The mission came faster than expected. One morning, the guild hall was quieter than usual. Master Makarov sat at the bar with a solemn look, a sealed parchment in his hand.
"Dark guild activity has been confirmed," he announced. The chatter died instantly. "Eisenwald is moving… and they're after something dangerous."
The guild erupted with questions, but my heart dropped the moment I heard that name. Eisenwald. Lullaby. The cursed flute that could end hundreds of lives with one song.
I forced my expression to stay calm, though inside, adrenaline surged. This was it—the first real divergence, the first major arc where lives could be lost.
Erza wasted no time stepping forward. Her armor gleamed in the light, her voice sharp as steel. "I'll take the lead. Natsu, Gray, Lucy—prepare yourselves." Then her eyes flicked to me. "Arashi. You're coming too."
Natsu grinned like he'd just been told dinner was free. Gray smirked, Lucy sighed in exasperation. Me? I simply nodded. "Of course."
Because there was no universe where I'd let this play out unguarded.
The train station was buzzing with activity when we arrived. Steam hissed from iron engines, merchants shouted over the crowd, and families hurried to board. I tried to ignore the déjà vu pressing against my mind.
Natsu, of course, was already groaning, his face pale as he slumped against Happy's tiny wings. "Ughhh… curse this… stupid metal… thing."Gray chuckled. "What's the matter, salamander? Can't handle a little ride?""Shut… up…"
Lucy tried to comfort him, but Erza was all business, her sharp gaze scanning the carriages as if expecting Eisenwald to leap out any moment. I quietly slipped into the back corner of the cabin, pretending to flip open my notebook while my system interface hovered just out of sight.
[Inventory Check]
Totem of Undying × Infinite
Potions of Strength, Resistance, Mana Boost × Infinite
Enchanted Elytra (Unbreakable, Speed III)
Bedrock Block Stack × 99,999
[Cursed Melody: Silence] Disc
My hand lingered on the disc. It almost hummed with anticipation.
The train rattled down the tracks, and I tried to focus on the chatter. Lucy was asking Erza about Eisenwald, Gray was picking another fight with Natsu, and Happy was sneaking fish out of someone's lunchbox.
But something tugged at me. A presence. A dark weight in the distance.
And then, as if the world wanted to confirm my fears, my system pinged.
[Warning: Hostile Entities Detected]Location: Ahead, Oshibana Station.Estimated Numbers: 200+Threat Level: High.
My stomach tightened. They weren't just plotting anymore. Eisenwald was already moving.
Hours later, the train slowed as it pulled into a smaller station before Oshibana. The moment the doors hissed open, I caught sight of them—hooded figures lurking at the edges of the crowd, dark guild insignias barely hidden.
Erza noticed too. She rose, her sword materializing in her hand. "They're here."
The tension snapped like a bowstring.
Natsu staggered to his feet despite his motion sickness, fists igniting with fire. Gray cracked his knuckles, smirking. Lucy gulped, drawing her whip.
And me? My inventory shimmered as I slipped the Cursed Melody disc into my palm.
"Eisenwald," I muttered, stepping off the train.
The battle hit like a storm. Eisenwald mages surged forward, spells exploding across the platform. Civilians screamed and scattered as Fairy Tail clashed with the dark guild.
Natsu roared, flames bursting like an inferno. Gray's ice spears cut through the chaos, Lucy's celestial spirits blinked into reality, and Erza switched armors with dazzling speed, cutting down groups at once.
I held back at first, watching, analyzing. Every spell, every movement—they were stalling us. Buying time.
Then I saw it. Beyond the chaos, Eisenwald's core mages were hauling a coffin-shaped case off a separate cart.
Lullaby.
The cursed flute that could kill hundreds in an instant.
Without hesitation, I activated my portal system. A single thought, and a glowing rift opened before me, spitting me out directly in front of them.
They froze. "Who the hell—"
I smiled thinly, holding up the disc. "The one who stops you."
Before they could react, I slammed the Cursed Melody into my portable jukebox, and the air thrummed with a strange vibration.
[Effect Activated: Silence]All sound-based magic nullified.
The coffin pulsed, dark aura trying to seep free—but nothing came. The cursed melody was gone, smothered before it could ever sing.
Their eyes widened in horror. "Wh-what did you do—?!"
I raised a bedrock wall behind me, cutting them off from escape. "Checkmate."
Meanwhile, the rest of Fairy Tail was finishing up the battle on the platform. Natsu, despite his nausea, had flattened three squads of Eisenwald. Erza's blades glinted with every swing. Gray froze a dozen enemies into statues. Lucy managed to summon Virgo at the last second, dropping half the attackers into holes in the ground.
When they regrouped, Erza's sharp eyes immediately landed on the immobilized coffin behind me. Her expression hardened. "That's it."
"Not anymore," I said, stepping aside. "They'll never use it."
The silence spell still radiated from the disc, ensuring Lullaby remained dormant.
Natsu blinked at me, then grinned. "Heh. Nice job, Arashi. Guess we don't need to smash it, huh?""Smash it?" Gray rolled his eyes. "You'd probably break half the station too.""Shut up, stripper!""What was that, flame brain?!"
As the two bickered, Lucy sighed in exhaustion, and Erza simply placed her hand on the coffin, her jaw tight. "Good work," she murmured, though her gaze lingered on me a second longer than usual. Almost suspicious.
That night, as the train carried us once more toward Oshibana, the atmosphere was different. The tension had lifted, but unease remained.
I leaned back against the seat, staring out the window at the endless dark. The mission wasn't over yet. Eisenwald wouldn't stop here, and there were still shadows lurking deeper in the story.
But for now, I allowed myself a faint smile. Because for the first time, I had done more than just prepare. I had changed fate.