A Request from a Wizard Saint!
With a loud bang.
The once noisy hall fell silent instantly.
The others around him stopped what they were doing and gathered around in shock.
Lucy gasped, her voice trembling slightly.
"What?! The Ten Wizard Saints?! Or even the top four Four Heavenly Kings?!"
Elfman's eyes widened.
"With the strength of such a powerful figure, would they still need to issue commissions to a guild on this continent?"
Gajeel crossed his arms and sneered.
"What's so strange about that? Some troublesome matters are inconvenient for the Ten Wizard Saints to handle personally, so naturally they have to find a stronger monster to solve them."
Upon hearing this name, Jiang Bai immediately understood why Makarov wouldn't allow him to refuse.
Warrod was not only Ten Wizard Saints, renowned throughout the continent, but also one of the original founders of the Fairy Tail guild.
Jiang Bai sighed and waved his hand helplessly.
"This is such a hassle."
"Okay, I'll take this task."
Jiang Bai turned to look at Makarov and stated his conditions.
"But Grandpa, after we get back from this mission, I'm taking Erza and Mirajane on a vacation for a while. Nobody's allowed to bother me with any requests."
Makarov nodded emphatically without hesitation.
"No problem! It's a deal!"
After all, those bizarre breeding requests that almost killed Jiang Bai a few days ago somehow ended up in the hands of Erza and Mirajane.
These past two days, Makarov has been caught in the middle, living a life of constant anxiety, like walking a tightrope.
He certainly wouldn't let Jiang Bai accept such an outrageous request; at the time, there were just too many letters to sort through, so they were all piled up on the table.
Fortunately, Jiang Bai has never been interested in such things, and given his henpecked nature, there's no way he would actually go to the appointment.
Thinking of this, Makarov subconsciously wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and glanced with relief at Erza and the other person in the distance.
In crucial moments, it's still up to the family's breadwinner to keep this kid in check.
Jiang Bai glanced at Makarov's strange expression and immediately sensed that something was amiss.
"Hey! Old man, I have a feeling you were thinking something really rude just now."
Makarov quickly coughed twice to cover his embarrassment.
"Cough cough! You're overthinking it."
The old man turned to the second page of the letter and continued reading.
"By the way, in his letter, besides specifying you, Warrod also specifically requested that Natsu and Gray be brought along."
Upon hearing this, the crowd in the hall gasped in surprise once again.
Just how difficult is this task?
"It's not enough that we're going with Jiang Bai; Natsu and Gray are going too."
Natsu, who was lying on the table yawning boredly, jumped up instantly when he heard his name called.
Natsu's eyes lit up, and he danced with excitement.
"Haha! Finally, there are S-Class or higher missions to do again!!"
Natsu's personal strength had long since crossed the threshold of S-Class powerhouse, but he had never passed the guild's internal assessment.
According to the rules, in order to accept S-Class Mission alone, a formal S-Class Mage must be present to accompany you.
With Jiang Bai leading the team, it's perfectly in accordance with the rules.
Gray stood with one hand on his hip, his face displaying his usual calm demeanor.
"Since the guild leader has called my name, I will naturally assist Jiang Bai in completing the mission."
Upon hearing this, Natsu immediately became displeased and glared at Gray sideways.
Hey! You droopy-eyed guy, didn't I already tell you I had my eye on this spot first?
Gray snorted and retorted sharply.
"Didn't you hear the president just call my name? You stinking hothead, are your ears stuffed with donkey hair?"
Natsu clenched his fists, the scarf around his neck billowing in the wind.
"All I heard was Natsu's name!!"
Gray's forehead veins bulged as he rolled up his shirt sleeves.
"You bastard! You're deliberately looking for a fight, aren't you?!"
Natsu grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, his fighting spirit instantly surging.
"That suits me perfectly! Whoever wins today will be qualified to carry out this mission!"
Gray's fists were covered in a layer of Ice Armor.
"Don't be afraid of me! Come on!!"
As the two argued, the magic within them began to spiral out of control, causing the surrounding wooden tables and benches to creak under the strain.
The others in the hall skillfully stepped back two steps, making room to watch the show.
Makarov sat behind the bar, watching these two clowns bickering the moment they met, and his eyelids twitched violently twice.
The old man couldn't be bothered to waste his breath on those two.
He raised his right hand, and his magic power surged instantly.
A massive, materialized magic circle instantly unfolded in mid-air, and two enormous arms made of magic appeared out of thin air.
Bang! Bang!
Two dull thuds sounded simultaneously.
Makarov, expressionless, swung his fist downwards, his two massive arms slamming Natsu and Gray deep into the guild floor.
Debris flew everywhere, leaving two deep, human-shaped craters.
Natsu and Gray lay sprawled in the pit, exhaling wisps of black smoke, their hands and feet twitching slightly before falling silent.
Makarov withdrew his magic and snorted coldly.
"What's all the noise about? If you want to fight, go outside."
Lucy silently played her role as the one making the sarcastic remark. "President, they probably can't fight like this now."
Lucy raised her right hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sunlight and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
"The president is really something, actually thinking we can persuade them. This kind of thing should be left to Miss Erza, shouldn't it?"
Wendy followed beside Lucy, tilting her head slightly.
"But the scenery here is really beautiful, Lucy. Look at the grass around us."
Lucy turned her head and looked around.
The boundless plains are covered with lush green grass, and a gentle breeze carries the faint scent of earth. The undulating mountains in the distance resemble a natural painting.
Near the river not far away, small animals such as rabbits are active.
Happy walked on the lawn, his tail wagging back and forth.
Camping here must be wonderful!
Carla surprisingly agreed with one sentence.
"That's really good, if only those two idiots behind me could shut up."
Not far behind them, on a dirt road, Natsu and Gray were walking side by side.
The two argued all the way from the guild gate to the outskirts of the city, their topic being nothing more than who stepped out with their left foot first, or whose walking posture wasn't cool enough.
It's worth mentioning that Lucy and Wendy were forcibly included in Makarov's mission team purely because the old man hoped to use the girls' presence to suppress Natsu and Gray's volatile temper.
As for why Lucy didn't include Jiang Bai at all.
At this very moment, Jiang Bai was walking slowly at the very back of the group with his hands in his pockets, looking completely absorbed in watching the show.
The long walk was tedious and boring, but these two clowns provided some laughs to pass the time.
Natsu suddenly stopped and turned around to glare at Gray.
Hey! Did you glare at me sideways as you were walking by?!
Gray walked forward without stopping, one hand in his pocket, and without even turning his head.
"Who would be so bored as to visit you for no reason? You're just paranoid."
Natsu caught up with Gray in a few quick steps, bumping his head against Gray's.
"Don't give me that! If you're so capable, put some clothes on before you talk to me. What's with you walking around shirtless in broad daylight!"
Gray retorted directly, his face radiating righteous indignation.
"I'm willing, it's none of your business."
"Why don't you just say your hair color is so garish it looks like a flamingo's? Get it dyed black before you go out!"
Natsu immediately bristled, his white scarf fluttering wildly in the wind.
"Huh?! What did pink ever do to you?! It's the symbol of Fire Dragon!!"