The Mine (1)
(2 chapters per day...damn show appreciation and vote)
---
Shanks' Pov
I was on yet another quest—this time with Wakaba and Macao.
"I just hope there's nothing too dangerous in that underground mine," Wakaba muttered for the fifth time.
The quest had been issued by the Magic Council. According to Gramps, it was the kind of job meant for highly capable mages.
So, he'd sent us: Macao, Wakaba, and me. Not because we had amazing teamwork or anything, but because Macao and Wakaba were among the stronger members in the guild right now—and I had the best offensive magic Fairy Tail had at the moment.
"Shut up, Wakaba," Macao grumbled, clearly tired of hearing the same complaint.
"Pfft," Wakaba blew smoke into his face with a smirk.
I chuckled.
"The mine's farther than I expected," I said, stepping over a thick root as we moved through the forest near Lupinus Town. The town had been welcoming, and the old castle looming in the distance gave the place an odd charm.
"Yeah," both of them muttered.
"I think—" I started to speak, but Macao beat me to it.
"We should take a break."
I nodded, and Wakaba grinned. We were all thinking the same thing.
'The Council's budget.'
Priority missions came with a nice chunk of allowance, and it was up to the mages to use it how they saw fit. Trusted guilds only—and Fairy Tail was still top of the list. Not because we were as strong as we used to be, or even as strong as we were going to be. But because we were dependable.
"Tadah~! It's done!"
I raised an eyebrow as Macao and Wakaba finished setting up a barbecue grill.
"You brought that with you?"
"Hell yeah," Macao grinned, pulling out a small cooler. "Marinated the meat last night."
"Can't let a council mission go by without good food and drinks," Wakaba added, cracking open a beer and handing me one.
I took it without hesitation and twisted it open. The cold fizz, the strong, earthy flavor—it reminded me of the brews the giants used to make. My favorite part of the training, honestly.
"That stuff really grew on me," I said after a long sip.
"Now we're talking!" Wakaba said, clinking his bottle against mine. "This right here is the kind of bonding that makes Fairy Tail what it is."
"And the girls," Macao added with a chuckle, pulling the meat off the grill with a skewer.
"Of course, the girls," Wakaba agreed with a dreamy sigh. "Cute girls, strong girls, scary girls—ah, youth..."
They continued their rambling, tossing names, memories, and stories back and forth, clearly enjoying themselves.
I just sat back, sipped my drink, and listened.
I didn't join in, but I didn't mind the talk either.
Let them have their fun.
For now, this was enough.
The fire crackled. The meat sizzled. The sky darkened as stars began to peek through.
We still had a job to do. The mine wasn't far now, and the mission was meant to take a week. But we were already close. We'd probably wrap it up in half the time.
But tonight?
Tonight was for booze, grilled meat, and the rare peace that came between battles.
---
Next Morning
The morning sun filtered through the trees, brushing gold over the forest floor. I cracked my eyes open to the scent of charred meat and campfire smoke lingering in the air. Macao was still snoring, one hand on his empty beer bottle. Wakaba sat cross-legged by the now-dead fire, lazily puffing smoke rings into the air.
"Rise and shine, redhead," he said without looking.
I stretched, rolled my shoulders, and stood up.
"You don't look like you slept at all," I said.
"I didn't." He smirked. "Didn't have the heart to ruin a peaceful morning."
"Or maybe your back's too old for the ground."
He blew out a ring shaped like a heart. "You wound me."
"Oi…" Macao groaned, sitting up and rubbing his face. "Someone kill me."
Wakaba lit another smoke. "Hangover?"
"Like a hammer to the skull." He glared at Wakaba. "Why'd you let me mix beer and whiskey?"
"I thought you knew the rules."
I chuckled and gathered my things. "We should get moving."
By mid-morning, we reached the mine. Nestled between craggy hills, the entrance was wide, reinforced with wooden beams and thick chains. Standing out front were two Rune Knights in regulation armor.
One of them stepped forward.
"You Fairy Tail?" he asked, scanning the three of us.
"That's us," I said, stepping ahead.
The Rune Knight nodded. "Good. We were told to expect you. I'm Reiss. This is Juno."
Juno, a short, sharp-eyed woman with a half-shaved head and a stoic expression, gave us a curt nod.
"About time," she muttered, folding her arms.
Macao scratched his head. "We're not late, are we?"
"Technically? No. But we've been here since dawn," she said, clearly unimpressed.
"Now that's dedication," Wakaba said, puffing a smoke. "You two dating or just painfully professional?"
Juno's eyes narrowed. "Say that again and I'll show you how professional I can get."
Reiss sighed. "Let's not start the mission with broken ribs. The situation's simple. Something's wrong inside. People have gone missing. No bodies, no blood—just vanished."
"Miners?" I asked.
"Five so far. The deeper the crews went, the more unstable things got lights flickering, machinery failing, people hearing whispers. Magic sensors go haywire too."
"Sounds haunted," Macao said, half-joking.
Reiss didn't laugh.
Juno handed us a rune-laced scroll. "This'll let you contact us in case of emergencies. But we won't follow you in."
"Why not?" Wakaba asked.
"We already did once," Juno said, tone colder. "Three of us went in. Only two came out."
That made things quiet.
I looked at the mine's gaping entrance and felt a twinge of excitement stir in my chest. Magic was thick in the air.
"Let's head in," I said, tightening the strap of my saber.
We stepped through the entrance and were immediately swallowed by cool darkness. Crystals embedded in the walls glowed faint blue, illuminating the carved stone path ahead. Wooden supports groaned softly with every step.
"Creepy," Macao muttered, lighting a flame in his palm.
"No echo," Wakaba noted. "That's unnatural in a place this size."
I extended my senses—Observation Haki rippling through the stone, brushing against the walls, the crystals, the air.
"…No life," I said softly.
"Not even bugs?" Macao asked.
"Not even that."
Wakaba's brow furrowed. "Something doesn't want to be found."
We walked deeper. The path split into three tunnels. Old tracks ran along one, broken minecarts tipped to the side.
Macao rubbed his chin. "Split up?"
"No," I said immediately. "We stay together."
"Agreed," Wakaba said, surprising me. "No offense, but I don't feel like getting whispered to by ghosts in the dark while alone."
"I'll take the lead," I said. "Macao, middle. Wakaba, watch the rear."
Macao held up a hand. "I volunteer for the rear if Wakaba keeps blowing smoke in my face."
"Tough," Wakaba smirked.
We kept moving. The deeper we went, the colder it got, not just temperature, but presence. Like the mine itself was watching.
"This mission's starting to feel cursed," Wakaba said.
And as if Macao's word was the trigger. Our danger sense went haywire and the space distorted.
----
Authors Note: For advance chapter (like 10+), faster updates and extra chapters. (There is a discount happening right now just so ykk but discount only available if you buy the collection not for tiers)
pat_reon.com/Sylicaa