The Pict Magic Of Fairy Tail

Chapter 24: Mira's Practical Training

Unexpectedly, despite Mira's gloomy expression as she silently approached Natsu from behind, she didn't make a move against him. Instead, she handed the bait she had dug up to Silver.

"Is this enough? If not, I can dig up more," Mira asked in a low voice.

"It's enough, no need for more," Silver replied quickly, materializing the cooking tools and handing them to Mira. "You can start preparing. Natsu and I will fish together, and we'll catch something soon."

"And me! I'll try my best too!" Happy eagerly raised his little paw and chimed in as Silver finished speaking.

"Yes, Happy too," Natsu nodded, reminding Silver.

"Happy, I think it'd be better if you help Mira get the campfire going. There's still plenty to do," Silver said, dismissing Natsu's suggestion and sending Happy over to assist Mira.

"Alright then," Natsu said, crossing his arms and tilting his head. He turned to Happy and encouraged him, "Go help Mira for now. I promise I'll catch a big fish!"

Happy didn't argue. Instead, he used his paw to draw a line on the ground, indicating a length. "Deal! You have to catch one this big!"

"No problem, Happy," Natsu grinned widely, agreeing without even considering whether the lake contained fish that large.

Fate, however, seemed to favor them. Maybe it was luck or divine intervention, but within just fifteen minutes of starting, Natsu managed to reel in a fish over a meter long—much larger than the size Happy had indicated.

"Ha! How about that, Happy? I told you I'd catch a big one!" Natsu shouted joyfully, holding the massive fish high over his head as he ran toward Happy, who was busy helping Mira boil water.

Seeing Natsu's huge catch, Mira calmly walked over to Silver. "Natsu caught a big one. What about you?"

"Take a look," Silver said, lifting a fish basket from the water. Inside were only two fish, each about a foot long.

"Not bad. At least it's enough for the two of us," Mira remarked, giving a neutral nod of approval. Then she added, "Since it's enough for us, stop fishing and come help me cook."

"Cook? I don't mind, as long as you don't find it unbearable," Silver said, putting away his fishing rod and dematerializing it. He grabbed the basket and headed to the campfire.

Hearing Silver's words, Mira recalled past instances when his attempts at helping only caused trouble.

She looked at him skeptically and asked, "Don't tell me you've never learned to cook? How did you manage food during solo missions?"

"Simple. Just cook whatever I caught, and that's it," Silver replied as he took out a fish to prepare.

"Seriously? Just cook it and call it done?" Mira gave him a disdainful look.

"Yeah, as long as it's cooked, it's edible, right?" Natsu, overhearing their conversation from afar while playing with Happy, chimed in supportively.

Mira glanced at Natsu and said to Silver, "Fine. Just watch from the side. And…"

She turned to Natsu with an unusually gentle smile. "Natsu, after we finish eating, I'll personally train you to defeat Erza."

"Really?" Natsu asked excitedly, leaping over in disbelief.

"Of course," Mira replied with a soft smile.

"Awesome!" Overjoyed by her confirmation, Natsu immediately began fantasizing about the day he could punch Erza and kick Gray with ease.

To him, Mira's strength was on par with Erza's. With her training, he was confident his abilities would improve significantly, and he'd finally defeat Erza and give Gray a good beating.

In the guild, Gray was his lifelong rival, someone he had to defeat.

Erza, on the other hand, was the demoness who often left him bruised and battered—a challenge he was determined to overcome.

Occasionally, Mira joined the mix, but she mostly focused on Erza and rarely punished him unless provoked.

Watching Natsu daydream about his imagined future, Silver shook his head and sighed softly, "Simple-mindedness really is a fatal flaw."

"What do you mean?" Happy, who had unknowingly approached Silver, heard him clearly, unlike Natsu and Mira.

"Nothing. Do you want grilled fish or boiled fish?" Silver asked, looking at Happy.

"Hmm…" After pondering for a moment, Happy raised his paw and said, "I want Mira's fish."

"Figures. You and Natsu really are a perfect match," Silver rolled his eyes and quipped.

This time, when Mira was cooking, Silver managed to contribute somewhat—not entirely useless for once.

At the very least, he knew how to prepare the fish.

Meanwhile, Natsu and Happy went into the forest to gather some wild fruits, and Mira collected mushrooms nearby.

The entire meal preparation took over an hour.

Mira initially wanted to simmer the fish soup a bit longer for a richer flavor, but the irresistible aroma had Natsu and Happy clamoring impatiently.

Left with no choice, Mira abandoned her original plan.

However, the consequence of their impatience soon became apparent.

Right after everyone finished the fish soup, Mira activated her Take Over magic and turned to Natsu. "Are you ready? Let's begin your special training now."

"Almost ready!" Natsu, still caught off guard, gulped down the remaining fish soup in his bowl within seconds.

Leaping up, he landed in front of Mira, his face alight with excitement and anticipation.

With a gentle smile, Mira explained, "Natsu, if you want to defeat Erza, you need to go through more intense battles—in short, real combat. If you're ready, then I'll come at you right away."

"No problem! I'm ready!" Natsu said confidently. He assumed a fighting stance, his fists igniting with roaring flames.

Seeing the blazing flames on Natsu's fists, Mira didn't hold back either.

Her fists were instantly shrouded in black energy spheres.

With Happy's call of "Start!" Mira's figure vanished in an instant.

Prepared for such a move, Natsu quickly turned around, placing one hand over his chest and abdomen while raising the other in front of him, bracing for Mira's attack.

As expected, Mira appeared right behind him.

She delivered a sharp knee strike to Natsu's stomach while aiming a swift punch at his head.

Though her strikes weren't particularly forceful, their speed was astonishing.

If Natsu hadn't been ready, there would've been no way to block her attacks.

Even so, the gap in strength between them was massive.

Natsu managed to fend off Mira's first two attacks, but from the third strike onward, his cries of pain echoed through the forest.

The sound was so loud that it startled flocks of birds into flight, scattering from the trees above.