The four people lying on the ground were still somewhat dazed as they woke up and looked around. Their last memory was of the tiger suddenly attacking them. They had been knocked down in a single blow and then lost consciousness. They had no idea what happened afterward.
Ur hurried over and told them everything that had just happened. The four gradually wore looks of shock. First, they glanced at Allen and Laxus's figures, then at the tiger lying not far away, and then back at Allen and Laxus. Ur was so infuriated by their reactions that he stepped forward and began smacking them on the head.
"Hey, hey, hey, stop hitting us! Stop hitting us, Uncle Ur! We know we were wrong!"
After a chaotic commotion, Ur led the four of them over to thank Allen and Laxus again. "Thank you for your help, Brother Allen and Laxus. Let me introduce you. This is Keibel Coolidge, our guild master's grandson. The others are Doc Curry, Rudy Lake, and Leni Zeller. The four of them are all descendants of our guild's founding elders. Originally, I was supposed to bring them along so they could experience what doing guild missions was usually like. I just never expected any of this to happen. Fortunately, you two helped us. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the face to go back and face everyone."
Keibel looked about fifteen or sixteen years old and had a slightly slender build. His golden hair gleamed dazzlingly beneath the sunlight. It was somewhat disheveled now, falling casually over his forehead and adding a touch of carefree handsomeness. A few faint freckles dotted his fair face, giving his already handsome features even more character. Overall, although he was thin, Keibel was still quite a handsome young man.
Doc's overall appearance was much like Keibel's. The only difference was that his golden hair had been cut into a neat buzz cut, making him look even more energetic and clean-cut.
Rudy, on the other hand, was the most muscular of the four. Though he was still young, his sturdy muscles already stretched his clothes taut, as if they might burst through them at any moment. From the fact that his injuries were the most serious, it was not difficult to tell that he had probably stepped forward when danger struck and taken the attack for the other three. If he had not been so brave and fearless, the other three would likely have been hurt much worse.
Finally, there was Leni. The girl had a vivid head of red hair that seemed to foreshadow her lively personality. At that moment, her bright eyes were sparkling as she stared intently at Allen and Laxus, curiosity and excitement shining in them.
Taken individually, the four each possessed their own unique charm and bearing: Keibel's handsomeness carried a hint of cleverness; Doc's efficiency was paired with boldness; Rudy's strength revealed his courage; and Leni's beauty contained a lively spirit. Yet whenever the four stood together, for some reason, a naturally goofy air spread around them, leaving people genuinely baffled.
After everyone gave a brief introduction, the atmosphere gradually became relaxed and cheerful. At that moment, Leni could no longer contain her excitement and sincerely invited Allen, "Brother Allen, may I call you that? We only managed to escape safely thanks to your help. To express our heartfelt gratitude, would it be all right if we invited you to return to the guild with us? We want to hold a banquet for you. Is that okay?"
Upon hearing Leni's words, Allen instinctively wanted to politely refuse. However, before he could speak, Laxus suddenly cut in as if he had planned it all along, shouting, "Sure! No problem at all! I love attending all kinds of banquets!" Then Laxus mischievously bent down and leaned close to Allen's ear, whispering, "Big Brother, think about it. Making new friends is also a rare opportunity to gain experience. Besides, judging from their behavior just now, these people clearly aren't bad people. Don't you agree?"
Allen looked at the excited Laxus and helplessly shook his head, but he eventually gave in and nodded, replying with a wry smile, "All right. Since you've already put it that way..."
After receiving Allen's affirmative answer, Keibel and the others immediately cheered, their joy plain for all to see.
Next, under Ur's orderly direction, everyone got to work. They first found an extraordinarily sturdy branch, then worked together to firmly tie the tiger they had just subdued to it. Keibel and the other three took their positions and lifted the heavy branch together, slowly making their way toward Onibas. Meanwhile, Ur, walking at the rear of the group, enthusiastically began telling Allen about the various aspects of their guild.
By the time everyone entered Onibas, it was already evening. The Wild Cat's Eye guild was located not far from Onibas's city gate.
As Allen and Laxus drew closer, the Wild Cat's Eye guild headquarters that came into view was nothing more than a small, two-story tavern. The building looked somewhat old, but it gave off a distinct sense of warmth.
The two slowly walked through the entrance. As soon as they entered, they were surprised to discover that this so-called guild had only a little over a dozen people.
At that moment, Keibel stood in the center of the spacious hall, excitedly recounting all the dangerous events that had happened earlier. The other members sat around him, occasionally erupting into bursts of astonishment.
Just then, several elderly men slowly approached Allen and Laxus. Ur hurriedly introduced them to the two.
The old man at the front had a kindly face but deep-set eyes. He was Bessy Coolidge, the guild master of Wild Cat's Eye and Keibel's own grandfather. Standing on either side of Bessy Coolidge were Damon Curry and Uriel Lake. The two old men were Doc's and Rudy's grandfathers, respectively.
Allen and Laxus looked at the three old men before them, a trace of confusion appearing in their eyes. Ur seemed to notice what they were thinking and explained, "Leni's elders unfortunately died while carrying out a difficult mission. Now she's all alone. That's why she became the treasure cherished by every member of our guild." After saying this, Ur let out a soft sigh and turned his gaze toward Leni, who was standing quietly in the distance. His eyes were filled with tenderness.
Bessy stepped forward and gave Allen and Laxus a firm hug. Damon and Uriel followed suit and embraced the two as well. Then Bessy said emotionally, "You two young men, we truly can't thank you enough for your help today. Keibel and the other three are the only younger generation left in Wild Cat's Eye. If anything had happened to them, we really wouldn't have known what to do. Thank goodness you were there!" Damon and Uriel stood nearby with reddened eyes, gazing at the two with equal emotion.
Before Allen and Laxus could say anything, Bessy climbed onto a table in the hall and shouted excitedly, "To welcome and thank Brother Allen and Brother Laxus, let's hold a banquet!!!"
"┗|｀O′|┛Awoooo~~!!!"
Before you continue