"But the one who cast the curse this time is the moon! Su Yan, are you going to destroy the moon?!" Natsu's eyes sparkled with excitement, his over-the-top enthusiasm unmistakable. His expression screamed that he had already decided on the most reckless solution imaginable.
Su Yan sighed, recognizing the look immediately. "Don't even think about it."
"But—"
"Are you an idiot?" Su Yan cut him off sharply. "This isn't some world where blowing up celestial bodies is an actual solution. Use your head for once."
Natsu scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly, but his grin didn't fade. Su Yan ignored him and turned to the group. "It's late. We'll tackle this tomorrow. Get some rest."
"Alright! We'll explore the island tomorrow!" Natsu threw himself onto his futon with gusto. "Sleep time now!"
"Love~!" Happy chimed in, settling down beside him.
"That's the plan," Gray said, lying back with his hands behind his head.
Lucy yawned, her eyelids drooping. "Yeah, sleep sounds good."
Moments later, soft snores filled the room—except for Lucy, who sat bolt upright, wide-eyed. "Wait a second! Why are we all in the same room? Three guys and one girl? How am I supposed to sleep like this?!"
Her protests went unanswered, and eventually, frustration gave way to exhaustion.
The next morning, Lucy, who had hardly slept a wink, roused everyone early. The group set off to explore the island, energized by the promise of adventure.
"This is it! S-rank! S-rank! S-rank!" Natsu's excitement was boundless, and despite his bruises from sparring with Su Yan the day before, he was as fired up as ever.
"Calm down, idiot," Lucy groaned, shaking her head. She summoned Horologium, whose monotone voice echoed her words. "We don't know what's in this forest. It's dangerous to make so much noise."
"Humph!" Natsu pumped his fists. "If something comes, I'll just knock it down!"
"Curse or not, freezing it works too," Gray chimed in, nonchalant.
"You two are hopeless," Lucy muttered through Horologium.
Su Yan, walking ahead of the group, suddenly halted. His expression darkened. "Something's coming."
The others froze, sensing it too. In an instant, a massive figure emerged from the trees—a ten-meter-tall mouse in a maid outfit.
"Wh-what the hell is that?!" Lucy shrieked.
"Mouse!!" Natsu and Gray yelled in unison.
The oversized rodent charged, its beady eyes locked on them.
"Get back!" Su Yan's voice was sharp, commanding.
"Om—!!"
An invisible wave of power radiated from him. The mouse skidded to a halt, its eyes wide with terror. It squealed, turned tail, and fled into the forest.
"That... was incredible..." Lucy stared at Su Yan in awe, though she had already witnessed his strength countless times. "What kind of magic was that?"
The others turned to Su Yan, equally curious.
"It's not magic," Su Yan said calmly. "It's called 'Haki.' It's similar to magic, but distinct. There are three types."
He held up a hand as he began to explain. "First, there's Observation Haki. It sharpens your senses, allowing you to detect the presence and emotions of others. You can even predict and avoid danger. When I found you and Natsu in the village earlier, I used this."
"So cool!" Natsu's eyes sparkled.
"That's amazing," Gray admitted, nodding in approval.
"Advanced users can even glimpse the future briefly," Su Yan added.
"See the future?!" Lucy gasped.
"The second type is Armament Haki." Su Yan demonstrated as his arm turned black as steel. "This enhances both offense and defense. At its most basic level, it hardens your body like armor."
He struck a tree with a casual backhand. The trunk splintered and collapsed with a loud crack.
"Partially hardening your body makes you nearly invulnerable to most physical and magical attacks. You can also project it as a shield to block incoming blows."
"That's insane!" Natsu exclaimed.
"The third type is Conqueror's Haki," Su Yan continued. "It allows you to overwhelm others with sheer willpower, incapacitating them or driving them off. When mastered, you can use it to enhance your attacks, even without physical contact."
"Wait... so that's what you just used on that giant mouse?!" Lucy asked.
"Exactly," Su Yan replied. "Only a few people have the innate ability to use Conqueror's Haki."
The group stared at him, awestruck. For a moment, even Natsu was speechless.
Then, predictably, he grinned and punched the air. "Alright! Teach me how to do that!"