"Ah, so that's how it is." After listening to Makarov's explanation, Ur finally understood the whole story.
The situation was quite simple.
For reasons no one could figure out, little Levy had insisted on taking a B-Class job request. But this particular B-Class mission was unusual, far too dangerous. Makarov had even considered reclassifying it as an A-Class mission.
If Levy attempted it alone, her chances of failure were practically one hundred percent. Worse, she could very well lose her life.
But Levy absolutely refused to give up on this mission.
After going back and forth, Makarov finally decided she could take the job, only if she found a partner strong enough to cover her.
So, Levy sought out the person she trusted most in the guild: Ur.
After a moment of silent consideration, Ur turned to Makarov.
"Master, I'll go with her."
He never even thought about turning her down. If nothing else, after all the help Levy had given him lately, there was no way Ur could refuse her now.
Still, even if he agreed to help, this partnership was temporary.
Because of a certain system, Ur was destined not to be the kind of mage who regularly formed teams to complete jobs.
The reason was simple: Any job done as a team meant splitting the reward.
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When Ur agreed, Levy's big eyes lit up instantly. At that moment, Makarov suddenly fell silent, his expression a tangled knot of thoughts.
Seeing this, Ur immediately understood what was going through the old man's mind. Quietly, he released a trace of his own magic power.
"Hm?"
"What was that?"
The instant Ur's magic flared, several high-level mages in the guild sensed it. Ur wasn't exactly strong, but he was far from weak now.
A sudden burst of unfamiliar magic nearby would make any mage instinctively alert. But Ur let it flash for only a moment. When the guild members searched and found nothing, they soon dismissed it. Only two people, Makarov and Gildarts, who were standing closest, knew whose magic it was.
Makarov's eyes were full of shock.
Ur's progress was simply absurd. In just two short months, he had gone from a novice who had barely learned magic to nearly reaching A-Class levels. It was inhuman.
What puzzled Makarov even more was that he had tested Ur's aptitude himself. Ur had only a basic D-Class water affinity, nothing that could explain such explosive growth.
Could he have misjudged him?
"Ur, your magic… Forget it. Since you've reached this level, going with Levy should be more than capable of handling that mission." Makarov chose not to press further.
Though he was deeply curious, as long as Ur never harmed the guild, Makarov didn't care what secrets he held.
Because that was Fairy Tail.
That was why Ur dared reveal his magic so casually in front of Makarov.
As for why he hid it from everyone else, he just wanted to keep a little mystery. To put it bluntly, he wanted to show off.
After all, given a second life, if you don't show off a little, what's the point?
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"Master, is this kid a recruit?" Gildarts didn't seem bothered by the magic flare at all. He didn't know Ur's history; he only noticed Makarov's reaction and grew curious.
"Yes. His name is Ur. He joined from the orphanage two months ago."
"Oh?" Hearing that, Gildarts looked at Ur with even more interest.
He knew the guild's orphanage well. He had personally brought back a few of the children there. Because of that, he knew their magic talents were rarely remarkable.
Gildarts studied Ur for a long moment, then broke into a broad, hearty grin.
"Kid, take care out there."
"Thanks, Uncle!" Ur replied, blinking before returning the smile.
Gildarts was undeniably a charming man. His smile wasn't like Natsu's goofy, carefree grin; it had a warmth that reached people. He looked like a rugged powerhouse, but his smile carried an unexpected, gentle softness. If Makarov treated all guild members like grandchildren… then Gildarts treated them like his own children.
…Though somehow, that felt a little odd when you thought about it.
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Since they had already accepted the job, the sooner they got moving, the better.
Unlike S-Class missions, B-Class jobs typically took only a few days. S-Class and above, however, often required weeks or even months to complete.
After pulling the request sheet from the board and grabbing his cheap sword, Ur headed toward the guild doors together with Levy.