Natsu the Troublemaker, Erza's Fury

Sitting in the carriage.

Ifrit examined the photos he had just taken.

A chuunibyou plus rebellious Laxus just needed to be taught a lesson. Adjusted!

The current Laxus had a fiery temper and could not take a joke.

One tease, and he blew up.

How boring!

But

once Natsu cured Laxus of his rebellious streak and turned him into a tsundere chuunibyou, teasing him would become much more interesting.

For example,

Ifrit held a photograph. In it, Laxus covered his face, smiling like an Uchiha.

"Hehehe."

Ifrit could not help but laugh as well. Once Laxus thought he had grown up and matured, or even after he had children, he could take out this photo again...

What kind of expression would Laxus make then?

He was really looking forward to it.

Laxus.

Ifrit had just finished a trip.

He had planned to get some proper rest.

Unexpectedly, Erza kicked open his front door.

"Let's go, Ifrit!"

Erza wore a cold expression today, fury brewing behind her tightly pressed lips.

"What happened?" Ifrit put down his book in confusion.

"Natsu secretly took an S-Class job and went to Galuna Island with Lucy. Gray went to stop them, but it looks like he joined them instead." Erza's voice was icy, her explanation brief and direct.

Ifrit did not say anything unnecessary. Erza was like a powder keg right now—one spark and she would explode.

He had no desire to fight in his own home.

Still,

Galuna Island?

Ifrit thought about it.

There should not be much danger. To him, it was merely another short trip.

"Wait a moment," Ifrit said.

"Mm." Erza nodded.

After making a few preparations, Ifrit set off with her.

Erza walked at a rapid pace.

She was not only angry; she was worried about Natsu and the others too.

If an S-Class job remained uncompleted for a long time in any major guild, there had to be a reason, and most of the time, that reason was danger!

That was precisely why Erza had come to ask Ifrit to go with her.

If some enormous danger truly appeared, she was confident she could handle it. But Natsu and the others—especially Lucy—would need protection. Ifrit's abilities were best suited to covering people's retreat from a battlefield.

The two arrived at the riverbank and rented a boat.

But unexpectedly, they encountered pirates halfway there.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect there to be such a pretty little lady!"

"We only planned to rob you, but now I want to take the woman too!"

"What about that pretty boy?"

"Throw him into the sea and feed him to the fish."

Pretty boy.

Ifrit adjusted his glasses, but before he could make a move—

Boom!

The small boat nearly sank beneath Erza's step.

Already at the peak of her anger, Erza did not want to waste words. She had her eye on the larger ship, so she leaped aboard and knocked out one pirate with each punch. In less than half a minute, she had taken down every pirate!

"Let's go." Erza turned toward Ifrit on the small boat.

"I'm already aboard." Ifrit's voice came from the bow. He had found himself a chair and was sitting there comfortably.

"Set sail!" Erza folded her arms across her chest.

"Where to?" the pirate captain asked.

"Galuna Island," Ifrit replied.

"That Cursed Island? We don't dare go there!" The pirate captain shook his head rapidly.

"Go, or die," Ifrit said flatly.

The pirate captain glanced at Erza and, helplessly, ordered his men to sail.

A pirate ship was far faster than a small boat.

They were nearing Galuna Island.

Ifrit drew his attention away from his book, adjusted his glasses, and looked toward the island.

At the cliff ahead, Lucy fell from above.

"Lucy!"

Erza was shocked. "Faster!"

The pirate ship sped up to its limit.

Lucy landed on the beach without serious injury, but her opponent—a red-haired girl with twin ponytails—also leaped down atop a massive stone giant more than ten meters tall.

Lucy hurriedly summoned Aquarius, knowing full well how bad-tempered Aquarius was.

Sure enough.

Whether or not the enemy had controlled her, Aquarius unleashed a powerful attack that engulfed both friend and foe beneath a tsunami!

Rumble!

The tsunami swept across the entire beach.

Lucy and her opponent were tossed about by the waves until they were thoroughly dazed.

Once the water finally receded, the two began a true girls' hair-pulling war.

In the end, Lucy relied on her own weight class—she outweighed her opponent. Or perhaps it was because she was often cleaning up after a certain Fire Dragon. Either way, she successfully took down her enemy.

But the enemy also had a pet—a huge rat that pounced at Lucy. By then, Lucy had no strength left to fight.

"Ifrit!" Erza looked at Ifrit.

"Don't worry." Ifrit, seated in a chair nearby, smiled faintly before his figure vanished.

On the beach, Lucy watched the enormous rat pounce down at her.

I'm dead, I'm dead!

Lucy was filled with despair.

"Oh my, I found a pretty blonde young lady."

A reassuring voice came from behind her. Lucy felt someone grab the back of her collar, then a powerful force pulled her backward and out of the rat's attack range.

Boom!

The huge rat landed on the ground, then immediately ran off in another direction in "pursuit."

"Ifrit?!" Lucy turned around, her face filled with astonishment. "Why are you here?"

"Lucy, can you still stand?" Ifrit asked.

"I-I'm fine." Lucy nodded.

"That's good. Erza is in a bad mood right now, and if she has to carry someone, only Natsu and Gray could endure it," Ifrit said.

"What do you mean?" Lucy froze.

Boom!

A loud crash came from the sea. Before the pirate ship had even reached shore, Erza jumped from it and landed in front of Lucy.

Seeing Erza's gloomy expression, Lucy nearly stopped breathing!

"Natsu is definitely off acting on his own. I'll go find him." Leaving behind those words, Ifrit immediately disappeared.

Find Natsu?

That was only incidental.

If he ran into Natsu, then he had found him. If not, then he had not.

His main purpose was to see that demon. It was a small promise.

"Hm?"

As he walked, he spotted a small figure.

Short, hunched over, and wearing a red oni mask, yet moving at an extremely fast pace.

Ifrit followed him all the way to a temple.

The temple was dilapidated. Many non-load-bearing pillars had collapsed, and red crescent moons were painted in numerous places, including around the entrance.

This place could be called the Moon Temple.

Ifrit did not actually remember the original plot very clearly.

After all, he had watched the anime when he was only around ten years old in his previous life.

He had been nearly thirty when he transmigrated.

And he had spent another eighteen years in this world.

How could he remember every detail? At most, he remembered the general outline of some things.

He remembered that Gray's senior disciple seemed to be here.

Was he inside this Moon Temple?

Then he might as well gather some information while he was at it.

Ifrit followed the small figure into the temple.

Before long, he indeed saw a group of wizards.

A handsome white-haired man with sharp eyes.

The small figure had come to report the latest situation and also mentioned the progress of the grand plan.

"Tonight, once all the Moon Magic Power is injected, Deliora will be revived."

"But the revival ritual must not be interrupted!"