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🕑 Added 2025-08-17 15:50:51 +0000 UTCChapter 346: Urgent! How Should a Mage Allocate Their Stats?
Makarov’s approach to managing the younger generation of the guild is all about encouragement and freedom, because “Fairy Tail” is meant to be a place that isn’t defined by others.
That’s something etched into the very roots of the Fairy Tail guild. The guild has always encouraged its members to fiercely pursue their own paths.
All extraordinary power comes from ordinary principles. Magic isn’t some miraculous force—it’s deeply tied to the human self.
Magic is the manifestation of the harmony between the airflow within the human body and the natural airflow of the world. It’s the result of channeling your mental focus and concentration, pouring your entire soul into it until it blooms.
If you worry too much about what others think, you’ll never advance in the ways of magic.
Connect with nature, stay focused on your own path, and charge forward with unwavering belief in your own way—that’s the kind of mage a Fairy Tail member should be.
From the moment it was founded, Fairy Tail has been a unique, unconventional guild. The founders’ ideals and principles set that foundation.
“Do fairies even have tails? Do fairies even exist? No one knows.”
The name of the guild itself represents the unknown and the spirit of adventure.
“That’s so… fairy-tale-like,” Riku mused, sipping his drink.
In another world, Fairy Tail would probably be labeled a dark guild with this kind of mindset. At first glance, their philosophy sounds like it’s all about doing whatever you want, as long as it’s what you believe in. Isn’t that how you refine your magic? Sounds like black magic to me!
It reminded Riku of an organization called Zensei—when they went down the wrong path, they had a similar vibe.
But despite how headache-inducing this philosophy might seem, like some kind of “extreme self-centered” dark guild, the truth is that everyone in Fairy Tail is actually pretty great. That’s why Riku called it “fairy-tale-like.”
Their so-called “doing whatever they want” usually just means wrecking public property during missions. In fact, they tend to destroy more than they protect while on jobs.
That’s why Fairy Tail gets so much flak and is constantly being investigated and held accountable by the Magic Council.
But that’s about the extent of it. They’re honestly good people. They’d never harm the innocent, and countless people have been protected by Fairy Tail. That’s why the guild’s reputation in Fiore is mixed, not universally hated.
No matter how you look at it, this is no dark guild.
“No need for a test, Riku. Just join the guild already!” Makarov said after a brief chat, acting like he and Riku were old friends who’d just reunited. He was ready to welcome him into Fairy Tail on the spot.
“Isn’t that a bit… hasty?” Riku hesitated. Seriously? The guild master himself is opening the back door?
“Don’t sweat it. Our tests are pretty casual anyway. As long as your personality fits, nothing else matters,” Makarov said with a hearty laugh, waving off the concern like it was no big deal.
“You trust me that much? You already know what I’m like?” Riku asked, surprised. Was his charm stat that high now? Hadn’t Makarov resisted it earlier?
And if Riku remembered correctly, Makarov didn’t have any mind-reading abilities. The short, old guild master was more of a muscle-bound beast, a mage who maxed out strength and speed, specializing in body transformation and light magic.
“Don’t underestimate my ability to read people,” Makarov said with a smug, knowing look, practically saying, I’ve seen more people than you’ve eaten grains of rice.
At first, Riku thought it was odd, but then it made sense. This guy was one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and among the top ranks at that. A “top ten server-wide” powerhouse like him having this kind of confidence was only natural. Even if something went wrong, he’d be sure he could handle it.
Maybe the only thing Makarov found tough was his family drama—his son and grandson were a mess, the kind of thing even a great leader struggles to fix.
Plus, Fairy Tail was a professional guild, handling all sorts of mission requests. If you took a job and couldn’t complete it, that was on you. Any damage you caused? You’d have to pay for it yourself.
Fairy Tail offered its members tons of support, but its hands-off, “pursue your own path” management style also meant you were responsible for cleaning up your own messes. No one could cause trouble and just walk away.
“I’ve never joined another guild before. Do I need to register as a mage with the Magic Council or something?” Riku didn’t outright refuse Makarov’s offer—joining sounded fine—but he was a “black account” with no official record. Would that cause issues?
“I get it,” Makarov said, catching on instantly, almost supernaturally fast. He didn’t even need Riku to explain further.
You could only say that Makarov had seen it all—strange people, strange situations. A random unregistered mage popping up? That was just another Tuesday in Fairy Tail. Even otherworldly visitors weren’t that rare.
Fairy Tail was a magnet for all kinds of talent.
Makarov wasn’t fazed. He could tell Riku wasn’t local, probably not even from Fiore, and maybe not even from this world. The odds of a mage living in Magnolia or the Fiore Kingdom without being registered were next to zero.
Magic was huge in Fiore, and the regulations were tight. The Magic Council wasn’t just sitting around eating rice.
The Magic Council was the organization that kept mages in check, making sure they didn’t harm regular folks. The relationship between mages and non-mages had normalized over time—no one wanted to go back to the days when mages were hunted down. So everyone played by the rules.
Back in the day, mages and regular people were at each other’s throats, hurting one another. It took generations of effort to get to the relatively peaceful status quo.
The Magic Council and all legitimate mage guilds worked hard to maintain this positive relationship, cracking down on dark guilds that caused chaos.
“No need to register with the Magic Council. Just join the guild, and you’ll be officially recognized as a mage. The guild handles the paperwork, and we also do our own internal mage rankings,” Makarov explained.
The Magic Council mainly targeted dark guilds and rogue mages. For legitimate guilds like Fairy Tail, oversight was pretty lax—just some basic rules and requirements. Guilds were mostly autonomous.
“Got it,” Riku nodded. He’d seen the first season of the Fairy Tail anime, but he didn’t know all the details. He hadn’t even memorized all the guild members, just the ones who showed up a lot.
“Then no test? Should I take Riku-san to register?” Mirajane asked with a smile, looking at Makarov and Riku.
“Go ahead,” Makarov said, waving a hand. He rarely dealt with these small tasks—Mirajane usually handled them. The guild’s poster girl had a lot on her plate, but thankfully, she had plenty of help from her guildmates.
“What? That’s it? I was kinda curious about his skills,” one of the guild members muttered, disappointed. The crowd exchanged looks. Just a few words, and he’s in? Did Makarov really see that much potential in Riku?
“No rush, right? Makarov, didn’t you mention something about rankings? Why not give me a rank now?” Riku said, not following Mirajane. He was curious about this ranking system.
In Riku’s mind, mage ranks weren’t super clear. S-Class mages were the guild’s top fighters, rare and powerful. A-Class were the main combat force, while B-Class and C-Class handled most missions, forming the backbone. Regular mages? They were basically extras.
“We could do a test, but is there enough space here?” Makarov said, stroking his chin. He could sense the immense power within Riku—not influenced by charm, just pure instinct.
“No problem. Just a little show,” Riku said with a grin. He didn’t need to show off destructive power to be confident he’d hit S-Class. S-Class mages varied in strength, and for Riku, the bar wasn’t that high. Some basic abilities would do.
With a wave of his hand, Riku activated various Teigu. There was a huge lake behind the Fairy Tail guild, and under the control of [Suiryū Hyōi: Black Marlin], the entire lake’s water began to ripple. Then, in a stunning display, the whole lake’s water floated into the air.
“Whoa, whoa, stop!” a guild member shouted in panic. That lake was massive! If all that water came crashing down, it wouldn’t just wreck the guild—half of Magnolia’s city center would be done for!
“Relax,” Riku said with a smirk. The water gently returned to the lake, not a single drop spilling elsewhere.
Manipulating that much water was impressive, but Riku’s terrifying precision and control were what really shocked everyone. Makarov realized it instantly—these were on completely different levels.
“Is that water Modeling Magic?” someone asked, naturally assuming it was a type of Modeling Magic.
But the weird thing was, Riku hadn’t used magic to create the water, and there wasn’t even a trace of magical energy coming from him. Even manipulating existing water should require magic!
Buzz!
Riku didn’t respond. Instead, he activated another Teigu: [Akki Zenshin: Operation Armor]. A sleek red-and-white armor instantly covered his body, and he held the spear Red-Backed Shrike in his hand.
[Akki Zenshin: Operation Armor] was a Teigu made from the ferocious dragon-like Danger Beast, Tyrant. Like [Gokoku Kishin: Supreme Throne], it was a semi-biological Teigu that put immense strain on the user. Normal people would die just wearing it, and even strong users risked dragonification—turning into a monster—if they used it too long.
Then Riku switched to another Teigu, this time in a blue color scheme: [Shura Keshin: Noble Chariot]. These two Teigu were part of the same series.
[Shura Keshin: Noble Chariot] was an improved version of [Akki Zenshin: Operation Armor]. It had better performance, eliminating the dragonification risk and high physical toll, but it also lost the invisibility and infinite evolution abilities.
It was a trade-off. [Akki Zenshin: Operation Armor] could evolve to counter different enemies, theoretically allowing infinite growth as long as the user kept improving. This came from Tyrant’s natural ability to survive in any harsh environment, a trait that remained even after being crafted into a Teigu. It could adapt to anything—even time-stopping effects.
“Is that Requip Magic?” the guild members gasped, seeing [Akki Zenshin: Operation Armor] and [Shura Keshin: Noble Chariot].
Requip Magic allowed users to summon pre-stored weapons or armor from another space, enhancing their abilities. Erza Scarlet, the Fairy Queen and one of Fairy Tail’s S-Class mages, was a master of this magic.
It sounded a bit absurd, like something out of a dress-up game, but with Erza as proof, no one dared call it weak. There’s no weak magic—only weak mages. If your strength and speed stats aren’t at least A-rank, do you even deserve to call yourself a mage?
Under the guild’s watchful eyes, Riku kept showcasing ability after ability, leaving everyone speechless with awe.
Chapter 347: What Kind of Wizard Are You?
Boom!
Dark clouds rolled in, thunder roared, and the chill of ice spread through the air. A fierce wind whipped up, transforming the clear, sunny sky into something apocalyptic in an instant.
This sudden shift in the weather was shocking, to say the least. After all, it was caused by a person—something unheard of.
“What kind of magic is that?”
Even the seasoned Makarov was a bit dumbfounded. Seriously, buddy, isn’t your magic a bit too much? How does it have everything? Are you pulling off combo moves all by yourself?
In the world of Fairy Tail, magic could be learned through study, but talent played a huge role. There was even a concept of “magic awakening,” where a person’s innate magical talent would surface. Typically, the type of magic someone awakened was the one they’d specialize in.
In other words, the saying “follow your heart” held a lot of truth. The awakening of magic was deeply tied to one’s heart, and pursuing a path you were naturally suited for made progress much faster.
As a result, most wizards focused on mastering a single type of magic. They could learn other types, but it was slow and inefficient—not worth the effort compared to specializing. If they did pick up other magic, it was usually just for support.
But someone like Riku? He was a jack-of-all-trades on steroids. Just casually showing off, he’d already displayed multiple types of magic, each with impressive power. It was absurdly versatile.
“That’s insane!”
The guild members gasped in awe. This kind of strength was more than enough to qualify as an S-Class wizard. Everyone wondered if Makarov would just hand Riku an S-Class rank on the spot.
Normally, to become an S-Class wizard, you had to pass a promotion trial. During the trial, existing S-Class wizards would show up to cause trouble. Fighting an S-Class wizard was a key part of the test, though most participants couldn’t hope to match them. The S-Class wizards didn’t go all out either—they were just testing the candidate’s strength. This was especially true in Fairy Tail, where the S-Class wizards were ridiculously strong, far surpassing those of other guilds.
In other words, Fairy Tail’s S-Class wizards were S-Class because that was the highest rank available. The “Ten Wizard Saints” title was limited to ten spots, mostly held by older wizards, and younger ones didn’t yet qualify. But some top-tier S-Class wizards were just as strong—if not stronger—than the Ten Wizard Saints.
Even so, Riku’s display of power earned nods of approval from everyone, even those used to Fairy Tail’s monstrous S-Class wizards. He was undeniably S-Class material for the guild.
“Let’s fight!”
Amid the gasps of amazement, a bold voice rang out. Gray, who’d been standing off to the side, jumped forward.
This dark-haired guy, Gray Fullbuster, had just been sparring with Natsu earlier. His face lit up with excitement, clearly thrilled at the prospect of a strong opponent. While everyone else was stunned by Riku’s strength, Gray saw a worthy challenge.
“Uh, cough, before that, could you maybe put some clothes on?”
Riku dispelled his magic and looked at Gray, barely holding back a laugh. Seriously, nobody’s gonna say anything about this guy running around naked?
At that moment, Gray was standing there completely bare, embodying his unapologetic personality. Talk about “following your heart”—but wasn’t this a bit too carefree?
“Huh? When did that happen?!”
Gray seemed to only just notice, scrambling to put on the clothes he’d tossed aside, acting like he hadn’t been the one to strip in the first place.
“Haha, don’t mind him. Gray’s just like that—always stripping without realizing. You get used to it,” Makarov said with a chuckle.
The Fairy Tail guild was already accustomed to this. Gray didn’t do it on purpose; it was like a passive skill. In the blink of an eye, he’d shed his clothes without anyone—himself included—noticing.
Yikes.
Watching anime was one thing, but seeing it in person was another. This “skill” was a bit too wild. You couldn’t even call Gray out for it because the guy genuinely didn’t realize what he was doing.
It was a bad habit from his childhood. When Gray was learning Ice-Make magic, he often trained without clothes to feel a connection with nature, picking up this bizarre quirk. His master, Ur, was a legend in her own right—a Ten Wizard Saints-level powerhouse who trained Gray and Lyon, two exceptional students, and raised her daughter, Ultear, who was also terrifyingly strong.
You couldn’t really say Ur’s teaching methods were flawed, though the stripping side effect was… a bit much.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff! You know Ice-Make magic too, so let’s spar!”
Gray, now in pants but still shirtless, challenged Riku again. He was used to his stripping habit—it was a quirk shared by Ur’s disciples, not just him. Ur herself trained in minimal clothing, setting the example. Thankfully, her daughter Ultear didn’t pick up the habit, or that would’ve been a disaster.
“Gray, don’t just challenge people out of nowhere,” Mirajane said, stepping in to block him. Natsu and Gray loved challenging strong opponents. Every time an S-Class wizard returned to the guild, they’d both try their luck, only to get crushed—but they never stopped.
“What’s going on?! Did someone attack the guild?!”
Just as Mirajane mentioned Natsu, the pink-haired boy came rushing back in a frenzy.
Natsu looked panicked, clearly having noticed the weird weather changes. The unnatural storm had him thinking the guild was under attack.
“Natsu, calm down. We’re just testing Riku-san’s magic,” Mirajane explained.
Natsu’s eyes widened, and he stared at Riku, practically sparkling with excitement. Mirajane groaned inwardly—she knew what was coming.
“For real?! You’re that strong?! Let’s fight!”
Sure enough, Natsu, true to form, challenged Riku as well. Mirajane knew these guys too well. Natsu and Gray were battle maniacs—always training, always fighting, always challenging stronger opponents. They lived for the thrill of battle.
“…”
Riku gave a wry smile. The hot-blooded vibe hit him like a truck. Only in a shonen manga world like Fairy Tail would things escalate this fast. The classic upbeat, adrenaline-junkie protagonists were like they’d overdosed on Night City’s “chicken blood” stims.
“Hold up, Natsu! I challenged him first! Get in line!”
Before Riku could respond, Gray got mad, stepping up to Natsu and getting in his face.
“What?! Did Riku agree to fight you? Why should I wait?!”
Natsu didn’t back down, butting heads with Gray. The two were like oil and water—constantly bickering, fighting, but somehow best friends in their own weird way.
“Here we go again,” Mirajane sighed, rubbing her forehead. This was a classic scene. Natsu and Gray’s interactions always ended up like this.
“Sorry about this. Not everyone in the guild is like this,” Mirajane said to Riku, whose expression was hard to read. She tried to salvage the guild’s reputation, but with Natsu and Gray now wrestling on the ground and the other members cheering them on like it was a show, her words didn’t carry much weight.
“They’re full of energy, huh?” Makarov said with a grin, making Mirajane’s attempt even less convincing. The guild’s free-spirited vibe was all thanks to Makarov’s “hands-off” leadership.
“I think I get what Fairy Tail is all about,” Riku said to Mirajane with a smile.
Mirajane covered her face, embarrassed, feeling her inner demon itching to burst out. These guys are such a mess.
“It’s a lively guild,” Riku added. Fairy Tail was all about joy and camaraderie—a true family vibe.
“Everyone’s… pretty lively, yeah,” Mirajane admitted with a laugh. That was the perfect way to describe Fairy Tail—like one big, chaotic family.
“What’s going on?”
Amid the chaos, another figure arrived. He wore a long coat, had a muscular build, short yellow hair, a lightning bolt scar by his left eye, and a strange device on his ear—probably headphones, if Riku had to guess.
What kind of weird magical tech is this? Riku thought. The world’s technology was odd, likely due to the dominance of magic. While the tech level seemed medieval, magic-infused items like Laxus Dreyar’s headphones created a bizarre contrast.
“Laxus…”
Mirajane’s expression grew complicated as the guild members quieted down, their faces less than thrilled.
“What happened? Are you all mute now?” Laxus snapped, clearly irritated. He’d rushed over after noticing the commotion but found everyone messing around.
“It’s nothing. Just a new member showing off his magic,” Mirajane replied, ever the guild’s reliable face.
“A new member? That magic was from a new member?”
Laxus was taken aback but slightly pleased. Finally, the guild recruited someone strong instead of more dead weight.
“Hey, I’m Riku, the new guy,” Riku said, greeting the rebellious Laxus. Laxus Dreyar—Makarov’s grandson, and clearly not raised with much discipline.
“Don’t hang with weaklings. It’ll only make you weak,” Laxus said, eyeing Riku.
Even knowing Laxus’s prickly personality, Riku didn’t expect him to throw shade at the entire guild like that. It was like he’d just cussed everyone out in public.
“Laxus, watch your tone!”
Sure enough, the crowd erupted. A burly guild member stepped forward, scolding Laxus, while others backed him up.
“What? Am I wrong? Weaklings should know their place and stop dragging others down. Just quit the guild already,” Laxus doubled down, unfazed, even telling people to leave.
“Laxus!”
Makarov, who’d been silent, finally spoke up, calling his grandson’s name.
“Old man, you’re too soft!”
Laxus, in full rebel mode, turned his ire on his grandfather, stirring up a hornet’s nest. Makarov was deeply respected in the guild. Laxus could mock the members, and they’d let it slide as youthful rebellion, but dissing Makarov? That crossed a line. Even if they couldn’t beat him, everyone looked ready to teach the kid a lesson.
Natsu and Gray were especially fired up. They’d long been fed up with Laxus’s attitude, and it wasn’t just them—Laxus’s habit of looking down on everyone pissed off the whole guild.
At his young age, Laxus was already an S-Class wizard, among the strongest in the guild. Besides Makarov, probably only Gildarts, Fairy Tail’s top wizard, could confidently take him down. Strength gave Laxus his confidence, no matter where he was.
Chapter 348: Sorry, I Didn’t Make Riku-sama Go All Out
Laxus Dreyar, the Lightning Dragon Slayer Mage, wields the ancient magic known as Dragon Slayer Magic. It’s no exaggeration—this magic was literally made to take on dragons.
As an S-Class mage, Laxus is insanely powerful, especially since he uses lightning, a magic type with devastating attack power that crushes most mages with ease.
No matter the world, someone who masters lightning is never weak. That’s just a universal truth.
“Laxus, think about it. Why are you here right now?” Riku asked, his voice cutting through the rising tension. The question cooled the heated atmosphere instantly. Not only did Laxus pause to think, but the other guild members started pondering it too.
Yeah, why was Laxus here? Why did he rush back to the guild looking so on edge?
Then they remembered Natsu showing up earlier, and it clicked.
It was obvious—Laxus had rushed back because he was worried something had happened to the guild. Natsu had returned quickly because he’d only just left the guild. But Laxus wasn’t far behind, which meant one thing: he’d dropped everything and bolted back the moment he sensed trouble.
Riku’s little stunt with the sky-shaking display earlier must’ve been way too alarming, enough to rattle even Laxus. If it was just a normal attack, Laxus wouldn’t have bothered.
“…”
The guild fell silent, stunned. Laxus, the guy who always mocked everyone and acted like he was above them all, was actually just as protective of the guild as Natsu?
“Hah?! I just didn’t want the guild’s property getting trashed!” Laxus snapped, clearly flustered. “I’m gonna be guild master someday, so how could I let the guild get wrecked? Don’t tell me you idiots thought I was worried about your safety? Get real—I’d rather all you weaklings quit the guild!”
Laxus looked shocked at the very idea, but his hesitant expression and body language betrayed him. Deep down, he was starting to question his own attitude.
Oof, Riku thought, barely holding it together. Is this guy’s tsundere vibe seriously this strong?
But come on, Laxus—a grown man, an S-Class mage, someone who’d one day defeat the fifth-ranked Ten Wizard Saint, known as the “Strongest Human Mage”—his sharp-tongued attitude only came off as dismissive and intense. It was hard to see the “tofu heart” behind his “knife mouth.”
Sure enough, Laxus’s words stirred up the crowd’s resentment again. His knack for trash-talking was unreal, pulling all the aggro without even trying.
In no time, Laxus became public enemy number one. Not a single person looked at him kindly. He’d isolated himself, as usual.
Laxus was always a lone wolf, with no real friends in the guild. Only Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow—equally outcast types—admired his strength and independence, forming the Thunder God Tribe with him.
But those three rarely showed up at the guild, so right now, Laxus didn’t even have a single supporter in the room.
When someone as strong as Laxus acts “tsundere,” others can’t see the “dere”—just the “tsun.” And boy, was he extra tsun.
Laxus wasn’t at his peak yet, not like he’d be in a few years, but he was already a big deal across the Ishgar continent.
Compared to Natsu, Gray, and the others, Laxus’s starting point was leagues ahead. At this point in time, even if Natsu and Gray teamed up, they wouldn’t stand a chance against him. The gap was obvious.
Laxus was already making a name for himself across Ishgar, while Natsu and Gray were just known in Fiore.
The Ishgar continent, where the Fiore Kingdom is located, is one of three continents in the world of Earth Land: Ishgar in the east, Alakitasia in the west, and Guiltina in the north.
Fiore is just a small coastal peninsula nation in Ishgar, but the continent itself is home to over 500 mage guilds, with countless mages and powerhouses galore.
Of course, Laxus’s future title of “Strongest Human Mage” didn’t mean he was the absolute best. The “human” part was key—there were mages out there so strong they barely seemed human anymore.
Still, by then, Laxus could easily rank in the top ten in Ishgar. He was a beast from start to finish.
“Enough, Laxus! This mission’s got your name on it. Get going!” Makarov barked, cutting off the brewing guild brawl. He slapped down a mission request sheet he’d pulled from who-knows-where.
“…”
Laxus’s momentum faltered, but surprisingly, he didn’t argue. He just snorted, grabbed the mission sheet, and looked ready to head out.
It was an unspoken understanding—a way to de-escalate without anyone losing face. Makarov had played the peacemaker like this plenty of times before.
“That’s not gonna cut it, Makarov. This kid needs a good beating,” Riku said bluntly, looking at the grim-faced guild master.
Laxus, who’d been about to leave, froze. He turned to Riku, his eyes dangerous.
“Riku…” Makarov started, surprised, but before he could say more, Laxus had already made his move.
Truth be told, Laxus was getting fed up with Makarov’s constant peacekeeping. Riku’s words had lit a fuse, unleashing all his pent-up frustration and anger.
That’s why Riku said Makarov’s approach wasn’t working. Always smoothing things over would only let the tension build, the cracks widen, until they were too big to fix.
Buzz!
Lightning magic surged, sparks flying as Laxus attacked Riku with expert control over the lightning element.
Zzt zzt zzt!
The lightning crackled across Riku’s body, but it did nothing—completely deflected by a layer of lightning armor.
“Sorry, I’m kinda immune to lightning,” Riku said with a grin, his tone dripping with provocation in Laxus’s ears.
Though it was just a test strike, the fact that it had zero effect caught Laxus off guard. This guy was a real threat, someone worth fighting.
“Laxus’s lightning didn’t work?!” the guild members gasped. Natsu’s jaw practically hit the floor, and Happy, the blue cat on his shoulder, mirrored his shock. Riku hadn’t even done anything visible, yet he shrugged off lightning magic like it was nothing. Unreal!
“Thunder Bullet!” Laxus roared, unleashing countless lightning orbs from his hands. They floated in the air before zooming toward Riku from all directions, converging on him like a trap.
Boom!
The orbs exploded together. This move was all about landing a hit—power was secondary. No matter how strong an attack was, it had to connect first.
“Can you block this?” Laxus asked, his face lit with excitement. He loved fighting strong opponents. He wanted Fairy Tail to be a guild of powerhouses, not a bunch of weaklings dragging it down.
That was the root of his conflict with the guild. Laxus wanted to make Fairy Tail stronger, and if he became guild master, he’d kick out all the “weak” members to create a guild of elites. That clashed hard with Fairy Tail’s longstanding philosophy and Makarov’s ideals.
Laxus’s attitude wasn’t entirely his fault—his grandfather Makarov and his father Ivan both played a part. As a kid, Laxus was a sweet boy who idolized Makarov and dreamed of serving Fairy Tail.
But being “Makarov’s grandson” and “Ivan’s son” meant he was always judged through a biased lens, never getting fair recognition.
Carrying the weight of his grandfather’s legacy and the shame of his father’s exile from the guild, Laxus changed under the pressure. His drive to prove himself turned into an obsession with power. He wasn’t a bad guy—just stuck in a rut.
“Boxers, boxers,” Riku teased, wagging a finger as the lightning orbs exploded harmlessly around him. The electricity wasn’t enough.
“Some kind of Thunder Emperor Armor?” Laxus muttered, not too fazed. He’d faced opponents who could resist lightning before—like Erza’s Thunder Emperor Armor. It wasn’t unheard of.
“How about this?” Laxus’s body flickered, turning into a bolt of lightning as he zipped toward Riku, throwing a punch crackling with electricity. No holding back—this was a full-on “face-breaker.”
If magic didn’t work, then it was time for a fistfight!
As a mage, you had to max out strength, speed, and endurance. Especially as a Dragon Slayer Mage—how could you fight dragons with just magic? A hard fist was the real deal. Even the strongest mage could be floored by a good punch!
If your body wasn’t tough enough, you couldn’t even handle massive magical power. In other words, a great mage usually had a rock-solid physique. Otherwise, you’d just be Ultraman—burning out in three minutes.
In the world of Fairy Tail, a mage could max out strength, speed, and endurance, then go all-in on “one-handed sword, two-handed sword, block, critical hit, charge, whirlwind dance, execution, armor break,” with just a touch of Holy Light magic. Totally viable.
“So fast!” Most guild members couldn’t even track Laxus’s speed. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Riku, fist flying.
Zzt zzt zzt!
Black-purple lightning crackled on Riku’s hand as he casually caught Laxus’s punch.
Laxus was stunned. Lightning magic came in different types and branches. His was golden, while others, like his great-grandfather Yuri Dreyar’s, was red-black—a stronger variant. Riku’s black-purple lightning was something else entirely, putting Laxus on high alert.
With his fist caught, Laxus followed up with a knee strike to Riku’s stomach, but Riku swatted it away effortlessly.
Boom!
Riku didn’t give Laxus another chance. Grabbing his arm, he used a throwing technique to fling Laxus away. Laxus landed steadily, leaving two craters under his feet.
“Nice!” Laxus’s eyes sparked with electricity, his body cloaked in lightning like a battle suit. This was a technique where lightning magic stimulated the body, boosting attack, defense, and speed. Seemed like every lightning user had this trick up their sleeve.
Zzt zzt zzt!
On the other side, Riku’s body was similarly cloaked in black-purple lightning, like he was saying, Who doesn’t know this move? The last guy who tried this against Riku was now happily working for him. When it came to this, Riku had it in the bag.
“Raaargh!” Laxus roared, charging at Riku with lightning speed, throwing punch after punch, each one laced with terrifying thunder.
Riku met him head-on, effortlessly blocking Laxus’s combo before countering with a haymaker uppercut that sent Laxus flying. In a flash, Riku appeared above him, slamming a downward kick into Laxus’s stomach.
Boom!
Laxus crashed into the ground, dust billowing. Sparks faded from his body as he coughed up blood, clearly taking a heavy hit.
A true powerhouse didn’t need flashy moves—just simple punches and kicks were enough to make an opponent eat dirt.
“Laxus!” Makarov cried out, his heart aching to see his grandson get pummeled. This outcome was unexpected. He knew Laxus’s strength—sure, he might lose, but not this badly!
“Don’t worry, I held back,” Riku said, landing back on the ground and reassuring Makarov.
Chapter 349: Laxus’s Social Death
“This…”
Makarov opened his mouth, clearly seeing how effortlessly Riku handled everything. Riku’s strength far exceeded his expectations.
Cough, cough!
Laxus scrambled to his feet, his body screaming in protest. Honestly, ever since becoming an S-Class wizard, he’d never been beaten this badly.
In front of Riku, he didn’t look like a powerful S-Class wizard at all—more like a helpless kid.
How could this happen? Why is this happening?!
Laxus’s heart ached with frustration, his emotions boiling over. This feeling of weakness and powerlessness reminded him of his childhood self.
Back then, he wasn’t particularly remarkable. In fact, he struggled under the weight of his family’s powerful magical bloodline. It wasn’t until he had the Dragon Slayer Lacrima—crafted from the heart of the Thunder Dragon King, Alexion—implanted in his body that he began to stand out and grow stronger. That’s how he gained his “Thunder Dragon Slayer Magic.”
“Thunder Dragon’s Roar!”
Laxus unleashed a blast of terrifying lightning toward Riku, but once again, it was futile. Riku casually deflected it.
“Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!”
Completely losing his cool, Laxus didn’t care about his injuries. His shirt was gone, revealing toned muscles covered in dragon scales—a hallmark of his “Dragon Slayer Magic.”
Dragon Slayer Magic transformed a human’s physique to resemble a dragon’s. With enough use, it could even turn someone into a dragon entirely. Powerful Dragon Slayers could control their dragonification at will.
Dragon Slayers had bodies far beyond ordinary humans—stronger magic, power, speed, durability, and recovery. They were in a league of their own.
“Thunder Dragon’s Jaw!”
Laxus leaped into the air, his fists crackling with lightning as he swung at Riku. The electric energy scattered wildly, forcing the other guild members to scatter to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Only Makarov stayed, watching.
Buzz!
Riku raised his right hand, not dodging or flinching, and caught the punch head-on. Lightning surged into the ground, cracking the earth.
Boom!
Laxus’s attack failed, and Riku slammed him back to the ground. Blackish-purple lightning sparked wildly.
Gulp!
Laxus opened his mouth and devoured Riku’s blackish-purple lightning. Eating lightning was another perk of his “Thunder Dragon Slayer Magic.” Electricity couldn’t harm him—it only fueled his strength, making him even more powerful.
Tch.
Riku clicked his tongue. In a fight between wizards of the same element, Dragon Slayer Magic had a crushing advantage. Immune to same-element attacks and able to absorb them for a boost? That alone made them nearly invincible.
Dragon Slayers were a bit broken in this world. When Dragon Slayer Magic was first created, humans and benevolent dragons were at a disadvantage during the “Dragon King Festival.” Irene Belserion developed Dragon Slayer Magic by infusing dragon power into humans, creating warriors capable of slaying dragons.
The purpose of Dragon Slayer Magic was to forge humans powerful enough to kill dragons—hence the name “Dragon Slayer Wizards.” Depending on how they acquired it, Dragon Slayers were categorized differently.
Those taught directly by dragons, like Natsu, were “First-Generation Dragon Slayers.” Those who gained it through a Dragon Slayer Lacrima, like Laxus, were “Second-Generation Dragon Slayers.” “Third-Generation” combined both dragon teaching and Lacrima. “Fourth-Generation” were artificial magic weapons, and “Fifth-Generation” gained it by eating dragon flesh.
There were many ways to obtain Dragon Slayer Magic—some even mastered it by killing dragons repeatedly or studying ancient Dragon Slayer grimoires. Riku wasn’t worried. With so many methods, someone could even implant multiple Dragon Slayer Lacrima to wield multiple types of Dragon Slayer Magic.
Boom!
Laxus, like an unkillable cockroach, kept charging at Riku, looking like he was about to trigger some kind of shonen “power-up” moment.
Riku stayed on guard. Though Laxus wasn’t part of Natsu’s main crew, he was still a major character with his own “power-up potential.” After his redemption arc, Laxus became incredibly strong, often pulling off clutch power-ups in key moments. If he suddenly unleashed some ridiculous, friendship-fueled one-shot now, that’d be a problem. Riku wasn’t keen on getting defeated by “bonds and friendship,” especially since Laxus didn’t seem to have much of that right now.
“Alright, that’s enough.”
Riku decided to end this farce. His strength test was done. Laxus wasn’t weak, but he wasn’t a real challenge either.
Wham!
Riku dodged Laxus’s punch, then landed a solid hit to his face, followed by a swift kick to his stomach, cleanly knocking him down.
“Your backhand’s weak, your forehand’s sloppy, your footwork’s loose, and your reactions are slow. Not a single move is decent. With skills like that, you think you can be guild master? Keep dreaming!”
After flooring Laxus, Riku delivered a verbal finishing blow, shattering Laxus’s confidence. Him, guild master? The nerve!
“It’s not over yet…”
Laxus, though not a shonen protagonist, was just as stubborn. Like an unkillable cockroach, he staggered back to his feet, ready to get serious.
“Fairy Law!”
Without hesitation, Laxus unleashed his trump card—a legendary super magic exclusive to Fairy Tail guild members.
“Laxus, stop it!”
Makarov couldn’t stay on the sidelines anymore. His idiot grandson was using that move?!
“Fairy Law,” a legendary super magic, was one of Fairy Tail’s three great magics, alongside “Fairy Glitter” and “Fairy Sphere.”
Fairy Law was incredibly powerful, a wide-area attack that used holy light to purge darkness. It targeted anyone the caster deemed an enemy, crushing them mentally and capable of wiping out S-Class wizards instantly.
But it had drawbacks. It required prep time, wasn’t instant-cast, and the more targets it locked onto, the more it drained the caster’s life force. It was a true last-resort spell.
“Die, all of you!”
Laxus roared, preparing to cast Fairy Law. His targets? Clearly everyone in the guild. He aimed to take them all out at once.
“That bastard knows Fairy Law?!”
The guild members were shocked, then bitter. Someone like Laxus, who went against the guild’s spirit, had been taught Fairy Tail’s core super magic? Wasn’t that a bit too much favoritism from Makarov?
“Stop it, I said!”
Makarov was furious, completely blindsided. He hadn’t expected this.
The old man transformed into a giant, a hulking muscle-bound titan. This was Makarov’s magic—strength and speed at max, with fists that could conquer anything. He also wielded light magic, essentially making him a “Light Giant.”
“Let him cast it. I want to see how strong Fairy Law really is—and how much resolve you’ve got, Laxus,” Riku said, stopping Makarov. Unlike the guild master, who was ready to intervene, Riku wanted Laxus to finish the spell.
Riku knew Laxus was all bark and no bite deep down. The guy was stuck in his own head, unaware of his true feelings.
Armor materialized around Riku—his [Demon-Possessed Armor: Tyrant Dragon]. He dragonified, sprouting wings and a tail resembling a Western dragon from Fairy Tail’s world, though his limbs stayed more humanoid.
Boom!
A clash rang out as Riku blocked Makarov. The old man was so mad he was ready to slap his grandson silly.
Even Makarov, who doted on Laxus, nearly passed out from rage seeing him use Fairy Law on the guild.
But instead of stopping Laxus, Riku blocked Makarov, leaving the guild master’s brain practically blue-screening.
“What are you doing, Riku?! It’s too late!”
Makarov was horrified, unable to fathom the consequences. If Laxus’s Fairy Law hit, Fairy Tail—three generations of legacy—could be destroyed. The city might even suffer.
In that moment, Makarov’s mind raced. Maybe he should’ve given Laxus more guidance, corrected his behavior instead of letting him run wild. Maybe he shouldn’t have taught an immature Laxus Fairy Law. The kid wasn’t ready for that responsibility.
Riku’s bizarre move made Makarov wonder if he was a spy from a dark guild. Was this all some elaborate setup?
Makarov wasn’t afraid of Fairy Law himself—he was confident he could block it—but his heart was racing like a slideshow of regrets.
Boom!
A massive magic circle lit up the sky. Fairy Law was complete. The guild members braced themselves, the oppressive magic pressure making some struggle to stand. Blinding light erupted and descended—the super magic had activated.
“No!”
Makarov’s eyes widened, his voice hoarse. His magic surged, his body swelling rapidly, radiating light as he became a true “Light Giant.”
Makarov could grow to the size of an island. He hunched over, trying to shield everyone with his massive back, a radiant defensive barrier enveloping the guild.
But Riku’s interference slowed him down, and Fairy Law’s light struck.
Makarov, standing tallest, took the hit first—but he wasn’t harmed at all.
For a brief moment, he felt a flicker of relief. At least Laxus didn’t see him as an enemy. His grandson still cared enough not to hurt him.
But that was his only solace. The other guild members were still targeted.
Buzz!
The blinding light fell, and everyone tried to defend themselves against the terrifying attack. But their efforts were wasted—Laxus’s Fairy Law didn’t harm a single person.
Even Laxus himself was unscathed, standing there, utterly confused, like he didn’t understand what had happened.
“This…”
The dramatic outcome left everyone staring at each other, baffled. This wasn’t what they’d expected!
“Told you to trust me,” Riku said, landing smoothly and reverting from his Tyrant Dragon form. He knew exactly what Laxus was thinking—better than Laxus himself did.
Laxus was too stubborn, blind to his own heart. Thanks to Fairy Law’s absurd mechanics, he’d avoided a lifetime of regret.
“Laxus…”
After the initial shock, the guild started to piece it together.
Not everyone knew how Fairy Law worked, but some veteran members did. After their explanation, the absurd truth sank in: Laxus genuinely held no malice toward anyone in the guild.
Makarov reverted from his Light Giant form, shocked but relieved. His grandson hadn’t let him down after all.
“…”
The most awkward person in the room? Probably Laxus himself. He’d just been publicly humiliated, his tough-guy image shattered. He could lie to himself, but he couldn’t fool the magic.
“This must be what they call social death,” Riku remarked, sympathizing a bit. He got it—dying without clearing your browser history was bad enough. He sincerely hoped every transmigrator could delete their history before passing, sparing them the agony of social death. That feeling? Worse than actual death.
Chapter 350: Natsu and Gray's Defeat
Laxus felt like the sky had come crashing down. He still couldn’t face his own heart, and in front of everyone, all he wanted was to find a hole to crawl into.
Thwack!
Riku appeared at Laxus’s side and, with a swift, precise smack to the back of his neck, knocked him out cold. The force was just right—enough to daze him without causing any real harm. With his magic power already severely drained, Laxus didn’t even try to resist. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, out like a light.
Even though Fairy Law hadn’t worked as intended and Laxus didn’t suffer any backlash, the magic power he’d poured into it was very real—and it had all gone up in flashy special effects.
As one of the Fairy Tail San Dai Mahō (Fairy Tail’s three great magics), Fairy Law consumed an absurd amount of magic power. Continuing the fight was a lost cause, and Laxus, wisely choosing to cut his losses, took the easy way out. In a way, Riku had saved him from further embarrassment—passing out was better than getting publicly thrashed again.
That said, Riku hadn’t gone easy on him. Laxus was still battered from head to toe, barely holding himself together earlier. Once his adrenaline faded, standing back up was out of the question.
“Laxus…”
Seeing his grandson knocked out, Makarov let out a sigh of relief. Ending things like this was, all things considered, a happy resolution.
Whether Laxus saw it that way was another story, but Makarov was satisfied. After this ordeal, Laxus might finally start to see himself clearly. Makarov had always believed Laxus wasn’t a bad person at heart. He hoped this incident would help Laxus find his true path and grow into a more mature version of himself.
“Looks like we’ll need to call Porlyusica,” Makarov muttered.
He summoned Sarusuk, an orange-haired guy with a cowboy hat, nicknamed Jet. Together with Troy and Reby, they formed the Shadow Gear team. Jet used High Speed magic, making him the fastest member of the Fairy Tail guild when he activated it.
“Jet, I’m counting on you,” Makarov said.
Jet’s job was obvious: fetch Porlyusica, Makarov’s longtime friend and a highly skilled healing mage who lived in a small cabin deep in the eastern forests of Magnolia. Porlyusica didn’t usually get involved in Fairy Tail affairs, but she’d always help treat injured guild members. She was like an unofficial member of the guild.
“No problem, Guild Master!” Jet nodded, not hesitating for a second. He activated his magic and bolted off. Jet, Troy, and Reby had known Laxus since they were kids, having grown up together in the guild. They remembered what Laxus used to be like.
In fact, a lot of the guild’s members were like family. Many were orphans, raised in the guild without parents or with parents they couldn’t find. Growing up together forged deep bonds, which explained why the Fairy Tail guild was so tight-knit.
While Jet went to fetch the doctor, Makarov rallied everyone to clean up the mess. The recent battle had caused serious damage—training equipment was wrecked, and even the courtyard walls had collapsed. They were lucky the fight happened outside, or the entire guildhall might’ve needed a complete rebuild.
“Leave it to me!” a purple-haired girl with glasses stepped forward. With a wave of her magic, brand-new wooden training equipment materialized, and the courtyard walls were repaired. The Fairy Tail guild used a lot of wooden gear, largely thanks to her.
“Laki! You’re amazing! The guild would be lost without you!” someone cheered, praising the purple-haired mage. Her name was Laki Olletta, and she wielded Wood-Make magic, which let her create and shape wood instantly. She was a vital part of the guild and Mirajane’s right-hand woman.
The guild was full of troublemakers—kids, teens, adults, and even old-timers—who loved to brawl and break things. Without Laki, the cost of replacing furniture alone would’ve bankrupted the guild. She was a lifesaver. Of course, her presence also made everyone a bit too reckless, since they knew she’d fix anything they broke for free.
It was hard to say if that was a good or bad thing.
“Wood-Make magic… it’s got so much potential,” Riku remarked, watching Laki churn out wooden equipment. Magic like hers was insanely practical—a natural tool for construction. Pair it with earth magic, and you’ve got a full-on civil engineering duo.
Sure enough, a guy using earth magic stepped up, working with Laki to reshape the courtyard’s ground and terrain. Talk about a perfect combo—the Fairy Tail construction crew in action.
Riku recalled that the Fairy Tail guildhall had been completely destroyed once before, and Laki had been the backbone of the rebuilding effort. She’d poured her heart into keeping the guild together. As for her combat skills? Decent enough. Wood-Make magic could be unstoppable in the right hands—like the First Guild Master—but in less skilled hands, it was more… construction worker than warrior. Laki could hold her own against weaker opponents and protect the guild, but in high-stakes battles, she wasn’t quite up to par.
The cleanup wrapped up quickly, and Laxus was carried to the infirmary for basic treatment. Dragon Slayers like him had tougher bodies than most—anyone else with those injuries would’ve been down for the count, but Laxus had still managed to cast Fairy Law.
“Riku, let’s have a match!”
With everything settled, Natsu and Gray couldn’t sit still. They plopped down in the guild’s tavern-like front hall and immediately challenged Riku.
“Those two are seriously challenging Riku after all that?” the guild members muttered, shaking their heads. Natsu and Gray were something else. No matter how many times Erza or Gildarts beat them down, they never stopped picking fights. Looks like Riku was about to join their list of regular sparring targets.
“Sure thing,” Riku said with a grin, accepting their challenge. Before Natsu or Gray could react, he activated Time Freeze.
Buzz!
Time stopped. Riku swiped a paintbrush from a man with a round, ball-like body but oddly slender limbs and a thin face. With a few quick strokes, he painted a turtle on both Natsu and Gray’s faces.
“Let’s do this!” Riku announced as time resumed.
Natsu leaped up, fist raised, hyped for the fight. Gray was just as excited—aside from his mentor Ur, he’d never met an Ice-Make mage as strong as Riku.
“It’s already over,” Riku said, casually tossing the paintbrush back to its owner, Reedus Jonah. Reedus was a master of Pict Magic, which required him to paint on his own body to cast spells, explaining his comically exaggerated physique. In reality, he was a normal-sized guy.
“When?!” Reedus yelped, eyes wide. He hadn’t even noticed his paintbrush was gone!
“What do you mean it’s over?!” Natsu growled, frustrated. They’d agreed to a fight, and now Riku was backing out?
“Love! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Happy, the blue winged cat hovering above Natsu, chimed in, though he sounded less confident. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t think Natsu stood a chance.
Gray, already stripping off his shirt as usual, wasn’t about to let Riku mess with them. This fight was happening, whether Riku liked it or not!
“Natsu! Gray! What’s on your faces?! Hahaha, what’s going on?!”
Before Riku could respond, the guild erupted in laughter. The turtles on Natsu and Gray’s faces were too much, and the guild members didn’t hold back their mockery.
“Huh?! What’s that?!” Natsu blinked, confused, then locked eyes with Gray, who was now shirtless.
“Pfft!” They both burst out laughing, pointing at each other’s faces. But the realization hit them fast, and they turned to Riku, who was still holding the paintbrush.
“When did you do that?!” the guild shouted in unison. Everyone had been watching, but no one saw how Riku pulled it off!
Natsu and Gray were floored. They’d been standing right in front of him, yet they had no clue how he’d painted their faces. It was like a chunk of time had vanished.
“That’s terrifying!” some members shivered. It was as if a piece of their lives had been snipped out.
“Could it be memory manipulation magic?” someone suggested. Magic in this world came in all forms, and while rare, memory-altering magic existed—Doranbolt could tamper with memories, after all.
“Nope. It’s time,” Riku said with a smile, not bothering to keep them guessing. But his answer only shocked them more.
Time magic. A legendary Lost Magic!
If any known magic came close to time manipulation, it’d be Fairy Sphere, one of the Fairy Tail San Dai Mahō. Fairy Sphere was an absolute defense spell that gathered the guild members’ emotions into a powerful magical force, creating an invincible barrier where time inside was frozen. But no one could use Fairy Sphere anymore. Of the three great magics, only Fairy Law was still passed down. Fairy Sphere and Fairy Glitter were lost with the First Guild Master, Mavis Vermillion.
According to Guild Master Makarov, Mavis was buried on Tenrou Island, the guild’s sacred ground. Legend said that finding her grave and earning her approval could grant access to the San Dai Mahō. But that sounded like a tall tale.
“That’s so unfair!” Natsu slumped to the ground, defeated. He hadn’t even gotten to throw a punch, and he’d already lost. What kind of fight was that?! But Natsu wasn’t a sore loser. He knew Riku could’ve easily taken them out instead of just painting turtles on their faces. It was a complete, undeniable defeat.
He was just disappointed. He hadn’t realized the gap between him and Riku was this massive.
Gray was in the same boat. Both of them, full of energy, were hit hard by the reality check.
“Gray, keep at it. The power of ice is limitless—it can freeze anything in the world, even time,” Riku said, patting Gray on the shoulder. His words sent a shockwave through Gray’s mind, and Natsu’s jaw dropped.
“Ice? You froze time with ice?!” Gray couldn’t believe it. Even his strongest forbidden spell, Iced Shell, which could freeze anything with unbreakable ice at the cost of the caster’s life, couldn’t do something like that.
“Exactly. So get stronger. Right now, you’re way too weak,” Riku confirmed, sparking a fire in Gray’s eyes. It was like he’d discovered a new world. If he could master that kind of power…
“Aaagh! Training!” Natsu shouted, unable to accept it. If Gray got that strong—if Gray could doodle turtles on his face whenever he wanted—Natsu wouldn’t stand for it! He bolted out of the guild, burning with determination to train.
Gray, not about to be left behind, gave Riku a deep bow and rushed off to train too.
“Talk about boundless energy,” Riku chuckled. Natsu and Gray, the guild’s resident rivals, lived for missions and training. They were the ultimate grinders—insanely talented and ridiculously hardworking.
“I’m back!” Jet announced, returning with an old woman in tow: Porlyusica, the healing mage. She had pink hair and wore a red mage’s robe adorned with dragon-tooth-like details. Her presence carried weight.
“Where’s Laxus?” Porlyusica asked, her tone sharp and uninviting, practically radiating “stay away.”
“In the infirmary!” Mirajane said, stepping forward to guide her.
The guild was used to Porlyusica’s prickly demeanor. She never showed a friendly face, but she always came through to heal the guild’s members. Everyone respected and appreciated her for it.
