Chapter 12: The Thundercloud Zeus! Life Is Sacred!
"Who are you calling a perverted naked guy, bastard?!"
After getting dressed, the black-haired boy marched up to Ren with a dark expression. He tilted his head up to stare at the taller boy, not showing the slightest fear.
"Oh? A newbie, huh?"
Seeing the boy's defiant face, Ren laughed and asked the others around him.
"Yeah, yeah, he just joined!"
"Ren, teach that brat a lesson!"
"My name is Gray. I'm not 'brat'!"
Gray shouted at Ren, looking arrogant and unconvinced.
"I don't have time to mess around."
Ren rolled his eyes, pushed Gray aside with one hand, and walked straight into the guild hall.
"Oh wow, Gray got ignored."
"Hahaha, if it were me, I wouldn't be able to swallow that."
"Who could?"
The guild members immediately started fanning the flames, provoking Gray on purpose.
"Damn it, you bastard! Stop right there!"
Getting ignored already had Gray furious. With everyone's taunts drilling into his ears, his face darkened even more as he pointed at Ren's back and yelled.
Ren didn't turn around. He just lifted a hand and waved casually behind him.
Just as Gray was about to chase after him, a sinister voice suddenly sounded above his head.
Gray looked up and saw a dark cloud floating overhead.
"What the hell?!"
Gray's expression changed as he stared at the black cloud in shock. The guild members also looked over, surprised that a cloud was actually talking.
"I am my master's most loyal servant—Zeus of Thunder!"
The dark cloud slowly descended in front of Gray, and a face appeared at the front of it.
"Kid, apologize for what you just said, and I'll spare you!"
Zeus's face was grim, his voice packed with fury, thunder rumbling as he glared at Gray.
Gray felt a flicker of fear, but he stubbornly lifted his chin. "Who's apologizing?! Bastard!"
"Then let me teach you a lesson!"
Zeus erupted in rage, and thunder boomed through the guild hall.
"Guild Master, you're not stopping them?"
Ren lounged lazily on a chair, yawning as he watched Gray and Zeus mess around.
"Hahaha, kids like to play. Let them play!"
Makarov laughed, took a swig from his bottle, and watched with amusement.
"Ice-Make: Saucer!"
Gray clenched his right hand into a fist and placed it into his left palm. In the next moment, an ice disc formed beside him, spinning with a sharp whine.
The disc shot forward instantly, slicing into Zeus.
Zeus's body was cut apart by the ice disc, but in the blink of an eye he re-formed, completely unharmed.
"What the—?!"
Gray's face shifted as he stared at Zeus, uninjured, realizing something was seriously wrong.
"Zeus, don't go too far."
Ren lifted a hand toward Zeus and called out calmly.
"Yes, Master!"
"Lightning!"
Zeus's eyes brimmed with anger as thunder rumbled inside him. In the next instant, a bolt of lightning burst out, and a deafening crash shook the guild.
Gray couldn't dodge at all. The lightning pierced straight through him.
Smoke rose from Gray's body, his eyes rolled back, and he fell stiffly to the ground.
Zeus floated in front of Gray, staring at him as Gray lay unconscious. Zeus froze, then turned to look at Ren, then back at Gray on the floor.
This kid is way too fragile.
"The show's over. Take Gray down to rest."
Makarov set his bottle down and hopped off his seat, hurrying to Gray's side.
After checking him, Makarov confirmed Gray was only injured and not in any danger.
After someone carried Gray away to rest, Makarov walked around Zeus with curiosity and asked Ren, "Ren, what is this?"
The guild members were curious too. Why could a cloud talk?
Zeus returned to a white cloud, drifting slowly to Ren's side. He narrowed his eyes, swept his gaze across everyone, and lifted his head proudly as he looked away.
"Zeus is a Homie I created from my soul. He can control lightning and fly."
Ren poked Zeus's soft body and explained with a smile.
After spending so much time together, everyone already knew Ren used soul magic.
But none of them had ever heard of soul magic being able to create life.
A voice suddenly rose from the crowd, asking Ren, "Then can you use other people's souls to create life too?"
Ren nodded. "Yes, but I haven't tried."
Makarov's expression suddenly turned serious. He looked at Ren and said firmly, "Creating life is forbidden magic. Life is sacred. As a mage, I can't use magic to break that rule."
Ren nodded without responding.
Seeing Ren fall silent, Makarov didn't know what Ren was thinking.
"Ren, you're back!"
A delighted voice suddenly came from the guild entrance.
A girl in armor stood in the doorway.
"Yo, Erza."
Ren smiled and waved at Erza in her armor.
Erza jogged up to him, smiling brightly. "When did you get back? Next time you leave, when are you taking me with you?"
Seeing the expectation in her eyes, Ren shrugged. "I'll probably rest for a while."
"That's great!"
Hearing his answer, the joy in Erza's eyes practically overflowed.