The next day, Ankh looked utterly exasperated at the mountain-like luggage cart in front of him.
"Erza, we're just going on a mission, not moving houses, right?.."
Meanwhile, Erza just tossing a gigantic raw fish onto the cart, feeling quite reassured as she smiled.
"Better safe than sorry."
Ankh sighed and said nothing more.
She encased her passionate heart in armor, remaining vigilant of everything around her at all times.
Erza is actually quite sensitive about certain aspects of life, so she always puts great effort into thorough preparations to avoid being hurt by unexpected factors.
Bringing so many items along for every mission is also a manifestation of Erza's inner sensitivity.
After the two finished packing their luggage, they hurried to the train station to meet up with Natsu and Gray.
Before Ankh even approached the entrance of Magnolia's train station, he could already hear the familiar heated argument between Natsu and Gray.
"Why do I have to team up with a pervert like you?!"
"Hah? You think I want to be with a droopy-eyed idiot?!"
As Natsu and Gray's argument grew more intense, their Magic Power began to fluctuate, as if they were about to duel for real!
However, the moment Erza's figure gradually appeared in their line of sight, the tense atmosphere instantly transformed.
It was like changing channels - switching from an action movie to an adorable Teletubbies show...
Two chibi-fied versions of Natsu and Gray hugged each other, waving their hands as they boasted to the newly arrived Erza.
"Erza! We've been getting along really well today too!"
Natsu: "Aye!"
Lucy, who had been recommended by Mirajane, stood nearby with a dazed expression while marveling at their change.
"It's happening again! Natsu became Happy Number Two!"
The original Happy raised his cat paws angrily while shouting.
"Aye! Natsu isn't nearly as adorable as me!"
Erza looked satisfied at the "affectionate" Natsu and Gray, approvingly saying.
"That's more like it. Friends should get along harmoniously."
Then Erza turned to Lucy and asked somewhat puzzled: "Excuse me... who are you? I think I saw you at the guild yesterday."
Just as Erza turned to look at Lucy, Natsu and Gray quickly switched back, arrogantly confronting each other again.
Ankh watched from the side, finding it both amusing and exasperating.
Lucy quickly bowed slightly and politely said: "I'm a new member who just joined Fairy Tail. My name is Lucy, nice to meet you."
"Mira-san specifically recommended that I come along with everyone."
Erza suddenly understood: "So that's it. I've heard about you."
"My name is Erza, pleased to meet you... So you're the one who defeated a gorilla with just your pinky finger!"
Hearing this, Lucy nearly died of fright.
Who spread the rumor that she defeated a gorilla with her pinky finger?
She would have died if she try that!
Faced with this wildly exaggerated rumor, Lucy looked panicked, not knowing how to respond and could only stammer repeatedly.
"Pleased to meet you!"
Ankh stretched lazily and said: "Such an absurdly miraculous rumor - you don't even need to think about who started it."
Happy scratched his head while playing dumb.
"Huh? Who could that be?"
Lucy glared hatefully at Happy, then turned to Ankh and asked, "Ankh-san, are you coming with us too?"
Ankh nodded and said: "Erza told me the whole story. Just in case, I'll go with you."
Lucy quickly nodded, secretly relieved.
Although this was supposed to be a team mission, as a newcomer, Lucy was only familiar with Natsu and hadn't interacted much with Gray and Erza yet.
But that guy Natsu would definitely get motion sickness as soon as he got on the train.
With Ankh joining the team, Lucy wouldn't have to endure awkward silence with no one to chat with during the journey.
Being relatively inexperienced, Lucy didn't know Ankh's exact capabilities and only assumed he was slightly stronger than Erza.
It wouldn't be until later, when Lucy encountered Laxus, Mystogan, and Gildarts, that she would catch a glimpse of the guild's true top-tier combat power.
Precisely because Lucy normally paid little attention to mage strength rankings, she wasn't intimidated by Ankh's oppressive aura.
In the past, any knowledgeable mage joining the guild would feel tremendous death pressure upon first meeting Ankh.
This wasn't Ankh's intention - it's just that his life and death energies had become somewhat unbalanced over the years, making it difficult for him to completely suppress the faint tremors of his Death Wave.
Though Lucy also felt somewhat unsettled by the aura around Ankh, being easygoing by nature, she didn't pay it much mind.
"Wait a minute!"
At this moment, Natsu - who had been secretly challenging Gray earlier - suddenly clenched his fists and declared.
"Erza, I'll help you, but you have to agree to one condition! After we return to the guild, you have to fight me one-on-one!"
Gray was immediately startled by this.
The biggest difference between him and Natsu was that Gray still maintained some rationality when it came to fighting...
As Gray looked at Natsu with "farewell, brother" in his eyes, Erza chuckled and was about to agree when Ankh suddenly spoke up.
"Natsu, if you want a challenge, how about fighting me instead?"
Erza looked at Ankh in confusion, to which he quietly explained.
"It's been two years since I last saw him. I want to test Natsu's current strength."
Hearing this unexpected opportunity, Natsu became even more excited.
"Ah! Fighting you works too!"
"Then I'll defeat Ankh first before challenging Erza!"
Gray's expression changed again, his eyes filled with utter despair as he looked at Natsu.
'This kid is beyond saving...'
'To replace Erza with Ankh - how dare you agree to that?'
'Well, considering we've known each other for so long, I'll help you pick out a nice burial spot first...'
Just as Gray was mentally arranging Natsu's funeral arrangements, Lucy quietly asked Happy.
"Who would win if Natsu fought Ankh?"
Happy tilted his head and looked at Lucy as if she were a fool.
"The probability of Natsu winning is about the same as me eating fish without finding any bones!"
Lucy stood frozen in place, gasping sharply.
Hiss—
She seemed to finally understand something.
....
After the casual conversation at the station ended, the five finally boarded the train.
And as expected, the moment the train started moving, Natsu immediately passed out from motion sickness.
"Ankh... save me..."
Natsu lay sprawled over the table, weakly reaching out as he spoke.
Ankh's Celestial Spirit, Ophiuchus, possessed the ability to transfer negative status effects.
For Dragon Slayer Mages, this ability was nothing short of a blessing for travel and curing motion sickness...
But...
Just moments ago Natsu were arrogantly challenging Ankh, and now he's shamelessly asking for his help...
The situation was truly comical...