After completing their previous S-class mission, which included wiping out a dark guild, Kael had earned a considerable reward. Though part of the money was spent on gifts for his guildmates, the remainder was enough for him to take a well-deserved three-month break at the Fairy Tail guild.
During that time, Happy grew stronger and healthier. The little blue Exceed could now fly short distances alongside Natsu during training—though, most of the time, he still perched comfortably on Natsu's head.
One clear morning, Kael found himself cornered. Natsu and Gray had been pestering him nonstop to take them along on a tougher mission. They were tired of the small, routine jobs around town—chasing off wild animals or doing odd errands for nearby villages. With Kael's long break and their growing restlessness, they'd finally worn him down.
Kael knew how much the two had improved over these past months. Their training had been relentless—both had learned to channel Armament Haki into their fists and legs. Seeing their progress, Kael finally agreed. It would be a good test for all of them.
"Master," Kael said, handing a mission slip to Makarov, who was sipping a drink at the bar. "Kana and I plan to take Natsu and Gray with us for this job."
"Yeah, Gramps!" Natsu added, grinning."Same here, old man," Gray chimed in."'Aye, sir!'" Happy squeaked, raising his tiny paw from Natsu's head in support.
Makarov raised an eyebrow, glancing at the paper. "Hmm… this is a B-class request. For you, Kael, this should be child's play, shouldn't it?"
Kael scratched his head with a modest smile. "Ah, you're exaggerating, Master. I still have a long way to go. This time, Kana will take the lead. Natsu and Gray will assist. I won't interfere."
"Oh?" Makarov's eyes gleamed. "So you think Kana's ready for a B-class mission? Excellent! Hahaha!"His laughter boomed across the guild hall. It was the kind of joy only a proud parent could feel when hearing of their child's success.
"And with you there to supervise, I have no reason to worry." The old man nodded, jotting the record down before returning the paper to Kael.
Just then, a familiar, confident voice interrupted from behind. "You really think Kana can handle a B-class mission already?"
The guild quieted. Kael turned to see Laxus, arms crossed, eyes sharp with skepticism.
"Laxus…" Makarov muttered, frowning.
"What's wrong with wanting proof?" Laxus replied coldly. "You don't know until you test her strength." He shot Kana a dismissive glance.
The room tensed. Mira, Erza, and several others exchanged uneasy looks—Laxus was strong, but his pride often made him abrasive.
Kael, however, smiled calmly. "I agree," he said. "If Laxus is worried, we can have a friendly match. Kana versus Laxus—hand-to-hand combat only. That way, he can rest easy… right, Laxus?"
"Wh-what?" Laxus sputtered, clearly caught off guard by Kael's teasing tone. "I'm not—! I just think you're being too casual about this!"
"Hahaha, is that so?" Makarov chuckled, stroking his beard. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow morning, in the Eastern Forest."
"Fine. Do whatever you want," Laxus snapped, turning away with a scowl. "One day from now—East Forest. Don't be late."He stormed off, leaving behind a guild full of laughter.
Even Makarov couldn't suppress his grin. It had been a long time since he'd seen that side of his grandson—the side that still cared about others beneath his pride.
That was exactly what Kael had hoped for. Ever since Laxus's father had been expelled from the guild, the young man had buried himself in training, obsessed with power and strength. His heart had closed off from the people around him. That obsession would one day tear Fairy Tail apart—unless Kael could change it. Today was the first step toward that change.
That night, after training, Kael and Kana walked together through the quiet streets toward the dorms.
"Kael, I…" Kana's voice trembled slightly. She wanted to speak, but hesitation clouded her face.
Kael stopped and looked at her. He could tell what she was feeling—nervousness, doubt, fear of disappointing everyone. He smiled gently.
"Kana," he said softly, "have you ever slacked off in training?""No!" she replied immediately."Have you ever trained until you collapsed from exhaustion?""I have!""Have you ever sworn to give everything just to become stronger?""Yes—yes, I have!"
Kael's tone grew firmer. "Then tell me—do you have someone you want to prove yourself to? Someone you want to show your true strength?"
Kana paused, then nodded fiercely. "I do! I've never stopped! I won't give up!"
Her voice grew louder with every word, her eyes burning brighter—uncertainty replaced by resolve.
Kael smiled. "Good. Remember this, Kana—every drop of sweat, every struggle, every failure you've endured is the foundation beneath your feet. When you take that final step forward, none of it will betray you. Tomorrow, show them how strong you truly are."
Kana's eyes shimmered with determination. Kael knew then that she'd be fine. Her body was strong, her magic precise—but it was her conviction that would make her unstoppable.
"Alright," Kael said with a yawn, covering his mouth. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's a big day."
"Okay… goodnight, Kael." Kana watched him walk away, the glow of the lamplight catching his silhouette. For a moment, she wanted to tell him about Gildarts—about her secret—but the words never came. Maybe someday.
"…I'll tell him another time," she murmured, smiling faintly.
As for Natsu and Gray? They weren't around to interrupt this time. During training that afternoon, Erza had caught wind of Kana's nervous energy—and, as always, assumed the worst. Without hesitation, she grabbed both Natsu and Gray by the collars, muttering something about "giving them something useful to do" before dragging them off, leaving Kael and Kana alone.
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