The early morning sun poured into the Fairy Tail guild hall, glinting off rows of battered tables and half-finished mugs from the previous night's celebrations. Kai sat at one of the side tables, the new guild mark burning faintly on his left shoulder beneath his shirt. Around him, life buzzed as usual: laughter, shouting, and light brawling.
Kai leaned back in his chair, sipping tea and observing. He needed to understand this world better if he was going to make it his home.
"Hey, newbie!" called Cana Alberona. "Wanna play a card game?"
Kai shook his head, amused. "Sure."
They ended up playing cards for a while, but Kai couldn't beat her even once.
Nearby, Levy McGarden, carrying a stack of books almost taller than herself, stopped by his table, curious. "You look like you enjoy books. Are you interested in magic theory?"
Kai smiled. "Yeah. I want to understand as much as I can."
Levy's eyes lit up. "Come find me later! I have a lot of beginner books!"
He nodded, feeling a bit lighter. These people… they were loud, rough, and messy, but they were also open and friendly in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.
After a while, Kai wandered toward the large quest board that dominated one side of the hall. Jobs of every shape and size covered it, written on colorful sheets of paper.
Wakaba and Macao, smoking and playing cards nearby, noticed him. Wakaba chuckled. "First time checking the board, eh, kid?"
"How does it work?" Kai asked.
"Simple," Macao replied, not looking up from his cards. "You pick a job, and if you're qualified and the Master approves, you go do it."
"Qualified?"
"Jobs are ranked," Wakaba added. "D, C, B, A, S. Newbies usually stick to D or C at first. S-Class… that's another world."
Kai scanned the board, unimpressed by most of the listings.
"Find a lost cat… deliver love letters… babysit twins…" he muttered, frowning.
Then he spotted it: a scarlet sheet with bold black writing. Kill Alpha Wyvern terrorizing western villages. Reward: 1,500,000 Jewels. Rank: A.
Kai's eyes gleamed. Perfect.
He grabbed the sheet and marched toward Makarov, who sat atop the guild bar, sipping from a giant mug.
"Master! I want to take this mission."
Makarov glanced at the sheet, then at Kai.
"Denied," he said simply, taking a swig.
Kai gawked. "But I can handle it!"
Makarov chuckled. "Maybe you can. But Fairy Tail isn't just about muscle. It's about responsibility, teamwork, and knowing when not to act. You're still a greenhorn — and a child. I can't just send you on an A-rank mission this soon"
Kai opened his mouth to argue but stopped. There was a heavy wisdom behind the Master's words.
Makarov patted his head. "Start small. Build your roots properly. Then you can reach for the sky."
Kai sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Alright…"
"Oi, come here, kid," Wakaba called. "I'll help you pick something." He stubbed out his cigar and walked over to the board with Kai.
After some browsing, Wakaba plucked a worn-looking C-Rank quest from the bottom.
"Here," he said, handing it over. Exterminate Bison Herd Devouring Crops. Location: Utgard Fields. Reward: 80,000 Jewels.
"Bisons?" Kai raised an eyebrow.
"They don't fight back," Wakaba shrugged. "Just big, dumb cows, basically. But the villagers need the wheat fields saved, and you get to practice using your magic carefully."
"Fine."
"I'll come along," Wakaba said. "Just to supervise."
By midday, Kai and Wakaba were walking down a dusty path toward Utgard Fields, the golden sea of wheat visible in the distance.
"Remember," Wakaba said, puffing on his cigar, "don't melt the bisons. Roasting them is fine; the villagers want the meat if it's intact. And no burning the fields."
"Got it," Kai replied, rolling his shoulders.
They arrived to find a desperate-looking group of farmers waving frantically.
"They're over the hill! Eating everything!" a burly man cried.
Kai nodded and marched up the hill, Wakaba following at a distance. He found the herd: a good fifty giant, shaggy bison munching lazily on the wheat.
"Time to work."
Kai planted his feet, his eyes flashing with molten light. He pressed his palm to the ground. "Earth Dragon's Wall Trap!"
A low rumble echoed. The earth trembled and cracked as pillars erupted suddenly to corral sections of the herd, boxing them in without harming the fields.
The bisons mooed in confusion, scattering into the divided pens.
Wakaba whistled. "Not bad."
Kai drew in a breath, flames gathering around his fists.
"Fire Dragon's Piercing Talon!"
He darted forward, striking selected bisons with pinpoint blasts—enough heat to kill instantly, but not so much as to char the meat. Each attack left a cleanly seared bison falling over without a sound. He used his Eye of Truth to adjust his magic flow for his fire dragon slayer magic; it was easier to control than magma dragon slayer magic.
Wakaba watched, impressed. He's precise. Not bad for a fire mage.
Within an hour, the job was done.
The villagers came running up, stunned at the clean kills and undamaged fields.
"Amazing!"
"We've never had such clean work!"
They paid the reward immediately and offered extra meat as thanks.
Wakaba grinned. "We'll sell most here. The rest… well, Fairy Tail could use a good feast."
Kai helped load up the preserved cuts onto a small cart they had borrowed. His muscles ached pleasantly. It was different from dragon training. Here, his power was helping people directly.
As they walked back toward Magnolia under the setting sun, Wakaba clapped Kai on the shoulder.
"Good work today, kid. You listen. You think. Not like certain hotheads in the guild."
Kai smirked. "Thanks, old man."
"Old man?!" Wakaba choked, mock-offended, making Kai laugh for the first time in days.
That night, Fairy Tail had an impromptu party.
Roasted bison meat filled the tables while laughter rang out louder than ever.
Cana challenged everyone to a card game, and Kai immediately avoided her, not wanting another series of losses.
Levy brought Kai a beginner's book on magic theory.
Gray challenged him to a "meat-eating competition," which Kai actually lost, resulting in laughter all around.
As he sat amid the chaos, Kai touched his guild mark, feeling the warmth spread through him once again.
Master Makarov caught his eye across the hall and raised his mug in a silent toast.
Kai grinned, heart full.
Fire Dragon's Piercing Talon
Type: Offensive Magic (Fire Dragon Slayer Magic)
Description: Kai concentrates intense fire magic into his feet or fists, then strikes at high speed, delivering a piercing, high-heat blow capable of searing vital points without causing wide area damage.
Special Note: A more surgical version of traditional fire attacks, designed for precision rather than destruction. Effective against durable or armored targets.
Earth Dragon's Wall Trap
Type: Defensive/Control Magic (Earth Dragon Slayer Magic)
Description: Kai slams his palm to the ground, causing earthen pillars to erupt and form enclosed walls. The technique is primarily used to trap or divide enemies without harming the surrounding environment.
Special Note: Designed for crowd control. The strength and thick