When night fell over Lunareth, the village sank into a peaceful silence, broken only by the distant chirping of crickets and the gentle flow of the stream running beneath the bridge. The cold mountain wind blew stronger, swaying the treetops of the pines and carrying the scent of damp earth and burning firewood.
Natsu and Juvia were positioned on the eastern hills, overlooking the road where caravans were usually ambushed. The silvery moonlight bathed the open field, softly illuminating the path in gentle lines. They had spent the last hour hidden among the rocks and bushes, watching closely for any suspicious movement.
"It's too quiet…" Natsu murmured, resting his chin on his arm.
"That's exactly what Juvia was thinking," she replied in a low voice, her eyes fixed on the road. "But if the reports are correct, they usually attack when the caravan reaches that crossroads just ahead."
Natsu nodded, his gaze locked on the trail.
"Then we just wait."
Time passed slowly. The moon climbed higher in the sky, and the air grew colder. Juvia watched the young man beside her—his pink hair swaying in the wind, his steady gaze, and that carefree attitude that concealed immense strength. For a moment, she wondered if he even realized how much he had changed.
When the distant sound of wheels and horses broke the silence, both of them straightened up.
"A caravan…" Juvia said, alert.
"And… there." Natsu pointed toward the opposite side of the valley. Shadows were moving swiftly and silently among the hills—but not silently enough to fool him. "They're here."
With his [Universal Perception] activated, it was practically impossible for anyone to escape his senses. He could "feel" everything around him within an extremely wide radius. Honestly, he still hadn't discovered its exact limit, but he knew that the greater the distance, the heavier the burden became on his brain. From what he understood, continuous use of the ability—even for short periods—could cause an ordinary human brain to simply burn out, unable to handle the endless flood of data that would overwhelm it. That was why the skill's effectiveness depended entirely on the user's processing capacity, ranging from a few hundred meters to a radius of several kilometers.
Thanks to his enhanced processing power from [Thought Acceleration], he could filter the information with precision. By limiting the range of his perception to about ten kilometers, the mental strain became far more manageable, allowing him to keep it active indefinitely. Still, perhaps because he was a [Half-Dragon] and [Half-Demon], he didn't suffer as much from the side effects and only got a very strong headache at most—something he had noticed recently, shortly after acquiring the ability.
Before the caravan reached the crossroads, the bandits leaped from the darkness, brandishing weapons and shouting orders. A powerful gust of wind suddenly formed, kicking up dust and spooking the horses.
The air seemed to vibrate with "wind magic."
"Ah, so it's you…" Natsu murmured, a crooked smile appearing on his face. He stood up slowly, cracking his neck. "Time to warm things up a bit."
"Natsu-san…" Juvia looked at him, worried.
"Relax. I'll take care of them. Just make sure none of them escape."
She sighed, but a faint smile appeared. "Juvia understands. Please be careful."
"No promises."
In the blink of an eye, Natsu leaped down the hill, his dark coat billowing like wings under the moonlight. He landed in the middle of the road with a dull thud, the ground cracking beneath his feet.
Flames enveloped his body in an instant, illuminating the entire field. Thanks to his [Magical Power Manipulation], controlling his magic was as natural as breathing.
The bandits froze immediately, stunned by the sudden appearance. Their leader—a tall man with a scar across his face—raised his hand, and the wind began swirling around him.
"Who the hell are you?! Get out of the way if you don't want to die!"
Natsu smiled, his expression indifferent. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, but that's not important. What matters is that you picked the wrong target…"
This was his first fight in this new world. And curiously, he felt no fear at all—no panic, no despair that any normal person would feel when facing a gang of bandits. His heart was pounding, yes, but not from terror; it was pure adrenaline.
In his previous life, he had been in more fights than he cared to admit—bar brawls, clashes over pride, minor scuffles. He had never been a professional fighter, but he knew enough about how to throw a punch, about ideal distance, about when to strike and when to pull back. That experience, combined with the memories of the real Natsu flowing through his mind, helped him adapt to combat much faster.
In any case, he didn't stop to wonder about the "how" or the "why."
Before any reply could come, he charged. The ground exploded behind him, and in an instant the first bandit was sent flying with a fire-wrapped punch. The others tried to react, but Natsu moved like lightning, dodging the wind blades and counterattacking with blazing bursts that lit up the entire valley.
His flaming fist struck the air and erupted into a whirlwind of fire that hurled three enemies away at once. The heat was intense enough to melt the tips of their swords.
From atop the hill, Juvia watched everything, ready to step in. When two bandits tried to flee along the side, she raised her hands, and a wall of water formed in front of them.
"Juvia will not let you go anywhere."
She swept her arm, and the water transformed into liquid chains that wrapped around them and dragged them back, slamming them to the ground.
Meanwhile, Natsu had already reached the leader. Garron roared, unleashing a wave of wind that swept across the field, but Natsu simply charged straight through the gale with his fist ablaze.
The impact shook the air. An explosion of fire and wind spread through the valley, scattering the clouds and lighting up the night as though it were day. When the dust settled, Garron lay unconscious on the ground, and the surrounding weapons were twisted from the heat.
Juvia descended the hill, her expression a mix of surprise and admiration. "As always… Natsu-san finishes everything in minutes."
He scratched the back of his neck, laughing. "Hehe, well… they were louder than they were strong."
"Even so, it was impressive." She looked around at the unconscious bandits and the now-safe road. "The mission is complete."
"Yeah, and it was easier than I thought," he said with a satisfied grin.
Juvia shook her head but couldn't hold back a soft laugh.
The cold dawn wind swept across the field, carrying the smell of smoke and scorched earth. The flames had already died out, leaving only scattered embers on the ground. The moon was slowly descending toward the horizon, and an orange hue began to appear among the hills, heralding sunrise.
Natsu pulled out a thick rope he had created with his [Subjective Reality]—claiming he had bought it in the last town because he figured they would need it to tie up the bandits—and had stored it using his [Requip] magic for Juvia. He began tying the bandits one by one with firm, precise movements. Though he seemed distracted, he made sure none of them had any chance of escaping. Juvia helped in silence, using small waves of water to immobilize those who were still twitching.
When he finished, Natsu looked up at the sky, watching the first rays of morning light reflect off the low clouds. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips. "Good thing I bought these ropes…"
"Yes…" Juvia replied, wiping her hands and letting out a soft sigh of relief. "Juvia thinks Natsu-san was very clever!"
Natsu grinned as he crouched down and, discreetly, touched two fingers to the ground near Garron's unconscious body. A subtle golden symbol flashed for a moment before vanishing—the [Mark] of the [Flying Thunder God Technique].
In the future, if he had business nearby, he could teleport directly to this spot, saving several days of travel from Magnolia…
"Done." He stood up and rolled his shoulders, pretending everything was normal. "Let's turn these guys in and collect our reward before I starve to death."
Juvia laughed softly. "Juvia knew Natsu-san would say that."
The sun was already rising when they returned to the village, dragging the rope that pulled the tied-up bandits in a line behind them. The dirt path was still covered in dew, and windows began to open as the villagers woke up.
When they reached the mayor's house, the man was already outside, watering the flowers on his porch. Upon seeing them, his eyes widened, and he dropped the watering can.
"By all the gods… you did it!" he exclaimed, rushing to the gate.
"It was easier than it looked," Natsu replied casually, nudging Garron with his foot. "Here they all are, including the leader."
The mayor stared at the unconscious men, speechless. "This is… incredible. I don't know how to thank you!"
"The mission payment will do just fine," Natsu said calmly.
Juvia shot him a reproachful look. "Natsu-san…"
"Kidding, kidding…" He raised his hands in surrender. "But seriously, we're happy to help."
The man ran inside and returned with a small leather pouch. He handed it to Juvia, who accepted it with a polite nod. "Here is the promised reward. You've saved Lunareth."
"We're glad for that…" she said, smiling gently.
The villagers began to gather, curious, and soon the scene turned into a small celebration. Children ran over to see the bandits, and the adults thanked them over and over. Some offered fresh bread, others fruit.
The atmosphere was light and filled with genuine gratitude.
Surrounded by the villagers, Juvia smiled politely and accepted the gifts. Natsu, on the other hand, seemed more interested in eating than thanking anyone—he held a piece of bread in one hand and an apple in the other.
"You really were hungry, Natsu-san…" she murmured, laughing quietly.
"Yeah," he replied, finishing the apple. "Why don't you eat something too? It's a long trip back to Magnolia…"
She shook her head, amused. "Juvia isn't hungry…"
After a while, the mayor assured them he would take care of the prisoners and send an official letter to Fairy Tail confirming the mission's success. Natsu and Juvia thanked him and prepared to leave.
The road leading out of Lunareth stretched before them, flanked by damp fields and distant hills shrouded in mist. The sun was shining brightly now, warming the morning chill.
"So, back to Magnolia?" Natsu asked, adjusting his dark coat.
"Yes. Juvia already misses the guild…"
"Me too…" he replied with a calm smile. "But before that, I think we should make the most of the trip and visit a few towns along the way. What do you think?"
His real intention was to place more [Marks] of the [Flying Thunder God Technique] while also enjoying a little extra time with Juvia—someone who, over the past few days of traveling, had become truly important to him. He had respected her sadness over her unrequited love for Gray, but now that Juvia seemed to have moved past it, he no longer saw any reason not to get closer. He could try, right? At least try more actively instead of just letting things flow as they had been…
Juvia blushed slightly at the thought of going on what felt like a date with Natsu-sama… But she quickly snapped out of her daydream and answered promptly, a shy sparkle in her eyes: "Juvia would love to spend more time with Natsu-san…"
Natsu's face lit up with that wide grin that always made Juvia's heart race. He shrugged casually, but there was an excited glint in his eyes.
"Then it's settled," he said, snapping his fingers. "We'll enjoy the trip, stop by a few towns, eat well, and who knows—maybe find some adventures along the way. Not bad, huh?"
Juvia blushed fully, looking down at the ground but unable to hide her joy. "Yes… Juvia is very happy… to be with Natsu-san."
They began walking side by side down the dirt road.
As she glanced at Natsu, Juvia smiled softly to herself, just loud enough for only her to hear: "Juvia wants to cherish every second with Natsu-sama…"
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