NOVEL NEXT Chapter 35: 35
There are 10 advanced chapters at patreon.com/dzeref887
I don't want to waste my time translating novels if I don't get anything out of it.
___
After deciding to take on the mission, Roy, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy left Magnolia in the middle of the night, heading toward Hargeon.
The next morning, while Mira was tidying up the second floor of the guild, she noticed that one of the S-Class mission request forms was missing. Her face turned pale in an instant.
Soon after, the guild members heard from Laxus that it was stolen by a cat.
The Fairy Tail guild erupted into chaos.
Everyone immediately knew that Natsu had recklessly set out to complete an S-Class mission.
Makarov spat out his tea, his beard trembling with rage and worry.
While yelling angrily about Natsu's foolishness, Makarov was deeply concerned for him.
This was an S-Class mission—a task only S-Class mages were qualified to undertake. Even for them, a single moment of misjudgment could lead to death.
Because these missions required readiness to face death, no mage would typically attempt to overreach their limits.
Yet, it seemed an idiot had indeed stolen an S-Class request, which was practically a death sentence.
Makarov ordered Laxus to retrieve Natsu, but Laxus refused.
"This guild has no place for mages who need others to clean up after them!"
This was the same statement Makarov had once said when he denied Romeo's request to save his father. Now, Laxus threw it back at him.
Not only that, Laxus demanded Makarov expel Natsu from the guild for breaking the rules.
Makarov was so furious at his rebellious grandson that his face turned dark, leaving him speechless.
While Makarov was fretting, Gray volunteered to go after Natsu.
Hoping for the best, Makarov let Gray take the lead in pursuing Natsu and quickly contacted Erza, who had left on a mission the previous day, to bring Natsu and Happy back.
As the guild grew anxious, someone suddenly shouted.
"Roy and Lucy haven't been to the guild either!"
"Could they have joined Natsu on the S-Class mission?"
"If that's the case, I'm not worried anymore! With Roy's strength, there's no way anything will go wrong!"
To confirm this, Makarov sent someone to check Roy and Lucy's homes, only to find them empty.
The entire guild heaved a collective sigh of relief.
With Roy around, nothing would happen to Natsu.
Still, everyone resolved to give Natsu a good scolding when he returned for causing such trouble.
At that moment, Natsu was oblivious to the fact that over a hundred people were waiting at the guild to beat him up.
He was too busy suffering from seasickness, vomiting even bile.
"Are we there yet? Ugh…"
Leaning weakly against the edge of the small boat, Natsu raised his hand feebly, asking the boatman at the stern.
The boatman didn't reply but stared at Roy and the others with a strange expression.
Roy frowned, observing the silent boatman.
Since boarding, Roy had felt something odd about him.
Draped in a cloak that concealed his body, the boatman exuded an aura of darkness that wasn't inherently evil.
Silent and reserved, unlike the usually chatty boatmen.
He was indeed an unusual person.
However, since Roy couldn't detect any malicious intent and didn't recall much about this minor plotline, he couldn't determine whether the boatman was good or bad.
Thus, Roy refrained from taking action, fearing unnecessary trouble.
But now, seeing the boatman's strange expression, Roy grew more vigilant.
What was he planning?
Roy's Rider Card Holder appeared in his hand, ready to slot it into the belt buckle in case of danger.
Suddenly, the wind picked up.
A gale.
The sea roared with violent waves, the skies turned dark, and the small boat rocked wildly as the storm howled around them.
Sensing something was wrong, Roy slid the card holder into his belt and whispered,
"Henshin!"
Shards of energy coalesced, forming armor over Roy's body.
Transformed, Roy looked toward the stern, only to find that the boatman had vanished, leaving only an oar behind.
So, he was suspicious after all!
But Roy didn't bother with him now.
Gently cradling Lucy, who had fallen into his arms due to the boat's violent rocking and was exclaiming in fear, Roy roughly grabbed the half-conscious Natsu with his other hand, instructing Happy to hold onto him tightly.
Ignoring the disparity in treatment, Roy leapt into the water with the two humans and the cat.
The fierce winds above made flying impossible, but the sea, despite its turbulence, was Roy's domain.
Kamen Riders don't drown—a meme, but one that applied here.
Like a swift fish, Roy swam toward the small island they had spotted earlier.
Their destination: Galuna Island, known as the Devil's Island.