Makarov's roar did not make the two hands on the second floor loosen their grip.
"I saw this request first," Laxus said.
"What you see first is the reward," Lin Yuan pointed to the 1.2 million J at the top of the paper. "The mission details are below."
What's the difference?
The difference is that you didn't even watch it.
The two of them each pulled, and the task paper tore in two from the center.
The second floor fell silent instantly.
Makarov ascended to the top of the stairs, stepping on enlarged palms, staring at the two pieces of paper, his face darker than the sky outside the window.
"On my first day after promotion, I damaged my first S-Class mission."
He took out his ledger from his pocket and solemnly wrote down a line.
"Copying fee, two hundred J, half for each of us."
"Only one hundred?" Laxus asked.
"You can add more if you think it's not enough."
Laxus immediately shut up.
Makarov snatched the two pieces of paper and put them back together on the table. The quest came from the Loke Town in the north, requiring the slaying of the Golden-Horned Flying Lizard that inhabited Thundering Canyon. The reward was indeed high, but the end of the quest noted that the flying lizard only appeared during thunderstorms, and that the use of large-scale lightning True Magic was prohibited in the canyon to avoid triggering landslides.
Lin Yuan looked at Laxus.
Laxus looked at him too.
"It suits you very well," Lin Yuan said.
"Shut up."
Makarov slapped the re-attached commission into Laxus's arms. "You were the most aggressive in taking it, so you go. The damage to the canyon will be deducted from your reward."
Laxus swept his gaze over the line of restrictions, a tiny arc of electricity flashing from his forehead.
"We can solve this without using explosives."
He turned and went downstairs, deliberately shaking the task paper as he passed Lin Yuan.
"The first one is mine."
"Remember to earn back the copying fee."
Soon after, the sound of tables and chairs overturning came from downstairs.
Lin Yuan looked at the mission wall again.
The commissions on the second floor weren't as glamorous as I'd imagined. Out-of-control magical machinery, behemoths entrenched in the mines, trade routes seized by dark guilds—each piece of paper listed high rewards, but also casualties, deadlines, and consequences of failure.
One of the requests was pasted at the very bottom, and the corner of the paper was already slightly curled up.
"The Northern Transport Tunnel has suffered a series of collapses, and three repair teams have been attacked by Rock-Armored Beast. We are tasked with escorting a fourth repair team into the tunnel to determine the cause of the collapses and to restore the road before the first heavy snowfall."
The reward is only one million J, which is two hundred thousand J less than the commission for the Golden-Horned Flying Lizard.
Lin Yuan accepted the commission.
"Have you made your choice?" Makarov asked.
"Um."
Why this one?
"The tunnel is the only road for transporting grain to the three northern villages before winter. If the flying lizards are attacked a few days later, the caravans will simply have to change their routes; but if the road is not opened for a few days, the villagers will go hungry."
Makarov looked at him for a moment, then took the commission and stamped it.
" S-Class Mage may bring guild members along, but you will be responsible for all decisions regarding the mission, injuries, and compensation."
"I know."
Who are you planning to bring?
Downstairs, Natsu was riding on Gray's back, raising his hands and shouting, "I! I can roast all the Rock-Armored Beast!"
"The tunnel will collapse from your heat first." Gray grabbed his ankle and slammed him to the ground. "You should have taken me; ice can reinforce the rock walls."
"Put your clothes on first."
Erza had already taken out paper and pen, carefully calculating how much supporting timber she needed to carry. Macao and Wakaba, on the other hand, began discussing just how cold the north really was, and finally decided that this kind of weather was perfect for staying in the tavern.
Lisanna squeezed to the bottom of the stairs, looked up and shouted, "Brother Lin Yuan, I can go too! I can already Take Over the rabbit's legs, I can run really fast!"
Elfman immediately patted his chest. "I can Take Over bear paws!"
"You two stay and practice," Lin Yuan said. "That's not a training ground. The tunnel won't stop just because you're young when it collapses."
Lisanna puffed out her cheeks but didn't continue arguing. Elfman looked at his own palm and obediently put his hand down as well.
Lin Yuan walked down the stairs and stopped in front of the bar.
Mira was wiping flour off the table when she noticed his gaze. Without looking up, she asked, "Why are you looking at me?"
"We'll depart in three days." Lin Yuan placed the commission in front of her.
Mira glanced at the red stamp and stopped wiping the rag in her hand.
"You've become S-Class, do you still need a partner?"
"The assessment only proves that I am capable of accepting S-Class commissions, it doesn't mean I'm the most suitable person."
" Natsu has more firepower, Gray can reinforce the tunnel, Erza is more stable than me."
Three people nearby fell silent at the same time, clearly eavesdropping.
Lin Yuan pointed to the Rock-Armored Beast in the commission.
"Large-scale destruction is not feasible in confined spaces. Your Take Over can block them from the front, while I'll be responsible for securing the tunnel and locating the collapse points. We also worked together to resolve the avalanche at the Northern Ranch last year."
Mira finally looked up. "So you didn't come here to show off?"
"If I want to show off, I won't leave you a spot in the competition."
Mira blushed slightly, then punched him in the shoulder.
"Whoever drags the team down has to treat everyone to meals for a month."
She picked up the commission and wrote her name in the place of the fellow members.
Lin Yuan looked at the line of text and put away the task sheet.
"What I lack is not an assistant, but a partner."