Fairy 13: Attacking the Bandits

In the forest, inside an old fort. Lies a group of men from age middle aged to early 20s. All of them dressed in wild getups, making them all looks like bandits. However, that's what they are. A group of bandits, that been threating a local farming village.

As a group of normal people, the village requested help from the nearest guild to them. That happened to be Fairy Tail. The pay is 90,000 Jewels. Normally this job will pay more in the early 100,000ish. However, due to the bandits, the village was only able to pay that much to get rid of the them.

In the world of Faily Tail. When dealing with bandits, you need to either prepare to kill or capture them. After all, to the Kingdom, bandits are no different to dangerous animals, that steal, kidnaped and even r*pe most of the time. Making them criminals throughout this world.

Normally the kingdom's knights will deal with such vile people. However, they cannot be everywhere, which is why local guilds will take on such jobs as well. After all, it is rare for a wizard to be among the bandits, unless they related to a Dark Guild. That will be a different story.

Recalling all the information on bandits in this world. Zack, along with Natsu, Happy and Gray. All looked at the merry bandits, who has no clue, that there are three wizards not far from the, planning to confront them.

"Okay, let-" Natsu that was about to shout and dashed off towards them like the battle manic idiot he is. Only to be stopped by Zack, holding his mouth, and signalling with his finger to his mouth, to stay quiet.

"Before any of us rushed. You need to understand that even if they are weaker than us, they are over 30 of them. And even if they're F and E rankers, they can easily defeat us, if they surround us. Understand?" Zack went, using his Status to see the strength of the bandits. Being only a handful having E ranked status.

"E-E rank…?" Of course, Natsu has no clue what he meant by that. While Gray just sighed, knowing Zack always says odd things from time and time again.

"Yep, it's the grade of their strength. From my understanding, E is the highest that someone without Ether can gain in their lifetime. Unless they find a way to use Ether, or any other means. It is just impossible to gain any higher rank besides E." Zack's explained, while Natsu and Happy's has smoke seen from their ears. Not understanding a thing Zack said.

However, Gray even if he doesn't fully understand. But he is not stupid like Natsu, and able to pick on what Zack's meant.

"Basically, they just normal people… right?" Gray tried to understand.

"Yep, that's right. In this battle, regarding to the information I know. Normally in these kinds of missions it best to kill them… but I don't really get that kill is…? Maybe I should ask Master what that is. Anyway, like I was saying, bandits are normally be killed or captured. But wizards like us always captured them since more Jewel can be earned through that way. And not to mention, this will be the best chance for us three, to gain group fight experience." Zack went.

"Kill… that…" When Gray heard the word kill, that also means death. He cannot help to think of his dead teacher like mother, Ur. Recalling the past, Gray lowed his head, seeing him like that, Zack went to comment. But he doesn't understand how to, since he truly has no clue what's death is yet.

"Group experience?" Natsu asked, not understanding that means.

"It means fighting as a team." Gray said.

"True, but false." Zack said that and made Gray tilted his head in confusion. But before he could ask what Zack meant by that. Natsu who normally not good using his brain, but oddly enough makes it up with his instincts as a Dragon Slayer. Answered first.

"Fighting them all, right~" Natsu said while grinning, as he thought about battling the bandits going to be fun, awaken his battle manic soul.

"That's right. Group experience applies as fighting as a group. But also fighting more than one. You two already have experience in one-on-one fights, but barely any in one-on-many. That's why, this makes it easy to train when we are surrounded." Zack said, as he begun to walk towards the merry bandits that still hasn't notice them.

"Happy, stay here for now. Natsu, trust in your instincts, Gray, your instincts are not your best suit. But you are a logical thinker, try not to get surrounded, both of you. Let's go!" With a fearless smile, Zack shouted that, as both Natsu and Gray also shouted as well. Finally gaining the attention of the bandits.

"Huh… why there kids here…?"

"Yeah… but they can bring good amount of Jewel if sold to the right person!"

"Yep, cannot hurt to earn some more Jewel hahaha!"

While the bandits that seems to be mostly drunk among them. However, one of the few with E ranked status. Notice the three boys has a symbol on their bodies. When he seen that, his face turned pale. Knowing what it means for a person to have a mark on their body, it only could mean there are wizards!

"Wait they're wizards!" However, the shout of the older bandit failed, as they mindlessly rushed and tried to capture the three boys. After all, all three of the are not bad looking even if they are still children.

Gray is very handsome, Natsu is the cute boy kind. And Zack, who's not only tall for his age, but he naturally looks like a wild type of handsome man will have.

"Be good little kids and come here!" One of bandits said that. However, Natsu grinned as he rushed before the bandit, only to use his above adult level strength, and smashed his fist into the face of the bandit, sending him few meters into the air, only to land on his face when he fell to the ground.

Gray didn't lazy around, as a personality that when he becomes serious, he will become serious. He created few bricks of ice and sent them flying towards the incoming bandits. Causing one of them to be knocked out, two kneed in pain, and another one with a broken arm.

"Wizards!?" When the bandits saw Gray used magic. They realised these kids are not simple kids, they in fact young wizards! Most of the unhurt bandits tried to flee seeing who they are. But Natsu breathed in and out, as flames spat out of his mouth and set few of them on fire.

Zack didn't stand still, and dodged the bandits attacks, trying to get used to fighting against many. Thanks to his cheat Growth Rate, he understands how to fight being surrounded. Which it didn't take him long to show his own magic. And created a force of gravity crushing down everyone that surrounded him. Knocking out least 6 bandits in one move.

Gray created a hammer made of ice and fought in close combat. Gray also created a shield as well and blocked the incoming attacks each time they hit him.

Natsu dodges with his instincts. And sent kicks and fists that are covered in flames towards the bandits trying to flee.

It did not take them long for them to take down 30 odd bandits, Gray and Natsu did have some minor wounds. But nothing life threatening. And Zack himself, he seems unhurt.

"How is everyone…?" Zack went, feeling he had used about tenth of his magical power in this battle. However, Natsu seems to use about half of his magical power due to creating many wasteful moves. And Gray about third used since he also used long range attacks from time and time again, when they were battling.

"Fine! I feel beat!" Natsu commented.

"Same here… it seems there a lot to learn." Gray honestly said.

"I know… who knows fighting many of them at once this annoying?" Zack said with a sigh, as he found fighting with 30 bandits annoying, even if he didn't use that much magical power in this fight. Because he has no experience fighting while being surrounded, he found fighting a group of weaklings is in fact very tiring, both mentally and physically.

While the boys begun to relax. All of the sudden, the sounds of clapping could be heard. Causing Zack and the others to turned around. Only to see a man wearing heart shaped sunglasses standing before them.

All of the sudden all three of them begun to hear the sounds of clapping, causing the three boys to turn around. Only to see a man with heart shaped sunglasses standing there.

"What am I going to lovely do? I needed more subjects for my lovely experiments, you lovely know?" Said the man that seems to like the word 'lovely'.

He has long blond hair, but also very tall that his height is not far from reaching 2m. However, even if he is tall, he also quite thin as well. However, when Zack used his Status to read his stats, Zack's eyes widen seeing them.

# # #

Name: Habsas Odiva

Age: 37

Vitality: C-

Strength: C-

Resistance: D

Agility: D+

Magic Capacity: C++

Magic Recovery: C

Magic Power: C+

# # #

Seeing his status that not much difference between his own. Zack for the first time since joining Fairy Tail. Became serious, even Gray and Natsu noticed this. As they never seen Zack with a serious look, making them know this situation is not good.

"Who're you…" Zack said in a serious tone.

"Don't be serious boys, Lovely is Lovely!" The man that named Habsas Odiva, seems to have the nickname of Lovely. As he walked towards them weirdly shaking his hips for some reason.

"Lovely?? What kind of name is that??" Natsu askes

"Lovely is my name, cute boys… I know, since you lot knocked out my lackeys. And I need more subjects, I will have you handle my next experiment!" Lovely the strange man said that, as he pointed his finger towards Zack and the others.

With is instincts telling him it's going to be dangerous. Zack grabbed both Gray and Natsu, before a love heart manifest before the man named Lovely, only for it to shoot towards the spot where they were at.

"Charm Magic!?" Gray who understands what that magic was. Shouted knowing it is a banned magic, because many people have been misusing such a magic for immoral reasons. It was a magic that used on magic beasts and monsters. But it also works on humans, and wizards who are weaker than the caster. Making it banned magic since last year.

"Charm…?" Natsu, who doesn't really understand what he means by that. While Zack patted both of their shoulders, looking at the wizard before them.

"Look here… this wizards is around my level in stats… he has experience… and may have other magic he doesn't know yet… that's why… Gray creates me that." When Zack said that he didn't look away from the man that calls himself Lovely, as he took off his sleeveless jacket, showing his hot body for his age. Only to rip the jacket into bandages and wrapped them around his hands.

"Oh my, how fit? Hahaha, I want you even more!" Lovely said, shaking his hips even more wildly which only gives shivers down Gray's back. And used his Ice Maker Magic and created an ice greatsword and passed it to Zack.

"Gray create an ice wall and hide behind it. When given the chance, return to the guild, and inform Master about this." Zack said, while still looking at Lovely.

"You think I let these other cuties go?" Lovely said with a grin, as he begun to walk towards them.

"Yes Gray, me and Zack can… handle… why Zack…?" Of course, because Zack didn't mention his name. Natsu was happy he got to fight with Zack. But knowing this dragon boy would get in the way in this fight. And their safely means a lot to him. Zack sent his fist right into Natsu's abdomen. Knocking the boy out cold, which he passed him to Gray.

"If all fails, get Happy to inform Master… go!" When Zack said that, Gray who wanted to help but knows he only would hold Zack back if he remained. Bite his lips, as he carried Natsu and ran for it.

Of course, Lovely, this strange hip swinging wizard won't allow such cute boys escape. And casted that seems to be Earth Magic. And shot out earth spikes towards the path where Gray is escaping to. However, Zack used his Gravity Magic, and smashes the earth spikes into the ground before they can block Gray's path.

"You think I let you hurt my family?" Zack said with a hit of killing intent can be felt within his voice.