A Reporter's Visit

Lucy looked at Ye, who was leisurely drinking tea, and said, "Aren't you going over there to fight them?!"

"Fight! What a crude word. How could I possibly get into a fight with those brutes? It would simply lower my standards!"

Just then, a chair flew over and knocked over Ye's tea set.

"Crack! Crack!"

The cup in Ye's hand slowly began to crack as well. He rose to his feet, ready to teach those people a lesson.

Lucy complained, "Didn't you say it would lower your standards?!"

"I need to enlighten those gorillas who grew bodies but not brains."

Just then, Makarov called out, "Brat, come over here. I have something to ask you."

Seeing Makarov's serious expression, Ye chose to spare those savages.

"What is it, old man? What did you want?"

"You really broke through Etherion?!"

Makarov had lived for over eighty years, so he naturally knew just how terrifying Etherion's power was. It was something no human strength could contend with, yet this brat before him had broken through it.

"Yeah, so what? It took a lot out of me!"

"Brat, do you know what that means? If others learn that such power exists within you, how many people will fear you? By then, I'm afraid someone will make an issue of it and turn Fairy Tail into a target for everyone."

"Don't worry, old man. Everyone who knows has been ordered to keep quiet."

Makarov let out a sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good."

"But what I never expected was that Jellal was Siegrain. I knew that young man was deep and calculating at the time, but I never imagined he was the one who brought Erza such pain. What a waste. He reached the heights of the Ten Wizard Saints at such a young age, yet he didn't use that talent on the right path. Why are capable young people always like this?"

"Old man, you said the same thing about Jose before!"

"Can't I say it again?! (＊｀д´)"

"Brat, you absolutely can't do something like that in the future."

"Old man, don't wrong me. At most, I destroy the ground, forests, hillsides, towns, and things like that."

"Brat, that's already far too much."

"Hahaha, it's fine. We still have you, Guild Master. ⌓‿⌓"

"Brat, I'm getting old too. I've already decided that you'll be the future guild master."

"I'm not taking the job now!"

"If you won't do it, then who will?"

Ye picked at his ear and said, "I didn't say I wouldn't do it. I just said I won't do it now. With your health, old man, being guild master for another ten years won't be a problem. Let's round it off—when you turn a hundred, you can pass the position to me. Hahahaha."

"Brat, I don't even know whether I'll live that long!"

"You definitely will!"

"Forget it, forget it. We'll talk about it later. Remember to clean yourself up tomorrow. Don't come to the guild looking all slovenly; reporters will be visiting tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Alright, time to clean up these bastards."

"Die!"

"Boom!"

"Waaaaah!"

"Hahaha, that felt good. Come on, Mira, let's go home!"

The two of them held hands and slowly headed home.

"I heard from Erza. You pushed yourself too hard again, didn't you?"

"Well, there was nothing I could do. It was beyond my control. To save them, what did a little pressure matter?"

"Mo~ Honestly!"

"Alright, don't be mad. The reporters are coming tomorrow, so help me pick out something to wear when we get home, hehehe!"

"Don't do it again! (◦`~´◦)"

"Mm! Alright, let's go home first. I'm starving."

"Then starve to death!"

Early the next morning, after yesterday's uproar, the guild had returned to its usual liveliness. The only difference was that everyone was dressed rather smartly.

Lucy arrived at the guild after carefully dressing up, only to find it as noisy as ever. Drinking, eating meat, singing, and dancing—no one looked remotely prepared for an interview.

Erza said, "Isn't this great? This is Fairy Tail!"

"Erza, did you change your armor again?"

"Yes! My previous armor was damaged in the last battle. This is Heart Kreuz's newest model, and I love it very much."

Suddenly, an excited voice rang out. "´_＞` Cool! Is this Fairy Tail's queen? I finally get to see the real thing! COOL! So COOL!"

Erza and Lucy turned around and saw a man with a shoulder bag and a camera slung over his back running toward them.

This man was Jason, a reporter for the magic magazine Sorasha Weekly. Released every Wednesday, it specialized in newly released magic products, popular guilds, gravure photos of beautiful wizards, and news reports on wizards. Mira had even appeared in several of its photo spreads.

"You must be the reporter here for the interview. Sorry you had to see us in such a mess."

"No, this genuine side of you is very ´_＞` cool."

"May I ask you a few questions?"

"No problem. Go ahead."

"May I ask how many sets of Requip outfits you have?"

Erza thought for a moment. "About a hundred, I suppose."

"COOL! Then which set is your favorite?"

"My favorite is the bunny girl outfit, because it's very cute."

"COOL!"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I'm currently single."

"That's so COOL!"

After interviewing Erza, Jason spotted Gray and sprinted over. "Gray, the real Gray!"

"Huh?! Who are you?"

"Gray-sama, this should be the reporter who came to interview us."

"Wow! You're Juvia, right? I never expected you to join Fairy Tail. This is huge news—so COOL!"

"Mr. Gray, may I ask why you take off your clothes at the slightest thing?"

"Who takes off their clothes at the slightest thing? Don't make me sound like some kind of pervert, alright?!"

Juvia said shyly, "Gray-sama, your pants!"

"Ah! Since when?!"

"Where is he? Where's that reporter?!"

"COOL, it's the Fire Dragon, Natsu! A wizard I really like!"

"So you're the guy who keeps writing that I destroyed this and wrecked that every time?!"

"YES!"

"Die, bastard!"

Natsu punched Jason, sending him spinning through the air, while Jason still shouted—

"COOL!"

At that moment, Ye, dressed in a suit, slowly descended the stairs. When Jason saw him—

"COOOOOOL! This is my favorite wizard, the War God Ye!"

Jason rushed over at top speed, slid across the floor, and arrived before Ye.

"Could you please give me your autograph?"

"I assume you're Mr. Jason."

"Let's talk properly. Get up first."

"COOL!"

Hearing Ye speak so politely, with such a magnetic voice, the members of the strongest team could not help but shiver.

Natsu immediately felt sick and wanted to throw up.

"Let's talk over there. I'm sorry, there are too many barbarians in the guild, so they've caused you a lot of inconvenience."

"Not at all. Everyone is very enthusiastic. May I ask you a few questions?"

"Please, go ahead."

"May I ask! What is your secret to becoming stronger?"

"Well, I can't tell you. That's my secret!"

"COOL! May I ask, is that a tattoo on your back? According to rumors, a demon lives on your back."

"You mean this? It's actually the Demon Back passed down through my family for generations."

"That is just too COOL!"

"And something many female friends want to know: do you have a girlfriend?"

"I do! It's Mirajane!"

"´_＞` Cool! You two are simply a match made in heaven!"

"You flatter us."

Once Jason left in satisfaction, Ye turned an unfriendly gaze on Natsu, grabbed his head with one hand, and asked—

"Was it you who thought that was disgusting just now?! (▼皿▼#)"

"How could that be? I admire Ye the most!"

"It's too late to flatter me now. Die, bastard!"

"And Guild Master, why did you make me act refined? Seriously, I felt a little sick myself."

"Brat, this is your first public appearance. Of course we had to package you a little better!"

"Tch! Boring!"

He took off the suit and changed back into his comfortable clothes. Wearing flip-flops and holding a watermelon, he looked exactly like a retired old cadre.