The Next Day

Hargeon Port – City Gate

"Tch— What's the old man thinking, pairing me up with you this time?"

A haughty voice rang out as Laxus crossed his arms, glaring at the two.

"And now you're even dragging a kid along. I don't get what's going through your heads."

"If you're not happy, you can leave."

Rayne shot Laxus a dismissive glance, refusing to indulge his attitude. Holding Kanna's hand, he began searching for a carriage heading toward Oak Village.

When Makarov said he'd assign a teammate, Rayne never expected it to be Laxus.

Lately, as if to prove his maturity, Laxus had been taking on jobs solo. The tension from their previous clash had cooled—not because Laxus had forgotten, but because he'd decided not to "bully a kid." Instead, he seemed to be waiting for Rayne to grow stronger before settling the score properly.

In a way, this version of Laxus wasn't yet the arrogant force of nature he'd later become.

"What's his problem? Why's he so pissed?"

The blond teen frowned as Rayne walked away without another word. He could tell Rayne was in a foul mood, but since this was a job assigned by his grandfather, Laxus wasn't about to bail.

On the Road

Before long, heavy footsteps thudded behind Rayne. Even without turning, he knew who it was—the sheer force in each step was unmistakable.

"Tch. Only doing this because the old man said so!" Laxus caught up, glaring sideways. "So, what's the job?"

"Oak Village. Kids have been disappearing."

Rayne tossed the request sheet at him, keeping his explanation brief. If Laxus was coming, they'd have to set aside their friction—for now.

"...A dark guild's work?" Laxus muttered, scanning the details. As a "veteran" with over a dozen solo jobs under his belt, he quickly pieced together the likely culprit.

"No wonder he's in a bad mood."

Rayne had never hidden his past, so Laxus had heard the rumors—though he'd never asked directly.

"Why'd Gramps suddenly approve you for a job like this?" Laxus asked, watching Rayne negotiate with a carriage driver.

In his mind, Rayne should've still been nursing bruises from training. How was he already taking on missions—let alone one of this caliber?

"..."

Rayne paused mid-motion, turning to give Laxus a look.

"..."

Realizing his own stupidity, Laxus stiffened. Of course Rayne had been cleared for jobs—meaning Makarov deemed him strong enough. The awkwardness was almost physical.

Rayne, mercifully, didn't rub it in. They were teammates for this mission, after all. Taunts could wait until they were back at the guild.

The Carriage Ride

Once aboard, Laxus sat in silence, stealing occasional glances at Kanna. Up close, the girl gave him an odd feeling—not dislike, not fondness, but something closer to... rivalry?

"The hell? Since when do I see a kid as competition?"

He shook his head. There was no way some tiny girl—someone he could flick away with one hand—could ever be a threat.

But Kanna noticed his stare.

"Grr—" She turned and growled at him, squirming uncomfortably.

"What?" Rayne followed her gaze.

"She's... Never mind." Laxus bit back his words, aware of the carriage driver nearby.

"Hm."

Rayne's eyes narrowed. Considering the Lacrima implanted in Laxus, he could guess the unspoken question.

He'd prepared for this—Kanna's draconic nature was bound to draw attention eventually. But it seemed Dragon Slayers' senses weren't as sharp as he'd thought. Maybe Laxus couldn't pinpoint her scent because he'd never met a real dragon.

Or perhaps, as a dragon from another world, her aura was different.

Either way, it bought time. By X777, when Natsu and the others arrived, Rayne would be strong enough to protect her—even if her identity got out.

Oak Village

After a quiet ride, they disembarked at the village outskirts.

"Let's find the client first," Laxus declared, taking the lead with the confidence of experience.

Rayne didn't argue, carrying Kanna as he followed.

"Kanna, can you smell anything unusual?" he whispered, lips brushing her ear.

"Nngh—!" She shuddered, wriggling away.

"What's wrong?"

"Tickles... feels weird..." She tilted her head, expression blank but body still tingling.

"Ah, sorry." Rayne chuckled. He hadn't realized dragons were ticklish too.

"Sniff-sniff—"

Recovered, Kanna flared her nostrils, sifting through the scents in the air...