Makarov = Faust?!

In another, unknown world.

All humans possessed an innate, latent power.

Emotions, presence, intimidation...

When they controlled these intangible feelings, their will could extend outward and transform into immense power.

This power was known as "Haki."

Noah opened his eyes, emerging from his state of contemplation. He slowly exhaled, then shifted his thoughts. In an instant, a strange, pitch-black sheen enveloped his right palm.

This pitch-black sheen, which seemed to blend into his skin, was Armament Haki.

With a small explosive pop, a wisp of smoke rose from Noah's blackened right palm. The Blast Gauntlet on his left hand still glowed faintly red.

To test how much Armament Haki could improve his defenses, Noah gave himself a small fire-element blast.

The "direct blast" was only a third as powerful as usual, but if it had struck his bare flesh, even Noah would have gritted his teeth in pain.

But as it turned out, aside from feeling a slight impact in his right palm when the blast went off, Noah barely felt anything.

Armament Haki improved his defense far more than he'd imagined. It probably boosted his attack power by a lot, too, but Noah didn't want to test that in the dormitory.

"So this is the power from the world of the Hero of the Marines... Not bad."

Noah flopped onto the bed. Though he'd gained a new power from another world, he couldn't bring himself to feel happy about it.

That was because Armament Haki was a power that grew stronger over time. It needed to be honed constantly to reach its full potential.

Advanced Armament Haki could cover the entire body or coat a weapon to increase its hardness and power.

"Ugh... Couldn't you just give me high-level Armament Haki? I don't want to grind levels..."

Noah rolled over on the bed and groaned. To put it nicely, he was content with the status quo. Put less nicely, he was just lazy.

Back in Edolas, with his old man keeping an eye on him, Noah had managed to put in a little effort training his physical skills and learning how to use all sorts of magical tools.

But after coming to Earth-land, where no one kept him in line, Noah had gradually let himself go. He'd started slacking off and living the life of a lazy fish.

Complaining aside, Noah still had to spend some time training his Armament Haki if he wanted to grow stronger.

His unpleasant experience with Laxus gave Noah a feeling that sooner or later, the two of them would end up fighting.

The thought of facing the strongest mage among the guild's new generation put a little pressure on Noah. He didn't want to be the one lying on the ground when that day came.

Noah might have been lazy, but he didn't want to lose.

Then, starting next year, he'd train his Haki for two hours every day...

No, one hour.

A few days passed, and Magnolia welcomed the last holiday of the year: Christmas.

The guild hall, a lively, tavern-like, three-story building, was bustling with activity. Quite a few members had taken a few days off, planning to relax during the final days of the year and celebrate Christmas with their companions.

To mark the occasion, Makarov had put up a large Christmas tree in the guild's back courtyard, decorated with little gifts, along with lanterns, streamers, and other festive decorations.

Dressed in a Santa suit, Makarov asked Mira, the barmaid behind the counter, "Mira, how do I look? Do I look a little like Santa?"

"You're too thin, Master."

Mira didn't hold back with her verdict. In her mind, Santa was supposed to be a kind old man with a bit of a belly, not someone so short and skinny.

Makarov sat down helplessly. As he'd gotten older, he was still in decent shape, but he'd become much shorter, and his appetite had dwindled.

"Morning, Master. Are you auditioning to play a dwarf?"

Before Noah could finish, Erza cut him off. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. The Master is clearly dressed as Little Red Riding Hood."

She wore the most sincere expression as she said the cruelest things.

Makarov had thought Erza interrupted Noah because she disapproved of what the boy had said. He hadn't expected her to be the one to twist the knife.

But, to be fair, Makarov's current look did invite comparisons to both a dwarf and Little Red Riding Hood.

So it was time to change the subject.

"Noah, did you come to celebrate with everyone today, too? I thought you'd use the excuse that you needed to rest after a job and stay holed up in your dormitory."

Faced with Makarov's teasing, Noah yawned. He hadn't wanted to come, either, but who knew Erza would show up early in the morning and drag him out of bed again?

She'd said this was Noah's first Christmas at Fairy Tail, so he should come take part in the mock guild-master game: "King's Game."

What kind of game was King's Game, anyway, to get Erza so excited?

Noah had meant to ask Makarov, but when he saw the little old man's expression turn unnatural at the mention of the game, he realized the Master seemed to have some kind of trauma related to it.

That only made Noah more curious. What kind of game could make the dignified Master so apprehensive?

So Noah immediately called over the guild's biggest hothead.

"Natsu, come play a game!"

Noah called out across the hall, and the pink-haired boy suddenly appeared from some nook or cranny.

Happy and Gray came along with him.

Natsu was always bursting with energy, bouncing around excitedly. "What game, Noah? I can't wait! Just watch me crush Gray in it!"

"Hmph. That's my line, you one-celled moron."

Two lines were all it took for Natsu and Gray to start bristling at each other. If Erza hadn't been there, they probably would've started brawling on the spot.

Noah scooped up Happy and said calmly, "Erza wants you to join her for King's Game."

At the name, Natsu's face changed. "What! That demonic game?!"

"I've got something to do. I'm heading out. Have fun."

Gray was even quicker to make himself scarce, but before he could get away, Erza caught him and dragged him back.

"What? Do you two think my game isn't fun?"

In Natsu and Gray's eyes, the furious Erza seemed to grow dozens of times larger, as if she could crush them both at any moment.

To avoid getting beaten up, Natsu and Gray hurriedly declared that King's Game was a great game. Under Erza's pressure, they joined in, trembling as they "volunteered."

That only made Noah more certain there was something wrong with the game. Otherwise, how could even Natsu, who never learned his lesson, be scared of it?

Using the excuse that he needed the bathroom, Noah made his escape with ease. To keep Erza from coming after him, he decided to find somewhere secluded to hide.

The guild's third floor was his chosen hiding place.

This was where the Master had his office. Nobody usually came up here—not even Makarov himself, who preferred watching the children from the first floor.

But to Noah's surprise, as soon as he reached the third floor, he saw the familiar short figure. It seemed Makarov was worried about getting dragged into that game by Erza, too.

"Oh, it's you, Noah. The office is a little messy, so find yourself a place to sit." Though this was the Master's office, Makarov didn't mind Noah dropping in uninvited. There wasn't anything important in here, anyway.

The only thing of value was the group photo of the founders of Fairy Tail.

Noah looked at the photo hanging on the wall. Having read the Guild Chronicles, he knew the identities of the four guild founders.

Mavis Vermillion, the guild's First Master. She had dazzled everyone with her extraordinary wisdom during the Second Trade War and earned the title Fairy Tactician, but had died far too young.

Precht Gaebolg had taken over the guild after Mavis's death, becoming its Second Master. After diligently serving for forty years, he entrusted the guild to his student, the Third Master, Makarov. Then he traveled the world, and no one heard from him again.

Warrod Sequen had left the guild after Precht became the Second Master, having disagreed with him. He was now one of the Ten Wizard Saints and devoted most of his time to greening the desert.

Yuri Dreyar had lost his will to live after his dear friend Mavis and his wife Rita died in the same year. Four years after they were gone, he died of grief. Before his death, he had asked his friend Precht to look after his four-year-old son, Makarov.

According to the Guild Chronicles, these four founders had faced countless hardships and challenges together before founding Fairy Tail in X686.

But just ten years later, their fates had changed drastically. Some had died, some had left, and some had stayed.

"Life really is unpredictable," Noah said with a sigh.

Noah's words stirred a few memories in Makarov, too. There had once been a time when he'd had companions he could confide in, just like the First Masters. But in the end, they had left the guild to pursue their own dreams.

Like his teacher Precht, Makarov had now spent more than forty years guarding the guild as its Master.

"Ugh... That bastard Gildarts. When's he coming back to take over for me?"

Makarov muttered something under his breath that Noah couldn't quite make out. Noah was more curious about why Erza's King's Game had scared Natsu and the others.

King's Game:

Everyone who played drew a lot. Whoever drew the one marked with the Master's insignia could choose the other players and give them orders they had to obey.

After hearing Makarov explain the rules, Noah thought it sounded strange.

The person who drew the marked lot picked one or more people who hadn't drawn the Master's lot and made them do something.

Wasn't that basically just a game of truth or dare? What was so strange about it?

Wait... Could it be?!

Seeing Noah's expression change, Makarov gave a bitter smile. "You've figured it out, too, haven't you? That's right. Most of the orders were extremely embarrassing, or demanded something the person couldn't stand doing."

"For example, ordering some exhibitionist to put on ten layers of clothes and keep them on until the game was over."

That was cruel. It was practically driving Gray to his death.

"Or making someone strip naked in front of a crowd and loudly shout the name of the person they like."

What a way to die socially! It was a vicious blow to the heart—a vicious blow to the heart!

But wasn't that a little too intense...?

Noah stopped Makarov. He didn't want to hear any more punishments that could shatter his understanding of the world.

He had no idea why Erza was so enthusiastic about such an "intense" game. It couldn't be that she always drew the Master's lot or never got stuck with any weird orders, could it?

The old man and the young man in the office silently dropped the subject.

Makarov brought out a box filled with Santa suits in all sorts of styles. "Noah, come help me pick one. Which outfit suits me? I still have to deliver presents to the children at the orphanage tonight."

So that was it. The little old man had a kind heart after all.

In storybooks, besides the reindeer and the red suit, Santa had another defining feature.

A thick, snowy-white beard that covered his cheeks and chin.

Makarov was short and skinny, so with a big beard, at least people wouldn't mistake him for a dwarf or Little Red Riding Hood at first glance.

Taking Noah's advice, Makarov put on a fake beard and looked in the mirror. He did look much better this way.

"Good, good. This year, the children won't recognize me when I deliver their presents."

Makarov was in a fine mood. He turned to praise Noah, only to find the boy looking at him strangely.

"Master, try putting on a wig, too."

Before Makarov could answer, Noah placed a wig on the little old man's head.

Looking in the mirror, Makarov saw that the wig Noah had given him was particularly thick. Was the boy making fun of his thinning hair?

Still, his bald spot was rather conspicuous. Even with a Santa hat, someone might recognize him.

Noah really was thoughtful.

Makarov just didn't know that Noah's gaze had grown even stranger.

"Master, please stand on the table. I'll take a look from farther away and see if there's anything else wrong."

Standing at the top of the stairs and watching Makarov hop onto the desk, Noah was rocked by a storm of emotions.

Because Makarov's appearance now was nearly identical to Noah's father, Faust.

Noah already understood why.

Why his old man was so annoyed with Ivan for giving away information so easily.

Why beating Ivan gave his old man such satisfaction.

It was because "Makarov" and "Faust" were counterparts from parallel worlds!

No wonder his old man beat Ivan three times a day, serving him "loyalty," "greens," "celery," and "seaweed" every time. He was taking out his frustration on his Earth-land counterpart.

Noah thought of something else. If he went by generation, he and Ivan were the same age.

Wouldn't that mean Noah was Laxus's biological uncle from another father, another mother, another grandfather, and another world?!

Makarov looked at the boy grinning stupidly at the top of the stairs. "Noah, what are you smiling about? Do I look ridiculous?"

"No, not at all."

Noah quickly waved his hands, but he still couldn't help laughing. "I just thought of something really funny."

"What?"

"I'm going to be an uncle."