Igneel the Master Con Artist Goes Live

Just as Igneel stepped out of the main gate, a loud shout suddenly came from behind him.

"Etc!"

Igneel, who was just about to step over the threshold, suddenly heard someone shout "Stop!" He lost his footing and stumbled forward several steps before coming to a stop. The Fire Dragon King, who had nearly dislocated his knee, turned around angrily, glaring at the person who had called him to stop, and roared, "Metalicana, don't you know that suddenly stopping someone while they're taking a step can cause them to fall or dislocate their joints?"

"Brother Igneel, don't be so angry! I just remembered something important and wanted to confirm it with you, so I hurriedly stopped you. I didn't mean to harm you."

"Hmph! Speak up if you have something to say, I'm in a hurry to get going!"

Looking at the indignant Igneel, Metalicana said with a smile, "Brother, I suddenly remembered that I've been so busy chatting and joking with you these past few days that I forgot to ask why you came to my place this time. That's why I stopped you to ask you clearly, so as not to delay your important business."

"Hmph! You didn't forget to ask me; you're clearly just deliberately trying to keep me from speaking and don't want to know why I came."

After mentally ranting about Metalicana, Igneel prepared to tell him his purpose. However, thinking of the 'torture' he had suffered these past few days and his mission with a slim chance of success, Igneel suddenly changed his mind. He shook his head at Metalicana and said with considerable regret, "I'm sorry, brother! It's not that I don't want to tell you the purpose of this operation, but that I can't!"

Metalicana had only been curious about Igneel's sudden visit, so he asked casually. But after hearing Igneel's reply, his curiosity and anger exploded, and he was determined to know the whole story!

"Igneel, are we still brothers?"

Caught off Igneel by the turn of events, Ignil looked at the furious Metalicana and said innocently, "Brother Metalicana, what are you talking about? Of course we're brothers!"

"Alright! Since we're brothers, then tell me why you've come to visit me!"

On one side was an old friend of centuries, and on the other was a commission from a powerful figure. Caught between the two, Igneel's face contorted in a dilemma. After a long internal struggle, Igneel gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and said indignantly, "Fine! Since Brother Metalicana wants to know the purpose of my trip, I'll tell you!"

Having observed Igneel's behavior, Metalicana knew that Igneel's trip was definitely not simple, so he quickly said, "Brother Igneel, rest assured, no one else will hear what you say today!"

Igneel nodded, then whispered in Metalicana's ear, "Actually, my trip wasn't of my own volition. I was asked by a friend to find a Thunder Dragon within a month."

"A friend's request?"

After carefully considering Igneel's words, Metalicana's eyes suddenly lit up, and then a snow-white figure appeared in his mind.

"I was wondering why this guy reacted so strongly when we mentioned Grandiere! Turns out he accepted a commission from Grandiere, but hasn't finished it yet, and is afraid he won't be able to explain it to Grandiere. Wait a minute! What if I help Grandiere find the Thunder Dragon? Hehe..."

After processing the news brought by Igneel, Metalicana said indignantly, "Brother Igneel, you're being too polite!"

"Hehe, they've taken the bait!"

Watching Metalicana's exaggerated acting, the conman Igneel knew in his heart that the fish he was trying to catch had finally taken the bait. So, he asked with a puzzled look, "Brother Metalicana, what makes you say that?"

"Where to begin? Of course, it should start with the purpose of your trip, my brother! You must know how difficult it is to find a Thunder Dragon in the vast Ishgar within a month, right? Yet, you've stayed here for so many days without mentioning it once. Isn't that being too distant?"

"Well... brother, it's not that I don't want to mention it, but I promised someone that I wouldn't let a third person know about this, so..."

"Hmph! If you really can't let others know, then why did you go to visit Vyseria, Brother Igneel?"

"I went to visit Vyseria to try and get information about the Thunder Dragon from him..."

After saying this, Igneel hurriedly covered his mouth, but unfortunately, the words were already out and could not be taken back. Metalicana looked at Igneel with feigned anguish, then roared, "You trust Vyseria, but don't you trust me, Metalicana?"

"Brother Metalicana, I...I didn't...I didn't mean that, I..."

"So what do you mean?"

"I just wanted to use Vyseria's connections to help me find the Thunder Dragon; I didn't mean to tell him the truth."

"Oh? You mean I don't have the connections to help you find the Thunder Dragon?"

"No... no... I originally wanted to ask you for help, but after arriving here, I found that you were too busy to deal with such trivial matters, so I decided to ask Vyseria for help instead."

Hearing Igneel say what he wanted him to say, Metalicana was overjoyed. He walked up to Igneel with a relieved expression, patted him on the shoulder, and said, choking back tears, "Good brother, I was wrong about you!"

Seeing Metalicana's performance, Igneel, not to be outdone, immediately gave him a bear hug and burst into tears, clinging to Metalicana's neck. The two actors, putting on a show of acting, wept together for about fifteen minutes before Metalicana finally spoke up, saying, "Good brother, if you still consider me your older brother, then let me go with you to find the Thunder Dragon."

Overwhelmed with grief, Igneel didn't speak, but nodded with tears streaming down his face.

And so, the conman Igneel and his 'good brother' Metalicana embarked on a journey to find the Thunder Dragon.

The Kingdom of Donagunov, the residence of the mission

"Buzzing"

A scraping sound of bricks scraping against each other came from Sordil's room, followed by a floorboard that detached from its original position. A human head emerged from the gap in the floorboard, greedily inhaling the fresh air.

"Damn it! When other people fail to pick up girls, the worst they get is a beating from the girl. But me? I didn't even get the girl, and I almost got smashed to a pulp. I'm so unlucky!"

After angrily venting about his disastrous experience of picking up girls, Sordil was just about to climb onto the ground when a double-edged giant axe came crashing down on his head.

"Holy crap!"

After uttering a curse, Sordil hurriedly fled towards the burrow. Just as his head disappeared into the hole, the double-bladed axe slammed into the floor. Immediately afterward, a surprised gasp echoed from above.

"Huh? That person's voice just now sounded so much like my teacher's!"