Can I Become Your Master?

Qi Yan excitedly opened the box. The box full of money was so dazzling that he could barely keep his eyes open.

Qi Yan immediately counted out 20 million J.

"This is my prize for winning the Swordsman Tournament, so I'll keep it."

Then Qi Yan counted out another 15 million J and handed it to Erza.

"This is the reward for this mission. Half for you, half for me!"

"Uh... why didn't you just count out 15 million J directly?"

"Well! Splitting money is fun too, isn't it?"

After hesitating for a moment, Erza said, "Qi Yan, you did most of the work this time. You should take more."

"See? Here we go again. Elfman was the same last time, going on about who deserved more credit. Since we formed a team and came out here to do a mission together, of course we split it equally. That outdated work-based distribution system doesn't suit a team!"

"..."

"Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me? I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to you, I earned a full 35 million J this time—35 million!!"

Qi Yan said with a grin. There was nothing fake about his delight, and seeing it eased Erza's tension somewhat.

Qi Yan quickly began calculating. One million J was equivalent to 50,000 yuan, so 10 million J was 500,000 yuan, and 35 million J was 1.75 million yuan!!

If this had been his previous life, he could have put all that money in the bank and coasted for the rest of his days.

Luckily, this world had banks too. The interest rate was not high, but it was still three percent. Once he got back, he would deposit the money in the bank. When he got old and retired, living off the interest would be enough. The plan was perfect.

At that moment, Erza suddenly moved closer and stared straight at Qi Yan. "Qi Yan, there's something I want to ask you."

"Gulp!"

Looking at Erza's beautiful face so close to his own, Qi Yan could not help swallowing.

Was she going to confess? Did she want to date me? I'm not mentally prepared for this yet!

Should I say yes, say yes, or say yes? This is such a hard choice!

"Qi Yan... can I become your disciple?"

"Pfft—!"

Qi Yan spat everything out when he heard that.

What the hell?

Erza wanted to become his disciple?

Qi Yan's mouth twitched as he asked, "Wh... why?"

"Of course, to learn swordsmanship! Qi Yan, you are the strongest swordsman I have ever seen. You can even slay dragons with swordsmanship. Those are Giant Dragons capable of destroying an entire country!"

"None of our attacks could harm it. Only you could seriously injure it, or even kill it."

"Just as you said, those who do not understand swordsmanship see you as a frog at the bottom of a well gazing at the moon in the sky, while those who do understand swordsmanship see you as a mayfly looking upon the azure heavens!!"

Erza's eyes shone as she spoke.

If anyone else had said such things, she would not have believed them. She might even have scoffed at them. But having witnessed Qi Yan's swordsmanship firsthand, she knew he had not been exaggerating. It was simply the truth.

Qi Yan, on the other hand, felt a wave of guilt. Why the hell did I show off like that in the arena?!

"Well... my swordsmanship is actually pretty bad..."

"Bad?! If your swordsmanship counts as bad, then is there anyone in this world who knows swordsmanship?"

"Uh... to be honest, I'm actually very weak. Right now, I'm probably only barely at the guild's second-tier level. My swordsmanship isn't mine; it belongs to the character I Take Over."

"But that is your magic. How can it not be yours?"

Erza had fought Mira since childhood and was extremely familiar with Take Over Magic. Naturally, she knew the swordsmanship belonged to the Yoriichi Tsugikuni Qi Yan had taken over, but taking over Yoriichi Tsugikuni was Qi Yan's magic in the first place.

"That's true, but my consciousness is still my own. I can use it, but I don't know how to teach others. Besides, swordsmanship that suits me might not suit you. You're a swordswoman, but not purely a swordswoman. What suits you is what's best."

He did not want Erza chasing after him all day calling him Master. That sounded terrifying. He should refuse her.

Besides, he was not talking nonsense. Although Erza's strongest form in the anime was one where she gave up defense to attack with all her strength, that was not Erza's magic. Erza's magic was The Knight.

"If you want to learn swordsmanship, then when we have time in the future, I can Take Over Yoriichi Tsugikuni and spar with you."

"Really?! That's great!!"

Erza was delighted to hear Qi Yan say that.

That made Qi Yan wonder whether Erza's goal from the beginning had simply been to spar with him.

*****

Magnolia

Fairy Tail Guild

Bang!

Makarov threw a thick stack of newspapers down in front of Qi Yan and Erza. They reported on what had happened in the Sobeia Kingdom, with Qi Yan and Erza as the main focus. Only after returning to the guild did the two learn that the news had spread throughout the Ishgar Continent over the past three days.

After all, a legendary Giant Dragon had appeared, and Qi Yan had even become a dragon-slaying hero. Such a sensation would not die down in ten days or half a month.

"Explain yourselves. What exactly happened?"

Qi Yan and Erza obediently knelt before Makarov.

"Um... Master, we only went to do a mission. Who could have guessed our luck would be so bad that we'd run into something like this?"

Qi Yan's opening words reeked of excuses.

"It happened like this, Master..."

Erza immediately reported everything, including how the king had intended to slay the dragon from the beginning and how the two of them had accepted an SS-Rank Quest.

"Nonsense—!!"

"You two are being far too reckless!"

"An S-Rank Mission would have been one thing, but you even dared to touch an SS-Rank Quest! That was a Giant Dragon—a single one could destroy an entire country!!"

Makarov was genuinely furious this time. The newspaper reports alone made it clear just how dangerous the mission had been. These two audacious brats had actually dared to accept such a mission.

Qi Yan cried out indignantly, "Master, you can't blame us for that! We hadn't even started the mission when the target came charging in on its own. We couldn't just stand by and watch so many innocent people in the city get killed, could we?"

"And you still dare to argue! Is that what I'm talking about?!"

Makarov slapped the table in anger.

Mira came over and tried to calm him down. "Master, please calm down. Didn't they return safely? Taking an SS-Rank Quest was inappropriate, but the outcome was good. You two, hurry up and promise there won't be a next time."

Mira secretly winked at Qi Yan and Erza.

The two immediately understood. "Master! We promise! There absolutely won't be a next time!"

Hearing Mira's words, Makarov calmed down slightly.

"Hmph! If there is a next time, I'll break your legs. Now get out of here!"

"Understood!"