"I'm sorry. My mastery of this magic is still lacking, so the repairs are relatively slow. But if you give me some time, I can fully restore the entire hall in one go," George said as he landed back on the round stool and retracted his magical wings.
In terms of combat ability, he felt that neither his current offensive magic nor his special abilities could match most of the wizards here. Thus, he decided to take a different path and focus on other areas.
The wizards of Fairy Tail were notorious for their destructive tendencies. For instance, a magazine recently reported that Gray single-handedly wiped out the infamous Devon Bandits but ended up demolishing seven houses in the process.
Such situations were common in Fairy Tail. George figured that his repair magic, which specialized in fixing things, was likely a much-needed skill. This gave him a high chance of passing the guild's entry assessment.
Even though he couldn't yet restore an entire house at once, he could take his time and fix things gradually. His magic power wouldn't run out, and with more practice in the future, he could potentially restore entire streets in an instant.
Most importantly, he could avoid unnecessary fights. His goal was to study and explore magic, not engage in constant battles.
Clatter!
The wine glass in Guild Master Makarov's hand fell to the ground. His eyes widened like saucers, gleaming with sharp insight as he stared at George, as if lightning would shoot from his gaze.
In a flash, Makarov appeared before George, grabbed him in one swift motion, and thrust him into Mirajane's arms.
"Mirajane! Quickly, give George a guild emblem, hurry!" Makarov exclaimed with fervor, as if afraid George might fly away the next second.
George's guess wasn't far off, but he had underestimated Makarov's desperation for repair magic. It wasn't just a "nice to have" skill—Fairy Tail needed it badly.
Despite his earlier rousing speech encouraging the guild members to ignore the Council's criticisms, Makarov secretly lamented over the damages. Beyond having to grovel before the Council members, the fines alone had drained the guild's finances, leaving them perpetually in the red.
Special mention went to Natsu and Gray, two of the most reckless troublemakers.
The guild's finances largely depended on a cut from the wizards' mission earnings. Yet, many times, the compensation payouts for damages far exceeded the mission rewards. If not for the few reliable S-class wizards propping up the guild, Fairy Tail might have gone bankrupt long ago.
But George's appearance was a ray of hope.
He didn't need George to take on dangerous missions like the other wizards. As long as George served as a "firefighter," helping clean up after missions, it would suffice.
Of course, George's current capabilities might not be enough to handle the entire guild's needs. But with proper nurturing, his potential was limitless. George could very well become the future hope of Fairy Tail!
With George in the guild, Makarov wouldn't have to endure the Council's ridicule or stress over hefty fines anymore.
George, however, was taken aback. Before he realized what was happening, he found himself nestled in a soft bouncy embrace.
Moments later, a guild emblem was stamped on his back, turning him into a tattooed cat.
He had anticipated that demonstrating his repair magic would likely secure his membership, but he hadn't expected Makarov's overwhelming reaction—or how lightning-fast the guild master was.
Frankly, George realized that if Makarov had intended to kill him just now, he wouldn't have had time to react before being slain.
His feline body already had heightened reflexes and sensory abilities, further enhanced by the combined physical attributes of his true self and a secondary form. Yet, even so, he was no match for Makarov.
This brought George to a critical conclusion: in battles against wizards from this world, he must avoid close-range combat at all costs. Wizards here were like Gandalf—oddly fond of fighting up close.
"Very well! Let us all welcome George and Lucy, our two new comrades! Cheers!" Makarov declared from the guild's stage, raising his wine glass in celebration.
The other wizards soon snapped out of their shock and raised their glasses as well. But no sooner had they finished drinking than they rushed toward George.
"George, would you like to join our team? Our team—"
"Don't listen to them! Join ours instead! Our team—"
"George absolutely belongs in our team—"
Seeing George's repair magic, everyone had the same idea: they wanted him on their team. With George, they wouldn't need to hold back during missions. Even Gray, who usually worked solo, and Natsu, who already had Happy as a partner, were vying for George's attention.
Happy even tried to use their shared feline heritage to bond with George, eagerly extolling the benefits of teaming up with Natsu.
George was at a loss. He hadn't expected his demonstration of the still-imperfect repair spell to have such a sensational impact.
As George pondered how to tactfully turn everyone down, Natsu and Gray started fighting. Soon, other wizards joined in, turning the scene into chaos yet again.
"You all… stop fighting!" George raised his paw, intending to intervene, but he soon gave up.
He wanted to tell them that repairing the hall he had just fixed would be troublesome. However, he doubted they would listen.
Honestly, George thought if these Fairy Tail wizards were in Hogwarts, they'd all be sorted into Gryffindor without exception.
Turning to Makarov, George saw the guild master immediately set down his drink. Makarov transformed into a giant, quickly knocking out all the wizards.
"George will decide which team to join. If any of you dare upset him, I'll break every one of your legs!" Makarov roared, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
George was the guild's hope, and Makarov wouldn't allow anyone to scare him off. If George left, Makarov wouldn't have tears left to cry.
"And Gray, Natsu, you two especially—be prepared for punishment when Erza gets back. I'll make sure she deals with you properly."
Hearing Makarov's demonic warning, the wizards nodded furiously like chicks pecking grain. The guild master's wrath was terrifying, but the mention of the even more fearsome Erza struck true fear into their hearts.
Even Natsu and Gray, two of the guild's strongest members, had challenged Erza to duels before—and been defeated within a few moves.
Angering Makarov might only result in some intimidation, but angering Erza? She'd beat them to within an inch of their lives.
...
GIVE MORE POWERSTONES for the 9 chapters I uploaded at one go!
Join patreon if you like for 50+ chapters. patreon.com/GreekGreenGlass