
"Does that mean Natsu and Lucy are involved too?"
"What were those idiots thinking? They've really done it this time."
"An S-Class mission? They're going to get themselves killed!"
The guild members were in an uproar. S-Class missions weren't just "hard"—they were lethal. One wrong move and even an S-Class wizard might not come back.
Laxus smirked at Makarov. "That's a serious violation of our rules, old man. They should be expelled the moment they return, right? Then again, with their mediocre skills, they probably won't be coming back at all. Hahaha!"
Mira stormed up to him, eyes blazing. "Laxus! You knew, so why didn't you stop them?!"
Laxus shrugged indifferently. "I just saw a blue blur and a pair of wings. How was I supposed to know it was Happy—or that Natsu was planning something this stupid?"
Mira glared at him, her patience wearing thin.
Laxus didn't care. "Yo, it's been a long time since I've seen that look on your face, Mira."
Makarov ignored them and turned to Mira. "Which mission was it?" He had been buried in paperwork and hadn't checked the new requests yet.
"The cursed island... Galuna Island."
Makarov's expression instantly turned grim. "The Demon Island!!"
The guild members gasped. Galuna Island was infamous—a place where real demons were said to roam.
"Laxus, go bring them back immediately!"
"Forget it. I have my own work to do. Wizards who can't handle their own messes don't belong here anyway. Isn't that what you always say?"
"Ugh..." Makarov growled, frustrated that Laxus was using his own philosophy against him.
Just then, Mira had an idea. "Master! Kael! What about Kael? This was supposed to be his mission, but he waited because you weren't here."
Makarov's eyes lit up. That brat was obsessed with S-Class missions. With Kael's power, catching up to Natsu and the others would be child's play.
"Jet! Go find Kael right now!"
"On it!" Jet used his "God's Leg" magic and vanished in a blur toward Kael's house.
Kael woke up and stretched, feeling refreshed. The fatigue from two nights ago was completely gone.
"The weather is great today. Perfect for a mission."
He packed a light bag, intending to grab the S-Class request and head out.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Urgent pounding hit his door.
"Who is it? I'm coming!" Kael opened the door and found a panting Jet.
"Jet? What's the rush?"
"Kael, the Master needs you at the guild immediately!"
Confused but curious, Kael followed Jet back to the hall. As soon as he stepped inside, Mira ran up to him.
"Kael, it's a disaster! Natsu and the others snuck off on an S-Class mission!"
"So? They've always been reckless," Kael replied, not yet grasping the situation.
"Kael... they took your mission."
"What?!" Kael's voice turned cold instantly.
His face darkened, and a terrifying pressure began to leak from his body. "Those idiots... do they have a death wish? They actually dared to touch my mission?!"
His S-Class missions were his primary way of growing stronger. People could mess with a lot of things, but touching his path to power was a line no one was allowed to cross.
"I'm going to go slaughter them!!"