"Who the hell are you?!"
Laxus's words instantly ignited Natsu's temper. He jumped up from the ground, ready to butt heads with Laxus.
Unfortunately, because of the height difference, he could only crane his neck upward to glare at him.
Don't be fooled by Natsu's small build—his fiery temper was every bit as explosive as his Dragon Slayer Magic. Now this guy, someone Natsu had never even seen before, just showed up and started insulting him. Of course, there was no way Natsu could let that slide.
"Remember this. I am Laxus. The future Master of Fairy Tail."
Straightening his back, Laxus no longer spared Natsu a glance. Leaving only that line behind, he brushed past Natsu, striding away without a care.
To him, weaklings weren't worth even a second look. Once he became Guild Master, he'd kick all the weaklings out of Fairy Tail!
Especially brainless idiots like Natsu—people like him weren't suited to be mages at all. He should just live as an ordinary person.
"…"
Watching Laxus swagger away, Natsu was left completely dumbfounded.
"Does he… have a screw loose or something?"
Natsu turned to Moen and asked in a whisper, his expression like he was afraid of being overheard. Not because he was scared of Laxus—but because if Laxus really was unhinged, Natsu worried his words might hit too close to home. Sometimes, Natsu could be surprisingly considerate like that.
"…"
Natsu's words made the corner of Moen's mouth twitch. You guys are all the same—half a dozen of one, six of the other. None of you are in any position to be calling someone else brain-damaged.
Ignoring Natsu, Moen's attention was already drawn to the Saint Seiya System. Just now, another mission had triggered.
[Mission Name: "My Foolish Oniisan"]
Mission Details:
Laxus, once an obedient and passionate boy, has entered his rebellious phase. Harsh criticism and differential treatment have caused him deep anguish, pushing him into his own world and down an extreme path.
As his younger brother, it is your duty to pull him back onto the right track. Awaken him! Remind him of his original resolve! Make him understand once more his love for the guild and for those around him!
Mission Progress: Pending.
Mission Reward: Random Gold Cloth.
Staring at the mission prompt, Moen's expression grew complicated. Pulling Laxus back from being a "foolish Oniisan" was no simple task.
In recent years, Moen had begun to show his magical talent, while Laxus was stepping into adolescence. The more Laxus felt the sting of "unfairness," the more he resented the harsh expectations placed on him.
Under that atmosphere, the two brothers who once shared a close bond began drifting apart. Laxus stopped confiding in Moen, walling himself off completely.
Having once gone through his own chūnibyō rebellious phase, Moen could at least understand the pressure Laxus carried. That was why he'd tried many times to guide his foolish Oniisan.
But the truth was, there are emotions that no one else's words can dissolve—only the person himself can work through them.
That's a Gold Cloth!
Just seeing those words made Moen's eyes light up with greed. Even the Equuleus Bronze Cloth had already given him a huge boost. If he could get his hands on a Gold Cloth, the power-up would be beyond imagination!
Too bad it's impossible to get right away… This isn't something that can be rushed. Luckily, the mission doesn't have a time limit. I can take it slow.
Without dwelling on it, Moen tossed the mission aside for now. No point obsessing over what he couldn't immediately obtain.
"Natsu, you've already recovered so quickly? Did you come looking for me?"
Moen's gaze shifted toward Natsu as he spoke. At the same time, he resumed his physical training. As a close-combat mage, his body was the foundation of his strength!
Looking at Moen, Natsu recalled what had happened earlier and couldn't stop himself from shuddering. Sure, Moen's punches were unforgettable—but what really made him tremble was that one giant slap he'd taken while half-conscious!
"Was it Erza who hit me…?"
Natsu asked nervously.
"…Huh?"
In the middle of doing fancy push-ups, Moen glanced at Natsu strangely. Then realization dawned on him—Natsu must be asking about that giant slap.
Seeing the boy's expression, Moen couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Good grief… can a single slap really leave such a huge scar on a ten-year-old kid's mind?
"It was Erza. What's wrong? You planning to get revenge?"
Moen didn't bother covering for Erza. After all, she was the one who did it, and if Natsu asked her directly, she would admit it without hesitation. That girl never lied.
"I'm going to challenge her!"
Natsu gritted his teeth and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Challenge her all you want, but why yell so damn loud? You hot-blooded idiots are such a headache."
Still doing one-handed push-ups, Moen used his free hand to rub his ear in annoyance.
This kid Natsu—maybe it was because he'd only just come from living in the wild and hadn't been in human society for long—but he always talked at full volume, as if terrified people wouldn't hear him. Maybe his fire dragon dad had bad hearing or something.
"But I should warn you, Natsu. At your current level, you don't stand a chance against Erza. The only result of challenging her is that you'll end up taking another beating. And unlike me, she doesn't hold back. She could hit you so hard you won't even be able to get out of bed."
Seeing Natsu's eyes blaze with fighting spirit, determined to erase the humiliation of that giant slap, Moen gave him a kind reminder.
Erza might look like a beautiful young girl, but she was far from being just a pretty face. Her strength was undeniable. Even for Moen, defeating her would require a proper fight. There was no way he could finish it in one instant like he had with Natsu.
"Huh? She's really that strong?"
Natsu froze for a moment, his face full of doubt.
The little "Fire Dragon" had always thought he was pretty powerful, but after being instantly taken down by Moen's Pegasus Meteor Fist, he was no longer so sure of himself.
"If you count Laxus, then Erza's strength should rank second among our generation. Without Laxus, she'd be number one."
Moen thought it over before giving his honest assessment. At least for now, there was no way Erza could beat Laxus.
"Laxus…"
Natsu blinked. That was the name of that arrogant, nose-in-the-air guy from earlier! That guy's really that strong?!
"Then Moen, what rank are you?"
Natsu suddenly realized—if Laxus was first and Erza was second, didn't that mean both of them were stronger than Moen?!
"Me? I'm outside the rankings. I don't count."
Moen smiled as he gave an answer Natsu never expected.