"Get him!"
The dark guild leader gave the order. Whoever it was, he had to die.
"Kill!"
The dark guild members surged at Kael Vane, weapons raised, dark magic gathering in their palms.
"Hey, hey." Kael looked at them like they'd offended basic manners. "No hello? You're just going to attack? That's not very nice."
He sighed, almost amused.
"But since you already started, I guess I have to fight back."
"Fire Fist!"
Kael pulled back his fist. Heat swelled, the air shimmering—his arm transforming into a giant, high-temperature fist of fire.
He drove it forward.
WHAM—!
"Aaargh!"
"Waaaaah!"
The flames washed over the front line, swallowing screams. Bodies staggered back through the blaze, robes igniting, weapons clattering to the floor.
"Fire Gun!"
Kael lifted his hand and pointed his fingers like a gun.
Pop—pop—pop!
Small bullets of fire snapped from his fingertips. Each one hit like a punch you couldn't see coming.
"Uwaah!"
The dark guild members fell in a chain—one drops, another trips over him, another collapses mid-step—until the rush became a pile.
"Damn you! Die!"
One of them slipped in from behind, trying to be smart.
A sword came down—
—and passed right through Kael's body.
It rippled like fire.
"What?!"
The attacker froze, eyes wide, brain refusing to accept what he'd just seen.
Kael turned his head slightly. His fingers were already on the man's forehead.
Fwoosh!
The man was gone.
"You bastard! You dare to interrupt our ritual! Disappear!"
A mage gathered dark magic, compressing it into a trembling mass, then fired a blast wave straight at Kael.
"Heat Haze!"
Kael's arm became fire. He thrust his palm forward and a pillar of flame roared out to meet it.
BOOM—!
The two attacks collided and exploded, the shockwave kicking dust and ash across the room.
"Still a little slow..."
"Full-Body Take Over: Toji Fushiguro!"
Kael switched forms.
The heat of the flames fell away—replaced by something colder.
His shirtless body was now in a black t-shirt and black pants, plain shoes on his feet. The change was instant, like a cut between frames.
"Turn to paste!"
A huge man appeared behind Kael, swinging a giant steel hammer down at his head.
BOOM—!
Kael didn't move.
The hammer hit his skull—
—and flew away.
"What?!"
The big man stood there, stunned, staring at the hammer like it had betrayed him. I saw it hit his head! Why did my hammer fly away?
Kael glanced back, expression flat.
"Hey. You're a little too close." His voice was calm, almost polite. "I don't like people in my space. Get lost."
Kael put his palm on the man's stomach and pushed.
Just one push.
The big man's eyes bulged. He felt a force he couldn't resist—like being hit by a runaway carriage.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
His body smashed through wall after wall, vanishing into the building with a trail of splintered stone and dust.
"Lord Kael!"
Kael looked at the remaining dark guild members. The room had gone strangely quiet—just ragged breathing, crackling fire, the tremble of fear that hadn't been there a minute ago.
A wicked smile spread across his face.
"Three seconds. That's all I need."
Whoosh—!
Kael's body vanished.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The impacts landed faster than thought—sharp, brutal, everywhere at once.
"Aaargh!"
"Waaaaah!"
The dark guild members were sent flying into the walls like they'd been hit by invisible hammers. Wood and stone groaned. Dust rained from the ceiling.
A moment later, Kael walked out of the building.
The army captain waiting outside ran up, tense, ready for the worst.
"Mr. Kael! How did it go?"
Kael lifted his hand, gave him an "OK" sign, and smiled. "All taken care of."
"What?!"
"But there were over a thousand dark guild members in there!"
The soldiers couldn't believe it. Kael had only been inside for six or seven minutes. How could he beat a thousand mages that fast?
Kael's smile didn't change. To him, it was normal. A big group, sure—but they were all trash.
"You can go in and check. Pay me when you're done. Oh, there are a few hundred villagers in there. You should probably go rescue them."
"Go!"
The captain and his soldiers rushed in.
They stopped cold.
Dark guild members were everywhere—sprawled across the floor, piled against walls. Some were burned black. Others looked like they'd been hit by a train, limbs bent at angles that made the soldiers look away. The walls were destroyed, scorched and cracked, the building's insides turned into a wreck.
"It's... it's true..."
"He really beat a thousand of them... They were all wizards!"
The captain snapped out of it, voice hard.
"First squad, get the villagers! Second squad, arrest all the dark guild members!"
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, the villagers were safe, stumbling out into the night air, coughing and blinking like they'd returned from a nightmare. And the dark guild members—those still breathing—were being dragged away.
"Mr. Kael, thank you so much for your help," the captain said. He'd been worried when he saw how young Kael was. Now his tone had changed completely. This man was as strong as the legends said.
Kael waved his hand. "You paid me to do a job. I did the job. That's all."
The captain had the reward brought over.
"Mr. Kael, here is your 10,000,000 J."
Kael glanced at it and smiled, taking the box. "No need to count. I trust you. If you have any more jobs like this, let me know. I'll give you a 20% discount."
The captain gave a bitter smile. "I hope I never see a day like this again."
Kael laughed. "Haha! You never know. Well, the mission's over. I'm leaving."
"Have a safe trip, sir. I have to report back."
Kael waved and left. Another S-Rank mission done. He was in a great mood.
"Captain... who was that young man?"
"Yeah! He beat a thousand men by himself!"
The captain watched Kael's back, eyes narrowing as memory clicked into place.
"You all remember that big incident in the Sorbear Kingdom, six months ago?"
"Six months ago? Sorbear? You mean... he's...!"
The captain didn't look away.
"That's right. It's him."
...
Hargeon Port.
This was the closest port to Magnolia.
A cargo ship docked, ropes snapping taut as it settled. A young, black-haired man stepped off, wearing a gray, high-collared shirt and black pants.
It was Kael Vane, who had been in this world for over half a year.
"Hah! I'm finally back!"
This mission was far away. The round trip took twenty days.
He would rest here tonight and take the train to Magnolia in the morning.
Grrr...
His stomach rumbled—loud enough to annoy him.
He was starving.
He remembered a cheap, delicious food stall on the next street. He would eat, find a hotel, and sleep.
Just then, he heard a loud noise. A group of young girls holding signs ran past like a sudden tide.
"I heard a famous wizard is in town!"
"Lord Fire Dragon!"
Kael Vane frowned, confused. "Fire Dragon? Natsu? He's this popular?"
Curiosity tugged him along. He walked over to see.
A middle-aged man was surrounded by girls. It wasn't Natsu.
"Must be a different guy."
He was about to leave—
—but then he heard a familiar voice.
"Igneel!"