"Guild Master Grandpa!" A clear, slightly anxious voice cut through the crowd. Makarov turned to see Kagura and Erza pushing past a few swaying, half-asleep guild members, hurrying toward him.
"Oh?" Makarov's eyes flashed with surprise as he looked at the two girls, their gazes sharp and clear. "You two didn't get knocked out by that sleeping mist?"
Kagura quickly dug into her pocket and pulled out a slightly wilted pink flower, her voice tinged with lingering fear. "It was Erza! The second the mist started spreading, she reacted so fast! She yanked this Wakeflower and stuffed it in my mouth!"
She stuck out her tongue, making a face like she'd tasted something awful. "But this flower is horrible! So bitter and sour—just as bad as those weird flowers I've eaten before!"
"Erza, huh…" Makarov's gaze shifted to the scarlet-haired girl beside her, his eyes filled with pride and approval.
To spot the sleep-inducing effect of the mist the moment it spread and react with such precision—that was impressive.
"What a sharp response…" He stroked his beard, his smile deepening. It wouldn't be long before Fairy Tail's name echoed across the Kingdom of Fiore, thanks to these remarkable young talents!
After a moment's thought, he asked, "Erza, is your magic Requip Magic too?"
"Mm," Erza nodded, pausing before adding softly, "And Enhancement Magic, which lets me imbue objects with special properties."
A spark of understanding lit up Makarov's eyes. "I see. That final explosion was you using Enhancement Magic to fuse the sleeping herb with a magic missile, wasn't it?"
He clasped his hands behind his back, his expression growing serious as he addressed both girls. "Requip Magic is a spatial magic that lets you store weapons and armor in a pocket dimension."
"You two have great reflexes and adaptability, so I suggest focusing on speeding up your requip process."
"At its peak, you can swap gear mid-battle without missing a beat."
"With that kind of speed, you can instantly choose weapons and armor to counter your opponent's magic—like using fire-resistant armor and water-based weapons against a fire mage."
He paused, then continued, "I'm not too familiar with Enhancement Magic, but since it's about adding properties, you'll need to understand the makeup of different objects. The more you know, the more stable your enhancements will be."
Turning to Kagura, his voice softened. "Little Kagura, you've got magic flowing in you too—like a small stream waiting to surge. You just haven't found the right direction yet."
He tapped his chest. "Magic comes from the heart. It's born from your spirit and can shape it in return."
"Try quieting your mind and think: What do you love most? Or what kind of fighting style excites you? When you focus deeply, your magic will ding!—it'll spark to life in your heart!"
"Something I love?" Kagura tilted her head, her clear eyes reflecting two figures: Roger's sharp, decisive sword swings and Erza's bold, dynamic requips.
A fierce longing surged within her, and she clenched her fists. "I think… a sword!" Her voice was soft but resolute.
"If I could fight like Roger and Erza, I could take down bad guys so easily!"
"A sword?" Makarov's white eyebrows shot up, and a warm smile spread across his face. "Alright! If you love swords, then grab one and hold on tight!"
He pointed to a modest building next to the guild hall. "That's our guild library! It's got the best collection of basic swordsmanship manuals. Flash your guild mark, and you can check them out anytime!"
Before he could say more, a loud voice interrupted from the distance. "Master! What do we do with these guys passed out on the floor?"
Makarov's smile froze, his mouth twitching sharply.
He suddenly remembered Erza's lightning-fast reaction—and then glanced at the guild members sprawled across the floor, snoring loudly like a pack of "spectators" caught in the crossfire. A spark of frustration flared up in him.
"Forget those idiots! They'll wake up when the effects wear off!"
"To get taken out by a newbie's attack while gawking? Pathetic!"
"Uh, Master," Roger raised his hand awkwardly, his voice low. "They… might not wake up for a while. That mist had the concentrated power of about twenty sleeping herbs. Normally, they'd be out for… three days."
"Three days?!" Makarov's hand slapped his shiny forehead, and he let out a deep, defeated sigh, his shoulders slumping. "Well, that's just… ugh."
Resigned, he waved a hand. "Fine, fine. I'll go grab some herbs to wake them up."
"No need for that," Roger said quickly, pulling a handful of wilted but still vibrant pink Wakeflowers from his pocket.
"I've got Wakeflowers here. Just have them hold the whole flower in their mouth, and they'll wake up in a bit."
"The whole flower in their mouth?!" Kagura's eyes widened, her face crumpling as if reliving a nightmare. "I only ate a tiny petal, and my tongue's still numb from the bitterness! A whole flower? That'd make me bitter for a whole day!"
Makarov's hand shot up decisively. "That's the one! Let them taste some real bitterness—it'll teach them a lesson! On a battlefield, enemies won't wait around for them to wake up!"
Macao and Wakaba, stifling grins, took the "bitter medicine" Wakeflowers from Roger.
With a shared look of mischief, they waved off offers of help from others and approached the unconscious crowd, ready to dish out some gleeful justice.
Soon, the clearing echoed with pained, gut-wrenching wails:
"Pfft—! Ugh! What's this bitter stuff?!"
"Blech! Who shoved this nasty thing in my mouth?!"
"Wait… wasn't I watching the Master spar with the newbies? There was a big boom, and then… nothing?"
"No way… did we get knocked out by a newbie's magic?!"
"No, no! That explosion had to be the Master's attack!"
"When have you ever seen the Master use a spell like that?" Wakaba's smug voice rang out over the crowd.
"The Master was pissed when you all got taken out by a newbie's magic!"
The groggy guild members froze, the bitterness in their mouths somehow tasting even worse. They swallowed hard, their faces a mix of green and white, like a painter's palette gone wrong.
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