"So you want to set some rules for this, or are we just duking it out?" I asked, cracking my knuckles with a sly grin.

Though Natsu wanted to immediately start fighting the second we got off the ship, he was forced to wait till we had given our report to the Rune Knights. They were a bit skeptical about the condition Bora and his goons were in, but after a quick explanation of what happened—as well as first-hand accounts from both Lucy and Juvia—they had the slavers in chains faster than you could say 'Hargeon'.

Thankfully, Natsu was patient enough to let Juvia and I change out of our fancy clothes. It wouldn't be the best idea to fight a Fire Dragon Slayer in a cotton suit. A quick wardrobe change and I was back in my usual outfit, minus the beanie.

I learned my lesson after Gajeel had destroyed the first one.

The five of us had found a large open plateau on the cliffs that surrounded Hargeon. A huge, empty area surrounded by sparse groups of trees. A perfect place to fight without damaging anything that anyone would care about.

"I don't care if we're setting any rules, I've just wanted to kick your ass since the second you took down that faker," Natsu replied, giving me a fanged smile. "Plus I want to see how I stack up against an S-Class."

"Fair enough, the loser buys the other one dinner?"

"YOU'RE ON!" Natsu immediately responded, a hungry gleam in his eye.

Personally, I didn't think his wallet was full enough to afford to lose, considering Natsu's history with Guild missions, but I kept that to myself.

"Am I the only one who still doesn't get why they're fighting?" Lucy asked. "Didn't they just meet like an hour ago?"

She, Juvia, and Happy were a good distance away from Natsu and I's standoff. Somewhere along the trek up here, Happy had found himself a salmon and Juvia had brought up a large bowl of popcorn. Where in Hargeon she had picked it up, I didn't have a clue.

"Jeez Lucy, haven't you been paying attention?" Happy quipped. "Natsu wanted to fight Bora, but David beat him first. He owes Natsu a fight."

"You say that like it explains everything…"

"It could also be because of the rivalry between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail," Juvia interjected, offering the blonde some popcorn. "Our Guilds have been competing for the number one spot for as long as anyone can remember."

"Aye! But Fairy Tail's always been on top," Happy chimed in.

"Perhaps, but ever since David-sama joined, that gap has been shrinking exponentially," Juvia shot back.

"Why do I feel like two fights are happening here?" Lucy groaned.

I crouched low to the ground, dropping into a loose stance. Sparks of blue began to dance around me, as I locked eyes with Natsu. "We go till there's a decisive win, or it gets called by one of the others."

Natsu's fists caught ablaze, I could feel the heat even though I was pretty far away from him. "Sounds good to me, all this talk's got my blood pumping." He slammed his fists together, a burst of fire exploding around him. "And I've been itching for a good fight!"

"A thousand Jewel on David-sama."

"Fifteen salmon on Natsu!"

"What did I get myself into?!" Lucy wailed.

And with that, we charged.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Third Person

Natsu opened the fight like he opened every fight – by running at his opponent and trying to punch them in the face. Embers trailed from his fists as he rushed forward, winding up a haymaker with a grin.

Meanwhile, David's eyes sparked with blue light, his perceptions accelerating to superhuman levels as Natsu's charge slowed to a crawl in his mind's eye.

His arm lit up with a crackling blue aura as David took a moment to find an opening in Natsu's charge. What were seconds to the onlookers was nearly a minute to David, as Natsu drew closer and reared back with a shout.

Before the words 'Fire Dragon-' could leave his mouth, David rushed forward.

"Sonic Impact."

The palm thrust landed squarely in the middle of Natsu's torso, the resulting force sending Natsu flying backward through the ground. The accompanying sonic boom echoed across the plateau.

There were several seconds of silence as debris settled, trees swaying back and forth as the wind carried away clouds of dust. Then, at the end of the trench Natsu's form had dug, a mound of dirt started quivering.

The Dragon Slayer burst from the earth with a gasp, coughing and hacking as he shook dirt from his hair. Clambering upright, the teenager brushed off his vest, waved his scarf around a bit and shook his legs to let the rocks fall out of his trousers.

Then he looked up, meeting David's eyes from across the intervening gap. "That all ya got?"

Despite the slight throbbing in David's arm, a grin snaked its way across his face. "Why don't you come and find out?"

Natsu exploded forward, the grass on either side of the trench he'd dug catching fire with his passage. He honed in on David like a rocket, arm pulled back once more. "Fire Dragon's…!"

David dropped to the ground in a flash of blue, preparing to dodge the incoming punch—

—Only for Natsu to drop into a slide, turning his feinted punch into a sliding kick. "Downfall Spear!"

Fire erupted around Natsu's leg, the kick sinking through the Speed Mage's face. The afterimage faded in a second, to reveal David had leaped above the kick. His feet found purchase in the air behind him, rocketing him downwards at Natsu.

The punch connected with Natsu's face, slamming him back down into the ground with an eruption of dirt and stone as a new crater formed. The Dragon Slayer's face was mostly obscured by David's fist, but one eye was still visible, and it narrowed as Natsu's legs worked with the sudden descent of his torso, kicking upwards to wrap around the Speed Mage above him.

Locking his ankles, the Dragon Slayer grinned as he reached over his own shoulders to grip the earth, his muscles visibly straining as flames kindled all over his body. "Fire Dragon's…!"

There was a moment of leashed tension, then the fires erupted below the two Mages as Natsu flipped them over, grinning all the while as he used his own body like a hammer to slam David into the earth. "Tail Whip!"

The Speed Mage hit the ground with an almighty bang, the flames acting like an explosive force as he was similarly blasted through the ground himself.

"I wonder when David-sama will stop warming up," Juvia wondered aloud as dust billowed into the air.

Lucy swallowed. "...Warming up?"

"Aye! This fight's hardly even begun," Happy chimed in. "Natsu hasn't even gotten started yet!"

Lucy turned back to where the two Mages had disappeared in the clouds of powdered earth and stone, one hand absently falling on the keyring at her belt. "So this is just them...playing?"

"Eh, more like testing each other," Happy said with a grin. "Natsu can take anything this guy can dish out!"

"You're underestimating David-sama," Juvia remarked, sending a glare at Happy. "He's fought Mages just like Salamander before, and both of them were stronger."

"Stronger than the Salamander?" Lucy asked, slightly disbelieving.

Happy shrugged. "It's not like Natsu's the strongest guy even in Fairy Tail."

The conversation was cut short as the cloud of dust and debris was blown away, revealing the two Mages.

David was cloaked in a sparkling blue aura, the air around him visibly accelerating as the last streamers of dust picked up speed. Natsu's outline was blurred by the heat-haze surrounding him, flames dancing as a corona around his body.

With a single whisper of "Shave", David exploded forward towards Natsu like an azure missile. Before the Dragon Slayer could react, or even move, he was slammed with a vicious uppercut.

Only David's perceptions were enough to perceive it, but the punch itself had surrounded Natsu with the same blue aura surrounding himself. As the force of the punch combined with the acceleration of David's magic, Natsu was catapulted into the air with another sonic boom as David smirked.

"Orbital Launch."

The ground cratered beneath him as David rocketed up towards Natsu, following the Dragon Slayer's ascent.

Natsu himself was flailing around in the air, managing to get himself into a spread-eagle posture facing towards the ground after a few moments of work. Gulping at the massive distance between him and the plateau, he saw the flash of David's take-off below and quickly cupped his hands in front of him as they filled with flame. "Fire Dragon's…"

Before Natsu could finish the name of his technique, David reached his ascending form, grabbing and bringing Natsu into a vertical circle throw. The Dragon Slayer was immediately sent flying down towards the plateau, the flames of his spell dispersing.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Flames immediately burst from Natsu's hands as he forced them downward against the onrushing atmosphere, solid columns of plasma spilling out of his palms as he tried desperately to slow himself down.

Two arms wrapping around his waist informed Natsu that David had already caught up with him. The Speed Mage kicked the air behind them, sending the two into a spiraling descent, and Natsu's flames died as the rapid spinning sent a violent wave of motion sickness though him.

David's aura covered both of them, accelerating the spin into a higher gear. The surrounding air was also accelerated, creating a rapid vortex of wind around the two Mages so violent that the two men were completely obscured within it.

"Azure Lotus!"

David released Natsu not more than a hundred feet away from the ground, sending the Dragon Slayer into the earth with the violent whirlwind.

The impact was nothing short of meteoric, sending a shockwave across the entire plateau. An almighty crack echoed across the landscape, the rock formation itself having cracked down the middle. The entire top was demolished, dirt, rock, and debris raining down across the destroyed area.

Lucy watched it crumble beneath her, breathing hard as she held onto Happy for dear life. She kicked a bit at the empty air, not used to the sensation of there being no solid ground beneath her feet.

"Ooh, that probably hurt…" the Exceed mused, his magic-granted wings flapping gently in the air behind them.

"...What am I watching," Lucy wondered aloud, sounding caught between awe and horror. "Did David just...is Natsu going to be…?"

"Did David-sama just break the plateau with Natsu? Yes he did," Juvia said, standing on what was left of the ground. "Juvia doesn't think Natsu is going to keep fighting after that attack."

"Natsu's been through worse!" Happy yelled back. "He'll be back up in no time!"

"What could be worse than that?!" the blonde demanded, gesturing at the ruin that had once been a fairly large natural rock formation.

"Erza Scarlet."

"Hey Natsu! I want to go to a steakhouse when you have to pay for my dinner, if you're still conscious!" David jeered at the cloud of dust and rubble beneath him.

Something rather vague, but audible as a human voice sounded from within the dust clouds.

"Didn't quite catch that one buddy!"

"I said…"

Flame spread across the ruined earth like oil, spilling forth with liquid motion and shocking quickness. The massive rise in temperature caused an equally massive updraft, sending all the dust that had been hanging mostly stationary rising up at speed.

For a moment, David's position was rendered completely blind to the former-plateau – and in the absence of sight, hearing informed of what came next. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

The dust cloud glowed from within for a split-second, then burst apart to make room for a pillar of flame, streaking across the distance between the two Mages in an instant.

David's feet slamming into the air beneath him, propelling him away from the torrent of flame. He allowed himself to drop down to the ground, the massive dust cloud having been lifted allowing him a clear sight of Natsu

And what a sight it was.

Most of Natsu's skin had been painted a ruddy brown shade as the blood from his injuries turned the dirt he was covered in to mud. His trousers were now officially shorts, his vest had disappeared entirely, and his scarf was...oddly unharmed, actually. Still, despite its resilience, the various trails of crimson-brown still forming on his person indicated Natsu wasn't quite as tough.

The Dragon Slayer's chest heaved up and down as he took deep breaths, glaring up into the sky. "That's getting really annoying…" he muttered, wiping some blood away from his lips with the back of his hand.

"Well, I have been told I'm an 'annoying piece of shit'." David grinned. "You think you're ready to tap out yet?"

"Are you kidding me?" Natsu shot back, flames exploding forth from his body. The dirt and mud from his form were incinerated in an instant, revealing a grid of abrasions and bruises across his body. The blaze surrounding him coalesced into twin balls of fire surrounding each one of his fists, the sheer heat causing the air to shimmer and distort around them.

"One good hit and you think I'm down?" Natsu growled, a fierce red glow coming from his eye. "Don't make me laugh!

"I'll keep fighting till I collapse, and I wouldn't have it any other way!" he yelled, crouching down. The flames grew in intensity, the magic power alone was enough to blow the surrounding debris away from his position. "BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT FAIRY TAIL WIZARDS DO!"

"Then bring it on Natsu!" David shouted in return, his own aura bursting out and taking a dive into a deep ocean blue as it's intensity rose. Streaks of azure lightning fell of his form, as his irises disappeared behind a vibrant white glow. "Show me what a Fairy Tail Wizard is!"

Words weren't needed at that point, but Natsu summed it up pretty well.

"I'M ALL FIRED UP NOW!"

Despite themselves, both Mages bore a wild smile as they charged forward. The pounding of their heartbeats rang in their ears, as each wizard yelled their techniques.

"SHAVE!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S BOOSTER!"

In that instant, Natsu and David disappeared from view. All that could be seen of the two were streaks of blue lightning and crimson flame, bathing the surroundings in their luminescence as the scents of charcoal and ozone were carried on the shockwaves they produced. Both met head-on in the center of the ruined plateau, sending another tremor through the earth and annihilating what was left of the plateau, a spiderweb of cracks racing down to its very foundations. A giant mass of dirt, rock, and dust was bounced skyward from the impact, and the cloud of debris reached even higher than David's Azure Lotus had managed.

The cloud barely had time to glow and bulge before the two streaks burst from its peak, coming together with a titanic bang as the two Mages clashed. They pushed against one another for a moment, then disengaged as one, David and Natsu's forms re-appearing across from one another on an adjacent plateau.

Blows were exchanged faster than the eye could track, kick-duck-punch- dodge-roundhouse-backhand flying by in mere seconds as the two immediately began to crush the stone beneath their feet.

The engagement ended as soon as it had begun, human figures vanishing once more into streaks of ice-blue and vermillion as they chased one another across the surrounding plateaus, clashing to the thunderous beat of a hundred thrown punches every second and breaking apart only for the cycle to repeat.

Happy was forced to pull back from the battlefield, the shockwaves necessitating distance if he wanted to stay airborne. Lucy clung ever-tighter to him as the air itself seemed to shake from the force of the battle below, but her gaze never strayed from the fighters. Well, not intentionally, anyway – it wasn't very easy to track them at the speed they were moving with.

"Is this...what a Mage really looks like?" the blonde asked, so quietly as to make it rhetorical.

"To be fair Lucky, it's what two Mages who don't know the meaning of 'holding back' look like," Happy responded, his own eyes also locked on the battlefield.

"It's Lucy!" the Celestial Spirit Mage snapped on reflex, her focus momentarily broken. Shaking herself a little, she chewed her lower lip while the fight raged on below her feet. "...I've read so much about Mages and the things they do, but this is just…"

"...A display of power you weren't expecting?"

Lucy and Happy both turned behind them, seeing Juvia almost inexplicably hovering at the same height as they were holding. A second glance revealed she was standing atop

a geyser of water, the spout coming out of a magic circle far below the trio.

"...Something like that," Lucy admitted.

"Juvia remembers her first time seeing a spectacle like this one. It is certainly overwhelming for newer Wizards," she began. "With the sheer variety of different magics present across the world, some can appear to be far more powerful than even your wildest imagination.

"But that isn't to say that anyone's magic is worse than another's. Juvia doesn't think that your magic defines who you are, or your strength. At least, she doesn't anymore," she continued, giving a longing glance at the battlefield. "David-sama taught me that, not through words, but his actions."

An explosion rocked through the sky, nearly sending the trio sprawling out of the air.

"...Though to be fair, some magic is designed mainly for power and destruction."

"Aye! Natsu's mission record proves that!" Happy quipped.

"There's a difference between wizards and those without magic. For those not inclined, magic is seen as a tool to be used. Something that is every day and ordinary. However, for Wizards, it isn't."

Juvia held out her arm, the length of it turning into water. "Magic is a part of our being and is perhaps the most defining and unique form of expression that one can possess."

Her arm solidified, and a magic circle formed in her palm. Water poured from it, coalescing into the distinct shape of Lucy herself. "For us, magic is everything. It is both a tool and an art. It is both power and finesse. Beauty, and destruction.

"It all comes down to how you use it, master it, and control it," Juvia finished.

Lucy's right hand twitched a bit where she was holding onto Happy, as if to reach for her keys before she realised why that was a very bad idea. "...That wasn't in any of the books I read," the blonde said after a moment, "but I think it should have been."

"Experience isn't something you can find in a book Lucy." Juvia replied. "Life teaches you things that you could never understand from reading."

Another titanic clash of forces occurred below them, shattering yet more ancient rock formations and loosing an eruption of dust into the atmosphere. As the sounds of battle grew louder, Lucy shivered a little. "I wonder what it taught them…"

"It certainly taught David-sama how terrifying his own magic can be."

As a massive fireball erupted on the ground, painting the dust clouds with orange and scarlet for a brief moment, Lucy frowned. "I know that he's done incredible things with his Magic, but...isn't something like Natsu's Fire Magic scarier?"

"At first it'd seem that way, but there's one simple factor that separates David-sama from other Mages," Juvia said, turning her eyes back to the battle. "Because what do all a Mage's techniques do if they can't hit their opponent? What does all their experience and strength matter to someone who can move faster than they can even react, or cast a spell?"

Lucy's expression slid into a kind of pale shock as she thought about it. "...So, thinking about it...doesn't that mean that David is…"

The twin streaks of red and blue burst from the cloud of dust, separating for a moment before coming back together in a final clash. Unseen to the spectators, David ducked under Natsu's flaming lariat and grabbed his leg then, with a spinning throw, he tore Natsu out of his charge, sending the Dragon Slayer sprawling across the ruined landscape.

Within seconds, he was on him again, slamming his feet into Natsu's torso and burying him several feet beneath the surface as the firmament of a million years broke under the force.

"...The most dangerous Mage in Phantom Lord."

Natsu's rise to his feet was a direct contrast to how he'd bounced back at the start of the fight. It was a slow, painful thing as blood, dust, dirt and combinations thereof fell from his body in clumps. The Dragon Slayer looked like death warmed over in Hell's microwave, but he still raised his fists, defiant flames alight between his fingers. "...C'mon...I ain't done yet."

David himself was doing far better than Natsu. Whatever remained of his shirt was dust in the wind at that point, having been eaten away by fire. A checkerboard of large bruises ran across his torso, the results of several blows that had found their mark. Blood, his own, dripped down his arms and from his fists. The skin had been broken in multiple places, crimson flowing out of the bruised limbs. "...I gotta say… Best fight I've had in months."

'Fuck you Gajeel, you don't count,' David thought, suppressing a smirk.

"Back at ya," Natsu replied, thinking 'Fuck you Gray, you don't count.'

"You look like you've got one more good one in ya," David stated, dropping into a stance. "I'll give it everything I have if you do the same."

"Now you're speakin' my language!" the Dragon Slayer declared, doing the same.

Natsu's stance was an unusual one; both his arms were at their maximum extension, his right out in front of him and his left pointed almost straight back as he set his feet.

David pulled his right arm back, a magic circle forming in his palm. Then he braced his feet, as a sudden burst of blue magic came to life around the limb. The magic circle began to spin, and with it the air around him did as well. The turbulent winds coalesced around his arm, creating a whirlwind of accelerated air that obscured everything from the shoulder down.

There was a suspenseful moment as each Mage stood their ground, each atop one of the only remaining pieces of the plateau.

Then they struck.

Columns of flame like plasma wings erupted from Natsu's arms as he twisted, the motion beginning at his feet and rising up through his body. As he spun, the flames spiralled, building for a moment into a loosely-coiled tornado around him before some confluence brought every single band together at a single point where David stood. "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!"

The roaring of the flames shook the spectators' bones even as the flames themselves reduced everything in their path to dust, scouring away the debris which had become the plateau's upper layer and leaving behind near-molten stone beneath. Eventually, the inferno dispersed, revealing a plateau that couldn't boast even a cinder to compliment the faintly-glowing stone that spread outwards from the Dragon Slayer's feet.

Natsu grinned, admiring his handiwork. "Take… that, you cocky—"

"Nice attack," a voice commented from behind him.

Natsu whipped around, fire bursting to life in his hands—

"Too bad you missed."

—only to be met with a palm strike to the face.

"Vortex Impact!"

The tornado that surrounded David's arm spun into overdrive, tripling in size as it overtook Natsu's form. Natsu was swept up and sent careening across the desolation that his own attack created, the winds flash-cooling the molten rock throughout. The Dragon Slayer crashed through the ground ass over teakettle, finally coming to a stop in a pile of rock and dust.

Natsu struggled to get up, his vision nearly going black as his arms gave out under him and he collapsed into a heap. Then a boot landed on his chest, pinning him to the ground, as he blinked up at David's grinning visage.

"I win."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

First Person

I took a deep breath, the adrenaline starting to leave my system as I looked down at the defeated (and not too happy about it) Dragon Slayer.

I did it. I won. Against Mister Plot-Armour himself, even - who woulda thought?

As the dust settled, I had to whistle at the sheer amount of destruction that surrounded, well, most of Hargeon's mountsides. That was definitely going to attract the Rune Knights, if they weren't already on their way at this point. Thankfully we were far enough away from Hargeon that nothing had happened to the cliffs surrounding it, but everything beyond that? It was fucked.

I turned back to Natsu, who was struggling to pull himself up off the ground. I really did a number on him; he was covered head to toe in a mixture of dirt and blood. Strangely his scarf was immaculate, without a speck of dirt to be seen. The fact that it was the only piece of clothing he had on besides torn and tattered pants spoke volumes for its durability.

Walking over to Natsu, I extend a hand. He looked at the offered limb with a bit of surprise, but that quickly faded as he grabbed hold. I pulled him up to his feet, offering a satisfied smile.

"That was a damn good fight man."

"Yeah, and you're a damn cheater!" Natsu replied, no real malice behind his words. "Dontcha know that you're supposed to meet my attack head on?"

"If you think I'm running into a tornado of fire for the sake of fighting etiquette, you've got another thing coming," I shot back with a grin, putting a supporting arm around his shoulder. "That attack probably would have put me down if I didn't dodge."

I was somewhat shocked when Natsu pushed my arm off, stumbling a bit as he turned and affixed me with a glare.

"Bull, shit."

"Excuse me?"

"Bullshit!" Natsu snapped. "You didn't even go all out, there's no way you wouldn't be standin' after that!" His anger faded a bit, settling into disappointment. "I didn't even make ya use that purple form…"

I was definitely not as durable as Natsu was making me out to be, his finishing attack would have done serious damage if I didn't avoid it. Probably would have put me down considering it was the strongest thing he had at this point in the story.

But he did have a point, I didn't need to go all out to win. Hell I didn't even really go beyond subsonic speeds, save for a few attacks. And after all that training? That was far from my top speed.

I had moved up several weight classes in terms of power, considering I could thrash Natsu. In a friendly fight mind you, if the stakes were different I have no doubt in my mind that I would have to dip much further into my arsonal to overcome him.

The power of friendship is a hellava drug.

Breaking out of my thoughts and looking towards Natsu, I could practically see an aura of depression hanging around him, as he stared at the ground kicking at the dirt and rocks.

"You alright man? You're not too hurt are you?"

He snapped out of it, turning towards me with a small smile. "Oh no I'm good, this'll all be gone by tomorrow," he replied, gesturing towards his injuries. "It's just… Thought I'd measure up better against an S-Class ya'know?"

He sighed, brushing dirt from his body. "Thought I'd finally closed the gap between me 'n all the S-Class at Fairy Tail, but I can't even beat some guy from a crappy Guild like Phantom Lord."

I bonked him on the head. "First off, Phantom Lord is pretty much tied with you guys for the top spot, so don't start with that. Second, the gap isn't as far as you think Natsu.

"Being S-Class isn't all about strength, even if it seems that way. Hell, there are a few of Phantom's S-Class that you'd beat no problem," I said, ignoring his shocked expression. "But they didn't reach that level just because they were strong, it was their mindset and drive that took them to the top."

I sat down, motioning for Natsu to sit beside me and putting a hand on his shoulder as he did. "There's always going to be people stronger than you, that's a reality of life. It's up to you to strive to reach a higher level, to stand beside the people at the top, and go even further beyond."

Glancing to the side, I saw that we had a trio of listeners. Lucy, Juvia, and Happy were all looking on in interest. "It's not all about power though, it's about proving yourself as one of the most prevalent members of your Guild. As the S-Class, you represent your Guild at the highest level, and you need to have the right mindset to be one.

"The missions at that level are no joke, major and lasting consequences can come to you and your Guild if they aren't taken seriously…" I trailed off, raising a hand to my eye. "As a matter of fact, all missions you go on represent your Guild. Make sure ya don't let them down."

Natsu had the decency to go a bit red.

"I'm not sure how you guys pick S-Class Mages in Fairy Tail, but I'd bet that you have to prove yourself to be considered. Call it a hunch, but I think that you're gonna be picked next Natsu." I smiled at him. "You just have to show them that you're ready."

The Dragon Slayer sent a beaming smile at me. "Ah shucks, ya really think so?"

"Hell yeah man." I nodded. "You'd already be S-Class if you were in Phantom."

"Heh, as tempting as that is, I ain't ever leaving Fairy Tail." Natsu chuckled, standing up. "I just gotta prove to gramps that I'll be a better S-Class than Ezra or that damn Ice Princess!"

I shot him a look, despite knowing exactly who he was referring to.

"Oh, heh, sorry… Some guy back at the Guild…"

"Aye! Natsu and Gray have been rivals since they were kids!" Happy chimed in, floating down onto Natsu's shoulder.

"Is he S-Class?"

"Nah, blue balls doesn't have nothing on our S-Class. He's the same level as me I guess," he reluctantly admitted.

I laughed at the nickname. "Sounds like you have it out for him. How'd you think he would have done against me?"

"Oh you woulda kicked his ass, no way he could keep up with your speed."

"Heh, I see." I held out my fist. "Natsu, train hard and get to S-Class. And when you do, we'll do a mission together to celebrate."

He returned the fist bump. "Hell yeah, I'll see you again at the top. And when I get there, you'd better believe I want a rematch."

I grinned. "You'll get one, nothing held back."

"Aw, you got me all fired up again!" He smiled. "I'm gonna blow past Ezra, Gray, and Gildarts!"

While he and Happy celebrated, Juvia and Lucy had walked up to me.

"That… was amazing!" Lucy cheered, a bright smile on her face. "I didn't think I'd ever see something like this when I became a wizard. The fight, the magic, it's almost too much to handle!"

"As expected of David-sama," Juvia said, planting a kiss on my cheek. "You've gotten much stronger since you fought Aria."

"Yeah, with all that training Gajeel put me through I'm pretty sure I could even beat him if I got serious."

I'd definitely beat him. With a baseball bat, several hundred times over the head.

Did I still resent him for all the hell he put me through? Yes. Am I still pissed about all the iron pillars to the stomach? Also yes.

Ignoring my resentment toward our resident Dragon Slayer, I could feel myself practically bursting with excitement. All of my hard work had paid off, big time. If I can beat Natsu without resorting to Gear Second—or even my purple form for that matter—I can contend with pretty much anyone. Super Speed is easily one of the strongest abilities, and I wasn't gonna hold myself back anymore.

Grimoire Heart, or any Dark Guild for that matter, won't stand a chance…

Because I'm not gonna hold anything back.

"D-do you think I'll ever get there? To S-Class?"

Lucy's question snapped me out of my rather dark thoughts. Juvia seemed to notice my change in mood, as she grasped my hand and gave me a comforting squeeze. Shaking my head, I turned to the hopeful Celestial Spirit Wizard. Considering she was still at the point where she was relying on her spirits to do the heavy lifting, she definitely wasn't anywhere close.

But I'd be damned if I crushed her hopes like that.

"It really depends on you Lucy. Most Celestial Spirit Mages are content to let their spirits do the heavy lifting. Personally, I don't know much about how that type of magic works, but I'm also a huge believer in improvement." I said, giving her a smile. "As long as you work hard, improve your magic, and be the best Mage you can be, I'm sure you can reach S-Class.

"Hell, maybe ask your spirits to teach you more about your magic? They'd be the best ones to talk too."

Lucy looked thoughtful, fiddling with the keys on her belt. "I guess you're right… I've always relied on them to help me, but I hadn't thought about asking them about my magic…"

"Hey who knows? They probably know a lot and I'm sure they'd be willing to teach you." I replied. "You'll probably be kicking Natsu's ass in a couple of years if you train hard enough.

Juvia and I shared a laugh at Lucy's flustered expression and Natsu's shout of objection.

"Thanks David… It means a lot…" It was quiet, almost a whisper. "That kinda praise coming from such a famous wizard really makes me want to try my best, you know?"

"Just some advice between friends Lucy, please stop with the 'famous wizard' stuff," I sighed. "I don't even want to think about Sorcerer Weekly."

She laughed. "Sorry about that… They can't be that bad can they?"

My expression must have been a sight, because Lucy quickly shook her head. "Right! No Sorcerer Weekly."

"Juvia agrees… Those vultures ruined her and David-sama's vacation!" she said with a pout. "Not to mention that list—"

"I've been meaning to ask about that actually… Why would they put you on the 'Mages you'd want as your boyfriend' list if you were in a relationship?"

I sighed. "Ya think that they would sell issues if they mentioned that? All the interviews I've done have literally ignored that part when I talk about it… Why the hell are we still talking about them?"

"Sorry sorry… Got sidetracked." Lucy chuckled.

"Well be glad you got me back on track, because I'm about to teach you one of the most important skills you'll ever use as a Mage," I said, grinning at the excited look in her eyes. "Natsu's already an expert, so this is mainly for you."

"Huh? What'd ya talking about?" Natsu asked, walking over with Happy on his shoulder.

"Aye! Natsu isn't an expert in much except property daMage!"

Bonking Happy on the head, Natsu shot me a look. "But seriously, I can't think of what you're going on about."

"Oh, it'll be obvious when I tell you…" I chuckled, eyeing something very particular heading towards our position on the plateau. "It's something that you'll be using a lot when you join Fairy Tail Lucy."

Juvia caught my eye, seeming to realize what I was getting at. A mischievous grin crossed her face, as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Indeed, it's a lesson that will serve you well."

Lucy was looking at us with rapt attention, while exactly what we were talking about was starting to dawn on Natsu.

"Wait… You're not talking about—"

"Lesson one of being a Guild Mage," I said with an evil grin, magic surrounding Juvia and I, "is 'always flee the scene before the Rune Knights arrive'."

I shot up into the air, grinning at the sight of the Platoon of Rune Knights I had spotted heading up towards the Plateau earlier. Most definitely attracted by the noise, destruction, and general panic we probably caused in Hargeon due to our fight.

I won't lie, I took a huge amount of sadistic pleasure in Natsu, Lucy, and Happy's panicked faces.

"HOLY CRAP LUCY WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE!" Natsu grabbed the startled girl in a bridal style carry, sprinting the opposite way. " IF WE GET CAUGHT WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!"

"I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!"

"YOU THINK THEY CARE? HAPPY, MAX SPEED!"

"AYE SIR!" Happy scooped the two of them up, his panic clearly helping him ignore that he was carrying two people.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO BE ARRESTED BEFORE I EVEN BECOME A GUILD WIZARD!" Lucy cried. "WAS THIS BECAUSE I KEPT TALKING ABOUT SORCERER WEEKLY? I'M SORRY!"

I laughed.

'You bet it was.'

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Learning new magic was interesting.

After relying on Speed Magic for so long, I didn't really know how any other magic felt. So learning how to access an entirely different, and not at all similar magic was a completely new experience for me. It's not necessarily hard, just different. At least, that's what the book says about learning new magic. On paper? You could branch out into other magics with relative ease. In practice?

Fuck this bullshit.

You'd think that learning Requip would be easy; it was a very useful utility magic that had a huge amount of versatility. Learning it should be a piece of cake right?

Wrong.

Requip revolved around storing and retrieving any manner of items from a pocket dimension, essentially giving the wielder access to any manner of weapons, clothing, and armour that they could store. There was a limited amount of 'space' where you could store things, and that size depended on your proficiency with the magic.

Sound simple? That's because it is. There's just one little problem with that.

Making my own fucking pocket dimension.

A monumental task, for multiple reasons. The main one being my own form of magic getting in the way. As long as I've had it, I've never needed to do anything to Speed Magic to get the results I wanted. Simply drawing it out and directing it was enough. Controlling the amount wasn't hard either. The most difficult aspect of my magic was the accelerated healing, a skill that I had nearly mastered at this point. And even something like that only required fine control and tons of practice.

The problem is not using Speed Magic.

When I draw on my power, it is instantly ready as Speed Magic. The raw Ethernano stored in my magical core is automatically converted into my magic when I draw on it, and I've never needed to change it into something else. The issue is that to learn another type of magic, I have to draw upon the raw Ethernano and convert it into an entirely new form. Something that I've never done before.

My magic was all too eager to be used, if that makes sense.

I had been trying to draw out raw Ethernano since Juvia and I got back to our home, and so far hadn't had any success… And not for lack of trying, mind you.

Letting out a sigh, I picked up 'Improving your life with Requip' for what felt like the tenth time, reading over the instructions.

'The first step in creating a pocket dimension is to manipulate the raw Ethernano inside your body. Your 'space' will be created once you are able to successfully activate the magic for the first time. Start with a simple object and surround it with Ethernano. Imagine an area where the object can fit, and draw it from your hand into the space. With practice, Requip Magic will manifest.'

I groaned. The book assumed you could already manipulate raw Ethernano, a skill that I was unfortunately lacking in.

I was brought out of my musings as Juvia plopped herself down next to me on the couch, resting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her reflexively as she snuggled into my side.

"How is your practice going David-sama? Any progress?"

"Afraid not, it's simple on paper but it doesn't give any instruction on how to control the raw Ethernano from your container. That's the part I'm stuck on." I glared at the book, mentally willing it to combust. "Shoulda gotten 'basic magic control' instead…"

Juvia chuckled, running her hands through my hair. I felt myself relax as she gently shifted out positions so my head was in her lap, and my frustrations were washed away as she played with my hair.

"Juvia sometimes forgets that David-sama only started using magic a year ago… You've gotten so far in such little time. Plus you're using the magic you have a natural affinity for, and didn't need to learn one."

"Huh… That makes sense, never needed to use anything else. Guess I'm starting from square one here." I started to get up. "I'm gonna find a book on magic control, maybe Jose has—"

I was immediately pulled back down into the pillowly embrace that was Juvia's thighs.

"Nope~" she said, popping the 'p'. "Juvia is going to teach you everything you need to know about control."

She leaned down, her face hovering inches above mine. "If you can do it by the end of the day, Juvia will give you a reward~"

Well that was all the motivation I needed.

"Alright David-sama, the first step is to close your eyes. Relax and focus inward on your magical core." I felt a cool sensation on my head as she intertwined her hands with my hair. "Juvia will help you with getting the feel for raw Ethernano at first, but you'll have to take it from there."

Following her instructions, I turned nearly all of my attention to the dull thrum of magic within me. My magical capacity had grown significantly after all the hellish training Gajeel put me through, so it was rather easy to focus in on. Using my magic felt almost like flexing, the harder I pushed it the more flooded out.

"Do you feel your magical core? Don't draw any magic out of it yet, Juvia is going to share some Ethernano with you so you can get a feeling for it."

I felt… something start to enter my body. It was similar to the feeling I got when using my magic, but it was different. Foreign, but familiar. Like Speed Magic, but more raw and unrefined.

It would usually take a night's rest for a Mage to regain their full capacity of Ethernano. If you were to wait for your magic to replenish, it would feel like your core was slowly filling up with more magic, giving a certain 'weight' to it. Almost like filling up a bucket with a small trickle of water.

As Juvia pushed magic into me, it was like pouring a cup of water into the bucket, just slightly overflowing my core with raw Ethernano. It was rather noticeable, the energy wanted to be used. It took some effort to suppress it.

"Now that you have a feel for it, try and do the same for me. Don't convert the energy to your magic, just return it to Juvia."

Focusing on the excess of magic in my core, I started to coax the raw energy out. It took a significant amount of effort not to convert it into my own 'magic' and keep the energy in its natural form. Thankfully I had a good handle on it due to the different feeling, and I managed to transfer it back to Juvia.

"Well done David-sama! Most people don't get it on their first try."

"I had a good teacher, what can I say?" I sat up, turning towards Juvia. "What next?"

"This." She held up a small lacrama that she pulled from somewhere. "It's a lacrama that will only accept pure Ethernano, so it's great for practicing!"

"And you just had it lying around?"

"Juvia used it to practice when she was a kid." She smiled as she handed it to me. "Now David-sama, this will be harder than just transfering Ethernano, as you'll have to use your own supply without converting it." Juvia stood up giving me a peck on the cheek. "Juvia will leave you too it, she's going to get dinner ready."

"Thanks babe, appreciate you teaching me the basics." I grinned.

"Don't mention it." Juvia chuckled, heading towards the kitchen with a spring in her step.

I turned my focus back to the crystal in hand. Closing my eyes, I felt the hum of magic inside my core. Taking hold of a portion of Ethernano, I began to slowly coax it out and attempted to charge the Lacrima.

The key word being 'attempted'; the Ethernano didn't get far before it was converted into Speed Magic.

'This is a lot harder, my body naturally wants to convert the Ethernano as soon as possible. That's what I get for not learning the basics I guess…'

It was a lot easier to move it around with Juvia, having an excess of energy made it easier to control in its raw form. Not to mention her support, that helped a lot more. Trying again, I took care this time to move the energy as slowly as possible, hoping to keep its form.

No dice, lost control of it before I could send it into the Lacrima.

'Welp, no one said it was gonna be easy.'

I spent the next half hour attempting to fill the crystal, but only ever managed to get a solid hold on the energy. Most of my attempts to charge ended before they started, and the ones that did get somewhere were accidentally converted into Speed Magic.

Won't lie, I was tempted to break the Lacrima out of frustration. It was lucky that Juvia owned it.

But so far, trying to slowly coax Ethernano out wasn't working for me. It was time for a change of tactics. I took hold of the energy, this time moving it like I normally did with my magic. Surprisingly, it went much further than before, nearly getting to the Lacrima before being converted.

'Definitely got something here.'

This time, I took great care in taking hold of the raw Ethernano. I grit my teeth in focus, clamping down on the energy harder than I had before. Focusing my willpower and intent into forcing the energy to not fucking change, I sent it towards the crystal as fast as it would go.

And to my suprise, the Lacrima lit up.

"YES! FUCKING FINALLY!" I shouted, throwing my hands up in celebration.

I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face. Learning the basics opened up new doors for me, the main one being Requip. I wanted to branch out into some other magics since I finished my training with Gajeel, and Requip was the one that best complemented my current skill set. Carrying anything I wanted around in a pocket dimension was such a useful ability, one that I was well on my way to learning now. An entire arsenal that I had access to at any time, that prospect excited me.

To be fair, I had yet to actually build an arsenal. But baby steps.

Thankfully, I still had a ton of Jewel even after the vacation. I had plans to commission a very specific weapon for myself, one that would work well with my magic and give me an edge up. Though I'd probably have to take some more S-Class missions to fully flesh out an arsenal.

Jose could probably point me in the right direction for the weapon I had in mind, considering his connections.

'I'm sure he'd actually encourage it, I'll have to set up a meeting with—'

"Congratulations David-sama!~" Juvia poked her head into the room. "Juvia knew you'd get it!"

"Couldn't have done it without you Juvia."

"Oh Juvia knows," she replied, sending me a grin. "David-sama would have tossed the book out the window at this point."

"Alright alright, I get it!" I laughed. "Your help is greatly appreciated, o wonderful water woman."

"David-sama~ You're making Juvia blush!" She giggled, a sultry look coming over her face. "Now…

"Juvia believes she promised you a reward~"

Juvia stepped into the room, a plate of steaming food in her hand. The aroma caught my nose and I felt my mouth water. I could smell the sweet scent of steak, and the steaming plate of meat only made my stomach growl.

What took most of my attention however, was how Juvia was dressed. Her hair was down, cascading down her back in waves. She had changed into a black cooking apron, that hugged her figure and emphasized her curves.

Did I mention that was the only thing she was wearing?

Juvia sauntered up to me, untying the knot behind her neck and letting the apron fall.

She set herself down on my lap, holding up a piece of steak that made my mouth water from the smell alone.

"Open wide~"

I was one lucky son of a bitch.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Magical training was going well.

Every day since I first got the handle on controlling raw Ethernano I've been practicing like a man possessed. From dawn till dusk I had worked on refining the skill, day in and day out. As repetitive and boring as that was, it was a necessary evil. I needed at bare minimum an adept level of control to start using Requip, and I was nearing that milestone rather quickly.

Juvia's help was invaluable. With her instruction and motivation, I had managed to become competent at controlling the raw energy without converting it. My level of control wasn't even close to hers though, I was just getting used to controlling and using it while she could easily manipulate it.

But with just a couple more days of practice, I was confident that I could start attempting to manifest Requip. Learning how to properly use that would be an entirely different matter, even if I only wanted it's basic abilities.

I'm starting to see why only 10% of the population were able to utilize magic. If you weren't naturally gifted with a certain type of magic or didn't have the proper reserves, you were essentially shit out of luck. Plus learning new magic is a bitch and a half.

Thinking back on it, I was satisfied with my progress up to this point. My training with Gajeel had long since concluded, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. I was confident that I could kick Gajeel's ass six ways to Sunday if I used Gear Second, a skill that I had now mastered. I could utilize the technique without any injury, and it didn't take long to activate it at all.

That's what I'm going to have to prove to Jose after all.

The benefits of my training certainly helped me forget that it was originally Jose that ordered me to go though it in the first place. Something that I still wasn't sure if I should thank him for, or curse him to hell and back for making me do something so hellish.

Nobody needs to be around Gajeel that much. I'm pretty sure I am mentally (and physically) scarred for life after spending every day for months with the Dragon Slayer.

Was I exaggerating? Definitely. Did that bastard deserve to have his name dragged through the mud? Also definitely.

Jose had allowed me to go on my vacation after training had concluded, and had given me a fews days to get back into the swing of things in Oak Town. But when I woke up this morning to a knock at my door and a summons from my Guild Master, it was safe today that I had some… conflicting feelings.

To say that my opinion of Jose had changed since I found myself in this world is a gross understatement. Nearly every single thing that I had originally known about Jose had been tossed around, beaten to hell, and left to die in a ditch. He was little more than a revenge-obsessed lunatic with a one-track mind in canon, but had shown himself to be so much more. Nearly the opposite, in fact.

The Jose I knew was the charismatic leader of our Guild. He actually had genuine care and concern for each of its S-Class members and despite his viciousness from time to time, he had never shown that he didn't have our best interests at heart.

Oh he was a vindictive bastard when it came to Fairy Tail, that much didn't change in the slightest. But he seemed content to just shove the Guild's accomplishments in Makarov's face, rather than silently plot Fairy Tail's downfall from the shadows. He had actually become more social, as much as I struggled to believe that he had actually been going to the Guild Master meetings. He made sure to inform the S-Class when he did.

Hell, I genuinely respected him as my Guild Master. He had done a lot for me in the short year I had been a part of Phantom Lord, and I was nothing but thankful for it.

Which brought me to the biggest question that had been banging around in my head for months.

Would the Guild War even happen now?

Would Jose throw away everything Phantom Lord had accomplished just for revenge?

I hadn't the slighest fucking clue. On one hand that's what Jose had done in canon, fighting a war he would never have won all for the sake proving his own superiority. That sounded nothing like something the Jose I knew would do.

Thinking about it made my head hurt. The whole situation was an absolute fucking mess that I had no desire to unpack.

Letting out a sigh, I looked up at the large wooden doors to Jose's office. Tall, intimidating, and way more grandiose than it had any need to be. Kinda like Jose himself now that I think about it.

"Enter."

Welp, here goes nothing.

Pushing open the doors, I was greeted with quite the sight. Jose's office was located in the large central tower of our Guild hall. It was a huge room connected to a balcony that overlooked all of Oak Town, the walls adorned with various banners emblazoned with the Phantom Lord mark. On the opposite wall of the entrance, there was a massive portrait of the first Guild Master dominating the wall. The wall opposite the balcony was almost a small living room. Huge bookshelves with countless magical tomes, a plush leather chair and a fully furnished bar.

Because of course there was.

The most notable thing by far was the ornate mahogany desk in the center of the room. Papers were scattered across it, and piled up on the sides in huge stacks.

And behind it sat Jose, who had busied himself with sipping a steaming cup of coffee. He set the mug down as I entered, sending me a slight smile.

"Good afternoon David, I take it that the last few weeks have been treating you well?" he asked.

And I immediately knew something was wrong.

Jose was smiling pleasantly, practically beaming as he took a sip of his coffee. The words 'Jose' and 'pleasant' do not go in the same sentence. His tone was sickenly sweet, and his posture was relaxed… Too relaxed.

I felt a bead of sweat forming on my brow as Jose's happy and cheerful visage activated my fight or flight instinct something fierce.

"Uh… It's been good. The vacation was great after completing training, I needed the week off." I gulped, feeling a pressure in the air emanating from Jose. "I've been working on magic since I got back."

"That's good, that's good. But I would rather the focus of this conversation be on your vacation, David."

And with that, the act dropped. The polite smile on Jose's face remained, but it was nothing but a veil that barely covered the frigid anger beneath. The air around him began to distort as his magic leaked out.

"You went to Hargeon correct?" Jose didn't wait for a reply. "Imagine my surprise when I found out that nearly half of the plateaus around the area had been cracked down to their foundations. Not to mention the untold amount of destruction on top."

His smile dropped, as Jose afixed me with a scathing glare. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you David?"

"You know, the answer might surprise you…" I laughed nervously, shoving down my fight or flight instinct. "But I've got a pretty good explanation."

"Oh?" He shot me a disbelieving look. "Please enlighten me then, I'd very much like to see you try to justify this."

"Me and a Fairy Tail Mage had a friendly spar, and it may have gotten a bit out of hand."

The change in Jose was almost immediate. The pressure and magic coming off him stopped, and his scowl was replaced with a curious expression. He leaned forward, intertwining his fingers and raising his brow.

"Tell me, with whom from that Guild did you spar?"

"Salamander." I breathed a sigh of relief, very glad the pressure was gone. "He challenged me to a spar after something else happened in Hargeon. I can tell you about—"

"And the outcome of this spar?" Jose interrupted, clearly eager to hear my answer.

I grinned. "Beat him like a drum, I didn't even have to use Gear Second."

Jose's expression was unreadable for several seconds, before I heard a low chuckle from him. That chuckle quickly turned into full blown laughter as he threw his head back.

"Well why didn't you start with that David?" Jose smiled, a genuine one this time. "If I had known that I wouldn't have put on that facade in the first place."

"To be fair, I didn't think it was a 'facade'. You looked like you were gonna rip me a new one."

"Oh I was, no doubt about that. But I suppose it can be excused due to the circumstances." Jose pulled out two shot glasses, both emblazoned with gold Phantom Lord marks. "I'm sure that those plateaus were insured."

He moved over to the bar, pouring shots out of a rather expensive looking bottle. "This is an occasion to be celebrated David! I was originally going to punish you for the untold destruction but I'll let it slide this time."

He brought over the shots, placing one in my hand. "I assume you've mastered your Gear Second technique at this point? Judging by your progress I'd expect nothing less."

We clinked the glasses together, touching them to the table before shooting them back. I grunted as the burn went down my throat, and I could see Jose's cheeks reddening somewhat.

Of all the ways I imagined this would go, taking a shot with my Guild Master wasn't one of them.

"I have, I can use it without difficulty and I don't injure myself anymore."

"If you would demonstrate it for me, then we can return to other topics. Despite the other news I received, the original point of this meeting was to see your progress." Jose said, sitting down on his plush chair.

"Sure thing, I actually wanted to ask about a few things myself."

Jose nodded, motioning for me to continue with my demonstration.

Crouching down slightly, I focused on my magical core. Lines of magic spread across my body, tracing my circulatory system in an intricate design. My breathing accelerated to inhuman levels as my body was sent into overdrive. My muscles pulsed outwards slightly as I finished.

"Gear Second."

Jose looked impressed, examining my elevated form with curiosity. "So this is the technique that injured you so extensively back then. I trust you have trained to prevent that?"

"I have, I can stay in this form as long as I have magic," I replied in between breaths. "The longer I maintain it the more I risk injury though, but it'd take a while to get to that point."

"I daresay I'm impressed, thank you David," Jose said as I dropped the technique. "Your progress has been exponential after you've reached S-Class, and I'm glad to see you haven't slowed down."

I couldn't help turning a bit red under the praise. "Thank you master. I've been working my ass off and the results have been well worth the hell Gajeel put me through."

"Ah, I do remember telling him to hold nothing back on you." Jose chuckled. "Despite your complaints at his methods, you can't argue with the results, no?"

I shook my head.

A rare expression crossed Jose's face. "In all seriousness David, you've gotten further in your short year being a Mage than some do in their entire lives. The youngest S-Class in our Guild's history, not to mention getting the rank a mere eight months after joining. You've frankly blown all of my expectations out of the water."

A genuine smile graced his expression. "I'm proud of you David. You're everything a Phantom Lord Mage should aspire to be."

'Holy shit…'

I was speechless. I felt a warm feeling spread throughout my body as I fought down an even stronger blush. It had been a long time since someone besides Juvia had been genuinely proud of me, and coming from Jose? It felt pretty damn good.

"Take a seat David, I believe you said you had a request for me?"

That snapped me out of my stupor. "Heh, sorry master. Was a little distracted." I grinned a bit sheepishly as I took a seat across from him.

"It's fine," he replied easily, waving his hand. "Now what did you require of me?"

"Well, since I got back from vacation I've been working on learning Requip Magic. It'll take some time for me to actually be able to use it, but in the meantime I wanted to get myself a weapon," I began, trying to ignore the slightly savage grin on Jose's face. "I was wondering if you knew a place where I could commission one."

"It would be trivial for me to get you into contact with a smith, Totomaru asked me something similar when he wanted to get his sword." Jose sipped his coffee. "But I have a feeling that the weapon you want would be a little more complicated due to your magic."

"Yeah, it's essentially going to need to be made of the strongest material you can get your hands on. Anything else would break at the speeds I'd be swinging it at."

"That would be Adamantite then, a very expensive material might I add." Jose raised an eyebrow. "Do you have enough to cover those costs?"

"I should, I mean I still have a lot of Jewel left over after the vacation. How expensive would it be?"

"Depending on the size and complexity, it would be several million Jewel."

'Ouch.'

As good as S-Class pay was, I hadn't really been taking too many missions while training, and the vacation had left my wallet a good bit lighter than it was before. I didn't have nearly enough to cover that much.

"That… Was a lot more than I thought it would be," I groaned. "Guess I've got to take some more missions then…"

"Actually David, considering your recent accomplishments I believe that a reward is in order." Jose's grin turned devilish. "I'd be willing to cover the costs of your weapon, but I would require something of you in return.

"Does that sound reasonable?"

I should have known that Jose wouldn't just give me something for free. And despite most of my instincts telling me to not shake the devil's hand, the offer was too good to refuse. "You mind telling me what you had in mind?"

"Nothing major," Jose replied, shaking a hand back and forth. "I'd just need you to accompany me during a trip I have soon. Some colleagues of mine have expressed a wish to meet you."

Huh, that sounded pretty reasonable actually.

"That sounds good, you just planning on showing me off?" I laughed, shaking his hand.

"Something like that, they've done similar things during our meetings before," Jose agreed. "We will be departing tomorrow morning, and returning in the evening. If you would send me a description and design of the weapon you had in mind, I'll get the commission started."

"Sure thing." I couldn't help but be excited. I was going to get my weapon practically for free! Sure I had to let Jose show me off for a bit, but considering what it would have cost me it was well worth it.

'I wonder who he's gonna show me off to—'

The sudden dread hit me like a ton of bricks, crushing my good mood into nothing.

"H-hey Jose… Where are we going to visit your 'colleagues'?"

His grin was nothing short of sinister.

"Why the annual Guild Masters' meeting of course," he said, his grin widening with every word. "It's only natural that they would be curious about our rising star, after all."

'Fuck.'