Poor Natsu

Roar of the Storm Dragon! Feng Lan spewed a large-scale, mist-like Dragon's Breath from his mouth.

Natsu ran over to Feng Lan, his eyes shining. "Wow! Brother Feng Lan, what kind of magic is that?!"

Feng Lan rubbed the tip of his nose and said to Natsu, "I call it Storm Dragon Slayer Magic. Actually, I once swallowed Aunt Tefraha, the Wind Dragon King's magic power. Then the Wind Dragon's magic fused with the Water Dragon's magic inside me."

Natsu said with a face full of admiration, "Brother Feng Lan, that's amazing! Can I do it too? Brother, let's go find her!"

Feng Lan tilted his head. "Find who?"

Natsu grabbed Feng Lan's hand. "Let's go find that Tefraha!"

Feng Lan said speechlessly, "Natsu, she's a dragon—a giant dragon like Slokard and Igneel. Do you think you can just find her whenever you want?"

Natsu asked in disappointment, "Then what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and starve...?"

Feng Lan patted Natsu's little head. "Are you stupid? I never said it had to be wind-attribute magic power."

Natsu asked in confusion, "What else could it be? Wind and fire are pretty compatible. I've eaten Gray's ice before, Laxus's lightning, and even Erza's swords..."

Feng Lan's face instantly darkened. "Are you some kind of omnivore? You really aren't picky... In that case, Natsu, come on, open your mouth..."

Natsu was just about to run when Feng Lan grabbed him and pulled him back. "Brother! Wait a second!"

Feng Lan stopped what he was doing and looked at Natsu. "What is it?"

Natsu broke free from Feng Lan's clutches and let out a sigh of relief. "Brother, how about this..."

Feng Lan nodded after hearing him out. "So you mean you want one day to figure out how to drink water on your own, while I take the day off, right?"

Natsu hurriedly nodded. "Yes, yes, yes! Is that okay?"

Feng Lan hesitated for a moment. "I don't have a problem with it... but are you sure you'll be fine on your own? You really don't need my help?"

Natsu nodded again in a hurry. "No problem! Leave it to me!"

Feng Lan nodded. "Fine. This way, I can finally get some peace and quiet. Then do whatever you want today! I won't interfere."

Natsu hurriedly saw Feng Lan off with a beaming smile. Watching him leave, he let out a long breath. "Whew~ Brother Feng Lan finally left. Otherwise, nothing good would've come of it."

Feng Lan slowly made his way toward the guild by himself. "Seriously, what's with Natsu today? Acting so independent... Wait, he wouldn't really go drink water directly, would he? Forget it. I'll trust his intelligence for once."

Meanwhile, Natsu arrived at a lake near the back mountain. "Alright! Time to drink my fill!"

Feng Lan wasn't in any hurry to return. He wandered around and bought things instead.

"Ah~ Seriously, Mira and Erza are really motivated. They went out to train so early. Laxus and Freed are also training hard for the exam. Thinking about it, I really am a little... ashamed?"

As Feng Lan passed by a clothing store, he spotted two familiar figures inside.

"Strange, why do those two look so much like Mira and Lisanna? No, that really is them!" Feng Lan hurried into the clothing store to take a closer look.

"Lisanna, do I look good in this?" Mira had changed into a little blue uniform that seemed to match Feng Lan's outfit like a couple's set, and she asked Lisanna.

Lisanna was also trying on clothes. She merely glanced at Mira and replied perfunctorily, "Mm, it looks good... Huh!? Brother Feng Lan!"

"Huh? Fe... Feng Lan!?"

Feng Lan looked at the two embarrassed girls. "Yo, good morning. Buying clothes... Mira, that outfit of yours..."

Mira looked at the other customers in the store, who all wore gossip-hungry expressions, then looked at the matching couple outfits she and Feng Lan were wearing. Her face instantly turned bright red, and she ran into the changing room to put her usual clothes back on.

Mira awkwardly said to Feng Lan, "Feng Lan, why are you here? Where's Natsu?"

Feng Lan spread his hands. "Natsu said he wanted to train by himself, so I left him alone and came to rest for a bit. But what are you two doing here?"

Mira became even more embarrassed and explained, "It's only the first day. No one would seriously train on the first day. It's better to relax properly."

Lisanna changed into a shirt with little cats on it and asked Feng Lan, "Brother Feng Lan, does this look good?"

Feng Lan smiled and patted Lisanna's head. "Of course. Our Lisanna looks good in anything. Uh... I'll get going. I'm going to look around somewhere else."

Mira waved her hand. "Mm, hurry up and go!"

Feng Lan waved back as he walked out. "Honestly, that outfit looked really good on you..."

Mira's face instantly reddened all the way to her ears. "Um... please wrap that outfit up for me."

Afterward, Feng Lan quickly went to a dessert shop nearby, intending to eat something.

Feng Lan walked up to the counter. "Hello, I'd like a chocolate pie and a hot cocoa."

The clerk took his order and went to prepare it. Suddenly, a voice came from behind Feng Lan's right side. "Feng Lan! Why are you here too?"

Feng Lan turned around. "Cana? And Erza? Didn't you go train?"

Erza took a bite of strawberry cake and said somewhat awkwardly, "Haha, it's only the first day, isn't it? I think relaxing first and getting into the right state will be more effective than jumping straight into training."

Feng Lan asked with a dark expression, "Really?"

Erza avoided Feng Lan's gaze and said quietly, "Fine, I just didn't feel like training on the first day... Uh, here, have this cookie. Just don't tell Mira!"

Feng Lan had originally wanted to take it, but before he could even reach out, he saw Erza's reluctant expression. He didn't have the heart to accept it. In the end, he even bought Cana a glass of juice before leaving.

Feng Lan couldn't help sighing. "I'm such a complete sucker... I should've just gone home and slept. But don't tell me..."

As Feng Lan was thinking about something, he turned his head and saw two people in a pet store—one blond, one green-haired. They were Laxus and Freed.

Feng Lan pressed himself against the glass and watched Laxus surrounded by a group of kittens, blissfully burying his face in them.

Freed poked Laxus, then pointed at Feng Lan pressed against the glass.

Laxus looked up and met Feng Lan's eyes. The atmosphere immediately became awkward.

Laxus put down the cat in his hands and hurried outside, stopping in front of Feng Lan.

Laxus grabbed Feng Lan by the shoulders. "Why are you here? Aren't you training with Natsu?"

Feng Lan looked at Laxus with a grin. "Natsu said he wanted to train on his own. But what kind of training is this?"

Laxus knowingly asked, "Feng Lan, you saw that?"

Feng Lan nodded firmly. "I saw it."

Laxus said awkwardly, "Um... I'll treat you to a meal later. Pretend you didn't see anything, okay?"

Feng Lan laughed readily. "Hehe, deal! Don't worry, my lips are sealed~"

A while later, Feng Lan walked into a bar in high spirits.

It was around six in the evening when Feng Lan finally came out of the bar to pick up Natsu.

But when Feng Lan arrived at their original training ground, Natsu was nowhere to be found. Feng Lan thought for a moment. "Where did Natsu go looking for water-attribute magic power? I remember there's a lake nearby... Don't tell me!"

Feng Lan immediately had a bad feeling and ran toward the nearby lake. Sure enough, just as he feared, that idiot Natsu had spent the entire day by the lake drinking water. His belly was round and swollen like a kappa's, his face bloated as though he had been stung by bees, and he lay unconscious on the ground.

Feng Lan hurriedly hoisted Natsu onto his back and ran toward the hospital. "You idiot, who the hell told you to drink water directly!? And that much of it! Forget it, just hang on! We'll be at the hospital soon!"