36-40

Chapter 36: Fireflies in the Night  

Arriving at the vine-woven treehouse, Kanna’s eyes sparkled as she rushed over.  

"Good job today, Kanna."  

Rayne smiled warmly, ruffling her silky hair.  

When they’d first encountered the two kidnappers, he’d anticipated more might emerge from the hideout. So he’d instructed Kanna to stay hidden—ready to intervene if the children inside were taken hostage.  

Had she not been there to block the brainwashed kids, Lyle’s threats might’ve actually worked.  

His gaze shifted to the treehouse interior, where pairs of timid eyes peered out.  

"We’re mages from Fairy Tail. Oak Village hired us to find their missing children."  

Straightforwardness worked best in these situations.  

"I’m from Oak Village!"  

One of the older boys sprang up, pointing to two others.  

"And so are they!"  

The remaining children wilted, their hopes visibly crumbling. Before their stifled pleas could form, Rayne continued:  

"The rest of you, come with us to Oak Village. We’ll arrange your return home from there."  

Nightfall meant prowling beasts and monsters. Letting them wander back alone was as good as serving them to predators.  

"Thank you, Mage-sir!"  

Tears welled in their eyes—relief transforming their faces. Whether due to this world’s dangers or village upbringing, these kids carried a resilience beyond their years.  

After regrouping with Laxus (who’d retrieved the last child), the group began the trek to Oak Village.  

Moonlight draped the land in silver, illuminating the path.  

At the village outskirts, figures still stood vigil.  

"You should rest. The mages will return when there’s news," urged the village chief.  

"No news is good news! Maybe they’re tracking leads!"  

A husband gripped his wife’s shoulder. "If you collapse before our child returns—"  

"Just a little longer," she whispered, eyes never leaving the forest edge.  

Then—  

"Do you hear that?"  

A faint melody threaded through the rustling leaves:  

"Black skies hang low, bright stars aglow..."  

Children’s voices, clear and sweet.  

"That’s—that’s Bell’s voice!"  

"And my Junes is singing too!"  

Like dawn breaking, desperate faces turned toward the woods.  

Golden light flickered between the trees—fireflies dancing around a floating orb of white light. At its center walked Rayne, Kanna’s hand in his, the rescued children singing behind them.  

Bringing up the rear, Laxus scowled, arms crossed.  

"Mama! Papa!"  

Three children broke ranks, sprinting into waiting arms.  

Rayne let the light in his palm dissipate. The fireflies, now chasing fading motes, ascended like embers toward the stars.  

Kanna tilted her head, watching the tearful reunions. Her grip on Rayne’s hand tightened.  

"You’ve done Oak Village an immense service," the chief bowed.  

"A job worth doing is worth doing well."  

Rayne’s smile faded as he noticed the other children’s longing stares.  

"These ones are from nearby villages. It’s too late to send them home tonight—"  

"We’ll handle it at first light," the chief assured. "Please, stay as our guests. Let us repay you properly."  

Chapter 37: Gildarts Mode  

The next day, around noon.  

After completing their request and returning to Magnolia, Rayne walked leisurely with Conna in tow, while Laxus strode ahead with his arms crossed.  

Though the two had just finished a job together, they acted like complete strangers.  

"BONG—! BONG—! BONG—!"  

Unlike any ordinary chime, the urgent, thunderous tolling of the bell erupted from the town's central watchtower, echoing through every corner.  

At the sound, the entire town froze as if someone had hit a pause button.  

A housewife picking fruit paused mid-motion, her face twisting into an exasperated "Ugh, here we go again."  

A couple chatting at a café exchanged weary smiles.  

Even children playing in the streets immediately scrambled to the sidewalks.  

There was no panic, no chaos—just a collective look of resigned familiarity, mixed with awe and mild annoyance.  

The sudden shift made even the usually expressionless Conna tilt her head in curiosity.  

"Gildarts Mode?"  

Though Rayne had never experienced it before, he had a guess.  

After all, Master Makarov had mentioned that Gildarts was due to return soon. So it wasn’t entirely unexpected.  

"Hey, you two! What are you standing around for?"  

A bystander noticed Rayne and Conna lingering and quickly waved them over.  

Realizing they might be outsiders, the man added, "Hurry over here, or you’ll be in trouble!"  

"Right. Thanks."  

Snapped out of his thoughts, Rayne nodded appreciatively and led Conna to the sidewalk.  

Glancing at Laxus, he saw the lightning mage already standing aside, his eyes burning with anticipation as he stared toward the town entrance.  

"Rayne, what’s happening?"  

Conna tugged Rayne’s hand, her chubby face lifting toward him with curiosity—though her blank expression made the contrast oddly amusing.  

"Little one, this is what we in Magnolia call ‘Gildarts Mode,’" an elderly woman beside them explained kindly, recognizing they weren’t locals.  

"Gildarts Mode?"  

With someone offering an explanation, Conna turned her attention to the old woman instead.  

"Mm. Look."  

The woman nodded and pointed toward the town gates where they’d entered.  

By now, the streets had completely cleared—a routine the townspeople knew all too well.  

Then—  

"RUMBLE—!"  

The ground beneath them began to tremble faintly.  

Conna glanced around but saw no panic—just calm acceptance.  

It was as if some ancient beast slumbering beneath the town had begun to stir.  

With the grinding of colossal gears and the hiss of pressurized steam, the impossible unfolded.  

Starting from the southern gate, the bustling main street split down the middle, the cobblestones parting in a razor-straight line.  

The fissure rapidly widened, and the buildings, shops, and even flower beds along the street began sliding apart on massive mechanical platforms, shifting smoothly to either side.  

In moments, a perfectly straight, unobstructed path stretched from the gates all the way to the doors of the Fairy Tail guildhall.  

"Wow~ Rayne, Rayne! Maji de yabai! (This is seriously crazy!)"  

The little dragon girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she tugged Rayne’s hand, utterly enchanted by the town’s toy-like transformation.  

"This is Gildarts Mode—a special adjustment to our town, all to prevent that man from accidentally causing destruction," the old woman explained, her tone a mix of fond exasperation and hometown pride.  

"Tch. At the end of the day, it’s just poor control over his own power," Dreyar scoffed in Rayne’s mind.  

To her, a true warrior of [The Overbearing] would never tolerate such recklessness.  

As for the spectacle? Unimpressed. In her long life, she’d witnessed far grander entrances.  

"Hey, kid. Don’t you dare pick up his bad habits," Dreyar warned, almost protective of Rayne’s potential.  

"I know," Rayne replied silently, his gaze fixed on the figure now appearing at the town’s entrance.  

Red hair. A rugged, muscular frame. A carefree grin as he slung a travel bag over one shoulder.  

This wasn’t the grizzled middle-aged man he’d become—this was Gildarts Clive in his prime, exuding the roguish charm of a wandering mage.  

But Rayne wasn’t focused on that.  

What gripped his attention was the raw, barely restrained magic swirling around Gildarts—a pressure so intense it made the ground beneath him crack with each step.  

Even this passive aura was enough to send a jolt of adrenaline through Rayne.  

Compared to the polished control of Master Makarov, Gildarts’ untamed power was a visceral display of what an S-Class mage truly represented.  

"He’s… strong," Rayne murmured, eyes narrowing.  

Excluding dragons like Conna and Dreyar, this was the first time he’d faced such overwhelming might head-on.  

And instead of intimidation, it ignited something in him—a fierce, rising heat.  

"My first goal… surpass Gildarts."  

Rayne didn’t doubt for a second that he could.  

With [Dragon’s Origin], the path was clear.  

But even without it?  

The belief wouldn’t waver.  

If he lacked the will to surpass Gildarts without relying on his magic, then he didn’t deserve to stand among the best.  

As if sensing his stare, Gildarts glanced over mid-conversation with a drinking buddy.  

Rayne didn’t look away.  

He let his ambition burn openly in his gaze.  

For a moment, the red-haired mage blinked in surprise—then threw back his head with a booming laugh.  

A challenger? Bring it on.  

He’d never feared being overtaken. His confidence was unshakable.  

But then his instincts prickled as his eyes landed on Conna.  

Decades of battle-honed senses screamed:  

Danger.  

That little girl was dangerous.  

Yet the feeling vanished as quickly as it came.  

Gildarts wasn’t one to dismiss gut instincts, but now wasn’t the time to dig deeper.  

With a final thoughtful glance, he continued forward.  

"Heyyy, if it isn’t Laxus? Did ya miss me?" Gildarts teased, spotting the blond mage.  

"In your dreams, old man," Laxus sneered, turning on his heel toward the guild.  

"Ah, youth. You’ll learn—women love a seasoned guy like me~"  

Gildarts just grinned, running a hand through his spiked red hair with exaggerated flair.  

Chapter 38: Guild Master, I Want to Play Basketball (Not Really)  

"Rayne, you must never become that kind of man!"  

Rayne could almost picture a dignified, domineering woman glaring at Gildarts with utter disdain.  

Ddraig had hosted countless individuals—beings of all kinds.  

This shouldn’t have been an issue.  

But Rayne was different.  

Not only did his personality suit her tastes, but his potential was in a league of its own.  

She really didn’t want this host of hers to turn into that kind of person.  

So much so that she even dropped her usual "brat" nickname for him.  

"I know, I know."  

Rayne found Ddraig’s reaction oddly amusing and responded silently in his mind.  

With a polite nod to the elderly woman beside him, he took Konan’s hand and followed the two ahead.  

"Rayne, when are we going back to the guild like that?"  

Konan’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she watched the split-open street, clearly fascinated by this unconventional way of returning to the guild.  

"Haha~ Let’s not. Ddraig would be furious."  

Rayne chuckled, brushing off the idea casually.  

"Hmm… Why?"  

Konan knew Ddraig was the dragon sealed inside the Magic Item, but she didn’t understand why he’d be angry.  

"Probably because it’s… immature."  

Their quiet conversation continued until Konan finally gave up on the idea, and they arrived at the guild’s entrance.  

"Hey, kid, why’d you follow us all the way here?"  

Gildarts stopped in front of the guild and turned to study Rayne and Konan curiously.  

He’d noticed them trailing behind him earlier—especially the strange aura coming from the little girl.  

At first, he thought they were just passing by, but now it seemed there was more to it.  

"Why are you looking at me like that?"  

The moment he asked, Gildarts noticed Laxus shooting him a weird look.  

"Tch. Not only are you a sleazy old man, but you only pay attention to women."  

The blond teenager scoffed, then ignored them both and strode into the guild.  

"…?"  

Gildarts scratched his stubbled chin, puzzled, before turning back to Rayne.  

The black-haired boy simply raised the back of his hand as he walked past—revealing the familiar black guild mark.  

"Ohhh~ A new member, huh? No wonder I didn’t recognize you."  

Gildarts stroked his beard, grinning without a hint of embarrassment.  

"What’s your name, kid?"  

He stepped forward, slinging an arm out to drape over Rayne’s shoulders—  

But Rayne sidestepped smoothly, avoiding the gesture.  

"I’m Rayne. This is Konan. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Gildarts."  

It wasn’t that Rayne disliked Gildarts—he just didn’t trust the man’s control over his Crush Magic.  

The last thing he wanted was to accidentally get shattered into a pile of Raynes.  

Sure, he wouldn’t die, but the experience would be… unsettling.  

Plus, Konan was with him. Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but if he got split into multiple versions of himself, the little girl would definitely get ideas.  

"Haha~ ‘Mr. Gildarts’ is way too formal! We’re guildmates!"  

Gildarts wasn’t offended—he knew his own quirks and realized he’d forgotten himself earlier.  

"Is the kid a new member too?"  

His gaze shifted to Konan, curiosity still burning in his eyes.  

That strange feeling from before hadn’t faded.  

If they’d just been passing by, he could’ve let it go. But now that they were in the same guild, he couldn’t ignore it.  

"Yeah."  

Rayne nodded, leading Konan inside.  

"Gildarts is finally back!"  

"This mission took way longer than usual. Surprising."  

"You know how he is—probably got distracted chasing women."  

"That’s very likely."  

As soon as Gildarts stepped in, the guild’s attention immediately zeroed in on him.  

With all the commotion outside, they’d already guessed who it was.  

Before Gildarts could ask anything else, the others dragged him off to drink.  

Rayne glanced around—Wakaba wasn’t there, only Macao and the others.  

Ignoring the crowd, he headed straight for the counter, where Laxus was already waiting.  

"You two finished faster than I expected."  

Makarov eyed Rayne, raising an eyebrow.  

He’d assumed this mission would take them much longer—enough time for the two to get used to each other and ease the tension.  

Yet they’d returned in just a day.  

At least they seemed slightly less hostile now.  

His plan hadn’t been entirely wasted.  

"Guild Master, here’s proof of the completed request."  

Rayne handed over the mission confirmation.  

As for the reward, he and Laxus had already split it back in Oak Village.  

"Hmm. What did you run into?"  

Makarov noted the details but also caught the faint scent of blood on the boy.  

Clearly, they had encountered Dark Guild members.  

"The children were being…"  

After settling Konan onto a stool, Rayne took a seat and began explaining.  

Laxus stayed silent, not interrupting.  

"Lyall… Uses a flute to manipulate minds and summon rats…"  

Makarov muttered, piecing together the clues before landing on a notorious Dark Guild.  

**"You might’ve faced the Rat Catchers—a Dark Guild that specializes in kidnapping and selling children."**  

Their members weren’t overwhelmingly strong, but their erratic movements—snatching a few kids in one place before vanishing to another—made them a headache for the Magic Council.  

Their reputation was vile, yet no one had managed to wipe them out.  

Until now.  

"I’ll file for the bounty reward with the Council."  

Makarov grinned.  

Dark Guild extermination requests always came with hefty payouts, open to any guild that succeeded.  

"Thank you, Guild Master."  

Pleased with the unexpected bonus, Rayne nodded—then added:  

"Guild Master… I want to learn your Giant Magic."  

Chapter 39: Gildarts in Panic  

"Huh? Why would you suddenly think of that?"  

Makarov and Laxus, who hadn’t left yet, looked at Rayne with puzzled expressions.  

They hadn’t expected him to make such a request.  

"My body isn’t fully developed yet, and it puts me at a disadvantage in fights."  

Rayne clenched his fist in front of him, frustration evident on his face.  

He had noticed this during his spar with Makarov.  

But in his battle against Bog and his men, this weakness became even more apparent.  

Bog’s massive build, combined with his giant axe, gave him an overwhelming reach.  

Even with the Boosted Gear’s defensive capabilities, Rayne still found himself struggling to keep up.  

That’s why he thought of Makarov’s Giant Magic.  

Until his body fully matured, this magic could help compensate for his current shortcomings.  

"Tch—still just a kid, huh?"  

Laxus scoffed before turning and walking away.  

"......"  

Makarov was momentarily stunned by the request.  

He had assumed Rayne wanted to learn it because the magic was powerful… or maybe because it looked cool.  

But he never expected it to be for such a practical reason.  

Still, as he looked Rayne up and down, he noticed the boy had grown a bit since joining the guild.  

He wasn’t small for his age, but against full-grown adults, the difference was undeniable.  

"Alright, I get it. If you want to learn, I can teach you."  

Understanding Rayne’s reasoning, Makarov didn’t refuse.  

"Thank you, Master."  

Though he had expected this answer, Rayne couldn’t help but grin in excitement.  

"I’ll teach you, but how well you learn depends on you."  

Makarov waved a hand dismissively.  

Magic was all about compatibility—no matter how much you trained, if you lacked the aptitude, progress would be slow.  

But considering how effectively Rayne’s magic enhanced his physical abilities…  

Maybe Giant Magic would suit him after all.  

"I understand. I’ll take my leave then."  

Rayne knew that well enough.  

Still, Makarov’s willingness to teach was more than enough.  

Even if he couldn’t reach the level of fully transforming into a giant, mastering even a partial form would give him an edge in battle.  

After thanking the guild master, Rayne left half of his mission reward behind before heading toward the request board with Kanna.  

Makarov shook his head slightly but said nothing more.  

"Hmm… nothing really interesting here."  

Standing in front of the request board, Rayne crossed his arms, muttering to himself.  

Aside from a few mundane jobs within Magnolia and the higher-ranked quests he couldn’t take yet, most of the available missions either paid too little or required too much time and travel.  

The effort just wasn’t worth it.  

Honestly, even the Oak Village request had been a poor trade in terms of rewards.  

But that one had been personal, so efficiency didn’t matter.  

Turning to Kanna, he asked:  

"Find anything on your side?"  

"Nope~"  

Her expression blank, Kanna tilted her head up at the board before shaking it.  

"Then let’s take tomorrow off and find something good to eat!"  

After days of non-stop travel, his body was fine, but mentally, he was exhausted.  

Since there were no suitable missions, a short break wouldn’t hurt.  

Plus, it’d give him time to practice Giant Magic before the next job.  

"Woooh!!"  

Kanna’s azure eyes sparkled as she threw her hands up in excitement.  

Then, without warning, she grabbed Rayne’s hand and started dragging him toward the exit.  

**"Wait, I said tomorrow—"**  

Had he misspoken?  

But seeing how fired up she was, he didn’t have the heart to stop her.  

"Ah, whatever."  

Letting himself be pulled along, Rayne gave a quick wave to Caroline and the others before leaving the guild.  

"That kid’s something else. Where’d you even find him?"  

Gildarts sat down at the bar, sliding a drink toward Makarov with a knowing smirk.  

If he could sense something unusual about that little girl, there was no way Makarov hadn’t noticed.  

"That’s for him to decide when the time comes."  

Makarov knew exactly what Gildarts was hinting at, but Rayne’s secrets were his own.  

Grabbing the mug, he took a deep swig.  

"Hah! Fair enough."  

Gildarts chuckled before downing his own drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.  

If the old man trusted the kid, that was good enough for him.  

He’d just have to keep his curiosity in check.  

"So, how’d your mission go?"  

Setting his half-empty mug down, Makarov glanced at Gildarts.  

**"Come on, I’m Gildarts—of course I crushed it!"**  

Grinning, he jabbed a thumb at his chest proudly.  

"Though after finishing, I ran into a lovely lady in trouble. Had to stick around and help her out, y’know?"  

He then launched into an explanation for his delayed return.  

"She was really sweet, and then—"  

"Stop. I don’t need the details."  

Makarov held up a hand, cutting him off with an exasperated look.  

He really didn’t want to hear about Gildarts’ latest romantic escapades.  

"You’re gonna get yourself in trouble one day. What if some kid shows up at the guild calling you ‘Dad’?"  

The man was strong, sure, but his carefree attitude made him a terrible candidate for guild master.  

At least Rayne was level-headed and didn’t go looking for trouble.  

Once the kid grew stronger, he’d make a fine leader.  

…Probably.  

(Unbeknownst to Makarov, Rayne had glossed over the more violent details of his mission report, leaving the guild master with a slightly skewed impression of his temperament.)  

"HAHAHA!!"  

Gildarts burst out laughing—though a cold sweat ran down his back.  

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t been particularly careful in his past… encounters.  

"Nah, nah, that’d never happen!"  

He chugged the rest of his drink, as if trying to drown the thought.  

He was still young—no way was he ready to be tied down!  

But as he set the mug down, his usual confidence seemed… just a little shaken.  

Chapter 40: Jade!  

Having completed two jobs,  

Though he’d returned a fair share of the reward money to Makarov,  

Rayne still had enough left for daily expenses.  

With his wallet feeling pleasantly full, Rayne took Kanna along as they dashed through the streets, buying everything they’d previously hesitated to purchase.  

By the time they reached their apartment, they were hauling a small mountain of goods—enough to completely obscure Rayne’s upper body.  

Kanna, carrying her own share of bags, guided him forward.  

"Rayne?"  

A slightly puzzled voice called out from the side.  

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Porter."  

Rayne shifted the pile in front of him to greet the middle-aged woman with graying hair.  

"Listen here, boy! If you’re gonna eat, clean up after yourselves! Don’t stink up my place!"  

Once she confirmed it was Rayne, Mrs. Porter’s tone sharpened like a whip.  

"I’ll take good care of the room."  

Wincing at her booming voice, Rayne quickly nodded in agreement.  

"Tch. If you’ve got money to spare, you could’ve just given it to me. I wouldn’t mind cooking for you two."  

She eyed the food in their hands, her words casual but pointed.  

"Our schedules are too unpredictable to trouble you like that."  

With jobs taking them away for days at a time, Rayne couldn’t impose on her.  

"Honestly… Kids your age, doing such dangerous work. And that old geezer Makarov, letting you run wild…"  

Grumbling under her breath, Mrs. Porter turned and stomped back inside.  

"Alright, let’s eat."  

Watching her leave, Rayne shrugged and led Kanna into their apartment.  

The moment they stepped inside, a wave of relief washed over him.  

After setting the food on the table, he flopped onto the floor without a care—letting out a laziness he’d never show in public.  

"Pfft—"  

A soft thud pressed against his stomach. Glancing down, Rayne saw Kanna sprawled beside him, her head resting on his abdomen as she stared blankly at the ceiling.  

"Comfy, huh? Using my stomach as a pillow?"  

A grin tugged at his lips as he suddenly sat up, fingers darting to Kanna’s ticklish spots.  

"Mmph—!!"  

Her drowsy eyes shot wide open. The little dragon writhed, muffled noises escaping her lips as tiny arcs of electricity crackled along her tail.  

Amused by her reaction, Rayne kept going.  

"Hnng…!"  

Her squirming intensified, but with her upper body pinned, she couldn’t escape—only letting out helpless little huffs.  

Then—  

THUD.  

A small, sock-covered foot slammed into Rayne’s face.  

Pausing, he stared at the pristine white toes inches from his nose. Even after their long trek, there wasn’t a trace of odor—just a faint, clean scent.  

And as his breath brushed her sole, Kanna’s toes curled reflexively, stretching the thin fabric of her socks taut—  

CRACKLE.  

The sparks along her tail flared violently.  

"Gah—!"  

A golden flash blinded Rayne as electricity surged through him, leaving his muscles locked and his body stiff on the floor.  

"Haaah… haah…"  

Panting, Kanna collapsed onto his stomach, her own breathing uneven from the outburst.  

"…What possessed you to tease a dragon whelp?"  

Ddraig’s exasperated voice echoed in Rayne’s mind.  

"Instinct?"  

He’d have answered if not for the lingering numbness fogging his thoughts.  

Silence settled over the room.  

Then—  

Knock. Knock.  

A sound at the door.  

"Kanna, I’ll get it."  

Still recovering, Rayne nudged her off and forced himself up.  

Thankfully, the shock had been minor—just a reflexive spark, restrained by Kanna’s control. But for a first-time lightning victim, it was… disorienting.  

Kanna rolled away with a plop as Rayne staggered to the door—only to find Mrs. Porter standing there.  

"…What happened to you?"  

Her sharp eyes scanned his disheveled state.  

Glancing at the hallway mirror, Rayne saw his hair standing on end from the zap. He hastily smoothed it down.  

"Nothing. Just… playing around."  

"Hmph. Well, I made too much stew this morning. Wasteful to throw it out, so eat it if you want."  

Without waiting for a reply, she thrust a steaming dish into his hands and turned away.  

"Oh—thank you, Mrs. Porter!"  

"Just return the plate when you’re done."  

Her stern voice floated back as she disappeared downstairs.  

"Heh."  

Rayne smiled at the obviously fresh stew in his hands.  

"Kanna, Mrs. Porter brought us something good!"  

Back inside, he set the dish on the table.  

Kanna’s nose twitched. Rolling over, her eyes lit up at the sight.  

"What’s this?"  

"Stew. Smells great."  

Pulling up chairs, Rayne settled Kanna into one before taking his own seat.  

They spread out their earlier purchases—covering nearly the entire table.  

"Where do we even start?"  

Rayne scanned the feast, overwhelmed by choices.  

"Eat. All of it."  

Kanna’s declaration, at odds with her tiny frame, made him laugh.  

"Then let’s dig in from the top!"  

Grabbing two sandwich-like items, they dove in.  

Between bites of Mrs. Porter’s hearty stew, even the simplest flavors seemed richer.  

Then—  

"…Sorry, Rayne."  

Kanna’s voice was small.  

"I’m the one who teased you. We’re even."  

He knew why she apologized—he hadn’t expected her to be that ticklish.  

"Mhm!"  

Her gloom vanished instantly, the little dragon’s mood brightening as she happily resumed eating.