Extra's Stories

After that mission with Mira, Fate had been lazing around like a salted fish, completely ignoring any new job requests. Not that he needed to take any.

He barely had any expenses to worry about.

He didn't have to pay rent since he lived in a treehouse deep in the woods.

Food wasn't an issue either. Wild animals and beasts roamed the forest, and with his Mastery [Best Maid], cooking and preparing meat became effortless.

Vegetables? Not a problem. Enkidu could simply force them to grow from the earth itself.

Buying equipment? Completely unnecessary. With his unnamed [Reality Marble], Fate could walk into any store, scan whatever he wanted, and replicate it perfectly—without ever paying a single jewel.

His Projection worked similarly to Shirou Emiya's, but while Shirou could only trace swords, Fate could trace anything he considered "Power," no matter its form.

Thanks to his continuous use of [Self-Deception], he firmly believed that anything he got his hands on could be turned into a weapon, making it a source of power.

He could have continued his pursuit of strength, but after thinking about it, he realized he was getting too close to becoming like a certain half-devil who had abandoned his humanity in favor of his demonic heritage.

"Fate! Stop sitting around and pick a job already!" Erza said in annoyance, watching as her friend slowly turned into a salted fish at the guild.

"Do I really have to?" Fate muttered, barely lifting his head to look at her.

"You've been in the guild for months now, and you barely talk to anyone or actively look for jobs. It's always either Mira or me dragging you around—otherwise, you wouldn't do anything at all," Erza scolded, sounding like a strict mother reprimanding her lazy child.

"Fine," Fate grumbled, dragging himself off the table. He lazily walked over to a brown-haired girl sitting at a table with a deck of cards.

"Hey, uhh..." Fate started but quickly realized he didn't even know her name.

"Cana," she answered, already annoyed. "Seriously? We've been guildmates for over two years, and you still don't know my name?"

Fate rubbed the back of his neck. "Right... Cana. Do you want to take a job with me?" His gaze remained as uninterested as ever.

Cana raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I'd want to go on a job with you?"

"You looked kinda bored, so I figured… maybe you'd want to take a job with me?" he said, already regretting trying to interact with someone he barely talked to.

Cana scoffed. "And let Erza tear me a new one for babysitting you? No thanks."

Fate frowned. As much as he hated to admit it, she wasn't exactly wrong.

"I see. Sorry for bothering you then," he muttered, turning around and immediately retreating back to his table, resuming his lazy state.

Erza let out a sigh, facepalming at how quickly he gave up.

"Oi! Get up, Sleeping Beauty!" Mira suddenly jumped onto the table, peering down at him. Fate narrowed his eyes, already knowing she was up to something.

"Demon hunting. Wanna go?" Mira asked, holding up a job request that immediately caught his interest.

"Alright then. When?" Fate asked, standing up without hesitation.

Erza blinked rapidly in surprise.

Now that she thought about it, ever since Fate returned to the guild after his two-year journey, he only ever took on demon-hunting or devil-related jobs.

And Mira… she had been hogging most of those jobs too, since they helped her obtain new Satan Souls for her magic.

"Hey, wait up!" Erza snapped back to reality, seeing the two whiteheads already heading for the door. She quickly chased after them as they left the guild together.

Leaning against the window of the train, Fate let out a bored sigh, his eyes lazily following the passing scenery. Mira, sitting across from him, flipped through a mission flyer while Erza sat beside her, as composed as ever. The train rattled softly, carrying them toward Kusatsu Town, a place famous for its natural hot springs and traditional inns.

"So, what's the mission?" Fate asked, not even bothering to sit up or take the flyer from Mira's hands.

Erza, ever the responsible one, answered. "Recently, people in Kusatsu have gone missing without a trace. The locals suspect it has something to do with a demon."

Fate immediately deflated like a balloon. "So, it's just a rumor?"

"Yes," Erza confirmed.

"I'm going home."

Without hesitation, Fate stood up, turned around, and started walking toward the train's exit, determined to leave the mission behind.

Unfortunately, he didn't make it far. Mira grabbed his left arm, and Erza seized his right, both effortlessly dragging him back into his seat.

"Come on, Fate," Mira smirked. "It could still be a demon, and you love those."

"Yeah, real convincing," Fate deadpanned. "If it's just some random serial kidnapper, I'd rather be back in the guild doing absolutely nothing."

"Too bad," Erza said sternly. "You already agreed, so you're seeing it through."

Fate groaned, slumping in his seat, resigned to his fate.

The trio arrived at Kusatsu Town just before sunset. The town was picturesque—wooden buildings lined the cobblestone streets, and warm steam from the natural hot springs filled the air with a soothing aroma. Lanterns flickered to life, giving the place a calming, almost dreamlike glow. But beneath the tranquil atmosphere, there was an undeniable tension lingering in the air.

The moment they set foot in town, people cast nervous glances at them before quickly averting their eyes.

"Not exactly a warm welcome," Fate muttered, stretching his arms behind his head.

"It's expected," Erza said. "They're on edge because of the disappearances."

The trio made their way to a well-known inn, where they were scheduled to meet their client. An elderly woman, dressed in a traditional kimono, greeted them at the entrance. Her eyes held wisdom but also deep concern.

"Welcome, Fairy Tail mages. I am Madam Tsukuyo, the manager of this inn. Thank you for coming," she said with a polite bow.

Erza returned the gesture. "It's our duty. Please, tell us everything you know."

Mira also greeted her, though in a far more casual manner. Fate, on the other hand, didn't even bother with formalities. His eyes had already started glowing faintly, his skill [Mind Rope] activating.

Unlike Merlin's standard [Clairvoyance], which allowed the magician to view the present, [Mind Rope] worked differently—it let Fate observe everything within his immediate surroundings from a third-person perspective, as if he were watching from above. Every movement, every fluctuation in magical energy, even the slight disturbances in the air—nothing could escape his perception.

And right now, something was definitely off about this town.

As Madam Tsukuyo led them inside, Fate's vision scanned the entire area. The inn itself was massive, with an open-air hot spring in the back and multiple tatami-matted rooms for guests. The structure was sound, but there was something unusual—certain spots within the inn were completely void of magical energy.

"Fate, what's wrong?" Mira whispered, noticing his expression shift.

"Something's weird about this place," Fate muttered back. "There are blind spots where magic doesn't flow normally."

Mira frowned. "Could be a barrier?"

"Or something worse," Fate said.

As they entered a private room, Madam Tsukuyo gestured for them to sit. A servant poured tea for them as the old woman began explaining the situation.

"The disappearances started three months ago," she said gravely. "At first, we thought people were simply getting lost in the mountains. But soon, guests and even some of our workers vanished—leaving behind no signs of struggle, no traces at all."

"Any common factors between the victims?" Erza asked.

Tsukuyo hesitated before nodding. "Yes. Every single one of them was last seen heading toward the hot springs… and none of them ever returned."

Mira and Erza exchanged glances. Fate leaned back, tapping his fingers against the table in thought.

"So let me guess," he said, exhaling. "We're staying the night as bait?"

Madam Tsukuyo lowered her head. "I… wouldn't dare to put you in danger, but…"

"We'll do it," Erza said firmly.

Fate groaned. "Of course we will."

Mira grinned, nudging Fate's side. "Cheer up, Sleeping Beauty. At least we get free hot springs out of this."

"Yeah, because relaxing in a place where people are literally vanishing sounds fun," Fate muttered sarcastically.

Later that night, the three Fairy Tail mages gathered at the infamous hot spring—the one where people had a habit of vanishing into thin air. The mist curled around them like ghostly fingers, the scent of minerals and warm stone thick in the air. The spring itself was surrounded by towering bamboo, offering a secluded yet eerie atmosphere.

Despite the looming mystery, Erza was thrilled. "A hot spring before battle is good for relaxation and preparation," she said, stepping into the steaming water with a content sigh. "And besides, we need to stay here to investigate anyway."

Mira, though initially reluctant, quickly found amusement in the situation. "I guess a bath could be nice," she mused before smirking at Fate. "And if I happen to tease Fate a little, well, that's just a bonus."

Fate, on the other hand, was decidedly not thrilled.

"Why the hell am I here again?" He grumbled, submerged up to his shoulders, arms crossed in irritation.

"Because we dragged you in," Mira answered with a sweet, almost innocent smile.

That was right. They had literally stripped him down and forced him into the bath. A rare moment where two sworn rivals worked together flawlessly—at his expense.

He sighed, sinking lower into the water. "You two are actual menaces."

Erza scoffed. "Stop complaining. This is good for your muscles."

Mira leaned closer to Fate, resting her arm on his shoulder. "See? Erza agrees with me for once. That's how you know it's a good idea."

The redhead narrowed her eyes at the silver-haired woman. "Don't get too comfortable, Mirajane."

Mira smirked, tightening her hold on Fate. "Oh? Are you jealous, Erza~?"

Fate's eye twitched. He had no idea why these two were suddenly competing for closeness, but he already knew it wouldn't end well.

"I'm just making sure you don't pull anything inappropriate," Erza stated, scooting closer.

"Fufu~ You sound defensive," Mira giggled, her grip subtly tightening. "Besides, Fate and I have already had plenty of close moments. Isn't that right, Fate?"

Fate's instincts screamed trap.

"...No comment," he muttered.

Erza glared. "What does that mean?"

Mira feigned innocence. "Oh, just that Fate and I have been through a lot together. Missions, training, a few close encounters~."

Erza's eyebrow twitched. "If you're implying something inappropriate, I—"

"Oh? Is Erza blushing?" Mira teased, tilting her head. "How adorable."

Erza definitely wasn't blushing. At least, that's what she told herself.

"Fate and I have also shared many battles," Erza countered, turning toward him. "He's relied on me just as much, if not more."

Fate blinked. "I don't remember doing that."

Erza ignored him.

Mira smirked. "Oh? So, do you also hold him close like this~?"

She suddenly pulled Fate into a half-embrace, her cheek dangerously close to his.

Erza's aura darkened. "Let. Go."

Mira just giggled. "Make me~."

The next few moments were a blur.

A splash of water. A shift in movement. Then—chaos.

Fate barely had time to register it before the two women lunged at each other. The once-peaceful hot spring turned into an arena, waves splashing against the rocks as Erza and Mira wrestled in the water, their rivalry flaring hotter than the springs themselves.

"You always do this!" Erza huffed, dodging a splash attack.

Mira grinned. "What? Win?~"

"Annoy me!"

"Same thing~."

Fate, having had more than enough, waded between them, pushing the two apart with a sigh. "Alright, enough. We're supposed to be on guard for an attack, not drowning each other—"

Bad move.

Because at that moment, Erza and Mira didn't care much about who suddenly got in their way.

Before Fate could process what was happening, two pairs of hands grabbed him and shoved him underwater.

"Wait—GUAH—!"

Fate vanished beneath the surface, bubbles rising as he flailed.

Erza and Mira, too focused on their petty rivalry, barely noticed. The water sloshed around them as their hands clashed, foreheads butting together, sparks practically flying between their glares.

"You're getting too comfortable with him, Mirajane," Erza growled.

Mira smirked. "What, jealous?~"

They pushed against each other, neither backing down, their magic flaring as the water around them rippled violently. They were seconds away from escalating when—

Something felt off.

Their magic stilled. The heat of the water, the rising mist—it all seemed too quiet.

They blinked. Looked down.

The water was still bubbling from the heat of the spring... but Fate hadn't surfaced.

Their smugness immediately disappeared.

"Wait," Mira muttered, scanning the water.

Erza's brow furrowed. "Where is he?"

The two wasted no time, diving into the steaming depths, their eyes sharp as they searched the underwater spring.

But Fate was nowhere to be found.

He had vanished.

Fate's mind was sharp, his senses kicking in the moment he was pulled away from the water.

He didn't struggle. Didn't thrash.

He waited.

His body was dragged downward, faster than natural, as if something had latched onto him and yanked him into an abyss. He felt the water disappear, the heat replaced by a cold, damp atmosphere.

When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself in a cave.

A massive, underground cavern, the walls slick with moisture and dark as pitch. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like jagged fangs, the air thick with the stench of rot.

And all around him—

Bones.

Corpses.

The skeletal remains of countless victims, some so decayed they were barely distinguishable as human. Clothes were torn, old dusted equipment, and discarded items. A graveyard of the vanished.

Fate exhaled through his nose, unfazed. 

"Well, this is lovely."

A wet, slithering sound echoed through the cave. Fate tilted his head, gaze shifting.

Two figures emerged from the darkness.

One was beautiful. A woman with pale, flawless skin, dressed in silk that barely concealed anything, her hair long and black, cascading down her back. Her lips curled into a sensual, predatory smile, her eyes glowing an unnatural red.

The other was monstrous. A writhing mass of black tentacles, its form constantly shifting, mouths forming and disappearing along its slimy surface. It had no discernible eyes, but Fate could feel it watching him.

A lure and a predator.

The beauty chuckled, unbothered by the black tentacles holding him in place. "Hmm, we expected one new victim, but it seems we were given three instead."

The tentacled one rumbled, its voice a wet, guttural hiss. "The women are strong. Fighters. But this one... this one we can toy with."

They had chosen him as their weakest prey.

Fate blinked, tilting his head. Then, after a moment, he sighed.

"You really messed up this time."

The beauty giggled, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh? And why is that?"

Fate cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as a faint glow emitted from his palms. In an instant, two blades materialized in his grasp.

Scarlet and Redgrave.

The married blades pulsed in his hands, a perfect extension of himself. With a single motion, he sliced through the black tentacle coiling around him, the severed limb screeching as it writhed before disintegrating.

Fate landed gracefully on the cold, rocky cave floor, his bare feet barely making a sound. The air reeked of blood and rot, but he remained unfazed.

He spun the twin blades effortlessly, his golden eyes locked onto the demons.

"Because I specialize in demon hunting."

His words were calm, but the sheer presence behind them was suffocating.

The beauty's smirk didn't waver, but her fingers twitched.

The tentacled horror bellowed, its mass of writhing appendages lashing out.

Fate didn't move.

Not yet.

The first tentacle shot toward his chest. He didn't dodge.

Instead, he shifted slightly—just enough to make it seem like it would hit.

At the very last second—

He twisted.

The tentacle missed his heart by inches, his body pivoting as Redgrave came down in a deadly arc.

SHINK!

Another limb severed.

The monster roared, but Fate was already moving.

A bladed whip—an illusion crafted by the beauty—came from his blind spot. Fate allowed it to get close, his eyes narrowing.

At the last possible second—

He ducked.

The whip whistled overhead, and he retaliated with Scarlet, the edge carving through the illusion and the demon's arm hidden behind it.

The beauty staggered back, her eyes widening slightly.

Fate grinned. They were catching on.

"Not bad," she purred, her wound already closing. "But we have numbers, and you—"

She glanced at his bare torso, the towel barely clinging to his waist—"Well, you don't seem prepared for a prolonged fight."

Fate sighed. "You'd think that, wouldn't you?"

The tentacled horror shrieked, slamming its massive tendrils into the ground, causing the entire cavern to shake.

Fate shifted into a lower stance, blades raised.

His strategy was simple—intentionally leave himself open just enough to lure them in, then switch at the last second and counter.

It was a dangerous way to fight.

But Scathach raised him to thrive in danger.

Above them, the cave ceiling suddenly cracked.

The demons paused.

Then—

BOOM!

Two figures crashed down, landing directly between Fate and the demons.

Fate exhaled through his nose, unsurprised. They had arrived.

Erza and Mira.

The two radiated battle-readiness, but Fate immediately noticed something.

"...You two are still wearing towels," he pointed out.

Erza ignored the writhing mass of black tentacles, her focus locked solely on Fate.

Her Scarlet and Redgrave blades twitched at her sides, pulsing faintly—calling toward their counterparts in Fate's hands. The attraction between the married blades guided her to him with unerring precision.

Mira, meanwhile, barely glanced at the other demon.

A dark aura engulfed her, her body shifting as Satan Soul took over—wings unfurling, eyes glowing, and power surging.

Her gaze locked onto the beautiful demoness, something about her striking a deep, burning hatred within Mira's core.

A memory flashed—another demoness, another time.

That wretched creature had once tried to violate her.

Mira's eyes burned with renewed fury.

She grinned, but there was no humor in it.

"Fate, are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Erza ignored the massive tentacle demon, appearing at Fate's side in a flash.

Fate, who still had only a towel loosely hanging around his waist, gave her an unimpressed look.

"You do realize we're still mid-fight, right?"

Erza didn't answer immediately, her sharp eyes scanning him for injuries. Luckily, he doesn't have any.

Fate sighed, flipping Scarlet and Redgrave in his grip. "I appreciate the concern, really, but maybe—"

A thick, slimy tendril lashed toward Erza—

She didn't flinch.

Scarlet and Redgrave clashed against its blackened flesh, cutting deep into the writhing mass.

Fate's grip his blades holding the black tentacles off from reaching Erza's back.

Roaring in pain as its fleshing is cut off, it launches more black tentacles toward them.

Erza's grip tightened. With a sharp twist, she ripped her blades outward—carving the tentacle apart with a vicious spray of demonic ichor.

Fate smirked.

"Nice."

"Stay focused," she scolded. "We're fighting together this time, aren't we?"

Fate twirled his blades, but unlike Erza—who remained up close—his strategy was different.

Fate threw them.

The married swords arced like boomerangs, curving unpredictably before slashing into the tentacle demon's writhing limbs.

The beast shrieked, feeling the blades that just flew past it suddenly came back and stabbed it behind the back.

Seeing this opening, Erza moved.

Her Scarlet and Redgrave pulsed, responding to Fate's, and in the blink of an eye—

She dashed forward, her blades ready with Fate following just behind her, the demon trying to counter them, it tried striking the redhead only to have Fate cover her.

And when the demon tried to aim for him, Erza would step forward to cover him.

It was seamless.

Like two blades of the same sword, moving in harmony.

The tentacled horror bellowed, dozens of tendrils erupting at once, aiming to ensnare both of them.

Fate allowed one to graze his side, making himself look open.

At the very last moment—

He twisted.

The tendril missed his core, and he countered with Redgrave, slicing through it before throwing another projected blade straight through the demon's body, adding another pair into its already painful body, and being stabbed by a few pairs of blades.

The beast screamed.

Erza capitalized, vaulting over the flailing mass and driving Scarlet through its core, striking at its main massive body which all the tentacles are connected to.

The creature convulsed—then fell silent.

Erza exhaled, pulling her blade free. She turned to Fate, nodding approvingly.

Their battle just now, although wasn't too difficult, is worth remembering, recalling how they seamlessly work together, one attack and the other cover their openings, they don't need to exchange any words in the battle.

It is almost like the two of them are one.

But before either could say a word—

CRASH!

The demoness collided with the cavern wall, a brutal imprint left behind where her body had been slammed.

Mira floated above her, eyes glowing, demonic energy crackling around her form.

The once-flirtatious demoness now twitched and coughed blood, her illusions shattered, her beauty marred by deep claw marks and burns.

Mira landed softly, cracking her knuckles. "I'm done playing."

The demoness whimpered.

Mira smiled.

It wasn't a kind smile.

It was a promise of destruction.

"Now… goodbye."

With a final smirk, Mira unleashed one of her more powerful attacks, a blast of dark, demonic energy that obliterated the demoness in an instant.

The sheer force of the attack shook the cavern, cracks spreading across the walls as rocks rained down from above.

For a moment, it seemed as if the entire place would collapse—

Fortunately, it didn't.

Still, the near-disaster was more than enough for Erza to scold Mira, hands on her hips as she lectured the Take Over Mage about recklessness and structural integrity.

Mira, as expected, didn't care in the slightest.

"If it works, it works," she said with a shrug, grinning mischievously—fully aware it would provoke Erza into another fight.

Fate, meanwhile, paid them no mind.

He was too busy inspecting his prize.

His new Devil Arm—Velgan—had wrapped around his right arm, its black tendrils shifting and pulsing as it instinctively formed a shield over his forearm.

A useful addition.

Satisfied, he flexed his fingers, testing its before nodding to himself.

With their mission complete, the three returned to the inn, filing a report on the incident. It wasn't long before the Magic Council got involved, launching an official investigation to determine how many victims had fallen to the demons' twisted schemes.

That, however, wasn't Fairy Tail's problem.

Their job was done.

And so, without a care for bureaucracy, the trio headed back home.

…But not before yet another petty battle broke out in the hot spring.

This time, when Erza and Mira try to drown Fate again—a continuation of their earlier antics.

Fate, however, wasn't having it.

Instead of struggling, he grinned—and dragged them both under with him.

What followed was a chaotic struggle underwater, where the three nearly ended themselves in the stupidest way possible.

By the time they surfaced, gasping for air, their towels dripped in the waving hot water, the fight had turned into breathless laughter, splashes, and a mess of tangled limbs.

It was, without a doubt, one of their most memorable moments together.

A stupid, reckless, and completely Fairy Tail-style memory.