Chapter 16: Another S-Class Mission
Titania, the Queen of the Fairies.
Erza Scarlet.
Ren recognized her at a glance. She was even more impressive in person than in his memories of the anime. That striking scarlet hair, the gleaming Heart Kreuz armor... and the sheer, overwhelming pressure of her magic. It wasn't wild and chaotic like Natsu's, or cold and empty like his own Ulquiorra Take Over. It was a solid, unbending, and perfectly controlled wall of power. She was, in every sense of the word, an S-Class Mage.
This was his first time seeing Erza in person; she hadn't been at the Guild when he joined, having been out on a quest. She was currently standing at the base of the stairs to the second floor, glaring up at Makarov, who had just denied her access to a quest.
The entire guild hall was uncharacteristically quiet, watching the confrontation.
"What's going on?" Ren whispered to Elfman, who was standing nearby.
"It seems Erza wants to take an S-Class Quest, but the Master refused her," Elfman whispered back, looking nervous.
Ren's eyes immediately darted to the S-Class board on the second floor. S-Class Quests were extremely difficult. Even for S-Class Mages, they were life-threatening jobs, and one wrong move could lead to failure. Unless it was a powerhouse like Gildarts, even S-Class Mages rarely took S-Class Quests under normal circumstances.
"Master! I am confident I can complete this S-Class Quest!" Erza's voice was strong and clear, cutting through the silence.
Erza had been an S-Class Mage for three years. She passed the S-Class Mage promotion exam at fifteen, becoming the youngest S-Class Mage in the history of the Fairy Tail Guild. After becoming S-Class, she wasn't in a hurry to take S-Class Quests, because she knew her strength was, at the time, still insufficient. She had patiently honed her abilities.
Originally, she had planned to take an S-Class job last year, but then... Mira's incident with Lisanna happened. The tragedy had shaken the entire guild, and Erza, out of respect for her friend and a new understanding of the dangers, had patiently honed her skills for another year. Now she was eighteen.
Then she had returned, only to hear the entire guild buzzing. A new member, a boy her same age, had not only joined but had immediately taken on a high-risk quest that was upgraded to S-Class. And he had won. He had defeated the King of Assassins and his entire guild, single-handedly.
Upon hearing that a newcomer had completed an S-Class Quest on their first job, Erza's competitive spirit was greatly ignited. She, an S-Class Mage, had not yet completed an S-Class Quest, but a newcomer had. She could no longer wait.
So she decided to challenge an S-Class Quest.
"No!" Makarov's voice boomed. "This job is too dangerous. It's not a matter of confidence, Erza; it's a matter of strength."
"I have the strength to complete this quest!"
"You stubborn girl, why are you so pigheaded?!" Makarov slammed his small fist on the railing.
Elfman muttered from beside Ren, "Why does this scene feel so familiar?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Ren. A few days ago, Ren had had this exact same conversation with the Master.
"Master, I'm not being stubborn," Erza said, her voice unyielding. "I truly am confident I can complete this job."
Makarov sighed, his anger deflating, replaced by a deep, fatherly worry. "Alas! You girl, S-Class Quests are not that simple. This quest... it has actually been posted for over two years. In those two years, seven or eight powerful Mages have challenged it. Not a single one of them has returned. Now do you understand why I won't let you go?"
"What?!"
"Seven or eight Mages all failed?!"
Everyone in the Guild was shocked. Mages capable of even attempting S-Class Quests were powerful. For so many to have failed and vanished, this S-Class Quest must be a death sentence.
"Master, I still want to try and challenge it!" Erza said with a serious expression, her resolve unshaken. "Every quest has its dangers. Only by constantly challenging oneself can one break through their limits."
"You child, why can't I reason with you?" Makarov was furious.
At this moment, Makarov glimpsed Ren in front of the first-floor request board. He saw the boy, his hand still hovering over the A-Class Chimera quest. 'This kid,' Makarov thought, 'he's been eyeing the quests on the second floor ever since he got here.'
A new, risky idea formed in his mind.
"Alright!" Makarov said.
"Really?!" Erza was instantly surprised; seeing the Master's attitude earlier, she thought he would never agree.
"However! I have one condition!"
"What condition?"
"That is, you cannot do this job alone. It's too dangerous to go alone. I'll assign someone to go with you; only then will I feel at ease."
Saying this, Makarov pointed his finger, not at another S-Class Mage, but at the newcomer on the floor below. "Ren! You go with Erza!"
Ren was also a bit stunned, pointing at himself: "Me?!"
"Eh—————?!"
Everyone in the Guild was also shocked to hear Makarov's words. Ren was just a newcomer who had joined the Guild, and had just completed one S-Class Quest. Now he was going to take on a second one? This was too exaggerated.
"That's right! It's you, kid. Haven't you always wanted to do S-Class Quests? I'm giving you a chance. Go with Erza to complete this S-Class Quest. Will you do it or not?"
The moment Makarov spoke, a new panel flashed in Ren's mind.
[Ding! Do you accept the S-Class Quest: Legendary Sword? Quest Reward: One ten-pull gacha!]
Ren's disappointed expression vanished, replaced by a beam of pure, manic enthusiasm.
"Do it! Do it! Do it!"
Ren saw the system prompt and immediately raised his hand and shouted.
How could he not do it? One S-Class Quest was worth 10 A-Class Quests. Moreover, doing 10 A-Class Quests was too troublesome, requiring him to run around, which was not as convenient as doing one S-Class Quest. This was a free 10-pull!
Ren quickly came over: "Master, I'll do it!"
"Erza, this quest will be completed by you and Ren working together," Makarov said, his tone final. "If you don't agree, then I cannot allow you to go alone."
Makarov looked at Erza. S-Class Quests were too dangerous. Although Erza's overall ability was very strong, the possibility of failure was also very high. Although Ren was a newcomer, he already had experience completing S-Class Quests. And from Elfman's description of his performance, although Ren's stamina was a bit lacking, if he went all out, the power he unleashed was definitely among the top S-Class Mages.
If he wasn't afraid this kid would get too arrogant, he could even be made an S-Class Mage directly.
Only with Ren going with Erza could he feel somewhat at ease.
"I agree!"
Erza didn't hesitate at all. She wasn't the type to stubbornly seek death. If she could complete the quest more safely, she wouldn't refuse. She walked over to Ren, her armor clanking softly.
"Hello, I'm Erza. Nice to meet you."
Erza generously extended her hand to Ren and introduced herself.
Ren also extended his hand and shook Erza's. Her grip was firm, her hand calloused from years of swordplay. "My name is Ren. Nice to meet you."
"Hmm, I've heard of you," Erza said, her gaze appraising him. "You single-handedly defeated the Phantom Bandit Gang and completed an S-Class Quest. Very dependable."
"It was just a coincidence."
"S-Class Quests cannot be completed by coincidence," Erza said, a sharp, competitive light in her eyes. "We can spar sometime, if you have time."
"Uh... alright!" Ren said, feeling a bead of sweat. He saw the strong desire to win in Erza's eyes, as if she was determined to defeat him.
"Ren, take a look at the quest," Makarov said, tossing the request form down from the second floor.
Ren caught the request form. This was truly his first official look at an S-Class request form. The paper was old, and it was marked with a large, ominous red 'S' to highlight the danger of the quest.
[Legendary Sword (S): In a temple deep within the Demon Beast Great Forest in the western part of the Sobellia Kingdom, there is a legendary sword. Pull out the legendary sword and return it to the Sobellia Royal Palace. Reward: 7,000,000 Jewel.]
"The quest doesn't seem that complicated!" Ren mused.
Makarov said with a serious expression, "The simpler the quest, the more dangerous it is. Seven or eight powerful Mages have already fallen on this quest."
"I don't know much about this quest," Makarov continued, his voice grim. "But I do know about the Western Great Forest of the Sobellia Kingdom. Its official name is the Western Great Forest, but it has another name: 'Demon Beast Great Forest'!"
[Akarin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep updating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/AkarinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
As a special offer, I've opened a few limited-time tiers at a discounted price! You will get all the benefits of "The Founding Pillars" (normally $20), but at a much cheaper rate.
These slots are extremely limited:
"The Plot Uncoverer": $4.99 (Save 75% / $15.01) - Only 3 slots
"The Dedicated Fan": $9.99 (Save 50% / $10.01) - Only 7 slots
"The Lore Diver": $14.99 (Save 25% / $5.01) - Only 15 slots
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]