Happy New Year! Wishing everyone all the best in this coming year. I'm grateful for the support for the past year. Thank you for faving, following and reviewing my fics. Please continue to do so. Hope everybody enjoy!

The main bulk of the story starts in this chapter. I decided that I will not italic the flashback since it will be an agony to read. There are going to to other flashbacks within flashback too in future chapters. That was where I will use italic.

I'll like to thank ahuna67 for the beta of my fic.

Fairy Tail is not mine.

Chapter 4: The Mission

"Natsu! Can you hear me? Natsu!"

The boy could vaguely hear someone calling for him. Their voices were fading as Natsu felt himself sinking. He struggled to open his eyes. Natsu raised his hands attempting to reach for the light above him.

"Teacher? Porlyusica-san? Ahh… That's right. I must be dying right? Everything hurts" Natsu thought to himself in realisation. So much for wanting to live on. Natsu found himself sinking further.

"Perhaps, I should just give up."

"Natsu?" A familiar female voice ranged through the space. Natsu was startled and started looking around. It was Lucy's voice.

"Lucy?" Natsu called out.

"Brother!"

"Natsu!"

"Hey Flame Brain!"

"Natsu."

"Salamander."

"…"

Natsu recognized all the voices. They came from the Tenrou team. He looked around for them but no one was around.

"It's my imagination." Natsu looked down to his palm and bit his lips.

"It was my fault that all of them perished." He recalled their looks, their smiles and all memories Natsu had for them. Natsu curled up to himself. Perhaps he should just stay where he was. No pain no sadness. All he had was himself. That was his karma. He should just die off and spare the rest the trouble. Damn his power of precognition. Even though he had the power, he could not save anyone.

Another voice ranged.

"Natsu, I believe in you. Promise me during this time you will hold the guild together." Natsu gasped as if the owner of the voice was right behind him.

"Master?" Natsu did not dare to look back. He was ashamed. He actually thought of giving up. "I'm sorry." Suddenly, a shadow with sinister smile appeared behind him.

"Natsu, this is the power you have always desired. Feel the despair. I will grant you all the power you need." Natsu's eyes widened.

"No! I will not give in!" Natsu screamed clutching his head.

"You have blood on your hands, there is no turning back, you know it."

"No! No! No! Get away from me!"

"Face it, you can't escape from me. Let me remind you again. You had fallen…"

"NOOOOO!"

*Flashback*

This was three months ago.

Tenrou Team was on the ship on its way to Tenroujima to catch the trespasser in their sacred island. It was really hot. Due to the clashing currents that are present in the area, Tenroujima is unaffected other climates and weather systems, which keeps the temperature high all year long.

Despite being a fire mage himself, Tsuna could feel the heat. He was melting on the ship.

"Are we there yet?" Tsuna groaned. "My brother better wait for me to take care of him. Thanks to him we are all melting." He could not help but to blame his suffering on his brother.

"Just a while more, Tsuna." Happy replied while fanning him to help him feel better.

"Can't take the heat?" Gray walked over naked to tease him.

"Shut up, Ice Cube. Put your clothes on! Did anyone told you how gross you are naked? My eyes hurts from the sight rather than the heat."

"Woah!" Gray jumped. Juvia handed him his pants.

"Thanks Juvia." Juvia smiled sadly. Gray noticed her tears. She just cried. He was hoping for some resolution soon after hearing news from his orange-haired "information broker" who looked back at him and nodded in acknowledgement on the other side of the ship.

Lucy who was in bikini was fanning herself hard.

"Natsu…" She could not help but to call for him instead of whining about the heat. Kana eyed her with a tinge of disgust. She looked at her trembling hands. Guilt welled up within her.

Wendy was melting on the table across with Mest was watching her closely. Mest was surprised that the white cat, Charles did not join her for this trip despite her all-out protest against her from coming earlier.

Levy was chatting excitedly with Lisanna and Gajeel who decided that he was so bored he used Levy's head for his arm rest which annoyed her. Gajeel had a lot in his mind lately which Levy had noticed but chose not to probe. Perhaps he was just as stressed about the coming up S Class exam.

Elfman and Evergreen were bickering on the heat with Bickslow and Freed decided to watch them to pass time to survive the heat.

They were on their own business until Makarov appeared on the top of the ship signaling the group to gather. Makarov cleared his throat and made his announcement.

"I will explain to you the mission. The mission is to capture the trespasser on our sacred island. The target was identified as a black-haired boy. I want you to split into teams and search around the island. If you find the target, capture him alive and bring him our First Master, Mavis' grave where I will be waiting. The time limit is six hours. After the six hours, gather at our main base of the island whether or not you have found the target. Is that clear? This is also your mock exam for the S Class exam." Makarov looked at the group sternly. That was something unseen before by the group as Master was cheery most of the time. It must be serious for target to trespass the island and Master was pissed.

"Good luck, everyone!" Makarov watched his kids scrambling to the island jumping to the sea or flying in their own ways to get to the island.

"I'm burning up!" Tsuna declared. "Let's see if anyone can defeat me as the fastest man of Fairy Tail. Let's go Happy!"

"Aye sir!" Happy picked Tsuna up to the air and flew before crashing onto an invisible wall.

Master fanned himself and shook his head. "Tsuna, did you forget that this is a S Class mock exam. You are not allowed to participate!" Master reminded Tsuna who banged his fist on the rune.

"That's not fair! I want to join in the mission!" Tsuna protested. His reaction was well anticipated by Makarov who asked Freed to set up the rune meant to stop him. "It's not fair to the others if you participate."

Makarov smirked. "I have something else more important for you to do. Meet up with Gildarts who was already on the island. He will fill you in with the details."