Joining the Guild

Fairy Tail Guild, backyard

"All right, let me see how much you've improved!" Feng Lan took a deep breath and spread his hands before his chest.

"Oh~ Don't go sending me flying, big bro." Natsu clenched his fists, flames igniting around them as he took up a fighting stance.

"Who do you think will win, Erza?" Mira asked the crimson-haired girl in armor beside her. "I think Feng Lan will win."

"Because water counters fire?" said a shirtless boy about Natsu's age.

"Maybe. And Gray, your clothes," said a brown-haired girl nearby.

"Ah! When did I take them off again?!" Gray shouted.

"Quiet, all of you. Watch carefully." A little old man barely a meter tall walked over and spoke in a low voice.

"Guild Master, you were here?" Erza said in surprise after glancing at him.

"I just got back. Quiet now, watch the fight!" Makarov stared intently at the arena.

"The first strike wins! Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!" Natsu shot forward in a burst, appearing before Feng Lan and driving down a punch.

"Heh. Your punch lacks power, and your movements are wasteful!" Feng Lan remained utterly calm, still picking apart Natsu's flaws. "Water Dragon's Iron Fist!"

A flaming fist collided with a water-wreathed fist. Feng Lan did not move an inch, while Natsu was sent flying backward.

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!" Natsu landed and steadied himself before unleashing a blast of Dragon's Breath.

"Your Dragon's Breath isn't concentrated enough, and your windup is too slow!" Feng Lan remained unmoved as the flames swept toward him, continuing to instruct Natsu in combat. "Water Dragon's Roar!" A torrent-like Dragon's Breath collided with the flames. In less than three seconds, the fire dispersed, and a high-pressure water blast surged toward Natsu.

Natsu leaped high. "Wing of the Fire Dragon..."

"I told you, too slow!" This time, Feng Lan did not wait for Natsu to finish. He attacked directly. "Wing Attack of the Water Dragon!" Feng Lan swung both arms, sending countless water blades flying out and striking Natsu.

"Ah!" After a scream, Natsu fell from the sky and crashed heavily into the ground.

"Natsu!" Lisanna cried out worriedly from the sidelines.

"Just what I'd expect from you, big bro. You still hit as hard as ever. Cough, cough." A small figure rose from the smoke. "Dragon Claw of the Fire Dragon!"

Natsu sprang up, jumping above Feng Lan. Flames engulfed his foot as he descended from the sky.

"Not bad. Dragon Claw of the Water Dragon!" Feng Lan once again responded with the same type of move.

But Natsu suddenly twisted in midair and spread his hand like a dragon's claw. "Dragon Fang of the Fire Dragon!"

"You've improved! Dragon Rush of the Water Dragon!" Feng Lan lowered his raised foot, then covered his head in flowing water that formed a whirlpool, as though a ferocious Water Dragon were charging through the current.

Fire and water collided, but Natsu was once again sent flying while Feng Lan remained perfectly still.

In midair, Natsu ignited both hands with blazing flames, then crossed them to form a massive fireball laced with magma. "Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame of the Fire Dragon!"

"Hmm, you've mastered this move pretty well." Feng Lan pressed his hands together. "Torrent of the Water Dragon!"

Boom! An explosion rang out, and smoke billowed everywhere.

"Indeed, Natsu, you've gotten stronger. But is that all?" Feng Lan stood where he was, not even a speck of dust on his clothes.

"Then try this!" Natsu was covered in wounds, and his clothes were in tatters. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art—Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!"

"A secret art? So Uncle Igneel taught you that. Looks like you learn pretty fast." Feng Lan remained unhurried and even had the leisure to praise Natsu's talent for learning. But to Natsu, it sounded more like mockery. After all, back when Natsu and the others could not even use magic, Feng Lan had already learned every spell Slokard had taught him, including Dragon Slayer Secret Arts. When Natsu and the others had only just mastered basic magic and begun working with more advanced spells, Feng Lan had already been researching with Slokard and creating dozens of spells of his own. Setting aside the difference in magic power, Feng Lan alone knew several times as many spells as Slokard. His flashy chains of attacks and combinations were enough to make one's head spin just by watching them. This had made certain prideful dragons green with envy, and Slokard had flaunted it everywhere.

"Water Moon." Feng Lan extended his right hand, and a serene azure mirror made of water appeared before him.

"What?!" Natsu watched as his secret art was completely absorbed by the water mirror.

"Water Lotus—Bloom." Feng Lan casually drew a magic circle before his chest. Then, a translucent pale-blue lotus appeared beneath Natsu's feet. The next instant, its petals bloomed and spiraled upward at tremendous speed, like a storm of blades.

"Ahhh!!!" A miserable howl rang out. Feng Lan immediately canceled the spell, and Natsu came crashing down from the sky, rolling his eyes as he lay unconscious on the ground.

"Uh... I used too much force." Feng Lan scratched his head guiltily. "The spring of rebirth!" His hands danced as he drew a complex magic circle. Three seconds later, a medium-sized cyan water sphere appeared before him and slowly drifted toward Natsu. When the water sphere entered Natsu's body, his injuries began to heal. Within seconds, every wound on Natsu's body vanished, and he regained consciousness.

Everyone nearby stared wide-eyed at the child before them. Though Natsu did not yet possess the strength of an A-rank mage, he stood at the very peak of B-rank. Even S-rank mages could not defeat him so overwhelmingly without getting a speck of dust on their clothes. And then there was Feng Lan's exceptional healing magic, as well as magic that could absorb other magic... He was an all-around mage who could attack, defend, and heal, and excelled at every one of them. At that moment, Makarov, the current Guild Master of Fairy Tail, began thinking about how to trick Feng Lan into joining the guild.

"Natsu!" Lisanna hurried over to check whether Natsu was injured.

Lisanna looked him over from head to toe and only relaxed after confirming that he was fine.

The rest of the guild members came over as well. "Hey, big bro, why didn't you use a Dragon Slayer Secret Art just now?" Natsu asked Feng Lan.

"Why didn't I use a Dragon Slayer Secret Art? Are you crazy, or am I? If I used one move, it'd be a miracle if I didn't blast your head into mush!" Feng Lan said helplessly.

The guild members all broke out in cold sweat, each of them wondering just how deep this monster's strength truly ran.

At that moment, Makarov walked over, patted Feng Lan on the shoulder, and said, "Kid, would you like to join our guild?"

"No." Feng Lan rejected him without hesitation.

"Uh... why? Aren't you looking for Natsu? He's right here!" Makarov hurriedly tried to salvage the situation.

"I'm looking for my younger sister, Wendy. Finding Natsu was just something I did along the way." Feng Lan patted Natsu on the head as he spoke to Makarov.

"Don't say that. It'll be much easier to find someone if you join a guild! Think about it. When you take jobs, you'll meet lots of clients and mages from other guilds. That's all valuable information. And the other guild members will help you search too." Makarov threw out every benefit he could think of, afraid Feng Lan would run off. "Besides, the guild can provide you with a place to stay for now. And you're worried about your father too, aren't you? You can search for him with Natsu."

"Fine, I'll join. But you promised you'll help me find Wendy, okay~?" Feng Lan saw through Makarov's intentions at a glance, but reluctantly accepted his invitation. "I don't need a place to stay. I'll buy one myself. As for Slokard, I'm not worried about him. One flick from him could kill me..."

"Absolutely. We'll definitely help you find your sister." Makarov wore the expression of someone whose scheme had succeeded.

"Also, old man, your acting is terrible. I saw through it right away." Feng Lan did not forget to mock Makarov before leaving. "Natsu, come take a walk with me. Let's get to know this town first, then decide where to buy a house."

"I'm coming! Hey, help train me tomorrow, big bro!" Natsu hurried after him.