— — — — — — —
"Damn it! You win this time, but next time, I'll definitely beat you!"
Natsu shouted, his stubborn spirit shining through. Though he talked tough, deep down, he admired Uchiha Kitaro's strength.
Makarov couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked, "Kitaro, didn't you say you can't use magic? Then what were those fire, water, and energy blasts you just used?"
"Those weren't magic; they were jutsu," Kitaro explained calmly. "It's a technique powered by chakra. While it may seem similar to magic, it's fundamentally different."
"Chakra is formed by extracting physical energy from the body's 130 trillion cells and blending it with mental energy in perfect harmony."
Kitaro gathered chakra in his palm as he spoke, showcasing the energy.
Makarov examined the strange power carefully. There wasn't a hint of magical energy in it. As one of Ishgar's Ten Wizard Saints, he could confirm this wasn't magic at all. It was indeed a completely different kind of power.
"I've heard magic comes from a magical source and is fueled by mana," Kitaro added.
Makarov nodded. "That's correct."
"I wanna learn magic," Kitaro stated with determination.
"You already have jutsu. Why do you want to learn magic?"
"I love magic," Kitaro admitted. "I find it fascinating. Besides, mastering more techniques doesn't hurt. I believe magic could complement my abilities and make me even stronger."
"Magic can't be used without awakening a magical source," Makarov reminded him.
"Then I'll learn how to awaken one first," Kitaro replied without hesitation.
Makarov was taken aback by the young man's persistence. It had been a long time since he'd met someone so resolute, and he found it refreshing.
With a small smile, he said, "In that case, welcome to Fairy Tail!"
— — —
Soon after, everyone returned to the guild hall. Kitaro quickly found himself surrounded by curious members eager to meet the new powerhouse who had just defeated Natsu with ease.
Holding the guild's seal in her hand, Mira approached Kitaro and stamped the Fairy Tail emblem on the back of his left hand.
"All done! From now on, you're officially one of us," she said warmly.
"Hi, I'm Lucy! Looks like we joined Fairy Tail at the same time," Lucy said with a bright smile.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Uchiha Kitaro," he replied, nodding with a friendly smile.
Despite Lucy often being the guild's voice of reason, Kitaro admired her strength and kind heart. He thought she was both adorable and determined.
"Your magic is so incredible!" Lucy exclaimed.
Kitaro chuckled. "That wasn't magic; it was jutsu. I haven't learned magic yet."
"Still amazing!" Lucy said enthusiastically.
Suddenly, a small voice interrupted them. "Has my dad not come back yet?"
Kitaro and Lucy turned toward the voice to see a young boy standing in front of Makarov.
"Don't worry, Romeo. Your dad is a mage. You should trust him and wait patiently for his return," Makarov said kindly.
"But… he said he'd be back in three days! It's been a whole week, and he's still not back!" the boy cried.
"Your father went on a mission to Mt. Hakobe," Makarov explained.
"That's not far from here! Can't someone go bring him back? I'm so worried!" Romeo pleaded.
"Enough!" Makarov snapped. "Your father is a mage, not someone who needs others to clean up after him. Now go home and wait like a good boy!"
"You're mean!" Romeo shouted, hitting Makarov in frustration before running out of the guild in tears.
Watching this unfold, Lucy whispered, "That was so cold…"
"That's the life of a professional mage," Kitaro said plainly. "When you choose this path, you have to accept the risks that come with it."
Having been a ninja, Kitaro understood this better than anyone. Compared to the deadly battles in the ninja world, mages had it relatively easy.
Mira, standing nearby, added softly, "Even so, the master is worried deep down."
Just then, Natsu walked up to the job board and snatched a mission request. Without a word, he slammed the notice back onto the board and grabbed his belongings.
"Hey, Natsu! You're gonna break the board!" someone shouted.
Ignoring the commotion, Natsu stormed out.
"Master, Natsu's acting weird," someone pointed out.
"He's heading out to save Macao," Makarov replied with a sigh.
"He's still so impulsive," the master muttered. "He doesn't realize that doing this could hurt Macao's pride." Taking a puff from his pipe, he added, "But everyone has to walk their own path. Let him go."
Lucy, still confused, asked, "Why is he so worked up all of a sudden?"
"Because Romeo reminded him of himself," Mira explained. "Natsu's father disappeared one day and never came back. Though to be precise, it was his foster father—a dragon."
"A d-dragon?!" Lucy gasped, falling off her chair.
"You're saying Natsu was raised by a dragon? That's… insane!"
"And yet, here we are," Mira said with a knowing smile.
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