Noel kicked open the guild's front door as he returned.
(Silently sparing a moment of pity for the poor guild door. At this point, it was practically tradition.)
Yet the usual lively energy was absent. The entire guild felt strangely subdued, and it was unclear what had caused such a heavy mood.
Had something happened? Was it another complaint lodged somewhere? That shouldn't be the case. Noel had worked through the night in Hargeon, repairing the port, which should have cleared any negative reports.
"What's going on? Did something happen?" Noel asked.
"Nothing happened," Makarov replied, leisurely sipping his beer, though there was a heaviness in the air that couldn't be put into words.
"Is it about the council? The port in Hargeon was fully repaired overnight; there shouldn't be many complaints from the residents, right?"
"It's not about the port." Makarov took another sip, unhurried. "Romeo came by earlier."
Romeo… Noel vaguely recalled that name. Romeo was Macao's son, who often visited the guild, mostly for gatherings and festivities.
Coming at this time was unusual, but judging by the guild's heavy atmosphere, it was clear the issue was something else.
"A few days ago, Macao took on a mission up at Hakobe Mountain. He's been gone a bit too long."
Everyone in the guild grew quiet, the weight in the air pressing down even more.
Noel understood well enough. In this guild, everyone was family. If a family member didn't return home for days, it was natural for everyone to worry.
But matters like this were beyond his control. Every mage had their own pride, and once a mission was accepted, others wouldn't easily interfere.
Still, Noel couldn't just leave it alone—he had plans to head to Hakobe Mountain anyway, needing to search for alchemical materials only found there.
"I'm heading out," Noel said with a wave.
"Where are you going?" Makarov asked, puzzled.
"I'm going to Hakobe Mountain to look for materials." With that, Noel turned and left the guild, beginning his trek.
"Forget it. I'm done trying to stop you," Makarov sighed, waving dismissively as if swatting away a mosquito. "Natsu's already gone ahead anyway, so what difference does one more make? But don't you people care about Macao's pride?"
"It's fine. My first real mission was under Macao's guidance, and he made a huge mess of it back then, losing all face. He's long past caring," Noel chuckled.
The guild's atmosphere lightened. Laughter rippled through the hall, softening the earlier tension.
Why is everyone here so disobedient? But then again, this was Fairy Tail, and Makarov could only smile in quiet satisfaction.
---
Hakobe Mountain, covered in snow year-round, was a true snow mountain.
Towering peaks rose in layers, connected and jagged, intimidating to behold.
All that met the eye was a world of white, burying every trace of green under endless snow.
Snowflakes fluttered in the sky, and a harsh wind howled across the land.
Noel sneezed unexpectedly. Despite all his preparations, the cold still bit deeply.
He wore a cotton hat and scarf, orange-golden hair peeking out, his face flushed red from the cold.
A bearskin coat wrapped around him, and a valuable-looking backpack was strapped to his back, his entire body bundled tightly.
"Achoo!" Noel sneezed again. Despite the layers, the mountain's cold was beyond what he had anticipated.
He had underestimated the mountain's chill. But if he wanted those alchemical materials, he had to press on. He had heard the rare materials grew only deep within the snow-covered mountains.
Staring out across the endless white peaks, he felt a mix of emotions. He almost regretted not posting a guild request and sending someone else.
But honestly, even if he did, few would take it. The danger was too high for most to accept such a task.
After crossing who knows how many ridges, Noel's pace began to slow. The snowstorm showed no signs of stopping and even seemed to grow heavier.
His coat was covered in a thick layer of snow. Noel patted the snow off his shoulders.
"This won't do. It's too slow," Noel muttered.
He decided to use his old method. Climbing to the highest peak he could reach, Noel scanned the surroundings.
But the heavy snow limited visibility. All he could make out was a white figure in the storm.
That white figure seemed to be a Vulcan. Macao had reportedly disappeared while taking on a Vulcan subjugation mission. Could that figure be the Vulcan in question?
Speed was crucial in a pursuit. With a target in sight, Noel's movements grew faster, using his magic for support.
Alchemical materials could be replaced if lost, but once a companion was gone, they could never return.
Noel had his own beliefs about family and companions, forged through his past experiences.
The figure on the mountaintop blurred in the snow as Noel's speed surged, manipulating air currents to accelerate. It was the latest application of his wind magic research.
The principle was similar to invisibility magic, but applied differently to maximize speed, though it drained mana heavily and could not be used casually.
Currently, Noel was mid-fall along a cliff on the high peaks.
"Whirlwind!"
A swirling vortex of wind lifted snow along the mountainside, cushioning Noel's descent as he lowered himself gradually.
"Swift Wind!"
A sudden gust swirled around him, sending nearby snowflakes spiraling, marking the air with a clear trajectory.
A blurry figure darted through that trail, chasing the white figure ahead.
Noel dashed through the mountain paths, the white figure just ahead of him.
Wherever the figure went, massive footprints were left behind, not yet covered by snow.
With those tracks, tracking became easier. The footprints were unusual, likely belonging to a primate-type magical beast.
There were many such beasts on the mountain—Yeti, Snow Apes, and Vulcans among them.
The Yetis and Snow Apes were more ape-like, while Vulcans resembled giant monkeys.
All three were formidable, especially in this environment, where their combat power could reach terrifying levels.
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