The wind howled above us as we pulled ourselves through the opening, back into the full fury of Mt. Hakobe's storm. My Cold Resistance flickered like a dying flame, the protective barrier around my body wavering as we emerged into the blizzard.
[ Warning: Environmental Protection Critical ]
[ Seeking Shelter Recommended ]
[ Magical Energy Depletion: 73% ]
"We made it!" Lucy gasped, but her relief was short-lived as the reality of our situation hit. We were back on the mountain, but Natsu was still underground somewhere with Macao, and the storm was getting worse.
I pressed my back against a rocky outcrop, trying to conserve what warmth I had left. "We need to find shelter and figure out how to help Natsu."
Lucy nodded, her lips already turning blue despite being inside Horologium's protection earlier. "But where? Everything's covered in ice!"
[ Magical Energy Sensing Active ]
[ Detecting... Multiple Signatures Approaching ]
[ Warning: Unknown Magical Entities ]
"Lucy," I said quietly, my Enhanced Survival Instincts suddenly screaming danger. "Something's coming. Multiple somethings."
Through the swirling snow, shapes began to emerge. Not Vulcans this time—these moved differently, more coordinated. My heart sank as I recognized the magical signatures.
"Ice-Make wizards," I muttered. "But they feel... wrong."
The figures stepped into view: three mages in dark robes, their faces hidden by ice masks. Dark Guild members, no doubt drawn by the magical disturbance we'd caused.
"Well, well," the lead figure spoke, his voice carrying despite the wind. "What do we have here? Lost little lambs from Fairy Tail?"
[ System Alert! ]
[ Combat Scenario: Unfavorable ]
[ Enemy Assessment: Superior Numbers and Magic ]
[ Recommendation: Tactical Withdrawal ]
But there was nowhere to withdraw to. Behind us was the unstable cave system, and ahead were three dark mages who clearly had hostile intentions. We were trapped, exhausted, and running out of time before hypothermia set in.
Lucy's hand moved to her keys, but I could see the tremor in her fingers. She was in no condition for another fight, and my own abilities were still too basic to handle multiple opponents.
"Surrender peacefully," the dark mage continued, "and we might let you live long enough to see your friend again. We found him, by the way—along with that fire-breathing fool who came looking for him."
My blood ran cold, and it wasn't from the weather. They had Natsu and Macao. This had gone from a rescue mission to a full-blown crisis, and I was barely equipped to handle regular Vulcans, let alone experienced dark mages.
The storm continued to rage around us, but suddenly the cold seemed like the least of our problems.
The lead dark mage raised his hand, ice crystals forming around his fingers. "Last chance, children. Come quietly, or we'll drag your frozen corpses back to our employer."
[ Emergency Protocol Activated ]
[ Analyzing Combat Variables... ]
[ New Skill Detected: Desperate Gambit (Passive) ]
[ Effect: Enhanced performance when at critical disadvantage ]
I felt something shift inside me—not magical power, but a cold clarity that cut through my fear. The System wasn't giving me strength I didn't have, but it was helping me use what I did have more effectively.
"Lucy," I whispered, moving slightly to shield her from the wind. "When I give the signal, use your whip to create as much chaos as possible. Don't aim for them—aim for the ice formations above us."
She nodded, understanding immediately. The avalanche risk was massive up here, and these dark mages were standing right in the danger zone.
"What signal?" she whispered back.
"Trust me," I said, stepping forward with my hands raised in apparent surrender. "You'll know."
---
The dark mages spread out slightly, confident in their superiority. The leader lowered his hand but kept the ice magic ready. "Smart boy. Now, where exactly did your friends—"
I lunged forward suddenly, not at the mages but at the loose snow between us. My Enhanced Survival Instincts had been screaming about the unstable ground for minutes, and now I knew why. The entire slope was a powder keg waiting for the right trigger.
"Now, Lucy!"
Her whip cracked like thunder, striking the overhanging ice shelf. For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then the mountain itself seemed to roar as tons of snow and ice began cascading down toward us all.
[ Desperate Gambit Success Rate: 23% ]
[ Avalanche Triggered ]
[ Survival Probability Calculating... ]
The dark mages' confident expressions turned to panic as they realized what we'd done. But avalanches don't discriminate—we were all in mortal danger now.
"This way!" I grabbed Lucy's hand, my Survival Instincts guiding us toward what looked like certain death but might actually be our only chance. A narrow ridge of exposed rock, barely visible through the storm, offered the slimmest possibility of shelter.
Behind us, the dark mages were shouting spells, trying to create ice barriers against the oncoming wall of snow. It might even work for them—they were experienced enough.
But that was their problem now. We had bigger concerns, like reaching that ridge before the avalanche swept us all away.
---
The mountain's roar grew deafening as the avalanche gained momentum. My legs pumped desperately through the knee-deep snow, Lucy's hand gripping mine with desperate strength. The rocky ridge seemed impossibly far away as the thunderous wall of white death bore down on us.
[ Desperate Gambit Status: Active ]
[ Environmental Analysis: CRITICAL ]
[ Estimated Time to Impact: 8 seconds ]
"We're not going to make it!" Lucy shouted over the chaos, her voice barely audible above the mountain's fury.
My Enhanced Survival Instincts suddenly flared with new information—not about the avalanche, but about something else. A faint magical signature, warm and familiar, rising from beneath the snow ahead of us. My Magical Energy Sensing locked onto it like a beacon.
"Natsu," I breathed, understanding flooding through me. He wasn't trapped—he was about to erupt.
The snow beneath our feet suddenly glowed orange, steam hissing upward through the cracks. A massive column of fire burst through the mountainside, and Natsu emerged carrying an unconscious Macao, his flames creating a protective bubble in the chaos.
"Lucy! Shiro!" he called out, his fire magic vaporizing the falling snow around him. "What the hell did you do up here?"
"Tactical withdrawal!" I shouted back, pulling Lucy toward the safety of his flame barrier. The three dark mages were nowhere to be seen—either buried or smart enough to teleport away when they realized the mountain was coming down.
[ Quest Update! ]
[ Macao Located and Secured ]
[ Ally Support: Natsu Dragneel ]
[ Survival Probability: Significantly Improved ]
As we reached the protective warmth of Natsu's flames, I felt my Cold Resistance finally stabilize. The immediate crisis was over, but I could see exhaustion in all of our faces. Macao needed medical attention, and we still had to get down the mountain in one of the worst storms I'd ever experienced.
"How did you know?" Lucy asked, looking between me and the spot where Natsu had emerged. "About him being down there?"
I tapped my temple, hoping she'd assume it was just good instincts rather than magical sensing. "Lucky guess. Plus, when has Natsu ever let a little thing like a cave-in stop him?"
Natsu grinned through his exhaustion. "Damn right! Though next time, maybe warn me before you bring down half the mountain?" He shifted Macao to a more secure position. "We need to move. This guy needs warmth and healing magic, fast."
The journey back down Mt. Hakobe was a test of endurance none of us had expected. Natsu carried Macao while the rest of us huddled close to his flame magic for warmth. The storm showed no signs of letting up, and every step was a struggle against the elements.
My newly acquired skills were working overtime—Enhanced Survival Instincts constantly guiding us away from unstable ground, while Combat Prediction helped me spot potential hazards through the swirling snow. But even with the System's help, I could feel exhaustion creeping in.
[ Status Warning ]
[ Physical Stamina: 23% ]
[ Magical Energy Reserve: 31% ]
[ Recommend: Rest Period ]
"Rest period," I muttered under my breath. "Right. Tell that to the mountain."
Lucy stumbled beside me, her Celestial Spirit magic completely drained from the earlier fights. She was running on pure determination now, the same stubborn will that made her perfect for Fairy Tail. Watching her push through the exhaustion despite having every reason to give up, I felt a surge of admiration that had nothing to do with anime knowledge and everything to do with the person she truly was.
"Almost there," Natsu called back, his flames flickering but holding steady. Through the storm, I could just make out the lights of the mountain's base station where Happy was waiting with transportation.
We'd done it. We'd saved Macao, survived dark mages and an avalanche, and somehow managed to not completely derail the original timeline. Though I suspected our methods had been a bit more dramatic than the canonical version.
[ Quest: Mt. Hakobe Rescue Mission ]
[ Status: COMPLETED ]
[ Calculating Rewards... ]
[ Achievement Unlocked: "Against All Odds" ]
[ Special Circumstances Bonus Detected ]
As we finally reached safety and collapsed into the heated carriage, I allowed myself a small smile of satisfaction. This had been our first real test as Fairy Tail wizards, and despite everything going wrong, we'd pulled through together.
---
Macao's eyes snapped open as consciousness returned, his body jolting slightly in Natsu's protective embrace. The motion sickness from the carriage ride seemed to pull him back to awareness faster than our voices had managed.
"Easy there," Natsu said, his flames automatically adjusting to provide more warmth. "You're safe now. We got you off the mountain."
Macao blinked rapidly, his face cycling through confusion, relief, and then something softer as he took in the faces around him. "Natsu... and you brought..." His gaze lingered on Lucy and me, then drifted downward as if he were trying to find someone else in the carriage. "Romeo... is he...?"
"Worried sick about his old man," Natsu answered without missing a beat, grinning like he'd solved the biggest mystery. "He's probably pacing like a lunatic right now."
Lucy relaxed a fraction at that, and Macao let out a tired, grateful chuckle. "Tell him I'm all right," he murmured, voice hoarse but steady. "Tell Romeo I didn't mean to make him worry."
I nodded, the warmth of the carriage and Natsu's ridiculous, unshakeable confidence settling something inside me. Then Macao's expression darkened a little as he went on, urgency pushing past the relief. "There were others... dark mages. They were using the Vulcans, controlling them somehow."
Lucy's eyes widened. "That explains why they were acting so strange…"
I frowned, the weight of Macao's words sinking in. Dark mages experimenting on magical creatures? That was dangerous.
Before I could say more, Natsu leaned forward, scratching his head. "So… they controlled the monkeys, tried to fight us with ice, then got buried by a mountain?" He grinned. "Sounds like they picked the wrong team to mess with. Simple as that!"
"That's not the point, Natsu!" Lucy snapped, exasperated. "They were experimenting. That's serious!"
Natsu shrugged, still smiling. "Serious or not, we kicked their butts. If they come back, we'll do it again. Tell Romeo that too — he can stop pacing now."
Macao let out a weak laugh, the tension around his eyes easing. Even Lucy couldn't stop the small smile tugging at her lips. As for me, I couldn't help but think that, dumb as Natsu's take was, his stubborn confidence had a way of making the rest of us feel steadier — and that sometimes, that was exactly what we needed.