Early morning, at the guild’s first-floor hall.
There weren’t many people.
Makarov sat at the bar, a cup of hot tea in his hand.
Aether walked down the stairs, went straight to Makarov’s side, pulled out a barstool, and sat down.
“Master,” Aether spoke.
Makarov swallowed his tea and turned to look at him.
“I want to learn blacksmithing,” Aether said.
Makarov’s hand paused mid-air.
He set the teacup down and studied Aether’s face seriously.
“You are a Mage,” Makarov reminded him.
“I know.
But I need to forge my own magic weapons.
My magic is quite unique; off-the-shelf products don’t suit me.” Aether’s tone was steady, offering no further explanation.
Although weapons from the system could be forged by others, it was always better to do it himself.
Moreover, if he pulled a five-star weapon later, Aether could use being a blacksmith as an excuse to gloss it over.
“Furthermore, while most people in the guild fight barehanded, the future Erza is a weapon master.
When the time comes, I’ll arrange for her to have the Aquila Favonia or the Skyward Blade,” Aether thought silently to himself.
Makarov stroked the stubble on his chin.
He didn’t press further.
Fairy Tail never lacked people with secrets.
“There’s a blacksmith shop at the east end of town.
The owner’s name is Ridasu.
He has a foul temper, but his craftsmanship is the best in Magnolia.” Makarov took a pen and paper from the bar, scribbled a line, stamped it with the guild seal, and handed it to Aether.
“Take this to him.
He owes me a favor; he’ll teach you the basics.” Aether took the note and tucked it away.
“Second thing.” Aether looked directly into Makarov’s eyes.
“I need to improve my physical fitness and total magic capacity.
The faster, the better.” Makarov smiled.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip.
“It’s good for young people to have drive.
But there are no shortcuts for physical fitness and magic; there is only training.” Makarov’s gaze went past Aether’s shoulder toward the stairs.
“Just in time, your training partner has arrived.” Aether turned around.
Laxus walked down the stairs yawning.
His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and his face was written all over with morning grumpiness.
“Gramps, why’d you call me up so early?” Laxus grumbled dissatisfiedly.
“To train the newcomer.” Makarov pointed at Aether.
“From today on, his physical training and basic combat are under your charge.” Laxus’s sleepiness vanished instantly.
He stared wide-eyed at Aether, then looked back at Makarov.
“You’ve got to be kidding!
I’m not taking on a dead weight!” Laxus raised his voice.
“Yesterday, he struggled to even squeeze out a spark.
Sparring with him is a pure waste of my time!” Makarov remained unmoved.
“This is a guild mission.
There is a Reward for completion.” Laxus gritted his teeth.
He glared intensely at Aether.
Aether stared back expressionlessly.
“Fine.” Laxus squeezed the word through his teeth.
He turned toward the guild entrance.
“Keep up.
Don’t blame me if you die.” Aether stood up and followed him out.
The woods on the east side of Magnolia.
The morning dew hadn’t dried yet.
There was a chill in the air.
Laxus leaned against a thick oak tree, with two rocks the size of an adult’s head at his feet.
“Tie them to your legs.” Laxus jerked his chin.
“Run twenty laps around the perimeter of the woods.
If you don’t finish, no food today.” Aether walked over and used vines to tie the rocks to his calves.
The stones were heavy.
Once tied, he tried taking two steps, and his thigh muscles immediately felt a dull ache.
Laxus let out a cold laugh, waiting to see Aether make a fool of himself.
Aether took a deep breath and started running.
First lap, heavy footsteps.
Second lap, rapid breathing.
Third lap, sweat soaked through his back.
This body was too weak.
But Bennett’s memories were coming into play.
Teyvat’s unluckiest Adventurer had escaped from desperate situations countless times, long ago carving into his instincts how to distribute stamina and adjust breathing.
Aether closed his eyes, feeling that unique breathing rhythm in his mind.
Exhale for two steps, inhale for two steps.
Keep the center of gravity low, use the waist to drive the legs, and reduce wear on the knees.
Fifth lap.
Aether’s pace was no longer disorganized; instead, it exuded a strange sense of rhythm.
Laxus, leaning against the tree, saw the cold sneer on his lips gradually fade.
He stood up straight, his brow furrowing.
He had thought Aether wouldn’t last three laps before collapsing and begging for mercy.
But now, while the newcomer’s speed wasn’t fast, it was exceptionally stable.
That kind of footwork and breathing method was definitely not something a novice could master.
“Interesting,” Laxus muttered to himself.
Two hours later.
Aether finished the twentieth lap and stopped in front of Laxus.
He leaned over with hands on his knees, gasping for air.
Sweat dripped from his chin onto the grass.
His thigh muscles were spasming uncontrollably.
But he did not fall.
Laxus looked at him, a flicker of complex emotion in his eyes.
“Stamina barely counts as a pass.” Laxus looked away, his tone still harsh.
“Next is actual combat.
I won’t use my full strength; if you can touch me once, you win.” Aether straightened his back.
He shook his arms to disperse the muscle soreness.
“Okay,” Aether said.
Laxus raised his right hand.
Golden electrical arcs danced at his fingertips, making a crackling sound.
“Catch this!” Laxus flicked his hand, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a wrist shot straight for Aether’s face.
It was incredibly fast.
Aether did not retreat.
Bennett’s combat instincts instantly took over his body.
Aether pivoted on his left foot, his body dodging the lightning at an extremely tricky angle.
The high temperature of the electrical arc singed a few strands of hair by his ear.
The moment he dodged the lightning, Aether pushed off with his right foot, charging at Laxus like an arrow from a bow.
So fast!
Laxus’s pupils contracted.
He hadn’t expected Aether to still be capable of such an explosion of speed after exhausting his stamina.
Laxus waved his left hand, sending another bolt of lightning to block Aether’s path.
This time, Aether had no way to dodge.
He raised his right hand.
Magic power gathered in his palm.
A ball of fire the size of a fist suddenly burst out, meeting the lightning bolt.
Laxus sneered.
In the common sense of the Fairy Tail world, magic clashes were decided by the intensity of magic power.
Aether’s fire was so weak it would be swallowed by the lightning in an instant.
The next second.
The fire and lightning collided.
There was no swallowing.
No mutual cancellation.
“Boom!” A deafening roar exploded in the woods.
Blinding red and white light, mixed with a powerful shockwave, swept across the surroundings.
The turf was ripped from the ground, and soil splattered everywhere.
Laxus was completely unprepared for an explosion of this level.
He was pushed back three or four steps by the shockwave, only stopping when his back hit the oak tree.
A charred hole was blown into his coat, and his face was covered in dust.
Aether was also knocked to the ground by the reaction force, rolling twice before stabilizing himself.
A deathly silence fell over the woods.
Only the scorched grass was emitting white smoke.
Laxus was stunned.
He looked down at his charred clothes, then up at Aether in the distance.
“What did you do?” Laxus’s voice carried disbelief.
Aether climbed up from the ground and brushed off the grass clippings.
He looked at his slightly numb right hand, his heart racing.
Overloaded.
The rules of elemental reactions on the continent of Teyvat.
When the Pyro element contacts the Electro element, it triggers a violent explosion, dealing AoE DMG and producing a strong knockback effect.
In this world, a Mage’s magic usually followed the rule of magic power strength.
When fire met lightning, whoever had more magic power won.
But Aether’s magic carried the underlying logic of Teyvat.
As long as elements met, a reaction would occur.
It ignored part of the opponent’s magic defense and forcibly triggered the rule’s effect.
“Just a little trick.” Aether looked up at Laxus.
Laxus’s face turned beet red.
He felt like he had been played.
A newcomer with such pitiful magic power had actually made him suffer a loss.
“You’re dead!” Laxus roared, blinding lightning lighting up both his hands.
The surrounding air began to distort, and the violent magic power made it hard for people to breathe.
He was getting serious.
Aether tensed his nerves, preparing for the impact.
Thump.
A hand suddenly pressed down on top of Laxus’s head.
The violent lightning was extinguished instantly.
Makarov had appeared behind Laxus at some point, still holding the note written for the blacksmith.
“Training ends here.” Makarov held Laxus in place, but his gaze was on Aether and the scorched patch of grass.
A strange light flickered in the old man’s eyes.
He had lived for many years and seen countless types of magic, but he had never seen an explosion that defied common sense like the one just now.
“Master.” Aether stood up straight.
“Go to the east end of town.” Makarov withdrew his gaze.
“Take this note.
I’ve already spoken to Ridasu.”