Woo woo woo!
The shrill whistle echoed through the station as the train gradually rolled to a stop. A thick cloud of steam hissed from the engine, casting a brief fog over the platform.
Dozens of passengers stepped off the train in a flurry of motion, carrying bundles of luggage and exchanging loud chatter as they scattered across the cobbled streets.
Amid the lively crowd, Ches moved with quiet focus, a modest travel pack slung over his shoulder. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he took in the unfamiliar sights of this coastal city.
This was Asroba a remote port city nestled beside the sea, flanked by steep mountains on two sides. Located not far from Hargeon, Asroba was still considered a hidden corner of the Kingdom of Fiore. With its terraced rooftops, weather-beaten docks, and gulls circling overhead, the city had a rugged, resilient charm.
Ches had taken Makarov's advice to heart. Since joining the ranks of qualified S-Class mages, it was time for him to step up. After browsing the request board for something challenging but not suicidal, he settled on a commission that caught his attention.
The destination? Asroba.
Finding an empty bench near the town square, Ches sat down and pulled a folded piece of parchment from his coat. On its surface, a large red "S" marked its rank a job worthy of an elite wizard.
He unfolded it and scanned the details.
Commission Location:Abandoned lighthouse on the southern coast of Asroba
Special Note:Capturing the pirates alive is mandatory. This task is extremely dangerous. Accept with caution.
According to Master Makarov, every wizard who had taken on this commission so far had vanished without a trace. Not a single soul had returned not even a single corpse had washed ashore. That disturbing pattern was the reason the request had been reclassified as S-rank.
The more Ches thought about it, the more troubling it seemed.
Sure, the sea was unpredictable. Storms, rogue waves, and sea beasts weren't uncommon. But every single wizard disappearing? Without exception? That wasn't just dangerous it was unnatural.
Even if the pirates were truly as brutal as the reports claimed, it still didn't add up. Not every voyage into the sea ended in a clash with them. There should've been someone anyone who made it back and said, "There was nothing out there."
But there hadn't been.
It was the contradiction that had nagged at Ches during his entire train ride.
"Assuming those wizards really did encounter the pirates, how did the pirates find them every single time?"
He frowned.
"Pirates aren't bandits. They don't camp in caves or sit on mountaintops. They roam. Their territory is the entire ocean. So how are they always in the right place at the right time?"
Ches paused mid-thought and gave himself a light smack on the cheek.
"No, no… not that kind of logic. This isn't some pirate king using Observation Haki or anything."
He chuckled awkwardly to himself and shook his head, pushing away the stray thought.
"Focus."
He rose from the bench and slung his pack back over his shoulder. The wind off the harbor was stronger now, tugging at his coat and sending gulls wheeling overhead. The sun had started its descent, casting long shadows down the narrow streets of Asroba.
"If I want answers, I need to speak to the client directly."
With that, Ches turned and headed toward the edge of town, where the sea met the land and the port authority awaited.
Whatever was behind those disappearances, he'd soon find out.
And he'd be ready.
The location marked on the commission the Abandoned Lighthouse wasn't exactly a secret in Asroba.
Ches asked around with his usual easygoing charm, stopping a few locals on the street and flashing his guild emblem. Within minutes, he had clear directions in hand.
The lighthouse stood on the southern coast, beyond the edge of the town. A straight path led out from the granite-paved main road, passing through a small stretch of tropical forest before ending in open wasteland.
It wasn't long before Ches found himself standing amidst the tall weeds of that wasteland, the faint crunch of dry grass beneath his boots. The scent of salt and rust filled the air.
He looked up.
Perched on a lonely coastal cliff was the lighthouse.
Its once-proud walls were chipped and peeling, most of the white paint now eroded into uneven patches of dull gray. The structure loomed like a weathered skeleton from another time. An old iron ladder, twisted with rust, clung stubbornly to its side.
The fence circling its base had long since fallen into disrepair. The wind howled through the rusted bars, producing an eerie, almost human wail that echoed toward the sea.
"It's really quite abandoned," Ches murmured, narrowing his eyes.
But there was no fear in his expression only focus.
After one last glance at the cliffs and the crashing waves below, Ches stepped forward without hesitation, his coat fluttering in the salty wind as he approached the lighthouse's shadow.
Whatever was waiting inside he was ready to face it.
Ches couldn't help but wonder why someone capable of offering a commission worth nearly ten million Jewel would choose to live in such a rundown place.
He raised his hand and gently pushed open the half-rusted iron door at the base of the lighthouse. It creaked loudly on its hinges.
A few rays of golden sunlight filtered through a narrow window, casting slanted beams across the floor. Wild grass sprouted between the cracked tiles, glowing faintly in the dusty light.
In the middle of the illuminated space, beside an old lounge chair, sat a thin man hunched at a simple wooden table. He was quietly sipping tea, steam curling from the chipped cup in his hands.
Ches stepped forward and greeted him politely.
"Excuse me. Are you Mr. Marshall Whitedore?"
The man paused mid-sip and slowly lowered his teacup. His tired eyes studied Ches across the room with mild confusion.
"Hmm? Young man, can I help you with something?"
"I'm a wizard from Fairy Tail," Ches said, raising his right arm to show the guild emblem branded proudly on his skin. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the commission slip. "Did you submit this request?"
Recognition lit up the man's face in an instant.
"Ah! Yes, yes, that's it!" he exclaimed, nearly spilling his tea as he stood up. "You're from Fairy Tail? Truly? The most famous guild in all of Fiore?"
Ches nodded calmly.
The man's entire demeanor shifted. He rushed forward, eyes filled with desperation, and grasped Ches's hand in both of his own.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness! I didn't expect someone from Fairy Tail to take this on! Please you must help me capture those damn pirates!"
"Whoa, easy there." Ches gently pried his hand loose and offered a reassuring smile. "I can see you're worried. That's why I'm here."
The lighthouse creaked faintly as another gust of wind passed outside. The faint scent of tea and rust hung in the air as the two men stood facing one another one pleading for justice, the other ready to bring it.
Without so much as a flicker of offense, Ches smoothly slipped his hand free from the man's grasp, keeping the motion subtle and polite.
He studied the man more closely.
Despite the thin frame, the client wasn't particularly old likely in his mid-thirties. His plain shirt was worn but clean, and his sun-darkened skin suggested long hours spent near the coast. Most noticeable was the deep scar slashing across his right eye, trailing down to his cheek. It added a harsh contrast to the otherwise soft-spoken aura he carried.
"Forgive me," Marshall said, bowing his head slightly. "I lost my composure."
He gestured for Ches to sit and poured him a cup of steaming tea from a small kettle. The aroma wasn't anything fancy, but it carried warmth.
Ches accepted the tea with a nod and briefly glanced over the request form again. After confirming the signature and other official details, he placed it aside and got straight to the point.
"I've read through the commission," he said, locking eyes with the man across the table. "Could you tell me more about the pirates' specific traits? Anything I should look out for?"
This was crucial. It would be ridiculous to spend all that effort tracking down the wrong crew.
Marshall's hands trembled slightly as he set the kettle down.
"Even if I were reduced to ash," he said coldly, "I'd still remember them."
His voice dropped, and a dangerous glint lit his eyes.
"Their pirate flag bore a devil's claw twisted and black, like it was reaching out of hell. The captain... his face was bloated, swollen with fat. He wore a tall black hat, and around his neck"
Marshall's voice turned into a growl.
"was a necklace of skulls. Human skulls."
His scarred face, lit faintly by the sunlight from the window, contorted with rage. Gone was the desperate tea-sipping client from earlier. Now, seated before Ches was a man seething with a quiet, long-nurtured hatred.
Ches didn't flinch.
"Got it. Devil's claw flag. A captain with a skull necklace and a hat. I'll remember."
The tension hung in the air like the silence before a storm.
"Are there any other details you remember?" Ches asked, his tone calm but firm. "The pirate ship's appearance, their clothing, any specific magic types their crew uses?"
He took a sip of the tea as he waited for a response and immediately regretted it.
The taste was bitter, astringent, and far from pleasant. It didn't even come close to Mira's gentle brews at the guild. Ches managed not to grimace, but the difference was jarring.
Marshall gave a small, sheepish shrug.
"I'm sorry. I didn't get a good look at most of the crew," he said. "Their appearance… standard pirate gear, I suppose. But I did see the captain using magic he could breathe fire, or maybe shoot it from his hands. It happened fast."
"Fire-based magic from the captain. Got it," Ches nodded, mentally filing it away.
With the basic profile set, Ches set the cup down and leaned forward slightly. His gaze sharpened.
"One more thing."
Marshall looked up.
"Why did you issue this commission?"
The question came quietly, but the weight behind it was clear.
Ches wasn't asking out of doubt he wasn't worried about the money or the danger. But something didn't sit right. Normally, a job like this would fall under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom's Maritime Guard, or be passed through the Guild Alliance to coordinate with local mages.
This thin man in front of him didn't seem like someone with connections to either.
He didn't look like someone who'd throw away ten million Jewel just to protect public safety.
Marshall hesitated, then slowly exhaled.
Ches watched closely, waiting for the real reason.
For an S-Class commission with such a high reward, the client's finances had to be vetted in advance. The Review Committee only approved the request once it was confirmed that the client could truly afford the payout.
That meant this man Marshall wasn't bluffing.
The moment Ches mentioned the system, Marshall's already grim face twisted further with rage. His hand clenched into a trembling fist.
Then, he slammed it onto the table.
The teacups rattled. Hot liquid sloshed over the edge.
His eyes burned red with fury.
"They… those damned beasts," he hissed. "They slaughtered my wife and daughter. They tore them apart like animals!"
His voice cracked with grief and rage as the words spilled out.
"I should've died instead. I should've protected them. I was right there and I failed."
Marshall's entire body shook.
"I don't want them dead in some honorable sea battle. I want them dragged here, alive, screaming, so I can tear them apart myself. I'll slice them into pieces and feed them to the sharks, one by one."
Ches remained silent, letting the storm pass.
Marshall leaned forward, eyes glistening. Then he lurched from his chair and seized Ches's arm again not in madness, but desperation.
"Please, Mr. Ches… you're with Fairy Tail. You're a real wizard, not like the others who just vanished. You're my last hope. You have to bring them back."
His voice broke.
"This is all I have left…"
This time, Ches didn't resist the grip.
He looked at the man's bloodshot eyes, at the way he clung to a hope that had flickered and dimmed too many times before. And then, with a steady hand, Ches placed a palm on Marshall's shoulder.
"I understand," he said quietly, his expression serious. "I'll bring them back. Alive."
The wind outside howled past the lighthouse like a distant scream. Inside, a vow had just been made.
"Don't worry," Ches said calmly, his voice firm and reassuring. "Fairy Tail isn't like those second-rate guilds that gave up halfway."
At those words, Marshall broke down completely.
Tears streamed down his face as he gripped Ches's hand again, his voice trembling with gratitude.
"Thank you… thank you so much…"
Ches gave him a moment to breathe.
Then, with a steady tone, he asked the final question. "Just one more thing. How do I find these pirates?"
Marshall wiped his face with his sleeve, composing himself as best he could.
"They tend to strike along the trade routes," he explained hoarsely. "If you don't have a better plan, I suggest boarding one of Asroba's merchant ships. Most of the previous wizards used that approach…"
His voice trailed off.
"…But none of them ever returned."
For a moment, silence filled the room again.
Ches's brows furrowed ever so slightly. He didn't like those odds but he didn't waver either.
"I see," he said at last. "That'll do."
He gave a short nod of thanks and turned to leave.
"Thank you, Mr. Marshall. I'll take it from here."
As he stepped toward the lighthouse door, the sea breeze rushed in again, carrying the scent of salt and something distant perhaps fate, or danger, or both.