One of Laxus's hands was still holding Cana's little dog. It was a white, floppy-eared pup named Snow.
Kurosaki couldn't tell the breed. Snow was just ridiculously excited, head swiveling left and right, tongue hanging out, tail wagging like a rattle drum.
Seeing that, Kurosaki quietly released a thread of gentle spiritual pressure and let it settle lightly on Snow, calming it down just enough so it wouldn't dart off everywhere. That kind of precision spiritual pressure control was something other mages in Fairy Tail could never match.
Cana held a pink dessert in her left hand and an Italian gelato in her right, taking turns licking each one. For the first time in days, a real smile finally appeared on her face as she tilted her head and enjoyed the sweetness.
A step behind her, Kurosaki and Laxus exchanged a look and grinned.
Before long, they reached South Gate Park. From the steps, they could see it wasn't crowded. Today wasn't the weekend. In a corner, a few families were playing together. That area had more trees and felt more secluded, so people talked freely without worrying about being overheard.
But there was nothing in those conversations that mattered. Kurosaki and the others decided to picnic under the Sky Tree. Laxus stayed with Cana and wandered through the park at an easy pace before heading over.
Under the Sky Tree, Kurosaki unfolded a green cloth and spread it neatly across the ground. Then he arranged the food one by one.
Snow was intensely interested, nosing closer and closer, practically begging to eat.
Kurosaki lifted the little dog gently and spoke to it like it could understand.
"You can't eat these. They're too oily and salty. That's bad for a puppy. I got something else for you."
On the way over, they'd specifically bought pet food. Kurosaki opened the can and set it down in front of Snow. The pup immediately stopped pestering him and focused completely on the meal, tail wagging the entire time. It was absurdly cute.
"Alright, come eat over here!" Kurosaki cupped his hands around his mouth and called loudly toward Laxus and Cana.
"Ohh-kay!" the three of them replied at the same time, heads lifting together as they chewed skewers and drank ice-cold drinks.
Then they raised their cups and clinked them lightly, enjoying the calm.
"After we finish eating, where do we go this afternoon?" Kurosaki asked, chewing grilled squid.
He was already calculating quietly. If anything happened, Unohana's complete sword arts were enough to handle it. He wouldn't even need to draw a blade to cut down magical attacks.
Even if an S-Class mage tried something, swordsmanship alone would crush them. Shikai wouldn't be necessary, and Bankai was out of the question. Its power was too horrifying. Once released, all of Magnolia would be caught in it.
He would never use it unless there was absolutely no other choice.
"The season's wrong for Rainbow Sakura," Laxus said, lightly tapping his knee. "There's a hot spring street in Housenka Village that's not bad, but Cana's too young. Sending her into the women's bath alone isn't right. If we went, we'd basically just look at cherry blossoms."
He thought for a moment.
"Maybe we watch a play. Or we go see Uncle Varro, see if there's a performance or something. What do you think?"
Varro's shop had expanded. Beside the front desk, he'd built a small stage with instruments arranged around it. He hosted small performances there. Laxus was a regular. Kurosaki only came occasionally.
"I'm fine either way." Kurosaki nodded, then paused. "But Uncle Varro is…?"
"A rock guy," Laxus said, surprisingly approving. "He's a good man."
Cana listened and nodded, quietly agreeing.
They went to watch a play first. In Kurosaki's eyes, after a previous life filled with shows and movies, it felt a bit dull. Laxus and Cana, though, watched with full attention, completely absorbed.
After that, they ate dinner at a restaurant, ordering everything based on Cana's tastes since they were the ones who had invited her out. Kurosaki, as usual, said, "I'm not picky."
...
"Laxus, Kurosaki, you're here." Varro was on the stage adjusting the sound equipment. When he looked up, he saw the two of them walk in, and beside them was a little girl in an orange checkered dress. "And this is…?"
"Uncle Varro, this is Cana." Laxus introduced her. "She's a new member in our guild."
"Hello, Cana." Varro stepped down from the stage, crouched to her height, and smiled warmly. "You can call me Uncle Varro too."
"Hello, Uncle Varro," Cana said softly, meeting his kindness without flinching.
"Uncle Varro, you're about to perform? We came to watch."
"Just about to start." Varro tilted his chin at Laxus. "Perfect timing. Want to come up and back me up? Electric guitar or drums, either one."
"Drums," Laxus said, clearly tempted. Varro's setlist was all rock, exactly what he liked.
"Then Cana and I will be the audience," Kurosaki said.
He led Cana to a spot with a good view and sat down. Varro raised a hand, signaling a clerk to bring two cups of juice.
Kurosaki quietly released a thread of extremely gentle spiritual pressure into Cana's cup.
The fruit fragrance instantly became cleaner and brighter, and the heaviness left in her heart softened with it. That kind of precise, microscopic control was something no mage in this world could replicate.
Behind the drum kit, Laxus looked like a different person. His grin turned wild and free, and for once he looked like a normal kid enjoying himself.
...
"Alright, it's late. Cana, go in and rest." Kurosaki and Laxus walked her to the entrance of the girls' dormitory. Before joining the guild, Cana had relied on church aid, and after she joined, Makarov paid the fees and arranged her room.
"Drop her off and leave. Boys aren't allowed to linger." Hilda, the dorm matron, held a broom and started shooing them away.
"I was really happy today," Cana said while Hilda held her hand. She turned her face, smiling so wide her eyes curved into crescents.
Somewhere inside, she felt warm all day. She still missed her father, but it didn't hurt the way it had before.
She didn't know that warmth came from Kurosaki, from the way he always restrained the edge and only let out Unohana's soft spiritual pressure.
Already turning to go, Kurosaki and Laxus heard her and both looked back at the same time. Each of them raised a thumbs-up and flashed bright teeth in the night.
"That's good. Come find us anytime you want to hang out."
On the way back, Kurosaki quietly felt the vast power inside him, the healing and intimidation hidden in Shikai, the newly unlocked sword arts refined to the extreme, the absolute control of strength, and that near-total killing intent.
He knew this was only the beginning.
This absolute power from the world of shinigami was the firmest foundation he had to protect the people around him.
And on this land, it was a peak no one else could reach.