Time flew by in an instant...
In the quiet little town, a girl with crimson hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a knight-style skirt reinforced with light armor, walked closely behind a boy about her age with tousled auburn hair. They each carried household items in their arms, toothpaste, face wash, towels, and the like.
"Oh? Isn't that Ren and Erza? Out shopping again?"
Though they walked briskly, their short legs meant they weren't exactly fast. As the pair passed by the local shops, several vendors called out warmly.
"We just pulled in a fresh catch, take some fish with you!"
"Thank you, Uncle Tom!" Ren replied politely. "But we've decided on apple pie for dinner tonight..."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper, Uncle Tom, grinned and shoved the fish into Ren's arms anyway.
"Nonsense, take it! Just make sure to prep some of those new croissants of yours for tomorrow morning. My kid keeps whining about wanting more, but every time I show up, they're already sold out!"
"Thanks a lot, Uncle Tom."
Ren bowed slightly, accepting the generous gift, then continued on with Erza at his side.
"Go on, get going! Isn't your mother waiting on you?"
The old fishmonger waved them off with a smile.
"Sigh... Why are other people's kids so well-behaved?" he muttered to himself. "Mine just runs around roughhousing all day or goes digging in the mud."
He glanced back toward Erza and chuckled.
"That girl Erza's grown into such a fine young lady these past few years... If only I could arrange a marriage between her and my boy. Heh..."
But in the end, the man shook his head and sighed again.
"Forget it. My brat's not nearly good enough for someone like her."
He was at least self-aware.
As Ren and Erza made their way through town, the same kind of scene repeated itself everywhere they went. The townspeople clearly adored them. By the time they finally reached their bakery, their arms were overflowing with gifts.
"Erza, go ahead and set those down. It's your tenth birthday today, and your big brother has a present for you."
Glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, Ren flicked his hand and lightened the items using gravity manipulation. In fact, he had already cast a weight-reduction spell earlier. They had only been carrying the bags to maintain appearances and avoid drawing attention.
"A gift? What kind of gift?"
Eyes shining with excitement, Erza rushed forward.
"You'll know once you open it."
Ren smiled and handed her a small, ornate treasure chest.
Inside was a strange-looking fruit, its surface swirled with odd, geometric ridges.
This was none other than the Paramecia-type Jiki Jiki no Mi, the Magnet-Magnet Fruit.
It was the final Devil Fruit Ren had won through the system and hadn't yet used.
Yes, this auburn-haired boy was none other than Kageyama Ren, and the girl at his side was Erza.
Ten years had passed since her birth.
Because Ren had met Irene before she crossed paths with Zeref, Erza's birth came a year earlier than in the original timeline. She was born in X764 instead of X765.
Now, in the year X774, on the day of her tenth birthday, Ren had chosen to give her the last remaining Devil Fruit in his possession.
Originally, Ren had decided to reserve the fruit for Erza after witnessing something unforgettable during her early childhood.
At the time, a few rogue mages tried to rob Ren and Irene.
Just as Ren was preparing to step in and finish them off, Erza had cried out to protect them—just like she had in the original story. She awakened her innate magical ability, Requip: The Knight, and controlled nearby metal to instantly crush the attackers.
The sight of Erza awakening a natural magic left Ren stunned.
Unlike spells that had to be learned, natural magic was akin to a divine blessing from the world itself. It could not be taught or imitated. Those who awakened it were considered exceptionally gifted by fate itself.
Of course, Erza's talent wasn't surprising. Her mother was none other than Irene Belserion. Even in the original Fairy Tail, it took Erza only a few years to go from awakening her magic to becoming an S-Class mage—a feat so incredible that most would never achieve it in their lifetime.
That was why, after seeing her Requip: Knight magic manifest, Ren decided to entrust her with the Magnet-Magnet Fruit.
Its properties complemented Erza's abilities perfectly. With the help of magnetism, her armor-based fighting style would become far more versatile. Not only that, the fruit's long-range capabilities would compensate for one of Erza's few weaknesses: limited ranged offense.
After all, once awakened, the Magnet-Magnet Fruit could grant electromagnetic propulsion, effectively turning Erza into a railgun. A warrior already peerless in close combat would now possess overwhelming long-range firepower as well.
"So beautiful..."
Erza marveled at the Devil Fruit in her hands, mesmerized.
Just then, the front door to the bakery opened. Three girls stepped out—each wearing a different outfit and exuding their own unique charm.
"Young Master Ren, Miss Erza, welcome back~"
"Come inside, dinner's ready. Lady Irene has been waiting."
Without hesitation, the three girls gathered the floating household items and carried them inside.
"Alright."
Ren gave a small nod, then turned to them with a faint smile.
"Iliya, Ian, Eden, you three did great today. Come in and rest."
"Yes, Young Master!"
The three girls quickly followed behind Ren and Erza into the bakery. Before closing the door, Eden flipped the sign to indicate the shop was now closed.
These three girls, dressed in maid uniform, chef's whites, and combat gear respectively, were the personalities Irene had crafted: Iliya, Ian, and Eden.
"You're back~"
Upstairs, in the cozy second-floor living room, Irene sat waiting in her home clothes. She smiled warmly when they entered.
"We're home," Ren said, nodding to her with a soft smile.
"I'm back too, Mom! And look, my brother gave me a present!"
Erza rushed over with excitement, holding up the box as if it were a treasured prize.
"You should address me as 'Mother' properly," Irene replied with mock sternness, giving Erza a light tap on the head. Then she examined the strange fruit in the box.
"Oh? So it's this."
She froze for a moment, then smiled gently, her thoughts drifting to the day she had first met Ren.
Placing a hand on Erza's head, she said softly, "This is a very precious gift. You must treasure it."
"I will! I'll eat the whole thing!"
Erza nodded earnestly. She had already resolved to eat every last bite of the fruit her brother had given her.
"No, no... Eating all of it isn't really necessary..."
Knowing how awful Devil Fruits tasted, Ren tried to interject, but in the end, he said nothing.
"It's already been eleven years, hasn't it?"
Irene's voice was calm as she gazed around the warm, happy home.
"It really has. Time flies," Ren replied with a quiet nod. Deep down, he knew it was time to leave this town.
It wasn't just because a new advanced system mission had appeared: Join any Magic Guild.
More importantly, eleven years had brought many changes. A whole new generation had grown up in this little town, but Irene's appearance had not changed in the slightest. If they stayed too much longer, questions would arise.
To avoid future trouble, it was time to move on.
*********
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!