Lucy: (•ิ_•ิ)
What kind of proper person asks a girl such a private question the first time they meet?
"Don't ask such a question that makes people feel harassed in such a natural, calm, and polite tone!"
"Ahahaha, sorry, sorry, maybe it was a bit sudden."
Ches scratched his head, looking troubled. After a moment of thought, he said seriously, "Then I'll tell you mine."
"I'm not interested at all! Who the heck wants to know your useless measurements!"
Lucy was completely broken. The awe and admiration she had for the unattainable S-Class Mage vanished, and her voice rose several octaves as she spewed insults.
Ches was splashed in the face by the flying spittle.
However, he didn't get angry because of it. Instead, he chuckled and raised his hand to wipe it clean.
"Hahaha, don't get worked up, it was just a joke."
"...That wasn't funny at all!"
Lucy was still in a state of furious rage, like a saw-toothed beast.
"Compared to the timid and unfamiliar look you had at first, Lucy, honestly, I prefer you showing your true feelings now," Ches said with a smile, having achieved his goal.
"Well, thank you for your..."
Just as Lucy was about to retort, she looked at the smile on Ches's face, and as if realizing something belatedly, she suddenly froze in place.
Could it be that his seemingly rude behavior just now was simply to dispel my instinctive fear of S-Class Mages?
"Laughing and talking, cursing when you want to curse, fighting when you want to fight, that's how partners in our Fairy Tail Guild should be!"
Ches's subsequent words confirmed Lucy's guess.
"Mr. Ches, you..." She was a little stunned.
The life described by the other party was something that a young lady who had grown up in a repressed, cold environment dared not even imagine.
It was also the life that Lucy yearned for and admired!
"Compared to such unimportant matters, it doesn't matter at all!"
"Hey! Ches, hurry up and come fight me!!"
A rough and irritable voice suddenly sounded, breaking the emotion and reflection in Lucy's heart.
A man with short pink hair and a scarf around his neck jumped out from the crowd. Flames ignited in his hands, and he rushed towards Ches while shouting.
Without a doubt, this guy was Fairy Tail's most battle-loving Dragon Slayer, Natsu Dragneel!
"Natsu?!"
Looking at Natsu rushing towards him, Lucy, who was standing with Ches, was startled, her nerves taut.
Even so, she quickly retorted, "With that stance, you're not giving the other person any chance to refuse!"
"Lucy, Natsu has already said hello."
Happy flew over from mid-air.
"What kind of greeting is that! At least let someone prepare in advance!"
Lucy felt speechless and rubbed her forehead.
"The opponent is Ches, you won't have any chance if you notify him in advance."
Happy thought for a moment and added, "Although you won't have a chance even if you launch a surprise attack."
"Natsu? Surprise attack? No chance?!"
Lucy, who had personally witnessed Natsu's powerful Dragon Slayer Magic, found it difficult to connect these words.
While she was confused and surprised, Natsu had already rushed in front of Ches, his right fist erupting with scorching flames from his Dragon Fire.
So close, face to face!
Lucy subconsciously wanted to warn Ches to be careful, but was flashed by the sudden light of a Magic Circle.
When she opened her eyes again, her widened beautiful eyes were filled with shock.
Natsu, who had launched the surprise attack, was frozen in place. The fire in his hand burned fiercely, but no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't advance a single step.
Under his feet, golden lines outlined a six-pointed star pattern. The outer circle of the magic circle, inscribed with ancient runes, emitted a mysterious aura, and restraining power continuously surged out.
"Still as reckless as ever, Natsu."
Ches's expression was calm, and a Card appeared out of thin air between his right index and middle fingers.
Trap Card 【Six-Pointed Star Binding】: Constructs a binding magic circle with one's own Magic Power, which can greatly restrict the target's movement ability.
"Damn Ches! How dare you look down on me, I'm dozens of times stronger than I was a year ago!!"
Natsu roared, his Magic Power surging wildly, and even his entire body began to burn.
Using the force of the sudden burst, he forcibly broke free from the Six-Pointed Star Binding and slammed a fire fist directly at Ches's handsome face.
"Ahahaha, I got him!" Natsu laughed loudly.
Ches didn't move, the corners of his mouth slightly curved upwards.
"Sore wa dou kana."
Bang!
Flames scattered, and after a burst of commotion, Ches stood in place unharmed.
A chestnut-colored furball with a dopey look blocked him and Natsu, deflecting the powerful fire fist.
Monster Card 【Kuriboh】: A cheap and useful workhorse shield. If it is attacked, it can negate one instance of damage.
Kuriboh, who took a Fire Dragon Iron Fist, squeaked and dissipated into starlight.
Ches looked up, smiled, and teased Natsu, whose expression had slightly changed, "It's not as exaggerated as you said, Natsu."
"Flames of this level are more suitable for lighting candles on a birthday cake."
Natsu clenched his fists, veins popping on his forehead: "Bastard! How dare you look down on me, this is the magic Igneel taught me!!"
With that, his Magic Power surged again, condensing into scorching Dragon Flames.
"Is that the Fire Dragon King Igneel's fire..."
Ches's eyes narrowed slightly, and the relaxed look on his face disappeared.
It wasn't because Natsu's power was constantly increasing; he still had a significant gap compared to an S-Class Mage and couldn't put any pressure on Ches at all.
What made Ches show that expression was another name related to Igneel: Fire God Dragon Ignia.
As one of the Five Dragon Gods that appeared after the death of the Black Dragon Acnologia in the original story, Ignia was the biological son of the Fire Dragon King Igneel, making him Natsu's half-brother by a different mother.
And more importantly...
He was the terrifying monster Ches accidentally encountered during his ten-year mission on the Kilteana Continent!
Even now, recalling that battle, that sea of purgatory fire that could burn an entire city to ashes, Ches still felt lingering fear.
Compared to that terrifying destructive power that seemed to want to burn everything, Natsu's flames in front of him were indeed only fit for lighting candles on a birthday cake.
"Such a cute little guy! Is what Mr. Ches is using a summoning type similar to Star Spirits Magic?"
Lucy, who had quietly retreated to a corner of the Guild, stared at Ches in a daze.
As a Star Spirit Magician, she was quite sensitive to summoned creatures, especially something as cute as Kuriboh.
"Not entirely, no. Kuriboh, which can block enemy attacks, is a monster, and the Six-Pointed Star Magic Circle is a trap Card. These are both Ches's magic - Card Duelist Soul!"
Happy acted as the commentator beside her, being very familiar with Ches's magic.
While explaining, he also pulled out a few gold coins from the bag behind him, walked to the betting table set up by Macao and others, and silently placed his bet on Ches.
Seeing this, Lucy glanced curiously.
She didn't know until she looked, and when she looked, she was shocked. All the chips were piled up at Ches's spot, and there wasn't a single penny visible in Natsu's area!
"Hey, hey, Lucy, do you want to play too? If you bet on Natsu, the odds are super high~" Happy tempted her.
The others also looked over with inviting gazes.
Lucy felt a little unnerved by their stares and pointed at her face with her finger:
"Do I look like the kind of fool who would willingly give you money?!"
Although she was still a newcomer who didn't know much about Fairy Tail, from the uniform betting situation of Happy and the others, she could clearly and intuitively analyze...
S-Class Ches is terrifyingly strong!
