The celebration was in full swing as Mirajane returned with the guild mark stamp. Lucy immediately got hers in pink on her hand, her eyes sparkling as she admired it. When it was my turn, I chose a deep blue mark on my right forearm.
[ Quest Complete! ]
[ Rewards Unlocked ]
[ 2 Common Tickets + 1 Rare Ticket Awarded ]
[ New Quest Line Available: Establish Position in Fairy Tail ]
"Now then," Makarov called out, "let's properly welcome our new members the Fairy Tail way!"
Cana raised her barrel. "Drinking contest!"
"No, no, they should fight me first!" Natsu grinned, flames already dancing around his fists.
"Aye! That's manly!" Elfman shouted.
---
The guild hall quickly descended back into its usual chaos, but this time Lucy and Shiro were part of it. Mirajane showed them to the request board, explaining how missions worked, while various guild members came by to introduce themselves.
Gray, having somehow lost his shirt again, approached Shiro with a measuring look. "So, you figured out Bora's charm magic, huh? Not bad for someone just starting out."
---
I kept my expression neutral as I replied to Gray. "Sometimes observation is as important as raw power. Though I wouldn't mind learning some actual combat skills now that I'm here."
[ System Alert! ]
[ Training Opportunity Detected ]
[ Potential Mentor: Gray Fullbuster ]
[ Compatibility Analysis: High ]
"Well," Gray smirked, "if you want to learn from someone who actually thinks before attacking, unlike flame-brain over there—"
"What did you say, ice princess?" Natsu interrupted, butting heads with Gray instantly.
I stepped back smoothly as they started brawling again, making my way to where Lucy sat with Levy, already deep in conversation about books.
The System pinged again, but I ignored it for now. I had time to check rewards later. Right now, I just wanted to soak in this moment—my first day as a real Fairy Tail wizard.
Looking around at my new guildmates, I couldn't help but smile. This was just the beginning of something amazing, and I was finally ready to start my own story.
After the celebration died down, I found myself studying the request board beside Lucy. Nab was there too, as always, perpetually unable to decide on a job. I knew what was coming—Macao's rescue mission would be Natsu's way of showing Lucy the ropes.
[ System Alert! ]
[ Original Timeline Event Approaching ]
[ Recommended Action: Observe Romeo's arrival ]
Right on cue, the guild doors creaked open, and a small figure trudged in. Romeo, eyes red from crying, walked straight up to Makarov.
"Is my dad back yet?" His voice trembled slightly.
I watched Lucy's expression shift from curiosity to concern as Romeo and Makarov's conversation unfolded. When Natsu suddenly punched the request board, making Lucy jump, I knew it was time to act.
"What was that about?" Lucy asked, watching Natsu storm out with Happy.
Mirajane explained Macao's situation—how he had taken a job on Mt. Hakobe and hadn't returned. As she spoke, Shiro quietly gathered his minimal supplies, checking that his new guild mark was covered by his sleeve.
"You're going too?" Lucy noticed his preparations.
"Mt. Hakobe is dangerous," Shiro replied calmly. "Natsu might be strong, but having backup never hurts."
---
As we followed Natsu to the carriage station, I quickly checked my System status.
[ Available Tickets: 2 Common, 1 Rare ]
[ Recommended: Use before mountain mission ]
[ Warning: Low-temperature environment ahead ]
"Let's see what we can get," I muttered, activating the Plinko board while walking.
The first Common ticket bounced down, landing on a 2x multiplier.
[ Rewards Generated! ]
[ Basic Cold Resistance (Passive) ]
[ Basic Energy Conservation (Passive) ]
Perfect timing. Now for the Rare ticket...
The golden ball danced through the pegs, finally hitting a 3x slot.
[ Rewards Generated! ]
[ Enhanced Survival Instincts (Passive) ]
[ Combat Prediction - Level 1 (Active) ]
[ Magical Energy Sensing - Level 1 (Active) ]
I smiled slightly as the new abilities integrated. Maybe this rescue mission wouldn't be so one-sided after all.
"Ready for your first real Fairy Tail adventure?" I asked Lucy, who was looking increasingly uncertain about the snowy mountain ahead.
The story was proceeding exactly as it should. Now I just had to make sure we all survived it.
The carriage ride was predictably rough, with Natsu's motion sickness providing a constant soundtrack of groans. I sat cross-legged, trying to make sense of my new abilities.
[ Combat Prediction - Level 1 ]
[ Current Status: Unreliable in snow conditions ]
[ Success Rate: 45% ]
Great. The one skill that might have been useful against Vulcans was apparently weather-dependent. At least the cold resistance was working—I could feel it creating a thin barrier between my skin and the increasingly frigid air.
"S-so cold," Lucy stammered as we finally stepped out into the blizzard. "I know! Open, Gate of the Clock Constellation! Horologium!"
---
The giant clock spirit materialized, and Lucy quickly climbed inside its protective glass case. Natsu forged ahead through the snow, calling out for Macao, while Happy flew close behind.
Shiro hung back slightly, his Enhanced Survival Instincts triggering warning signals about the unstable snow beneath their feet. The magical energy sensing ability was picking up multiple signatures—but they seemed to be coming from all directions, reflected and scattered by the ice crystals in the air.
"'Why did I come on this crazy mission?' she says with chattering teeth," Horologium translated for Lucy.
---
Something wasn't right. The System was trying to tell me something, but the warnings were garbled.
[ Alert! Multiple ████████ detected ]
[ Warning: Energy signals ███████████ ]
[ Recommendation: ████████ immediately ]
The notifications were becoming corrupted by the magical interference in the storm. Just perfect.
"Natsu!" I called out. "We should—"
The snow beneath my feet suddenly gave way. Not a natural collapse—something had deliberately weakened it from below. As I fell, I caught a glimpse of white fur and gleaming eyes.
[ Emergency Skill Integration! ]
[ Random Reward from Previous Quest Unlocked! ]
[ Activating: Elastic Impact Reduction (Passive) ]
Wait, what? When did I get that skill? The System had been holding out on me!
I hit the ice below with a bounce instead of a crash, rolling to my feet in a cavern illuminated by filtered sunlight. Above, I could hear Lucy's muffled shouts and Natsu's angry roars.
A deep, guttural laugh echoed through the ice cave. The Vulcan? No—Vulcans. Plural. This wasn't how the story went.
"Woman!" multiple voices chanted. "We found more women!"
I drew a shaky breath, watching as at least three massive forms lumbered toward me through the ice tunnels. "System," I muttered, "now would be a really good time for some combat tips."
[ Survival Priority Activated ]
[ Available Skills Assessment... ]
[ Recommendation: Run. ]
"Thanks for nothing," I growled, backing away from the approaching Vulcans. Somewhere above, I heard Lucy's key ring jingle as Horologium's time ran out.
This rescue mission had just gotten a lot more complicated.
The ice cave's crystalline walls reflected the Vulcans' movements, making it hard to track which shadows were real and which were just reflections. My Combat Prediction skill kept glitching, sending conflicting warnings about attacks from multiple directions.
[ Combat Analysis Error ]
[ Too Many Variables ]
[ Attempting to Compensate... ]
"Woman smell good!" One Vulcan lunged, its massive fist cratering the ice where I'd been standing a second before.
Basic Combat Stance activated automatically as I rolled away, but I knew dodging wouldn't work forever. These weren't the mindless beasts I'd expected—they were coordinating, trying to herd me toward the narrower tunnels.
Above, I heard Lucy's voice: "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"
---
The cave ceiling exploded inward as Natsu dropped down, flames melting the ice around him. Almost simultaneously, Taurus crashed through another section, his massive axe gleaming.
"Mooo! I'll protect Lucy's nice body!"
The Vulcans immediately shifted focus, excited by the presence of Lucy above. Their previous coordination dissolved into competitive chaos.
---
[ Tactical Opportunity Detected ]
[ Enemy Formation Broken ]
[ Recommendation: Exploit distraction ]
For once, I agreed with the System. While the Vulcans were fixated on Lucy and arguing with each other, I pressed myself against the ice wall, letting my Magical Energy Sensing reach out.
There—a flicker of human magic, nearly drowned out by the Vulcans' wild energy. Macao's signature was faint but distinct, coming from one of the deeper tunnels.
"Natsu!" I called out, ducking under a wild swing from the nearest Vulcan. "The left tunnel! I think Macao—"
A massive hand caught my jacket, yanking me off my feet. "Small man talk too much!"
[ Warning! Physical Damage Imminent ]
[ Emergency Response Required ]
[ Activating All Available Skills ]
Time seemed to slow as my Enhanced Survival Instincts kicked in. The Vulcan's grip was tight, but its stance was poor. Basic Combat Stance showed me the weak point—its thumb placement meant I could...
I twisted sharply, slipping out of my jacket and dropping to the ice. The Vulcan's surprise gave me just enough time to slam my elbow into the back of its knee, sending it stumbling.
"Woman getting away!" Another Vulcan noticed Lucy trying to circle around the fight. It charged past me, ice cracking under its feet.
"Lucy, the ice!" I shouted, remembering the unstable ground from earlier. "Make it—"
"Already on it!" she called back. "Taurus!"
The spirit's axe slammed into the cave floor, shattering the frozen surface. The charging Vulcan plunged through with a surprised roar.
[ Alert! Cave Stability Compromised ]
[ Structural Collapse Imminent ]
[ Get Out Now! ]
Sometimes the System stated the obvious.
The cave was coming down around us. Natsu had already disappeared down the left tunnel, tracking Macao's scent. Lucy was backing toward the hole we'd fallen through, Taurus providing cover.
I had a split second to decide—follow Natsu toward Macao, or help Lucy escape.
[ Quest Priority Scanner Active ]
[ Original Mission: Find Macao ]
[ Current Status: Natsu Has Primary ]
[ Recommended Action: Ensure Civilian Safety ]
"Lucy!" I ran toward her as the ceiling began to collapse. "Time to go!"
The chamber dissolved into chaos of falling ice, monkey screeches, and Taurus's final "Moo!" as he was forced back to the Celestial Spirit world.
We had to get out of here—and fast.
---
The cave was collapsing faster than I'd anticipated. Lucy stumbled as another tremor shook the ground, her keys jingling at her hip. Ice shards rained down around us.
[ Danger Assessment ]
[ Multiple Escape Routes Detected ]
[ Calculating Optimal Path... ]
[ Error: Too Many Variables ]
"Not helpful!" I growled at the System, pulling Lucy away from a falling stalactite. My Combat Prediction was going haywire, trying to track too many falling objects at once.
"We can't reach the opening!" Lucy shouted over the chaos. "It's too high!"
She was right. The hole we'd fallen through was at least twenty feet up, and the ice walls were too smooth to climb. The Vulcans were howling somewhere in the darkness, adding to the cacophony.
---
A massive chunk of ceiling crashed down, forcing Lucy and Shiro to dive in opposite directions. They were being separated by the falling debris, and the temperature was dropping rapidly as the storm above howled into the fractured cave.
Lucy reached for her keys again, but her fingers were trembling from the cold. "I can't... I don't have enough magic left for another spirit!"
---
Think, think! My Enhanced Survival Instincts were screaming at me to run, but where? The tunnels were collapsing, the main chamber was a death trap, and...
Wait.
[ Basic Energy Conservation Active ]
[ Analyzing Environmental Factors ]
[ Cold Resistance Maintaining Core Temperature ]
The cold. The storm. The ice itself. They weren't just obstacles—they were tools.
"Lucy!" I shouted. "The storm's freezing everything it touches, right? Including the falling ice!"
Her eyes widened with understanding. "It's creating new formations! If we time it right..."
"We can make our own path up!" I finished. "But we'll have to be fast, and we'll need something to break through the weaker sections."
Lucy's hand flew to her whip. "Will this work?"
[ Combat Prediction Stabilizing ]
[ Path Identified ]
[ Success Probability: 37% ]
Better than nothing.
"Follow my lead!" I grabbed her hand. "When I say jump, swing that whip as hard as you can at the ice shelf forming above us!"
We began our desperate climb, jumping from one rapidly forming ice platform to another. Each crack of Lucy's whip created handholds in the freezing surfaces. My Combat Prediction, finally working with the cold instead of against it, helped us time our movements between the falling debris.
The Vulcans were still below us, their howls growing fainter as we ascended. But we weren't safe yet. The storm was intensifying, and my Cold Resistance was starting to falter.
[ Warning: Skill Duration Limited ]
[ Environmental Protection Failing ]
[ Time Remaining: 2 Minutes ]
We had to make it out before my protection failed, or we'd both freeze. The opening was just above us now, tantalizingly close.