Spring came and went, and a full year passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.
In that time, Su Yan had fully integrated into the Fairy Tail guild. He had grown accustomed to the guild's rowdy, tight-knit way of life and had become familiar with all its members, each of whom he now considered family.
Currently, Su Yan stood before a small cottage, map in hand.
"Looks like this is the place," he murmured to himself.
Today's mission was straightforward: a wealthy local landowner, Lao Cai, had posted a job to rescue his daughter, who had been kidnapped by a group of bandits. The reward? 500,000 Jewel. Su Yan was impressed—*that's quite the sum, even by a mage's standards,* he thought. With a pay rate equivalent to around 30,000 yen, it was a lucrative job for a single outing, so he'd accepted it without hesitation.
"Hey, kid! Who are you?" a voice called out from above.
Su Yan looked up to see a lookout, one of the bandits on watch.
"Oh, good," Su Yan called back. "Is this the base of the Delai Thieves?"
"Yeah, what's it to you?"
"Perfect." Su Yan grinned, reaching behind him to take hold of the heavy mace strapped to his back. He casually walked up to the gate, swung his weapon with all his strength, and—
*BOOM!*
The cottage gate shattered, leaving a cloud of dust and debris. Instantly, the alarm was raised.
"Enemy attack!"
"What kind of idiot dares to pick a fight with us?!"
A throng of bandits poured out of the cottage, brandishing weapons, and saw Su Yan standing calmly at the destroyed gate.
"A brat like you thinks he can take us on?" the bandit leader shouted. "Kill him and feed him to the dogs!"
A swarm of bandits charged at him.
A dangerous gleam flashed in Su Yan's eyes. His training over the past year had honed his reflexes, and he now handled his mace with lethal precision. He took one step forward, swung, and sent the leading bandit flying with a sickening *crack* as teeth scattered and the man crashed into his comrades.
Su Yan moved like a whirlwind, mowing down bandits left and right, each strike calculated and brutal. The bandits quickly realized they were hopelessly outmatched.
"H-he's a monster!" someone cried.
"Shoot him! Use your guns!" the leader barked, his voice quivering with desperation.
Several bandits raised their guns and opened fire, but Su Yan's body, hardened by Kaido's template, deflected the bullets as if they were pebbles bouncing off steel.
"What… the…?" The bandits gawked, horrified.
"Who… who are you?!"
"Fairy Tail Guild—Su Yan."
The leader's eyes widened. "A Fairy Tail mage? That old miser actually hired a wizard?!"
Realizing he couldn't win, the bandit leader retreated into the cottage.
Undeterred, Su Yan continued his rampage, quickly incapacitating the remaining bandits. But just as he finished, a frantic shout interrupted him.
"Stop!!"
Su Yan looked up to see the bandit leader holding a chubby, trembling girl, a dagger pressed against her throat.
"Take one more step, and I'll kill her!"
"No! Help me!" the girl squealed, on the verge of tears.
Su Yan's eyes narrowed, though his lips curved into a smile. "Looks like my reward's safe; the hostage seems fine. Wouldn't want to lose that bonus."
With a casual swing, he knocked out another bandit lying nearby, making him yelp.
"You little…!" Furious and terrified, the bandit leader pressed the dagger harder against the girl's neck, intending to kill her.
But before he could act, Su Yan activated his Conqueror's Haki, now refined after a year of training.
*Om—!*
A wave of controlled, targeted Haki washed over the bandit leader. His grip slackened, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious, his mouth foaming.
The girl, blinking in shock, realized she was unharmed. She opened her eyes, looked around, and saw the leader lying motionless beside her. "W-what happened?"
Su Yan chuckled. "Stop screaming—it's over. The bandits are all taken care of."
This ability to precisely control his Conqueror's Haki had come after countless hours of practice. His system had proven invaluable in this, allowing him to develop his skills with a precision he hadn't dreamed possible. Now, he could dictate the strength, range, and even the specific targets of his Haki blasts. A small perk from his "slacker system," indeed.
With the mission complete and his payment assured, Su Yan set off back to Fairy Tail.
---
The doors of the Fairy Tail guild swung open, and Su Yan stepped inside.
"Su Yan's back!" several guild members called out, smiling and waving as he entered. Su Yan had earned the guild's admiration not only for his strength but also for his friendly and down-to-earth demeanor. Everyone welcomed him as he passed by.
"Su Yan's here?" Natsu's eyes lit up at the news, and he immediately bounded over, fists raised. "Su Yan! Let's fight!"
Without missing a beat, Su Yan caught Natsu's fist in mid-air, grinned, and casually swung him upward.
*WHAM!*
Natsu flew into the ceiling, leaving a Natsu-shaped dent as he crashed back down.
"KO!" the guild members laughed, watching Natsu's defeated, but excited, expression.
"Ha! Natsu's challenging Su Yan again."
"Su Yan's strength is incredible!"
Su Yan couldn't help but laugh as Natsu clambered back to his feet, already raring for another round. "One day, I'll take you down, Su Yan!" Natsu shouted.
Around them, the guild buzzed with laughter and cheers. Despite the countless challenges and missions he had taken on this past year, moments like this—where he could laugh and joke with his guildmates—meant the most to him.
---
In that single year, Su Yan had not only strengthened his physical abilities and Haki but also developed bonds that he treasured deeply. Every member of Fairy Tail was now a part of his family, and with them, he had found a place that truly felt like home.
He knew that even as he grew stronger, he would face new and powerful threats. And his ultimate goal—defeating Acnologia, the Black Dragon—still loomed on the horizon. But with the friends and family he had now, he felt more ready than ever.
One day, he would face that mighty dragon, and by then, he would be powerful enough to protect this family and their world. For now, he was content to share in their laughter and live each moment fully, as a proud member of Fairy Tail.