Chapter 201: First Mastery of Transformation

"Crackle!"

George stomped his foot, and a current of electricity coursed along the ground, instantly striking Kihara. His body jolted violently, his slicked-back blond hair standing on end as his legs gave out beneath him.

"What’s the meaning of this?"

Kihara quickly grabbed a nearby tree for support, glaring at George with a grim expression.

George replied coolly:

"Nothing much. You just looked so ridiculous laughing like that—I couldn’t help myself. Maybe tone it down in the future unless you want someone to kill you."

"Now, tell me, what’s in it for me if I join you?"

"Well, you’re quite bold. How about this: we can help you ascend from Level 4 to Level 5 in no time. Isn’t that a good enough deal?"

Suppressing his anger, Kihara calmed himself before speaking.

Based on Clone No. 9981’s performance in battle and the destructive potential of her atomic abilities, there was a high probability she possessed the potential to reach Level 5. With proper development, she could be promoted within six months.

Adding another Level 5 to Academy City—especially one so adept in combat—would be a significant achievement.

The Board of Directors had personally ordered him to bring Clone No. 9981 into their control at any cost.

As a member of the eccentric Kihara Family, he himself was deeply fascinated by such a powerful mutant clone. Naturally, he was eager to accept this mission.

As a scientist, he firmly believed in the maxim that science equates to power. No matter how strong an Esper might be, they all had weaknesses. The key was to spend enough time observing and analyzing them carefully.

Even Accelerator’s formidable reflection defense could be countered with sufficient preparation.

If Clone No. 9981 agreed to join them, Kihara would find her vulnerabilities and turn her into the most formidable weapon in the Hunting Dogs unit.

"Not bad, I’ll admit."

Hearing this, George nodded slightly.

Originally, George had planned to dismiss Kihara with a few casual words. But now he felt it might actually be worth considering.

In Academy City, who better understood Espers, their potential, and how to develop their abilities to the fullest than the Board of Directors?

After all, they had created Academy City and its entire Esper ranking system.

If the Board was willing to help him ascend from Level 4 to Level 5, their expertise would undoubtedly surpass anything he could learn on his own.

This also presented a chance for him to infiltrate their organization, uncover the true workings of the Board, and gain valuable insights into this world.

Would he be walking into a lion’s den?
He was confident enough to take that risk.

So far, they only regarded him as a combat-adept Level 4 clone, utterly unaware of his magical abilities.

"If you have any other demands, feel free to name them."

Sensing George’s interest, Kihara added more incentive.

George didn’t hold back:
"First, I want fair wages and benefits.

Second, I’ll come and go as I please. My time is my own.

Third, I’ll decide which missions to accept. If a task violates my moral principles, I won’t do it."

Kihara's lips twitched, but he forced a nod.
"You sure are demanding, but fine, I agree."

Right now, his priority was to bring Clone No. 9981 into the fold. Once she joined, there would be plenty of time to gradually mold her to his will.

"Then let’s head to the Hunting Dogs’ headquarters. I’ll tailor a plan to expedite your promotion to Level 5."

Kihara pressed a button on his device, and a black sedan quickly pulled up at the curb.

Without hesitation, George followed him into the car.

Meanwhile, in the world of Fairy Tail, something significant was happening.

"Transform!"

In the Fairy Tail guild hall, George stood atop the bar counter, casting a transformation spell.

A blue magic circle glowed above his head as his golden feline body morphed under the spell’s effect, transforming into the human version of George he imagined from the main world.

"Still not quite there."

Standing on the counter, George examined himself in the prepared mirror and shook his head.

Although he had managed partial transformations before, fully transforming remained tricky.

In the mirror, his appearance had indeed become human, but his size was still far too small—barely the size of a palm. He hadn’t achieved a normal human stature yet.

"You’re doing great! You’ve only started learning, and you’ve already come this far. With more practice, you’ll master basic transformation magic in no time."

Nearby, Mirajane encouraged him as she polished a glass.

"I know. By the way, is the Guild Master out today?"

George nodded and reverted to his original magical cat form.

Until he mastered advanced transformation magic, using the spell significantly reduced his strength. For now, his feline form remained his best option.

Transformation magic, part of this world’s magical system, was easy to learn but difficult to master. While entry-level spells were accessible, true mastery was elusive.

It was said that at its peak, transformation magic allowed users to take on any form—plants, animals, even insects. It was essentially a magical version of the 72 Transformations.

However, no matter the transformation, it only mimicked appearance. Turning into a demon wouldn’t grant a demon’s powers—that required Take Over magic.

"The Guild Master went to a large magic device company to discuss modifications for the mobile fortress," Mirajane replied.

After defeating Phantom Lord, Makarov had taken their mobile fortress as a trophy at George’s suggestion.

But due to limited guild funds, they hadn’t been able to afford extensive modifications, leaving it docked in a nearby lake as a mere decoration.

Fortunately, since defeating Phantom Lord, Fairy Tail’s reputation had soared, attracting more clients to post jobs.

With George’s help using teleportation magic to repair property damage, the guild’s finances had gradually improved.

Now, they finally had enough to pay the initial cost for the fortress’s modifications.

"What about Natsu and the others? They don’t seem to be around, and I thought they weren’t on any missions lately."

George glanced around the guild hall, surprised to find it unusually quiet. Normally, by this time, Natsu and Gray would have already wrecked the place, leaving him to fix it.