“Pfft~~ What?! You destroyed hundreds of meters of forest?”
Makarov nearly spat out the wine he’d just taken a sip of.
He stared wide-eyed at Byakuran and the others.
“Weren’t you supposed to be clearing out a bunch of wild boars? How did you manage to cause such a huge commotion?”
“Haha, Master, we didn’t expect to cause such a huge commotion either,” Byakuran said with a smile.
“It was really necessary for the mission. While clearing out the wild boars, we discovered that something else was actually responsible for their rampage. After investigating, we found an extremely fast Magical Beast.”
“Ordinary attacks couldn’t do anything to it, so I used just a little bit of strength.”
“A—A little bit of strength?!”
Makarov’s eyes widened even further.
“According to what Macao told me, you created a sea of trees stretching hundreds of meters! Were you carrying out a quest, or were you trying to reclaim the land and plant a new forest?!”
Gray couldn’t help chiming in from the side.
“That Magical Beast was seriously fast. If we hadn’t sealed off the area, we wouldn’t have been able to touch it at all.”
“That’s still putting it mildly.”
Macao touched the lapel of his clothes, which was still covered in wood chips, a lingering fear in his heart.
“I was right behind you two, and I almost ended up as a decoration hanging from a tree.”
Makarov glared at him.
“You still have the nerve to say that? I asked you to provide backup, and you nearly got yourself killed!”
He sighed.
“…Forget it. As long as everyone came back safely.”
Makarov then turned his gaze back to Byakuran, his tone carrying a hint of urgency.
“What about the forest? What did the village chief say? Did he mention anything about the damage or compensation?”
Byakuran pushed the completed quest form across the counter.
“Rest assured, Master. The village chief was very satisfied. He only expressed his gratitude and never mentioned compensation.”
“Besides, although I destroyed the original trees, I replanted even more afterward.”
“Taking everything into consideration, it shouldn’t really count as destruction, right?”
“That’s good. That’s good.”
Makarov let out a sigh of relief.
He took another gulp of his drink, but his tone gradually softened, taking on the solemnity of an elder advising the younger generation.
“That said, being able to trace the problem back to its source during your first combat quest and successfully deal with the Magical Beast was impressive.”
“Most importantly, you all came back safely.”
Byakuran scratched his cheek, his smile becoming slightly more pronounced.
“Thank you, Master. I’m pretty happy that we completed it successfully.”
“Gray helped a lot.”
He paused.
“And Senior Macao… was there too.”
“Ahem.”
Macao coughed awkwardly and pretended to look elsewhere.
Makarov chuckled and pointed at the three of them, including the disheveled senior standing nearby.
“Happy as I am, I still have a few things to say.”
“First, being strong is a good thing. But before using large-scale magic, pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t accidentally injure your teammates or innocent passersby.”
“Second, if you encounter a powerful enemy whose strength you’re uncertain about, remember to come back and update the quest information or call for support.”
“Being able to handle it this time was due to your abilities, but next time, things might not be so convenient.”
“Third…”
Makarov paused.
His eyes curved into slits as a warm smile appeared on his face.
“It’s good that you’re back.”
“In Fairy Tail, your safety is more important than showing off.”
Byakuran nodded.
“Understood.”
“Good that you understand.”
Makarov heavily stamped the completion mark onto the quest form before smiling and pushing the reward toward them.
“Take it and split it between yourselves.”
“The first quest was a complete success.”
“Tonight—”
He jerked his chin toward the guild hall and raised his voice.
“Time for a banquet! Let’s celebrate the safe return of these two brats!”
“Agreed!”
Cheers and the clinking of glasses immediately rang throughout the guild hall.
Byakuran accepted the money pouch.
Only then did he finally feel the true sense of completion that came with successfully finishing his first quest.
…
After finishing his morning workout, Byakuran leisurely walked toward the guild.
Life after joining Fairy Tail had become surprisingly relaxed.
He would wake up in the morning and exercise for a while, eat breakfast, then head to the guild library to see if there was any interesting magic to study.
Whenever he ran out of money, he’d simply take another quest.
It almost felt like he’d entered retirement sixty years ahead of schedule.
The guild’s three-story building soon appeared at the end of the street.
The flag atop the dome fluttered loudly in the wind, while the heart-shaped doors were half-open.
The faint sounds of clinking glasses and lively conversation could already be heard from outside.
Byakuran lifted his foot and crossed the threshold.
The wooden floor creaked softly beneath his feet as the scents of wine, wood, and warm sunlight mixed together and greeted him.
The first thing he saw after entering was a little naked man.
Gray strolled over from the hallway without a shirt, walking with such confidence that one would think being half-naked was the standard attire in Fairy Tail.
“Morning, Gray.”
Byakuran glanced at him.
“You’re walking around without clothes again.”
“Ah! When did my clothes disappear?!”
Gray looked down at himself in shock before frantically scrambling toward the jacket he’d discarded nearby.
Several people around them rolled their eyes out of habit.
Others simply held their cups and watched the commotion.
Nobody took it seriously anymore.
Byakuran didn’t stop and continued walking.
Near the window, sunlight divided a wooden table into two distinct halves, creating a sharp boundary between light and shadow.
Cana sat alone in the bright area.
Her green skirt hung quietly over the edge of the chair.
More than a dozen Tarot cards were spread across the tabletop in a complex arrangement.
Young Cana sat alone in a corner of the lively guild hall.
Her slender fingers gently brushed over the faces of the cards before stopping in the center.
She took a deep breath.
Then she closed her eyes and drew a card, as if making some kind of resolution.
However, the moment she saw the pattern on the card, the faint light in her eyes flickered before dimming.
She pressed her lips tightly together and pushed the card away in frustration.
Her movements, which had previously been smooth and graceful as she shuffled and arranged the cards, unconsciously became more impatient and rough.
The cards made a muffled rustling sound as they collided against the wooden table.
Soon, she forced herself to calm down again.
She mechanically rearranged the cards into another formation.
She lowered her head slightly, allowing the bangs on her forehead to hide her desolate eyes.
Her expression was focused to the point of stubbornness.
Yet her slightly puffed cheeks and drooping mouth betrayed the frustration and grievance hidden in her heart.
Seeing this, Byakuran couldn’t help thinking about Cana’s circumstances.
He remembered that, in the original story, Cana spent a great deal of time using Tarot card divination to predict when her father, Gildarts, would return.
She eventually ended up studying Card Magic along the way.
She clearly looked forward to reuniting with her father.
Yet when Gildarts actually returned, she didn’t dare acknowledge him because he was simply too dazzling in her eyes.
Over time, her anxiety grew worse and eventually drove her to extremes.
She became convinced that she had to become an S-Class Mage and earn enough recognition from her father before she could finally acknowledge him.
But in reality, none of that had been necessary.
It was simply the fear inside a young girl’s heart.
She was afraid that her father wouldn’t like her.
That psychological barrier trapped her for years, ultimately causing her to waste more than a decade for nothing.
Looking at Cana’s Card Magic, Byakuran couldn’t help wondering—
If the cards in this world could achieve effects similar to those in Yu-Gi-Oh!, wouldn’t that be incredibly powerful?
Yu-Gi-Oh!—a game that only one person can play.
Unfortunately, the rules of this world were completely different.
Trying to force an opponent to play cards would probably be a little difficult.
Aside from that, however, Card Magic was still an excellent form of magic.
You didn’t need to learn the corresponding magic yourself.
As long as you had the right cards and sufficient magical power, you could cast the spells contained within them.
It was an extremely convenient form of Holder Magic.
After all, learning magic wasn’t something that could be done overnight.
The learning cycle was quite long.
Yet Mages in Fairy Tail usually specialized in a single type of magic rather than learning multiple types to increase their tactical options.
They basically focused on one path and then pushed it to the limit.
It was all about brute force.
But isn’t that a little wasteful?
Since magic already exists, shouldn’t things like Scourgify, Stupefy, and flying broomsticks be arranged for me as well?
Thinking about this, Byakuran couldn’t help wondering whether he should learn Card Magic too.
Perhaps he could combine it with other forms of magic, such as Script Magic, to produce similar effects.
That way, after learning Card Magic, he wouldn’t need to spend time separately learning numerous interesting but relatively weak combat spells.
He could simply focus on the types of magic he was actually interested in.
It has potential.
For now, there wasn’t much left for him to research regarding Wood Make and Nature Magic.
He simply needed to wait for his magical capacity to increase and rely on overwhelming power.
Still, since he’d rarely had the chance to enter a genuine fantasy magical world, there were plenty of wild and imaginative ideas worth trying.
Cana suddenly looked up.
She had sensed someone staring at her.
Byakuran casually looked away and nodded toward her.
Cana softly acknowledged him before returning her attention to the cards.
Pushing aside the various chaotic thoughts racing through his mind, Byakuran walked toward the quest board at the back of the hall.
He wanted to see if there were any suitable quests he could take today.
“Byakuran! Accept my challenge!”
A passionate shout suddenly exploded behind him.
Gray, now fully dressed, rushed in front of Byakuran almost as if he’d teleported.
His eyes were bright and burning with determination.
Although Gray had already acknowledged that Byakuran was stronger than him, he was just like Natsu.
He wasn’t the type to willingly admit defeat simply because he knew he couldn’t win.
Several people at nearby tables subconsciously turned their heads.
Someone paused with a wine glass halfway to their mouth.
Their expression seemed to say:
Here we go again.
“No.”
“Ah? Why?”
Gray stared at him.
“Are you scared?”
“That’s not it.”
Byakuran shook his head.
“It’s mainly because your current strength, Gray, doesn’t motivate me enough.”
“Competing with you isn’t very interesting.”
Someone in the hall couldn’t help letting out a quiet,
“Pfft.”
Gray’s ears instantly turned red.
His fists clenched at his sides.
A thin layer of frost even began forming across the wooden floor beneath his feet.
“Damn it! You’re actually looking down on me!”
“Sorry. I don’t mean to look down on you.”
Byakuran shrugged.
“It’s just a fact.”
“Come challenge me again when you’re strong enough. I’ll accept it then.”
“Damn it!”
Gray gritted his teeth.
“How strong do I have to become before you’ll accept my challenge?”
Byakuran thought for a moment.
His gaze passed over Gray’s shoulder.
“Hmm…”
“How about when you reach the point where you can casually freeze an entire ocean, create a path of ice across the sea, and ride a bicycle along it at the same time?”
“Or when you can freeze an entire giant village in a single move.”
Gray stared at him in disbelief.
“Are you kidding me?!”
“How could anyone possibly reach that level?!”
“You have to have some confidence in yourself, Gray.”
Byakuran smiled.
“I believe you can do it.”
“Asshole!”
“If you don’t want to fight, just say so!”
Another set of footsteps approached from the direction of the stairs.
“Then how about sparring with me?!”
A Super Saiyan wearing headphones suddenly inserted himself into the conversation.
His blonde hair gleamed brilliantly beneath the light of the guild hall.
The headphone cord swayed gently with each step.
The fifteen-year-old boy had already grown tall and broad, standing taller than many adults.
An astonishing amount of magical power could be sensed from him.
Yet, surprisingly, the aura he gave off was gentle.
Byakuran looked at the blonde youth who had suddenly interrupted them.
He had been in Fairy Tail for some time now, but this was his first time seeing Laxus.
And the first thing Laxus said to him was a challenge?
“What?! Laxus wants to fight Byakuran?!”
A wave of excited jeers immediately spread through the guild hall.
“Ooh! A duel between the guild’s two monster-level geniuses?”
“This could be really exciting!”
Macao had somehow drifted over again, clearly enjoying every opportunity to stir up trouble.
“Hey, Big Brother Laxus!”
Gray immediately objected.
“I’m the one challenging Byakuran right now. Don’t cut in!”
“I heard you.”
Laxus looked at him calmly.
“Byakuran isn’t willing to accept your challenge.”
Actually, I don’t really want to accept your challenge either.
I just wanted to check the quest board.
Why does everyone keep coming over to challenge me?
Byakuran looked at young Laxus.
Was Laxus always this normal when he was young?
The difference between him and the hot-tempered guy from the future is enormous.
Byakuran thought for a moment before smiling.
“Hello. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Byakuran. Please take care of me.”
“Hello.”
“I’m Laxus. Please take care of me too.”
“Let’s forget about sparring.”
Byakuran smiled awkwardly.
“I’m actually not very good at fighting.”
Laxus wasn’t an S-Class Mage yet, but judging by his age, it shouldn’t be too far away.
If Byakuran sparred with him, the outcome would be difficult to predict.
Especially since Laxus was a Dragon Slayer Mage with monstrous stamina.
At his current level, Byakuran wasn’t particularly good at dealing with opponents like that.
The previous quest had already demonstrated his weakness.
That Magical Beast wasn’t particularly powerful in terms of raw strength, but its speed had been fast enough that Byakuran couldn’t react in time.
If he had been able to react properly, he wouldn’t have needed to use a large-scale attack at all.
A few ordinary vines would have been enough to deal with it.
For ten-year-old Byakuran, close-quarters combat was a genuine weakness.
He was currently a classic glass cannon.
If an enemy got close enough, things could become dangerous.
Bullying a small rookie like Gray was one thing.
Going up against Laxus was another.
Unless Byakuran went all out and used Birth of the Tree King as though it were an ordinary attack, he could probably wear Laxus down eventually.
But there was no need for that.
This was only a sparring match.
He didn’t want to accidentally destroy the guild.
“Alright, then.”
Laxus smiled.
“I’ve also heard everyone talking about the little monster who recently joined the guild.”
“I wanted to see your strength for myself, but it’s fine if you don’t want to fight.”
“Welcome to Fairy Tail.”
“Thank you.”
Byakuran smiled in return.
Laxus before entering his rebellious phase actually had the personality of a cheerful big brother.
Thinking about his hot-tempered appearance in the future…
And even his still-somewhat-tsundere personality after being redeemed…
Boys really can change drastically as they grow up.
Laxus turned and walked away.
The spectators who had been waiting for a fight quickly dispersed once they realized there wouldn’t be a battle.
Even as they left, disappointed complaints and playful banter continued to fill the guild hall.
Byakuran looked at the group of drama-loving guild members with a speechless expression.
Although…
I can’t exactly criticize them.
I like watching the drama too.