Noon.
The Fairy Tail Guild hall.
Aether pushed open the door and found the atmosphere a bit unusual.
The usually rowdy guild was now so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was staring at the main entrance.
Makarov stood on the bar counter, his expression solemn yet tinged with excitement.
“The alarm has been lifted,” Makarov announced loudly.
“Clear away the tables and chairs!
Get ready to welcome that bastard!” “Ohhhhh!” The guild instantly erupted in cheers.
Wakaba and Macao scrambled to move the tables.
Aether walked up to the bar.
“What’s happening?” Makarov looked at him and grinned.
“The town’s Disaster Prevention Mode was activated.
Because that man is back.” Just as he finished speaking, the guild’s main doors were pushed open.
A tall man walked in.
He had slicked-back orange hair, stubble on his chin, and wore a tattered black cloak.
No magic fluctuations emanated from him.
But the moment Aether saw him, his muscles instinctively tensed up.
Extremely dangerous.
This was a warning issued simultaneously by the combat instincts of Bennett, Eula, Xingqiu, and Zhongli.
“Yo, Master.
I’m back.” The man scratched his hair and gave a casual smile.
“Gildarts!” Makarov jumped off the bar and kicked the man’s shin.
“You bastard, how many of the town’s walls did you knock down this time?!” “Hahaha, sorry, sorry.
I got distracted,” Gildarts laughed, scratching his head.
Gildarts Clive.
Fairy Tail’s strongest Mage.
The user of Crash Magic.
Aether stared at Gildarts.
The man appeared completely defenseless, but Aether’s intuition told him that if he drew his sword now, he would be instantly ground into powder.
This was the true peak combat power of this world.
Gildarts’s gaze swept across the hall and landed on Aether.
“A newcomer?” “Aether.
He joined just two months ago,” Makarov introduced.
Gildarts walked over and patted Aether’s shoulder.
“Quite a sturdy lad.
Let’s have a drink together sometime.” His palm was broad, covered with calluses from years of combat.
Aether looked into Gildarts’s eyes.
They were eyes that had seen through countless life-and-death situations yet remained gentle.
“Mr.
Gildarts,” Aether spoke.
The noise in the hall quieted down slightly.
“What is it?” Gildarts asked.
Aether took half a step back.
With a flick of his wrist, the Dull Blade fell into his palm.
The tip of the sword pointed diagonally at the ground.
“I want to challenge you.” The hall instantly fell into a dead silence.
The pipe in Wakaba’s hand dropped to the floor.
Laxus, standing at the top of the second-floor stairs, suddenly gripped the railing tight.
Makarov frowned.
“Aether, don’t be ridiculous.
You don’t know how dangerous Gildarts’s magic is.” “I know,” Aether looked at Gildarts.
“That’s exactly why I want to challenge him.” He needed a benchmark—a way to measure the current limit of his strength.
Sparring with Laxus could no longer push him to his limits.
He had to personally experience the pressure of this world’s ceiling to know how to proceed on the path ahead.
Gildarts looked at Aether, his casual expression gradually fading.
He didn’t say a word.
An invisible wave radiated from his body.
*Crack.* The wooden floorboards beneath Aether’s feet were instantly crushed.
It wasn’t a break; they were directly turned into the finest powder.
Terrifying magic power, like a materialized tsunami, instantly flooded the entire guild hall.
The air became incredibly heavy, making even breathing difficult.
Aether’s hand holding the sword trembled slightly.
This was a biological, instinctive fear.
But he did not retreat.
Zhongli’s Geo element circulated frantically within his body, forcibly steadying his form.
Gildarts, seeing Aether still standing under the pressure of his magic, had a flash of surprise in his eyes.
He grinned, revealing a wild smile.
“Fine.
The back mountain.
I’ll give you ten minutes to prepare.” Gildarts turned and walked toward the back door.
Aether took a deep breath and followed.
Paimon screamed frantically in his mind: “Are you crazy?!
That guy’s magic level is practically a black hole!
You’re going to die!” Aether ignored her.
He opened the system panel.
[Primogems: 320] Not enough for a pull.
But his trump cards were more than just gacha pulls.
Aether summoned the Jade Shield, and a golden light curtain enveloped him.
“Let’s go.
Let’s see just how high the sky is.”