Dust slowly settled in the alley.
The crushing gravity that had twisted space and shattered steel vanished the moment Arashi lowered his hand.
The air reeked of blood and scorched metal—a nauseating stench of ruin.
The Black Sails members, pinned moments ago to the cratered ground, now lay limp as rags. Foam dripped from their mouths, limbs bent at unnatural angles. They still lived, but their bones—and their spirits—had already been broken.
Not one could move.
Arashi's expression remained unchanged, as though he had simply brushed dust from his sleeve.
He walked through the heap of twisted bodies until he stood before Grol.
The "Iron Fist's" steel body was covered in a web of cracks. His eyes bulged, his consciousness barely clinging to existence.
Arashi crouched, ignoring the hoarse, meaningless sounds rasping from Grol's throat.
He reached out and picked up a few scattered sheets of parchment that had slipped from the man's trembling grip.
Lists of goods. Routes. Meeting points.
Then—
Two new presences appeared at the mouth of the alley.
No crash, no explosion. Only a dull thud and the whisper of wind.
"Well, that was a beautiful display, kid!"
A booming, cheerful voice shattered the silence like a stone dropped into still water.
A tall, broad man strode in, brushing dust from his tattered cloak. His sharp eyes swept over the unconscious thugs before landing on Arashi with open curiosity.
"Wiping out this many in an instant— even I'm impressed."
Behind him, Erza emerged.
She said nothing, but her stance was taut, every muscle ready to strike. Her crimson hair swayed lightly, and her brown eyes—sharp and wary—locked onto the boy.
The power he had shown defied everything she knew.
It wasn't magic.
It was something deeper. Primal. A law of existence itself.
"Who are you?"
Her tone was calm, commanding.
"Why do you possess such strength?"
"Relax, Erza."
Gildarts stepped forward, resting a large hand on her tense shoulder.
Then he turned to Arashi with his trademark, boisterous grin.
"We're mages of Fairy Tail. I'm Gildarts Clive, and this is Erza Scarlet. We've been hunting this dark guild, Black Sails."
Fairy Tail.
The name echoed in Arashi's mind, stirring faint ripples across the calm lake of his soul.
After years adrift between worlds, he had finally stepped onto the timeline he remembered—one of passion, bonds, and dreams.
He looked up, meeting the wary gaze of the scarlet-haired queen.
"I'm Hoshino Arashi. A traveler from the eastern continent."
"The eastern continent?"
Gildarts froze mid-smile, genuine surprise flickering in his eyes.
That wasn't a place people mentioned lightly.
To the people of Ishgar, the eastern lands existed only in myths and old tomes—distant, ancient, and unreachable.
"That's quite a journey," he said at last, his tone more serious. "So, what brings you to Ishgar?"
"To find a home."
Arashi's reply was calm but certain—so steady it carried a strange weight of truth.
The tension in Erza's eyes eased slightly.
She, too, had found her "home" in Fairy Tail.
Though the boy's magic was alien and immense, his gaze was clear—untainted by madness or greed.
"Ha ha ha ha! Then you've found the right place!"
Gildarts' booming laughter filled the alley, shaking loose bits of rubble.
"If you're looking for the strongest, most welcoming guild in Fiore, that's us! Fairy Tail!" He thumped his chest. "So, Arashi—how about visiting us sometime?"
He gestured at the unconscious thugs on the ground.
"These guys are ours now. We'll hand them to the Magic Council. The reward for this mission can—"
"No need."
Arashi cut him off, shaking his head. He lifted the parchments in his hand and glanced at the bronze compass he had won at the auction.
Then his calm gaze met Gildarts', and shifted briefly to Erza.
"I bought this compass to find their main base. If you don't mind," he said evenly, "I'd like to join Fairy Tail's strongest mage in wiping Black Sails off the map."
His tone was light—but it carried a confidence that could not be refused.
Gildarts' laugh stopped cold.
Erza stood stunned.
Neither of them had expected that this mysterious traveler not only possessed overwhelming strength—but already held the key to their mission.
His goal was never the small fry.
It was Black Sails' heart.
Silence hung for a few seconds.
Then Gildarts' grin returned, brighter than ever—his eyes alight with battle fire and delight.
"Well then," he said, voice brimming with excitement.
"Let's tear this place apart!"
He laughed, stepping forward, and raised his fist toward the boy from the East.
A gesture of invitation.
Between equals.
Between warriors.
(End of Chapter)
If I see that this fanfic has support, I will upload it to Patreon!!
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]