“Elfman, what is your magic?”
At the agreed-upon time.
Both Edward and Elfman appeared punctually; the two didn’t waste time on pleasantries when they met.
However, they started chatting while on the road.
Edward vaguely remembered him being like the Zoan-type Devil Fruit users in One Piece.
But he didn’t know the exact principle behind it.
It was just like how there were many fire users.
The Mera Mera no Mi, Big Mom’s Prometheus, and Kaido’s Boro Breath all involved breathing fire.
Yet they were Logia, Paramecia, and Zoan abilities respectively.
“It’s Take Over magic.”
Elfman said, scratching his cheek sheepishly.
“But I’m not as good at it as my big sister and Lisanna.”
“Right now, I can only manage Partial Take Overs.”
As he spoke.
Elfman’s right arm transformed into a bear’s claw under the glow of a magic circle.
“Take Over? Is it like soul possession?”
Since this was a world of magic, Edward immediately thought of Druids.
They were the ones who gained the ability to borrow the power of beast souls through their faith.
“No, it’s not.”
Elfman shook his head.
“That’s Nab’s magic.”
“Oh…”
Edward nodded, only half-understanding.
He just felt that Nab’s magic suited his outfit quite well; he really was like a tribal chief.
“Take Over magic… is a magic that seizes the bodies of others.”
“Seize?”
No matter how you looked at it, that word didn’t sound like anything good.
And perhaps because he now had Pokémon, the first thing he thought of was actually Team Rocket.
Not that trio, but the real Team Rocket.
“I’m sorry.”
“Ah? What’s wrong?”
Elfman’s sudden apology left Edward confused and a bit flustered.
“Does my magic make you feel uncomfortable?”
“No.”
Edward really hadn’t associated it with him that way, but Elfman seemed certain of it, smiling bitterly.
“I can understand.”
Understand what?
Elfman clearly had some issues weighing on him.
However, seeing that he didn’t elaborate and that they weren’t that close, Edward didn’t press further.
The road ahead was still long.
…
Dandelion Village.
This was the destination for Edward and Elfman’s mission.
It was located right next to Magnolia.
The village made its living through farming.
Because the soil was fertile and they had magical farming tools.
With bountiful harvests every year, even though it was a village, their lives could be described as affluent.
So whenever they had problems, they were never stingy about hiring Mages for help.
They could be considered a steady client for Fairy Tail.
From pest control to farm work, transportation, and even processing.
Whenever they were too busy, they would hire Mages from Fairy Tail to help.
“Hello, is anyone home?”
Following the directions from a villager, Edward and Elfman arrived at the village chief’s house.
After knocking on the door and calling out, the two stepped back and waited quietly.
They didn’t have to wait long.
The door opened.
It was a cute young girl with a few freckles on her face and chestnut-colored braided pigtails.
She looked about fifteen or sixteen, radiating youthful vitality.
The village chief’s granddaughter, I guess, Edward thought.
But a second later.
“Hubby, the Mages from Fairy Tail are here.”
The girl turned her slender neck and shouted inside.
Edward saw a thin white ribbon connecting to the straw hat on her back.
But that wasn’t important.
“Elfman, what’s the emergency number here?!”
“Ah?”
Elfman was baffled.
“I mean, who do you call when someone breaks the law?”
“Break the law? Who’s breaking the law? You can just talk to me.”
“It’s you! Hello there!”
Looking at the man who hurriedly walked out—a very simple-looking young man, about 18 or 19.
Edward quickly nodded in greeting.
My mind is too narrow!
He had forgotten that this was no longer his original world!
“Oh, hello. Right, you just said…”
“Yes! We are the Mages from Fairy Tail.”
Edward extended his left hand.
The red and white Fairy Tail emblem on his palm was very clear.
At the same time, Edward nudged Elfman with his shoulder.
Forcing the senior, who was acting like a total rookie, to hurriedly roll up the sleeve of his small suit, revealing the guild mark stamped on his left forearm.
“Oh, hello…”
Being interrupted like this, the village chief indeed forgot the previous little episode and responded blankly.
Dodged a bullet~
…
“First time seeing you. Are you newcomers to the guild?”
The scene shifted.
Edward and the other were invited into the house.
After the village chief’s wife served tea to the three of them, she skipped out the door to work.
The village chief, meanwhile, showed a familiarity with Fairy Tail and asked kindly.
“Yes.”
Edward held the teacup with both hands and nodded.
Regardless of the season, the feeling of warmth in one’s hands was always great, especially now that the weather was starting to turn cold.
“Just asking, but none of you use fire magic, right?”
“Of course, it would be best if ice magic and sword magic weren’t used either.”
Edward:???
“May I ask if Natsu…”
“Hahaha—”
Hearing that name, the village chief suddenly laughed heartily, making Edward feel a bit creeped out.
Just as he was wondering if he should laugh along, the village chief’s smile abruptly vanished.
He leaned forward, half his face covered in shadow, looking very serious.
“You don’t, right!”
“N-no, neither of us use elemental magic.”
Edward leaned back, a large bead of cold sweat hanging on his forehead.
“That’s good, that’s good.”
He smiled.
“If the crops are damaged again, the villagers will kill me.”
Edward:…
Natsu, Gray, and…
Erza!
What on earth did you guys do here?!
But it really lived up to being a’starter village’.
Even with such psychological trauma, they still continued to give the guild tasks.
That’s true love.
…
Mission revealed!
Edward’s first time was actually just a simple task of driving away wild animals that were harming the crops.
And there were absolutely no hidden plots just because the protagonist had joined.
No conspiracies, no schemes, no masterminds behind the scenes—none of that.
It was just the season.
Wild rabbits, wild boars, wild monkeys, and some migratory birds were overrunning the place.
So they needed to be cleared out.
Such missions were posted almost two or three times every year.
Just as Edward had guessed.
Gray, Erza, and Natsu had all done it before.
And the results were half a fish pond frozen solid.
A whole field of wheat shaved into a buzz cut.
And an entire orchard simply being blown sky-high.
Edward:…
He once again confirmed the village’s love for the guild.
And he decided that he must complete the mission perfectly to restore some of the guild’s image.
“I choose you, Kirlia!”
“Kirl~”
Onix definitely couldn’t be used.
With the village chief in this paranoid state.
A single roll from Onix could turn the fields back to their pre-plowed state, which would cause him a nervous breakdown.
As for Tyrogue…
Being a Fighting-type, it obviously wouldn’t be the first choice in this situation.
“Kirlia, use Confusion!”
“Kirl~”
Elfman could not only only use Partial Take Overs.
He could also only Take Over his arm.
Edward initially thought he wanted to do this mission because he was good at tracking and hunting.
Like taking over a hound’s nose or an eagle’s talons.
Turns out he couldn’t do that at all.
But fortunately, he understood the habits of these animals very well.
So Elfman acted like a zoologist rather than a Mage.
Using tracks, fur, and even droppings, he led Edward to a nest of monkeys…
Squeak!
Squeak!
Looking ahead.
Hundreds of red-bottomed wild monkeys were either standing or hanging from the treetops, glaring at the uninvited guests on the ground.
They bared their teeth and let out piercing screeches.
Seeing this, the corner of Edward’s mouth curled up.
It’s fate, my Emei cousins.
To think we’d meet again here to continue our destiny!