First-person (Shiro's POV)
The salty air of Hargeon's docks clung to my skin as I adjusted the strap of my bag. The sounds of merchants shouting over each other, waves slapping against wood, and the clinking of coins created a rhythm that almost drowned out my thoughts. Almost.
"System," I whispered under my breath, pretending to check my reflection in the window of a fish stall.
A faint blue glow flickered before my eyes, invisible to everyone else.
[ Plinko System – Active ]
[ Current Quests: None ]
[ Tickets: 0 ]
Empty. As usual. I wasn't going to get stronger standing around, but drawing attention here would be stupid. This world wasn't mine, but it felt more alive than anything I remembered from before. The only thing keeping me sane—the only thing keeping me moving—was this damn System.
I pulled my hood lower. "Blend in. Just blend in," I muttered. The last thing I wanted was to stick out before I even figured out where I was.
That's when I noticed her.
A blonde girl standing in front of a magic shop, flipping through keys on a chain. She looked frustrated, like she'd just been ripped off. Her eyes, though… there was a brightness in them, like she refused to let the world drag her down.
Lucy Heartfilia.
I knew the name from the anime. Which meant… the story had finally begun.
---
Lucy walked away from the shopkeeper with a sigh, her keys jingling in her hand. Bora of Prominence's posters were plastered along the walls nearby, each promising power, glamour, and the allure of becoming part of his "crew." She wasn't buying it—at least, not until one of his men lured her toward the docks with promises of meeting the "famous Salamander."
Shiro, watching from the shadows, frowned. He remembered this arc well enough. Bora, the imposter. Lucy would end up trapped on that ship. Natsu would crash in to save her.
But this time… Shiro was here.
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
I clenched my fists as Lucy walked up the ramp of that gaudy ship Bora had parked at the harbor. My heart raced. I could just sit back and let the canon play out. I knew how it ended—Natsu would burn the guy into ash.
But watching Lucy hesitate, glancing nervously at the men surrounding her, my chest tightened. She wasn't some character on a screen anymore. She was real.
[ New Quest Generated! ]
Quest: Rescue Lucy from Bora's trap.
Difficulty: Common
Reward: 1 Common Ticket
Figures. The System wasn't about to let me slack off.
I exhaled slowly. "Alright then… looks like I'm stepping in early."
---
Inside the ship's ballroom, Lucy tried to smile politely as Bora's charm spell shimmered in the air, clouding the minds of the women gathered. She struggled against the influence, clutching her keys tightly.
Before Bora could make his move, a voice cut through the noise.
"Funny. I thought Salamander breathed fire, not lies."
Heads turned. A young man with dark hair and sharp eyes stood in the doorway, his hood drawn low. His tone was casual, but his gaze was razor-sharp as it locked on Bora.
Bora scowled. "Who the hell are you?"
Continuing from where the scene left off...
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
I felt the sweat on my palms as every eye in the room turned to me. What the hell was I thinking? I had no magic, no real combat skills, and definitely no plan. But seeing Lucy's eyes clear slightly at the disruption of Bora's charm magic gave me a spark of hope.
[ System Alert! ]
[ Quest Progress: Intervention Initiated ]
[ Bonus Objective Available: Expose Bora's true identity ]
[ Additional Reward: 1 Common Ticket ]
Two tickets instead of one? Now we're talking.
"Me?" I shrugged, trying to channel every ounce of confidence I didn't actually have. "Just someone who knows the real Salamander wouldn't need cheap charm magic to impress anyone."
---
Bora's face twisted with rage as murmurs spread through the crowd. Several of the women began blinking rapidly, the charm magic's effect wavering as doubt crept in. His men started moving to surround Shiro, their hands reaching for concealed weapons.
Lucy's eyes darted between Shiro and Bora, her hand instinctively moving to her celestial keys. Something about the mysterious newcomer's words had snapped her fully out of the charm spell's influence.
"Get rid of him," Bora snarled, his façade of sophistication crumbling. "Make sure he can't swim back to shore."
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
As Bora's thugs closed in, my mind raced through options. I needed to buy time. Natsu would show up eventually—assuming I hadn't completely derailed the timeline already.
"Ladies," I called out, backing toward the door. "You might want to ask yourselves why a legitimate wizard would need armed thugs at a recruitment party."
More whispers. More confused looks. Bora's face was turning an interesting shade of purple.
[ System Alert! ]
[ Combat Inevitable - Would you like to access the tutorial? ]
[ Yes/No ]
Oh, NOW you offer a tutorial? Perfect timing, as always.
"Yes," I whispered, just as the first thug lunged at me with a knife.
[ Tutorial Initiated ]
[ Basic Combat Enhancement Activated ]
[ Temporary Skill Granted: Basic Combat Awareness ]
[ Duration: 5 minutes ]
Suddenly, everything seemed to slow down. I could see the path of the knife, could feel how my body needed to move. It wasn't much, but it was something.
I ducked under the slash, grabbed the guy's wrist, and used his own momentum to send him stumbling into his buddies. Basic self-defense, enhanced by whatever the System had just given me.
"Lucy!" I shouted, hoping she'd take the hint. "Now might be a good time to show them what a real wizard looks like!"
---
Lucy's hand moved swiftly to her keys, a determined glint in her eyes. "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"
A brilliant golden light filled the ship's ballroom as the celestial spirit materialized, her expression already set in its characteristic scowl. Water began swirling around her urn.
Bora's eyes widened. "A Celestial Wizard? Seize her keys!"
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
I had to resist the urge to grin. Perfect. Aquarius might hate everyone equally, but her power was exactly what we needed.
[ Combat Enhancement Active: 3:42 remaining ]
[ Quest Update: Lucy has engaged in combat ]
[ Warning: Ship stability compromised ]
"Everyone get down!" I shouted to the civilians, tackling a nearby woman away from Bora's thugs just as Aquarius unleashed her tidal wave.
The ship lurched violently. Water crashed through windows and doors, sweeping away furniture and fighters alike. I grabbed onto a support beam, my muscles straining as the torrent threatened to tear me away.
Through the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Lucy's startled face as she realized Aquarius's attack wasn't exactly discriminating between friend and foe.
---
The massive wave didn't just flood the ship—it lifted the entire vessel from the harbor, sending it crashing toward the shore. Screaming women fled through the exits, while Bora's men scrambled for safety.
Bora himself activated his fire magic, creating platforms to stay above the water. His eyes burned with rage as he spotted Lucy and Shiro struggling against the current.
"You'll pay for this!" he snarled, gathering purple flames in his hands.
But before he could attack, a new voice cut through the chaos.
"I heard someone was pretending to be me."
Standing at the harbor's edge, pink hair wild in the wind, stood Natsu Dragneel—the real Salamander.
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
[ Combat Enhancement Deactivated ]
[ Quest Progress: 85% ]
[ Objective "Expose Bora" - Complete ]
[ Bonus Ticket Awarded ]
I allowed myself a small smile as I helped Lucy to her feet on the tilted deck. Perfect timing, Natsu. Now all I had to do was...
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of splintering wood. The ship, already damaged by Aquarius's attack, was breaking apart beneath us.
"We need to jump!" I grabbed Lucy's hand without thinking. "Trust me!"
Her eyes met mine for a split second before she nodded.
Together, we leaped from the sinking vessel just as Natsu's first roar of fire lit up the night sky.
[ Quest Complete! ]
[ Rewards: 2 Common Tickets ]
[ New Quest Available... ]
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
The impact with the water knocked the breath from my lungs, but I managed to keep my grip on Lucy's hand as we surfaced. The cold shock helped clear my head as we swam toward the shore, waves from the sinking ship pushing us forward.
Behind us, the night sky erupted in orange and purple as Natsu and Bora's flames clashed. I could hear the fake Salamander's shocked curses mixing with the sound of splintering wood and the hiss of steam.
[ System Status ]
[ Quest Completed Successfully ]
[ Calculating Final Rewards... ]
[ Would you like to use your tickets now? ]
"Later," I muttered, spitting out seawater as we reached the shallows. Lucy was already getting to her feet, wringing out her hair and staring at the spectacle of Natsu's fight with wide eyes.
---
The harbor had erupted into chaos. Citizens were fleeing the destruction as magical fire lit up the night sky. The Rune Knights would surely be arriving soon, drawn by the commotion and destruction of property that seemed to follow Fairy Tail wizards everywhere.
Lucy turned to her mysterious savior, who was now sitting on the beach catching his breath. "Thank you," she said, genuine gratitude in her voice. "I'm Lucy. I don't know how you knew about the charm magic, but you really saved us back there."
---
First-person (Shiro's POV)
I pushed my wet hair back from my face, trying to look more composed than I felt. "Shiro," I offered with what I hoped was a casual smile. "And anyone paying attention could see something was off about that guy. Real wizards don't need tricks like that."
The System pinged in my vision, but I ignored it for now. This was a crucial moment—my first real conversation with Lucy. I couldn't mess it up by getting distracted by notifications.
"So," I continued, glancing at the ongoing fight. "That's the real Salamander up there, huh? Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail?"
Lucy's eyes lit up at the mention of the guild. "Yes! I've always wanted to join Fairy Tail. It's been my dream to—" She caught herself, looking slightly embarrassed at her enthusiasm.
I couldn't help but smile. This was the Lucy I remembered from the story—passionate, genuine, and full of dreams. "Maybe we'll both end up there someday," I said softly, more to myself than to her.