Chapter 11 – The Demon of the North
It had been two years since Natsu joined the guild. Not long after him came Levy and Cana. Since then, Fairy Tail had become more chaotic and lively than ever. Arthur stood in the middle of the second floor, looking down at the guild's main hall with a faint smirk on his lips.
— This place has turned into a real circus, — he murmured to himself, watching one group argue loudly while another was breaking tables in a friendly brawl. Laughter and shouting echoed across the entire hall.
Lost in thought, Arthur whispered:
— Well… I guess it's about time I take on a new mission.
Just as he took a step forward, two familiar figures appeared beside him, grabbing each of his arms at the same time — Erza on his right, Mirajane on his left.
— "You heading out on a mission now, Arthur?" Erza asked, her expression serious. "Let's go together."
— "If you're taking this armored gorilla," Mirajane chimed in with a teasing smile, "then you're definitely taking me too."
Erza instantly turned to her, irritation in her eyes.
— "Who are you calling an armored gorilla, you gothic witch?!"
The tension sparked like lightning. The two locked eyes with sharp glares, and at once, turned to Arthur with demanding expressions.
— "So?" they said in unison. "Who are you going to take?"
The entire guild fell silent for a second, then quickly erupted into noise. Cheers, jeers, and whistles filled the room as members gathered around. Some were placing bets, others just laughing or teasing. It was a classic Fairy Tail scene — pure chaos.
Arthur looked at Erza, then at Mira. He knew both were competing for his attention, but it wasn't like there was a real rivalry. After all, Mirajane had become his girlfriend not long ago, but only after he had spoken openly with Erza about it. She hadn't minded — in fact, she had smiled and told him to follow his heart. The truth was, despite the teasing and arguing, the two were best friends. If they weren't, Erza never would've accepted Mira being with him.
Arthur raised his hands, gently placing them on their shoulders.
Without saying a word, he leaned in and gave Erza a quick kiss on the lips. Before she could even react, he turned to Mira and did the same. Both girls froze, their faces instantly turning bright red.
The entire guild went wild.
— "WOOOOOAAAAHHHH!!!" someone shouted. Others laughed and clapped. The hall echoed with laughter and teasing cheers.
Arthur grinned.
— "Today, I'm taking on an S-Class mission," he said calmly, "so I can't bring either of you."
Erza and Mira stood in shock for a second longer before running off, flustered and embarrassed, their faces still crimson. The whole guild kept laughing.
Arthur casually made his way upstairs, to the restricted second floor of the guild hall — the place reserved for S-Class quests. As he walked, he reflected on his journey so far.
— Two years ago, I was just starting out. Now… I can lift over two hundred tons. My speed is nearing the speed of sound. And thanks to that lizard I devoured, I've gained regenerative abilities… I can even grow back a lost arm.
He stopped briefly at the top of the stairs, thinking deeper.
— By consuming the essence of fire and earth, I created my own lava-based ability. That fusion gave me enough power to go toe-to-toe with Gildarts during the S-Class Trial — and I passed.
He clenched his fist, the faint glow of magma flickering across his skin.
— As long as I don't run into some overpowered being from the original story, I can survive in this world… and in my real world too.
His thoughts drifted to the meteorite — the one Clark had brought. That meteorite would eventually trigger a wave of dangerous mutations, creating and mutants
— But even those won't be a problem… as long as I don't throw myself into suicidal situations.
Finally, he reached the mission board. Among dozens of high-risk quests, one particular scroll caught his eye.
> "The demon Deliora is causing destruction and death in the Northern region. Objective: Eliminate it."
Arthur narrowed his eyes, staring at the name.
— So that's why Gray hasn't joined the guild yet… Ur is still alive.
A plan quickly formed in his mind. If he could defeat Deliora — or even better, devour it — his power would skyrocket. Not just that… his lifespan could extend drastically too.
— With my lava power, I might just be able to bring that monster down. If I wait until Ur starts fighting it and jump in at the right moment, our chances go up. And if things go south… I'll use my speed and dimensional portal to help Ur and Gray escape. Then, I'll lure Deliora away and escape myself.
Determined, he took the scroll and headed back down to speak with Master Makarov.
— "Master, I want to take on this mission," Arthur said, holding out the scroll.
Makarov read it slowly, his face turning serious.
— "You sure about this? That demon is dangerous. He might be more than even you can handle."
Arthur met his gaze calmly.
— "You know my strength, Master. With my speed, he won't be able to touch me. Deliora is pure brute force and raw magical power. I have a shot."
Makarov sighed, then nodded.
— "Alright. But promise me — if you feel you can't win, don't fight to the death. Retreat. Live to fight another day."
Arthur smiled softly.
— "I promise. I still have two beautiful girlfriends waiting to marry me someday."
Makarov let out a tired laugh and waved him off.
Before leaving, Arthur found Erza and Mira waiting by the guild's entrance. He smiled and gave each of them another kiss. Both blushed furiously, speechless once again.
Then, without another word, he turned and left the city, his eyes set toward the North.
If I can't handle a Deliora, how will I ever face the abominations from my true world? This... is just a warm-up."
And so, Arthur set off toward the northern lands, ready to face one of the deadliest threats in the continent's history.
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