It begins as all stories do: in darkness and loss.
Greater than pain, greater than solitude, there is nothing. A vast emptiness, a place without light, sound, or thought.
Here he is, removed from all of creation. Again, he reaches out in desperation, and once again, he touches nothing. Feels nothing. Becomes nothing.
Faced with such profound darkness and death, he comes to a realization.
In that single instant, something changes deep within him—something unlike anything he has ever felt before.
For a moment, there was only cold and darkness.
No dreams. No mind. No thoughts. No emotions. No life.
Nothing.
... And then, there was—
Ä̷̡̛̘̟͉͎̣̹́̂̅͂͠ ļ̵̡͓̘̩̼̫͊͆͐̍͒̉͝ͅį̶͉͈̥̭̞̘̼̤̿̄͝g̶̪̍́̍̑̓͘͝ḩ̷̱͈̞̙̖͕̄͜ț̸̡̯̭̙̹̊́̓̆
[W̴̬͑̅e̶̲̝̱̽̓̈́̉͠l̴̫͙̮͉̞̋̆̎̀͠c̶͇͐̅͝ö̵̼͓̩̿͐́̈͋̔̋̈́̚m̵̠̾͋ê̶̞̞̫̜͉̒̓̍͘ P̷̢̙͙̮̼̤̪̦͂́̎̃̓̉͝l̷̨̧̰͙͓̼̼̖̲͓̃̄̿̂̈̈́a̴̗͍̬̫̰̅͊̃̃̐̓͂̃̀͠y̵̛̱͙̙̖͇̲̅̌̎̅̏́͊̐̿e̵̡̧̢͓͖̺͙̥̝̿̉̌̔̃r̸̡̞̖͚̳͕̩̺͑̆͋̉͋͆̿̀̕͝]
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The cold air whipped past me, carrying the crisp scent of snow and wet leaves.
Above me, the forest canopy swayed gently, the sound of falling snowflakes blending into the serene stillness. Despite the lack of proper clothing, the biting cold didn't bother me. The golden glow of [Devotion Aura] wrapped around me like a second skin, dulling the chill—not quite the level of natural resistance an [Ice Mage] might have, but enough to stave off the worst of it.
Not that it mattered. With [Game's Body] and [Purify] , getting sick wasn't exactly a concern.
The forest surrounding Magnolia Town was breathtaking, far more so than anything I'd seen in my previous life. Towering trees stretched endlessly toward the sky, their trunks covered in moss, their branches heavy with snow. The lush vegetation and diverse wildlife the result of a climate rich in moisture and life.
For years, there had been talk of expanding the town's borders into the forest or building new trade routes across Fiore. But as beautiful as this place was, it wasn't without its dangers.
The monsters here weren't just rumors.
The forest was littered with D- and C-ranked beasts. Dense mist rolled in frequently, further complicating navigation.
And, of course, there was this.
The air shifted. The [Ethernano] in the atmosphere twisted unnaturally.
Then came the sound—a guttural, animalistic cry.
From the mist, a massive figure lunged.
A Lizardman.
Ugly creatures, with reptilian faces, mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth, and eyes that glinted with feral intelligence. Their thick, spiky carapaces were durable enough to deflect most lower-level magical attacks, and their claws could easily tear through unarmored humans.
Fast. Smart. Dangerous.
Individually, they were considered D-ranked monsters. But when hunting in hordes, they could rise to C- or even B-rank threats.
The beast's claws arced toward me.
Instinct kicked in. My hand reached into my [Inventory], pulling free my Dane ,The axe gleamed as sunlight caught on the steel edge. [Devotion Aura] glowed faintly around it, amplifying my strength far beyond what a normal ten-year-old should be capable of.
With practiced ease, I activated [Infusion of Light (Passive)], further enhancing the weapon's power.
There was no hesitation. I raised the axe high above my head, focusing everything into the downward swing.
Light erupted from the blade as it cut through the air, a brilliant beam that cleaved through the Lizardman's body as though it were paper. The creature didn't even have time to scream before collapsing in two, lifeless.
Wincing, I glanced at the axe in my hands—now broken.
"Damn it," I muttered, tossing the pieces aside. "That's the third axe this month..."
I couldn't help but grumble as I eyed the shattered weapon. Why an axe, you might ask? Simple.
An axe was efficient.
Lighter than most people think, devastating in the right hands, and versatile enough for disarming, chopping, or even piercing through armor. It wasn't about reach—it was about precision.
A well-made combat axe was a deadly tool, combining lightweight design with focused impact. Unfortunately, this one had not been well made.
I turned to the remaining Lizardmen, glaring at them with growing irritation.
"Listen, you lot," I said, raising my voice. "Do you know how expensive those things are? I don't want trouble. I just need to gather some herbs, and then I'll be on my way. Got it?"
The creatures hesitated, their reptilian eyes darting to one another.
Though nowhere near as intelligent as Vulcans or demons, Lizardmen weren't mindless. They could live together, build shelters, and set basic traps. With any luck, they'd recognize I wasn't worth the trouble.
At least, that was the plan.
Then I saw the steel arrow embedded in the ground near my feet—flattened and useless from where it had failed to pierce my [Devotion Aura].
I sighed.
[A New Quest Has Been Issued: Urgent Quest - "Defeat the Enemies"]
[There are enemies nearby that intend to kill the Player.]
[Destroy all your foes to ensure your safety. Failure to comply will result in a penalty.]
"So much for the peaceful approach..."
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself as the next Lizardman charged toward me.
Without hesitation, I reached down and picked up the shattered remains of my previous axe from the ground. The jagged shards felt cold against my fingers, but they wouldn't stay that way for long.
Channeling [Holy Magic], I infused the fragments with energy, their dull surfaces quickly glowing with a radiant, golden light.
A smirk tugged at my lips as I hurled one of the glowing shards toward the nearest Lizardman.
The moment the shard struck its scaly hide, it detonated with a small explosion of light and force.
Boom.
The creature let out a guttural scream, staggering backward as the blast tore through its thick carapace.
"Fun fact," I muttered under my breath as I lobbed another shard at a second Lizardman, "by using [Infusion of Light (Passive)], most non-magical items can be turned into explosive projectiles after prolonged exposure to magic."
Another explosion rocked the battlefield as the shard struck its target, sending the beast sprawling.
"Of course," I added with a wry grin, "don't ask how I figured that out. It definitely didn't involve me almost blowing off my own arm..."
The remaining Lizardmen paused, their reptilian eyes narrowing as they hesitated to approach. Good—they were smart enough to recognize a threat.
But my brief moment of satisfaction was short-lived.
The air shifted again. A guttural roar echoed through the forest, louder and more guttural than before.
My stomach sank as another wave of Lizardmen began crashing through the trees, their heavy footfalls shaking the ground.
"Of course," I muttered, tightening my grip on the remaining shards. "Because one wave just wasn't enough for today..."
An hour later, I found myself surrounded by the corpses of various Lizardmen, clutching a small bag containing the herbs I'd spent far too much time gathering. The battle haze was still fading, my vision littered with floating notifications from the system.
[Congratulations! You have completed the Urgent Quest - "Defeat the Enemies."]
[Rewards are as follows: +10 points to all attributes, +1 Skill Rune.]
The golden text blinked brightly before fading away, only to be replaced by another notification.
[Quest Failed!]
[Quest: Complete 100 E-rank missions within one year of joining the guild known as "Fairy Tail."]
[Progress: 89/100.]
[Time Remaining: 00:00:00.]
I sighed deeply, the weight of the failed quest sinking in.
Time really does fly. I couldn't believe it had already been a year since I was reborn into this world. Grimacing at the golden text, I let out another sigh. I knew this was coming—there was no way around it—but it still stung.
It had taken me six months just to whip this body into basic shape. What started as a scrawny 10-year-old who could barely lift a sword had now grown into... well, this. That wasn't even counting the time it took to master the basics of [Holy Magic], despite the system's help.
The next three months were spent doing simple E-rank missions and strengthening myself further. Even then, I had to beg both my grandma and old man Makarov to let me go on missions. And those were just beginner-level ones—close to town or under the watchful eyes of experienced guild members.
It wasn't until the final three months that I could properly tackle D-rank missions. Unfortunately, D-rank requests were rare and mostly far from Magnolia, which left me scrambling to tag along with older guildmates or take what little work was available.
So, failing the quest wasn't surprising. But knowing that didn't make it sting any less as I stared at the glowing golden screen in front of me.
At least it wasn't all for nothing. My status and skills had grown significantly over the past year:
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Name: Alder Brightwood
Class: Paladin
Titles: The Gamer
Level: 38
Experience: 1537/2900
Health: 2780/2780
Mana: 2580/2580
Attributes:
- Strength: 45
- Agility: 47
- Intelligence: 55
- Vitality: 57
- Perception: 50
- Luck: 37
Skills:
Axe Techniques (Level 27) | Holy Power Manipulation (Level 27)| Smite (Level 25) | Purify (Level 24) | Devotion Aura (level 24) | Observe (Level 23)| Sense Danger (Level 21)| Divine Shield (Level 20) | Dish Washing (Level 18)| Cooking (Level 17)
Maxed Skills:
- Mana Affinity {Light} (Passive)
- Gamer's Mind (Passive)
- Gamer's Body (Passive)
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By leaps and bounds, my stats had improved. But what stood out most wasn't the numbers—it was this:
[Name: Rune Stone]
[Type: Magical Item]
[Effect: Grants one random skill related to the Paladin class.]
The first [Rune Stone] I ever obtained from the system had granted me this:
[Mana Affinity {Light} (Passive)]
A skill that allows the user to become highly attuned to the flow of mana, particularly the sacred element of light, enhancing their magical abilities.10% increase in MP recovery rate.5% increase in total MP amount.5% increase in light-element magic attack.5% increase in magic defense, with added resistance to dark arts.30% increase in the effects of light-element MP-related skills.
Ridiculous, wasn't it? I got this skill just for completing my first emergency quest of joining [Fairy Tail].
Still, it was no exaggeration to say this ability had been my saving grace. It allowed me to keep up with Laxus Dreyar—a Dragon Slayer and a genius in his own right, who was still a year older than me. That was no small feat.
Then again, this was Laxus we were talking about. Lately, I'd been barely able to keep up with him. All mages grew stronger under pressure—especially Dragon Slayers. Just as I'd grown stronger over the past year, so had he.
Still, I was hopeful. With this [Skill Rune], the prize from my first combat-oriented quest taken on alone, I should be able to hold my ground better in the future.
Even though I'd failed my side quest, this was proof that I wasn't standing still. I was getting stronger.
There was still time until the start of canon. The guild was still quiet—none of the younger generation were here yet, except for Laxus. That gave me plenty of time to prepare before things started getting messy.
My eyes flicked to the [Skill Rune] in my hand. What kind of skill would I get this time? Hopefully something offensive. While I was technically more versatile than Laxus, I still lacked the raw power needed to keep up with him in a proper duel. That's why most of our spars ended in a draw.
Just as I was about to reach into my [Inventory] to activate the stone, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"So this is where you went."
My body stiffened. Slowly, I turned around, my face paling as I saw who had spoken.
Standing behind me was a short, elderly man with black eyes, framed by the white hair that circled the rim of his head. A thick white mustache twitched as he regarded me with a piercing gaze. He wore a casual outfit: a white shirt with a black Fairy Tail guild mark in the middle, layered under an orange hoodie. His orange shorts and blue-striped jester hat completed the look.
But appearances could be deceiving.
This was no ordinary man.
I didn't need [Sense Danger] or [Observe] to feel the overwhelming magic power radiating from him. It was like staring into an endless abyss of raw energy, hidden beneath his unassuming exterior.
Makarov Dreyar.
The 3rd Guild Master of Fairy Tail.
One of the top 20 strongest mages on the continent.
Ranked 6th among the Wizard Saints.
And right now, he was staring at me like a father catching his child in the act of mischief.
"Old man, I can explain!" I blurted, trying to salvage the situation.
He raised a hand, silencing me instantly.
"I thought I told you," Makarov began, his voice calm yet carrying an edge that sent a chill down my spine, "that you weren't permitted to take D-rank missions alone yet. Not without another older, more experienced guild member with you."
"Master…" I muttered, my voice trailing off.
"Do you have any idea how worried everyone at the guild was? How worried your mother was? Do you know how worried Laxus was?"
"..."
He sighed, but then his stern expression softened. "Still… I have to give you credit." He gestured at the battlefield around us—the fallen Lizardmen and the charred remains of the forest. A small smile tugged at his lips. "At least you did well. You've proven yourself worthy of being a Fairy Tail mage."
"The fact that you said that should tell me everything I need to know about what kind of guild I've joined," I muttered, shaking my head.
Makarov roared with laughter, his booming voice echoing through the trees. "Of course! Do whatever you think is right! That's the way of the Fairy Tail mages!" He grinned at me. "Besides, we both know I was watching you the whole time."
"... So does this mean I'm not going to get punished?" I asked hesitantly.
"That," he replied with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "is up to your grand-mother."
"Damn it," I groaned, slumping in defeat.
"All right, everyone, let's give a cheer for our youngest member, Alder Brightwood, who just finished his first solo quest all on his own!" Makarov's booming voice carried over the noise, silencing the room for a moment before it erupted into cheers.
"Great job, kid!"
"Knew you had it in you!"
"Hey, heard about the mess you made in the forest—nice work!"
"A true Fairy Tail mage through and through!"
The guild's basement, with its stone floors and rustic, wood-beamed walls, was alive with energy. Round tables were scattered across the room, barrels and crates stacked against the walls, and the faint smell of ale lingered in the air. A wooden sign reading "Fairy Tail Basement" hung from one of the beams near the stairs, proudly declaring this as the guild's favorite party space.
I sat on one of the many barstools near the counter, nursing a mug of apple juice as I watched the chaos unfold. Truthfully, I knew the celebration wasn't really about me. It was just another excuse for the guild to drink and let loose.
Enno was dancing on one of the tables, much to the delight of most of the guild's male members. Macao, in particular, was working very hard not to stare too obviously, though he wasn't doing a great job.
Over in the corner, Alzack was busy flirting with Bisca, while Max and Mickey tried to outdo each other in lame pickup lines. Reedus sat off to the side, painting quietly, seemingly unfazed by the rowdiness around him.
Meanwhile, the old man, Makarov, was in the far corner trying to calm down Laxus. Apparently, my little solo quest had bruised Laxus's pride, and he was sulking—his newly acquired Dragon Slayer magic crackling faintly in the air as he pouted.
"Oi, you're making a face. What's wrong this time?"
The voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Turning, I was met with the sight of a tall, muscular man with shoulder-length orange hair and a stubbly beard.
"I just got grounded for an entire month," I grumbled, glaring at the man. "Can't take any quests without notifying my grandma first, and now I'm stuck helping around in the bakery ."
"That's Rough, buddy." He chuckled, sliding a mug of apple juice in my direction. "Want some juice?"
Groaning, I grabbed the juice and downed it in one go, slamming the empty mug back on the counter. Before I could say anything, the man ruffled my already messy black hair, earning another annoyed groan from me. I swatted his hand away, glaring at him as he laughed at my misery.
"What's with the grumpy face, Alder?" Gildarts teased, his laughter booming louder. "So what if you got punished? You just completed your first solo quest. You should be enjoying your party!"
"Gildarts," I growled, narrowing my eyes at him.
He ignored my glare entirely, his smirk widening. "Oh, you're just so uncute," he said, motioning toward Laxus, who was currently making his way toward us, still looking grumpy. "Look at Laxus—he's just a year older than you, and he's all sunshine. You should take some notes from him."
"Give it a few years," I muttered, crossing my arms. "We'll see how sunny he is then."
"Sure, kid," Gildarts said with a chuckle, patting me on the back.
My lips twitched, and I was just about to tear Gildarts a new one when a blonde missile slammed straight into my gut.
"Laxus, what the hell?" I gasped, doubling over.
"Alder!" Laxus yelled, his voice full of frustration as he grabbed my shoulders. "You promised we'd go on our first quest together as a team today!"
Before I could retort, the distinct scent of ozone hit me like a warning.
"Wait, Laxus—control your magic!"
Too late. A sudden jolt of electricity coursed through my body, leaving my entire frame twitching like I'd just stuck a fork in a live socket. Smoke rose from my ears, and my hair shot straight up like a porcupine's quills.
As the initial shock faded, my expression crumbled into a deep frown. Meanwhile, Laxus was entirely apologetic, his hands raised in surrender.
"Sorry!" he blurted out. "I'm still not used to it. Are you okay?"
Wordlessly, I reached into my [Inventory] and pulled out a wooden training axe. It was old and scuffed, a tool I usually used for practice swings, but it would do just fine for what I had in mind.
"Hey, what are you gonna do with that?" Laxus asked, backing away cautiously.
I didn't respond. I simply started walking toward him with deliberate, measured steps.
"Wait, Alder—hold on ! Let's talk about this!"
And so, the entirety of the Fairy Tail guild watched in amusement as the youngest members of their ranks tore through the basement. Flashes of lightning lit up the room as Laxus ran for his life, dodging a very angry Alder swinging a wooden axe.