Hope asked Cana about the price of magic crystals.
A standard magic crystal usually costs around 1,000J; one is enough to power an ordinary household for two or three months, so the price is pretty friendly.
The trouble is, the Council limits how many you can buy.
In the past, Dark Mages once bought up huge numbers of magic crystals to craft devastating black-magic artifacts. The resulting environmental damage was catastrophic, and in the end the fourth-ranked Ten Wizard Saint, a Master Mage, had to step in and restore the land.
Afterward the Magic Council and the various kingdoms jointly agreed to cap purchases at a level that wouldn't disrupt ordinary life.
Over the years, everyone except the Dark Guilds has—at least on the surface—abided by the rule.
After all, who stockpiles a bunch of "batteries" for no reason?
Once he understood the situation, Hope's head began to ache. With the purchase limit in place, he simply couldn't obtain the quantity of magic crystals he needed.
What about absorbing the ambient magical particles from the air and refining pure mana himself—could that work?
"Absorb mana?"
Cana stared at him like he was an idiot. "We Mages can automatically draw in ambient particles to slowly replenish what we've spent, sure."
"But actively sucking in atmospheric mana is impossible. Even those freak Dragon Slayer Mages can only digest magic of the same attribute."
Hope scratched his head—he'd been daydreaming.
The only time anyone ever actively devoured external mana was in the original story's finale, when the final boss Black Dragon swallowed the "time-space" magic.
Hope remembered it vividly: after eating that time-space magic, the Black Dragon forcibly separated soul and body, triggering the "plot-kill" he himself had set in motion.
Even a centuries-old monster like the Black Dragon, who basically had "invincible" stamped on his forehead, couldn't pull off active atmospheric absorption until the very endgame.
And then he still got taken down.
Other Mages? Forget it.
Hope sighed in resignation. As long as he stayed on the protagonist faction's side and didn't wreck the plot, surviving to the finale shouldn't be a problem.
So just take it slow and level up steadily.
With that settled, Hope turned to admire the scenery outside the window. The view across from him—Cana—was more eye-catching, but he didn't quite dare stare.
Her outfit was, after all… rather daring.
As the thought crossed his mind, the compartment door slammed open and a man whose hairstyle resembled Naruto's Shikamaru burst in.
Cana eyed the intruder warily.
The man froze the instant he saw her, spotting the "flying fairy" crest on her waist.
Recovering, he sneered. "Hmph, another Fairy Tail Mage—like a ghost that won't stay buried."
Another?
He'd already run into other guild members?
While Hope analyzed quietly, Cana shot back, "You're the one who barged in—how dare you call us ghosts? Even Natsu has better manners than you."
The man's lips curled. "Natsu? Perfect. I, Master Kageyama, just forced a Mage named Natsu to jump off the train."
Cana's face went white.
Hope suddenly recalled the fatal flaw of Dragon Slaying Magic: despite its power, it leaves users violently motion-sick.
Not even the final-boss Black Dragon could avoid that weakness.
If Natsu hadn't leapt off, Kageyama would've beaten him like a sandbag.
But if Natsu was on this very train, what about Erza and the others traveling with him?
Hope wasn't worried for Natsu, but Cana—unaware he was the "protagonist"—clenched her fists and glared daggers at Kageyama.
"You bastard!"
"Idiot—what Dark Mage isn't a bastard?"
Kageyama wasted no more words; with a sweep of his arm a magic circle flared and several black shadows shot toward Cana.
From the sidelines Hope could see clearly: Kageyama was using shadow-type magic. Unfortunately the guy didn't look too bright—basically a bargain-bin Shikamaru.
Cana dodged, simultaneously grabbing Hope by the collar and hurling him into the corner of the car. "Hope, stay put—I'll finish this jerk in a second!"
"Heh-heh, so you're just a kept man."
Kageyama had been wary of facing both Cana and Hope at the same time; after all, he'd be fighting two-on-one inside a cramped carriage—an obvious disadvantage.
But Cana's action told Kageyama that the pretty boy in the bartender outfit was just an ordinary person.
Handing the enemy your weakness on a platter—guild Mages really are naïve.
Kageyama swept his arm and several black shadows blocked Cana's flame Cards, while from the shadow rune on the floor a dozen black tentacles sprang up to pin her.
"Now!"
Laughing, Kageyama channeled his magic; the shadow tentacles shot straight past Cana toward the seemingly stunned Hope cowering in the corner.
Kageyama knew lawful guild Mages all too well—especially the sentimental fools of Fairy Tail.
Grab a hostage and they'll fold every time!
It all happened in a flash. Cana reacted, but tangled in a dozen shadow tendrils she couldn't reach him in time and could only watch the black shadow claw for Hope.
Just as Kageyama was about to succeed—
he saw the bartender sigh.
Giving up already? Well, what could an ordinary man do against a Mage… "What?!"
His Mage pride had barely surfaced when Kageyama saw the supposedly captured man slip the tentacles with impossible speed and charge straight at him.
Kageyama loosed a flurry of shadow spears, but Hope slid through the gaps like an eel.
No magic needed—just battle instincts honed in another world. Hope slipped past the shadow spells, sprinted the narrow aisle, and arrived in front of Kageyama in an instant.
"Heh—taste the peerless martial art of a perfect warrior!"
"Dark-Sky Wheel Fist!"
To Cana's disbelief, Hope used an odd elbow-based boxing set and literally beat Kageyama until he scrambled for his life.
Head, limbs, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys—his moves meshed like clockwork, interrupting Kageyama every time he tried to cast.
Ridiculous name aside, in the future of the Magnetic Field world this art was the perfect counter to the famous "Sea Tiger Burst Fist".
Later, when the magnetic madmen brawled, even Sea Tiger himself was dizzied by this combo.
In his previous life Hope had no Magnetic Field Power, so he dabbled in martial arts—and accidentally recreated a style that wasn't supposed to exist for another five millennia.
"Tee-hee-hee!"
"Kageyama, how're you feeling now?"
Hope's grin was wicked; beating people up with a move called Wheel Fist was simply hilarious.
Kageyama was being pummeled into frustration.
He never expected the bartender to be playing pig to eat tiger—if he'd shown his strength earlier Kageyama wouldn't have been so reckless!
Damn it, I can't fall here.
Lord Erigor will kill me if I do!
Thinking of his bloodthirsty boss, Kageyama's eyes turned crimson; all his magic erupted, a giant rune swallowing the entire carriage.
The burst of mana forced Hope back.
In this world where magic ruled, pure martial arts still had limits.
Hope sighed, clearly wanting more.
Seeing that, Kageyama rose in fresh fury and unleashed his final spell.
"Fairy Tail—die!"
"Myriad Shadows, Thousand Blades!"
The spell filling the carriage fired countless black lances, shredding the whole compartment into tiny splinters.
Kageyama tumbled onto the tracks, head spinning, yet laughed in triumph: "Hahaha! I win—I win!"
Suddenly a shadow loomed over him.
He looked up—and his eyes bulged in shock. "Y-you… you can fly?!"
In the air, a pair of pure-white magical wings spread wide.
Cradling Cana in a princess carry, Hope hovered above. Ignoring the shattered Kageyama, he met Cana's still-dazed gaze and chuckled:
"Oh right—I just remembered: I'm a Mage too."
"Surprise, surprise?"