Levy Seeks Guidance

At the Fairy Tail guild, Levy was a unique presence.

She did not possess destructive combat magic like Natsu or Gray, nor was she a battle-hardened S-Class mage like Erza. But her intelligence, her thirst for knowledge, and her ability to analyze were unmatched throughout the guild. The Solid Script magic she wielded was ever-changing and full of limitless possibilities.

Ever since Zoro had joined the guild, Levy had developed an intense interest in studying him.

Zoro's unprecedented theories about Haki, in particular, fascinated her. Her little notebook was already packed with over a dozen pages of speculation and analysis about "Armament Haki" and "Observation Haki." She had even tried using ancient runes and magical formulas to decipher its underlying principles.

Yet the deeper she delved into her research, the more confused and powerless she felt.

"Haki" seemed to completely defy the fundamental laws of magical power flow. It was more like something... idealistic and metaphysical. Her paper-based research had reached a dead end.

"Rather than sitting here and imagining things, I might as well..." Levy looked at the green-haired man leaning against a pillar not far away, so motionless that he seemed to have blended into the background, and a bold idea took root in her heart.

She took a deep breath, encouraged herself, then hurried over to Zoro in tiny steps.

At that moment, Zoro was enjoying his favorite state of the day aside from drinking—dozing off. His arms were folded over his chest, his head slightly lowered, and his breathing steady and deep, as though his mind had already wandered far away.

"Um... Mr. Zoro?" Levy called out tentatively in the gentlest voice she could manage.

Zoro's eyelid twitched. He opened one eye with extreme reluctance, his gaze brimming with the irritation of Who the hell dared disturb my sleep?

When he saw that it was the petite girl who was always carrying a book, his impatience eased slightly.

"What?" he asked gruffly.

"Um... I'm very sorry for disturbing your rest!" Levy hurriedly bowed, then held out her little notebook with both hands. Her eyes shone like stars with a brilliant hunger for knowledge. "I... I'd like to ask for your guidance! About the Haki you mentioned, and... your swordsmanship!"

Zoro glanced at the notebook, filled with messy runes and formulas he could not understand at all, and immediately felt his headache double.

"Teach you?" He frowned. "I don't teach people. Besides, you're a mage. What would you learn my stuff for? Wouldn't that conflict?"

"It wouldn't!" Levy quickly explained. "My Solid Script magic can create all kinds of things, but in close combat, my reaction speed and ability to respond have always been weaknesses. I want... I want to become stronger, not just for myself, but so that I can help everyone when it matters most! So please!"

She bowed deeply again. Though her body was small, it carried an unyielding determination.

As Zoro looked into her earnest eyes, he suddenly thought of that pink-haired kid he had met at the Marine base—someone who was also not very tall, yet had worked desperately hard for his dream: Koby.

"Tch, what a pain."

Though he complained aloud, his body had already straightened. He rolled his shoulders, producing a rapid series of crackling pops from his bones.

"Fine." He relented for once. "I'll give you a little guidance. But let me make this clear—my methods are rough. If you can't keep up, I'm not going to babysit you."

"Yes! Thank you, Teacher Zoro!" Levy's eyes instantly lit up as she cried out excitedly.

"Don't call me teacher." Zoro waved a hand and led her to the relatively open training ground behind the guild.

He stopped and crooked a finger at Levy.

"Come on. Use that... whatever it's called, Solid Script magic, and attack me with everything you've got. Let me see what you're capable of."