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"Apologies, I'm not yet fully proficient with this spell," George said, sitting back down on the stool and retracting his magical wings. "The repairs are slow, but if you give me some time, I can fully restore the entire hall."
In terms of combat strength, George felt that the attack magic and abilities he currently possessed were likely inferior to most of the wizards here.
So, he had to find another approach.
Fairy Tail wizards were infamous for causing destruction. For example, a recent magazine reported how Gray single-handedly wiped out the notorious Devon Bandit Clan, but in the process, he also demolished seven homes.
Such incidents happened frequently in Fairy Tail, so George believed that his magic, which specialized in fixing things, would be in high demand. He figured this ability would give him a good chance of passing the guild's trial.
Although his current power wasn't enough to instantly restore an entire building, he could take his time. After all, his magic reserves were plentiful and wouldn't run out.
In the future, once he mastered the spell, he could easily restore an entire street in the blink of an eye.
The best part was that it allowed him to avoid combat—his goal was to learn and study magic, not to engage in constant fighting.
Clatter!
Makarov's wine cup fell to the ground. His eyes widened like saucers, and he stared at George with an intensity that seemed to shoot lightning bolts from his gaze.
In a flash, Makarov appeared before George, grabbed him with one hand, and shoved him into Mirajane's arms, shouting excitedly, "Mira! Quick, put a guild mark on George, now!"
It was as if Makarov feared George would fly away from the guild at any second.
George had guessed that his repair magic might be needed, but he had underestimated just how much Makarov valued it. Saying it might be needed was an understatement—it was *desperately* needed.
Despite his earlier confident speech about ignoring the council's complaints and letting the wizards do their thing, Makarov was bleeding inside.
Setting aside the humiliation of apologizing to the council members, the fines alone were enough to keep the guild's finances in constant deficit.
And this was especially thanks to Natsu and Gray.
The guild's revenue came primarily from commissions taken from the wizards' missions, but often, the fines Makarov had to pay exceeded the mission rewards.
If it weren't for a few reliable S-Class wizards keeping things afloat, the guild would've gone bankrupt long ago.
But with George's appearance, Makarov saw a glimmer of hope.
George didn't need to be like the other wizards, taking on dangerous combat missions. As long as he acted as the guild's "firefighter," helping clean up after the others' messes, that would be enough.
Of course, George's current magic abilities might not yet be enough to handle all the damage caused by the wizards of Fairy Tail.
But that didn't matter. What he couldn't do now, he could learn to do in the future, with proper training.
George was the future hope of Fairy Tail!
If Makarov nurtured him well, he wouldn't need to bow before the council anymore, nor would he need to worry about paying fines and racking his brain for solutions.
So, how could he not be excited?
As for George, he was equally stunned. He hadn't fully processed what was happening before he found himself stuffed into a soft embrace. The next thing he knew, a guild mark was stamped on his back, transforming him into a cat with a tattoo.
George had expected to pass the guild's trial after showcasing his repair spell, but he hadn't anticipated Makarov's extreme reaction, or just how fast the old man could move.
To be honest, George thought if Makarov had intended to kill him just now, he wouldn't have even had time to react before being dead.
As a cat, George's dynamic perception and reflexes were already heightened. Combined with the physical capabilities of his true form and another clone, he was even quicker. Yet, he was still leagues away from being able to compare with Makarov.
This led George to a crucial conclusion: in any future battles with the wizards of this world, it would be best to maintain distance and avoid close combat.
He realized that wizards in this world, much like Gandalf, had an odd obsession with melee combat.
"Excellent! Now, let us raise a toast to George and Lucy, our newest comrades!" Makarov laughed heartily from atop the guild's table, lifting his cup high.
The guild members, snapping out of their daze, quickly followed suit, raising their drinks in unison. But as soon as the drinks were downed, they swarmed George.
"George, interested in joining our team? Our squad—"
"No way! Join our team instead, George! We—"
"George belongs with us!"
Seeing George's repair magic, everyone had the same thought—they wanted him on their team. This way, they wouldn't have to worry about collateral damage during missions anymore.
Even Gray, who typically worked alone, and Natsu, who already had Happy, rushed to George's side.
Happy, of course, tried to use their shared species as leverage, rattling off the benefits of teaming up with him and Natsu.
The scene left George stunned. He had not expected that showing off a barely practiced repair spell would cause such a stir.
As George mulled over how to politely decline everyone without offending them, Natsu and Gray had already started fighting.
Soon, other wizards joined in, and the guild once again descended into chaos. This time, however, the reason for the brawl was different—they were fighting to win the right to have George on their team.
Whoever remained standing would earn the privilege of inviting George to join them.
"Guys… please… don't fight!" George stretched out his paw, attempting to intervene, but he let it drop in defeat.
He wanted to remind them that he had just painstakingly repaired the hall, and if they wrecked it again, it would need to be restored all over.
But he knew these rowdy wizards probably wouldn't listen to him.
Honestly, George thought, if this group of Fairy Tail wizards were students at Hogwarts, they would all undoubtedly be sorted into Gryffindor, without exception.
Turning his gaze to Makarov, George saw the guild master's expression tighten as he noticed George's furrowed brow. Makarov immediately put down his wine, grew into his giant form, and swiftly knocked every single wizard to the ground.
"George will decide which team he wants to join," Makarov growled. "If any of you make him unhappy, I'll break your legs!"
To Makarov, George was the future hope of Fairy Tail. He couldn't allow these troublemakers to scare him off. If George ran away, Makarov would have nowhere to cry.
"And Gray, Natsu—you two especially," Makarov added, his tone darkening, "watch yourselves. If Erza finds out about this, I'll make sure she gives you both a proper beating."
At the mention of Erza, the wizard queen, everyone trembled. They began nodding furiously, much like a flock of chickens pecking at grain. When Makarov was angry, he was terrifying—but Erza? She was on another level entirely.
Even the guild's strongest members, like Natsu and Gray, had once challenged Erza to a duel.
And within just a few moves, both had been half-dead.
When Makarov got angry, he might turn into a giant and give them a scare, but if they made Erza mad? She wouldn't hesitate to beat them within an inch of their lives.
(End of Chapter)