[Congratulations! Skill Royal Demon Rose has been unlocked!]
As golden light shimmered, the symbol of Pisces emerged, scattering rose petals everywhere.
Information about those gorgeous yet deadly roses flooded into Marco's mind all at once.
This time, what he obtained wasn't a disposable consumable item, but the genuine [Royal Demon Rose] - a complete set of procedures from planting and cultivation to usage.
It even came with the additional effect of altering his physique, making him completely immune to the [Royal Demon Rose].
"So it seems the previous disposable version was actually more advanced, since that one had no effect on me whatsoever from the start," Marco thought to himself.
Of course, disposable items were ultimately disposable - once used, they were gone.
They couldn't compare to this complete, genuine skill that could be planted and used infinitely.
Moreover, the poison-resistant constitution altered by the [Royal Demon Rose] didn't just provide complete immunity to the red rose's toxicity - it worked against other poisons as well.
Unless there was poison more terrifying than that of the [Royal Demon Rose], though such poisons were probably rare.
This constitution was essentially equivalent to being "immune to all poisons."
As a byproduct of the [Royal Demon Rose] skill, it was already tremendously valuable.
The system's mission rewards were quite generous, not splitting these minor skills and traits into separate parts.
"I'll start planting roses as soon as I get back."
While familiarizing himself with the information in his mind, Marco made up his decision.
This matter couldn't be delayed - he needed to prepare the rose garden early.
After all, if he didn't plant roses, this [Royal Demon Rose] technique would be basically unusable.
The skill didn't come with any "trial version," though it thoughtfully provided several large bags of rose seeds.
Clearly, Marco would have to cultivate and use them himself.
Although he could use the throwing technique of [Royal Demon Rose] to throw other things, it definitely couldn't compare to the power of throwing actual [Royal Demon Rose].
After all, whether in terms of hardness or toxicity, the power of [Royal Demon Rose] wasn't something ordinary hidden weapons or poisons could match.
"What a pity, currently there's only the red rose. The blue rose, black rose, and white rose haven't been unlocked yet. The red rose is a deadly poison that strips away everything, the blue rose is a sharp dagger, the black rose is an indestructible blade, and the white rose is the final piercing strike."
Marco shook his head while thinking about this. He was indeed being somewhat greedy - he hadn't even planted the "red rose" yet, and here he was fantasizing about others.
If none of the several bags of seeds sprouted, that would be truly laughable, since there was nowhere to buy more.
....
Soon, Marco's group returned to Magnolia.
The group went back to the guild first, since both Mystogan and Mirajane needed to submit their missions.
"Bzzz bzzz!"
A wave of magical power fluctuation swept through, and caught completely off guard, everyone in the guild hall gradually closed their eyes, some slumping over tables, others collapsing directly onto the floor.
"So this is Mystogan's magic? It's truly amazing!"
Lisanna and Elfman watched this scene with wide eyes, completely stunned.
Normally they were among those who fell asleep inside, but this time they could clearly observe everything.
The scene of an entire guild suddenly falling silent, with everyone obediently asleep, was truly astonishing at Fairy Tail.
"Even Natsu and Gray couldn't resist this magic!"
Seeing Natsu and Gray—who had been gripping each other's heads—now slumped over the table still locked in that pose, Elfman was amazed once more.
He knew they usually couldn't resist, but would these two really fall asleep even in the middle of a fight?!
"Of course. Otherwise, wouldn't this move be too useless? I've used it to hypnotize hostile enemies and wild beasts. These two boys naturally fell for it without even realizing." Mystogan chuckled softly in response.
"So impressive!"
Elfman and Lisanna kept exclaiming in admiration, feeling quite envious.
This hypnotic magic clearly had many practical applications.
Of course, as children, their thoughts naturally drifted to legitimate scenarios, particularly regarding quests.
"Is that Mystogan back?"
The commotion in the guild naturally didn't escape Makarov.
The old man emerged from the inner room and immediately spotted Mystogan standing beside Marco.
With his tall stature and peculiar attire, Mystogan was impossible to miss.
"Master, I'm here to report and pick up a quest."
Mystogan stated his purpose earnestly, showing considerable respect toward Makarov.
"Good. Let Marco handle the handover with you. You can manage your own affairs—saves us from calling Aero again."
Makarov waved his hand, signaling for Marco to take care of it.
He had fully embraced the hands-off approach, rarely involving himself in daily matters and only stepping in for major events.
"Understood, Master." Mystogan nodded, indicating he wouldn't disturb Makarov further, then turned his gaze to Marco beside him.
"Follow me."
Marco didn't stand on ceremony either, leading Mystogan away to quickly settle the previous quest before letting him choose a new one.
The selection process itself was the most time-consuming part.
After all, Mystogan didn't prioritize quests by location or chase them randomly.
He had his own rhythm and targets to pursue, so his quest choices required careful consideration.
"Mira, have you completed your quest too?"
After Mystogan left with Marco, Makarov stayed behind and shifted his attention to Mirajane, who had just returned from her first S-Class Quest.
"I..."
Mirajane hesitated, unable to immediately decide whether she had succeeded, hence the pause.
"What? Ran into trouble?"
Noting Mirajane's expression, Makarov asked with a gentle smile.
"Go on and tell me. Everyone's asleep now, and Erza isn't here—no one will overhear. I'll keep it confidential for you." Makarov spoke with a kindly expression, recognizing the uncharacteristic lack of confidence in the usually competitive girl.
It seemed she had faced significant challenges this time.
"Well, it's like this..."
Eventually, Mirajane slowly began recounting the events.
She trusted Makarov after all.
Mirajane was recounting the events while Lisanna and Elfman chimed in from the side, occasionally adding details from their own perspectives.
"...You really encountered all of that."
After hearing about Mirajane's experience during this "S-Class Quest," Makarov opened his mouth but found himself momentarily speechless.
Although the situation had developed this way partly due to Mirajane's initial carelessness and overconfidence, the final outcome was truly unfortunate.
If Marco hadn't been following them and covering for them, this "S-Class Quest" would likely have become major news that would greatly shock their Fairy Tail guild.