Aftermath

The entire backyard of the Fairy Tail guild was so quiet that a pin dropping to the ground could have been heard.

Everyone's eyes were glued to Riyao's left arm, which had been broken and bent outward just moments ago but was now as good as new. They looked as though they had seen some indescribable monster.

"Crack."

Someone's jaw had come unhinged with a crisp crack. The sound was like a signal, instantly setting the whole backyard alight.

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

Macao was the first to erupt. Clutching his head with both hands, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets, he pointed at Riyao's pale arm and screamed.

"You've got to be kidding me?! That bone was broken just now! A bone! Not some twig! How could it heal in the blink of an eye?!"

"Is he a fucking monster?!"

Wakaba didn't even notice the pipe falling from his mouth. He rubbed his eyes hard, and after making sure he wasn't hallucinating, he sucked in a sharp breath.

"I saw that kid's arm twisted up like a pretzel!"

"Monster! He's definitely a monster!"

"Hey, hey, that healing speed is just unfair! Granny Porlyusica would cry if she saw this!"

The guild members instantly erupted, staring at Riyao as though he were an alien. Gasps and cries of astonishment rose one after another.

The tense, worried atmosphere was instantly replaced by utter shock and disbelief.

Cana peeked out from behind the pillar, forcing back the tears that had been welling in her eyes. Her little mouth hung open as she stared blankly at the blond boy with the radiant smile and murmured, "Riyao... are you not human?"

At the very front of the crowd, Master Makarov and Gildarts, the guild's two strongest fighters, looked as though they had seen a ghost.

Makarov pointed a trembling finger at Riyao, his mustache twitching as he struggled to get a complete sentence out. "You... you little brat... What kind of magic is that?! Lost Magic? Or some kind of forbidden technique?!"

As one of the Ten Wizard Saints, Makarov had seen countless powerful forms of Healing Magic.

But he had never even heard of such terrifying regenerative ability, capable of completely healing severe fractures and lacerations in seconds without leaving so much as a scar!

It was already far beyond the scope of ordinary Healing Magic, more like a forced restoration of the body!

Gildarts stared blankly at his own fist, then looked at Riyao's uninjured arm. The guilt on his face instantly turned to utter astonishment.

He scratched his messy orange hair, then suddenly burst into a hearty laugh.

"Hahahahaha! You've got me there, kid!"

Gildarts strode forward, threw an arm around Riyao's shoulders, and pounded him on the back so hard that he nearly made the newly recovered Riyao cough up blood.

"I thought I'd really gotten myself into trouble this time! I never expected you to have a trick like that up your sleeve! That recovery of yours is even more freakish than those incredibly hardy magic beasts!"

"Cough, cough... Easy, Uncle Gildarts, easy! My bones just healed. Don't go knocking me apart again!"

Riyao coughed from the pounding and hurriedly escaped Gildarts's clutches. He rubbed his aching shoulder and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Sorry, sorry, haha!"

Gildarts apologized without a shred of sincerity, excitement flashing in his eyes.

"But what do you call that move? Self-healing on that level must use up a lot of magic power, right?"

At Gildarts's question, the noisy crowd around them fell silent. Everyone pricked up their ears and stared curiously at Riyao.

Makarov's shocked expression also faded, and he looked at him seriously.

Riyao rubbed his chin and looked at their eager faces, a sly smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

He cleared his throat, put on an inscrutable air, and said slowly, "That move... I call it Healing Magic: Hundred Battles."

"Hundred Battles?" Makarov frowned, searching his memory for the name. "I've never heard of it. Is it some kind of ancient technique?"

"Something like that."

Riyao shrugged and casually made up an explanation. "Simply put, I store excess vitality and magic power in the guild mark over my heart. When I need them, I release the seal and unleash an enormous amount of vitality and magic power. A special technique then stimulates cell division and regeneration, instantly healing my injuries."

He paused, pointed to the golden guild mark over his heart, and continued, "As long as I have enough vitality and magic power stored up, I can recover from even a fatal injury in a very short time, provided my head isn't blown off instantly. So..."

Riyao looked up and grinned at Gildarts, showing two rows of white teeth, his eyes shining with eagerness. "Uncle Gildarts, next time we spar, you can hit me a little harder. You don't have to hold back so much. I can't be killed anyway, right?"

"..."

At those words, the entire place fell deathly silent again.

Everyone looked at Riyao as though he were a lunatic.

"This kid... Did he get hit in the head too hard?" Macao swallowed and muttered to himself.

"He definitely did! He actually asked Gildarts to hit him harder? Who does he think he is? Ultraman?!" Wakaba chimed in, looking horrified.

Makarov was so furious that his mustache nearly flew up. He sprang into the air, smacked Riyao on the back of the head, and roared, "You arrogant little brat! You think you can do whatever you want just because you have that freakish recovery ability?! What if you run out of magic power?! What if you run into an enemy who can kill you in an instant?! Take better care of your life, you bastard!"

"Ow! That hurts, hurts, hurts! Easy, old man! I was only joking!" Riyao clutched the back of his head and pouted aggrievedly.

"Hahahahaha!"

Watching the heartwarming and comical scene, Gildarts burst into hearty laughter again.

He stepped forward and ruffled Riyao's messy blond hair, his eyes full of admiration. "Good kid, you've got guts! But the old man's right. That ability may be freakish, but you can't rely on it too much. A truly strong fighter can defeat an enemy without getting hurt."

He paused, his tone turning serious. "But you really did impress me today. Both your technique and that terrifying recovery ability prove you have enormous potential. Maybe it won't be long before you become a mage who can hold his own in the guild."

At Gildarts's praise, Riyao grinned and lifted his chin without a trace of modesty.

"Of course! I'm the man who's going to become Fairy Tail's strongest mage!"

"Pfft, what a big-mouthed brat."

"Yeah, talk when you can take a punch from Gildarts at half strength!"

"Haha, but this kid's recovery really is freakish. Next time the guild takes an extermination job, he'd definitely make a good meat shield!"

The surrounding guild members all began mocking him, though their voices were full of good-natured teasing.

The atmosphere, which had grown somewhat tense because of the fight, was instantly replaced by the relaxed ease of everyday life.

Cana ran over too and tugged at Riyao's clothes, unable to stop staring curiously at the golden mark over his heart. Her big eyes were full of admiration. "Riyao, you were amazing just now!"

Makarov watched the noisy youngsters and sighed helplessly, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help turning up slightly.

He clasped his hands behind his back and turned toward the guild hall, shouting as he walked, "All right, all right! The show's over! Get back to the hall and have a drink! To celebrate this brat Riyao not dying at Gildarts's hands, it's on me today! The first drink is free!"

"Ohhh! Long live the master!"

"Drinks, drinks! I'm having ten barrels today!"

"Hey, hey, who's going to help me clear up the rubble on the ground?!"

Riyao quietly asked Gildarts to stay behind. Everyone else returned to the guild hall cheering, and no one noticed.