As for the reward... "The blacksmith has helped me strengthen my armor, Ken. The 400,000 J is all yours," Erza said suddenly.
"Well, since we are forming a team, the rewards should be shared equally, right?" Ken replied with a grin, wanting to keep things fair.
Erza raised an eyebrow, but Ken quickly added, "There's no need to be so polite. We can continue to form a team in the future. If I catch fish sometime, I'll just share with you equally as usual."
Erza chuckled softly and, with a swift motion, buried Ken's head into her chest.
Ken winced, once again feeling the hard armor. "So hard!!" he cried out mentally, though his face betrayed nothing but a forced smile.
"I thought that one day, I'd make Erza do this without wearing armor... but I guess it'll still be tough."
Erza suddenly pulled back, breaking the moment. "By the way, Lucy came to me just now and invited us to go to the resort hotel to relax. You should have time too, right?"
Vacation?
Ken became alert at the mention of it. His suspicions about the timeline were beginning to make sense. Erza had been to the Paradise Tower before, a place filled with painful memories.
"Okay!" Ken immediately agreed, not wanting Erza to face the past alone. He would be there to protect her, no matter what.
"Hey Ken, I heard you're quite strong. Do you want to challenge me? I'm excited!" Natsu's voice came from behind.
Ken turned, but before he could respond, there was a loud scream from above. Looking up, he saw Natsu, having been slapped into the ceiling by Erza.
"Don't fight all day, Natsu. Pack your bags. We're going on vacation." Erza's voice was stern, her usual disciplinary committee persona returning.
"Happy, remember to dig him down from the ceiling," she added.
"Gray, get dressed."
Ken smiled awkwardly, watching as Erza took charge of the group once again. Meanwhile, Lucy, standing beside him, gave him a friendly smile.
"Hello... my name is Lucy. I'm a Celestial Spirit Mage, and I've just joined the guild not long ago..." Lucy introduced herself, extending a hand.
"Ken. Please take care of me," Ken replied, shaking her hand with a smile.
It felt like the perfect team—Erza, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy. This would be the team that defined Ken's youth, and he was ready to dive into the adventure ahead.
...
The next morning, after hours of travel, the group arrived at the resort. Lucy showed the VIP tickets, and the front desk staff quickly ushered them in with respect.
As for Ken's share of the payment, Erza had already taken care of it, refusing to let him contribute. Ken couldn't resist her stubbornness.
The hotel staff, a slender young man, was tasked with carrying their bags. As soon as he grabbed Ken's luggage, his face twisted in pain, and the bag dropped with a loud thud.
Ken's grin grew as he waved it off. "Don't worry, I'll handle it myself."
Lucy, her curiosity piqued, couldn't help but ask, "What did you bring, Ken? It's so heavy. It can't be two stones, right?"
Ken simply replied, "How did you know?"
Before Lucy could ask more, Ken casually opened the bags to reveal... two square rocks, packed tightly inside.
"Spare food, spare food..." Ken chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Erza, ever the voice of reason, added, "He is a dragon slayer, like Natsu."
Lucy's face turned thoughtful as she processed the information, but the hotel staff, who had been struggling with the bags, was still looking on in disbelief.
...
The rooms were on the 11th floor with an excellent view. Natsu, of course, was the first to clamour for fun on the beach. But with Erza opting to rest, the others couldn't resist the temptation.
Gray's eyes lit up as he removed his shirt, proudly showing off his muscles. "Ah~~ Sunshine, beach~ Finally, I can take off my clothes without any scruples~~"
Lucy groaned, "Gray, you can take off your shirt, but leave your underwear on."
"Ah? When did I take it off...?" Gray seemed confused as he looked down at his bare chest.
"Why am I hanging out with this naked pervert?" Lucy muttered to herself.
Natsu, ever the fireball, grinned. "It just so happens that Erza isn't here. Flame Soul Dan... let's have a good time today!"
"I'm on fire!" Natsu shouted as he launched himself at Gray, starting another round of their usual brawl.
Ken sighed, shrugging at Lucy, who was looking at him helplessly.
"Stop, don't fight anymore..." he muttered, but his plea went unheard.
"Ah, ai...." Ken groaned, watching as the two turned into bruised and battered versions of themselves after a few hours of fighting.
Once the sun began to set, Ken took a deep breath. "It's almost time. Erza's old companions will show up soon."
As he glanced back at the two fighters, who were now nursing their swollen faces, he muttered, "Seems like we'll have to drag them back to the hotel first..."
Once Natsu and Gray were settled, and Lucy and Happy had returned to their rooms, Ken made his way down the corridor alone. His destination? The door at the end.
He stopped in front of it, standing still for a moment.
"This is Erza's room... According to the original plot, her old friend will show up tonight and take her away... We have to find a way to protect her."
Ken took a deep breath and knocked gently, awaiting whatever came next.