Could I Borrow Your Pants?

"Look, don't you find it interesting?"

Mirajane leaned against Jiang Bai, watching the chaotic fight in the hall, and laughed like a cat that had just stolen some cream.

Lucy's lips twitched, and she gave a forced, dry laugh, "Ha, hahaha, is that so?"

This isn't funny at all! This is clearly a gang shootout!

Just then, a figure wearing only underwear suddenly approached Lucy's side. Beneath the dark blue hair was a rather handsome face.

"Oh! Are you a newbie?"

Lucy was startled and instinctively took a step back, looking at him warily.

The shirtless man, Gray, was completely oblivious to Lucy's wariness. He pointed to his leg and asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Could I borrow your pants for a moment?"

"You're a pervert!"

Lucy's scream echoed throughout the guild. Without thinking, she grabbed a relatively intact wooden stool from the side and, with all her might, smashed it hard into Gray's face!

"Bang!"

Gray was struck by the sudden attack and saw stars. He flew in an arc like a kite with a broken string, disappearing into the other side of the battle and being instantly engulfed.

Lucy, panting, threw down the stool leg she was holding and looked at the increasingly chaotic scene before her, feeling her worldview being refreshed again and again.

Suddenly, a huge shadow enveloped her completely.

Lucy felt the light around her dim, and she stiffly, little by little, turned her head around.

A giant, over ten meters tall and seemingly straight out of mythology, was looking down at her with his head down, his eyes, bigger than lanterns, expressionless.

"Ah--!"

Lucy was terrified and screamed even louder than before.

"Oh! President, you're here."

Mirajane remained calm and composed, even waving at the giant.

"Huh? The... president?!"

Lucy's scream stopped abruptly, and she stared at the giant in disbelief.

This terrifying creature, who looks like it could crush a mountain with a single step, is the guild master of Fairy Tail?!

The giant, Makarov, ignored Lucy. His booming voice echoed throughout the guild hall, filled with helplessness and anger.

"You brat! Can't you do something about them?"

Jiang Bai didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, replying lazily, "No way, it's too much trouble. Besides, Mira said it's quite interesting."

Upon hearing this, Mirajane smiled and leaned her head even more intimately on Jiang Bai's shoulder, her face filled with happiness.

"You brat, all you ever do is chase girls!"

Makarov was so angry that his mustache stood on end.

At this moment, the people in the midst of the melee finally noticed the arrival of the guild leader. Everyone fell silent instantly, as if a pause button had been pressed, and stood obediently in place, not daring to move an inch.

Except for Natsu.

He was waving his fist and shouting excitedly, "It's not over yet! Come on, again!"

Makarov looked at the only troublemaker still causing a ruckus, and a "kind" smile appeared on his huge face.

He slowly raised his foot, which was bigger than a car, and then stomped it down heavily.

"Bang!"

The world is peaceful now.

Having dealt with Natsu, Makarov's gaze once again fell on the trembling Lucy.

"You're the new guy?"

The immense pressure made Lucy feel like she couldn't breathe, and she answered somewhat fearfully, "Ah... well..."

Before he could finish speaking, the giant in front of him suddenly shrank rapidly in a puff of smoke.

As the smoke cleared, a tiny old man, barely reaching Lucy's waist, dressed in comical clothes and sporting a kind smile, appeared in the spot.

The stark contrast caused Lucy's brain to freeze again. Looking at the miniature old man in front of her, she blurted out a heartfelt retort.

"So small!"

Makarov's smile froze instantly.

In order to salvage his dignity as the chairman, he decided to show off his skills in a cool way.

He cleared his throat, put his hands behind his back, and prepared to leap onto the second-floor railing with a graceful somersault.

He took two steps back and then jumped up suddenly!

However, perhaps due to his age, or perhaps because he had just been angered by Jiang Bai, he miscalculated the altitude without paying attention.

Thump!

Makarov's head slammed solidly against the second-floor railing.

"Pfft!"

Jiang Bai couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Makarov's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. He glared fiercely at Jiang Bai, his unfilial grandson, then quickly got up from the ground, casually dusted himself off, and pulled out a thick stack of papers from behind him.

"Quiet down, all of you!"

He roared in a voice loud enough to lift the roof off, "Look! These are the documents the Magic Council just sent! They're all complaint letters against you bastards!"

"You bunch of guys, all you do is cause trouble for the guild and make me get yelled at in the Magic Council!"

The old man was trembling with anger. Lucy looked at his furious appearance and then at the dejected guild members around her, who looked like children who had done something wrong. She felt a little worried.

Unexpectedly, Makarov's tone changed abruptly the next second, his anger instantly turning into disdain and arrogance.

"But!"

"To hell with those councilors!"

Flames suddenly burst forth in his hand, burning the thick stack of complaint letters to ashes in one swift motion. He then tossed the stack aside, Natsu, who had just crawled out of the ground, rushed forward.

Natsu opened his mouth and devoured the still-sparkling ashes of the paper.

Makarov jumped onto the bar, looked around at his "children," and began his speech in his aged yet powerful voice.

"Listen carefully! The so-called transcendence of common sense is itself born from common sense!"

"Magic is not some kind of miraculous power!"

"It is the 'qi' that exists within our bodies and the 'qi' that exists in all things in nature. Only when the wavelengths of these two are perfectly matched will it manifest in a concrete form!"

"That requires immense mental strength and concentration! No! It requires pouring your entire soul into it! That is true magic!"

"If you care about the eyes of those guys overhead, your magical skills will never improve!"

"Don't be afraid of those idiots in the council! Just bravely forge ahead on the path you believe in!"

"This is what Fairy Tail mage should be like!"

After saying that, the old man raised his right hand high, making a unique gesture that represents "first place" and "always striving for improvement".

These words, like the most intense flame, instantly ignited the souls of everyone present.

In the guild hall, everyone enthusiastically raised their arms, making the same gesture, and responded to their guild leader with deafening cheers.

"Oh--!"