— — — — — —
"No magic, just physical strength?"
Cana blinked at Kazuma, unsure if she'd heard right. "But… aren't you bad at close combat?"
His challenge caught her off guard—but it also stirred something inside her.
Maybe if she fought under Kazuma's pressure, she could break her limits. Sure, she wasn't a prodigy. Thinking she could suddenly level up was probably wishful thinking… but what if?
Kazuma smiled faintly. "I won't even move. If you can get close enough to touch me, you win."
He paused, his tone calm but confident. "Actually, if you can get that close, it means you already have what it takes to be an S-Class mage."
Cana stared at him, caught between irritation and disbelief. He was dead serious, completely composed, like he could already see the outcome.
Sometimes, he thought, dreams were what kept people moving forward. But other times, they were just blind hope—and blind hope got people killed.
Right now, Cana's "dream" fell squarely in the second category.
"So I just have to touch you? That's it?"
She scoffed. "You're strong, I get it, but that's way too cocky. I've done plenty of real missions, you know! Don't underestimate me!"
Her irritation flared. She knew S-Class mages were in a league of their own, but this was insulting. No magic, no fighting—just a single touch?
"Then prove it," Kazuma said simply. "Use whatever you want—magic, tricks, anything. If you can touch me, you win."
He turned slightly toward Juvia. "Better stand back a bit. I don't want you getting caught up in it."
"Yes, Kazuma-Sama," Juvia said at once, stepping aside without hesitation.
Cana took a deep breath, a small grin tugging at her lips. "Alright, then. Here I come!"
Several cards flashed into her hand, glowing faintly with power. Fire, lightning, wind, and earth—each one a different element. She flicked her wrist, and the cards shot out in four directions, circling around Kazuma like a deadly trap.
Cana's heart pounded. He hadn't even moved. What was he planning?
"Cana," Kazuma said quietly, "sometimes, when your strength isn't enough, you don't even have the right to stand in front of your opponent."
As he spoke, invisible pressure filled the air. His magic burst outward like a tidal wave, and the cards surrounding him shattered instantly. The battle was over before it even began.
"Ha… ha…!" Cana gasped, dropping to one knee. It felt like the air had vanished—like the whole world was pressing down on her.
Her lungs screamed for breath. Her body felt impossibly heavy. She struggled to lift her head and saw him standing there, completely still, calm as ever.
"I… I can't lose like this. I have to keep going. I just need to touch him. Just once!"
Cana stopped thinking about victory or pride. The moment that suffocating power hit, she knew she couldn't win—but she couldn't give up either.
Maybe, just maybe, she could still reach him.
Kazuma sighed softly. "That's only one-tenth of my power, you know. I'll get serious now."
He closed his eyes briefly. "Now it's two-tenths."
The pressure doubled. The ground beneath them cracked; pebbles exploded into dust.
His training had pushed his magic to a new level—dense, controlled, terrifying. It wasn't just mana anymore. It had weight, presence—like Reiatsu, or Conqueror's Haki.
Against someone weak, he didn't even need to fight. Just letting his power out was enough to crush them.
Cana collapsed completely, coughing. "Ka—ah—!"
She couldn't move. Every breath was agony. The air itself seemed to rebel against her.
When she looked up again, Kazuma's figure loomed impossibly large, his magic twisting the air around him until he seemed almost divine.
Her vision blurred. Her mind started to slip. In that moment, he wasn't just Kazuma—he was a god, and she was a sinner awaiting judgment.
She couldn't resist. Couldn't even breathe.
"I… really am useless, huh…"
That was her last thought before she blacked out, the last fragments of her pride and false hope crumbling to dust.
Kazuma exhaled. "Oops. Guess I went a little overboard. Two-tenths was too much—one and a half would've been enough."
He reined his magic back in and walked over to check on her. Just unconscious. Nothing serious.
"Alright, that's settled. Time to head back and turn in the job."
He summoned his magic bike and sat down, then glanced over at Juvia, who had been quietly waiting. "So, Juvia… you coming with me, or going back to Phantom Lord?"
"I'm coming with you, Kazuma-Sama," she said without hesitation.
"You sure? That means leaving Phantom for good."
"It's fine," she said softly. "As long as I can be with you, I don't care where I go."
Kazuma frowned slightly. "Honestly, I don't get it. Is it just because I showed you the sky that one time?"
Juvia shook her head. "No. I told you before, but you probably wouldn't understand anyway. I just… like you. That's all."
It wasn't something she could explain. For her, it wasn't logic—it was feeling.
"Girls are silly like that," she said with a quiet smile. "We don't always need a reason. We just… fall for someone, and that's it."
Before Kazuma, her world had been nothing but rain—both outside and in her heart. The loneliness had soaked into her bones.
Then one day, the clouds broke. She saw light, felt warmth, and reached for it with everything she had. Maybe it was foolish, maybe it was selfish—but it was hers.
Kazuma sighed, half amused. "Women really are impossible to read. I just hope you don't regret it."
Juvia smiled softly. "I won't regret it. This is my choice."
"Well," Kazuma said, "if you really leave Phantom, I'll personally invite you to join Fairy Tail."
Kazuma let out a sigh. At this point, he really wished he could read minds—though honestly, even if he could, he probably still wouldn't understand what went on inside them.
"You really are gentle, Kazuma-Sama."
From behind, Juvia wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek lightly against his back. She wasn't shy or hesitant; when she liked someone, she said it outright. Simple as that.
"Yeah? I think so too," he said with a faint smile. "Alright, Juvia, grab onto Cana. Don't let her fall off."
He swung a leg over his magic bike. "Let's go."
He didn't bother pretending to be modest. If someone wanted to call him gentle, fine—he'd take it. That was probably his biggest flaw anyway: being too kind.
Meanwhile, the unconscious Cana would've screamed if she could. Gentle? Seriously? If this is your version of gentle, then why am I lying here like roadkill?!
...
By the time they made it back to the Fairy Tail guild, the sun hadn't even fully set.
"Mira, S-class mission complete," Kazuma announced as he handed over the request sheet. "Mission reward and the bonus payment are all here, not a single coin missing."
Mira looked up from the bar, eyes widening. "Already? You're telling me you finished an S-class job in less than a day?!"
She stared at him in disbelief. "Even Erza, the fastest worker in the guild, needs at least a month for one of those!"
Mira knew what she was talking about—she'd taken on S-class missions before. They weren't weekend errands. Most of them stretched on for weeks, sometimes months, and the really messy ones could drag out for a year. That's why the rewards were so outrageously high—one job could feed you for twelve months if you survived it.
Kazuma grinned. "Well, other people are other people. From now on, the guild's efficiency record is getting my name on it."
"Yes, yes, our Kazuma is the best," Mira said, humoring him like a mom indulging a boastful kid. She stamped the paper anyway, filing it for Master Makarov's approval. Formality or not, even S-class jobs had to go through the old man.
Right then, the familiar mechanical voice echoed in Kazuma's head.
[Ding!]
[ Achievement unlocked: First S-Class Mission Completed.]
[Reward: Energy penetration+10%]
"Energy penetration?" he muttered, pulling up the description window.
Apparently, it was a passive buff that granted ten percent energy penetration—basically armor-piercing damage against any kind of magical defense. True damage, in gamer terms. And not just for magic, either; it worked with any form of energy.
And it was upgradable… so, a hundred percent penetration would mean every hit ignored defenses entirely. Terrifying.
"Not bad," he said with a satisfied nod. "And with two hundred mission points saved up, I can finally upgrade my backup energy."
"System, upgrade it!"
A soft chime later, the update finished.
[Upgrade complete: Hidden Reserve Energy II.]
[New capacity: Stores up to three full magic reserves, each equal to your total mana pool.]
[Next upgrade requires 300 Task Points.]
"Three mana bars," he thought, grinning to himself. Suddenly I don't even feel like eating anymore."
He basked in the smugness for a moment. "If I'm this strong already, not bragging would be a waste."
Then he turned back to Mira. "Alright, sign me up for another S-class mission."
If he needed 300 points for the next upgrade, three more jobs should do it. Time to grind like hell.
Mira blinked. "Uh… sorry, none left."
Kazuma frowned. "None? You're telling me there aren't any S-class missions right now?"
He'd just gotten fired up to grind a few, and now she was telling him there was nothing to grind? How was he supposed to level up his cheat like this?
"There aren't usually many to begin with," Mira explained patiently. "They're rare because they're extremely difficult, and the rewards are huge. Most guilds don't even get offered that kind of commission. We're already lucky to have a few."
It really was just bad timing. If Mystogan and Laxus hadn't returned around the same time, and if Erza hadn't suddenly gone on a mission spree, the board wouldn't be empty.
"So when's the next one coming in?" Kazuma asked.
"No idea. Those kinds of jobs only pop up once in a long while," she said. Then her expression softened. "You could use a break anyway. If you've got time tomorrow, how about a picnic? I've been experimenting with a new kind of sandwich."
"A picnic, huh? Sure."
Kazuma nodded. Since there were no missions, he'd just focus on training his body for now.
Juvia, standing beside him, narrowed her eyes at Mira. The woman was smiling sweetly, but Juvia could feel it—danger. Love rival detected.
"Kazuma-Sama," she blurted, "Juvia's cooking is also delicious! Juvia will come to the picnic too!"
Kazuma chuckled. "Of course. The more the merrier."
"Wait, picnic? Count me in!" Lucy came running over, waving her arms. "I'm not bringing anything, but I can totally help with the eating part!"
She'd been living off Mira's free meals for the past month, but that grace period had just expired. When she overheard talk of food, she jumped at the chance to crash the event.
Mira giggled. "You can come, Lucy—but if you're not bringing food, you'll have to put on a little performance. Maybe a dance? I bet you'd look adorable."
"Or better yet," Virgo called out, appearing out of nowhere with a mischievous grin, "make it a bunny outfit! I just happen to have one right here."
He held up an actual bunny-girl costume like it was a sacred relic.
Lucy turned bright red. "Absolutely not! You creep! Stop trying to make me wear weird stuff!"
This wasn't even the first time.
Virgo just shrugged. "Now, now, who's harassing who? You're the one making a scene."
"That's my line!" Lucy snapped. "You're the one harassing me!"
Kazuma rubbed his temple. "You should come too, Virgo. Might as well make it a proper outing."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You mean it, Master?"
"Of course. Tomorrow it is."
"..."
"Woohoo!"
"Picnic!"
"I'm in too!"
"Count me!"
Even Makarov raised his hand. "Ahem! As guild master, it's my duty to supervise all of you… so I'll come along too!"
And just like that, a small picnic had turned into a full-blown guild outing. The hall filled with laughter and chatter.
"Fairy Tail really is something else," Juvia murmured. "Way livelier than Phantom Lord ever was."
"Still, Juvia needs to keep an eye on them," Juvia muttered darkly, glaring at the girls crowding around Kazuma. "Too many threats here."
Before she could sulk any longer, Mira slipped behind her and hugged her tight.
"You're Juvia, right? You're so cute—like a little kitten. Can I call you Juju?"
"Eh?! I—uh…"
Juvia froze as Mira's warmth surrounded her. The enemy was attacking with friendliness! She tried to resist… but failed instantly.
"O-okay…" she mumbled in defeat.
As everyone chatted and planned the big picnic, Kazuma suddenly heard the familiar chime in his mind.
[Ding! New commission received]
[World: Black Bullet]
[Client: Cursed Children, the Blind Girl]
[Objective: 'Find my family.']
[Description: "You said you could grant my wish… thank you, kind sir. I'm sorry but I'm blind and can't see your face, and I don't have any money to give you."]
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