Born to Steal Gods ( Fairy Tail )

Chapter 5: Strange City

Lucius Draganov walked for a few minutes, his feet heavy in the damp earth, until the forest parted. He stopped at the edge of a hill, his blue eyes wide, trying to make sense of what lay ahead. A city glowed under the starry sky, with stone and wooden houses piled together, crooked roofs and chimneys puffing out smoke that seemed to change color. Towers rose in the distance near a port where ships swayed, their sails embroidered with strange symbols that faintly glowed. People moved through the streets, wearing flowing cloaks, embroidered tunics, and leather boots that looked like they belonged to another era. Some held wands sparking with light, others pulled carts that floated on their own. Lucius felt a chill down his spine, his head spinning.

"What the hell is this place?" he muttered, his voice full of astonishment.

"Alright, Lucius," he said to himself, squaring his shoulders. "Time to figure out what this crap is."

He descended the hill and entered the city, his Italian leather shoes clacking on the cobblestone streets. The place was a chaos he'd never seen. Stalls sold fruits that glowed like lanterns, vials that bubbled on their own, and swords that hummed eerily when touched. Men with braided beards shouted prices, while women in star-covered cloaks haggled. A guy rode past on a giant lizard, and Lucius nearly tripped, his eyes wide. Children ran, laughing, with glowing orbs floating behind them like pets. He blinked, dazed, trying to process it all.

"Am I in some crazy circus or what?" he grumbled, his crooked smile appearing, tinged with nerves.

People started noticing him. Curious glances turned to whispers, and he felt eyes boring into his skin. The dragon tattoo on his right arm drew attention—nobody here seemed to have seen anything like it, as if it were from another planet. The black cross on his hand made some recoil, murmuring things he couldn't catch. An old man with a cane pointed, whispering to a merchant who covered her mouth. Lucius scoffed, ignoring the stares. He was Lucius Draganov, king of the Diamond Club—he wasn't about to care about some hicks in carnival clothes.

"Keep staring, you idiots," he muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Never seen a real man before?"

He moved through the streets, trying to make sense of the place, until he reached a square with a fountain at its center. There, a little girl, about eight years old, was playing, laughing as she made the fountain's water dance. She moved her hands, and the water formed arches, little fish, even a tiny dragon that flew before dissolving into droplets. Lucius froze, eyes wide, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst. That wasn't a trick. It was… something else.

"Holy shit…" he whispered, his mind reeling.

He thought of the black-cloaked messenger, the limbo, the [Theft] ability. The cross on his hand burned hotter, as if alive. Suddenly, it all clicked. The ancient God, the limbo, that monster in the forest—he wasn't in a normal place. This was a world of magic. The ability the messenger gave him… was magic. He looked at his hand, the cross glowing, and felt a mix of fear and adrenaline.

"So that's how it works…" he murmured, his crooked smile returning. "Magic, huh? Let's see how you play this."

He was so lost in thought he didn't notice three guys approaching. They were rough-looking thugs in worn leather clothes and tattered cloaks. The leader, a big guy with a scar slashing across his face, grinned, showing crooked teeth. The other two, skinnier, held knives, their eyes glued to the Patek Philippe and ruby rings.

"Hey, outsider," the leader said, his voice drawling. "Nice watch. And those rings… Hand 'em over before we hurt you."

Lucius turned his head, his blue eyes flashing with sarcasm. He let out a low laugh, like he'd heard the worst joke ever.

"Seriously, you clowns?" he said, his tone dripping with mockery. "Gonna try that right here, in front of everyone? What amateurs."

The leader scowled, pissed, and pulled a knife, pointing it at Lucius.

"I'm giving you one chance, weirdo," he growled. "Come with us to the alley, or I'll cut you now."

Lucius glanced at the knife, then the leader, and gave another low laugh, his crooked smile widening.

"If you've got the guts for it," he said, his voice calm but sharp as a razor, "why don't you come take it from me?"

The leader lost his patience and lunged, trying to drag Lucius to the nearby alley. The other two followed, their knives gleaming under the lantern light. Lucius let them lead him, his eyes narrowed, like a wolf pretending to be prey. In the dark alley, the leader shoved him against the wall, the knife at his throat.

"Last chance, outsider," he said. "Watch and rings, now, or I leave you bleeding."

Lucius looked at the guy, his crooked smile still in place, and then moved. Trained since childhood by his father's goons in hand-to-hand combat, knives, and dirty street jobs, he was a real mobster, not just some rich guy. In a swift motion, he twisted his wrist, disarming the leader with a sharp strike. The knife fell, and Lucius landed a precise punch to the guy's jaw, knocking him out cold.

The other two came at him, but Lucius was fast. He dodged the first knife, grabbed the second thug's arm, and twisted until he heard a snap. The guy screamed, dropping to his knees. The last one tried to strike, but Lucius kicked his knee, sending him down, and finished with a blow to the neck. In seconds, all three were on the ground, groaning or out cold.

Lucius leaned against the alley wall, panting but with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. He looked at the thugs, his crooked smile returning. As a mobster, he knew that in a new place, information was worth more than gold. He searched the guys, taking their knives, a handful of strange coins, and a crumpled map. One of the thugs, the skinniest, started to stir, groaning in pain from a cut on his leg Lucius had made on purpose.

Lucius crouched, grabbing one of the knives and jamming it into the wall just beside the guy's head. The thug's eyes widened, trembling like a leaf.

"Let's talk, you piece of shit," Lucius said, his voice low but laced with venom. "What is this place? What world is this? Who's in charge here? Spill everything, or I'll cut you into pieces and toss you to the beasts."

The thug swallowed hard, his face pale with fear.

"Okay, okay, I'll talk!" he stammered. "This city's Hargeon, a port! The kingdom's Fiore! Magic's everywhere, man, everyone uses it! There are guilds of mages that take on missions, like mercenaries. The money's Jewel, those coins you took. You're from outside, right? Where'd you come from, with that tattoo and that weird mark?"

Lucius narrowed his eyes, the knife gleaming in his hand.

"I ask the questions, you moron," he said, his tone sharp. "Guilds? Mages? Who runs this city? And who's in charge of this Fiore place?"

The thug trembled, words tumbling out.

"Hargeon doesn't have a big guild, just smaller ones, like Red Lizard, who do dirty jobs. But the big guilds, like Fairy Tail, are famous in Fiore. The kingdom's run by the Magic Council, a group of powerful mages who make the laws. But nobody messes with the top guilds, man, they're like armies! And there's a story… about six months ago, a fire mage from Fairy Tail, some guy named Natsu Dragneel, came here and wrecked half the port fighting a conman mage. They say he's a Dragon Slayer, uses fire magic like a dragon! Left a hole in the city, and people still talk about it."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, his mind racing. Natsu Dragneel. Fairy Tail. Dragon Slayer. He glanced at the dragon tattoo on his arm, then at the cross on his hand, pulsing stronger.

"Dragon magic, huh?" he murmured, his crooked smile growing. "Interesting… Keep going. How do these guilds work? And this Fairy Tail?"

The thug, still terrified, went on.

"Guilds are like mage families, man. They take missions, earn Jewels, and sometimes fight each other. Fairy Tail's one of the big ones, full of crazy strong people. They've got a symbol, like a fairy with a tail, and they were in Hargeon because of that conman mage. But nobody really runs the city, just rich merchants and some local mages. The Magic Council's in Era, far from here, and only shows up when things get bad."

Lucius listened, his mind piecing together the puzzle. He was in a world of magic, with guilds, mages, and this Natsu Dragneel who sounded like trouble. The cross on his hand, the [Theft] ability… it was all connected. He looked at the thug, the knife still in hand.

"One more thing," he said, his voice sharp. "This mark on my hand. This tattoo. Ever seen anything like it?"

The thug shook his head, eyes wide.

"No, man! Never seen anything like that! It looks… I don't know, cursed! That dragon tattoo's wild, nobody here has that. And that cross… looks like dark magic or something worse!"

Lucius gave a low laugh, his crooked smile returning.

"Dark magic, huh?" he said, more to himself. "We'll see."

He stood, still holding the knife, and looked at the thugs, now all awake, sporting cuts on their legs and arms, trembling in fear.

"Sorry, you idiots," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Guess it was a misunderstanding. Didn't mean to hurt you… but, you know, reflexes."

He tucked the knife into his belt, pocketed the Jewels and map, and left the alley, leaving the thugs terrified. He leaned against a crate, the knife in hand, his gaze lost in the city's lights. He was in a new world, with magic, guilds, and a guy named Natsu Dragneel who seemed like a problem. But Lucius Draganov always played to win.