Chapter 44: It's Being Used Anyway
Chapter 44: It's Being Used Anyway
Erza assigned Rod the task of searching for William's trail.
Mira stayed behind to handle the situation once the truth was uncovered, ready to calm the nearby residents or guide them to safety if the worst came to pass.
At Erza's command, the guild members sprang into action, each taking on their assigned roles and doing everything they could to help.
This was the first time Rod had witnessed the guild's incredible efficiency in action.
Despite the daily arguments and fights, the guild's cohesion was surprisingly strong.
"Answer my call, Shadow Wolves!" Rod, inspired by the atmosphere, summoned six wolves in one breath.
In Summoner's Rift, there were two groups of Shadow Wolves, totaling six of them.
"Erza, their sense of smell is very strong. If there's anything William has used, they should be able to find it quickly. If anyone needs to move fast, I have Swift Crabs as well."
Nabu spoke up, "I know where William's house is. I'll take a few of them with me!"
Mira added, "There might be something William left behind at the guild. I'll go look for it."
"Great help, guys. I was worried we couldn't track him by scent without Natsu," Erza said. "Alright, let's split up and get moving."
"Got it." Rod divided the Shadow Wolves, sending one group with Nabu and keeping the other to help Mira search the guild.
"Help! So high, so scary, save me!"
The search party paused, narrowing their focus to higher ground.
Rod was both worried about William's safety and relieved that he could contribute.
But that sense of relief didn't last long.
The other guild members also put aside their worries and even considered giving William a beating.
Because...
"Saved! Finally off that damned suspension bridge. I'll never date in such a high place again!"
"Oh no! Could my 'telepathy' have been...?"
William's voice cut off abruptly.
Outside the guild, a chorus of angry voices rose.
"William!"
"You bastard, you were messing with us?"
"We won't let you off this time!"
"Another mage from Fairy Tail? What are you up to now?"
"I thought they were unusually quiet for a while!"
"Pulling a city-wide prank is going too far!"
Voices of protest echoed throughout Magnolia, and even inside the guild, the anger was palpable.
Erza covered her forehead, regretting her confident command that had led to this.
Mira stopped rummaging through things and smiled, "Ah, this has gotten out of hand again."
Rod felt a mix of emotions, "So, William and his girlfriend were on a date on a suspension bridge, and his fear caused his magic to go haywire, broadcasting his voice to the entire city?"
Erza nodded, "Yeah, that guy has a severe fear of heights."
"..." This was so absurd that Rod found it hard to believe, "Because of this, our guild won't be torn down by the residents, right?"
"No, no," Mira waved her hand, "This isn't the first time something like this has happened. We have an even more dramatic member who, when he returns, can shake the entire city."
"But we still need to apologize and seek everyone's understanding. I'll go find him now," Erza's eyes sharpened, "Rod, Swift Crab."
"Ah, sure." Rod summoned a Swift Crab, "It's similar to riding a horse, use the claws as reins."
"Got it." Erza jumped onto the crab's back, tugged the 'reins,' and the crab sped out of the guild gates.
Rod thought about Erza's intimidating look, "I hope she doesn't kill him."
Mira replied, "She probably won't kill him.
That would mean getting cut down, wouldn't it? Rod realized his Common Tongue had improved, allowing him to easily understand the meaning behind Mira's words.
And even if Erza didn't kill him, he'd still be utterly humiliated, right?
Rod imagined himself screaming and wailing in terror, paralyzed by his fear of heights, in front of the entire city.
Too humiliated! How could he ever show his face again?
Out of concern, Rod decided to connect with Crab's vision to check on Volan's condition.
Crab's perspective flooded his mind, the scenery rushing backward, clearly indicating that Erza was driving Crab at full speed.
A second later, Rod cut off the vision connection.
Crab's field of view was quite broad, and he hadn't thought about that initially. Continuing to watch would be a bit impolite.
Good luck, Volan.
...
The "Citywide Prank" incident had a rather severe impact.
On the day it happened, Erza and Mira stepped in, bringing Volan to apologize to many of the citizens. When the guild master returned, he even made a personal visit to the town hall.
However, both the mayor and the citizens were surprisingly lenient about the whole thing.
"It was just a message in everyone's minds; no one's house was actually destroyed."
According to the gossip Mira didn't spread, the mayor had said this when meeting with the guild master.
After a few days of complaints, the incident became nothing more than a laughing matter.
"Do you know, the mages from Fairy Tail a few days ago..."
The citizens had more fodder for their tea-time conversations, and this added another, albeit minor, blemish to the reputation of the guild known for its mischief.
Even Gildarts couldn't resist asking Rod about the magic used that day and what kind of person Volan was.
The matter was more or less resolved, but Volan stayed away from the guild for a considerable amount of time after that.
When he ran out of money and had to take on a job, he would hide in some corner outside the guild and use "Telepathy" to quietly communicate with Mira.
Mira would carefully select suitable missions for Volan and find a way to send the mission slips to him.
Yes, Mira told Rod this herself.
Because the one responsible for delivering the mission slips was Rod's Shadow Wolf.
A few days ago, Crab's "speed" was used by Erza to catch Volan. Now, the Shadow Wolf's "stealth" and "keen sense of smell" were being used to find Volan and secretly deliver the mission slips.
"I was planning to have them help rescue Volan, but now they're being used for this." Rod shook his head lightly. No matter how they were used, they were being used.
...
With the breakthrough in shortening spell incantations, Rod had more time to browse through the magic encyclopedia recently.
He was selecting magic that would complement his abilities.
Of course, to be safe, he would consult the guild master before starting any new practice, to ensure there were no dangers involved.
"Most magic is safe as long as you follow the steps and have the right affinity. There shouldn't be any risks."
That's what the guild master said.
Affinity is easy to understand; it's the natural talent for a particular type of magic, often determining the entry barrier and potential for advancement.
To confirm affinity, the best way is if the magic awakens naturally.
For example, Erza mastered her magic in a moment of crisis during her childhood.
If it doesn't awaken naturally, then one can only choose magic they are interested in and see if they can quickly get started.
Rod had already picked out a few interesting options.
The story about Volan wasn't depicted in the main plot, but it was mentioned in the setting. Not many long-time Fairy Tail fans might know about it.
(End of Chapter)
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