By the coast, a transparent fishing line hung from a bamboo rod, with a wriggling red worm skewered on the hook, struggling to break free.
On the shore, a black-haired boy, around twelve years old, sat cross-legged like an old monk. Holding the bamboo fishing rod with both hands, his dull eyes stared blankly as he mechanically cast the line into the sea.
"If I don't catch any fish today, I won't be eating tonight," Darius murmured to himself.
It had been twelve years since Darius was reborn into the world of Fairy Tail. He knew this world was extraordinary, filled with magic and wonder, and had even tried learning magic himself. However, mastering magic wasn't something that could be achieved quickly.
For now, he survived on the meager inheritance left by his deceased parents. But being only twelve years old, he found it impossible to secure work, as most shops wouldn't hire someone his age. That left him with only one option: fishing by the coast and selling his catch for money.
"System?" Darius thought to himself.
In response, a line of text appeared in his mind:
[Time remaining until system activation: 7 hours, 7 minutes, 7 seconds.]
Darius sighed. He had a system, a perk he carried over as a transmigrator, but it hadn't activated yet. Seven hours still remained.
After waiting twelve years, what were a few more hours? He wasn't in a rush. Even so, no magical system would help him put food on the table tonight. For now, he focused on his priority: fishing.
Fishing wasn't just a necessity for Darius—it was one of the few activities that helped time pass quickly.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky and the waves splashed gently against the shore, Darius noticed a small boat in the distance. Onboard, a lone figure struggled to row towards the shore.
"Who's bothering me while I'm fishing?" Darius grumbled, annoyed at the disruption.
He watched as the boat drew closer, but his irritation turned to concern when he saw the figure collapse against the edge of the boat. The sudden shift in weight caused the small vessel to rock dangerously, threatening to capsize.
"Great. Just my luck," Darius muttered.
Looking around, he realized there was no one else nearby to help. Reluctantly, he set his fishing rod aside, stripped off his heavier clothing, and dived into the water.
It took a considerable effort, but Darius eventually managed to drag the boat and its passenger to the shore.
The unconscious figure was a girl, clad in armor. Darius sighed, realizing he couldn't just leave her there. Muttering under his breath about his misfortune, he hoisted her onto his back, grabbed a few bags from the boat, and headed home.
Once home, Darius laid the girl on his bed. As he brushed her hair aside, he noticed she had an eyepatch over her right eye.
"Such a pretty face," he muttered, "but why does she look so familiar?"
Her long red hair and youthful appearance struck a chord in his memory, but he couldn't quite place her.
"Why are you still wearing armor?" Darius sighed. Carefully, he removed her armor and wiped her face with a damp towel.
After tidying her up, Darius cooked a simple meal using the provisions he'd found in her bags. Once everything was ready, he leaned against the edge of the bed, keeping an eye on her as she rested.
Suddenly, a sharp pain jolted Darius awake.
"Ah! What the—" he exclaimed, finding himself on the floor.
The girl stood over him, holding a kitchen knife to his throat. Her single visible eye was cold and alert.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
Darius swallowed hard, shrinking back from the blade. "My name is Darius! Calm down, will you? I saved you! You were unconscious on a boat, and I brought you here. What's your name?"
The girl frowned, her gaze darting around the small house. Her grip on the knife eased slightly as she noticed the food on the table and the lack of any immediate danger.
"My name is Erza Scarlet," she said cautiously.
Darius froze, staring at her in shock. Her name, her eyepatch, her long red hair—everything clicked into place.
"What's with that look?" Erza snapped, tightening her grip on the knife again.
"Uh, nothing! Just surprised, that's all," Darius stammered. "It's a nice name!"
Erza glanced at him skeptically, but she slowly lowered the knife. Her stomach growled audibly as her gaze returned to the food.
"Hey, I already cooked this for you," Darius said, gesturing to the table. "You must be starving. Go ahead and eat."
Erza hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly.
As she ate, Darius sat on the edge of the bed, watching her thoughtfully.
Erza hesitated. Her gaze moved back and forth between Darius and the food on the table. After a moment of thought, she said, "You eat first."
Darius scratched his head with a faint smile. "Pretty cautious, huh?"
He walked over, sat down, and began eating the food dish by dish. Erza silently observed him, her sharp eyes studying his every move. Only after a long pause, when Darius showed no signs of discomfort, did she finally pick up her chopsticks and begin to eat.
Ding! System activated!
Ding! First sign-in reward: 6 skill points!
The countdown timer in Darius's mind reset to zero and was replaced by a new message. Moments later, the words vanished, revealing an inverted tree diagram. The thick trunk at the top extended downward, branching out into six smaller pathways. At the end of each pathway, there was a grayed-out skill bar.
"Why did you stop eating?" Erza's voice broke the silence, sharp with suspicion. She eyed Darius warily, as though worried the food might contain some slow-acting poison.
"Uh… you can relax. I don't even know you well enough to hold a grudge, let alone poison you!" Darius replied, exasperated.
Putting down his chopsticks, he walked back to the bed and sat down. Closing his eyes, he focused on the strange tree diagram in his mind.
Erza frowned but decided not to press further.
In his mind, Darius studied the diagram carefully. The upside-down design was unusual, but what truly caught his attention were the six skill bars. He reached out mentally to interact with one of them.
Do you want to allocate points?
The prompt appeared suddenly.
"Allocate points?" Darius muttered. "I guess this is what the six starting skill points are for…"
Without hesitation, he used his mental focus to allocate a point to one of the skill bars. The gray bar lit up immediately, and a description appeared in his mind:
[Iron Body]: A technique from the Navy's Six Powers. Hardens the body to withstand physical attacks. The user cannot move while the skill is active.
Darius's breath hitched. "Iron Body? This… this is from the world of One Piece! And it's part of the Navy's Six Powers!"
Excitement coursed through him. The Navy's Six Powers—Iron Body, Paper Arts, Tempest Kick, Moonwalk, Finger Pistol, and Shave—were formidable techniques. If mastered, they could grant him incredible combat capabilities.
He focused on the other skill bars.
"Light up! Light up! Light up!"
Without a second thought, he allocated points to the remaining skills. One by one, the skills lit up:
[Paper Arts]: Enhances agility to dodge with fluid movements.
[Tempest Kick]: A ranged attack using sharp, forceful kicks.
[Moonwalk]: Enables midair movement by stepping on the air itself.
[Finger Pistol]: Concentrates strength into a single finger for a piercing attack.
[Shave]: A high-speed movement technique, allowing the user to vanish and reappear in an instant
Once all six skills were activated, they connected with a glowing line that converged into a gray treasure chest at the center of the diagram
"What's this?" Darius tried to interact with the chest, but it remained sealed. With a sigh, he returned his focus to reality. He clenched his fists, feeling newfound strength coursing through his body.
"So… this is power," he murmured. For the first time in twelve years, he felt secure. No longer was he just a helpless boy at the mercy of the world's dangers.
A sudden knock at the door shattered the quiet moment.
Both Darius and Erza instantly tensed.
"It's probably just a neighbor," Darius said in a low voice, trying to sound reassuring.
He walked cautiously to the door. Erza, clutching a kitchen knife, nodded slightly, signaling her readiness to act if needed.
The door creaked open, revealing an unexpected sight: a short, elderly man with a kind smile.
"Hello, young ones!" the old man greeted cheerfully.
Darius froze, his mind racing. Standing before him was none other than Makarov, the current Guild Master of Fairy Tail and one of the Magic Council's esteemed Ten Wizard Saints.
"Hello," Darius said cautiously. "Can I help you?"
Erza, sensing no immediate threat, lowered her guard slightly but remained curious.
Makarov stepped inside, his gaze sweeping the small house. His eyes lingered on the dining table for a moment before shifting to Darius.
"I'm Makarov," he introduced himself with a warm smile. "I've heard good things about you, Darius. The neighbors say you're a respectful and kind young man."
Darius blinked, unsure of what to say.
Makarov continued, his smile widening as he glanced at Erza, "how would you two like to join Fairy Tail? In the guild, you'll find everything you've ever wanted."
Erza's eyes widened in disbelief. The name Fairy Tail struck a deep chord within her. She stared at Makarov, her thoughts swirling with memories of the dark times she had endured—and the faint glimmers of hope an old man had once given her.
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Let me know of any changes to this chapter.