41-45

Chapter 41: They're All Monsters!  

On the plains west of Magnolia...  

"You’re aware of the different types of magic, yes?"  

Makarov sat cross-legged atop a boulder, watching Rayne and Conna standing before him.  

"Yeah. Holder-Type and Caster-Type," Rayne answered without hesitation.  

"Correct. Holder-Type magic requires a specific object as a medium to activate," Makarov explained, though his gaze lingered oddly on Rayne.  

"Your Summoning Magic should fall under that category…"  

He’d never seen such a bizarre magic before.  

It didn’t quite fit as Holder-Type, yet calling it Caster-Type didn’t feel right either.  

"Ah, whatever. You’re full of mysteries anyway."  

Makarov shook his head, dismissing the thought.  

Magic was vast and unpredictable—trying to rigidly classify it was pointless.  

"Caster-Type magic is directly channeled through the body or mind. My Giant Magic falls under this category—and due to its immense power, mastering it is incredibly difficult. Even dangerous."  

His tone turned grave as he locked eyes with Rayne.  

"I’ll give it everything I’ve got!"  

Rayne’s response was immediate, his expression unwavering.  

He’d already considered the risks when he decided to ask for this training.  

In the original story, Makarov’s appearances were limited to highlight Natsu’s growth, making Giant Magic seem less impressive.  

But during the Tenrou Island arc, facing Acnologia?  

A full-powered Makarov had grown larger than a mountain.  

No fancy titles like "Lost Magic," no flashy gimmicks—just raw, overwhelming scale.  

Mastering it wouldn’t be easy.  

"Giant Magic uses your mana to enlarge your flesh. That means you need absolute control over both your magic and your body."  

Makarov raised a finger, demonstrating as his digit fluctuated in size—swelling and shrinking erratically.  

"If you rush it and overload your mana…"  

The skin on his finger bulged unnaturally, veins threatening to rupture.  

"Your blood vessels will burst. In severe cases, your flesh might explode. So. Do. Not. Rush. Understood?"  

The distortion stabilized, and Makarov fixed Rayne with a stern glare.  

"Understood."  

Rayne nodded, though inwardly, he was stunned by Makarov’s precision.  

He’d always known the guild master was strong, but seeing such flawless control firsthand?  

It was on another level compared to Gildarts’ unstable aura.  

(Though, to be fair, Makarov did have decades more experience.)  

"Now, Giant Magic’s structure is—"  

As Makarov began his explanation, a faint glow flickered beside them.  

Conna blinked down at her tiny hands, where mana swirled—and in moments, her chubby fingers lengthened into slender, elegant ones, smooth as polished jade.  

A grown woman’s hand, attached to a child’s body.  

Her usually blank face twitched with something akin to fascination.  

**"Rayne, Rayne… Look at my hand!"**  

She waved her disproportionately large fingers excitedly, stretching on her tiptoes to pat Rayne’s head—finally returning all those headpats he’d given her.  

"……"  

Both Rayne and Makarov fell silent.  

The student hadn’t even started practicing, yet the observer had already figured it out.  

"Why so shocked? She’s a millennia-old dragon. Once she grasps the principle, replicating it is trivial," Dreyar scoffed in Rayne’s mind.  

**"Right… Because she’s a dragon."**  

Rayne accepted the logic, but another thought struck him.  

**"Wait—if Conna used Giant Magic in her true form…"**  

Even in her humanoid shape, Conna was massive.  

But as a dragon? With Giant Magic?  

She could dwarf mountains.  

"And once our bond peaks, maintaining her in this world won’t drain my mana anymore. If she goes all out…"  

Maybe she wouldn’t rival that world-bearing dragon from The Box just yet—but a planet-sized dragon?  

Absolutely possible.  

A thrill shot through Rayne at the mental image.  

This magic was even more valuable than he’d thought.  

"Ahem. Let’s… continue."  

Makarov pointedly looked away from Conna, refocusing on Rayne.  

Dragons operate on different rules, he reminded himself.  

Still, having his signature magic copied so effortlessly stung his pride.  

"Conna, don’t overdo it. My mana can’t sustain that for long," Rayne chided gently before returning to the lesson.  

The dragon girl pouted but released the spell, her hand shrinking back to normal.  

Bored, she wandered off to sway side-to-side with a flower in the breeze.  

"The core of Giant Magic is what I’ve explained. For now, your goal is to refine your mana control."  

With Conna’s distraction gone, Makarov swiftly outlined the key points before assigning Rayne’s first task.  

**"Start by enlarging just one finger—"**  

"…Like this?"  

Rayne’s hesitant voice cut him off.  

Makarov’s head snapped up—and his jaw dropped.  

Rayne’s index finger had already transformed, perfectly proportioned without a single unstable bulge.  

"？？？"  

A storm of question marks raged in Makarov’s mind.  

Conna was a dragon—fine, he could accept that.  

But Rayne too?!  

Having talented guild members was one thing, but this was downright monstrous!  

Back in his day, he’d been considered a prodigy!  

Yet mastering this magic had taken him years of grueling effort—not to mention the toll it took on his body, leaving him stuck like this!  

And Rayne just… got it after one explanation?!  

Even the generous-hearted Makarov felt a pang of bitter frustration.  

His gaze flickered between the boy and the little dragon now humming as she played with a butterfly.  

…No wonder these two got along so well.  

They’re all monsters!  

Chapter 42: Further Enhancement  

"So that’s how it works."  

Rayne stared at his fingers, a look of realization dawning on his face.  

The situation wasn’t as exaggerated as Makarov had made it seem.  

Perhaps due to the feedback from [Dragon’s Origin], his magic had assimilated draconic properties.  

Not only did it enhance his body beyond ordinary magic, but his flesh also gained an extraordinary capacity for adaptation.  

By simply channeling magic into it, he could achieve gigantification.  

That’s why, after hearing Makarov’s explanation, he’d been able to perform it so smoothly.  

If it had been any other magic not related to body manipulation, Rayne suspected it would’ve taken him much longer to learn.  

"I still need to improve my control over magic output."  

As he increased the flow of magic into his palm, Rayne immediately identified his weakness.  

While his body’s adaptability allowed him to perform the spell, that was all it did.  

Right now, his hand looked grotesque—fingers warped unevenly, the pinky longer than the index, the ring finger thicker than the thumb.  

In short, it was far from perfect.  

To achieve a harmonious form—and maintain it in battle—he needed far more precise control.  

"Guild Master…?"  

Rayne looked up, about to share his thoughts with Makarov, only to find the old man already walking back toward town.  

"If you’ve learned it, then practice on your own. I’m heading back."  

The tiny guild master didn’t even turn around, hands clasped behind his back.  

For some reason, Rayne thought he sounded… weary.  

But he quickly dismissed the idea. Makarov had been fine just moments ago—why would his mood shift so suddenly?  

"Guess I’ll focus on control training first."  

Shaking off the thought, Rayne immersed himself in magic practice.  

His eyelids lowered as magic surged through his body.  

A golden magic circle materialized beneath his feet, its glow intensifying as his stature began to expand—stopping just over two meters tall.  

"If I keep growing, could I pass for an Ultraman one day?"  

Amused by the absurd thought, Rayne glanced down at his clothes in relief.  

"At least they grow with me. Would’ve been awkward otherwise."  

After surveying his new perspective, he assessed his condition.  

"This height… The magic consumption isn’t optimal. Next time, I’ll aim lower."  

Maintaining this size drained too much energy for prolonged combat.  

"Physical stats get a slight boost, but it’s nowhere near the [Boosted Gear]’s enhancement."  

Not surprising. The Red Dragon Emperor’s gauntlet was a Longinus, after all—no ordinary magic could compare.  

With a mental command, the magic circle reappeared, and Rayne’s body shrank back down.  

From then on, he cycled through adjustments—fine-tuning his output for stability and balance.  

After some time, a lean, toned figure stood on the grassy field—now a well-proportioned 1.8 meters tall.  

"This… is acceptable."  

Rayne examined his hands and legs, satisfied.  

Compared to his earlier monstrous distortions, this version was at least presentable.  

Unless someone scrutinized him closely, the imperfections were nearly invisible.  

"Next step: Refine it further, ensure instant gigantification in combat, and master attack range adjustments… Ugh, so much to do!"  

As he listed his goals, Rayne realized his supposed "break" had vanished.  

But if it meant growing stronger, rest could wait!  

Once he’d polished his form, Rayne kept his enlarged body—testing it with sprints, punches, and relentless magic regulation.  

The training wasn’t physically exhausting, but the mental strain was brutal.  

By the time the sunset painted the sky, Rayne trudged back to his apartment—drenched in sweat and exhaustion.  

The moment he stepped inside, he practically collapsed into the bathtub.  

Hot water soothed his aching muscles like a massage, but his eyelids grew heavy.  

Struggling to stay awake, he forced himself out, dressed, and stumbled to bed after dinner with Konan.  

The little dragon girl curled up beside him, pulling his arm around herself like a living pillow.  

Her azure eyes lingered on his sleeping face.  

She hated seeing Rayne so worn out but didn’t know how to help—except this.  

"If Toru were here… she’d know what to do."  

The thought crossed her mind before drowsiness claimed her too.  

Unbeknownst to them, deep within Rayne’s soul, the power fed by [Dragon’s Origin] pulsed faintly—strengthening his mind, muscles, organs, and magic bit by bit.  

"That energy… grew stronger? Did something happen to the little dragon?"  

Ddraig sensed the shift, recalling Rayne’s past explanations.  

But try as she might, she couldn’t decipher a juvenile dragon’s psyche.  

Her own childhood was too distant a memory.  

Morning sunlight streamed through the window, dust motes dancing like fairies in its glow.  

"Mmm…"  

Rayne groaned, half-convinced a ghost was pinning him down.  

His breathing felt labored, one side of his body numb.  

As consciousness seeped back, he glanced down—and smiled at the sight of pearlescent horns and silver hair.  

Konan usually returned to her world to sleep, but last night, she’d stayed.  

"Huh?"  

Then it hit him.  

His magic should’ve depleted from yesterday’s training.  

Even if he hadn’t dismissed the spell actively, maintaining Konan’s presence should’ve been impossible.  

Yet not only was she still here, but he also felt no magic fatigue—just refreshed vigor.  

"What’s this…?"  

A quick self-check revealed the answer: His soul had changed.  

Chapter 43: Choosing a Weapon  

"The feedback got stronger? Did our bond deepen?"  

Rayne glanced at Kanna, still fast asleep beside him, unsure what exactly had changed the night before.  

Well, if he had to guess…  

It was probably because they’d slept in the same bed.  

But that wasn’t anything unusual. Back in the Eastern Forest, they’d often slept side by side.  

After turning it over in his mind, Rayne still couldn’t figure it out, so he simply shrugged it off.  

"My mana recovery speed has improved. No wonder Kanna can stay here so easily now."  

The realization hit him as he sensed the subtle shifts in his energy.  

Maintaining her human form didn’t require much mana from Kanna.  

And with the Dragon’s Essence feedback constantly nourishing him, Rayne’s mana quality and regeneration had always been absurdly fast.  

Now, it was veering into outright inhuman territory.  

Kanna’s consumption was practically negligible in comparison.  

Having pieced things together, Rayne gently ruffled Kanna’s hair as she slept.  

The feedback had grown stronger. Their bond had deepened.  

Two happy things overlapping.  

A satisfied grin tugged at his lips.  

Not wanting to disturb her rest, he quietly got up and headed to the bathroom to wash up.  

Even with his accelerated growth, he couldn’t afford to slack on training.  

Today’s agenda included physical conditioning, mana control exercises, and—  

A trip to the weapons shop.  

Until his next summoning, he’d need a proper weapon to wield.  

Tap. Tap.  

As he mentally mapped out his schedule, soft footsteps approached.  

Toothbrush still in his mouth, Rayne turned to see Kanna rubbing her eyes sleepily in the doorway.  

"Rayne, good morning."  

Her voice was soft and drowsy as she dragged a small stool over, climbing up to stand beside him at the sink.  

"Here."  

Rayne handed her the toothbrush she’d claimed for herself after seeing him use one.  

Mimicking his movements, the little dragon girl scrubbed her teeth with a blank expression.  

The room fell silent save for the rhythmic brushing.  

After breakfast, the two stepped outside, fully energized.  

Exchanging a quick greeting with their tsundere landlady, Rayne set off toward the weapon shop.  

Early autumn mornings carried a crisp chill, even as the sun rose.  

Passersby hunched their shoulders against the breeze, some already bundling up in light jackets.  

"Rayne, this isn’t the way to the city gates?"  

Kanna blinked, scanning the unfamiliar streets.  

She’d memorized the routes to the guild and the exit, but this path didn’t match either.  

"We’re hitting the weapon shop first. Need to find something that suits me."  

Tilting his face toward the golden sunlight, Rayne exhaled in satisfaction.  

The temperature was perfect—warm but not scorching, cool but not biting.  

"What kind of weapon does Rayne want?"  

Kanna’s curiosity piqued as she looked up at him.  

"Hmm… something with power."  

He flexed his fist, feeling the energy coursing through it, answering in a cryptic way.  

"Don’t get it."  

She shook her head.  

"You’ll see soon. Just hope they have it in stock."  

Given how specific his requirements were, Rayne wasn’t entirely confident.  

But Magnolia was a bustling town. Surely they’d have something, right?  

With that hope, he led Kanna through the winding streets until they arrived at a weapon store.  

The shop had just opened, the usual clang of metalwork yet to begin.  

"Welcome! How can I help you?"  

A burly man in a brown tunic wiped his hands on a cloth, offering a polite smile.  

To his credit, he didn’t dismiss them as kids messing around.  

"Do you carry greatswords?"  

Rayne cut straight to the point.  

Not a katana, not a longsword, not a spear.  

After wielding Bog’s greataxe, he’d realized how well heavy weapons suited him.  

And with Dragon’s Essence continuously enhancing his physique, normal weapons would soon feel too light.  

So a greatsword it was.  

As for why he didn’t go for another axe?  

…Well, aesthetics mattered.  

"A greatsword? For you?"  

The blacksmith’s eyebrows shot up as he sized up the boy.  

But then his gaze landed on the black Fairy Tail emblem.  

His skepticism faded slightly.  

For that guild, even a kid wielding a massive blade wasn’t too strange.  

"Got ‘em! Right this way—I’m the best smith in Magnolia. You’ll find what you need!"  

He thumped his chest proudly.  

While his weapons weren’t enchanted, he boasted their craftsmanship could rival low-tier magic arms.  

"Hm."  

Rayne remained noncommittal as he stepped inside.  

Heat from the forge washed over them instantly.  

The walls gleamed with an array of blades—rapiers, shortswords, daggers—all catching the light menacingly.  

Kanna’s eyes sparkled as she stared, a dragon’s instinctive urge to hoard shiny things flickering in her gaze.  

"Greatswords are over here."  

The smith led them to a corner where several massive blades leaned against the wall.  

Rayne’s eyes narrowed, analyzing the wear marks and placement.  

Only five or six greatswords were present.  

The narrowest was four fingers wide.  

The widest? Nearly the span of his hand.  

Ignoring the smaller options, Rayne’s focus locked onto the largest one.  

The blade alone stood as tall as him. With the hilt, it towered over his head.  

Probably around 160 cm.  

No intricate engravings adorned its surface.  

Its edge lacked the razor sharpness of the longswords nearby—but that was expected.  

A weapon this size couldn’t prioritize finesse.  

White cloth wrapped around the grip, the excess trailing loosely.  

Just looking at it evoked a primal, brutal aura.  

Chapter 44: Money! Money! Gotta Make Money!!!  

"You… can’t possibly want this one, can you?"  

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, eyeing Rayne with blatant skepticism.  

Honestly, if the boy hadn’t been from that guild, he’d have assumed this was some kind of joke.  

The sword’s weight alone rivaled that of the little girl beside him. Even seasoned soldiers or mercenaries would struggle to wield it effectively in combat.  

It wasn’t about swinging it—anyone could manage a few haphazard strikes. But fighting? That required monstrous strength and endurance. Otherwise, fatigue would cripple them mid-battle. Worse, the sheer heft would slow most warriors to a crawl.  

And this kid? A rookie mage at best.  

"Yeah."  

Ignoring the doubt in the shopkeeper’s gaze, Rayne gripped the hilt. Beneath the white cloth wrapping, he felt supple leather—likely added for better grip.  

With a sharp exhale, he lifted the colossal blade.  

"Lighter than that axe," he mused silently.  

Back then, he’d relied on [Boost] to wield the heavier weapon effortlessly. Now, without it, this sword’s weight felt just right—challenging but manageable with magic enhancement. Within weeks, his body would adapt completely.  

Testing its balance, Rayne swung downward in a clean arc—  

WHOOSH—!  

The blade tore through the air before halting abruptly, tip hovering a hair’s breadth from the floor. The transition from violent motion to absolute stillness sent a dissonant thrill through the shop.  

"…I underestimated you. My apologies." The shopkeeper bowed slightly, respect replacing skepticism. To stop a swing like that without even a tremor? This boy was no ordinary mage.  

Rayne planted the sword’s tip against the ground with a thunk, grinning. "Flattery won’t make me overpay."  

"Hah! 25,000J!" The shopkeeper crossed his arms. "This blade cost me a fortune in materials and weeks of labor. At this price, I’m practically losing—"  

"It’s been gathering dust in the corner," Rayne interrupted, pointing to the untouched layer of grime where the sword had rested. "No scrape marks on the wall either. This thing’s been here awhile, hasn’t it?"  

"…Tch." The shopkeeper’s eye twitched. Damn kid’s observant.  

He had forged this monstrosity on a whim, melting down leftover metals. Every strike of his hammer had been poured into it—more care than he’d given to half the display weapons. But its impractical weight made it unsellable. Too heavy for grunts, too plain for elite warriors who’d rather buy enchanted arms.  

Years passed. Until today.  

"…How much?" he sighed.  

"15,000J."  

"Are you robbing me?!"  

But as Rayne’s smile held firm, the shopkeeper groaned. "Fine. Take it."  

Outside, Rayne clutched his now-flat wallet like a wounded animal. Two jobs’ worth of earnings… gone in one swing.  

"Treat that blade like your lover!" the shopkeeper called after him. "Bring it back for repairs if it chips!"  

"You better earn me ten times what I paid before breaking," Rayne muttered, patting the leather-wrapped hilt.  

The customized harness—a freebie—held the sword diagonally across his back. A magically reinforced shoulder strap anchored it with magnetic force, releasing only when Rayne channeled a trickle of magic.  

As they walked, townsfolk stared. Not just at Kanna’s cuteness anymore—now it was the spectacle of a child carrying a sword taller than himself.  

Rayne ignored them all. His mind burned with a single goal:  

Master Giant Magic. Adapt to this weapon and form. Then—  

"More jobs. More money."  

Flames of determination flickered around him so visibly that Kanna blinked.  

"Ooh~"  

That day, the figure training on the plains shone brighter than ever.  

Chapter 45: The Guild's Impressions  

A few days later, in the Fairy Tail guildhall...  

"So boooored~ Why haven’t Rayne and little Conna come to the guild lately?"  

Carolyn slumped over a table, lazily spinning her cup with a clink-clink sound.  

If not for Master Makarov confirming Rayne hadn’t taken any new requests, she’d have thought he’d left Magnolia entirely.  

"Rumor has it the Master’s teaching him Giant Magic. Probably training hard," someone chimed in.  

"That kid’s so driven it’s making me feel pressured."  

"Right? At this rate, he’ll surpass us in no time."  

"Tch—as if you weren’t already outclassed by Laxus ages ago!"  

Carolyn’s complaint sparked a chain reaction.  

The guild members felt a strange mix of urgency and guilt around the diligent boy—urgency to avoid being overtaken, and guilt for lazing around while he pushed himself.  

"Wait, I heard the Master only taught him for one day before coming back?" Wakaba stroked his beard, confused. Having just returned from a job, he’d only caught fragments of gossip.  

"Oh, the Master got crushed. Came back moping and grinning at the same time, dragging me out for drinks," Gildarts recalled, his smirk turning wicked.  

When Makarov had returned beaming, he’d assumed the old man had some scandalous adventure.  

Turns out?  

After one demonstration, Rayne had mastered the basics of Giant Magic—rendering all of Makarov’s prepared lessons useless.  

"Rayne’s that good?" Wakaba’s eyebrows shot up.  

"Speaking of Rayne… heard the latest rumor?" A female mage leaned in, eyes gleaming with mischief.  

"What rumor?" Carolyn perked up. The others turned curiously.  

"There’s a kid in town lately—carries a sword taller than himself, training at dawn on the plains."  

"That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s Rayne…" Carolyn frowned.  

The others nodded in agreement.  

"Tsk tsk~" The woman waggled a finger, grinning. "What if I told you he’s always got a little girl with him?"  

"Oh. Then yeah, that’s definitely Rayne."  

"No doubt about it."  

The guild burst into chuckles. By now, everyone knew:  

Rayne alone? Maybe not.  

Rayne + Conna? Guaranteed.  

The two were inseparable—so much so that picturing Rayne without the tiny dragon girl felt unnatural.  

"Wait, Rayne uses a greatsword?" Carolyn tapped her chin, struggling to reconcile the image.  

The boy was lean, with sharp, handsome features. A massive blade seemed…  

"Huh. That’s weirdly hot." Her finger froze mid-tap as her eyes sparkled.  

**"Right?! Right?!"** The gossipy mage fist-pumped in solidarity.  

Wakaba took a long drag from his cigar, unfazed.  

He’d seen the boy in the valley—this fit perfectly.  

"Is the Master not here yet?"  

A clear voice cut through the chatter.  

Heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed as the guild’s attention snapped to the entrance.  

Two familiar figures strode in—but for the sensory mages present, something felt off.  

For a split second, it wasn’t Rayne and Conna they perceived…  

But a beast, claws honed and fangs bared, stepping into the light.  

The illusion faded instantly, yet the impression lingered.  

This wasn’t a trick of the mind.  

Rayne’s aura had changed.  

Where he’d once seemed harmless, now carried a razor’s edge—subtle, but unmistakable.  

Some members even tensed on instinct.  

"Ho~?" Gildarts’ grin widened. "Lookin’ sharp, kid."  

"Made some progress," Rayne replied flatly.  

Five days of grueling training had paid off:  

• His mana and physicality had improved.  

• Giant Magic was now stable (in human-sized forms, at least).  

• The greatsword on his back? No longer just dead weight—every swing carried crushing force. 

"Connaaa~ Missed me?" Carolyn swooped in, ignoring the tension to fuss over the dragon girl.  

"No."  

The blunt reply turned Carolyn into a pale, crumbling statue.  

"Carolyn, is the Master around?" Rayne swiftly redirected.  

"Probably sorting requests. Should be here soon," she sighed, shaking off her despair.  

As she stood, her gaze trailed to the sword hilt towering over Rayne’s head—its white cloth wrappings fluttering with each step, like a beast barely restrained.  

Oddly mesmerizing.  

"Why this weapon?" She circled him, intrigued.  

"Normal ones felt too light. Plus…" Rayne shrugged. "Looks cool."  

"Didn’t peg you for a brute-strength type." She pinched his arm, eyebrows rising at the firm muscle beneath.  

For all her goofiness, Carolyn was a seasoned mage.  

Rayne moved without strain—this sword wasn’t for show.  

"Well, well! Back already, Rayne?"  

Makarov’s voice rang from the second-floor balcony, laced with amused surprise.