The Strongest Mage Fights Lazily

Lu Chongwei followed the address given by Makarov, making his way to a patch of woods on the edge of the small town.

He clutched the job request worth 400,000 J in his hand, his mood so buoyant he felt as if he might fly.

However, when he stood before the destination, that excitement was instantly replaced by a sense of incredulous bewilderment.

Before him stood a small wooden shack.

It could hardly be called a "house"; it looked more like a shed that might collapse at any moment. The wooden planks were tattered and broken, stuffed with dry grass in the gaps, and the roof was so crooked it seemed a strong gust of wind would blow it right off.

Is this... the home of the guild's strongest mage?

Lu Chongwei's mouth twitched.

He looked around; aside from some wildflowers and weeds, the place was dreadfully desolate, even more primitive than the dwellings of some vagrants.

This is too austere. Where on earth does that old man spend his money?

Lu Chongwei shook his head, walking forward filled with confusion.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

He rapped hard on the door, which looked as though it might fall apart at any second.

The door panel groaned in agony, and dust rained down, causing Lu Chongwei to cough twice.

After a long while, the sound of dragging footsteps finally came from inside.

The door creaked open.

Gildarts appeared in the doorway.

His hair was a bird's nest of tangles, his eyes half-closed with sleep crust still in the corners, and he wore a wrinkled shirt with the buttons misaligned.

"Yaaawn—"

Gildarts let out a long yawn, the sound loud enough to startle a few birds in the woods.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes, looking at Lu Chongwei before him with a blank expression.

"Oh, it's you... kid... what are you doing here so early..."

Gildarts mumbled.

His voice was slurred, clearly still caught between dreams and reality, possessing none of the majesty of the "strongest mage."

Lu Chongwei held up the job request and waved it in front of him.

"Uncle, stop sleeping. The Master approved me for this mission, but it specifically requires you to lead the team."

Lu Chongwei said loudly.

He tried to use his voice to wake this sleepwalking man; after all, time was money, and that was 400,000 J on the line.

When Gildarts heard the word "mission," his face instantly fell.

"Huh? A mission?"

He scratched his hair in agony, looking utterly reluctant, his body even trying to retreat back into the house.

"Spare me... I just got back from a long-term mission, and I just want to sleep in for three days and three nights..."

Gildarts complained.

He leaned against the doorframe, looking ready to collapse and fall back asleep at any moment, his aura of laziness almost becoming tangible.

"That won't work; the Master gave these orders himself."

Lu Chongwei played his trump card.

He knew that in this guild, Makarov's word was law, and even Gildarts wouldn't dare to defy it lightly.

"He said if you don't go, I can't take this job. And he also said if you dare to slack off, he'll dock your entire liquor budget for next month."

The last sentence was, of course, a fabrication by Lu Chongwei.

But the effect was immediate.

Gildarts' body stiffened abruptly.

Hearing the words "dock your liquor budget," his sleepiness vanished without a trace, and his eyes became perfectly clear.

"Tsk, that old geezer..."

Gildarts gritted his teeth and cursed.

Though he was still complaining, his body moved honestly enough; he turned back into the house, grabbed his tattered cloak, and threw it over his shoulders.

"Fine, fine, I get it! Let's go, let's go!"

Gildarts said irritably.

He walked out the door, slammed the rickety thing shut, and then shoved his hands into his pockets, following behind Lu Chongwei with a sour expression.

Lu Chongwei chuckled to himself.

Watching this man who had been like a salted fish just a moment ago, now forced to get to work, he felt this journey certainly wouldn't be boring.

When the two returned to the guild, the main hall was still bustling with activity.

Makarov saw Gildarts' dejected appearance and knew that Lu Chongwei had succeeded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

Since his strongest combatant was now in place, he naturally gave his tacit approval for this mission.

Lu Chongwei packed his bags and was just about to set off.

Suddenly, a figure rushed out from the side, arms spread wide to block his path.

It was Gray.

He was still shirtless, and although the bump on his head had shrunk a little, it was still conspicuous. At this moment, the anger from before was gone from his face, replaced by eagerness and pleading.

"Take me with you!"

Gray shouted loudly.

He looked at Lu Chongwei, then at Gildarts beside him, his eyes filled with a longing for adventure.

"I want to go and see for myself! I promise I won't cause any trouble, I'll just watch from the sidelines!"

Gray pressed his palms together, putting on a pitiful expression.

For a young man who had always wanted to prove himself, being able to follow Gildarts on a mission, even if just as an observer, was a huge temptation.

Lu Chongwei was taken aback.

He hadn't expected this kid, who had been shouting for a fight just a moment ago, to be so thick-skinned that he would try to tag along on a mission in the blink of an eye.

"This..."

Lu Chongwei was a bit indecisive.

He turned to look at Makarov; after all, this was his first mission, and bringing an extra person meant an extra responsibility.

Makarov looked into Gray's hopeful eyes, and his heart softened.

Letting the younger generation get more exposure to real combat, even if just by observing, was beneficial for their growth.

"Go ahead."

Makarov waved his hand.

He looked at Gildarts, his tone becoming stern—the gravity of a parent entrusting their children to someone else.

"Gildarts, since you're going anyway, one is the same as two. Make sure you bring both of these kids back safely."

Gildarts shrugged indifferently.

"Fine, fine. It's just a field trip anyway."

Having received permission, Gray jumped up in excitement.

"Awesome! Don't worry, I'll make sure we complete this mission perfectly!"

Gray waved his fist, as if the monster were already trampled beneath his feet.

Lu Chongwei glanced at him and couldn't help but pour a bucket of cold water on his enthusiasm.

"It makes no difference whether you help or not, you're only at the level of being knocked out in one hit anyway."

Lu Chongwei's voice wasn't loud, but its lethality was immense.

Gray's movements froze instantly.

He stood there as if petrified, maintaining his punching pose, the excited expression on his face freezing into embarrassment before it could even fade.

"You...!"

Just as Gray was about to lash out, Lu Chongwei patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, stop posing. Hurry up and keep up, don't delay the schedule."

With that, Lu Chongwei walked out of the guild doors first.

Gildarts followed behind, yawning, leaving Gray alone to grit his teeth in frustration until he finally stomped his foot hard and hurried to catch up.

The three headed north toward Volk City.

This city was world-renowned for its cuisine, and even before they entered, the air was already filled with the aroma of various foods.