Meanwhile, at the Fairy Tail guild, around noon, Statiw leisurely arrived.
Just as he entered the guild's front door, Gray walked up to him and said, "Yo, you're really late today. I've been waiting for you for a long time."
"Huh?" Statiw felt utterly confused upon hearing this.
"I want you to come with me on a mission," Gray didn't beat around the bush and directly handed a mission request to him.
Statiw took the mission request and looked at it: "A C-Class subjugation mission?"
"That's right. Subjugating mountain bandits," Gray explained. "You know, I still have a year until I'm fifteen. Master Makarov won't allow underage mages to undertake such relatively dangerous missions, so..."
Gray stopped there, and everyone understood what he meant. Statiw nodded and interjected, "That's true. Underage mages who want to undertake such missions must be accompanied by an adult mage. However, I've only just come of age myself. Do you think the Master would agree to a mage who is only one year older than you and uses Pict Magic, which is quite weak in combat?"
Gray, however, had a different opinion. He said to Statiw, "I think Master Makarov should agree. After all, we are both B-Class Mages, and I'm only unable to participate in such missions due to my age. With you accompanying me, age is no longer an issue, is it?"
"When you put it that way, it does make some sense. Alright, let's go try," Statiw thought about his words, felt he was right, and agreed.
Just as he agreed to Gray, Natsu and Happy, who had already noticed them, exchanged glances, then suddenly leaped over the intervening seats to stand in front of Statiw and Gray, saying, "Take me and Happy with you on the mountain bandit subjugation mission too!"
"Aye~" Happy also raised his small paw to signal agreement as Natsu spoke.
"Huh?" Statiw crossed his arms, turned his head away from Natsu and Happy, but said, "If I take you two, you'll definitely start fighting with Gray, or just cause trouble and create a lot of problems."
Statiw was very clear about their antics and immediately refused.
"Ah, don't be so heartless! I promise not to fight with Gray, and I'll listen to all your commands during the mission, isn't that enough?" Seeing his firm refusal, Natsu immediately pleaded and promised.
"Yeah, yeah, that's so stingy. You take Gray but not me and Natsu," Happy also flew in front of Statiw, highly displeased, and protested to him.
Just as he was about to refuse them again, Gray on the side spoke up, "I actually think taking this fiery idiot is a good idea. After all, he's also a B-Class Mage, and if we run into trouble, we can always pin it on him. After all, this guy has a reputation as a 'troublemaker'."
"Ah--?" Natsu didn't pay attention to anything else Gray said, but he clearly heard that last part. So, he put on a thuggish, confrontational expression, bent over, tilted his head, and leaned into Gray's face, saying, "Who are you calling a troublemaker? Ah----?"
"I'm talking about you, aren't I? Tell me, which of your missions didn't end up causing a pile of trouble?" Gray didn't back down, also making a distorted face and pressing it against Natsu's as he retorted.
Just as Natsu didn't know how to refute, Happy on the side raised his paw and said to him, "Natsu, Gray means he agrees to take us along on the mountain bandit subjugation mission."
"Huh?" Natsu was stunned, then suddenly stood up straight, clapped Gray on the shoulder, and said with a grin, "So that's what it was. I didn't think you cold-hearted bastard would have a good side."
"Alright, stop messing around," Statiw patted Natsu and Gray's shoulders, saying, "Since Gray agrees to you two joining this mission, then I won't object. However, let's get this straight: during the mission, you two absolutely are not allowed to fight, and you must follow my command."
"Of course." "No problem." "Aye~." As his words fell, all three guys obediently agreed.
"Alright then, let's go find the Master," Statiw, seeing that all three had agreed, said no more and walked directly towards him.
"Statiw, Gray, Natsu, and Happy." The Master, who was currently sitting on the counter drinking, saw them approach and asked, somewhat confused, "What do you all need?"
"Master, I plan to take them on a mission," Statiw said, handing the mountain bandit subjugation mission request to him.
"You all?" The Master looked at the contents of the mission request, then at Gray and Natsu following behind Statiw. Considering his character and past mission performance, plus the strength of Gray and Natsu, he agreed, "Alright, I approve. However, this mission is much more dangerous than missions like subduing beasts, so you must be careful and cautious. Especially you, Natsu."
"Master Makarov, why do you only talk about me and not Gray and Statiw?" Natsu immediately expressed his dissatisfaction upon hearing himself singled out.
"Because those two haven't caused problems before. But you're different. Tell me, which time did you go on a mission without the client coming here to complain about you? Was there one?" The Master, hearing his words, looked at him with a serious expression and said, "Natsu, you are currently only undertaking small, non-dangerous missions. Even if there are some issues, there's no danger. But when you undertake higher-level missions in the future, if problems arise, they won't be 'small problems' anymore."
"Huh? What does Master Makarov mean? What 'not small problems'? I don't understand," Natsu looked at him with a confused expression, completely unable to grasp what he was saying.
"Never mind. This time, just remember to listen to all of Statiw's commands and don't make your own decisions," Remembering that Natsu was only fourteen and had only lived in the human world for a few years, the Master said no more, simply giving him a brief instruction.
"I know. Honestly, everyone keeps saying the same thing," Natsu grumbled even as he agreed.
"Since you know, then carry it out properly!" The Master, seeing his impatient look, punched him on the head and shouted at him.
"I know!" Natsu, holding his head, sat on the ground looking up at the Master, quickly nodding in agreement.
Just as Statiw was about to laugh, he suddenly remembered something and turned to the Master, asking in surprise, "Wait a minute, Master, why are you at the guild? Shouldn't you be with Mirajane and Erza?"
"Oh, you mean that? I sent Gildarts with them," The Master then poured himself a drink, took a large gulp, and then explained, "Gildarts has enough ability to protect all four of them, and enough experience to judge whether Mirajane and Erza are qualified to become S-Class Mages. You see, defeating a Green Wyvern only means possessing the power of an S-Class Mage; whether other aspects meet the requirements depends on their decisions during the mission."
"So, even if they defeat the Green Wyvern, they might not become S-Class Mages, right?" Gray suddenly realized.
"Exactly, that's how it is," The Master nodded in confirmation.
"What are you talking about?" At this moment, Natsu had a look of complete bewilderment...