The four chatted cheerfully along the way and soon arrived at the village where their mission was based. Surrounded by lush green hills and clear waters, smoke curled gently from chimneys, and villagers worked peacefully in the fields—a picture of harmony and rural serenity.
As they entered the village, Zhou Xin glanced around in awe. Having never been to the countryside—let alone one from another world—he was full of curiosity.
"Hey, what are you looking around at? What's got your attention?" Mira had been watching Zhou Xin closely. Seeing his constant glancing, her curiosity was piqued. She looked around herself, finding nothing unusual. "It's just an ordinary little village."
Her comment drew Lisanna's and Elfman's attention, and they too looked around before turning to Zhou Xin, waiting for an explanation.
Not wanting to reveal that he was fascinated simply because he'd never seen a rural village before, Zhou Xin replied, "Since I use painting magic, I need to observe everyday life carefully. That way I won't run out of inspiration when it's time to draw."
While a bit of a stretch, his explanation was plausible. Lisanna and Elfman seemed convinced, though Mira simply gave a curt "Tch" and looked away.
Soon, they arrived at the village chief's house—the man who had issued the request. The elderly chief blinked in surprise when he saw them.
"You're just kids! What if something happens? Doesn't your guild care? No, no, I can't allow children to risk themselves like this," he protested, clearly skeptical of their abilities. At this time, Fairy Tail wasn't yet a household name.
"What did you say, old man?" Mira bristled immediately. Furious at the insult, she grabbed the village chief's collar and glared at him.
"Sis, don't get mad. Let me talk to the chief," Lisanna quickly stepped in to de-escalate the situation. Elfman also gently tugged Mira's sleeve from behind, muttering, "Sis, be nice…"
Zhou Xin stepped forward, gently freeing the chief from Mira's grasp. "Don't worry, sir. Our guild's master strictly evaluates every mission. Even though we're young, we're capable. Mira's strong enough to handle this problem. Otherwise, the master wouldn't have sent us."
"R-Really? Alright, then come with me. I'll show you those troublesome boars." Relieved, the village chief took the opportunity to save face and led the group toward the fields where the wild boars were causing havoc.
They passed through the village to the forest's edge, where a group of enormous wild boars could be seen ravaging the farmland. The largest stood over three meters tall, with the others not far behind.
"They're massive…" Elfman muttered, visibly intimidated.
"See? I told you kids can't handle this! Go back and ask your master to send some real mages," the chief said again, his doubt resurfacing.
"Shut it, old man! Who says we can't handle it? It's just a few oversized pigs!" Mira snapped. This time, she didn't lash out at the chief—her frustration was aimed at the boars.
She activated her Take Over: Satan Soul magic. Instantly, her appearance transformed—red leotard, hair standing on end, clawed hands, bat wings, and a tail—her demonic form radiated raw power.
In a blur, she flew at the largest boar. Within seconds, she struck it square in the head, knocking it to the ground with a gory thud. It twitched, then went still as blood trickled from its mouth.
Before anyone could react, Mira darted through the field, taking down the rest of the herd in moments. Each strike was precise and devastating. In less than a minute, the threat to the village was completely neutralized.
Zhou Xin was stunned. Though he had known Mira was strong, seeing it firsthand was something else. This also gave him a better idea of how powerful others like Erza, Natsu, and Gray might be when they eventually showed up.
Glancing at Lisanna and Elfman—both of whom were chanting "666" in awe—Zhou Xin remembered that Lisanna would become quite strong in the future, and Elfman would even reach S-class.
At that moment, Zhou Xin's thoughts turned inward.
*Who's supposed to be the cheat character here? Isn't it me with the golden finger? Why does it feel like I'm the weakest one here?*
But then he firmed up his resolve.
*No, no. I have a golden finger, which means I *can* become strong. I just haven't found the right path yet. Like they say—there are no useless abilities, only people who don't use them well.*
His musings were cut short when Mira suddenly grabbed his collar and yanked him close, their noses almost touching.
"What are you spacing out for? Not listening to me? You looking down on me?" she demanded, eyes blazing with irritation.
"S-Sorry! I was just thinking about my future path," Zhou Xin said quickly, flashing an apologetic grin.
Mira huffed but let him go. Then she stuffed a wad of cash into his hand. "Mission's done. We give ten percent to the guild. The rest's split four ways—45,000J each."
"Huh? But I didn't do anything," Zhou Xin protested.
Mira grabbed his collar again. "You looking down on me?"
"Nope!" Zhou Xin replied instantly.
"Hmph. We're a team. We split the rewards equally. Got a problem with that?" Mira turned away without waiting for a response.
After she walked off, Lisanna approached Zhou Xin with a smile. "Don't argue, Brother Zhou Xin. This is just her way of showing kindness—she's not good at expressing it. If you keep refusing, she'll just get mad."
Elfman nodded vigorously beside her.
Zhou Xin looked at Mira's retreating figure, then at the money in his hand. He gave a small, thoughtful smile.
*I'll remember this. And one day, I'll do everything I can to help these three siblings through whatever hardships come their way…*