X777
During this year, Zorn trained relentlessly, mastering 50% of the Admiral's power he currently possessed with perfect proficiency, and also comprehending all of the Guild Master's Light Magic.
Although the training was arduous, his magic also had healing effects, allowing him to complete the training to the best of his ability. Fortunately, his efforts paid off, enabling him to gain the strength to protect himself within a year.
As Zorn, wearing a new shirt emblazoned with the Fairy Tail Guild emblem, walked through the Guild's entrance, a voice of admiration rang out.
"Yo, Zorn, you look handsome today. Where did you buy that shirt, *hiccup*, I'll buy one to try too, *hiccup* hahaha," Macao was drinking early in the morning and happened to see Zorn enter the Guild, his words punctuated by hiccups. His drinking buddy, Wakaba, was guzzling down his drink and, hearing Macao's words, immediately mocked him, "You don't even look at yourself; nothing looks good on you, hahaha, idiot."
"What? Who are you calling an idiot, huh?"
"I'm calling you an idiot."
Before Zorn could reply, the two were already head-to-head, pushing and shoving each other, hands clasped tightly, neither willing to yield.
"You damn bastard, taste my sandbag-sized fist! Smoke Magic: Smoke Assault!" Wakaba instantly leaped up to unleash his magic attack. "You think you're the only one who can use magic? Taste my Bullet Assault, Violet Flame Magic: Violet Rain!" Macao, unwilling to be outdone, also activated his magic.
Just as the spells were about to collide, a pair of gigantic hands forcefully gripped them, crushing the magic until only tiny magical particles floated in the air.
"You two damn bastards, the Guild is not a place for brawling! Get out, both of you!"
With two loud thuds, the two were gone from the Guild in a flash, both having been sent flying out the door by the Guild Master.
Zorn's eye twitched as he watched this scene, letting out a dry chuckle.
"Guild Master Grandpa, I want to take on a mission, may I?" Zorn looked at him with hopeful eyes, eagerly anticipating a positive response from Guild Master Grandpa.
"Oh, have you learned all the magic I taught you? Newcomers who want to take on missions must be tested by me to see if they have enough ability to start working. Come out with me."
Guild Master Makarov led the way out of the Guild, with Zorn following unhurriedly. Watching Guild Master Grandpa's swaying figure, Zorn couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "He's already this drunk so early in the morning, is he going to be alright?"
The two stood in an open space. Seeing that the Guild Master was about to test a newcomer's strength, the Guild Members rushed out, eager to witness the fruits of the newcomer's year of effort, and then find an excuse to hold another banquet to celebrate, so they could have a happy riot.
They thought this way because, deep down, they believed Zorn would certainly pass the Guild Master's test.
However, Zorn was destined not to disappoint them, as his current strength might already surpass that of Erza.
Zorn scratched his head, looking at the still somewhat dazed and tipsy Guild Master before him, and smiled helplessly, "Guild Master Grandpa, please be careful, I'm about to make my move."
Seeing that the Guild Master still hadn't responded, Zorn said no more, deciding to use action to sober him up.
Zorn's figure flickered, instantly vanishing from his spot. The next moment, Zorn had already teleported directly above the Guild Master's head, his single leg raised high, poised to descend.
With a bang, a cloud of smoke erupted around the two, making it impossible for those nearby to see what was happening.
A small figure shot out from the smoke and landed outside it, hands glowing with a cyan magic circle, summoning wind to blow the smoke away.
It was then that everyone saw Zorn standing calmly, hands in his pockets, with a faint smile. The ground around them looked as if it had been bombed by a missile, covered in gravel rubble, with cracks spreading across the ground like a spiderweb.
"Guild Master Grandpa, are you sober now? I'm going to get serious now."
"You wretched brat, that's some excellent physical technique. I wonder how you trained it. Let me see how powerful you've become." Makarov inwardly marveled.
Zorn's figure flickered, turning into a flash of light, and instantly arrived at the Guild Master's side, re-forming into a human shape.
"Speed is power, Guild Master Grandpa, be careful," Zorn warned.
"Giant Magic: Giant's Defense," the Guild Master had prepared the moment he saw Zorn disappear, unleashing his magic. A light-speed strike hit the three-story-tall giant arm, causing the Guild Master to slide a few meters horizontally.
The other Guild Members were stunned, knowing that the Guild Master was one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
"That's acceptable, not bad, barely passing." The Guild Master said calmly, looking at the drag marks left on the ground after his horizontal movement. However, the almost imperceptible look of satisfaction in his eyes fully displayed his inner approval and joy regarding Zorn's strength.
"This kid, Zorn, his compatibility with light elements seems to be almost 100%, right? His speed in learning Light Magic is simply astonishing, and his speed has reached such a level. If it weren't for this old man's considerable mastery of Light Magic, I might not have even noticed his movements just now," the Guild Master couldn't help but exclaim with satisfaction.
"Hey, hey, are you kidding? Is that just 'acceptable'? The guy's clothes aren't even wrinkled, and he calmly kicked the Guild Master a few steps. If it were me, I'd probably just be tickling the Guild Master," Macao muttered dazedly.
Erza, standing nearby, heard this and, with a hint of dejection, couldn't help but ask herself if she could make the Guild Master move so easily.
"Alright, I won't think about it anymore. Come on, I'll train twice as hard tonight. I'm sure I can gain the strength to save and protect my family," Erza thought to herself, feeling comforted as she watched Zorn patiently answering Gray's incessant questions in the open space.
"Hmm~" Zorn squinted his eyes at the mission board, scanning each mission request. He found it impossible to choose; the missions exploded and extinguished in his mind like fireworks, triggering his decision-making paralysis again.
A fair hand suddenly reached for an inconspicuous mission request in the corner.
"You can choose this one: exterminating a type of Blazing Demon Lizard deep in the Katana Mountains. It's close, only three days to reach, and pays well."
Zorn looked at the mission request upon hearing her. Erza, seeing that Zorn's attention had turned to that mission, continued to explain, "This request was posted by a merchant caravan. Demon Lizard hides have excellent resistance to high temperatures and flames, and can be used to make magical protective gear. They recently received a large order and found their inventory was insufficient, so they posted this commission. We can go together; with our combined strength, we can complete it. What do you think?" Erza explained in detail to Zorn.
"Okay, it's decided then, this is the one. Let's take care of it in one go."