Attacked by the Lightning Kid

The night sky was clear and dotted with stars. Lying on the roof with his legs crossed and a blade of wild grass he had plucked between his lips, Hughes contentedly closed the photo collection Gildarts had given him.

He was a good student who loved reading, and he had already studied it from cover to cover, deeply and superficially, several times over.

As expected of a private collector's edition, it had everything he should and shouldn't see. Hughes was determined to make Gildarts his friend.

Taking advantage of his post-nut clarity, with no distracting thoughts in his mind, Hughes opened the system panel. He needed to study those tasks and see if he could trigger a few.

[Host: Hughes]

[Fruit ability: Flame-Flame Fruit (6% awakened)]

[Secret art: Tekkai (perfect level)]

[Haki: none]

[Tasks pending completion: none]

[Tasks: Pirate journey (defeat the Lord of the Coast), trample the Celestial Dragons, challenge one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks...]

Compared with the string of "none" entries when he had first opened it, the panel was finally starting to fill up.

It was a shame he couldn't see at a glance what level his physical abilities were at.

After stamping the blue-nosed raccoon dog's guild mark, Hughes had received his third boost to his physical abilities.

After the first boost, a light slap from him had sent one of the troublemakers from Mira's village spinning three and a half times through the air.

After the second boost, Hughes had been able to withstand Mira's Demon Beam unscathed with his body and Perfect-Level Tekkai. He had even blown apart a Forest Vulcan in a clash of fists.

Hughes hadn't yet found a suitable target to measure his third boost against. All he knew was that he was very strong now. A light push off the ground could send him straight onto the roof, which was how he had gotten up there just now.

His gaze moved to the task line. The first three had lit up, but Hughes didn't dare accept any of them.

The latter two would have to wait until after he had taken a trip to Edolas. As for the task "Pirate journey (defeat the Lord of the Coast)"...

He knew the Lord of the Coast from One Piece, but he was in the Fairy Tail world. This task was just like the initial task to "defeat the King of Mount Colubo."

He didn't have a clue, so he could only go out more and try his luck.

That afternoon, after completing another D-rank commission with Mira, Hughes had therefore accepted a B-rank commission as well, with Makarov's approval.

The task destination was Xiluo'er Village, and the objective was to drive away wild beasts. Hughes planned to take the train there with Mira first thing tomorrow morning.

"Hughes, have you got everything ready?" A faint rustling accompanied the voice. Hughes didn't even need to look up to know who it was, and hurriedly hid the nourishment for his mind he had on him.

"Mira, Xiluo'er Village isn't far. If we take care of things quickly, it'll only take three days at most, travel included."

It was only two or three days. Taking some food just in case would be enough. Hughes couldn't understand what there was to prepare; they were going on a task, not a vacation.

"I've packed Granny Porlyusica's medicine for you, and I brought your clothes too..."

Hughes looked down at his bare upper body. He really wanted to ask Mira if he needed them.

But on second thought, he decided against it. He would let her pack them. If he ran into a bad woman who coveted his good looks, he would at least have some clothes to fend her off.

"Crackle, snap!" A streak of yellow lightning flickered past the corner of Hughes's eye.

"Who are you people, and why are you in my house?"

Hughes looked up. A tall young man with a lightning-bolt mark over his right eye and a musical magic item called a Sound Pod hanging around his neck stood in the distance, looking down at him.

The newcomer was none other than Guild Master Makarov's own grandson, Laxus Dreyar.

Laxus had been out doing tasks for the past few months so he could take this year's S-Class Mage exam.

To take the S-Class Exam, a mage had to meet not only the strength requirement but also the required number of tasks.

Having finally finished all the commissions on his hands, Laxus had been on his way back to the guild when he passed his old home and saw someone occupying it.

Hughes recognized him at once. Since he was renting the man's house, he got up to greet him.

"Hey, Laxus, hello. This should be our first time meeting!" Hughes waved his arm so Laxus could see the guild mark on his hand.

"This is my house! Even guild members can't live here." This house held not only Makarov's memories, but Laxus's as well.

Whenever Laxus passed this house on his way back from a task, he would stop and gaze at it for a while.

He didn't want anyone to tarnish his memories. No one!

Laxus's hardline attitude caught Hughes slightly off guard. "Didn't the guild master tell you he's renting this house to us for the time being?"

"He's him, and I'm me. I don't welcome anyone living here!" A streak of yellow lightning ran across his palm and struck the ground at Hughes's feet.

As the tenant, Hughes had no choice if Laxus, the owner, wanted him out.

He knew Makarov and Laxus had already begun to have conflicts at this point.

The little old man was a good person, and Hughes didn't want to make things difficult for Makarov.

Fortunately, he had done two tasks in the past two days and had money on hand. He could simply rent another place.

"We'll move out tomorrow morning!" Hughes pointed at the sky. It was the middle of the night; never mind finding a new place, it was hard to say whether there was even an inn.

Having completed seven or eight tasks in a row, Laxus was exhausted in both body and mind and didn't want to waste his energy on Hughes.

As the word "Scram" left his mouth, lightning raged across the sky.

"Who the fuck are you putting on airs for, lightning kid?!" Unable to hold back, Hughes appeared beside Laxus in an instant. His enormous fist, reinforced with Perfect-Level Tekkai, slammed straight into Laxus's face.

The tremendous force sent Laxus flying backward. Hughes took several quick steps to follow, then planted a foot on him.

"It's not like I said I wouldn't move! Who are you giving that shitty look to?!"

Furious lightning answered Hughes. Guided by Laxus's magic power, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky.

Thunder boomed, and the pitch-black night suddenly lit up.

"That's it? What now?!" With only half his body remaining, Hughes raised his foot and stomped down hard. Laxus gasped in pain beneath it.

Before Laxus's eyes, Hughes's body returned to normal.

Laxus was strong, but he had no way to counter the Flame-Flame Fruit's Elementalization. As far as Hughes was concerned, he was nothing special.

"Don't worry, I'll move out tomorrow. But I really don't like your attitude!" Under Laxus's wide-eyed gaze, Hughes crushed his musical magic item, the Sound Pod, beneath his foot.

"Come back and show off in front of me when you've got the strength. You're a long way off!" Hughes turned and walked away without even looking at him.

The current Laxus was still a little weak. He wasn't even an S-Class Mage.

Laxus, who hated losing more than anything, was treated like air by Hughes. His eyes nearly split with rage.

Having loosened up, Hughes strolled back to the house.

"What just happened?" Mira stood at the door with a serious expression, watching Hughes approach.

"Oh, nothing. A pervert who likes little girls took a fancy to you and wanted to come take you all away. I went up and hit him with a five-strike flame whip combo, then grabbed him by the neck and questioned him."

"'Mira's obviously a flat-chested tomboy with no curves. What part of her is a girl?!'"

Mira rolled her eyes at Hughes and stomped hard on his foot several times. "Get to bed! We have a task tomorrow!"