Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

Boom!!! 

Blazing flames engulfed the entire town. 

With Natsu's move, the fire dragon roared, and Bora, who had just been lost in fantasies of glory and wealth, was instantly reduced to a charred husk by the searing heat. 

"Hey, Natsu! That was overkill!" 

Hovering in the air, Happy stared wide-eyed at the burning wreck of the port before flying over to Natsu in a panic. 

"The army is heading this way! If we don't leave now, it'll be too late!" 

"What?! The army?!" 

Natsu froze for a moment before turning to look at Kaido. 

The two exchanged glances, neither saying a word. 

Without hesitation... 

They turned tail and bolted. 

Though neither feared the town's guards, Natsu had clearly started this mess. They didn't want the Fairy Tail name dragged through the mud or risk being blacklisted by the surrounding cities. 

Without further discussion, the two fled the chaotic scene, their feet pounding the ground. 

Finally, after running far from town and reaching the peace of a dense forest, they stopped to catch their breath. 

"Hah...hah... did they see us?" 

Natsu wiped the sweat from his brow and grinned. 

By now, fleeing after causing trouble had practically become second nature to him. 

Kaido, who had already familiarized himself with Fairy Tail's penchant for mischief, especially Natsu's, had been prepared for this. 

Relying on his Observation Haki to monitor their surroundings, he gave a calm nod. 

"Relax. The guards didn't spot us." 

"Really? That's a relief!" 

Natsu exhaled in relief. 

While the Fairy Tail guild didn't care about how much trouble its members caused—or how many complaints piled up—he preferred to avoid burdening the guild master unnecessarily. 

With the immediate trouble resolved, Natsu's curiosity turned toward Kaido. 

To Natsu, Kaido seemed about the same age as him. After all, they had fought side by side, and Natsu had even saved Kaido's life once. Their camaraderie had made them fast friends. 

Without hesitation, Natsu asked: 

"By the way, Kaido, what kind of magic is that?" 

"How can you conjure so much gold out of nowhere?" 

"What if the greedy folks at the guild find out? They'd probably camp outside your house, begging you to turn things into gold for them!" 

"Heh..." 

Kaido chuckled softly, but his gaze shifted to the trees behind them. 

"This is a complicated topic." 

"Before we get into that, though, we should deal with the little mouse spying on us." 

"Huh? Little mouse?" 

Natsu blinked, confused, before following Kaido's gaze toward the grass behind them. 

At that moment... 

The grass trembled, as though whatever was hiding within was nervous. 

"Is it a pursuer?" 

Natsu narrowed his eyes, and a blazing flame ignited in his palm, ready to hurl it at the grass in an instant. 

But suddenly... 

A panicked female voice cried out from the bushes. 

"Wait! Don't! Stop!" 

Rustling sounds followed, and a blonde girl emerged from the underbrush, her face pale as she stared at the flames in Natsu's hand. 

It was Lucy, who had followed them from the town. 

Having witnessed Natsu's terrifying power firsthand during his battle with Bora, she knew just how dangerous those flames could be. 

Quickly, Lucy raised her hands in a placating gesture and stammered: 

"Please don't misunderstand! I'm not an enemy! I mean no harm!" 

"I just... I just..." 

"I just wanted to ask about Fairy Tail!" 

Natsu tilted his head, his flames subsiding slightly, but his tone remained wary: 

"Fairy Tail? Why are you asking about our guild? What do you want?" 

The flame in Natsu's hand remained suspended, not yet extinguished. 

By glancing at the Celestial Spirit Key on the girl's waist, he deduced that she must also be a mage. 

The Fairy Tail Guild had no shortage of enemies in Fiore, and he couldn't immediately determine whether she was a friend or foe. 

However... 

As soon as Lucy heard Natsu's words, her eyes lit up like stars blazing against the dark night. 

"Your guild!?" 

"So, you're really members of the Fairy Tail Guild?!" 

"I knew I wasn't mistaken about that symbol!" 

Lucy exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement. 

Ever since she first learned about the world of mages, she had admired the Fairy Tail Guild. Joining that guild had always been her dream. 

And now, here she was, face to face with two actual members of Fairy Tail. 

It felt almost like a miracle—like hitting the jackpot of her wildest hopes. 

After confirming their identities, Lucy eagerly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and introduced herself with both earnestness and a hint of desperation: 

"Hello!" 

"My name is Lucy. I'm a Celestial Spirit Mage traveling to collect Celestial Spirit Keys!" 

"Please..." 

"Can I join the Fairy Tail Guild?" 

A sudden sound broke the moment— 

Fwoosh— 

The flame in Natsu's hand extinguished abruptly. 

He stared at Lucy, dumbfounded, his stance softening after a long pause. 

Then, in a slightly disappointed tone, he muttered: 

"So, you're not an enemy after all..." 

Lucy: ??? 

Not an enemy... shouldn't that be a good thing?! 

Lucy couldn't understand the mindset of a battle-hungry mage like Natsu. 

Meanwhile, Happy flitted over, circling Lucy a few times before hovering in the air, resting his chin in his paw with an exaggerated look of contemplation. 

"Hmm..." 

"The figure's... acceptable." 

"She might meet the guild's standards." 

Lucy: ??? 

Figure?! 

Wasn't this supposed to be about a mage's guild, not... something inappropriate?! 

"Hey, hey, stop scaring the poor girl," Kaido interjected, stepping forward with a laugh. 

His gaze swept over Lucy from head to toe like a searchlight, though not unkindly. 

Then he explained with a smile: 

"The 'figure' Happy mentioned isn't what you think—it's about your physical ability." 

"The Fairy Tail Guild doesn't accept just anyone." 

Kaido's tone turned slightly more serious as he continued: 

"Since the guild operates at a high level, the missions it takes on and the enemies it faces are far more challenging than those of ordinary magic guilds." 

"That's why, although Fairy Tail is known for its freedom, it doesn't allow just any mage to join. At the very least..." 

"...you must be strong enough to uphold the guild's reputation." 

Kaido understood this better than most. 

If not for his ability to transform into a dragon when he first encountered the guild, the guild master likely wouldn't have allowed him to join. 

In the original story, Natsu had quickly accepted Lucy into the guild because she demonstrated remarkable magical ability early on. 

Even though her strength came from the Celestial Spirit she summoned, it was enough to prove her capabilities as a mage. 

But now... 

Because of Kaido's intervention, Bora was defeated by Natsu before Lucy had the chance to reveal herself. 

As a result, no one knew what Lucy's strength truly was. 

Kaido didn't mince words or speak in riddles. Instead, he straightforwardly explained the rules of Fairy Tail to Lucy. 

Then, he turned his gaze back to her, a smile curling his lips. 

"Let's do it this way..." 

With that, a purple-black flame ignited in Kaido's palm. 

"If you can withstand three of my flame attacks, or if you manage to defeat me outright, I'll personally recommend you to join the guild." 

"Don't worry," he added confidently. "Natsu and I have a fair bit of prestige in Fairy Tail." 

Indeed, Kaido's reputation in the guild was undeniable. He was not only the undefeated champion of the Drinking King Competition for several consecutive months, but also a dragon slayer with the ability to transform into a dragon—achievements that commanded respect. 

As for Natsu... 

Well, his raw strength spoke for itself. 

"Is this... a test?" 

Upon hearing Kaido's challenge, a flicker of panic flashed across Lucy's face. 

But the fear didn't last long. Her expression quickly shifted to one of resolute determination. 

Joining the Fairy Tail Guild had always been her dream. 

Now that the opportunity was right before her, how could she possibly back down? 

Even though... 

Her opponent was clearly a monster of immense power. 

Lucy had already witnessed Natsu's strength firsthand and doubted that Kaido, who traveled alongside him, would be any weaker. 

Thoughts raced through her mind, but she acted decisively. 

Reaching for her waist, she pulled out a golden key and began chanting.

"I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate—Taurus!"

This was one of her few Celestial Spirits capable of ground combat—one of the twelve zodiac constellations: the Taurus Celestial Spirit. 

As the summoning magic circle materialized, a towering Minotaur wielding a massive battle ax appeared before everyone. 

Kaido's eyes sparkled with interest as he observed Lucy's summoning magic. 

Wasting no time, he conjured a fiery whip, which he lashed in Lucy's direction. 

Boom! 

The flaming whip sliced through the air with a deafening crack, its sharp, piercing sound reverberating across the clearing. 

"Huh!?" 

Both Natsu and Happy froze, stunned by the fire magic Kaido had just unleashed. 

The two of them exchanged glances before moving closer. 

"Natsu, doesn't Kaido's magic seem... familiar?" Happy asked, tilting his head. 

"Yes!" Natsu's eyes narrowed as realization dawned. 

"I remember!" Happy said, a gleam of understanding lighting up his face. 

"That faker—the guy you just fought—used the same fire magic!" 

"What?!" Natsu's jaw dropped in surprise. 

"Are you saying Bora and Kaido are brothers?" 

The thought seemed absurd, but in this world, magic was rarely a coincidence. 

Aside from a few powerful magics recorded in books, most spells were passed down through family lineages or from master to apprentice. 

Just like how Natsu learned Dragon Slayer Magic from Igneel, his adoptive dragon father. 

However... 

Hearing Natsu's wild speculation, Happy shook his head firmly and said, "That's impossible." 

"Kaido and Bora didn't seem like they even knew each other." 

"Besides..." 

"It's not just that they use the same 'type' of magic..." 

Happy paused for emphasis, his voice growing more serious. 

"I think they're using... the exact 'same' magic!!!" 

  ...

  ...

On the battlefield, a blazing flame whip lashed toward Lucy's slender frame. 

But at that crucial moment, a massive axe suddenly intercepted its path. 

It was the Taurus, summoned by Lucy. With determination blazing in his eyes, he held the giant axe firmly. 

"I won't let you hurt Miss Lucy!" he roared. "Moooh!!!" 

Taurus's shout reverberated as an immense power surged through his body. His upper muscles swelled with raw energy as he swung the axe downward. 

Under the axe's immense pressure, the flaming whip split in two. One fragment retreated to Kaido's palm, morphing into a fiery coil around his hand, while the other extinguished instantly, vanishing into the air without the supply of magic power. 

"Oh?" Kaido raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing the celestial spirit before him. He hadn't expected this young girl to command such a formidable companion. 

Natsu and Happy, watching nearby, realized Kaido's magic bore similarities to Bora's. Through the power of the world's origin, Leo had crafted a magical light orb from Bora's magical memory, enabling anyone to instantly acquire his skills. 

However, such power came at a price. Transcending the barriers between worlds to allow foreign entities to wield magic demanded a hefty toll, but in Kaido's eyes, the cost was worth it. Using this method, he had not only obtained Bora's fire magic but had also mastered his techniques to perfection. 

Boom! 

A violent clash reverberated through the air as another attack landed. Cracks spiderwebbed across Taurus's axe. Fear flickered in both Taurus and Lucy's eyes. 

But before they could act, the flaming whip—now brimming with terrifying magical energy—surged through the cracks. Under the whip's relentless force, the axe shattered into fragments, dissolving into magical particles. 

Kaido wasted no time. Exploiting the moment of vulnerability, he unleashed a third strike. 

Snap! 

The fiery whip struck with a sickening crack, its echo resonating through the clearing. 

"Ahhh!!!" Taurus cried out in agony. 

Though Kaido's magic originated from Bora, the sheer volume of energy he channeled dwarfed his abilities. The intense heat scorched part of the celestial being's body, and with a final devastating blow, Taurus was flung into the distance. His body crashed through thick logs before slamming into a sturdy tree, leaving him unconscious. 

Kaido didn't pursue. His focus shifted to Lucy. 

Retracting his flames, Kaido moved forward, his imposing figure suddenly looming over Lucy. In the blink of an eye, he stood before her, causing her to flinch. 

"You…" 

"Well done," he said with a smirk. 

Before Lucy could process his words, Kaido clapped a heavy hand on her shoulder, pulling her back to reality. 

"What?" Lucy stammered, her mind still reeling from the ferocity of the battle. 

But then it clicked. She remembered Kaido's earlier words: if she could withstand three moves, she would be allowed to join the Fairy Tail Guild. 

Replaying the battle in her mind, she counted. 

The first strike was blocked by Taurus. 

The second shattered Taurus's axe. 

The third sent Taurus flying. 

That was three. 

"I… I passed the test?!" Lucy exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy. 

"Exactly!" Kaido chuckled. 

"Congratulations, Lucy. You're now eligible to join the Fairy Tail Guild! Once we return to the guildhall and apply the guild's seal, you'll officially be one of us!" 

"Thank you!" Lucy's voice trembled with excitement as she shook Kaido's outstretched hand. 

Natsu and Happy joined the celebration, welcoming their newest companion with cheerful grins. The forest around them seemed to breathe with a newfound calm. 

Far away, in the shadows of the trees, the unconscious Taurus lay still, the cool forest breeze offering faint relief to his scorched body.