บท 49: Chapter 49: The Frenzied Competition of Fairy Tail
After Ian forcefully sent the members of Fairy Tail into the massive building in front of them, they were immediately hit by a choking surge of magical energy.
"Boom!"
At the same time, the door behind them slammed shut tightly.
Ian had cut off any thoughts of escape for everyone present.
Well, since they were here, they shouldn't expect to leave anytime soon.
"Cough, cough…"
"What… such immense magic power."
"But this magic feels eerie and uncomfortable."
The members of Fairy Tail were all sensitive to magic.
Especially when they sensed the lingering magic of Zero within the building, their brows furrowed, and expressions of disgust crossed their faces.
Yes, even though Zero had already been turned into a spirit by Ian and absorbed, the magic he had released during his battle with Ur had not fully dissipated even after all this time.
That was the power of a Saint Ten-level mage.
In fact, when a mage reaches the level of the Saint Ten, the magic flowing through their body undergoes a fundamental change, carrying the characteristics of that mage's personality.
For example...
Makarov, the guild master of Fairy Tail, had magic that felt warm and bright, like a benevolent parent caring for everyone in the guild.
In contrast, Jose Porla, the master of Phantom Lord and another member of the Saint Ten, had magic that felt sticky and nauseating. Those without sufficient power would feel dizzy and sick just standing near him.
As for Zero, whose strength was also at the Saint Ten level, his magic exuded a sinister and violent aura, making people feel an instinctive fear.
Ian raised an eyebrow at this, casually waving his hand to disperse the residual malevolent magic in the air.
In an instant, the Fairy Tail members felt warmth wash over them, as the unsettling magic that had been bothering them vanished.
"Follow me."
After clearing the remnants of Zero's magic, Ian led the group of Fairy Tail members toward the magic development device.
"This place is huge!"
"Incredible..."
The Fairy Tail members murmured as they followed closely behind Ian. After all, their way back had been cut off by him. Even if they were reluctant, they had no choice but to follow him.
Soon, Ian led them to the magic development device.
"What is this?!"
"What a colossal machine!"
"And what an intricate magic circle!"
When the ultimate magical device, the magic developer, was revealed in front of the Fairy Tail members, they were all stunned, their eyes filled with shock and awe.
Although they didn't know exactly what the huge machine in front of them was for, as mages, they could sense from the complex magic circle etched into the machine that this was no ordinary device.
"This is a magic developer," Ian explained after observing their shocked reactions. "It's the ultimate magical device capable of fully unlocking the potential of any mage."
"A magic developer?!"
"This kind of thing actually exists?!"
Upon hearing the name of the device, their eyes lit up with excitement.
"So, with this thing, we can all break through our limits, right?" said Macao, a seasoned mage who was about A-rank. His face lit up with excitement after hearing Ian's words.
No one understood better than Macao the pain of being unable to progress further in the magical arts due to a lack of talent. If possible, who wouldn't want to become an S-rank mage?
"Maybe," Ian said after sizing up Macao. "If you continue to persistently explore the path of magic and use the help of the magic developer, it might be possible. And if that's not enough, I could also help you develop a second origin…"
With that, Ian thought that Macao might just reach the level of an S-rank mage from another guild, like Quatro Cerberus' ace, Bacchus.
But as for reaching Fairy Tail's S-rank level? Let's not get carried away.
Sorry, but the truth is that Fairy Tail's S-rank mages are on a completely different level compared to those from other guilds.
Who knows how fierce the competition for S-rank mages in Fairy Tail really is?
"Hahaha…"
"This isn't a punishment at all!"
"It's a reward!"
Macao suddenly burst into laughter, his eyes watering with tears of joy.
Macao had been feeling suppressed for too long. His strength wasn't weak, and in other guilds, he would've been a core member. But he had joined the guild alongside Gildarts Clive, that monster!
Anyone who had to compete with someone like Gildarts would have their confidence shattered.
Finally, after Gildarts left, Macao thought he could relax, only for Ian, with his overwhelming magical talent, to join the guild.
Ian went from knowing nothing about magic to surpassing Macao in just a year.
By the second year, Ian had completely surpassed him.
By the third year, Ian had become one of the guild's two active S-rank mages, a level Macao could only dream of reaching.
Then, Laxus, the grandson of the guild master, started to rise.
After that, more talents like Gray, Natsu, Erza, Mirajane, and Ultear started emerging in the guild like mushrooms after the rain.
Macao had long since given up trying to compete.
But now, with Ian suddenly producing this magic developer, capable of unlocking a mage's potential, Macao felt hope rekindled within him.
"Wakaba! You're not willing to be left behind either, right?"
Macao wiped away his tears and looked at Wakaba beside him, shouting.
"Of course not!"
"How could we just let the brats in the guild surpass us so easily?!"
"Let's show them the foundation of the old guard!"
Wakaba, with a cigar in his mouth, was just as fired up as Macao.
"So, you two plan to…?"
Ian asked, looking at the suddenly fired-up Wakaba and Macao.
"Let us go first!" Macao said confidently.
"Which setting do you want to use?" Ian asked, wanting to be sure what level of intensity they could handle.
"Settings? Don't joke with us…"
"Set it to the maximum, of course!"
"You think we're pushovers?" Wakaba said arrogantly.
"Alright then," Ian said, not arguing further. He used gravity magic to help the two remove their shirts and sent them into the massive magic developer.
"Wakaba, you got this!"
"Macao, hang in there and don't embarrass us!"
The other Fairy Tail members, standing outside the magic developer, cheered them on with mischievous grins.
"Get ready!"
Before starting the machine, Ian didn't forget to give Wakaba and Macao a final warning.
"Bring it on!"
Macao and Wakaba closed their eyes tightly, ready for the challenge.
"The magic development process is a bit painful. If it gets too much, just shout," Ian reminded them.
"Hmph! Enough talking, just start it!" Macao smirked coldly, showing disdain.
"No matter how painful it is, I won't make a sound," Wakaba added confidently, gritting his teeth.
"Very well…"
Ian chuckled. Since the two veterans were so determined, he didn't hold back. He cranked the magic developer to its maximum setting.
"Boom!"
The machine roared to life with a deep hum.
"Crackle…"
The next moment, electricity surged from all directions through the wires connected to Macao and Wakaba, flowing directly into their bodies.
The crackling sound was so intense that even the onlookers outside the machine winced in discomfort.
"Wakaba and Macao sure are tough."
"Facing such terrifying magic without making a sound."
Ian stood by the machine, impressed. Even he wasn't sure he could endure the intense stimulation from the developer without uttering a sound.
"Ahhhh!"
"I'm gonna die! Stop it, stop it now!"
"Help! I don't want to do this anymore!"
"Ian, save me!"
"I don't need to be an S-rank mage!"
Just as Ian was finishing his thought, Macao's voice erupted from inside the machine.
It wasn't that he didn't want to scream, but his mouth was too numb from the electricity earlier and he couldn't make a sound.
As for Wakaba, he had indeed kept quiet, silently enduring the process.
However, a closer look would reveal that Wakaba's eyes had rolled back, and foam was beginning to spill from his mouth.
He had already been knocked unconscious by the magic flowing into his body.
"..."
Ian was speechless.
Well, they certainly didn't disappoint.
---
As it is a new week, bonus chapter will be released for every 100 power stones.
So next milestone will be at 100 power stones!
You can read up to 25 chapters ahead on patreon.com/DogLeading
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