WARNING : I am not a native speaker. So, read it with a grain of salt and please enjoy yourself.
—OoOoO—
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami
Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
Genre : Adventure, Action, Friendship, Slice of Life, and Little Bit Romance
Summary : being the second strongest does not necessarily guarantee victory in every battle. He lost, and he had failed. However, he got a second chance in another world. With the burden of the past haunting him, how will his story in the world full of magical powers be?
Chapter 2: When It All Began.
—OoOoO—
Cana Alberona was an unlucky girl. She lost her mother at a young age and had to travel to a distant city to find her father. In fact, after she arrived at the city where her father was supposed to live, the little girl had to swallow a bitter pill after learning that her father was a person who rarely stayed in one place. She learnt that her father was an extraordinary person, an ace everyone could always rely on. And when Cana looked at herself in the mirror, she found that she was a helpless little girl.
The little girl's unhealthy self-reflection made her guts shrink. She, who had sworn to tell her father about her existence as a daughter, had to be swallowed up in disbelief. The doubts chained her freedom and robbed her of her happiness. Even though she behaved naturally and remained cheerful, it was no more like she was wrapping up and swallowing her anxiety alone.
"He is late, duh!" complained the little girl with brown-black hair.
Having arrived in Magnolia two years ago—when she was only six years old—Cana spent part of her inheritance to survive. Until the money was in crisis, the ponytail girl decided to stay in an orphanage.
Currently, Cana was at a food stall near the orphanage where she lived. She sat at a table with a few slices of bread before her for breakfast.
Yesterday, Cana met a boy about the same age as her, asking a few things about Fairy Tail. Well, she wasn't a member of the guild, but because she wanted to know more about her father figure, Cana often visited and socialized with their members. With her knowledge and familiarity with the guild, Cana made an appointment with the boy she was supposed to meet.
"Did the naked boy run away like a scaredy-cat? Tsk. I know I shouldn't just make an appointment with a weird boy I just met."
While she was busy cursing the boy who was late to their promised place, Cana suddenly heard a question from behind that caught her attention.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you know where Gildarts Clive lives?"
Cana immediately turned her body toward the source of the sound. Right behind her—or now before her—she found a boy asking one of the visitors.
"Ah, you mean that Gildarts? Well, he's rarely in the city. No one knows where the person went. Go to Fairy Tail, maybe they can tell you when he's coming home," replied the visitor.
"Fairy Tail? Where's that? can you tell me the address?" asked the boy.
Cana, who heard her favourite topic being mentioned, couldn't help but want to join in their conversation.
"I know, I know!" said Cana excitedly.
Hearing the girl's screams, the boy and the visitor looked at Cana simultaneously.
"Oh, right. I often see this girl in and out of their base. Just try to ask her, "said the visitor advised.
The boy nodded slowly and then bowed to form a right angle to express his gratitude.
"Thank you very much for taking your time, sir."
He straightened himself up and looked at the little girl who had suddenly interrupted their conversation just now. He wanted to get straight to the point, but after seeing a few slices of bread on her table, he changed his mind.
"May I sit down with you, little miss?"
Cana puffed out her cheeks, pouting and replied, "I'm not a little miss, and you can sit as you please."
With that approval, he smiled and nodded.
—OoOoO—
"Oh, so your name is Yuta Okkotsu?" asked Cana.
Yuta, the boy who asked where Gildlarts was, nodded in response.
"Nice to meet you, Cana-chan."
After sitting opposite Cana just now, Yuta immediately ordered some food and drinks for them. Yuta realized that Cana's breakfast which only consisted of a few slices of bread and a glass of water, was not an ideal menu for a girl her age. Because of that, Yuta treated Cana to some food in exchange for some information he might get from the girl. Although basically, most of the reasons Yuta treated Cana were purely based on empathy.
"So, what do you want to know? I know a lot about Gildarts as well as Fairy Tail," Cana said.
"No need to rush, Cana-chan," Yuta replied with a small smile, "Eat first while it's still warm. Only then we will continue."
"Are you sure I can eat all of this? I don't have much money, you know?" Cana asked a little hesitantly.
"I have a lot, and this is my treat."
Yuta knew that Cana wouldn't touch her food because she was still unsure. Because of that, Yuta calmly started their breakfast session to show the girl that there was nothing to worry about. Yuta began by taking a glass of chocolate milk and eating a sandwich.
Actually, not only a sandwich. There were several types of food available on their table. Yuta knew that overeating breakfast was not recommended. However, with just a glance, Yuta could tell that Cana was one of the unlucky children who couldn't eat the food she wanted due to economic problems. Therefore, Yuta thought of letting the girl eat whatever she liked.
Yuta alone had enough money to last him a few months. The money he saved from his work at the tavern near his home was enough to pay for his journey. Coupled with the bundle of money the old couple he worked for gave him, he didn't have to worry about starving. He could make more with his abilities even if the money ran out.
All in all, just treating a little girl to a sumptuous breakfast wouldn't make him bankrupt.
After a few minutes of eating the food served in silence, Cana looked closely at the guy treating her. Yuta Okkotsu was his name. A boy who seemed to be a few years older than her but oddly had an adult aura that was calming and reliable.
The boy had short jet-black hair but neatly combed to the side, unlike the naked boy she met yesterday, who had long black hair—for male's standard—and was a little dishevelled. He was wearing a dark blue t-shirt and grey shorts. Meanwhile, there was a pair of black shoes on his feet. Not yet finished there, he also wrapped his body in a black robe, which, if you looked closely, there was a short sword hidden behind it.
'That looks like wakizashi to me,' thought Cana.
Cana was not a fighter, much less a knight. However, associating with Fairy Tail's people gave her knowledge of various weapons. If her memory didn't betray her, the wakizashi was a short sword about half the length of a katana. Wakizashi was generally used as a pair of katana. If the katana was used for more offensive purposes, the wakizashi was more for self-defence.
'Regardless of its function, choosing a wakizashi over a katana only shows that he is an experienced person. Boy his age would definitely prefer the katana because it's way cooler. However, in practice, wakizashi is much more suitable and efficient for short people because of its length.'
Cana was initially quite hesitant to accept his kindness. Her mother used to always warn her to be careful of people she didn't know, who suddenly offered her something. The boy sitting across from her was no exception. With her judgment saying he was at least an experienced fighter, Cana couldn't just drop her guard.
However, after trying to slowly eat the food served before her table, Cana started to give Yuta a slightly positive impression, but that didn't mean she relaxed her guard.
"Is there something wrong with my face?" asked Yuta.
Cana snorted and crossed her arms in front of her chest to show her undaunted attitude to the stranger. Unfortunately, Yuta actually found it adorable.
"So, what do you want to know about Gildarts?" asked Cana.
"Nothing in particular. I at least knew that he was one of the strongest in this city. So, you can tell me whatever you know, Cana-chan."
Cana frowned when she heard the vague question. Honestly, that sounds pretty suspicious. Yuta, who realized it, immediately corrected his sentence.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything bad. It's just I want to know more about him before I judge it. It would also be nice if you knew when he came back or where he is now, so I can judge him firsthand.
"Judge him? Why?" Cana asked, tilting her head.
"Well, let's say someone I know had a history with him."
Cana still needed to understand what Yuta meant. However, she ignored that because there would be nothing to be afraid of, even if he had hidden intentions toward Gildarts.
'That man is the strongest, after all.'
Cana started telling stories in front of Yuta. The story began with how Gildarts joined Fairy Tail, how he related to his friends, how he's always been the ace of the guild, and how the townspeople specially treat Gildarts—in many ways. All that Cana said with pride and admiration.
However, there was a moment that caught Yuta's attention. Precisely when, the girl's tone turned even more melancholy and sounded lonely when she told him that Gildarts was a man who hardly ever came home, a man who was crazy about adventure and his insensitivity to those around him.
The change in expression was difficult to identify, but Yuta caught it quickly. Due to that change as well, a theory popped into his head. However, he didn't know how to express it.
"So, how? What do you think about Gildarts? Isn't he an amazing person?" asked Cana enthusiastically.
With a smile that he used to cover up a lie, Yuta gave a nod that made the girl snort with pride.
"Actually, what do you want to seek from Gildarts?" asked Cana again.
Yuta was very curious if what he thought was true. Something he wanted to say might sound painful to Cana. However, that was the only way to test whether the theory was correct. However, he couldn't bear to imagine how Cana would react to what he wanted to say. But on the other hand, it also made him angry to see Cana, who was neglected and even had to live below the poverty line.
It was his anger because he saw Cana being neglected, which prompted Yuta to say what he wanted to say so that if his theory was correct, he had every right to be involved in Cana's life.
"Well, my mom said that Gildarts was my dad," Yuta said.
His mother never told Yuta directly, but that wasn't a complete lie either. At least, Yuta had repeatedly heard his mother cursing Gildarts for impregnating her, to the point that he couldn't count how many animal names came out of his mother's mouth.
Yuta's statement made Cana's mouth gape with mixed feelings. She was at a loss for words. Even her heart seemed to stop for a moment. Moreover, she had almost neglected her guard against Yuta.
"What?" asked Cana, who still couldn't believe it.
"Gildarts is my father."
"Are you serious?"
"Totally serious."
At first, Yuta himself wasn't 100% sure that Gildarts from Fairy Tail was his father. Even though every time he asked everyone about 'Gildarts Clive', the only 'Gildarts' they pointed at was Gildarts from Fairy Tail. However, Yuta never ruled out the possibility that there were other 'Gildarts Clive' out there. Unfortunately, after hearing Cana talk about Gildarts' personality and how she looked lonely whenever she talked about Gildarts, who was always on the move, Yuta believed that the person who shot sperm into his mother's womb was the same Gildarts in Cana's story.
Yuta, who had mixed feelings after seeing Cana, who was swallowed up by his unexpected statement, decided to ask the girl.
"You too… are Gildarts son, aren't you?"
Cana seemed taken aback by the question.
"What? No, I mean…."
Unable to continue her words, Cana just looked down with all the thoughts and uncertainty that overwhelmed her.
"How do you know?" chirped the girl.
Yuta smiled and replied, "Maybe because of an older brother's instinct of mine?"
Cana immediately lifted her head to look at the boy sitting before her. He smiled very broadly and was full of sincerity. Because of her alertness that had collapsed, Yuta's sincerity was now able to reach her, and it really made the little girl's heart feel warm, calm, comfortable, and safe.
Before Cana could reply, Yuta spoke again.
"So, where do you live? Can I visit your home, Cana-chan?"
Cana was a little taken aback by the question. She turned her face to the side while playing with her index fingers to hide her nervousness.
"I… I live in an orphanage near here," Cana squeaked with slightly pursed lips.
Unlike what Yuta had imagined, that statement managed to take the jujutsu sorcerer by surprise.
"Living in an orphanage? You don't live with Gildarts, but live in an orphanage?" Yuta asked in disbelief.
"Actually, he doesn't know that I'm his daughter yet."
Yuta almost released his cursed energy when he heard the stifling information. However, fortunately, because his common sense was still firmly entrenched in his brain, he could control it so as not to frighten all visitors in the food stall because of his overwhelming aura of cursed energy. Unfortunately, the knife he held in his left hand had to be sacrificed due to Yuta's imperfect emotional control.
Cana herself even noticed the change in Yuta's expression, which became darker. And the girl immediately tried to clear up the misunderstanding she had created.
"No, please don't be mad at Gildarts. It's not like he's guilty or anything. It's my fault that I insisted on coming to this city, but didn't dare to tell him in the end."
That reason didn't make Yuta's mood any better. On the contrary, it only made the fire of anger inside him seem to be doused with oil. True, his rage directed at Gildarts was real. However, Yuta at least had better mental preparation, so he didn't show an expression that made little Cana uncomfortable.
'Fucking bastard. Even though my mother was a whore with no motherly side, she at least raised me to make sure I could live independently before running away with her new boyfriend.'
Yuta did not give his mother a good assessment, but he also would not turn a blind eye to his mother's efforts alone to raise him. Besides, although this was just speculation, Yuta thought his mother only dared to run away after confirming that Yuta could live independently without needing financial assistance. Because if his mother really had the intention to run away, she would have run away from the start. After all, even though his mother's life had fallen apart, she was still a prostitute with many customers. Not a few were trying to propose to his mother, yet she took down all of them.
So, if his mother was rotten to the core and intended to dump him, she could have done that in the first place. It wasn't like Yuta was trying to defend or be biased toward his mother. It's just that, as bad as she was as a mother, Yuta still had a positive credit that he could give to his mother.
On the other hand, Gildarts really left a wrong impression on Yuta's head. He not only irresponsibly impregnated women, but he didn't even seem to care about the consequences he created. He looked like someone who just wanted to stick his rod into women throughout his adventures but didn't think about the risks that awaited him.
Judging from Cana's story, Gildarts was probably the kind of person who would accept them as children if they told him. However, that didn't change the fact that he had caused Cana to suffer inwardly because of his selfishness.
'Cana-chan who blames herself reminds me of my old self. It makes me angry and sad when I know my little sister has to go through the same mental problems as me,' Yuta thought.
The source of the problem was different, but Yuta had also experienced a similar issue in his first life. He, who always harmed others because he could not control his own power, must live under restlessness and helplessness. He always blamed himself for the terrible events that happened to other people.
However, Cana was different. She was just a child seeking refuge in her family. And when she found her father, she was confronted with the fact that her father was an extraordinary figure as an individual. But at the same time, he was neglectful of the responsibility he caused for the little things he did.
Cana lost her confidence in the family due to Gildarts, who couldn't realize the seeds he had planted. It was a completely wrong reflection, which led her to a false understanding. Cana tried to build her confidence, so she was worth facing her father. In fact, what should have happened was that the family should have helped Cana build that confidence.
"It doesn't matter. I understand, Cana-chan," Yuta said as he looked at his sister gently, "If you're not ready to tell Gildarts yet, that's fine because you can always rely on me from now on."
Cana looked confused at Yuta. Her big eyes made the boy think that his little sister—whom he had just met—looked so cute.
"This may sound a little harsh, but actually I have no intention of confessing to Gildarts at all," Yuta continued.
"Eh? Why?"
"Because he was never in my life. He was never a father figure to me. Gildarts might be a kind person to befriend, but at this rate, it might be hard to think of him as a father."
Cana tilted her head in confusion. She felt what he said and did was a bit of a contradiction.
"Then, why did you go all the way looking for Gildarts all the way to this city?"
Yuta was silent for a moment to string the words. What he would say this time would probably affect Cana's mindset toward her father. Putting his personal feelings aside, Yuta didn't want his half-sister to harbour hatred toward their father. Whether Cana ultimately chose to hate or accept Gildarts as family, he wanted those feelings to come from her own thought process and consider everything carefully. In essence, Yuta wanted to lead Cana to become a figure who had independence in thinking so that she was not haunted by insecurity and helplessness.
"My mother used to say many things about Gildarts, from good to bad. So, I just want to judge it with my own eyes," Yuta replied.
Half of it was a lie, of course. As repeatedly emphasized, the words that came out of his mother's mouth for Gildarts were mere swearing. Yuta said his mother had a good judgment on Gildarts because he just wanted to tell Cana that everyone had good and bad sides. Meanwhile, Yuta said he tried to judge Gildarts with his own eyes, he actually wanted to teach Cana to keep her mind wide open toward Gildarts.
Well, Yuta had yet to experience being an onii-chan. However, he learned a lot from Choso, Yuuji's half-brother. Albeit Yuta and he didn't spend much time together, though.
"The point is, you don't have to worry anymore," Yuta continued, "I'm here and I am your onii-chan, after all."
While saying that, Yuta was about to rub the top of Cana's head. However, before Yuta's hand reached her head, something caught Yuta's attention first.
"Hey! what are you going to do to Cana, you damn stranger?"
The boy screamed as he ran and then braked until he finally stopped at their table. The child's action attracted not only the attention of Yuta and Cana but also all visitors.
'He's the kid who's been watching us. I thought he was a stalker or something, but he seems to know Cana-chan?' Yuta said in his mind.
"I'm asking you, you bastard! What did you do to Cana? I saw you made her almost cry!"
Yuta smiled slightly awkwardly hearing that.
"Bastard? Me?" squeaked Yuta, then scanned the boy's figure, "Moreover, who are you? And why are you naked and only wearing a toe?"
At the question, the boy immediately lowered his head to look at his entire body.
"What? Since when am I naked? Where did my clothes go? Who the fuck dare to steal my clothes?"
This time, Yuta really could no longer maintain his composure. In fact, almost all visitors looked at the boy with big questions.
'He doesn't realize he's naked? Is there something wrong with his head?' thought Yuta.
Cana was annoyed that her precious moment had to be disturbed. She was indeed surprised because she suddenly had to face the fact that she had an older brother. However, deep down, she was so happy and grateful when she discovered that she still had a family that cared about her. Well, the people at Fairy Tail were lovely, and she was also thankful that they accepted her even though she wasn't a member. However, the existence of Yuta, who appeared as an older brother, gave Cana a significant emotional boost and strength.
"Gray, I told you to watch your clothes, you freak! Also, don't yell at him. He's… my onii-chan, you know?"
Yuta's heart suddenly stopped for a second. A tingling sensation was felt in his stomach. It was as if there were so many butterflies filling it. He used to be surprised by Choso, who immediately got excited when Yuuji acknowledged him as a big bro. Now, when Cana referred to Yuta as her onii-chan, he fully understood how Choso felt at that time.
"I'm Yuta Okkotsu, Cana-chan's half-brother," Yuta introduced as he took off his black robe.
The boy then handed his cloak to Gray, offering the boy to cover himself with it. Initially, Grey was hesitant, but then he accepted Yuta's good intentions.
"Brother? I thought Cana had no other family after her mother died?" said Gray, who was still staring fiercely at Yuta.
"Don't be too cocky, okay? We just met yesterday," Cana said with a snort.
Yuta just smiled at Gray, understanding the basis of the boy's concern.
"Well, this is also my first meeting Cana-chan, but I hope to be the best onii-chan for her.
Gray still had a hard time trusting Yuta. However, it was precisely as Cana said. He had only known the girl yesterday, so there was no room for him to interfere in their family affairs. Obviously, as long as Cana didn't mind it, she thought it would be fine. And if that damn Yuta made Cana—his first friend in the city—cry, he would tear the damn boy to pieces.
"My name is Gray, Gray Fullbuster," he said, then turned to Cana, "By the way, sorry I'm late, Cana. I actually wanted to come to you earlier, but I saw that you were having a serious conversation with that boy."
"It's okay," replied Cana curtly, not wanting to prolong the matter, "Shall we go straight to the guild? Or do you want breakfast first?"
"No need, I already ate something earlier," Gray replied, shaking his head.
Cana nodded slowly and then looked at Yuta to see her older brother's reaction. And as expected, he just looked at Cana with a questioning look.
"Yuta… onii-chan, this is Gray. I met him yesterday. He just came to this city yesterday and wanted to join Fairy Tail. However, he was embarrassed to go there alone. That's why he asked me to accompany him after he found out that I often hang out there."
Yuta just muttered "ooh" in reply. He listened intently to his sister's explanation, but one thing tickled his mind.
"Hang out often? You mean, you weren't a part of them all this time, but you just hung out with them a lot?" asked Yuta, to which Cana nodded.
Gray didn't want to get too close to Yuta, who he thought was still suspicious. However, he decided to give a few words.
"I coaxed her a bit yesterday—"
"—forced me," Cana cut in quickly.
Gray let out a heavy breath while putting his hands on his hips.
"Alright, I forced her a little to join Fairy Tail with me. But, I mean, it doesn't make sense, doesn't it, if she's always been hanging out with them and yet she didn't join the guild?"
Instead of replying to Gray's words, Yuta turned to look at Cana. Meanwhile, the girl tried to avert her eyes to avoid meeting each other's eyes with her brother.
"That's because I can't use magic," she answered quietly.
Yuta, who heard that, just smiled understandingly. The corners of the young man's eyes narrowed, following the line of the cheeks drawn by his smile.
"Magic is something universal. Everyone has the potential to become a mage," said Yuta.
He didn't say that without any evidence. Magic energy was something universal in this world. The fact that everyone could see the little shikigami he created showed they had sufficient spiritual energy to come into contact with supernatural beings. Although the purity was different, mana and cursed energy had almost the same concept. Whereas magic spells and cursed techniques were separate matters.
Cana glanced at her brother. Until a few seconds later, she dared to look at him directly.
"You can use magic, onii-chan?" Cana asked, then her gaze fell on Yuta's wakizashi, "You seem to be proficient with sharp weapons too?"
To answer that question, Yuta pulled out four strands of his hair and summoned four small shikigami through the intermediary of the strands.
"They are my shikigami. I usually use them to track objects or scan somewhere. And to use sharp weapons, I still have to practice more."
Yuta wouldn't have flaunted this ability carelessly if he was still in his old world. However, considering that in this world, everyone could see a shikigami, Yuta had no problem pointing it out. Besides that, just showing a few little shikigami didn't mean he was revealing the secrets of his own power. In fact, a simple show like this was only a tiny part of his whole secret.
"Wow, you can use magic too?" Gray asked enthusiastically, "Me too! I am an ice mage."
"Ice mage? That's amazing, Gray-kun," Yuta replied as he freed his four summoned creatures.
Yuta turned his gaze to Cana, who was currently gloomy, Yuta might be a blessed child, but he knew very well what Cana was feeling.
"Don't worry, Cana-chan. You should also be able to use magic as long as you learn it properly. And I will always help you."
In fact, those were terrible words to say. It's the same as saying a promise that couldn't be kept. In other words, there was no other choice for him. And with no other choice, the only goal he had to achieve was to make Cana a great mage.
"Not only him, but I will also help you learn magic," Gray said excitedly.
"Right. Joining Fairy Tail was the right step. They must have copies of documents on various types of magic. If Cana-chan wants to learn to be a mage, I think Fairy Tail is the right place to start," added Yuta to give Cana confidence.
Cana looked at the two boys alternately. What her older brother said was also entirely accurate. During this time, Cana had always drawn a clear line between herself and the Fairy Tail members, which was why she felt unable to move forward, even if it was just to say hello to Gildarts. If she wanted to prove her existence, the first thing she could do was stand where the man could see. Only then could she shine as brightly as she wanted if she already had a firm footing.
Cana nodded firmly to the two boys.
"Okay, I understand!"
—OoOoO—
"You… Cana's brother?"
Yuta just smiled kindly while nodding at the impromptu inspection aimed at him. Even so, there wasn't the slightest bit of compulsion in that smile. Yuta liked to be friendly to people, moreover if that person was a good person. Yuta was the type who believed if you spread kindness wherever you were, that kindness would come back to you at the most crucial moments without you knowing it.
"You're her brother, but your last name is Okkotsu?"
The ones inspecting him were two people named Macao and Wakaba. Cana explained that the two of them were like living fossils in Fairy Tail since they'd been here for quite a while. Although both Yuta and Gray were sure that Macao and Wakaba were still relatively young, maybe around 26 years old or less.
"Well, I am her half-brother. We have the same father but different mothers. That's why our last names are different," Yuta replied.
Speaking of the last name, Yuta didn't actually inherit it from his mother. Although his mother was famous for her beauty, she was just a commoner abandoned by her family due to her pregnancy without a husband. That's why her last name was ripped off. However, after Yuta decided on his journey, he set his own last name from his past for him to use in this world.
"Well, fine then," said Macao, turning to look at Gray.
'That is it?' Yuta's response in his mind.
Surprised? A little. At least, Yuta thought that the two people would show some suspicion or something. He had even prepared for an even worse reaction. However, seeing him being taken to welcome him into the community made him feel a little uneasy. On the one hand, Yuta was grateful that they were good people. While on the other hand, Yuta was a little worried that someone wanted to deceive them.
"Then your name is Gray, correct?" asked Wakaba.
"Yes, sir!"
"Ah, please relax, kid. There's no need to be so tense," said Macao.
"Yes, sir—. I mean, as you say."
The two veterans looked closely at the two new recruits that Cana brought. The first kid was Yuta Okkotsu, who was Cana's brother. He was ten years old, two years older than Cana. However, the appearance was quite simple. Even his short, neatly combed black hair showed that he was the type of kid who paid attention to his appearance but not to the extent of overdoing it. In addition, his mature demeanour and well-educated ethics gave him an impression of a kid from a noble family.
While the second kid was almost the opposite of Yuta. His name was Gray Fulbuster, and he was the same age as Cana. He only wore shorts and admitted that his shirt was lost somewhere. Also, by male standards, his hair was quite long and looked a little dishevelled.
"So, what's your motivation for joining Fairy Tail?" asked Wakaba.
Yuta was a little surprised because he had to face something like a user interview. According to Cana, if you want to join, just join because the guild was open to new people. Because of that, Yuta didn't expect an interview session. Speaking of Cana, the girl was currently with the pink-haired old woman—whose name he couldn't remember—to collect medical supplies.
"I want to be a powerful mage, sir!" replied Gray.
Wakaba and Macao showed an exciting expressions to Gray, and they responded in turn.
"Ooh, that's good motivation, young man!"
"Being a powerful mage, huh? It's nice. It reminds me of a dream of my youth. I'm still not that old, though."
Yuta and Gray just smiled awkwardly at the old man's joke. And after that, their gazes were now fixed on the former jujutsu sorcerer.
"For now, I still haven't thought about what I really want to do. But for sure, I want to do my best and be a good example for Cana-chan."
Yuta had already died once and had gone through quite a several journeys during his first life. Therefore, he didn't have many regrets. However, if he had to name one, his biggest regret was that he couldn't accompany his friends to the end. Moreover, because of his incompetence, he had to let the most precious person to him die with him at the hands of the Curses King.
If he could say it out loud, Yuta wanted to scream that his wish was not to let the same end happen to the people who were precious to him. In this world, he had found Cana, a soul distorted by the selfishness of adults and, ironically, his little sister. Yuta wanted to give everything to his sister. He was also aware that his relationship one day would surely grow and reach more people.
That's why to keep it all in, there's no compromise available other than being the strongest.
"Being a strong mage and doing your best does sound good, but I hope you don't take those words lightly."
Yuta and Gray immediately turned their attention to the source of the sound. Meanwhile, Wakaba and Macao immediately made their way after realizing that the most crucial person in the guild was standing behind them. From there, an old man with a small body looked at the two young men with sharp eyes.
If you just heard from the sentence he spoke, it was clear that the old man was commenting on the resolution of the two boys.
"I've often heard people say about wanting to be the strongest. Which in the end, only creates egoism and encourages the person to grow up alone, leaving his peers behind."
Ignoring his pretty cute appearance, Yuta perfectly captured how the figure was a leader who had been through and faced various kinds of events. He was a wise man whose words contained a thousand values of life. He was a person whose every word that came out of his mouth always possessed virtues.
"By the way, my name is Makarov Dreyar. I am the Guild Master of Fairy Tail. Sorry for being late in introducing myself."
In contrast to Yuta—who basically had a mature mental age—who tried to digest Makarov's words and find their value, Grey felt triggered for some reason.
"So, you're saying that it's wrong to have ambitions to become the strongest, huh?" asked Gray.
"There is nothing wrong with setting such a standard. However, what must be considered is, why did you become strong? And how will you become strong? Setting those two values will help you in every way."
Gray clenched his fist tightly. He couldn't stop his teeth from chattering and making sounds representing his emotions.
"Nonsense," Gray muttered. Luckily only Yuta heard him because he was standing next to him.
Why? His goal was obvious, and he had every right to be strong. How to be strong? It didn't matter to Gray. No matter what, he had every justification that could allow him to use all the methods at hand. Gray's brain couldn't forget the hell he had witnessed that night, and his stomach couldn't hold back how disgusting the frailty that made his master sacrifice himself for his safety alone.
Devil, that's what had been haunting Gray. The strength that he could not put into words. The cruelty no human being could match. Even carnivores would be insecure when the demon bared its fangs. Ordinary magic wouldn't be enough to match his arrogance. Only absolute power could purify his dirty blood from the world. And that absolute power was what Gray was hungry for. Furthermore, vengeance and massacre were the absolute justice he most deserved for that disgrace of this world.
Yuta glanced at Gray. Maybe Gray thought he could hide his emotions well. Yuta himself didn't want to brag that he understood how other people felt with just one look. However, his experience interacting with Uro Takako gave him many new lessons. Those, who were busy chasing power, sometimes didn't mean they wanted to, but they had to. There was something they desperately wanted to pursue, even if life had to be sacrificed in exchange.
And when it came to people like them, half-hearted words of speech could not reach their hearts.
Before Gray spit out all his emotions because he felt Makarov was a smart ass, Yuta first replied to the midget grandfather's words.
"Thank you very much for your advice, master," said Yuta while bowing respectfully, "We will think carefully about your words."
Gray, whose remark was preceded by Yuta, gave him a few more seconds to reflect, and it was successful enough to make the boy realize his mistake. He almost exploded and spilt all his frustration onto an unrelated person. Moreover, that person was the master of Fairy Tail.
However, it wasn't entirely Gray's fault. After all, he was a child who had been through a lot. He had experienced a series of events worthy of being called hell on earth, an experience a child like him shouldn't have gone through. Yet, after what happened to his village, family, and teacher, Gray's only ending with emotional instability was a miracle.
"Good, I'm glad to finally have fresh kids as you join us," Makarov chirped, "I'm also relieved that Cana-chan finally dared to step up and overcome her dilemma. From now on, you are our family, and we are all family. You are not alone, my children."
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: 10 reviews for the first chapter. I really didn't expect it, seriously! It makes me happy and excited when I read your review. Then chapter 2 is only the first chapter that I cut in half. That's why I can update fast.
So, as already written above, Yuta is now 10 years old. In other words, 2 years older than Cana, Gray, Natsu, and Elfman. 1 year older than Erza and Mira. 3 years older than Lucy and Lisanna. 3 years younger than Laxus. Etc.
There's not much I want to say. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter.
So, what do you think about this chapter? And thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Please leave your review for this chapter because your review is my encouragement. See you in the next chapter and stay safe.