Mirajane pulled out a sealed envelope from behind her back, marked with a bold red "S."
Kaien Blaze's eyes lit up the moment he saw it. Sure, working around the guild was fulfilling in its own way—but nothing got his blood pumping like an S-Class Mission.
He hurried to take it.
"Mirajane, has anyone else seen this yet?"
Noticing the wax seal was still intact, he realized it hadn't even been opened.
"I just picked it up… and ran straight here to give it to you…" she said, blinking as she remembered the proper procedure. Normally, she would bring it to Makarov first for review and registration, then post it on the second floor's S-Class request board where any eligible mage could choose to accept it.
But the moment she saw it was an S-Class Mission, Kaien was the first person who came to mind—and she brought it straight to him.
Kaien was genuinely moved. He wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a kiss right on her cheek.
"Mwah!!"
"Thanks, Mirajane."
Clutching the request, he headed off to find Makarov.
Mirajane froze in place, completely thrown off by the sudden kiss. A second later, her face flushed bright red as she glanced nervously around, praying no one had seen.
Unfortunately for her, the entire guild had.
Everyone was staring in stunned silence. As realization sank in, she squeaked and covered her face, dashing out in embarrassment.
"So Kaien and Mirajane really are a thing, huh?"
"And he sealed the deal this fast? Is that the power of an S-Class Mage?"
"What does that even have to do with power?"
"Well, if you're not even S-Class, what right do you have to chase after Mirajane?"
"Fair point." …
No one in Fairy Tail seemed too surprised. Some things, even if unspoken, were easy to tell. The little things added up—how Mirajane always spoke to Kaien, treated him a little softer, laughed a little brighter. You couldn't hide that kind of affection; eyes don't lie. They naturally gravitate toward the one they love.
Kaien walked up to Makarov, holding out the request.
"Master, I want to take this job."
"Huh?"
Makarov raised an eyebrow. This brat usually wouldn't lift a finger unless it was for an S-Class Mission—and now he was volunteering?
He looked down and saw the bright red "S" on the envelope.
"Pffft—!"
"You little punk. Where'd you get your hands on an S-Class Mission?"
"Mirajane gave it to me."
"Mirajane… huh. Girls really do grow up too fast."
Makarov shook his head helplessly. He knew those two were involved, but he hadn't expected Mirajane to hand over an S-Class Mission without so much as informing him.
He tore the envelope open and pulled out the official request.
Mission Title:Please Save the Children!
Mission Rank:S-Class
Mission Details:Children from the Kingdom of Elbaf have been kidnapped by vile criminals. We seek a powerful mage to rescue them.
Reward:15 million J!
Makarov's expression darkened.
Mirajane noticed and leaned in, concerned.
"What's wrong, Master? Is something off about the mission?"
If it was dangerous, she'd try to talk Kaien out of it. S-Class Missions were always life-threatening, and while Kaien was strong, he was still just one person. Worse, his magic ran out quickly—once that happened, he'd be no different from an ordinary person… maybe even weaker.
Makarov shook his head.
"No, nothing wrong. It's just… I'm familiar with the Kingdom of Elbaf."
"Elbaf?" Mirajane tilted her head. She had never heard of it—and judging by the looks around the guild, neither had most people.
"It's normal you haven't," Makarov said. "Elbaf is a highly secretive and isolated nation. They rarely interact with the outside world. But… they go by another name. One you might know."
"Another name?"
"The Giant Kingdom."
The moment the words left Makarov's mouth, the guild exploded.
"The Giant Kingdom?!"
"You mean—actual giants?!"
"I thought giants were just myths!"
"So were dragons. But we all know those are real, right?" …
The chatter didn't stop. Giants were a legend told across the globe—and yet, their very own Guild Master wielded Giant Magic.
"Elbaf is incredibly powerful. Giants can't use magic, but their raw strength surpasses most mages."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Makarov's Giant Magic alone was enough to shake mountains. The thought of an entire nation of beings like that—without the magical cost—was terrifying.
"If even a place like that is in trouble… this won't be a simple mission. Kaien, be careful."
**Ding! You have accepted the S-Class Mission: Please Save the Children! **
Kaien grinned as the system notification echoed in his mind.
"Don't worry, Master. I'm the cautious type."
"Alright then—time to go!"
He threw a heart-shaped hand sign at Mirajane and skipped off like a kid on a sugar high. It had been too long since he last took on an S-Class Mission—he could feel the thrill in his bones.
Mirajane couldn't help but smile. Makarov, on the other hand, just sighed and gave her a look.
"No giving him backdoor privileges next time."
She stuck out her tongue sheepishly.
She knew it hadn't been the right move. But in the moment, when she saw the "S" mark on the request, her instinct had been to bring it straight to Kaien.
Still, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. With Kaien being the only active S-Class Mage in the guild right now, the mission would've ended up in his hands anyway. She had just jumped the gun.
After packing quickly, Kaien set out light and fast. The destination was on the far side of the Ishgar continent, practically the opposite end.
First, he took a train to Harujion Port. It was late by the time he arrived, so he spent the night there. After resting for the night in Harujion, Kaien used Take Over Magic to transform into Ace and summoned Ace's small boat for the journey across the sea to the far shore opposite Ishgar.
Once there, he rested again to recover fully. On the third day, he activated another Take Over—this time becoming Ulquiorra Cifer. With wings of darkness spreading from his back, he soared across the vast expanse of the Tariman Canyon, cutting directly toward the Giant Kingdom.
The entire trip took less than three days—something that would've taken over a month and a half by conventional travel.
Now, standing before the towering walls of Elbaf, Kaien looked up and let out a breath of awe.
"This place is HUGE—!!"