Evergreen nodded happily while clutching Ralts and said, "Mm!"
Nearby, Millianna raised her small hand with eager anticipation: "Mr. Gaal! Are there any cat-type Pokémon?"
Gaal smiled and replied, "Yes, there are. Later, I'll be summoning some Pokémon in the West Forest." He continued, "If you have a favorite Pokémon, you can try signing a contract."
At this, everyone in the guild grew even more excited.
Then Erza raised her hand and said, "Mr. Gaal, are there any larger flying Pokémon? One that makes traveling more convenient?"
Erza was quite hopeful—if there were, completing missions would be much easier, and she could save money faster.
Unlike before when only Erza had joined Fairy Tail, thanks to Makarov's rescue, Millianna, Bickslow, Sho, Simon, and others had also joined, and Erza naturally assumed the role of big sister.
On one side were many little siblings and on the other side, magical equipment. Erza's determination to earn money was urgent.
Gaal nodded and explained, "Actually, it's Pidgey. Don't be fooled by its size now—even though it can't carry a person, its final evolution, Pidgeot, stands tall. Just its height while standing can rival that of a human."
With that, he waved his hand, and a phantom image of a Pidgeot appeared before everyone, already towering a bit above the height of an adult. For the children watching, the Pidgeot looked incredibly magnificent, far taller than they were.
Gaal continued, "The final evolution form of Pidgeot can reach speeds of over 600 meters per second. If it were to carry someone, the speed might be roughly halved." Since there was no concept of Mach here, he explained it in terms of meters per second.
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but gasp—so powerful, several hundred meters in a second! If used to attack an enemy, they'd only see a blur!
Gray's eyes suddenly lit up as he called out, "Big Brother Gaal! Is there any Pokémon in the forest like Dragonite?!"
Gaal's Dragonite was well known, and compared to Pidgeot, Dragonite is even cooler.
Shaking his head, Gaal said, "There's no Dragonite, but a Dratini—the basic form—is hidden somewhere in Magnolia Town. In the future, if someone signs a contract and trains it well, it will evolve into Dragonite."
Originally, Gaal hadn't planned on summoning it, considering Acnologia the Black Dragon was around. Usually, when Gaal used Dragonite, he would recall it after the task; however, as years of peace passed, Gaal began to reconsider.
Dragonite and a true dragon are not the same—even though Dragonite is a Dragon-type Pokémon, it can't exude the same overwhelming draconic aura as an actual dragon.
Even if Acnologia had an incredibly sharp sense of smell, could it really pick up on this from across an entire continent? Gaal figured that if it truly attracted Acnologia's attention, it would have to be a Dragon-type Pokémon rivaling a third-tier dragon.
To be safe, Gaal didn't create too many Dratini. In the lake behind the guild, aside from Magikarp, Poliwag, horseas, and Squirtle, only three Dratini were released. As for who might chance upon them… it's all a matter of luck.
Gaal's announcement sparked a treasure-hunting fervor within the guild; after all, that could eventually become a Dragonite!
If someone had a Pokémon like that accompanying them, it'd be incredibly cool. Some people couldn't wait and bolted out the door toward the West Forest—even if they didn't find a Dratini, signing a contract with another powerful Pokémon would suffice.
Watching most of the group dash out, Gaal's expression turned strangely thoughtful. He had mentioned the Dratini was hidden somewhere in Magnolia Town, but he never said it was in the forest.
In the room, besides Ultear, the remaining ones were all children. Although Laxus also wanted to take a look, he found himself unable.
The moment he got the idea to check the West Forest, Electrike put on a look of dejection—as if rejected by a scoundrel—whining softly with tearful eyes at Laxus.
Blushing furiously, Laxus quickly scooped him up into a corner and comforted him, promising that avoiding any other Pokémon would help him calm down.
Gaal turned to Ultear and asked curiously, "Aren't you going?"
Ultear shrugged and replied, "Look at that funny face of yours—I knew that Dratini wasn't in the forest. I'd rather wait and hear what you plan to say next before I go searching."
Gaal silently gave a thumbs-up in approval. Meanwhile, down on the seats, a studious Levy clung to two little companions, and upon hearing Ultear's words, she couldn't help but exclaim as though she'd uncovered a big secret.
The three children's eyes gleamed with excitement, and they decided to search around the town in a little while.
After a moment of hushed discussion, Lisanna and Elfman exchanged hesitant glances before Elfman raised his hand and said, "Big Brother Gaal, Take Over Magic absorbs the soul of a magical beast. With Lisanna's Ditto's Take Over Magic and my Machamp's Take Over Magic…"
Gaal interrupted, "There's no need to worry. They're just souls duplicated through magic. In the system, it's simply a copy of the original essence—although Machamp's essence is a bit pricier." Hearing this, the two relaxed visibly.
Gaal then continued, "Now, the next part is the most critical: the modified Fusion Magic."
Everyone nodded thoughtfully—Fusion Magic, as the name implies, is a spell that fuses a person with a Pokémon.
Gaal went on, "Earlier, when I was eliminating the Dark Guild, there was one where every member employed Fusion Magic. They tamed a B-level magical beast called the Crimson Wolf."
With a swift gesture, a phantom image of a Crimson Wolf appeared, its gaping maw and ferocious appearance drew shocked exclamations from the crowd.
Gaal explained further, "They used Fusion Magic to merge themselves with the Crimson Wolf, transforming into a 'Crimson Werewolf,' with the mage taking control of the body. This not only granted them the mage's wisdom but also the Crimson Wolf's fearsome physique, making them ideal for assassinations or hunting missions." Soon after, the illusion of the fused Crimson Werewolf materialized before everyone.
Gaal added, "However, I made a slight modification. You can decide the ratio of fusion based on your own idea—it isn't fixed to a particular form. For instance, if you fuse with a Pidgeot, you could design it so that only your arms transform into wings, giving you the sensation of flight. Alternatively, you can completely merge into Pidgeot, which is the better strategy when facing strong enemies. In full fusion, you'd gain all of Pidgeot's abilities—its flight speed, for example—so that if an enemy is caught off guard, they won't be able to hold you down."
Even Ultear was enticed by this idea, preparing to look for a Pidgey later.
Gaal continued, "This magic is essentially a variant of Take Over Magic. I believe Mirajane and her siblings will learn it quickly. I've also summoned several fighting-type Pokémon in the forest, so Elfman, you can put yourself to the test. You can fuse, summon, and even use them as training partners."
Elfman's face lit up with determination as he declared, "Alright, Big Brother Gaal! I promise I'll succeed!" Gaal smiled encouragingly. Hmm… I just hope Primeape won't get too rough when it's time to strike.
After that, Gaal gave everyone a detailed explanation of the composition and operation of the Fusion Magic's Magic Circle. Once finished, he left the group to continue their discussions and went upstairs to find Makarov.
On the second floor, Makarov looked up from his newspaper as Gaal approached with a mysterious air.
From within the space, Gaal released a rhombus-shaped large Magic Crystal assembled by linking several colorless crystals via a magic circle.
At that moment, the rhombus crystal pulsed with the purest light-type Magic Power. Makarov's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "What is this??"
Hastily, he pressed his hand against the crystal—but unexpectedly, the structure composed of several Magic Crystals did not shatter; instead, a protective shield flashed across its surface.
Feeling the immense volume of light-type Magic Power contained within, Makarov couldn't help but gasp, "Hiss— You really made it? In just one night?"
Gaal replied, "No, this is only the elementary stage. The magic circle linking these crystals hasn't been perfected yet. Only once it is perfected can it be considered complete."
He continued, "When the time comes, we'll fill the entire underground of Magnolia Town with these crystals, linked together by the magic circle. If we encounter a strong enemy, we can directly tap into the Magic Power of this 'giant crystal.'"
He paused before adding, "The initial plan is to have Fairy Law function for over five seconds."
At this, Makarov's eyes went wide as he said, "Wait—filling the entire underground of Magnolia Town with these crystals would mean it could provide the Magic Power equivalent to sustaining Fairy Law for over five seconds? If that thing exploded... the entire Fiore Kingdom would be affected, wouldn't it?"
Gaal stroked his chin and responded, "I thought of that as well. That's why the complete Magic Crystal is designed in a cylindrical shape, extending infinitely under the guild. Moreover, the magic circle is a unified system with release points at both the top and bottom. If the upper end or any section is damaged, the lower release point will relieve pressure by releasing Magic Power. So, in theory, if this Magic Crystal is damaged, only our guild will be sent soaring into the starry sky—hardly affecting the town's buildings. Magnolia Town's entire layout is actually based on a converging magic circle meant to gather Magic Power and convert it into energy for charging the enormous underground Magic Crystal. Even if some parts are damaged, it won't cause a massive explosion."
Makarov listened, utterly dumbfounded. After a long silence, he finally managed, "Do as you see fit."
His mind was completely boggled—how do people even think like this? The first Guild Master managed to modify Fairy Law, the second, Precht (also known as Hades), created Lumen Histoire, which could utilize infinite Magic Power, and now the third—well, that's another story.
Gaal had even preliminarily solved the side effects of Fairy Law... a direction he'd never even considered before. After all, no power in the world could produce a Magic Crystal so colossal.
Yet Gaal had managed, through this chain magic circle, to craft one that stored the purest light-type Magic Power for immediate use with Fairy Law. One can only imagine that once Gaal's design is complete, everywhere in Magnolia Town will see Fairy Tail as an invincible force.
Makarov was left speechless, only able to offer a reluctant compliment. People's minds are truly different.
Makarov felt a tinge of melancholy—unable to measure up to Hades above or even Gaal below... Makes you wonder… should I abdicate and pass on the mantle?
—
The Next Day
The Magic Council's Airship landed at the entrance of the Fairy Tail Guild.
Makarov donned his platinum-colored magic robe, gripped a staff adorned with a large Magic Crystal, and stepped out of the guild to board the Council's magical airship.
On board, waiting to pick him up was Yajima. Makarov remarked, "Is the council always this idle every day? Why is it always you?"
Without mincing words, he grabbed a cup and poured himself some water. Yajima retorted with a slight edge in his tone, "Then next time, let Org come?"
Makarov's mouth twitched as he replied, "No thanks. I don't get along with him. Having that guy come is less appealing than having you, Yajima."
After all, Fairy Tail was drawing so much attention—without even actively making enemies, there were plenty of people who weren't fond of them.
As Makarov and Yajima discussed matters concerning the Balam Alliance, a raucous commotion erupted outside.
"Hahaha! Watch my magic!"
"Damn it! Everyone, charge!"
"Ahhh! First, take down Siegrain! Charge!"
Around them, the guards watched the rowdy children with caution, fearing that an accident might occur.
Makarov looked outside at the group of noisy children and asked, "What's going on? So many kids."
Yajima explained, "They're the children of some of the council members, all with promising magic talent. This time, they were picked up to be sent to the Magic Academy at the council headquarters for training."