Once on the train, the two found an empty row of seats in the spacious carriage and sat down.
"Now, tell me what changes your magic underwent after you became a B-Class Mage," Mirajane asked Statiw after he placed her small suitcase on a seat by the window and sat down.
"It's not that it changed, but rather that I gained more abilities," he immediately corrected, seeing that her understanding was a bit off, as he sat down.
"For example?" she asked with a slightly puzzled expression.
"For example, when I was still a D-Class Mage, my magic could only make pictures move; it had no other abilities besides that," he explained. "When I reached C-Class Mage, I could connect scenery and the scenery drawn in a picture, which could be used to find items. However, the range was limited and couldn't be used infinitely. Also, I could materialize some simple items, like swords, armor, and such."
"What about B-Class? What new abilities did you gain then?" she asked, full of curiosity.
He replied, "After becoming a B-Class Mage, the first thing is an upgrade to my original abilities. I can now materialize living beings and many complex items..."
"Like Reedus's Silver Strike?" she interrupted before he could finish his sentence.
"No, not exactly the same. But... it's pretty close," he thought for a moment, answering with uncertainty, then continued to tell her, "Then there's what I mentioned earlier: I can draw an item and then store that item within the drawing. This is an upgrade to the ability to link with the outside world."
"Is there anything else?" she asked, understanding.
He nodded: "Of course. There's another direction for connecting with the outside world: I can draw you, and then link the drawing to you personally. This way, I can restore your injuries and transfer magic power to you through the picture. Finally, there's also the ability to create a magic map, but this magic map can only display things on a macroscopic level and cannot be used to find items like I can, and its range is also limited."
"It seems they are all upgrades to your original abilities, just in different directions. However, your abilities have greatly improved this time, especially the ability to restore injuries or transfer magic power to others through a picture," she summarized after thinking about what he had said.
Next, the two began discussing the exploration mission and planning their approach. Unconsciously, several hours passed.
Getting off the train, he placed her small suitcase on the ground and stretched, "I didn't expect a few hours on the train to be so uncomfortable; I feel stiff all over."
"It's already getting late. Let's rest in this town for the night and do the mission tomorrow," she said, looking up at the sky while standing next to him.
"No need, right?" he immediately put away his stretching posture and shook his head, denying, "It's just exploring ruins. I can get it done by drawing a picture; there's no need to wait until tomorrow."
"Alright then. Now, I'll go to the quest giver to ask about the specifics," she said, then stopped a station employee and asked, "Where is the public security office in this town?"
"Public security office?" The employee turned to her with a puzzled look, clearly confused.
At this moment, he, who had approached with her small suitcase, immediately explained, "We are Mages from Fairy Tail. We accepted a mission issued by this town's public security office, and now we need to go there to understand the specifics."
"Oh, so that's it," the employee said, realizing. "When you exit the train station, there's a main road directly opposite. Follow this road straight to the end, then turn left. Walk about five hundred meters further, and you'll see the town's tallest and most magnificent building by the roadside. The public security office is opposite that building."
"Thank you," he immediately thanked the employee after getting the answer he wanted.
"It's nothing. You two should hurry. Usually, the people at the public security office leave very early. If you go too late, you won't find anyone, and then you'll have to rest in town for a night and go back the next day," the employee said with a chuckle, waving his hand and explaining to the two, "However, the people at the public security office also start work quite late, you can only find them after ten o'clock..."
Leaving the train station, the two walked down the main road indicated by the employee. She said incredulously, "I can't believe the people here are just like you; they don't start work until after ten o'clock. By the way, you wouldn't have lived near here before, would you?"
He, however, rolled his eyes and retorted, "How could that be? The place I used to live was very far away, so far that it's impossible to reach."
"Yes, yes," she said perfunctorily, "You've said that dozens of times already. I can already recite it: 'It was a beautiful spherical world, floating in the night sky...'"
"Alright, alright, it's clear you don't believe me," he interrupted her immediately when he heard her start mimicking his old way of speaking and repeating his past words.
"Of course! Who would believe such a thing?" she rolled her eyes at him and said, "You could just tell us you don't remember where you used to live. There's no need to make up all these nonsensical stories..."
As they were talking, the two arrived at the town's public security office. They were lucky; the people inside hadn't all left yet. Most importantly, the quest giver was still at the public security office, preparing to go home, but was stopped by the two.
"You're the Mages who accepted the mission, then. Sit down and let's talk," the quest giver said, after hearing their purpose, sitting down and pointing to the sofa opposite, "This mission was reported by a village below the town. Near that village, there was another abandoned village where a massacre occurred a few years ago. A few days ago, a light suddenly appeared there, and villagers who secretly went to investigate found many strange black shadows."
"The villagers feared that some terrifying demon had appeared there, or that the evil entity that massacred the other village had returned. So, they reported the matter to the town. As you know, the expenses for deploying the army are simply too great, so after discussions in the town, we decided to make this a mission and entrust it to the guild."
"I see," he nodded. "Then, please tell us where the village to be explored is located."
"You'll exit to the east," the quest giver said, then paused and pointed in a direction, continuing, "That direction is east. When you leave the town from the east, you'll see a small path. Follow this path, and you'll reach the village that reported this incident. Once there, you can ask the villagers about the situation..."