Chapter 2: First Mission
[Host: Ren]
[Age: 18]
[Race: Human]
[Magical Power: ★]
[Magic: Take Over: Anime Soul]
[Character Card: Ulquiorra Cifer...]
Staring at Ulquiorra's character card resting quietly in the system panel, Ren was ecstatic.
Ren had originally been just a high school graduate from Earth. Half a month ago, an accident had transmigrated him into the world of Fairy Tail, where he awakened a Gacha System.
That's right. The same system from just now.
The system allowed him to draw deceased characters from various anime. After "Taking Over" them, he could use their powers in battle.
It was just like playing a gacha game.
However, the system required the Host to bind to a guild. After binding, besides a fixed monthly free pull, he could also earn draw chances by completing guild missions.
Since he had come to Fairy Tail, he was naturally going to bind to the Fairy Tail guild. He was more familiar with it and preferred the atmosphere here.
Besides, Fairy Tail was the strongest guild in the Kingdom of Fiore. By binding here, he would have access to more missions.
Ren walked up to the request board and looked over the various jobs.
The requests on the first-floor board didn't have any clear ranks, but the system panel displayed their levels.
Rewards of 1 million J or more were marked as A-Rank Missions. Completing one A-Rank Mission would reward one draw chance.
Rewards between 500,000 J and 1 million J were marked as B-Rank Missions. Completing two B-Rank Missions would also reward one draw chance.
Rewards between 100,000 J and 500,000 J were marked as C-Rank Missions. Completing ten C-Rank Missions would reward one draw chance.
As for rewards below 100,000 J, the system didn't even bother to list them.
In other words, if he wanted to get draw chances, he had to complete missions worth at least 100,000 J.
Ren first scanned the missions in the 100k to 500k J range.
"Subdue the Snow Mountain Vulcan," "Eliminate a Den of Thieves," "Hunt Forest Monsters..."
In the world of Fairy Tail, 100,000 J was a generous payout for a single job. But that was for a mage. For a job like dealing with a Vulcan, twenty adult soldiers wouldn't be a match for a single one. From that perspective, the reward seemed dirt cheap.
Ren skimmed this tier for a few seconds before looking away. It wasn't just about the money. He would have to complete ten of these missions just to get one draw. Each mission would take at least two or three days for travel alone.
Ten missions... even if he worked nonstop, it would take him at least a month. One pull per month, twelve per year... plus the one free pull from the system each month, that was only twenty-four pulls in total.
It was far too little. According to the system, the pity rate for a gold character was 100 pulls. At this rate, it would take forever to get another one.
No good. He had to take on harder missions. Besides, harder missions meant bigger rewards. He had been dead broke in his last life; he was determined to be a rich man in this one.
Soon, Ren settled on a mission. He pulled the request form from the board and walked over to Mirajane.
"Mira, I'd like to take this job."
Mirajane was surprised he had picked a mission so quickly. "Starting work already? You can take some time to get familiar with the guild first."
Ren shook his head with a wry smile. "No, it's fine. I'm so broke I can't even afford my next meal. If I don't work now, I'll starve."
He had been in this world for half a month, and it had been rough. With no money, he'd been sleeping in the wilderness.
On the way to Fairy Tail, he'd even run into bandits. If the system hadn't given him a free starter pull—a blue-rarity Chūnin—his journey might have ended before it even began. He had scrounged a little money off the bandits, and that's what had sustained him until he reached Magnolia.
Now, that money was almost gone. His desire for cash was at an all-time high.
"Haha!"
Mirajane couldn't help but laugh at his words. Most of the mages in Fairy Tail were just like that. They were too lazy to work until the last possible second, only remembering to take a job when they were completely out of money.
"Let's see what job you picked... Hmm?!"
Mira's eyes widened when she read the request. "Wait, I can't approve this one on my own. You'll have to ask the Master. Please wait a moment, he should be back soon."
"The Master?"
Ren hadn't seen Makarov when he first arrived at the guild.
Just then, a short old man in a yellow trench coat and a jester-like hat walked into the guild, holding a roll of paper.
"Master, you're back!" Mira hurried over to greet him.
Makarov noticed Ren standing next to Mira. "Hmm? A new face?"
"Yes, sir. My name is Ren. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Ren bowed respectfully. This man might be a tiny old man less than a meter tall, but Ren knew that this small body held world-ending power.
Makarov's signature Giant magic could make him as large as an island. His ultimate magic, Fairy Law, if unleashed at full power, could even take down the Alvarez Empire's million-man army.
On top of that, the old man treated every guild member like his own child. For all these reasons, he deserved Ren's respect.
Makarov raised a hand in greeting. "Oh! Welcome aboard!"
Then, "Hup!"
With a small grunt, Makarov pushed off his legs and leaped up to the second-floor railing.
Everyone in the guild turned their attention to him.
Makarov brandished the thick stack of documents in his hand, his expression dark.
"You've all been making trouble for me again, haven't you? Take a good look! This is how many complaints I got from the Council!"
"First, Gray!"
"Huh?" A boy wearing nothing but his underwear looked up, indignant. He hadn't caused any trouble.
Mirajane reminded him with a smile, "Gray, your clothes."
"Aah! I forgot again!" Gray scrambled to find his clothes.
"Your capture of the bandits was fine, but what were you doing wandering the streets naked afterward? In the end, you stole someone's underwear that was drying on their balcony and ran off!"
Gray looked embarrassed. "Well... being naked wasn't great..."
Elfman shot back, "Then don't be naked!"
Makarov turned his gaze to Elfman and sighed. "Sigh! And you, Elfman! You used violence against your own client!"
Elfman scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Well, he said I wasn't a real man!"
"Cana! You went to a client's job, snuck into their wine cellar, and drank it dry! Then you refilled the barrels with water to hide it!"
"...They found out..." Cana muttered, looking guilty.
"Loke! You hit on Councilman Michello's granddaughter!"
Michello was on the Magic Council. Makarov had gotten an earful from him on his last visit.
"Next, Natsu!"
"Subdued a monster, but destroyed the entire road. Chased a fugitive, and destroyed six private homes. Guarded a caravan, but burned the caravan's cargo. Wiped out a den of thieves, but burned all the victim's property along with it..."
Listening to Makarov list off all the trouble Natsu had caused, Ren was genuinely shocked. He knew the guy was a walking disaster, but he had no idea it was this bad.
"Alzack! Levy! Krov! Reedus! Bisca!"
"You brats! You're always getting me yelled at by the Council..."
Makarov trembled, holding back his anger. The atmosphere in the guild grew tense.
And then, his tone suddenly relaxed. "But... to hell with the Magic Council!"
Using his magic, he set the entire stack of documents on fire.
"Listen up! Everything that defies common sense is born from common sense! Magic is not some miracle power. It is the result of our internal 'spirit' harmonizing with the 'spirit' in nature. It's the physical manifestation of our focus and concentration. No... it's the result of pouring your entire soul into it!"
"If you're always worried about what the higher-ups think, you'll never advance on the path of magic! Don't be afraid of those fools on the Council! Follow the path that you believe in!"
"That is what it means to be a Fairy Tail Mage!"
"YEAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Everyone in Fairy Tail roared in celebration. Even though Ren had just joined, he couldn't help but get swept up in the emotion. He was one of them now, a member of Fairy Tail.
Soon, the guild returned to its usual lively state. People were drinking, chatting, and boasting. The place was buzzing.
Mira brought the request form to Makarov. "Master, Ren here wants to take this job. I couldn't approve it myself, so please take a look."
"Oh? What mission is it? Let me see."
Makarov took the request form.
[Eliminate the Phantom Marauders. Reward: 700,000 J.]