Kira proudly patted the armor and grinned at Erza. "Pretty awesome, right? This armor was custom-made for you. Oh, and to make sure your movements aren't hindered by, uh, extra padding, I designed these nice, spacious grooves right here…"
"Enough. I'm satisfied," Erza cut him off sharply.
"Huh? You don't want to hear more? This is armor we're talking about—your life could depend on it!"
"As long as it fits and works, I don't care about the details."
Kira scratched his head, puzzled. Why doesn't she care? If it were him, he'd at least give it a once-over. But since the customer had spoken, he wasn't about to push it. He was the merchant here, after all.
"Alright, alright… so, about the final payment…"
Without a word, Erza slapped her card on the table with a flourish.
"Score!"
That was what Kira loved most about Erza: she was straightforward, loaded, and didn't bat an eye when it came to paying. Way better than a certain someone who drank all day and haggled over every little card purchase like it was a life-or-death negotiation.
If it weren't for that, even a VIP like Erza wouldn't get such attentive service from him.
Kira swiftly processed the payment, then casually asked, "So, what's with the sudden need for new armor? Got a dangerous mission lined up?"
"Nah, just wanted to try a new fighting style. This mission's a good chance to test it out."
"I see. When are you heading out?"
"It's a bit tight on time, so I'm leaving now!"
Now?! Kira thought, dumbfounded. You're in a rush, but you've got time to sit here eating cake? Never say no to good food, huh?
As Erza packed up her armor and turned to leave, she paused and glanced back. "You haven't taken a mission in a while, have you? You should swing by the guild sometime. Don't just hole up in this shop forever."
Deep down, she kind of wished Kira would just stay here making her armor forever, but she couldn't bring herself to say that to a fellow guildmate.
"Keep slacking off, and someone's gonna catch up to you," she added.
"Catch up? You mean Natsu or Gray?" Kira flopped back into his recliner, his lazy demeanor returning. "Please. They're nowhere near S-Class. Talk to me when they actually make it there."
Kira had been an S-Class wizard in the guild for ages—since before Erza even joined. In a guild as stacked with talent as Fairy Tail, that was a record still unbroken.
Erza frowned. "Don't get too cocky. Those guys are strong now. If you lose to them one day, people will start questioning the value of Fairy Tail's S-Class title."
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you," Kira waved her off. "But if you don't get moving, you're gonna be late!"
"Alright, I'm off. See you later."
"Take care! Come back soon!"
The wind chimes jingled as Erza left, signaling another customer gone.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the shop's glass windows, spilling onto a patch of green turf where a wooden rocking chair sat. Kira lounged in it, staring off into space. Quiet afternoons like this were perfect for sorting out his thoughts.
Twenty years. That's how long it had been since he'd crossed over into this world—Fairy Tail, a place brimming with magic, adventure, and bonds forged in fire. A world of passion and camaraderie.
If he were an ordinary person, he might've chosen a quiet, normal life. But with his knack for magic—and a pretty impressive talent for it, if he did say so himself—why settle for ordinary? He was here to make waves.
Kira had been born in a poor little village, an orphan with a natural gift for magic and a rare ability he'd awakened on his own. Classic isekai protagonist material.
As a kid, he'd joined a band of adventurers passing through his village, traveling far and wide. With his versatile magic, he became the team's go-to for both offense and support.
His magic? Word Spirit Magic. It was a powerful form of text-based magic, where speaking or writing a word could bring it to life. Think traditional fantasy wizardry—chant a name, cast a spell. The effects? Something like Arc of Embodiment with a side of enhancement magic.
With his massive magical reserves and unmatched mental strength, Kira knew he was destined for greatness. Emperor-level potential, no question.
In X774, at the age of ten, Kira first heard the name "Fairy Tail." Up until then, he'd thought he was just in some generic fantasy world. But when his adventuring crew rolled into Magnolia, it hit him: This is the Fairy Tail world.
So, he dove headfirst into the magical world, joining the legendary, cheat-code-filled guild known as Fairy Tail.
By X776, just two years later, Kira passed the S-Class exam, becoming the guild's youngest S-Class wizard since Gildarts—and the youngest in all of Fiore.
His fame spread across the continent. Sorcerer Magazine dubbed him "The Most Gifted Young Wizard," and he earned the nickname "The Sage." Not because of some quirky personality trait, but because his Word Spirit Magic could not only create objects but also imbue them with special properties.
His achievements left guildmates like Laxus—who'd grown up in Fairy Tail—and later arrivals like Mirajane and Erza both jealous and frustrated. They challenged him constantly, determined to catch up.
In X782, two years ago, 18-year-old Kira used his savings to open Hope's Haven in Magnolia, becoming a magic merchant. That move infuriated Laxus, Mirajane, and Erza, who'd seen him as their rival and goal, only to watch him pull even further ahead.
Now, in X784, Kira was 20. This was a big year—the year the Fairy Tail story really kicked off.
Sure, some details of the plot were fuzzy after all this time, but Kira wasn't worried. This guild was full of hacks. No matter how tough the enemy, all you had to do was yell the right catchphrase, cue the epic background music, and you'd turn the tables in no time. That was Fairy Tail's magic.
Feeling a surge of excitement, Kira stood up, ready to head back to where it all began. "It has been a while since I visited the guild. I'm free today—might as well drop by, maybe grab a mission to remind everyone I'm still around."
He paused, thinking. "The plot's probably starting soon, right? Wonder if Lucy's joined the guild yet?"