Fairy Tail: My Magic is a Yu-Gi-Oh! Deck — Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Let’s Not Talk About My Small Guild

The port of Astrobia bustled with the rhythmic chaos of maritime trade. A modest merchant vessel bobbed gently against the stone docks, its wooden hull groaning in time with the crashing tide. Stevedores hauled heavy wooden crates up the gangplank, stacking them with practiced precision across the broad deck. Whenever they paused to wipe the sweat from their brows, their eyes drifted toward a shaded resting platform just down the pier.

Chase leaned against the wooden railing, having just left the abandoned lighthouse behind. Beside him stood a stout, barrel-chested man with a thick, bristly beard. This was Lambert, the captain of the merchant ship, preparing to haul a massive load of Astrobia’s local specialties across the continent.

Lambert held a crumpled letter of introduction from Marshall, his thick fingers tracing the ink. He stroked his beard, his expression caught between appreciation and doubt. “I see. So you are the Mage Marshall recommended.” He folded the parchment and tucked it into his coat. “We certainly welcome a Mage from a legitimate guild coming aboard, but…” He sighed, gesturing toward the open ocean. “The waters aren’t exactly peaceful right now. Pirates are crawling all over these trade routes. If this haul didn’t promise a mountain of hard-earned Jewel, we wouldn’t dare risk the voyage. If we run into real trouble out there, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

Chase studied the man. With his prominent beer belly and weathered clothes, Lambert looked every bit the stereotypical, coin-pinching sea merchant. Yet, he laid out the risks with surprising honesty. ‘Not bad for a businessman,’ Chase thought. Outwardly, he offered a relaxed, carefree laugh and waved his hand. “You can put your mind at ease, Captain. If we actually run into pirates, they are the ones who will need a safety guarantee.”

Lambert blinked, taken aback by the sheer confidence radiating from the young man. He decided not to press the issue. “We weigh anchor in half an hour. Get your affairs in order before then.” As a shrewd merchant, Lambert had his own hidden motives for agreeing so easily. Marshall’s recent troubles were the talk of Astrobia; any Mage capable of handling that request had to possess serious firepower. Getting an extra layer of heavy artillery for free was a deal no sane captain would refuse.

“Will do,” Chase replied, shaking Lambert’s calloused hand.

Lambert snapped his fingers, suddenly recalling a crucial detail. “Oh, right. For this trip, I also hired a team from Black Teals Foot to escort us. Are you familiar with their guild, Mr. Chase?”

Chase hadn’t bothered mentioning his Fairy Tail affiliation yet. He raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. “Black Teals Foot?” Just an hour ago, while riding his rock giant back toward town, some arrogant fool had tried to block his path. That guy had claimed to be the strongest Mage of Black Teals Foot. Why was this obscure little outfit popping up everywhere?

“You don’t know them?” Lambert asked.

“I have heard the name in passing, but my guild doesn’t really interact with them.”

“Is that so? That is a shame. Black Teals Foot is incredibly famous around these parts.”

Chase kept his face perfectly neutral. ‘Astrobia really is living in the dark ages.’

“Did you say something?” Lambert tilted his head.

“Nothing at all.” Chase offered a polite smile. If their so-called strongest member couldn’t even hold a candle to Macao, how on earth did they build a famous reputation? He honestly couldn’t tell if Astrobia was just completely isolated from the rest of Fiore, or if Fairy Tail’s standard of power was just completely warped.

The sharp clack of leather boots against the wooden pier broke his train of thought.

“Ah, speak of the devil,” Lambert said, pointing toward the docks. “They just got back.”

Chase turned to see three Mages striding toward them, all sporting matching suspender uniforms. The group dynamic was painfully familiar: two young men flanking a single woman. One of the guys was acting as a glorified pack mule, struggling under the weight of several massive shopping bags, while the female Mage walked ahead with her hands completely empty. It was a carbon copy of Shadow Gear’s dynamic.

‘Why are they wearing such coordinated outfits?’ Chase suppressed a sigh. The sheer deja vu made him want to complain out loud. It felt exactly like watching Levy, Jet, and Droy.

“Captain Lambert, what is the status of the cargo?” the leading female Mage asked. She had short crimson hair, a moderately pretty face, and a rather generous figure. “Can we set sail yet?”

“Just a moment longer, miss. We are almost finished,” Lambert replied with a warm smile.

The redhead shifted her gaze, noticing Chase lounging by the railing. “And who is this?”

“He is also a Mage. He will be joining us for the voyage.”

The pack-mule Mage dropped a bag, his face twisting into a scowl. “What is the meaning of this? You don’t trust Black Teals Foot, so you went and hired outside help?”

Lambert waved his hands frantically to defuse the tension. “Not at all! Mr. Chase is simply a passenger introduced by a mutual friend.”

“Chase?” The female Mage tapped her chin, her brows knitting together. “I feel like I have heard that name somewhere before…” She stared at him for several long seconds, searching her memory. Finding nothing, she pointed a finger directly at his chest. “Hey. What guild do you belong to?”

Lambert leaned in slightly, his curiosity piqued. He had been dying to know the pedigree of the Mage who solved Marshall’s crisis. Normally, a Fairy Tail S-Class Mage would be recognized instantly, especially someone like Chase, who had once dominated the Sorcerer Weekly’s King of Destruction rankings. But, as Mirajane had noted earlier, Chase had been away from Fiore for over a year. The public’s fleeting attention had long since shifted to rising stars like Natsu and Gray, leaving Chase’s face largely forgotten by the general populace.

Chase rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a heavy, self-deprecating sigh. “Ah, it is just a small, broken-down little guild. Not even worth mentioning.” He offered a sheepish grin. “Compared to a powerhouse like Black Teals Foot, my place is practically a shack.”

He wasn’t hiding his identity out of some noble desire to keep a low profile. It was purely theatrical. When you travel the world, you have to build your own hype! If he dropped the Fairy Tail name right now, it would ruin the suspense. How was he supposed to make a grand, stunning entrance later?, Chase was absolutely certain this ship was going to get attacked by pirates. Letting these three take the vanguard would allow him to hang back, observe, and gather intelligence from the shadows.

The female Mage’s expression softened instantly. Buying his act hook, line, and sinker, she stepped forward and gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat. “It is tough surviving in a small guild. Even though you aren’t part of our official escort request, we are all legitimate Mages here. Looking out for each other is just common sense.” She flashed a radiant, confident smile. “Don’t worry! If things get dangerous out there, we will protect you!”

Chase forced an awkward, slightly guilty smile. “Uh… thank you.”

The second male Mage, misinterpreting Chase’s awkwardness as pure cowardice, puffed out his chest. “Hey, don’t sweat it! With our invincible Center Part Squad on board, you can just sit back and relax!”

‘What the hell kind of squad name is that?!’ Chase screamed internally, his facial muscles straining to maintain his meek facade. “Ha… haha,” he chuckled dryly, scratching his head again.

After a few more minutes of painfully one-sided banter, the group settled into a comfortable enough dynamic. Lambert finally shouted the order to weigh anchor, and the Mages filed onto the merchant vessel.

As the crew scrambled to secure the rigging, Chase leaned close to the captain. “Oh, by the way, Mr. Lambert… this ship of yours. It is sturdy, right?”

Lambert slapped the wooden railing with a booming laugh. “You have nothing to fear, my boy! Even the fiercest gales and crashing waves couldn’t splinter this hull!”

The Black Teals Foot Mages exchanged pitiful glances. ‘A small guild Mage through and through,’their eyes seemed to say.’Terrified of the water before we even leave the docks.’

For once, their assessment wasn’t entirely wrong. Chase was genuinely nervous, but not about the ocean. Captain Lambert was a good man, and Chase was deeply afraid that if he had to unleash his Magic later, he might accidentally blow the entire merchant ship to splinters.

A deep hum vibrated through the deck. The massive white sails flared to life, illuminated by the glowing runes of a propulsion Magic Circle. The merchant ship pulled away from the stone docks, carving a path toward the turbulent, open sea. Within an hour, the coastal outline of Astrobia vanished beyond the horizon, replaced by an endless expanse of rolling blue waves.

The first half of the voyage was blissfully uneventful. They even sailed straight through a notorious pirate hotspot without spotting a single black flag.

Lambert’s tense shoulders finally dropped. Letting out a long breath of relief, he retrieved a chilled bottle of premium champagne from his cabin, intent on celebrating their safe passage with his hired guards.

He had just popped the cork when a shrill, ear-piercing alarm shattered the peaceful sea breeze.

High above in the crow’s nest, the lookout screamed, his voice cracking with sheer terror. “E-Enemy vessel! Pirates! Black sails at five o’clock, and they are closing in fast!!”