It was already noon by the time we arrived at Glenhurst, a bustling town known for its merchant trade and lively streets. The town's towering stone walls and busy marketplace gave off a warm, welcoming vibe, a stark contrast to the bandits we dragged along behind the wagon.
The moment we entered, the townsfolk turned to stare at the group of beaten and bound bandits tied to the back of our wagon. Some whispered among themselves, recognizing a few of the criminals that had been terrorizing the roads for weeks now. Others simply looked in awe, especially when they recognized Gildarts walking beside us.
"Oi, is that... Gildarts Clive?"
"No way... the Ace of Fairy Tail himself?"
"I heard he once destroyed half a town just by walking through it."
"Crap... what if he destroys Glenhurst too?"
Hearing that, I glanced at Gildarts, who only chuckled as if he was already used to the rumors.
"Don't worry," Gildarts said casually, "I'm on my best behavior today."
That didn't exactly reassure the townspeople, who slowly backed away, putting more distance between themselves and Gildarts.
I sighed. "You really have quite the reputation, huh?"
Gildarts grinned. "What can I say? People tend to exaggerate a little."
"A little?" Tanner whispered from the side. "You're basically a walking natural disaster."
Ignoring their fear, the guards who approached us seemed more focused on the bandits. A tall, grizzled guard stepped forward, eyes wide in disbelief. "By the gods... You actually caught them?"
"Simple," Gildarts replied with a grin, patting me on the back. "The kid did all the work."
I shot him a side glance. "Don't make it sound like you were on vacation the entire time."
"Hey, I was observing," Gildarts said with a chuckle. "Very important role."
The guard gave me an impressed nod. "Well, whatever you did, you've saved this town a lot of trouble. We'll handle things from here."
I stepped forward and released the magical cuffs from the bandits, allowing the guards to take them. Some of the bandits tried to resist, but after the beating I gave them earlier, they barely had the strength to stand. The guards quickly restrained them and dragged them toward the town's holding cells.
As the guards led them away, the leader of the bandits glared at me one last time. "You... damn Fairy Tail wizard..."
I met his gaze with cold eyes. "You're lucky I went easy on you."
The bandit scowled before being shoved forward by one of the guards.
With the job done, Tanner let out a sigh of relief. "Finally... I can feel my back again. Dragging those guys all the way here wasn't exactly easy, you know."
I smirked. "You're the one who suggested tying them to the wagon."
"Fair point," he muttered.
The guard from earlier turned back to us and gave a respectful bow. "Fairy Tail has our deepest gratitude. The mayor of Glenhurst will want to personally thank you for this."
"I'm just glad we could help," I replied. "This is part of the mission after all."
The guard then handed me a small pouch filled with jewels, our reward for completing the mission.
"Here. This is the bounty placed on those bandits. You earned every bit of it."
I took the pouch and gave a nod of thanks. Before I could put it away, Gildarts casually snatched it from my hand.
"Hey!" I protested.
Gildarts grinned and tossed it back to me. "Relax, kid. Just checking if you're quick enough to catch it."
I rolled my eyes as I pocketed the reward. Typical Gildarts.
As the guards hauled the bandits away, I turned to Gildarts. "So... that's it? Mission complete?"
Gildarts stretched his arms with a yawn. "Yup. Easy job, huh?"
I glanced at the town around us, feeling the weight of accomplishment settle in. "Yeah... I guess so."
"Anyways," Tanner said quickly, rubbing his temples. "Let's head to my shop. I'll take care of payment, and I want to give you something as a thank-you for... you know, not letting my wagon explode."
Gildarts' stomach growled audibly, cutting through the conversation like a thunderclap. He patted his stomach with a sheepish grin. "Uh, you don't happen to have food, do you? Because I'm starving. All that standing around really worked up an appetite."
Tanner blinked, then let out a hearty laugh. "Of course. My treat. After everything, you've earned it."
"Now we're talking!" Gildarts said, his grin widening. "You know, Tanner, I like you. You've got good taste already."
"Good taste?" Tanner asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure you'll eat anything as long as it's free."
Gildarts gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "You wound me, Tanner. My palate is refined. I only eat the finest food. Also, the cheapest food. It's about balance, you see."
"Right," I said, cutting in before Gildarts could launch into a lecture on "culinary philosophy." "Let's get to the shop first. Food can wait until after we wrap this up. You can hold out that long, can't you?"
"Maybe," Gildarts said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "But no promises. If there's food on the way, I might have to investigate. For security reasons."
Tanner snorted, shaking his head as he led the way. "You're lucky you're good at your job."
"And handsome," Gildarts added with a wink. "Don't forget handsome."
As the wagon creaked to a stop in front of Tanner's shop, the merchant jumped off with a wide grin and gestured for us to follow him inside. "Alright, come on in. Let's settle up, and I've got something special for you two."
Gildarts stretched with an exaggerated yawn. "Finally. You know, walking is hard work. This better be good."
"You call that hard work?" I muttered, rolling my eyes as I followed them through the door.
Tanner's shop was small but packed with all sorts of goods. Sacks of grain, bundles of fabric, jars of spices, and a few odd trinkets scattered across the counter. As Tanner flipped through a small ledger, Gildarts wandered off, poking at anything that caught his attention. He picked up a shiny brass kettle, examining his reflection in it.
"Hey, Tanner, this kettle makes me look handsome. How much for it?" Gildarts called out.
"That's not for sale," Tanner replied distractedly as he counted out a pouch of jewels.
"That's what they always say," Gildarts muttered, setting the kettle back down with a dramatic sigh.
"Alright," Tanner said, placing the pouch of jewels on the counter. "Here's your payment for the job. And as a thank-you, I've got a little something for you both." He pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden box and revealed two matching silver flasks, polished to perfection and engraved with swirling patterns.
"Flasks?" Gildarts asked, raising an eyebrow. "What, do we look like a couple of traveling drinkers?"
Tanner grinned. "These aren't just any flasks. They're enchanted. Keeps whatever you put inside them at the perfect temperature—hot soup, cold water, anything you want."
Gildarts' face lit up like a kid in a candy store. "Okay, now that is useful. Hand it over."
I picked up one of the flasks, turning it over in my hands. "Not bad. Thanks, Tanner. This'll come in handy." While I have already have something like this in my inventory, I appreciated the thought.
"Speaking of thanks," Gildarts said, setting the flask aside, "you mentioned food earlier?"
Tanner laughed and motioned toward a back room. "Right this way. I've got some stew and bread ready. My treat."
As we sat down, Gildarts patted his new flask with a contented sigh. "See, kid? This is what a successful mission looks like. A full belly and a shiny new toy. Not bad, huh?"
I smirked. "Not bad at all."
----
The afternoon breeze brushed against my face as Gildarts and I stood just outside Glenhurst's gates. The mission was complete, the bandits were dealt with, and Tanner was safely delivered. All that was left now was to head back to Magnolia.
"Well," Gildarts stretched his arms with a yawn. "Time for a long, boring walk back."
I glanced at the distant road ahead and smirked. "Not exactly."
Gildarts raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Got something up your sleeve, kid?"
Without answering, I stepped forward and activated my magic. A faint blue light shimmered around me as I reached into my inventory.
In a flash of light, a black, five-seat convertible with an interior made of dark leather, its engine quietly humming with magical energy. It was the Regalia from FFXV.
The townspeople nearby, who had been secretly watching us, stared in shock and confusion.
"What... what in the world is that?!"
"Is that some kind of magic beast?!"
Earthland, also has something similar to this, but they are still a bit rugged and unpolish compared to this. and they need a mage to operate, so its not really widespread.
Even Tanner, who had gotten used to our strange antics, was left speechless. "You... you can summon things like that too?"
I gave a small shrug. "Something like that." I wasn't surprised about their reactions.
According to the information I gathered.
The knowledge here about Requip Magic, was that it was only limited to weapons, armors and clothings. More skilled users are able to Requip different weapons in battle, and it is even possible to Requip armors in the midst of battle. Requip users can also project a holographic inventory screen where they can view and organize items in their pocket dimension, as well as add items without equipping it on themselves
It was really similar to my Celestial Inventory, save for a few things.
Gildarts stepped closer, placing a hand on the metal surface of the Regalia. His eyes narrowed slightly, not with fear, but with fascination.
"Requip magic, huh?" he muttered with a grin. "I knew there was something different about you... but this? This is next level."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "I like to keep things interesting."
Gildarts let out a hearty laugh. "Kid, you're full of surprises. I've seen people requip swords, armor, even cannons... but a metal beast like this? You've got some serious potential."
"Glad you're impressed," I replied as I opened the driver's side door. "Come on, hop in."
Gildarts wasted no time and jumped into the passenger seat with the curiosity of a kid who just found a new toy. He ran his hands over the dashboard and looked around the interior with wide eyes.
"This thing is incredible..." he muttered. "And you say you can summon this anytime?"
"Whenever I want," I replied as I settled into the driver's seat. "Let's just say... my Requip's a little more... versatile than most."
Gildarts grinned. "Not bad kid, not bad."
I smirked.
Tanner, still standing there in disbelief, scratched the back of his head. "You Fairy Tail wizards are something else... I'll never get used to this."
I gave him a nod. "Take care, Tanner. And stay out of trouble."
Tanner smiled and waved. "You too. And hey... thanks again for everything."
With that, I shifted the gear, and the Regalia rumbled to life. The engine roared as I pressed down on the accelerator, and we shot forward, kicking up dust as we sped down the dirt road.
The landscape of rolling hills and forests blurred past us as we raced through the countryside at a speed no horse-drawn carriage could ever match. The cool wind rushed in through the windows, and the sound of the engine echoed through the open fields.
Gildarts leaned back in his seat, arms behind his head, grinning like a man who had just found his new favorite mode of transportation.
"I gotta admit," Gildarts said with a chuckle, "This beats walking by a long shot. You're really something, kid."
"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment," I replied, keeping my eyes on the road.
There was a moment of comfortable silence as the Regalia sped forward. I could see Magnolia on the horizon now, the towering Fairy Tail guild hall standing proudly above the town.
What was originally half a day journey, became and two hours at most.
As we approached the outskirts of Magnolia, I unsummoned the Regalia back.
Gildarts sighed contently. "You know... I think I like traveling with you. You've got a strange way of doing things, but I respect that."
"Thanks," I replied with a grin. "But don't get too comfortable. I'm dropping you off at the guild. I still need to check on my house."
Gildarts raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You got a place here in Magnolia?"
"Well, not yet but soon enough."
Gildarts grinned. "Fair enough. But you're buying me a drink later."
"Deal," I said with a smirk.
As the Regalia roared toward Magnolia, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The mission was complete, I had gained Gildarts' respect, and more importantly...
I was home.