"Chase! Over here!"
Mira, who was sitting at the makeshift bar chatting with Lucy, immediately noticed Chase entering the construction site and waved both arms energetically.
Hearing her, Chase skirted around the chaotic brawl zone where Natsu and Gray were already engaged in yet another daily fight and walked along the fence line.
"Morning, Mira. Morning, Lucy."
"Morning, Chase."
"Good morning, Chase!" Lucy added brightly.
Mira leaned down slightly and pulled something from the cabinet under the temporary bar. "Well, it's a bit of an emergency, so let's just make do for now."
She slid a pink plate across the counter. On it sat a bottle of milk, a sweet bean paste bun, and two boiled eggs.
Although it was just a "simple meal," by nutritional standards it was quite a fine breakfast.
Chase didn't hesitate in the slightest he unwrapped the bun, took a massive bite, and ate half in one go.
But Lucy, sitting next to him, narrowed her eyes. She had noticed something: both the bread's quality and the boxed milk's packaging were completely different from the "work meal" Mira had just served her earlier.
"I picked these up when I passed by the best pastry shop in the city. How is it?" Mira asked with a smile.
Lucy's smile twitched. Did you really 'just pass by'…?
"Not bad, but "
Chase glanced at the half-eaten bun in his hand. "If you bought this earlier, how is it still warm?"
Given that Natsu, Gray, and the others were already here, he clearly hadn't arrived early. Logically, the bread should have cooled long ago.
"Because I kept it close to my chest to keep it warm," Mira answered sweetly.
"Huh?!" Chase suddenly caught a faint, milky fragrance coming from the bread.
"Hahaha, I'm just teasing! I used a magic food warmer."
She reached under the counter and pulled out a pink iron box that resembled a small microwave.
It had no batteries or electrical cords just a crystal sphere embedded on top. By channeling magic into it, it worked perfectly.
"I see… so that's it. I feel relieved now."
Chase let out a satisfied breath and went back to enjoying his breakfast.
…
The gentle smile on Mira's face instantly stiffened.
This guy… what exactly do you mean by 'relieved'?!
Lucy immediately sensed something was off. Without a word, she quietly slid her chair back, putting a safe distance between herself and Chase.
Just as Mira was about to question him in her Satan Soul tone, there was a sudden whoosh a safety helmet came flying from the direction of the ongoing fight.
Even with his back turned and both hands busy peeling a boiled egg, Chase reacted instantly, catching the helmet without even looking.
Seeing the helmet floating steadily in front of her, Mira smiled faintly and let go of the idea of unleashing her magic.
Whoosh~!
A moment later, a construction reflective vest soared high into the air and, as if guided by magic, landed squarely on Lucy's head.
Since she had just moved away from him, even though Chase noticed, he was too far to help this time.
"By the way, where's the Master and Erza?" Chase asked casually, still eating his egg.
"The Council's verdict for Phantom Lord and Jose is being announced today, so the Master was summoned there early this morning," Mira replied, propping her chin in one hand. She tilted her head slightly in thought. "As for Erza "
"She's probably repairing and maintaining her equipment," Lucy added. "I heard her mention it last night."
"I see. No wonder those guys feel free to make such a racket at the construction site," Chase said.
"Well, a little more fun isn't bad. It's always been like this, after all~" Mira replied with a light smile.
While Chase and Mira chatted, Lucy finally pulled off the reflective vest only to be struck squarely in the head by one of Elfman's slippers.
Utterly defeated, she trudged back to Chase's side, knowing full well it was the safest place to be, and silently cursed herself for running away in the first place.
There's nothing I can do! I can't just storm in like Erza and punch every one of those lunatics… that'd be suicide!
"That's true," Chase said, "but if we let them keep this up, the new guild will never get finished."
Finishing the last sip of milk, he slowly stood, stretching his arms before heading toward the rowdy crowd.
"Oh, it's nice to eat and drink your fill before getting some exercise," Mira remarked, her smile still faint but amused.
"Wait, wait if Brother Chase joins in, won't the new guild really be doomed?!" Lucy exclaimed in horror.
But before she could say another word, Chase was already standing in front of Natsu and Gray.
"Hey! I'm telling you, enough is enough!"
Lucy froze. Was that… Erza's tone?
Had Chase actually stepped in to stop the fight?
"If you're going to fight, make it worth watching! This little scuffle is nothing!"
Lucy: So it's not that you want to stop them it's that the fight isn't loud enough?!
Buzz!
Magic power surged from Chase's body.
The rowdy crowd, still mid-argument, froze as they felt the crushing weight of Chase's magic. Their wild eyes cleared, fists lowered, and not a single punch landed.
Once he had their full attention, light began to weave between Chase's fingertips, swirling together until a card took form.
"No way… you're not seriously going to use that magic card here?!"
Lucy's eyes widened in recognition.
That's right it was the Fusion card she had seen in action the night before!
This was a perfect chance. Chase wanted to further test the fusion's effects while also putting the Sky Dragon's God-Slaying Magic something he had been training for days into real combat.
After all, there's no better way to test a technique than in the heat of battle.
For a proper fusion, the two targets couldn't have too great a difference in strength, and their magic needed distinctive traits.
With just a hint of personal mischief, Chase's eyes locked on two prime "ingredients": Natsu and Gray.
"Magic Card Fusion, activate!"
Considering their famously incompatible personalities, there was no chance they'd agree to this willingly. So Chase didn't even bother with a warning he simply triggered the card's effect.
Buzz!
A fusion magic circle instantly flared to life beneath their feet.
"Fusion? Hey, Chase! Wait, I don't wanna merge with this half-naked ice freak!!" Natsu shouted, recoiling.
"Merge? Merge with you? You flaming idiot, what's that supposed to mean?!" Gray snapped back, bristling.
Natsu, having seen fusion before, looked openly resistant. Gray, completely in the dark, felt a wave of dread creep over him.
The two of them could only watch in horror as the fusion light engulfed them, pulling them inexorably toward the circle's center.
The blinding glow spread until it lit up the entire site.
Before anyone else could even grasp what was happening, a bone-chilling storm blasted outward, forcing the bystanders to wrap their arms around themselves.
Then, just as quickly, a searing heat wave rolled over them dry, scorching, like standing inside the heart of a furnace.
From within this world of ice and fire, a single figure emerged.
Strange, potent magic radiated from its body as it stepped forward into full view, revealing itself before everyone's stunned eyes!
....
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