Chapter 39 : S-class Mages!!!

The arrival was none other than the S-rank mage of Fairy Tail, Mystogan.

Kyros, aware of Mystogan's identity as a fellow transmigrator, greeted him with a smile. "Long time no see, Mystogan. Care to join us for a drink at the guild sometime?"

Mystogan paused for a moment, then shook his head. "No, I prefer quieter environments."

Arriving at the guild to undertake a quest, Mystogan's sleep magic failed to affect Kyros, who, being equally competitive, countered with a boost in his own magical power, rendering Mystogan's spell ineffective. 

Mystogan, undeterred, proceeded to the quest board, selecting a task to vanquish a volcano demon and paying the requisite fee of 1 million Jewels.

Turning to Guild Master Makarov, Mystogan announced, "I'll be on my way."

"You've mastered hypnotic magic!" exclaimed Makarov.

With a simple countdown, Mystogan departed the guild, leaving behind a wake of awakenings among the members.

"Was that Mystogan?" Lucy pondered.

Loke explained, "He's one of the contenders for the title of Fairy Tail's strongest wizard."

Suddenly aware of his proximity to Lucy, Loke swiftly distanced himself, his expression betraying unease.

Gray added, "For some reason, he prefers to keep his identity hidden, so he puts everyone to sleep whenever he comes for a mission."

"What? Isn't that strange?"

"So, besides the guildmaster and Kyros, no one has ever laid eyes on Mystogan."

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the second floor, declaring, "Hmph! It's not just those two who've encountered him; I know him too."

"Laxus!"

"Are you serious?"

"Are you really sure?"

All heads turned upward to behold Laxus, standing nonchalantly on the second-floor balcony of the guild. His short blond hair, lightning-shaped scar on his right cheek, a headset adorning his ear, and a cigar clenched between his teeth exuded an air of unparalleled confidence.

Gray grumbled discontentedly, "And here's another contender for the title of strongest."

Laxus glanced down, remarking, "Mystogan is quite the reserved individual, so don't pry too much."

"Laxus! Descend and face me in a battle!" Natsu impulsively challenged upon seeing Laxus.

Laxus teased, "Climb up if you dare."

"Wait for me!" Natsu shouted, darting towards the stairs, intent on reaching the second floor.

However, before Natsu could ascend, a colossal fist descended from above, sending him crashing to the ground with a single blow.

Makarov intervened, "Not so fast, Natsu. You're not allowed up there just yet."

"Yoyo! You're treading on thin ice with this old man!"

Makarov shot a sideways glance at Laxus and added, "Laxus, you behave as well."

"Since the old man has spoken, let's call it off. Frankly, battling you, Natsu, wouldn't be all that entertaining. After all, you can't even reach the second floor."

"But even if you could ascend, you'd only be at the bottom. Within Fairy Tail, I stand as the strongest!"

"The title of Fairy Tail's mightiest is mine alone! Whether it's Erza, Mystogan, that old man, or you, Kyros!"

"It's taken a while, but now I reign as Fairy Tail's strongest!"

As Laxus said Kyros's name, he cast a lingering glance his way, only to find him completely disregarding him, much to his chagrin.

Just you wait, I'll make sure you taste defeat soon enough.

After exchanging words, he turned and ascended to the second-floor chamber of the guild.

Guild Master Makarov sighed helplessly; his grandson was undeniably competitive.

Kyros muttered under his breath, "This guy's got a second bout of madness. Didn't I already give him a good thrashing? It's been years, yet he still holds a grudge. He's overly cautious. Why doesn't he just find an opportunity to settle it once and for all?"

"What did the Guild Master mean by not allowing Natsu to go to the second floor just now?" Lucy inquired to Mirajane once the guild had settled down again.

"It's premature for him as well as you. The tasks on the second floor's job board are more challenging than those on the first floor. They are all S-class tasks."

"S-class?!"

"Tasks only S-rank mages can undertake are called S-class quests. A misstep in such a quest could cost a life, but correspondingly, the rewards are substantial."

"What exactly is an S-class wizard?!"

Mira tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm... S-rank mages are the highest-ranking mages in the guild. Each one possesses considerable strength. Mystogan, who just took a quest, Laxus, Erza, and Kyros are all S-rank mages in Fairy Tail."

Lucy nodded in understanding. "Got it. S-rank mages equal monsters!"

"Haha, that's one way to put it," Mira replied with a wry smile, knowing she, too, was an S-rank mage.

"I sense a specific tension between Laxus and Kyros," Lucy remarked.

At the mention of Kyros, a peculiar expression flickered across Mira's eyes. "Well, that's... normal. After all, Kyros had dealt with him before!"

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