"Then I'll accept it, thank you," Erza took the sword.
"Gray, this is for you – a necklace. You can wear it even when you're shirtless."
"I don't take my shirt off often," Gray protested shyly.
Cana chimed in, "Gray, where are your clothes?"
"Ah…when?" Gray looked at himself in surprise.
Finn handed Gray the necklace. "It enhances the stability of molding magic. It's perfect for you."
Gray happily accepted the necklace. He thought it looked cool.
"Wakaba, royal-grade tobacco."
"Reedus Jonah, this is a paintbrush for you."
"Macao…"
…
Finn quickly distributed everything, making sure everyone got something, except the newcomers, like the boy with cherry blossom-colored hair.
He wasn't there for a gift, though.
"Hey, you're Finn, right? I heard you're strong. I want to challenge you!" the boy shouted.
Finn smiled. "Tell me your name first."
"Is that a rule? Whatever. I'm Natsu Dragneel."
Everyone heard their conversation.
Gray scoffed, "Huh? Did I hear that right? That droopy-eyed guy who can't even beat me is challenging Finn?"
"What did you say? You damn droopy-eyed guy! Didn't I beat you until you couldn't get up?" Natsu said disdainfully.
"Say that again? You damn fire-brain! I'll beat you until you cry," Gray retorted.
"Shirtless pervert, want to fight?" Natsu and Gray glared at each other.
"Bring it on, you damn fire-brain!!"
"Bang—" Two loud bangs echoed. Gray and Natsu lay on the ground with large bumps on their heads, their eyes rolling. Smoke rose from their heads.
Erza folded her arms. "I've said it before, we're family. No fighting in the guild."
"Damn…damn Erza, I'll beat you someday," Natsu mumbled.
"Yeah, someday I'll beat you!" Gray agreed.
"What did you say?" Erza glared at them.
"No…nothing!" They huddled together, trembling.
Finn was sweating. Erza seemed to be developing a strange personality after his talk with her.
"Hey Finn, let's fight," Natsu stood up as if nothing had happened.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Finn pointed to Natsu's bump, concerned.
"Don't worry, I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer," Natsu said proudly.
"Natsu's a Fire Dragon Slayer, Finn's a Fire Mage. Maybe Natsu will counter Finn," Macao said.
Gray, shirtless, scoffed. "Natsu won't last until Finn uses magic." No one knew Finn's strength better than Gray.
Others might think Finn was stronger than average, but Gray had seen Finn's monstrous strength.
"Fine. Let's go outside. I want to see how strong you are," Finn and Natsu went outside.
"Let's go, let's go!" Everyone followed. Who was stronger, the Fire Dragon Slayer or the Fire Mage?
Erza said to the Master, "Master, is this okay?" Makarov was gone.
He'd gone to watch the fight. Erza sighed, "What a bunch of troublesome guys. Fine, I'll watch too."
She followed.
Outside, Finn and Natsu faced each other.
Finn was familiar with this place; he'd fought Gray here.
"Finn, here I come!" Natsu roared, flames erupting.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!!"
Natsu's flaming fist flew towards Finn.
"Dragon Slayer? This is my first time seeing one," Finn said expectantly. He raised his palm as Natsu's fist approached.
"Boom—" An explosion filled the air.
"What? Did he win?" Wakaba asked.
"Natsu's magic is really powerful," Macao exclaimed.
The dust cleared, and Finn stood unharmed, his hand firmly gripping Natsu's fist. He didn't feel much power.
"Only this much? No, maybe Natsu is still weak," Finn didn't believe Dragon Slayer magic was this weak.
Natsu could absorb the corresponding attribute to increase his magical power.
"Can Dragon Slayer magic absorb its own flames? Can a dragon really swallow the sun?" He wouldn't test this here.
There were too many people. If he accidentally burned the guild, Makarov would kill him.
Natsu stared at Finn in disbelief, his mouth opening, flames escaping.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!!"
A crimson magic circle appeared before Natsu.
Finn covered Natsu's mouth, preventing him from breathing fire.
"Mmm…mmm…mmm" Natsu felt like he was about to sneeze but couldn't.
Finn laughed and threw Natsu away.
Finn felt a surge of fighting spirit, cracking his neck and beckoning Natsu. "Come on, Natsu, let's go another round."
There was no response. Makarov checked Natsu. "Finn wins. Natsu is unconscious."
The crowd was amazed.
"So easy? Last time, Finn and Gray fought for a while. Now, he didn't even move?" Macao recalled the fight.
"He didn't even use magic. We've never actually seen Finn's magic. He just said he's a Fire Mage," Wakaba said.
"Gray, Gildarts, and Master have seen it," Cana said.
Gray said smugly, "I have. But you wouldn't want to see it."
He shivered, remembering his bald head.
"Really? Tell us," Wakaba said.
Gray thought. "Finn's magic is fire, but not ordinary fire."
"?? What's that?" Everyone looked puzzled.
"I don't know how to explain it. The temperature is incredibly high. It's a fire that can burn everything to nothingness," Gray said.
"A fire that burns everything to nothingness? Whoa," Macao gasped. His fire couldn't do that.
"And if Finn uses his magic, you should stay far away," Gray warned.
"Why?"
"You'll see. It's hard to explain," Gray shook his head. It was his greatest humiliation. He'd rather let them experience it.
A dark figure seemed to laugh in his mind.
Natsu was carried into the guild.
"Finn, come here. I need to talk to you," Makarov called Finn aside.
"Finn, don't take any more missions. Gildarts is returning soon."
Finn was happy. "Sir is coming back? It's been over a year," Finn recalled Gildarts leaving when he'd just joined.
Makarov knocked Finn's head. "Gildarts went on a ten-year mission. Do you think he was playing like you?"
"Master, isn't that over? Why are you bringing it up?" Finn said helplessly.
Makarov glared. "Don't interrupt."
"Oh, go ahead."
"When Gildarts returns, we'll start the S-class mage promotion exam. Don't be absent."
"Okay, I understand," Finn nodded.
The only candidates were Finn and Laxus.
Makarov saw Finn's worry. "Don't worry about Laxus. The S-class mage title represents strength. Don't hesitate because of my relation with Laxus."
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