The New Recruit
The scent of spilled ale, burning wood, and raw magic hung heavy in the air of the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. Sunlight, thick with dust motes, streamed through the high windows, illuminating the cheerful chaos of fighting mages, overturned tables, and roaring laughter. It was a home to misfits, a den of power, and now, Qi Yan's first step into a new life.
He stood by the mahogany counter, the noise of the guild muffled to a distant roar as he faced the guild's elegant receptionist.
"May I ask your name?" she asked, her voice a soothing contrast to the guild's cacophony.
"Qi Yan."
"Your age?"
"Eighteen."
"And what magic are you skilled in?"
Qi Yan met her gentle, sea-green eyes and took a breath. "I use Take Over Magic."
A flicker of genuine surprise crossed the woman's face, replacing her perpetual, kind smile. "Take Over Magic?"
It was subtle, but the reaction was there. Qi Yan knew why. The woman before him—Mirajane Strauss, the She-Devil—was one of the guild's S-Class Mages, and a master of Take Over herself. Still, the magic wasn't rare, so the surprise faded quickly.
"Very well," Mira said, picking up a stamp. "Registration is complete, Qi Yan. Where would you like the guild mark imprinted?"
Qi Yan placed his right hand flat on the counter. "On the back of this hand. And the color… red."
Mira adjusted the stamp, and with a light press, a brilliant, crimson Fairy Tail Guild Mark—a winged fairy symbol—was indelibly placed on his skin. It was warm, a little tingly, and instantly, utterly real.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Mira said, her smile now a dazzling beam of pure sincerity. "You are an official member."
Qi Yan stared at the red mark. A member of Fairy Tail. The words resonated with a thrilling finality. He had spent his whole life watching this world from afar, a fantasy so distant it might as well have been a star. Now, the impossible was happening. This wasn't a cheap dream come true; this was a fantasy made flesh.
A private chime, audible only to him, cut through his thoughts.
The Golden Ten-Pull
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for joining Fairy Tail. Do you wish to bind this guild?]
A translucent panel, familiar from his other life, had materialized in his vision. It was the System that had brought him here, and it was time to activate his first major power-up.
"Bind!" Qi Yan mentally commanded.
[Ding! Binding successful! Congratulations, Host, you have received a ten-pull! Do you wish to draw?]
"Draw..."
Just as his mind went to tap the virtual button, an idea sparked. He looked up at the stunning, silver-haired S-Class Mage.
"Mira," he said. "Could you wish me good luck?"
Mira tilted her head, a confused but charming look on her face. Despite the strangeness of the request, she obliged with her usual brilliant grace. "Mr. Qi Yan, I wish you good luck."
So cute! The thought was immediate and completely unprofessional. A goddess's blessing. Let's see what that's worth.
With the Goddess's blessing ringing in his ears, Qi Yan focused on the panel and mentally gave the command.
"Ten-pull!"
The screen exploded in a flash of digital starlight, cycling through various colors. Common grey. Uncommon blue. Rare purple. Then, a single, blinding, dazzling golden star streaked across the display.
"A gold!" Qi Yan couldn't stop the word from escaping as his heart hammered. A golden legendary on the very first ten-pull! This was unbelievable fortune.
The ten character cards snapped into place. Qi Yan ignored the standard characters and zeroed in on the gold one. His breath hitched as the image resolved.
Short, spiky black hair. Pale, almost ethereal skin. Intense green eyes with a signature dark green tear mark. The distinct, fractured white helmet piece rested over his left temple. He wore a crisp, high-collared white jacket and a samurai-like hakama skirt, a sleek sword hanging at his hip. The look was one of cold, elegant menace.
Ulquiorra Cifer.
Qi Yan instantly recognized him. The Fourth Espada from the anime Bleach—a character he not only admired but one that many fans considered the single strongest of Aizen's Arrancar army, thanks to his devastating, unique Second Resurrección. Even though he was ultimately defeated by a terrifying, fully-Hollowfied Ichigo, that loss didn't diminish his monstrous power.
"This is amazing!" Qi Yan practically shouted, his excitement overwhelming the need for discretion.
The sudden shout drew the attention of several nearby mages, including Mira.
"Hmm? What's amazing?" Mira looked at him with an amused, slightly bewildered expression.
Qi Yan quickly recovered, wiping the breathless grin off his face. "Oh! Uh... I meant, joining Fairy Tail is truly amazing! This place is incredible!"
Mira's expression softened into an understanding smile. She loved mages who genuinely loved the guild. "I'm glad you think so. Why don't I give you a tour?"
The Ascent to S-Class
Mira led him through the lower floor.
"This is the Request Board," she explained, gesturing to a wall plastered with scrolls. "This is our livelihood. You pick a request, complete it, and collect the reward. Be sure to pick one suited to your strength."
"The basement is just storage," she continued, pointing toward a closed door. "And the second floor?"
Qi Yan looked up at the polished wooden staircase leading to the upper balcony.
"The second floor," Mira's voice lowered slightly, "is primarily the infirmary. But under normal circumstances, only S-Class Mages are allowed up there."
"Why?"
"Because that's where the S-Class Quests are posted," she explained. "They are almost all life-threatening quests, but the rewards are much, much more generous. You have to be an S-Class Mage to be qualified to accept them."
S-Class Mage, Qi Yan mused. He knew the title well—the guild's true pillar, its ace. And he knew the beautiful, gentle woman beside him was one of them.
He looked up at the empty staircase, then down at the fresh, red guild mark on his hand. The system in his head, holding the card of an unstoppable demonic knight, suddenly made that distant rank feel like a reachable goal.
"I will definitely become an S-Class Mage," Qi Yan said, his voice firm and quiet, layered with an absolute resolve that surprised even himself.
Mira's smile warmed. She saw the bright ambition of her younger self reflected in him. "I wish you early success, Qi Yan," she said. The more S-Class mages we have, the stronger we become.
She can wish me success all she wants, Qi Yan thought, a subtle, confident smirk playing on his lips. But success is already guaranteed.
He was a newcomer in a chaotic world of magic, with a powerful guild mark and an Espada's power sleeping within his soul. His story had just begun.