21-25

Chapter 21: The Scent of a Thieving Cat  

A massive beast—bear-like in shape but the size of a small truck—lumbered through the valley. Each thunderous step sent tremors through the earth, its silver-white fur glowing faintly under the shadows like captured moonlight.  

An odd contradiction: a monster radiating both primal ferocity and an eerie sanctity.  

"Moonlight Bear..."  

Rayne didn’t need Bartlow’s confirmation. His gaze slid past the beast to the cluster of silver flowers swaying behind it—their petals tightly closed, as if in slumber.  

Moonlight Blossoms.  

The bear’s vigilant posture left no doubt.  

"Drayke."  

Rayne’s silent call echoed in his mind. Just one look at the creature told him victory without the Boosted Gear would be a struggle.  

And then there was Wakaba, observing from the shadows.  

Perfect timing.  

It was about damn time the Red Dragon Emperor made her debut in this world.  

"Not a bad warm-up for you, brat."  

Drayke’s voice purred, her usual domineering tone laced with something sharper—anticipation. The dragoness had been itching for a real fight since Rayne refused to pummel Makarov during training.  

"Hah..."  

A slow exhale steadied his nerves. Cracking his neck, Rayne rolled his shoulders and stepped forward.  

Meanwhile, in the trees—  

Wakaba’s cigarette nearly fell from his lips.  

"Moonlight Bear?!"  

Among C-class requests, this thing was a nightmare. Brutal strength, hide like steel, and magic to boot. Even he’d need effort to take it down—his smoke magic wasn’t exactly combat-oriented.  

"Kid’s got a brain. He’ll back off and—"  

His reassurance died as Rayne strode straight into the valley.  

"The hell?! Is he blind?!"  

Wakaba lunged forward, already calculating the fastest route to yank the suicidal brat to safety.  

The bear froze mid-step.  

A rustle. A scent.  

"GROWL—"  

Its azure eyes—gems sharper than any beast’s—locked onto the valley entrance. Not on a threat, but a child.  

Yet the moment their gazes met, the bear’s fur bristled.  

This was no human.  

Something older stared back.  

Claws unsheathed. Fangs gleamed. The Moonlight Bear charged.  

"What’s gotten into it?!" Bartlow muttered, baffled. These creatures were territorial, not outright savage.  

Beside him, Conna tilted her head.  

"Thieving cat smell," she declared.  

A foreign presence clung to Rayne—one that didn’t belong.  

Rayne’s grin widened.  

Knees bent. Magic surged.  

"BOOM—!!"  

The ground cratered as he shot forward, closing the distance in a breath. The bear’s paw came down like a falling tower—enough to pulp bone.  

Rayne ducked under it.  

"HYAH—!"  

His fist screamed through the air, a hammerblow aimed at the bear’s knee.  

"THUD!!"  

The impact reverberated up Rayne’s arm, his boots sinking into dirt. The bear’s fur shimmered—moonlight hardening into armor.  

Too tough.  

"Tch."  

He backflipped as the beast slammed its bulk downward, barely avoiding the shockwave.  

"Goddamn kid’s gonna give me a heart attack!"  

Wakaba exhaled a cloud of smoke, torn between relief and outrage. The brat had dodged. More than that—he’d counterattacked.  

Maybe this wasn’t a rescue mission after all.  

"Boost."  

The whisper was barely audible.  

Then—  

[BOOST!]  

A mechanical roar split the valley as scarlet light erupted from Rayne’s left arm. Segmented gauntlets materialized, their surface pulsing like a living thing.  

Wakaba’s cigarette hit the dirt.  

"What the—?!"  

The air warped around Rayne, heat haze distorting his silhouette.  

Drayke’s laugh echoed, wild and unhinged.  

"Let’s play, little bear."  

Chapter 22: BOOST!!!  

Rayne’s fist sank into dense, moonlit fur.  

The force behind his punch dissipated against the creature’s glowing hide, its magic dampening the impact. Though the blow still landed, it wasn’t enough to shatter the knee as he’d intended.  

"Next time, I’m summoning a damn weapon."  

Rayne leapt back, his expression calm but his mind seething.  

Punching things was satisfying—until you faced an enemy with hide thicker than a castle wall.  

"ROOOAR—!!!"  

The Moonlight Bear’s roar shook the valley. Pain didn’t deter it; instead, the beast’s eyes burned with primal fury. It rolled to its feet, its right leg visibly faltering from Rayne’s earlier strike.  

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.  

Like a runaway freight train, the silver-furred titan charged. The ground trembled under its weight, its speed belying its size. The sheer pressure of its charge would’ve frozen a lesser fighter.  

"Still refusing to use me, child?"  

Ddraig’s voice purred in his mind, dripping with temptation.  

Rayne ignored her, focusing on the bear’s injured leg. His attack had left a mark—its gait was uneven.  

"Not yet."  

He dashed toward the beast.  

[Boosted Gear] was powerful, but their synchronization was still imperfect. Activating it was like revving an overclocked engine—once started, it would keep escalating beyond his control.  

Every ten seconds, another "Boost" would stack.  

His current body couldn’t handle a third.  

That meant he had twenty seconds, max, to end the fight.  

He’d only get one shot.  

The bear didn’t slow, aiming to crush Rayne beneath its bulk. At the last second, Rayne vaulted sideways.  

Confusion flickered in the beast’s gem-like eyes as it tracked his midair trajectory—but momentum carried it forward.  

Rayne twisted, landing in a crouch before exploding toward the bear’s injured leg.  

This time, he put everything into the kick.  

CRACK.  

The moonlit barrier shattered. The limb bent at a grotesque angle.  

"RROOOAAAGH—!!!"  

The bear collapsed, its massive body tumbling like a derailed train. Dirt and grass sprayed as it skidded across the ground.  

"Ddraig!"  

Rayne’s eyes flashed.  

"Took you long enough!"  

Her voice seared through his skull like molten steel.  

Crimson light erupted from his right arm. Scales surged forth, weaving into armor—thick, jagged, alive. A dragon’s claw encased his hand, its emerald jewel pulsing with contained power.  

The air itself grew heavy under the weight of its aura.  

"Maji yabakune~"  

Kanna blinked, her monotone praise at odds with the spectacle. Then her eyes narrowed.  

"Thieving cat!!"  

She recognized that presence—the one clinging to Rayne.  

"Incredible…"  

Bartolo, though no mage, felt the raw dominance radiating from the boy. It was like watching a storm given human form.  

"Is that… Take-Over magic? Or Requip?"  

Wakaba’s cigar nearly fell from his lips.  

"To think he’d make me feel threatened… No wonder Makarov’s so invested."  

A grin spread beneath his mustache.  

"Fairy Tail’s got another monster. I wonder how Laxus will react."  

"BOOST!!!"  

The jewel screamed.  

Power flooded Rayne’s veins—doubling, tripling his strength. His heart hammered like a war drum; his blood burned like dragonfire.  

A wild grin split his face.  

CRUNCH—!!!  

The earth cratered as he launched forward, moving twice as fast as before. His body became a blur, closing the distance in an eyeblink.  

The armored fist drew back—  

—and uplifted a mountain.  

THOOM.  

The bear’s multi-ton body left the ground.  

For one impossible moment, the scene defied logic: a teenager, fist raised, suspending a beast the size of a house in midair.  

Wakaba and Bartolo’s jaws hit the floor.  

The cigar dropped. Wakaba caught it on reflex.  

Rayne’s mind, however, was eerily calm.  

"One."  

He began the countdown.  

Chapter 23: Grudge – You're Taking This Too Far  

The Beast and the Berserker 

Rayne mentally calculated the timing for his next power-up.  

He was about to press his attack when he felt it—the magical particles in the air swirling violently.  

The source? The Moonlight Bear, now airborne, its maw gaping wide as silver-white energy gathered between its fangs.  

The sheer density of magic warped the surrounding air.  

And in the instant Rayne noticed—  

Boom!  

A radiant sphere of condensed energy shot toward him like a meteor, faster than the human eye could track.  

But Rayne wasn’t just human anymore.  

Even with just one enhancement active, his physical abilities, magic, and strength had already doubled.  

His body, tempered by the Dragon’s Origin, was already monstrous. Now? It was something else entirely.  

His sharp eyes locked onto the incoming blast.  

A wild grin split his face as crimson mana surged through him, his scarlet gauntlet flickering with a bloody glow.  

He didn’t dodge.  

Instead, he swung.  

A streak of red cut through the air as his fist met the magic head-on.  

Crack—!  

The two forces collided—but instead of exploding, they clashed in a visible shockwave, a barrier of sheer pressure forming between them.  

The Moonlight Bear’s attack was powerful, but it was a one-shot burst. No sustained energy.  

Against Rayne’s relentless mana, it didn’t stand a chance.  

The sphere destabilized rapidly.  

Rayne’s gaze flicked to the bear, now stumbling toward him after landing.  

"Hah—!"  

With a twist of his hips, he heaved.  

The ground beneath him cratered as the silver orb was sent flying like a baseball—straight into the cliffside behind him.  

BOOM!!  

The explosion was deafening. Dust and debris erupted like fireworks, raining down in a chaotic hail.  

'2.'  

But neither fighter paused.  

As Rayne launched the orb, the Moonlight Bear was already upon him, crystalline claws slicing through the air with enough force to whip his hair back.  

The flames in Rayne’s pitch-black eyes burned brighter.  

He didn’t retreat.  

His fist met the claw mid-swing.  

You want brutality? Then I’ll give you more than you can handle.  

Red against white.  

A human child against a magical beast.  

The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, fissures spiderwebbing across the ground beneath them.  

The stalemate lasted only a second.  

Rayne kicked aside the bear’s other claw, then—with both hands—grabbed the beast’s massive forelimb.  

His muscles bulged to their limit.  

The earth beneath him cracked further.  

Then—  

"Hrgh—!"  

With a full-body twist, he yanked.  

The colossal beast left the ground.  

And then it was spinning.  

Slowly.  

Deliberately.  

The sight of a human child swinging a monster like a ragdoll was equal parts absurd and terrifying.  

Wakaba and Bartlow could only stare, slack-jawed.  

After several rotations, Rayne let go.  

CRASH—!!  

The beast slammed into the cliffside, the impact shaking loose another avalanche of rubble.  

'3.'  

Rayne’s knees bent.  

Then he launched himself forward, closing the distance in an instant.  

The Moonlight Bear was embedded in the rock, limbs twitching as it struggled to free itself.  

Rayne’s crimson gauntlet rose.  

BAM!  

BAM!  

BAM!  

Fist after fist.  

The cliff trembled.  

The beast sank deeper into the stone.  

"No way…"  

Wakaba’s voice was hollow.  

A kid.  

A kid had just manhandled a magical beast like it was a training dummy.  

"I never would’ve guessed…"  

Even Bartlow was stunned.  

The feral, battle-crazed demon before them bore no resemblance to the calm boy from earlier.  

He turned to Connie, ready to shield her from the brutality—  

Only to find the little dragon girl enthralled, her tiny fists mimicking Rayne’s motions with glee.  

To a creature like her, this wasn’t brutality.  

It was entertainment.  

And Rayne? He wasn’t violent enough.  

"Uh…"  

Bartlow’s protest died in his throat.  

A gentle-seeming boy who fought like a monster.  

A delicate-looking girl who cheered it on.  

After a long pause, the herbalist sighed.  

"Fairy Tail really is… something else."  

If Wakaba had heard him, he’d have laughed.  

"You’re giving the rest of us too much credit."  

Aftermath 

The valley fell silent.  

"Hah… hah…"  

Rayne stood panting, sweat dripping from his brow.  

The manic grin was gone.  

His scarlet gauntlet, now stained with blood, gleamed darker as droplets fell from its clawed tips.  

Before him lay the Moonlight Bear—once majestic, now barely recognizable.  

"Not bad, brat."  

Draygal’s voice echoed in his mind, thick with approval.  

She’d suspected she and this kid would get along.  

Now? She was sure of it.  

That feral instinct. That unshakable dominance.  

The battle frenzy hadn’t come from the Sacred Gear’s grudges.  

No, this was all him.  

Whatever sorry souls had wielded this power before?  

None compared.  

"You did good too, Draygal."  

Rayne turned toward the forest where Connie and Bartlow waited, silently acknowledging the dragon’s praise.  

This wasn’t like testing his limits in the dorm.  

The enhancement’s effects were clearer now.  

And the strain? Less overwhelming.  

His body was adapting.  

Soon, he might even handle a second boost.  

(Though if it came to life or death, he’d push further without hesitation.)  

With a flick of his wrist, the gauntlet dissolved into motes of red light.  

Then he waved.  

"Clear!"  

The signal sent Connie sprinting toward him, her white-stockinged legs a blur.  

This time, Rayne caught her effortlessly.  

Unlike after his spar with Makarov, his stamina was still decent.  

The fight had ended before the second enhancement’s toll could set in.  

"Sniff sniff."  

Connie suddenly leaned in, her nose twitching.  

"Hm? What’s up, Connie?"  

She puffed her cheeks, staring at him with those big, blue eyes.  

"Rayne… where’s the thieving cat?"  

"…HAH?!"  

Draygal’s outraged roar nearly split his skull.  

Chapter 24: Waste Not, Want Not  

The question—and the voice in his head—made Rayne’s expression twist.  

"I haven’t even experienced a romantic love triangle, and now I’m stuck in a dragon one?"  

Battlero, overhearing the exchange, subtly pivoted toward the Moonlight Blossoms.  

"Best not to get involved," he decided, eyeing the bear embedded in the cliff. "Unless I want to join that thing."  

"How... amusing," Ddraig’s voice dripped with lethal calm. "A mere whelp dares insult me?"  

Had she a physical form, Rayne suspected the valley would already be aflame.  

"Sorry, Kanna’s just—"  

He faltered. Calling a centuries-old dragon a "child" felt absurd.  

"That wasn’t nice, Kanna," he amended. "She’s a celestial dragon sealed in a Sacred Gear. Apologize."  

"Oh. Sorry," Kanna chirped, utterly unrepentant.  

"...Tch. Never mind."  

Ddraig’s irritation fizzled. The White Dragon Emperor had been a worthy rival. This? Felt like bullying a kitten.  

"Where’d you learn ‘homewrecker’ anyway?" Rayne asked.  

"Tohru said it when we played."  

"That idiot..." He sighed. Tohru’s habit of picking up human slang and regurgitating it to Kanna struck again.  

"Rayne. Can we eat that?"  

Kanna tugged his sleeve, pointing at the bear carcass.  

"We could, but we didn’t bring tools."  

No knives. No seasonings. Just trail rations for a day trip.  

"Hah! These blooms are pristine—thankfully untouched by that brute!"  

Battlero’s glee drew their attention. The herbalist brandished a sickle and trowel like sacred relics.  

Kanna’s eyes locked onto the sickle.  

"Stare—"  

An audible zooooom sound effect seemed to follow her gaze.  

Rayne nodded at the tools.  

"Want to try harvesting?" Battlero beamed.  

"We want to butcher the bear."  

"Over my dead body!" He clutched his tools protectively. "These are for herbs!"  

Two pairs of eyes dimmed in synchronized disappointment.  

"...But!" Battlero’s tone shifted, adopting a mentor’s cadence. "Let this old man teach you something."  

From his basket, he produced a cloth bundle.  

"Always pack seasonings and a knife in the wild. You never know."  

He tossed it to Rayne. Inside: a compact blade and spice vials.  

"Huh."  

Rayne filed the advice alongside Battlero’s earlier intel—always gather intel first—then marched toward the cliff.  

Minutes later, he returned with a hefty slab of meat.  

"Kanna, sniff out water."  

Blood needed rinsing.  

"Sniff-sniff—!"  

Her nose twitched. Dragon senses pinpointed a stream nearby.  

"Pathetic," Ddraig muttered. "Using draconic gifts for... this."  

"Stay with Battlero. Defend him if needed," Rayne ordered before leaving.  

The herbalist, now engrossed in harvesting, didn’t notice until an aroma jolted him.  

A campfire.  

Rayne rotating skewers.  

Kanna perched on a rock, tail wagging, saliva practically forming a tiny puddle.  

"Join us," Rayne invited.  

Battlero’s stomach overruled pride.  

The first bite made his eyebrows vanish into his hairline.  

Charred perfection. Juices bursting with herb-infused richness.  

"You cook like a chef, not a mage."  

"Combat and cooking aren’t so different," Rayne shrugged. "Adjust to the ‘enemy’—in this case, heat."  

Battlero gave up trying to parse wizard logic and surrendered to the feast.  

Under the moonlight, amidst crackling flames, three figures devoured their spoils—one with significantly less table manners.  

(Kanna’s face: a stuffed hamster’s. Ddraig’s dignity: in tatters.)  

(´꒳`) 

Chapter 25: The Guild Members' Discussion  

After finishing their meal, Bartolo resumed his herb-gathering work.  

Meanwhile, Rayne found a quiet spot to rest and recover his stamina.  

As for Kanna, she began chasing insects around, her small figure darting through the valley.  

It wasn’t until Bartolo packed up his tools that Rayne called Kanna back.  

On the way home, aside from scaring off a few wild monsters that crossed their path, nothing eventful happened.  

By the time the sun began dipping below the horizon, the trio finally returned to Magnolia Town.  

However, due to the reward money, Rayne couldn’t head straight back to the guild. Instead, he followed Bartolo to his house.  

"Rayne, here’s your payment for the job."  

Bartolo handed Rayne a burlap sack that jingled lightly as it moved.  

"...Alright. We’ll be heading off now."  

After briefly checking the contents of the bag, Rayne looked up at Bartolo.  

"Remember, you promised to visit sometime. I’ll be waiting."  

Bartolo didn’t mind Rayne’s cautiousness—in fact, he approved. If Rayne hadn’t counted the money, Bartolo would’ve reminded him to always settle payments openly. After all, money matters should always be clear between both parties to avoid trouble later.  

"I’ll take you up on that offer soon, Mr. Bartolo."  

Rayne hooked the bag onto his belt and offered a small smile.  

"Heh, no trouble at all!"  

Bartolo waved his hand cheerfully. It wasn’t often he met a young person he liked—one who was both respectful and eager to learn.  

"Then we’ll be on our way."  

With a nod, Rayne left without further delay, leading Kanna back toward the guild.  

"Makrov found himself quite the promising kid this time."  

Bartolo watched their retreating figures, his earlier skepticism completely overturned. Then he turned and headed inside to process his herbs.  

"30,000 Jewels… I’ll keep 10,000 for expenses and return the rest to the guild master."  

"This mission helped me gauge my current limits. Now I can take on slightly tougher jobs."  

"I just hope there are still good requests left…"  

As he walked, Rayne mentally calculated his finances.  

Unlike in games, quests didn’t endlessly refresh in the real world. Without suitable jobs, he’d have to kill time at the guild—which explained why members like Wakaba and Macao were often just hanging around.  

But when on a mission, disappearing for days (or longer) was normal.  

Take Gildarts, for example—one of Fairy Tail’s strongest mages. Rayne still hadn’t met him since joining. According to Master Makarov, he was off on an S-class job, but by now, he should’ve returned.  

"If he’s not back yet, he’s probably fooling around somewhere."  

Makarov had muttered that last part under his breath, but Kanna’s sharp ears caught it. She’d later asked Rayne what it meant, forcing him to dodge the question awkwardly.  

"Hopefully, there are still decent jobs left. If not, I’ll check for new postings tomorrow."  

While Rayne wasn’t picky—especially since he wanted to repay Makarov—a well-paying, low-effort job would be ideal.  

Noticing Rayne deep in thought, Kanna stayed quiet, obediently hopping along the cobblestone path.  

"Seriously?! That thing was even tough for me to handle!"  

"You’re exaggerating! That kid seems pretty mild-mannered."  

"Yeah, come on, Wakaba. You’re joking, right?"  

"I’m dead serious! Why would I lie?"  

"Then Laxus is gonna have a field day when he gets back. He’s been holding back for a while now."  

...  

Lost in his thoughts, Rayne only snapped back to reality when the noisy chatter reached his ears. Without realizing it, he’d already arrived at the guild.  

But something felt off.  

The moment he stepped inside, the lively clamor died down. Dozens of eyes locked onto him—filled with shock, disbelief, and a mix of other unreadable emotions.  

"…?"  

Blinking, Rayne glanced behind him, but there was no one there.  

When he turned back, the guild members quickly averted their gazes—though they still stole occasional glances.  

"What’s going on?"  

Puzzled, Rayne walked further in, Kanna in tow.  

"Oh, nothing! We were just betting on who’d return first, and Wakaba lost to all of us," Macao explained smoothly.  

The others shot him incredulous looks before quickly shifting their attention to Wakaba.  

"You bastards!"  

Wakaba glared at Macao, mouthing the words silently.  

"You don’t want Rayne finding out you were tailing him, right?" Macao mouthed back, grinning.  

"…Damn it!"  

Wakaba’s anger faltered as he recalled the sight of the Moonlight Bear being slammed into a cliffside. If Rayne found out he’d been spying… would he get punched into next week?  

Then again, he’d been on official guild business—Master’s orders! Maybe he could just expense the damages…  

With that thought, Wakaba conceded defeat via a grudging nod.  

"Rayne! How’d the job go?"  

Makarov, still perched on the counter, smiled warmly at him.  

"It’s done," Rayne replied, stepping forward to complete the mission paperwork.  

"Oh, and here’s 20,000 Jewel to repay you."  

He pulled out the money pouch, but Makarov raised a hand.  

"No need to rush. Keep it for now—make sure you’ve got enough for yourself first."  

He wasn’t hurting for cash and didn’t mind waiting.  

"I’d feel better returning it now."  

Rayne’s tone was firm. He hated owing people—if he could pay it back, he would.  

"Alright, alright."  

Recognizing the stubbornness in the boy’s voice, Makarov relented and accepted the money, tucking it under the counter. Then, as if making casual conversation, he asked:  

"So, Rayne… run into any trouble on the job?"  

The guild members perked up, ears practically twitching.  

"Just one monster."  

Rayne noticed their stares and instantly understood. So that’s why they’re acting weird—it’s about the Moonlight Bear.  

To him, the fight hadn’t seemed particularly remarkable. Back in the East Forest—where Porlyusica lived—the monsters were weaker, so he’d assumed the bear was just a slightly tougher opponent.  

But judging by everyone’s reaction… maybe it wasn’t so simple after all.