Chapter 4
As I stood in front of the job board, the sheer number of requests pinned to it felt overwhelming. Some papers were neatly written and detailed, while others were hastily scrawled with barely legible handwriting. A few had drawings or diagrams of creatures or locations, which didn't help my nerves. How was I supposed to pick one?
"Looking for your first job?" a voice asked.
I turned to see a tall man with shaggy brown hair and a relaxed grin leaning against the board. His guild mark was visible on his forearm, a deep crimson that stood out against his tanned skin. He radiated an easygoing confidence that immediately put me at ease.
"Yeah," I said, laughing nervously. "There's so much to choose from. I'm not really sure where to start."
"I'm Jason," he said, sticking out a hand.
"Lucy," I replied, shaking it.
Jason gestured toward the board with a nod. "So, what are you good at? I mean, obviously celestial magic, right?" He grinned. "A lot of first-timers go for something simple—deliveries, lost pets, that kind of thing. No shame in starting small."
I glanced at the papers again, feeling a little embarrassed. "I was hoping for something a bit more... exciting. You know, like an adventure."
Jason chuckled. "Fair enough. Let me see." He scanned the board and plucked off a paper. "This one's not too bad—a merchant needs someone to escort them to the next town. Easy money."
Before I could reply, a sharp voice interrupted. "Oi, Lucy!"
I turned to see Natsu stomping toward me, his scowl firmly in place. Happy flapped beside him, nibbling on the head of a fish.
"What are you doing?" Natsu demanded, his gaze flicking from me to Jason.
"She's looking for her first job," Jason answered, unfazed by Natsu's glare.
"I wasn't talking to you," Natsu snapped, his tone curt. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing at me. "You're going on a job?"
"Well, yeah," I said, frowning. "Isn't that the point of joining a guild?"
"You shouldn't go alone," he said bluntly, crossing his arms.
Jason smirked, clearly amused by Natsu's behavior. "She'll be fine. You think every rookie needs a babysitter?"
Natsu shot him a glare. "Stay out of it."
I folded my arms, feeling my irritation rise. "I can take care of myself, thanks."
Natsu didn't look convinced. "You don't even know what kind of jobs are safe yet. You're just picking at random."
"I wasn't picking at random," I shot back, my frustration bubbling over. "Jason was helping me—something you could've done if you weren't too busy glaring at everyone."
Jason laughed under his breath, clearly enjoying the exchange. "Hey, Natsu, why don't you tag along if you're so worried? It'd probably make her first job easier."
"That's not—" Natsu started, but stopped himself. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at the job board, his expression darkening.
"Fine," he muttered. "I'll go. Pick something."
I blinked, caught off guard by his sudden shift. "Wait, you're coming with me?"
"You're not going alone," he said simply, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Jason raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. "Well, looks like you've got yourself a team. Good luck, Lucy." He waved as he walked off, leaving me alone with Natsu and Happy.
"Great," I muttered, turning back to the board. "Now I get to pick a job and deal with you."
"Just pick something already," Natsu said, his tone exasperated.
My eyes landed on a request pinned near the top of the board. The paper was clean and neatly written, describing a simple retrieval mission: a magical necklace lost in the forest near Magnolia. It belonged to a wealthy merchant, and the reward was modest but enticing.
"This one," I said, pulling it down and showing it to Natsu. "It's straightforward and close by."
He snatched the paper from my hand, scanning it quickly. "Yeah, fine. We'll be back before lunch."
"You don't have to sound so smug about it," I muttered, grabbing the paper back.
Happy grinned. "Aye, Lucy! It's your first job! You're gonna do great!"
His cheerful tone eased some of my nerves, even if Natsu's gruff attitude set them right back on edge.
"Let's get going," Natsu said, already heading for the door.
I sighed, following him. This was not how I'd imagined my first job would go, but I was determined to prove I could handle it.
The forest was dense and alive, the canopy above casting dappled shadows along the winding path. Sunlight broke through in patches, highlighting vibrant green leaves and the occasional splash of wildflowers. Birds chirped from the treetops, their songs a gentle contrast to the crunch of twigs and leaves beneath our feet.
For a moment, it felt peaceful—idyllic, even—but I could sense the tension radiating off Natsu. He walked a few paces ahead of me, his movements sharp and purposeful, like a predator on alert.
"This is taking forever," he muttered, kicking a rock off the path with enough force to send it skittering into the underbrush.
"Well, maybe if you actually helped me look instead of sulking, we'd find it faster," I shot back, crouching to inspect the ground for any sign of the necklace.
"I am helping," he replied, sniffing the air. "The necklace has magic on it. I can smell it."
I straightened, brushing dirt off my hands. "Right, because sniffing the air is so much more productive than actually looking."
"Hey, my nose works better than your eyes," he retorted, shooting me a sharp glance over his shoulder.
I huffed, folding my arms. "You sure your attitude doesn't scare off whatever magic you're trying to smell?"
Happy snickered from his perch on a nearby branch. "She's got you there, Natsu."
"Stay out of it, Happy," Natsu growled, though the tips of his ears turned faintly red.
Despite the bickering, a faint smile tugged at my lips. It was oddly comforting—like this was just a normal day, not my first big mission.
That comfort vanished the moment Happy froze midair, his wide eyes fixed on the bushes ahead.
"Uh, guys?" he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Something's coming."
The playful edge dropped from Natsu's demeanor in an instant. He straightened, his entire body going taut as his head snapped toward the rustling undergrowth. He sniffed the air again, his expression darkening.
"Lucy, get back," he ordered, his voice a low growl that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.
"What? Why—"
Before I could finish, the bushes exploded outward, and a massive creature leapt into the clearing. Its wolf-like body shimmered with an unnatural silver light, its fur bristling like metallic needles. Its glowing red eyes locked onto us, and its snarl revealed rows of jagged, razor-sharp teeth.
"A Lycanflare," Natsu muttered, flames sparking to life around his fists.
The creature let out a guttural growl, its claws digging into the earth as it stalked toward us.
"Natsu, it's huge!" I said, gripping my celestial keys tightly.
"That's why I told you to get back," he snapped, stepping in front of me. His flames flared brighter, the heat rolling off him in waves.
"I'm not just going to stand here while you do all the work!" I protested, stubbornly holding my ground.
Natsu turned his head slightly, his dark eyes narrowing at me. There was something feral in his gaze, a possessiveness that made my breath hitch. "Stay. Behind. Me," he growled, each word laced with an intensity that sent my heart racing.
For a moment, I was too stunned to respond. My body reacted instinctively, the heat of his presence making my skin prickle. But then my stubbornness flared to life.
"Stop telling me what to do!" I snapped, stepping to the side and holding up one of my keys. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"
In a flash of light, Taurus appeared, his massive frame towering over even the Lycanflare. "I'll handle this, Miss Lucy!" he bellowed, swinging his gleaming axe toward the creature.
The Lycanflare dodged with startling speed, its metallic fur bristling as it lunged at Taurus. The two clashed, the sound of metal on metal ringing through the forest.
"Lucy, call him back!" Natsu yelled, his flames roaring higher. "He's too slow to keep up with it!"
"I'm not calling him back! Taurus can handle it!" I shot back, though doubt crept into my voice as I watched the Lycanflare dart around Taurus's swings.
Natsu growled under his breath, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Fine. Do whatever you want. But if you get hurt, don't blame me."
I didn't have time to retort because the Lycanflare suddenly broke away from Taurus and lunged toward me, its glowing eyes locked on mine.
My breath caught as I stumbled backward, panic flooding my chest.
"Lucy!"
Before I could react, Natsu was there, his body a blur of motion as he intercepted the creature. His fist connected with its side in a fiery explosion, sending it crashing into a tree.
The heat of his flames lingered in the air, wrapping around me like a protective barrier. He turned to me, his expression furious. "I told you to stay back!"
"I had it under control!" I protested, though my voice shook slightly.
He stepped closer, the intensity in his gaze pinning me in place. "You don't even realize how close you were to getting killed," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
I opened my mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat. The air around him felt heavy, almost suffocating, and the way his eyes bore into mine made my heart race for reasons I didn't understand.
"I'm not weak," I said finally, my voice trembling but firm.
"You're not invincible either," he shot back.
Before I could reply, the Lycanflare snarled, dragging itself to its feet. Its glowing fur flickered, and its eyes burned with renewed rage.
Natsu's flames reignited, hotter and brighter than before. He didn't look at me as he stepped forward, his voice a low rumble. "Stay behind me this time, or I'll tie you to a tree."
My cheeks flushed, both with indignation and something else I refused to name. "Fine," I muttered, gripping my keys tightly.
"Good," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching into a faint smirk.
The Lycanflare crouched low, its silver fur shimmering as its glowing red eyes fixated on Natsu. The tension in the air was suffocating, and the faint hum of its magic made my chest tighten.
Natsu stepped forward, flames licking up his arms and casting flickering shadows across the trees. His movements were deliberate, his body radiating confidence and something far more primal.
The creature struck first, lunging with terrifying speed, its claws glowing with magical energy. I gasped as it closed the gap in an instant, but Natsu didn't flinch. He twisted to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the attack, and countered with a fiery punch.
"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" he roared, his fist igniting as it collided with the Lycanflare's side.
The impact was explosive, the heat from his flames washing over me even from several feet away. The Lycanflare howled in pain, skidding across the dirt before regaining its footing.
I froze, gripping my celestial keys so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I'd heard about Natsu's strength, of course, but seeing it in action was something else entirely. He wasn't just strong—he was a force of nature, his flames wild and unrelenting.
The Lycanflare circled him, its glowing eyes calculating as it prepared its next move. It lunged again, its claws slashing through the air in a blur of silver light.
"Too slow," Natsu muttered, ducking under the swipe and landing another flaming punch to the creature's chest.
The force sent the Lycanflare crashing into a tree, splintering the trunk. My heart pounded as I watched the sheer power behind his strikes, each one calculated yet ferocious.
The creature recovered quickly, its fur glowing brighter as it released a guttural growl. Then, to my horror, its mouth opened wide, and a beam of silver energy shot out, aiming directly at Natsu.
"Natsu, look out!" I screamed, my voice breaking with panic.
He planted his feet, raising both arms as flames roared to life around him. "Fire Dragon's Scales!" The beam collided with the barrier of fire, the impact shaking the ground beneath us. For a moment, the entire clearing was illuminated by the clash of light and flame.
He held his ground, the flames holding steady until the beam finally dissipated. When the smoke cleared, Natsu was still standing, his dark eyes locked onto the Lycanflare.
"That all you've got?" he growled, his tone low and dangerous.
The Lycanflare snarled, darting forward with renewed aggression. Its claws raked the ground, sending dirt and leaves flying as it charged.
Natsu didn't back down. He met the beast head-on, his movements faster than I thought possible.
Flames burst from his fists with every strike, and the air around him grew hotter with each passing second.
I couldn't tear my eyes away. The sheer power, the confidence in his movements—it was overwhelming. He fought like someone who had no doubt he would win, like someone who knew he was stronger.
But there was something else, too. Something almost... terrifying.
"Natsu," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the crackling flames.
The Lycanflare swiped at him again, its claws catching his arm and drawing blood. I flinched, my breath hitching as a thin line of red appeared on his skin.
He didn't even react. Instead, his flames surged brighter, his eyes narrowing as a sharp grin spread across his face. "You're gonna regret that," he said, his voice dripping with confidence.
The Lycanflare lunged again, but this time, Natsu sidestepped smoothly, spinning around and slamming his fist into the beast's back. "Fire Dragon Talon!" His flaming kick sent the creature flying into the ground, a plume of dirt and smoke rising from the impact.
It staggered to its feet, snarling and swaying, its glowing fur flickering like a dying flame.
"Stay down," Natsu growled, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. Flames roared to life around him, hotter and brighter than before. "Fire Dragon Roar!"
A torrent of fire erupted from his mouth, engulfing the Lycanflare in a blazing inferno. The creature howled, its cries fading as the flames consumed it. When the fire finally subsided, the Lycanflare collapsed, its glowing fur dimming as it fell motionless.
The clearing was silent, save for the faint crackle of dying flames. My legs trembled as I stepped out from behind a tree, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.
Natsu stood in the center of the scorched clearing, his flames fading as he straightened. His back was to me, his shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths. The ground around him was blackened, the grass singed and smoking.
I swallowed hard, my fingers still gripping my keys. I'd never seen anything like that before. He wasn't just strong—he was unstoppable, relentless. And the way he fought... it wasn't just skill. There was something primal about it, something that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Natsu," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
He turned slightly, glancing at me over his shoulder. His eyes were dark, intense, and they seemed to burn straight through me.
"You okay?" he asked gruffly, his voice low.
"I—yeah," I said quickly, my cheeks flushing. "I'm fine."
"Good," he muttered, wiping the blood from his arm.
I hesitated, watching him for a moment longer. "That was... incredible," I admitted, my voice shaky.
He raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Told you I could handle it."
I scowled, crossing my arms to hide the way my hands were trembling. "You're still reckless," I muttered, though my voice lacked any real bite.
Happy landed on my shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. "Lucy, you should've seen your face! You were so worried!"
"I wasn't worried!" I protested, though the heat rising to my cheeks betrayed me.
Natsu snorted, his smirk widening as he turned away. "Let's grab that necklace and get out of here."
As we made our way back to the path, I couldn't help but steal a glance at him. For all his gruffness and arrogance, there was something about him that I couldn't ignore—something that made my chest tighten in a way I didn't quite understand.