The next morning came quickly, and the city of Magnolia was already awake by the time I stepped out of my villa. The streets were lined with vendors setting up stalls, merchants shouting their prices, and children racing through the cobblestone paths. From where I stood, Fairy Tail's guildhall rose proudly at the heart of it all, its familiar banners fluttering in the breeze.
I tightened the strap of my bag, not because I needed it—my infinite inventory was far more useful—but because appearances mattered. No one here would understand if I started pulling skyscrapers or enchanted weapons out of thin air. At least, not yet.
When I entered the guild, the atmosphere was even louder than yesterday. Natsu was standing on top of a table, fists raised, loudly challenging anyone and everyone who would listen. Happy zipped around him in circles, cheering him on.
"I'll take down anyone who wants to fight!" Natsu shouted, fire flaring around his fists. "Come on, don't be shy!"
A chair flew at him from across the room, which he casually smashed into splinters with a flaming punch. The guild roared with laughter.
Makarov sat at the bar counter, sipping his drink with the patience of a saint. "That boy," he muttered, "is going to burn the place down before the week is over."
I couldn't help but smile. This chaos was already starting to feel normal.
"Oi!" Natsu's voice cut through the noise. He spotted me instantly, grinning like he'd been waiting all morning. "You! Junior! Get over here!"
Happy waved enthusiastically. "Aye, sir!"
I walked over, raising a brow. "Already causing trouble first thing in the morning?"
"Not trouble," Natsu said, puffing his chest out. "Excitement! We're going on our first mission together!"
I blinked. "Our what?"
He slapped a flyer against my chest. I took it and glanced over the paper. It was a simple request from a village a few hours away—monsters had been raiding their crops at night, destroying farmland and stealing supplies. The reward wasn't much, but enough for a few good meals.
"You're coming, right?" Natsu grinned. "Gotta see what kind of mage you are."
I considered it for a moment. I had planned to stay low-profile for at least a little longer, but something about the excitement in his eyes made me reconsider. And honestly, this was exactly the kind of opportunity I'd been waiting for—a chance to test my powers in the field without revealing too much.
"Fine," I said, folding the flyer. "But if we get in over our heads, don't blame me."
Natsu laughed. "Over our heads? With me around? Not a chance!"
Happy flapped closer, grinning wide. "This'll be fun!"
We set out by midday, the three of us traveling down the dirt road that led out of Magnolia. The countryside stretched endlessly around us, fields of wheat swaying under the sun and forests looming in the distance.
Natsu walked ahead with restless energy, fists occasionally sparking with flames as he shadow-boxed the air. Happy flew circles around him, cracking jokes and occasionally teasing his partner.
I trailed a step behind, quiet but watchful. My mind was already calculating possibilities. If monsters were raiding crops, they could be simple beasts… or magical creatures. Either way, I was prepared. My inventory contained enchanted armor, unbreakable tools, and potions that could amplify any spell a hundredfold. I wouldn't need them for something small—but knowing they were there gave me a confidence no one else could imagine.
"So," Natsu said suddenly, glancing back at me. "You never told me what your magic really is."
"I did," I replied evenly. "Construction magic."
He frowned. "Yeah, but that's super vague. What can you build exactly?"
I smirked. "Whatever I can imagine."
Happy's eyes widened in awe. "Like castles?"
"Castles, towers, bridges," I listed casually. "If you can think of it, I can probably make it."
"Whoa…" Happy's jaw dropped.
Natsu's grin sharpened. "Then you're gonna be real useful. A mage who can build stuff while I smash enemies? Perfect team!"
By evening, we reached the village. It was small, with only a handful of houses and barns spread across a wide field. The people greeted us nervously, relief clear in their eyes as they explained their troubles.
"Strange beasts come every night," an old farmer said, wringing his hands. "They trample the crops, steal the food, and vanish before sunrise. We've tried defending ourselves, but nothing works."
"Don't worry!" Natsu declared confidently, flames sparking around his fists. "You hired Fairy Tail, and we'll take care of it!"
The villagers didn't look entirely reassured, but they allowed us to set up near the fields.
Night fell quickly, and the three of us waited in the shadows. Crickets chirped, the moon rose high, and the farmland lay still. For a moment, I thought nothing would happen.
Then I heard it—a low growl in the distance. Shadows moved across the field, too large to be ordinary animals. Shapes emerged from the forest, hulking and hunched, their eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight.
"Here they come," I muttered.
Natsu cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Finally."
The creatures—giant boar-like beasts with tusks as long as my arm—charged into the fields, trampling wheat and snapping fences like twigs.
"Leave it to me!" Natsu roared, flames bursting from his fists as he leapt forward. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
His punch landed squarely on the lead beast, flames exploding outward as the monster was sent flying into the dirt. The others snarled and turned toward him immediately.
Happy cheered. "Go, Natsu!"
I sighed, rolling my shoulders. Guess it's my turn.
I reached into my inventory mentally and summoned a few blocks of obsidian, slamming them into the ground in precise formation. In an instant, a solid wall rose in front of the charging beasts, halting their advance.
The villagers gasped. "He built that out of nowhere!"
Natsu shot me a wild grin over his shoulder. "Not bad, Junior!"
The beasts slammed against the wall, snarling and snapping. I calmly placed a few more blocks, extending the barricade to corral them into a single path. Then, with a flick of thought, I summoned a cage of iron bars that dropped from the sky, slamming down around them like a trap.
The creatures thrashed, but the enchanted bars wouldn't budge.
Natsu whistled. "Okay, that's actually awesome."
I smirked. "Told you."
With the monsters restrained, it didn't take long for Natsu to finish the job. Flames roared through the night, and soon the fields were quiet again. The villagers rushed to thank us, their relief palpable.
The mission was complete.
Later that night, as we walked back toward Magnolia under the starry sky, Natsu clapped me on the shoulder.
"You're strong," he admitted, grinning wide. "Different from me, but strong. I like it."
Happy nodded. "Aye, sir! We make a great team!"
I smiled faintly, staring up at the stars. This is only the beginning. If a simple mission feels this good… what will the future bring when real threats appear?
For the first time, I wasn't just an outsider watching Fairy Tail's story. I was part of it. And with my system, I could change everything.