"The strongest guy? Well, that would be 'Salamander' Natsu, of course! Unless you think it's me?" one of the middle-aged men replied, puffing on a large tobacco pipe.
A younger man nearby shook his head, his eyes turning into hearts. "How could Natsu be the strongest? In my opinion, the top spot belongs to the Queen of the Fairies, Erza-sama."
"Nonsense! It's Laxus," a young woman retorted immediately. "I've seen his Lightning Magic with my own two eyes. It's terrifying."
At that, the oldest man in the group let out a cold snort. "You lot have no perspective. Even if you added those three together, they wouldn't stand a chance against Master Makarov. He's one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
"What are the Ten Wizard Saints?" Goku asked, blinking in confusion.
The old man stroked his beard and set down his cards. "The Ten Wizard Saints are the ten most powerful and exceptional mages on the continent, as recognized by the Magic Council. Their strength is on a completely different level than an S-Class Mage. Makarov is one of them. Erza and Laxus are S-Class, and Natsu isn't even S-Class yet. So, Makarov is the strongest mage here."
"Grandpa, do you know where Makarov is right now?" Goku's eyes were sparkling. He still didn't quite grasp what a "mage" was, but it sounded like they were incredibly strong.
The old man pointed down the road. "Walk straight down this street until you see a cathedral. Pass the cathedral and keep going a bit further, and you'll reach the Fairy Tail Guild. Makarov is the Guild Master; he's usually there. Why, little guy? Are you looking to join?"
"Thanks, Grandpa! No, I want to challenge him!"
Goku gave a polite bow and then took off in the direction the old man had pointed. He moved so fast that, to the onlookers, he seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving nothing behind but a violent gust of wind that ruffled their hair.
"Is he a mage too? He's fast. Probably uses Speed Magic, like Jet."
"Speed Magic won't beat Makarov. He probably couldn't even beat Natsu."
"It doesn't matter if he loses. He's young. Looks like Fairy Tail might be getting a new member soon."
The four card players weren't overly shocked by Goku's speed. This was a world steeped in magic; even commoners knew a trick or two. The truly powerful mages were capable of leveling cities or shattering mountains. Just that morning, the newspapers reported that Natsu—who wasn't even S-Class yet—had accidentally destroyed half a harbor with his magic.
...
Fairy Tail
"Fairy Tail!"
Goku stood before a grand building adorned with the "Fairy Tail" sign. He knew he'd found the right place. He pushed open the heavy double doors and stepped inside.
He was greeted by a massive, rowdy hall filled with dozens of tables. Men and women in various outfits were scattered about—some were drinking heavily, some were arm-wrestling, and others were boisterously boasting about their latest missions.
At the far end of the hall was a long bar, where a beautiful woman with long, white hair was pouring drinks. Goku's entrance drew a few glances, but the guild members quickly went back to their business. Unlike other guilds, Fairy Tail was very welcoming to the public. Local children often came by to play or to ask if their mage parents had returned from missions.
To them, Goku looked like a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, and a bit on the short side at that. He didn't seem like a threat.
"Is there something I can help you with, little one?"
The white-haired beauty behind the bar, Mirajane, spoke with a gentle smile as Goku walked straight toward her. She didn't recognize him from Magnolia Town.
'Maybe he's here to post a request?' she thought. It wasn't uncommon for children to come in asking for help finding a lost pet or a precious item. Bored mages or low-level newcomers often took those jobs to pass the time.
Goku looked up at her and asked politely, "Hello! Is Makarov here?"
"You're looking for our Master? Are you here to post a request? You can just tell me, and I'll help you evaluate the mission rank," Mira said, setting down a glass and reaching for a piece of paper.
Goku shook his head. "I'm not here for a mission. I'm on a training journey. I heard Makarov is really strong, so I want to spar with him."
"You want to spar with the Master?"
Mirajane blinked, then let out a soft giggle. "The Master doesn't just spar with anyone. First, you'd need to become a mage, join our guild, and complete lots of missions to raise your rank. Once you become an S-Class Mage, you'll be qualified to challenge him. If you win, you might even become the new Master!"
She was mostly teasing. Many local kids came in with similar boasts after learning their first bit of magic. She didn't want to crush the boy's confidence, so she gave him the "official" path to follow. Usually, kids realized how difficult it was and gave up, or they worked hard and eventually became great additions to the guild.
"What's a mage? And how do I become one?" Goku tilted his head.
If someone didn't want to fight, Goku wouldn't force them. But if there were conditions to meet before he could fight the strongest person on the continent, he was more than happy to meet them. It was like hunting for Dragon Balls—sometimes you had to do a favor for the owner before they'd give you the prize. That seemed fair to him.
If joining the guild and becoming "S-Class" meant he could fight one of the ten strongest people in the world, he was all in.