Deep in the canyon, the wind carried a heavy scent of earth.
Twelve Armored Demonic Lizards, each over three meters long, completely blocked the path of retreat.
Their back scales were a dull iron-gray, emitting ripples of magic power.
Not only were these beasts thick-skinned and tough, but they could also spit corrosive acid.
“Hey, Aether!
How much longer are you going to dawdle!” Laxus stood on a giant boulder, arms crossed over his chest.
Golden electric currents snaked along his arms, letting out ear-piercing crackles.
The boy, barely over ten years old, had a face full of impatience, but his feet didn’t move an inch.
Aether stood directly in front of the lizard pack.
He didn’t draw his sword.
“What’s the rush,” Aether spoke, his voice not loud.
“I’m calculating the distance.” “Calculate my ass!
Just blast them to pieces and be done with it!” Laxus spat through gritted teeth.
“And then collapse the canyon, cause a rockslide, and bury the client’s caravan underneath?” Aether countered.
Laxus choked on his words.
He turned his head away and gave a cold snort.
Aether raised his right hand.
Water elements gathered in his palm.
He didn’t shape the water into an attack form, but instead threw it directly into the air.
*Splash.* A large amount of water burst in mid-air, turning into a torrential downpour that accurately covered a thirty-meter radius where the lizards were.
The armored lizards hissed irritably, shaking their bodies to try and throw off the water droplets.
But the water elements had already thoroughly soaked into the gaps between their scales.
“Laxus,” Aether lowered his hand.
“Maximum output, Lightning Bolt.” A flash of excitement crossed Laxus’s eyes.
He had been waiting for those words for a long time.
The boy leaped up, spreading his arms in mid-air.
Violent magic power compressed frantically within his body, then transformed into a thick pillar of lightning over a meter in diameter, striking directly at the center of the lizard pack.
“Thunder Pressure Surge!” The lightning struck the puddles on the ground.
It wasn’t simple penetration.
The moment the lightning element touched the water element, a violent “electro-charged” reaction occurred.
Golden currents followed the standing water on the ground and the droplets on the lizards, conducting frantically at a geometric rate.
The twelve armored lizards let out shrill screams simultaneously.
The lightning ignored their hard physical shells and bored directly into their bodies along the water flow, destroying their nervous systems.
Three seconds later, the lightning faded.
All twelve giant lizards were overturned on the ground, limbs twitching and mouths foaming, with the smell of scorched meat filling the air.
Not one was dead, but not one could stand up either.
The surrounding rock walls were perfectly intact.
The client’s caravan, stopped a hundred meters away, was completely unharmed.
Aether brushed the dust off his hands.
“Done.
Go inform the caravan they can pass.” Laxus landed on the ground, looking at the lizards scattered about and then at his own hands.
He knew the power of his strike just now very well.
Normally, it would have killed three or four at most, while the rest would have escaped or gone berserk due to the dissipation of the lightning.
But with Aether’s water, the power was forced to spread evenly and was amplified.
“Playing like this…
it’s really underhanded,” Laxus curled his lip.
“It’s called efficiency,” Aether turned to walk toward the caravan.
“Let’s go, time to head back and turn in the quest.” Paimon floated back and forth in the air, hands on hips.
“Exactly!
Laxus, you muscle-head who only knows how to discharge electricity, what do you know!
This is called wisdom!” Laxus couldn’t see Paimon; he only saw Aether nod at the air and then stride away.
He scratched his golden hair and quickly followed.
Three days later, Magnolia, the Fairy Tail Guild.
*Bang.* The guild’s main doors were pushed open.
The noisy chatter in the hall paused for a second, then erupted into even louder cheers.
“Yo!
Aether!
Laxus!
You’re back!” Wakaba raised his glass.
Macao leaned in.
“This time you took an A-rank subjugation quest.
Well?
Those armored lizards were a handful, weren’t they?” Laxus walked straight to the bar, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
“Vulnerable.” Aether walked to the counter and handed over a stamped request form.
Makarov was sitting on the bar.
The old man took the request form, his gaze sweeping over it.
His hands suddenly began to tremble.
Not from fear, but from excitement.
Objective: Subjugate twelve armored lizards, escort the caravan through the canyon.
Status: Perfect completion.
Additional Remarks: Zero loss of caravan cargo, zero damage to canyon terrain, zero casualties.
At the very bottom, the client had written a line in large red letters: [This is the most professional and disciplined Mage we have ever seen!
Highly recommended!] Makarov took a deep breath, tears streaming down from the corners of his eyes.
“Master, are you alright?” Aether asked.
“Aether…” Makarov grabbed Aether’s hand, his voice choking up.
“You are truly the guild’s savior!” In the entire Fairy Tail, except for that monster Gildarts who literally crashes through towns and splits them in half, no one else ever considers the setting when doing quests.
Catching a thief could burn down an entire street; fighting a bandit could level a hilltop.
Every month, the guild receives more letters of complaint and compensation bills than request forms.
In the few months since Aether joined the guild, he had taken over a dozen quests, from C-rank to A-rank.
Not a single compensation bill.
Not a single complaint.
He even managed to achieve “zero destruction” while bringing along that hot-tempered Laxus.
This was a miracle.
“Gramps, you’re exaggerating,” Laxus took a sip of juice.
“They were just a few minor quests.” Makarov ignored his grandson.
He wiped his tears and jumped down from the bar, his expression turning serious.
“Aether, come with me tomorrow.” Aether was stunned for a moment.
“Where to?” “Crocus,” Makarov said with his hands behind his back.
“The routine regional guild masters’ conference.
You’re coming with me.” The hall fell silent instantly.
The pipe in Wakaba’s mouth fell onto the table.
Macao’s eyes widened.
“The masters’ conference?” Macao swallowed hard.
“Isn’t that a place where only the Master and the top Mages of the guild can go?” Laxus whipped his head around, staring fixedly at Makarov.
“Gramps!
You’re taking him?
He’s only been in the guild for a few months!
Why aren’t you taking me!” “Because if you go, you’ll just smash their tables with lightning!” Makarov glared at Laxus.
“Aether acts with propriety and logic.
I’m taking him to show those old fogies from other guilds that our Fairy Tail also has sensible and outstanding young people!” Laxus grit his teeth, his fists clenched so hard his knuckles cracked.
He glared intensely at Aether.
Aether didn’t back down, meeting Laxus’s gaze.
“Next quest, you take command.
If you can achieve zero destruction, you can go in my place for the next conference.” Laxus’s fists relaxed.
He gave a cold snort and turned to walk to the second floor.
“You said it.
Don’t go back on your word.” Makarov looked at his grandson’s back and nodded with satisfaction.
Aether could not only control the destruction rate of quests but also suppress Laxus’s temper.
This kid was simply a treasure.
“Go pack your bags,” Makarov turned to Aether.
“See you at the train station tomorrow morning.” Early next morning.
On the Magic Train bound for the capital, Crocus.
The carriage was quiet.
Makarov sat by the window, watching the scenery recede.
Aether sat opposite him, eyes closed, resting.
Paimon was leaning against the window, pointing excitedly at the mountains and rivers outside.
“Aether,” Makarov suddenly spoke.
Aether opened his eyes.
“This conference is mainly for a few old friends to get together and exchange recent intel,” Makarov stroked his beard.
“Godman of Four Hound Dogs, Bob of Blue Pegasus.
They are all old acquaintances of mine.” Aether nodded.
He knew those names.
“However,” Makarov’s tone shifted, “old friends are old friends, but competition between guilds is constant.
Every time we meet, everyone brings the most outstanding newcomer from their guild.
It’s common to have a little spar.” Makarov looked at Aether.
“Do you understand what I mean?” “I understand,” Aether said calmly.
“Don’t go looking for trouble, but don’t be afraid of it either.
If someone provokes us, hit back.
As long as no one dies and the venue isn’t destroyed, it’s fine.” Makarov burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!
Yes!
That’s exactly it!
Go all out, and I’ll take responsibility for whatever happens!”