Chapter 35: Battle and Progress
Chapter 35: Battle and Progress
Mira smiled sweetly, reminding Rod, "Mr. Rod, if you want to 'kowtow,' it's time to get to work."
Rod nodded, "Alright, I understand. I used the wrong phrase for 'kowtow.'"
Mira said, "It seems your common language has improved, not just your magic."
"Thanks to you and Laki for always correcting me. Levy and Marcus have been a great help too..."
Rod paused, realizing that three of the four people he mentioned were currently sprawled out in the courtyard.
"Are they okay?"
"They're fine, they'll be back on their feet in no time," Mira said as she walked toward the hall. "Let's clean up inside first."
Rod followed her, glancing back every few steps.
As Mira had said, the guild members who had been flattened by the Master in the courtyard soon got up, brushing the dust off their clothes.
Laki was about to use magic to repair the walls when the Master stopped her:
"The walls and windows are for Macao and Natsu to fix, no magic allowed!"
Laki provided a pile of wood, giving Natsu and the others a helpless look, then went to fix the broken tables and chairs inside the guild.
The Master's anger was short-lived. A few minutes later, when Macao and Wakaba started fighting again while repairing the walls, he ignored them.
Everyone was busy with their own tasks, but Natsu, after hearing about the recent battle, was already shouting for another match with Rod.
Rod was happy to oblige, eager to see how he would fare against Natsu now.
After a busy morning, it was finally lunchtime, the part of the day Rod looked forward to the most.
Today's menu seemed especially bountiful. Besides the two vegetable dishes Rod had brought, Mira and Laki each brought two more hearty dishes.
The marinated prawns were arranged in a circle around the plate, their heads facing inward and their bodies outward, creating an eye-catching display.
The marinated crab roe, unlike the steamed version, had a deep red hue that looked almost like it had solidified.
The crab roe and meat lay still in the opened crab shell, making the dish mouth-watering.
The seafood omelet, a large round dish, was filled with a variety of shellfish, with green scallions visible at the bottom. The ingredients were perfectly blended, forming a beautiful, sunflower-like pattern.
The final dish was a crab and prawn congee. As soon as the lid was lifted, the rich, savory aroma filled the air, making everyone's mouths water.
Worm, a polite Porol, lay at the edge of the table, only drooling pitifully without making a move.
Rod was also struggling to control his hunger. "Is today a seafood theme? Why is it so bountiful?"
Laki explained, "Mira said she wanted to celebrate for you, so she asked Mr. Cook to make his specialties."
Mr. Cook, the head chef of the guild's kitchen, had been working there for over twenty years. Most of the delicious meals Rod had enjoyed were his creations.
"This... it's too much," Rod said, his eyes fixed on the sumptuous dishes before him.
"It's 'too generous,' right?" Mira brought over three glasses of a deep blue liquid and placed them on the table. "Three Blue Skies, courtesy of Cana."
Rod and Laki looked over to the adjacent table, where Cana was sitting on top of a barrel, raising it in a toast.
The three of them raised their glasses in a toast to Cana, clinked them together, and each took a small sip.
"Sweet?" Rod tasted the drink carefully. He wasn't very knowledgeable about alcohol, but it tasted a bit like a RIO, only smoother and with a stronger flavor.
Mira said, "This wine is from the neighboring country of Bosko. Due to transportation and customs issues, it's a bit expensive, but it tastes great."
"The downside is that it's a bit too light for Cana's taste, but I hope you like it."
"Very good, thank you!" Rod put down his glass and started to savor today's delicious meal.
First up were the marinated large shrimp. The shrimp meat was so tender that it almost felt a bit sticky, offering a completely different texture from steamed shrimp. The natural sweetness of the shrimp was accentuated by the marinade, making the dish fresh and flavorful.
The other dishes were equally impressive, each bite revealing the chef's passion and dedication to his craft.
Rod savored each dish, his praise never ending.
"I think Mr. Cook will really like you," Mira said with a smile. While there were many food lovers in the guild, Rod was the only one who could truly appreciate and articulate the nuances of the food.
"Haha..." Rod chuckled, a bit embarrassed. "Actually... I find Mr. Cook a bit too serious. I hardly dare to speak when I see his face."
"That's because Mr. Cook takes everything related to cooking very seriously. And..."
Mira's eyes grew a bit nostalgic as she recalled the past.
"Back when Happy was still little, he once dragged Natsu into the kitchen to look for fish. They accidentally knocked over the spice containers and ruined a lot of ingredients. Mr. Cook chased them down three streets with a knife and gave Natsu a good beating.
"After that, Natsu and Happy never dared to enter the kitchen again. Mr. Cook also developed the habit of sternly watching everyone who enters the kitchen."
"Ah, I see." Rod nodded, impressed. No wonder he was the chef of Fairy Tail.
From now on, he would be extra careful when entering the kitchen and would only communicate through the serving window if possible.
Laki watched Mira, feeling a bit happy. It was rare for Mira to bring up those old memories, so it seemed she was starting to move on a bit.
After all, it wasn't just Natsu who had been chased down those streets; she had been there with Happy too.
...
In the afternoon, Rod had another fight with Natsu.
—He was supposed to find Cana, but she had drunk too much and was already swaying, mumbling to herself while hugging a barrel of wine.
Natsu's destructive power far exceeded Jet's. A single "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist" could break one of the stone beetle's legs. A "Fire Dragon's Roar" could send an ancient stone beetle flying backward, even causing it to split in two.
The only trouble Natsu faced was when the stone beetles tunneled underground and then emerged to attack him from different directions.
Unlike Jet, who struggled to use his strength when restrained, Natsu could envelop himself in flames, using the intense heat to drive the stone beetles away.
This stark contrast made it difficult for Rod to gauge the stone beetle's defensive capabilities.
Were they strong or not? Natsu's breath attacks must be some powerful magic, right?
In this battle, Rod achieved unprecedented results, using the numerical advantage to throw Natsu off balance and nearly causing him to fall.
Unfortunately, before he could follow up, Natsu regained his composure, braced himself, and used a "Fire Dragon's Claw" to successfully counter the threat.
In close combat, Rod was no longer completely defenseless. He managed to exchange a few proper blows with Natsu before the fight devolved into a brute-force brawl.
This kind of intense, physical combat was so thrilling that Elfman almost cried out in emotion, nearly joining the fray himself.
(End of Chapter)
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