Ron raised an eyebrow, picked up the request sheet from the table, and read it carefully.
Once he finished, he was even more confused.
It was only a C-Class job.
Why had Laxus come looking for him?
Laxus maintained his usual cold expression, though sweat had begun forming on his forehead.
Ron’s silence and unwavering stare were making him increasingly uncomfortable.
Unable to endure the atmosphere any longer, Laxus finally turned to face him properly.
“The old man said a Beast King has been sighted near the job site, so he’s forcing me to bring a partner.”
Afraid Ron might refuse, he hurriedly sweetened the offer.
“Just come along with me.
Once we arrive, I’ll handle everything.
All you need to do is be there.”
“I’ll take care of the monsters, and you can have twenty percent of the reward.
How does that sound?”
Ron finally understood.
“No.
Find someone else.”
He rejected the offer without a second of hesitation.
Was Laxus joking?
There was a Beast King wandering around nearby, yet he expected Ron to accompany him on a long trip?
Ron had only recently finished preparing the most important parts of the theatre troupe’s reopening.
He still needed to draw several adorable mascots to attract an audience and accumulate Popularity Points.
He was busy drawing his Pokémon.
Laxus could stop interrupting him.
Laxus froze, never expecting such an immediate refusal.
Now genuinely anxious, he quickly asked, “What will it take for you to agree?”
Seeing that he still refused to give up, Ron raised one hand and spread all five fingers.
“I’d need at least half the reward.
Otherwise, the trip wouldn’t be worth my time.”
Laxus’s eyes widened as several veins bulged across his forehead.
“You’re doing nothing and still want half?
How is that fair to me?”
Ron merely spread his hands, looking utterly unconcerned.
“Forget it, then.
I’m not going.”
He began rising from his seat, intending to find somewhere else to continue drawing.
“Wait!”
Laxus clenched his fists as he stared at Ron’s indifferent expression.
There truly was no one else his age he could ask, and he absolutely refused to travel with an adult.
At last, he ground his teeth and forced out the words.
“Fine!
Half it is!
“But once we arrive, you stay in the safe area and don’t move!”
“Sure.
I’ll go with you.”
Ron smiled and nodded.
Since Laxus was so determined to hand him free money, he might as well accompany him.
At that moment, Makarov entered through the guild doors with a weary sigh and a deep frown.
The instant Laxus saw him, he hurried over.
Assuming his grandson had come to argue again, Makarov straightened his back.
“I already told you, find someone to form a team—”
“I found someone.
Are you satisfied now?”
Laxus cut him off and thrust the request sheet into his hand.
Makarov blinked.
He had only just arrived, yet Laxus had already secured a partner.
His relief lasted only until he saw Ron approaching with several drawings tucked under one arm.
Makarov sucked in a sharp breath.
“Don’t tell me…”
His eyes widened.
He never would have imagined that Laxus had chosen Ron as his teammate!
Ron smiled and nodded in confirmation.
“That’s right.
He asked me to join him.”
Makarov hesitated.
Under ordinary circumstances, he would never have allowed two children to travel out there alone.
Unfortunately, he had already promised to approve the job as long as Laxus found a partner, so backing out now would be difficult.
Laxus was still angry.
If Makarov refused him again, the boy might simply sneak away and complete the job alone.
Besides, seeing that the partner was Ron left Makarov strangely curious.
Ron was far too shrewd to accept something like this without considering the danger.
What exactly was he planning?
When Makarov did not immediately take the request sheet, Laxus urged him impatiently.
“Hurry up and approve it.
You promised.”
Ron placed a hand on Laxus’s arm and stepped closer to Makarov.
“Don’t worry, Master.
We’ll be careful.”
Seeing Laxus’s determination and Ron’s complete composure, Makarov finally nodded.
“All right.
You may go, but keep yourselves safe.”
Laxus released a breath of relief.
Ron patted him on the shoulder.
“By the way, you still haven’t told me how we’re getting there.”
Laxus thought for a moment.
“I’ll make the arrangements.
Let’s meet here in the guild hall tomorrow morning.”
“Works for me.
I need time to prepare too.”
Since they were not leaving immediately, Ron readily agreed.
Once the simple arrangements were settled, Laxus turned and strode out of the hall without looking back.
Ron then addressed Makarov.
“In that case, I’ll head home for today, Master.”
He pointed toward Laxus’s retreating figure, then leaned closer and lowered his voice.
“Don’t worry.
Since I’m going with him, both of us will come back safely.”
With that, Ron grabbed his drawings and hurried away, leaving Makarov behind with a complicated expression.
Ron strolled leisurely through the streets until he reached his house.
He was in such a good mood not only because Laxus had practically offered him free money, but also because the B-rank character card he had been saving finally had a chance to shine.
Over the past two months, Ron had naturally portrayed many different characters.
Unfortunately, his luck had been rather poor.
Most of his draws had been D- or C-rank cards, while the rest were minor background characters whose roleplay completion was nearly impossible to raise.
He had not drawn a single character capable of creating clones, either.
Life was hard!
Even the B-rank card he had drawn earlier had gone unused because its abilities were far too destructive to unleash inside Magnolia.
Ron intended to grow quietly.
If he attracted the Magic Council’s attention before he was strong enough to protect himself, reopening the Pure White Theatre Troupe safely would become impossible.
Now that Laxus’s job required them to travel far from town, however, this was the perfect opportunity to use the card.
Ron placed his Pokémon concept art inside a desk drawer, then opened the [Multiversal Item Storage].
Thanks to his efforts over the past two months, it now held a sizable collection of items and Skill Cards from other worlds.
It also contained several unused character cards he had either lacked the opportunity or the proper setting to portray, allowing him to retrieve them whenever the right moment arrived.
At last, he found the B-rank card he needed.
[Naruto — Deidara]
As Ron stared at the character’s name, anticipation gradually spread across his face.
“I refuse to believe my art can’t handle a few C-Class monsters!”