Erza

[Breathing techniques were created by Yoriichi Tsugikuni. They did not require any special energy; anyone with the aptitude to use them could do so. The host used Sun Breathing while transformed and had already acquired the aptitude to use Sun Breathing.]

"So that means I can use Sun Breathing normally too?"

[Yes.]

"That's great!"

Qi Yan was even more excited upon hearing that. If there was ever a time when he was at his weakest, it was undoubtedly before he used Take Over Magic.

For example, right now, he was just a fragile little guy. If he got taken out before transforming, he would be finished.

Besides, he did not want to unleash his ultimate move every time he ran into someone.

If some random Dark Guild fodder showed up and he had to transform just to deal with them, how could that work?

Transforming consumed an enormous amount of magic power. If enemies came one after another and he had to transform to handle every one of them, then no matter how much magic power he had, he could not afford that drain.

So, the best approach was to make himself stronger, strong enough to handle enemies in most situations without needing to transform at all.

Only when he encountered someone stronger—someone he could not deal with without transforming—would he use Take Over Magic to assume the forms of those anime characters.

Sun Breathing could greatly improve a person's physical abilities. If he achieved Total Concentration: Constant, he could maintain the breathing technique twenty-four hours a day, and his physical abilities would gradually grow stronger without him even noticing.

The moment he thought of it, he acted. Qi Yan immediately sat cross-legged and began breathing.

Before long, Qi Yan stopped, his face full of terror and his body drenched in sweat.

"I can't do it at all! I can't do it!! Just one minute of Total Concentration Breathing feels like it's going to kill me. It hurts too much! My lungs hurt, my ears hurt, my ears are throbbing, and my eardrums too... Aah!"

Qi Yan slapped his ears hard with both hands. After several consecutive slaps, the pain finally eased somewhat.

"That scared me to death. For a moment just now, it felt like my heart was about to burst out through my ears—!!"

"System, what's going on? It went so smoothly when I used the breathing technique before! Why can't I do it now?"

[The host's physical abilities previously belonged to the character card. Now they are the host's own. The host's foundation is too weak, so it cannot be done.]

"Then how can I improve my foundation?"

[1: Run ten kilometers every day. 2: Perform breath-holding training ten times daily, beginning at one minute each time and gradually increasing until reaching ten minutes. 3: Use Sun Breathing for twenty minutes every day.]

"It doesn't look especially difficult. Then I'll start tomorrow morning."

After taking a shower, Qi Yan lay down in his new home and slept soundly.

Early the next morning, before the sun had risen, Qi Yan got up bright and early. After getting dressed, he began a long-distance run around Magnolia Town.

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and there was still a faint chill in the air. It was perfect weather for running.

Ten kilometers was almost exactly one lap around Magnolia Town.

Qi Yan finished it in around thirty minutes, far faster than he had been before. In the past, running ten kilometers took him about an hour. It seemed that after crossing into this world, his physical abilities had unknowingly improved quite a bit as well.

Next was breath-holding training. This was simple: all he had to do was find a large basin of water and submerge his face in it. The longer he held his breath, the better. Qi Yan gave it a try, and his limit was only a minute and a half.

Finally, Qi Yan sat cross-legged in the courtyard and used Sun Breathing.

By then, the sun was already high in the sky. Qi Yan stood up and prepared to head to the guild. He only needed to use Sun Breathing for twenty minutes a day; it did not have to be done all at once. Besides, he could use the breathing technique anytime and anywhere. Its effects were best when his body had received sufficient rest.

Just as Qi Yan stepped out the door, he saw Mira and Elfman approaching from nearby.

"Qi Yan!!"

The moment Elfman saw Qi Yan, he immediately waved in greeting. Ever since they had gone on a mission together last time, Elfman and Qi Yan had become close. Mira had helped Qi Yan join the guild and find a house, so the siblings were the two people he knew best in the guild.

"Morning, Qi Yan! Did you rest well last night?"

Mira greeted him with the same flower-like smile. Seeing her adorable smile, Qi Yan immediately felt his mood brighten.

"Very well. Thank you, Mira. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found such a suitable house."

"You're welcome. After all, you helped Elfman too. Consider this a return gift."

"A return gift? If you hadn't mentioned it, I might have forgotten. When you have time, come over to my place for a meal. I'll cook personally and treat it as a housewarming celebration."

"Mm... That's not something I can refuse."

"Qi Yan, you can cook too?!"

Elfman looked at Qi Yan in surprise.

"I'm decent at it!"

What Chinese man doesn't know how to cook?

The three of them chatted as they headed to the guild together.

Not long afterward, guild members began arriving one after another. For many people in the guild, coming here was like going to work. Even if they spent the whole day laughing and messing around without taking on any jobs, they still came to the guild to clock in.

Eating, drinking, and having fun with companions was much more interesting than being alone.

After eating and drinking his fill, Qi Yan went to the request board and began looking for work that suited him.

He was not considering B-rank jobs for now. Higher-priority A-rank jobs were his target.

A-rank jobs were commissions that paid over one million J. Most of them were extermination requests.

Extermination jobs were the most dangerous type of work, mainly involving the hunting of all kinds of powerful magical beasts. Magic power was abundant in this world. Humans had wizards, while animals had magical beasts.

Some powerful magical beasts were even stronger than the Ten Wizard Saints.

Qi Yan scanned the board and picked one with a reward of one million J. The mission was not too far from Fairy Tail. Travel would take about a day and a half, making the round trip roughly three days. Including the mission itself, it would take around four or five days in total.

After accounting for rest time, he could probably complete one A-rank job per week—four A-rank jobs a month. Adding the one card draw the system gave him each month, that meant he could get a chance at a ten-pull about once every two months.

Just as Qi Yan was about to tear down the request—

Makarov's imposing voice rang out. "No! You can't take this job."

Qi Yan looked toward Makarov. What entered his sight was a head of striking scarlet hair, a beautiful face, silver-gray armor, a black pleated skirt, and a pair of black boots. She looked valiant and heroic.

Qi Yan recognized her identity at once.

"The Fairy Queen—Erza!"