A smile played on Roland's lips as he released his grip. Laxus, having lost all his strength, knelt on the ground.
The fur coat and shirt he had been wearing were burned to ashes by the magic, leaving only his pants.
His exposed skin was covered in numerous burns; it would take a month or two in bed to recover.
And this was the result of Roland holding back considerably.
He had a feeling that if he hadn't controlled himself, the entire town of Magnolia would have been vaporized.
As the battle ended, everyone present fell into a strange silence.
Clearly, no one had expected a newcomer who had just joined to be able to defeat Laxus—and with such an overwhelming display of power.
What new guild member?
This was a guild monster!!
Makarov was the first to react, quickly rushing to Laxus's side. Looking at his grandson, who was lying on the floor, scorched black, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he looked frightful, most of his injuries were minor. Sending him to Porlyusica's for a while would be enough.
"I hope this incident will make him tone it down a bit..." Makarov muttered helplessly to himself.
As noon passed, Roland's personality returned to normal. The feelings of conceit and arrogance in his heart vanished.
Most of the second floor had been destroyed, with the remaining wooden planks smoldering and emitting thick smoke.
Looking at the fire-ravaged scene before him, Roland discreetly took a step back.
The Guild Master won't ask me for compensation, will he?
He was currently penniless, and even owed Levy a considerable amount of money. If he incurred another debt, he would probably have to sleep under a bridge.
As Makarov had Elfman take Laxus to the infirmary, the people below also came to their senses, and a heated discussion erupted, the noise deafening.
"Did you see that? That Laxus... was completely powerless in the hands of that newcomer!!"
A young man with golden, center-parted hair shouted excitedly.
"It's Roland, Roland! Remember people's names, Macao!"
Levy clenched her fists in excitement and quickly corrected him.
"That was terrifying, that pressure just now—"
Macao took a deep breath. Even now, his heart was still pounding wildly.
"Yeah, with that kind of strength, he'd be an S-Class Mage in any guild," Wakaba, holding a pipe, couldn't help but chime in. "I wonder who's stronger, this kid or Gildarts."
Everyone's eyes were on Roland, and the lively discussion continued unabated.
"Alright, everyone!"
Makarov jumped onto the railing again, coughed twice, and drew everyone's attention.
"Everyone present, first clean up the guild. Also, Roland, you come with me."
Not only had the second floor been destroyed by Roland and Laxus's fight, but the earlier brawl in the guild had also broken many things. This was also a form of punishment.
As his words fell, the enthusiasm of the people present instantly deflated. Many tried to use the excuse of going on a quest to leave early.
Seeing Levy's smile also freeze, Roland snapped his fingers.
The shadows gradually twisted, and one by one, Shadowkhan emerged from them. They began to tidy up the messy guild on their own, moving with great speed.
Seeing these familiar ninjas, the blue-haired girl looked up at the second floor and saw the young man smiling and tilting his head at her.
He likes me too!
At this, Levy clutched her flat chest, a sweet smile on her face.
————
Following Makarov into a room on the second floor, Roland was, as expected, questioned about his state earlier and the magic he possessed.
Towards this Guild Master who cared for his children, Roland didn't continue to hide it.
After all, if he spent a long time with the other guild members in that state, they would eventually figure it out anyway.
"So, that appearance earlier was a side effect of your magic?"
After learning about the magic called 'Sun', Makarov looked dazed.
As expected—is this a Lost Magic?
To be able to use even the magic power of the 'Sun'...
"What an incredible magic!"
After a brief moment of awe, Makarov's gaze returned to Roland, who was sitting opposite him, drinking hot tea.
Wait—where did that tea come from?
As if sensing his thoughts, Roland pointed to the Gourmet Tablecloth spread on the table and said with a light laugh, "This tablecloth can produce all sorts of delicious food. Would you like something to drink, Master?"
"Oh! You have such a convenient magic item?!"
Hearing this, Makarov's curiosity was piqued. He leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Can it produce fine wine?"
His alcohol was strictly monitored by the barmaid downstairs. Except for parties, it was difficult for him to drink to his heart's content.
"How about wine?" Roland thought of a famous wine from his previous life and snapped his fingers. "A bottle of Lafite!"
As his words fell, a bottle of high-quality red wine appeared out of thin air on the table.
He couldn't sense any magic fluctuations at all.
"I've never heard of this wine..."
Makarov looked at the bottle of red wine with unfamiliar writing on it. He tentatively took a sip, and his eyes instantly lit up.
He had expected it to taste bad, but the actual taste far surpassed most of the red wines on the market.
"This tablecloth must also be..."
"That's right, I obtained it by chance during my travels."
Roland nodded with a smile.
The explanation for his 'Sun' magic was the same—he had obtained it during his travels.
There was no more perfect explanation.
"I'm so envious. If I had known, I would have traveled more when I was young!"
Makarov hugged the wine bottle and took a swig, speaking in a drunken stupor.
————
When Roland came down from the second floor, before Levy could even greet him, she was pushed aside by the other guild members.
"Hey, little Roland, interested in having a few drinks with this old man!?"
"You're amazing, newbie!"
"The newbie looks cute. Big sister likes your type. Want to go on a date with me?"
"Shut up, Cana!"
It seems being too popular isn't always a good thing...
Looking at the enthusiastic guild members surrounding him, Roland couldn't help but take a couple of steps back.