Early morning, before the first thread of sunlight had fully chased away the chill, a boy was curled up tight against the guild's front doors. The fire beside him had long since died, cold and lifeless, as if it had been out for hours. Even in sleep, the boy shivered.
That scene was exactly what Makarov saw when he came to the guild.
"Kid, wake up."
Half-awake, Kurosaki felt someone gently nudging him. He opened his eyes slowly and rubbed them on instinct, only to see a bald head in front of him, polished enough to catch the light. On both sides were tufts of white hair trailing all the way to the back of the skull.
A short old man stood there, wearing a white undershirt marked with Fairy Tail's black emblem, with a cloak draped over it.
Makarov Dreyar.
The image was so familiar it almost made Kurosaki relax. Fairy Tail's Third Guild Master, warm and kind, treating the guild members like his own children. He looked frail at a glance, but in truth he was one of Ishgar's Ten Wizard Saints.
"Kid, why are you here? Don't tell me you spent the whole night outside like this?" Makarov frowned slightly as he asked.
"I came to join Fairy Tail. When I got here last night the guild was empty, and I didn't have a single coin. So I had no choice. I just slept by the door." Kurosaki looked up at him, an unconscious smile tugging at his face.
"Join the guild?" Makarov was about to tell him bluntly that joining required magic, but when he saw the boy's hopeful grin, he could not bring himself to crush it.
If the kid cannot use magic, I'll give him some money and send him home, Makarov thought, then pushed open the guild doors.
Kurosaki scrambled to his feet and followed obediently behind. He even discreetly compared their heights with a quick gesture and felt relieved.
Taller than him. Good. I can't be too short with a face this handsome.
Inside the guildhall, he looked around. Four independent pillars stood firm, tables arranged neatly between them, bookshelves set along the sides. Staircases rose along both walls, curving upward to connect to the second floor.
Makarov hopped lightly up onto the bar counter. He poured himself a mug of beer, then poured a cup of water, used magic to warm it, and handed it to Kurosaki.
"Alright. Let's talk properly. Sit wherever you like."
After Kurosaki took a seat, Makarov spoke.
"I'll introduce myself first. I'm Fairy Tail's Guild Master, Makarov Dreyar. What's your name, kid? How old are you?"
"My name is Kurosaki Sorrus. I'm eight. Just call me Kurosaki." He answered smoothly.
He still vaguely remembered his previous name, and in this western-styled continent of Fairy Tail, he was an orphan. His full name was Kurosaki Sorrus, living as a drifter for as long as he could remember.
Makarov took a sip of beer and nodded. "Oh? Same age as my grandson. My grandson, Laxus, is eight too, but he isn't here right now."
Laxus is eight?
Kurosaki's mind ran instantly.
If I remember right, when the story begins in X784, Laxus is twenty-three. That means this year should be X769. Even Cana, one of the earliest members, hasn't arrived yet. There are more than ten years before the main plot.
"Alright, Kurosaki. Where are your parents? Why would you come to the guild alone?" Makarov asked next.
"They've passed away. I came from far away. I heard Gildarts is incredibly strong, so I wanted to join your guild." Kurosaki scratched his head, his voice steady. After living alone in his previous life, talking about things like this no longer shook him.
Makarov looked faintly guilty for asking. His brows knit, and something in his expression softened.
"Grandpa, you don't have to feel bad. I'm really used to it." Kurosaki flashed a bright grin, teeth gleaming.
Makarov exhaled. "Alright. We'll skip that. Do you know what a mage is? A mage must awaken magic power first, then learn to control it to cast spells. Mages take jobs, and some jobs are dangerous. If you can't use magic, I can't let you join. That's for your safety."
Kurosaki did not answer immediately. Instead, he hopped down from the stool.
"Activate Unohana ability."
In the next instant, a white spiritual pressure array began turning slowly beneath his feet. A soft white glow gathered in his palms, and that familiar warmth spread through his body.
It was the basic healing ability of Retsu Unohana, Captain of the 4th Division, and the only captain ability he could currently wield.
Unohana's healing spiritual pressure manifested clearly, gentle but not weak. Fine threads of it wrapped around Kurosaki's body. The phantom outline of a short blade, Minazuki, flickered in his palm, but failed to fully condense. His proficiency was only 11%, after all.
"What is that power?" Makarov blurted, shocked.
Kurosaki's face turned serious. "It's... spiritual pressure."
"Spiritual pressure?"
Makarov froze.
He had never heard of such a force.
"Yes, spiritual pressure." Kurosaki nodded.
Makarov collected himself, mind racing. Was it just a different term for magic power, or something else entirely?
In the end, he did not dig deeper. This was a world of magic. Strange things existed everywhere.
Healing-type spiritual pressure? I've never seen a magic form like this. It's still weak, but the boy's young. His potential is impossible to measure. Worth nurturing.
That was Makarov's internal verdict as he watched the white glow.
Fairy Tail's Guild Master had seen countless kinds of magic, but not all of them. He simply treated this as one more unusual style and kept going.
"So this is your magic? When did you awaken it?"
"Yesterday. I was being chased by monsters in the eastern forest, and it awakened then. It can heal my wounds a little and restore some stamina." As he spoke, Kurosaki pulled back the spiritual pressure. The array under his feet faded, and he returned to the stool.
It was not really a lie. He had been chased yesterday, and soon after he had unlocked Unohana's power.
"Then why do you want to learn magic?" Makarov folded his arms and stared at him.
"To protect myself, and to fight for a stable life."
Kurosaki met his gaze head-on, voice firm. He understood this clearly. Only by continuously growing, unlocking stronger and stronger captain abilities, could he stand in a magic world full of danger.
"That's a good answer." Makarov raised his beer mug, eyes narrowing into happy slits. "I understand. Welcome to Fairy Tail. You can call me Grandpa, or Guild Master. From now on, treat this place as your home."
Kurosaki lifted his own cup and clinked it lightly against Makarov's. "Please take care of me, Grandpa. But why is the guild so quiet? There's not a single person here."
"Hahaha. We held a party last night. Everyone drank too much. They're probably still sleeping it off." Makarov laughed. "I'll stamp your guild mark first. Think about where you want it and what color. I'll go get the stamp."
So you drank all night, and you're drinking again this morning? Kurosaki complained silently. You really do treat beer like water.
Makarov hopped down, retrieved the stamp, then held it up. "So? Color and location?"
Magic really was convenient. No ink pad needed, and the color could be changed freely.
"Orange. On the back of my hand." Kurosaki extended his left hand.
Makarov pressed the stamp down. Magic flared at the connection point of the handle, and the Fairy Tail emblem appeared cleanly on the back of Kurosaki's hand.
"I finally joined Fairy Tail!"
Kurosaki thrust his arm up high and stared at the mark. His clear eyes shone with bright light. It was only a simple smile, but Makarov could feel the pure, barely restrained joy in it.
"Next we solve your living situation. You don't have money, right?"
Kurosaki nodded calmly. "I've been wandering. No fixed home."
Makarov's brows tightened, something complicated flashing across his face. Then he smiled again, gentler than before.
"You're still young. You can't really work yet. How about you live with me for now? I live with my grandson Laxus. When he comes back, you're the same age. You should be able to become friends. The guild doesn't have a boys' dormitory, and I can't feel at ease letting you stay outside alone."
"Okay. Thank you so much, Grandpa." Kurosaki grinned, showing two small, adorable fang-like teeth.
He felt a bit guilty about taking food and shelter for free, but he also knew it was the best solution right now. Quietly, he swore to give everything to improving his power, to unlock the stronger Gotei 13 captain abilities as soon as possible, and repay Makarov for taking him in.