After the date I had with Cana, I went back home, thinking about what to do next. According to the timeline, Erza will come here in a few months, and I will have almost nothing to do in that scenario.
Forcefully interfering might hinder Erza's development in the future.
Well then, I need to think about the opening of the Eclipse Gate next year and, after that, the safety of the Strauss family as well. If possible, I should also try to save Lucy's mother.
Just as I was about to close my eyes, I sensed something wrong. I got up and summoned my bow.
One thing I've learned from Mavis is that sometimes a wizard's magic acts on instinct, warning them of danger. So when your instincts tell you that there is danger nearby, do not ignore it.
I summoned an arrow, notched it on my bow, and waited for any sound coming from around the house.
Suddenly, I heard the door being opened. It must have been some kind of magic. Just as the intruder stepped inside, I released my arrow.
"Ahhh!" the man screamed.
Wasting no time, I ran forward while notching another arrow.
I pointed it at the intruder, who was writhing in pain, and asked in the most menacing voice I could muster, "Who sent you?"
I knew he wasn't here to rob me; his clothes were far too fine for someone breaking into the house of a teenage kid.
"Huh, guess you've got some skills," the man scoffed, wincing and trying to act tough. But I could see his trembling arms and dilated pupils—he was terrified.
I released another arrow, grazing his ear.
"I won't miss next time," I warned.
"Don't you do anything, or the girl dies!" the man stammered.
"What?" I froze, lowering my bow slightly.
The man scrambled to his feet and began moving backward.
"Yeah, the girl you were with earlier this evening. We've got her. If you don't come to Ivan's old house within an hour, you'll never see her again. And if you tell anyone, you know what will happen," he said quickly before fleeing.
I didn't stop him. I was too stunned.
That idiot had the audacity to take Gildarts' daughter hostage. Does he even realize what would happen if Gildarts found out?
I wanted to dismiss it as a bluff, but as I turned to go back inside, I hesitated. From what I knew, Gramps, Gildarts, and Laxus were all out of town on guild business. Could this have been premeditated?
A sinking feeling settled in my gut. I remembered that Cana had inherited a stronger magical presence because she was Gildarts' child. And I knew about Ivan's obsession with magic. I recalled what happened to Laxus back then, imagining Cana in the same situation—strapped to a table, experiments being performed on her.
Crack.
I looked at my hand clutching the bow. My grip was so tight that my palm had begun to bleed. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. I needed a clear mind to save Cana.
It had been about half an hour since we parted ways, so there was still some time. I checked my pockets and found two cards—one connected to Cana and the other to Gildarts. I used the latter to send a message, praying he would arrive soon.
Next, I checked Cana's location using her card. She was indeed at Ivan's old house. Without wasting another second, I grabbed my gear and ran toward the location.
I knew I stood no chance against Ivan in a straightforward fight. He likely had countermeasures for all my arrows by now. My only option was to think outside the box.
It was time to dig into the dangerous ideas I had buried in my mind. Ivan would have to fight for his survival tonight.
Cana's POV
Cana was furious. After spending almost a year trying to get Karna to be more proactive, he'd finally started making progress. But just when she was about to tell her mother, a middle-aged man had kidnapped her.
She glared at the man who was fiddling with the instruments on the table in front of her. Tied to a bed, her cards confiscated, Cana studied him closely and recognized him.
"Ivan, huh?" she muttered. "Master told me about what you did to Laxus... and what you tried to do to Karna. Are you here for revenge?"
Ivan stopped and turned toward her.
"Oh, hello, my dear. How are you feeling?" he sneered.
"Let me go now, or you'll regret it."
"Ha! I can't do that. Karna will only come here if you're here, right?"
"If you hurt him, I'll make you regret it forever," Cana snarled.
"Ha ha ha! You've got spirit, kid. Must be that Fairy Tail witch energy. I only caught you as bait, but now I see you've got such potent magic... We're going to have so much fun after I catch him."
He smirked creepily as Cana glared daggers at him.
Just then, another man ran into the room, panting. "Boss, I couldn't catch him, but he's on his way!"
"Good work, Eric. Get ready to trap him," Ivan said.
The man ran into another room, leaving Cana with Ivan.
"Well, kid, just wait a few more minutes. Soon, that brat Karna will join you," Ivan said as he walked away.
Cana spat at him. Her only hope was that Karna would stay safe. She couldn't bear to see him hurt because of her again.
Ivan's POV
Finally, revenge was within his grasp. Nothing could stop him now.
Ivan pulled out a shield. "This shield was designed to counter his arrow magic. Now, there's no way he can defeat me!" he declared, laughing maniacally.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," a voice said behind him.
Ivan froze and spun around, but the last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a golden glow.
A/N- hope you like the rewrite and every 100 powerstone gets extra chapter of Jason.