Chapter 180: Teaming Up with Erza
Chapter 180: Teaming Up with Erza
The best person for this kind of mission should be Mirajane, but given her current condition, the Guild Master couldn't risk sending her.
Mystogan was on another assignment, and Laxus hadn't been seen since the S-Class Exam. So, the task fell to Erza.
As for Rod, his summoning abilities were highly functional and could be incredibly useful in such missions. The Guild Master was particularly impressed by the red and blue auras Rod could summon, believing that they would be valuable in any level of combat.
During the last exam, Rod had also demonstrated exceptional teamwork skills, and he wouldn't be a liability when paired with Erza.
Erza was decisive, "Leave it to me. I won't let them get away with it!"
Rod furrowed his brow. There were many legends about Zeref, the Dark Mage who lived four hundred years ago and was the originator of black magic. He was said to have created countless demons single-handedly and was later hunted down by mages representing justice. Some say he was killed, while others believe he was sealed away.
However, these stories were recorded in books of magical lore, not history books, so their reliability was questionable.
But demons were real. A few years ago, Deliora had appeared in a country to the east, but fortunately, a powerful mage sealed it away.
Mirajane had also once dealt with a demon called Satan.
Perhaps because of the existence of demons, there were still some black magic cults that worshipped Zeref, believing he would one day be resurrected and conquer the world.
And any event involving these people was often been dangerous.
to it.
Rod was confused, "What do they gain from summoning demons? The demons in the Book of Zeref are just mindless beasts of destruction, right?"
"Maybe it's for power, to rule the world, or maybe they've been brainwashed into being Zeref's fanatics," Makarov said. "We can't understand their motives, but we can't let them run rampant. So, what's your decision?"
"This mission doesn't feel safe..." Rod thought for a moment. "But if I team up with Erza, it should be fine."
If things got too dangerous, he could stay back and summon monsters to provide support or buffs for Erza.
An S-Class Mage with red and blue buffs sounded incredibly strong.
Mirajane hesitated but finally organized the important documents and handed them to Rod. Normally, she would have given them to Erza.
Makarov said, "If it's decided, start preparing now and leave as soon as possible. And... don't be careless."
He thought it was unlikely for Erza, with her serious nature, and Rod, with his cautious approach, to be careless.
Erza extended her hand to Rod, "Please take care of me."
"Please take care of me," Rod shook her hand, feeling a bit awkward.
They were already so familiar with each other, but this felt formal.
Erza went back to her dorm to pack her belongings, while Rod went to the library to pick up a few books to bring along.
The journey to the northern coast would be long, giving them plenty of time to review the information.
While Rod was preparing and waiting for Erza, Mirajane hesitated but eventually came over to help him straighten his clothes.
Rod smiled, and Mirajane whispered, "Be careful on the way. This mission is very dangerous. Don't be reckless. If you can, rely more on... rely more on Erza."
Don't worry about saving face. She's very strong, and even if you show a bit of weakness, she's not the type to laugh at you for it. And...”
Rod's heart warmed as he listened, but a shiver ran down his spine. According to movie plots, when Mira suddenly acts this way, it might end badly for me.
When she finished, Rod gathered his courage and placed his hand on Mira's head. "I'll remember everything."
Mira paused, not moving his hand, and said with a hint of sadness, "I'm sorry, if I still had my former strength..."
"Then now it's my turn to worry about you, just like you used to worry about me," Rod smiled. "Besides, if it were the old you, I'd probably have been beaten up countless times by now."
Mira's smile returned. "You're right. An action like this now would be enough for me to break both your arms."
"Don't say such scary things with a smile," Rod withdrew his hand, noting how soft Mira's hair was.
Mira laughed. "Then I'll just break one."
Rod pointed at her. "You demon!"
Mira placed her hands on her hips. "That's right, it's me."
...
Traveling with Erza gave a sense of security. The only downside was the sheer amount of luggage she brought. For longer trips, they had to rent a carriage for passengers and an additional one for the luggage.
But this formidable woman was more than capable of handling the luggage herself. There was no need for Rod to help with a mere cart.
The two of them sat in the front carriage, carefully reviewing the information Mira had provided. Unlike Natsu, Elfman, and Alzack, who often jumped into tasks without much preparation, Erza always read through the materials and analyzed them thoroughly.
She shared a lot of similarities with Gray but was even more proactive—highlighting key points and actively discussing them with Rod.
Her extensive experience made the journey feel much more relaxed for Rod. It was a relief not to have to think about everything on his own!
No wonder she left such a reliable impression the first time they met.
Erza carefully planned their route. "They are hiding somewhere between Manjushaka Town and Poppi Town. The journey will take more than a day.
"I suggest we travel as far as we can tonight. If we can't reach a town, we'll camp out in the wilderness. This will help us get there as soon as possible."
Rod nodded. "I'm fine with that, but what about the carriage drivers?"
Erza replied, "Don't worry, I'll talk to them."
She meant a normal conversation, right? Rod thought about Erza's style and worried she might put a sword to their throats.
He'd have to keep an eye on that.
Rod took out the books he had borrowed from the guild and handed one to Erza. "This contains information about the terrain and towns near the northern coast. It might be useful, but some of the records are quite old, so just use them as a reference."
Erza took the book and smiled. "Just as Bisca said, you're very thorough."
Rod shook his head lightly. "Since my strength and experience can't match yours, I can only try to improve the chances of mission success this way."
Erza said, "Don't underestimate yourself. The Master has praised your abilities more than once."
Rod chuckled. Of course, he had earned a compliment once by sheer luck, so it was only natural to heap more praise on him.
He wondered how this mission would turn out.
(End of Chapter)
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