The sudden appearance and retreat of the firebird left behind not just a battlefield ravaged by fire deep within the Scalding Scale Mountains, but also a mystery that lingered in Ace's mind.
Why did that firebird, which possessed terrifying strength yet seemed to be in such a bizarre state, appear there?
...
With these questions in mind, Ace returned to Magnolia.
He turned in his quest, collected his reward, and gave a brief report about the firebird to Master Makarov.
The Master stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and merely said he would keep an eye out for related information about it, instructing Ace to be extra careful when taking on quests in the near future.
The approaching S-Class Trials were like an invisible boulder weighing on the heart of every guild member who aspired to it.
Training became the main rhythm of daily life in Fairy Tail.
On two sides of the training grounds, a contest of ice and fire was underway.
However, this time it wasn't the old rivals Natsu and Gray, but Gray and Kyubimon.
"Ice-Make: Lancer," Gray, bare-chested, unleashed a surge of cold air.
Dozens of sharp ice lances instantly materialized, whistling through the air as they shot from all directions toward the elegant white figure in the center of the field.
Kyubimon's eyes were calm, its nine fluffy tails moving without a breeze as a brilliant demonic aura shimmered around its body.
It didn't even make any large movements, merely tapping its toes and weaving through the ice lances like a phantom.
As the ice lances closed in, it used its nine tails to block them with Will-o'-Wisps.
The blue wisps easily made the ice lances disappear, its movements light and effortless, possessing an indescribable beauty.
"Tch, not only is it fast, but it also has those flames," Gray clicked his tongue, pressing his palms together as an even stronger magic power surged.
"Ice-Make: Great Hammer." A colossal hammer of solid ice rose from the ground, smashing down toward Kyubimon with immense force.
Kyubimon, however, spun gracefully, its nine tails fanning out like a peacock's plumage as dense demonic power gathered within them.
"Fox Flame Dragon," it cried out softly.
A lifelike dragon formed entirely of blue demonic flames roared out from the tips of its tails, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced on the giant ice hammer.
BOOM!
The collision of ice and fire erupted in a massive cloud of steam.
The ice giant's fist tangled with the Fox Flame Dragon, producing a sizzling, melting sound.
However, Kyubimon demonic flames were no ordinary fire; the spirituality and corrosive power they contained were far stronger.
In just a few seconds, the ice giant was engulfed and eroded by the demonic flames, collapsing into a pile of ice shards, and the Fox Flame Dragon charged straight for Gray.
"Ice-Make: Shield," Gray hastily conjured a thick ice shield in front of him.
Bang.
The Fox Flame Dragon slammed into the ice shield and exploded.
Eerie violet flames clung to the ice's surface, burning fiercely and refusing to be extinguished.
The blast wave pushed Gray back several steps, and his ice shield was now covered in cracks.
"Let's stop here, Gray-kun." Kyubimon retracted its demonic power and gave an elegant nod.
"Your molding speed and precision are excellent, but you lack variation and follow-up moves. Also, please be mindful of your attire during battle."
It glanced at Gray's upper body, a flash of human-like exasperation in its eyes.
Gray's face flushed red as he finally realized and scrambled to find his shirt.
"Ahem... I've learned my lesson, Kyubimon."
He had to admit that in terms of technique, speed, and control of the battle, he was indeed inferior to this Summoned Beast.
Sparring with it was a great way to hone the precision and adaptability of his magic.
On the other side of the training grounds, the commotion was much greater.
"Ora-ra-ra-ra! I'm fired up! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu roared, his fists wreathed in scorching flames as he rained them down like a tempest on the steady blue figure opposite him.
His attacks were wild and direct, filled with explosive power.
However, facing this onslaught that could melt solid rock, WereGarurumon just stood there quietly, occasionally sidestepping or raising a hand to block.
Its movements were minimal but extremely efficient.
Its arms and palms, covered in azure fur, always managed to perfectly intercept Natsu's fists.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
A series of dull thuds rang out.
Natsu felt as if his fists weren't hitting flesh and blood, but rather a slab of tempered alloy steel.
The recoil made his arms go numb, yet WereGarurumon didn't budge an inch.
Even its expression remained unchanged, its cold blue eyes as still as a deep pool.
"Damn it! Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Natsu switched from fists to elbows, the burning flames coalescing into the shape of dragon wings as he swept them across with even greater force.
WereGarurumon finally moved. It simply raised its left arm, the muscles on its forearm bulging as it met the fierce Wing Attack head-on.
The flames scorched its fur but failed to penetrate in the slightest.
"The force is acceptable, but it's too straightforward," WereGarurumon's deep voice rumbled.
Its right fist shot out like lightning, devoid of any fancy techniques—only the purest speed and power.
Thud.
A simple, straight punch landed precisely on Natsu's crossed arms.
Natsu felt an irresistible force slam into him, as if he'd been hit by a rampaging beast.
With a cry of pain, he was sent flying back more than ten meters, tumbling wretchedly on the ground for several rolls before stopping, smoke rising from his head and stars circling his vision.
"Natsu!" Happy cried out, flying over to him.
"Cough, cough... So... so strong..." Natsu was at the end of his rope, but he still struggled to sit up, grimacing.
"But I'm not giving up! Again!"
Watching from the sidelines, Ace shook his head slightly.
WereGarurumon hadn't even used thirty percent of its strength in that last punch.
This was the crushing advantage that a top-tier Ultimate-level like WereGarurumon—who had reached the pinnacle of strength, speed, and defense—had over the current Natsu, who fought more on instinct and passion.
In WereGarurumon's eyes, Natsu's attacks were full of openings, and his power was far from sufficient.
'If you two want to make a mark in the S-Class Trials, Natsu, Gray, you'll need a lot more training,' Ace thought to himself.
However, he wasn't worried.
The growth potential of these two was monstrous; all they lacked was time and opportunity.
His gaze drifted involuntarily to a quiet corner by the window in the guild hall.
There, Lisanna was sitting across from him, her chin resting in her hands, watching him with a beaming smile.
In front of them were two cups of steaming herbal tea and a small plate of cute, animal-shaped cookies she had baked herself.
"Ace-nii, are you done watching the training? Have something to eat and rest for a bit." Lisanna's voice was gentle and pleasant as she pushed a small, rabbit-shaped cookie toward him.
"Ah, okay, thanks." Ace snapped back to reality, picked up the cookie, and took a bite.
It was sweet and crisp, with a faint milky fragrance.
Ever since Leomon had saved her from a sneak attack by the bandit group during their last mission, the girl's attitude toward him had become increasingly close and natural.
At some point, her form of address had changed from "Ace-kun" to "Ace-nii."
At first, Ace was a little unused to it, but faced with Lisanna's clear blue eyes filled with reliance and joy, and her sweet smile, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to refuse it.
Who could reject a girl as warm and adorable as a little sun, who trusted you with all her heart, softly calling you "Onii-san"?
"Ace-nii, you seem to be thinking about something a lot lately. Is something troubling you?" Lisanna keenly noticed his distraction and asked with concern.
"It's nothing, just thinking about that firebird, and... the upcoming trials," Ace said with a smile, not elaborating.
"The trials..." Lisanna blinked, her tone light yet firm. "Ace-nii will definitely be fine! You're so amazing, and WereGarurumon, Leomon, and Kyubimon are all so strong! But..." She leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice with a girlish playfulness.
"Nee-san has been training even harder lately, and so has Erza. And Mira-nee... although she doesn't say it, I know she's also preparing quietly. Ace-nii, you can't let your guard down."
Feeling the faint, sweet fragrance from the girl as she drew near and the encouragement in her words, Ace's heart warmed.
"Mm, I know. Thanks for the reminder, Lisanna."
"Oh, right," Lisanna suddenly remembered something.
She took a hand-woven blue omamori from her small bag and handed it over, a little shyly.
"This... I got this when I went to the shrine with Levy-chan the other day. They say it can bring good luck and safety. Ace-nii, you're always taking on dangerous missions... Please, take this with you." Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her gaze was a bit evasive, yet filled with anticipation.
Ace was taken aback for a moment.
He looked at the blue omamori in his hand, with its fine stitching and faint scent of vanilla, and a warm current flowed through his heart.
He accepted it, placed it in the inner pocket of his jacket, and patted it gently.
"Thank you, Lisanna. I'll keep it safe."
Seeing Ace accept it, Lisanna's face broke into a radiant smile, as if the sun had pierced through the clouds.
This scene naturally fell into Mirajane's eyes from her corner.
Watching the natural, intimate atmosphere flowing between her sister and Ace, her expression turn complex.
There was tenderness for her sister and a faint trace of loss she herself hadn't even noticed, but in the end, it all melted into a faint, relieved curve on her lips.
...
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
Ace did not slack off.
Instead, he took on several quests with high rewards and correspondingly high difficulty, his targets no longer limited to the area around Magnolia as he began to venture into more distant towns.
As he successfully completed one mission after another, Ace's reputation within the guild soared.
"Fairy Tail's New Star,"
"Beasts Master,"
"The Reliable Rookie with a 100% Quest Completion Rate"... various titles began to circulate among the other mages and clients.
His strength and reliability gradually earned him widespread recognition.