Axel headed to the guild hall. It was a short walk, and the city of Magnolia looked beautiful as people began opening their shops and stalls. Everything felt new and exciting. Even though he hadn't slept much, he didn't feel tired at all.
Must be thanks to my new stats, he murmured.
The guild was already lively, filled with the smell of coffee and… smoke?
In the main hall, Natsu and Laxus were already in the middle of a heated argument.
"You don't smell like a dragon, fake!" Natsu yelled, a small flame flickering in his fist.
"I'm stronger than you, brat! Electricity always beats fire!" Laxus countered, sparks crackling around his body.
Axel smirked. He walked toward the master, who was sitting at the counter drinking what looked like an alcoholic beverage.
"Good morning, Master Makarov!" he said. "I'm ready for work."
The master chuckled softly at the rookie's enthusiasm. Then his face turned relatively serious.
"That's not how it works, kid. You're still on probation. You can only take low-ranked jobs inside the city."
Axel frowned but complied. He respected the master—older, wiser. There was no point in rushing after power. It was important, sure, but not everything. Training mattered too. And he only needed a few more points before his magic was half-awakened.
"I understand, master," he replied, trying to sound more resigned than he felt.
"Excellent." Makarov tapped the counter. "Go check the board. The blue jobs are the ones you can take. All simple requests from Magnolia's residents."
Axel turned to the large mission board. The papers that had looked simple from afar were now categorized by color:
Black: Rank S (Locked)Red: Rank A – Dangerous missions outside the cityGreen: Rank B – Medium-risk missionsBlue: Rank C – Support/Low-risk missions (Allowed)
A color system to determine mission difficulty? That was new. Must be something from this AU version of Earthland. He noticed other colors on the board, but the guide posted next to it didn't explain them. He guessed they might be the 10 and 100-year missions.
There were about six blue papers. He skimmed through them:
[WANTED] Mrs. Haru's Cat:Reward: 1,000 JewelsThe cat hid inside the old clock tower.
Urgent Basket Delivery:Reward: 800 JewelsDeliver a heavy supply basket to Mrs. Elen at the top of the hill.
Pest Cleaning:Reward: 1,500 JewelsSmall magical "Run Bats" invaded the wood depot at East Port.
Find the Doll:Reward: 500 JewelsThe baker's daughter dropped her doll into the river—it got stuck on a log.
The [Pest Cleaning: Run Bats] mission caught his attention. Run Bats weren't real threats, but they were magical creatures. Good test subjects for Shadow Step and Synchronized Body—and maybe good for earning a "First Magical Combat" achievement.
He grabbed the paper and went back to the counter.
"I'll take this one. Pest Cleaning at East Port."
Makarov stamped it.
"Good. The port is east of the bridge, you can't miss it. Run Bats have weak magic, but they're fast. If you get into trouble, ask for help."
"Understood!" Axel slipped the mission paper into the inside pocket of his vest.
As he headed out, he felt the curious gaze of Mirajane and Elfman. Natsu was too busy trying to put Laxus in a headlock, while Laxus casually electrocuted him in retaliation.
Axel mentally opened his menu to check his stats:
[STATUS]
Name: Axel DrakeRace: High HumanAge: 10Level: 1
Strength: 17Agility: 19Vitality: 18Mana: 25Luck: 4
Titles:• Traveler• Peak Human
Skills:• Emperor's Eyes (Lv. 1)• Shadow Step (Lv. 1)• Synchronized Body (Passive)
Inventory:Dimensional Backpack• Protein Bars (x5)• Infinite Water Bottle• Throwing Knives (x3)• Bandages• Infinite Lighter• Gold Coins (x10)
He closed the menu and walked along the stone road, feeling the sun warm his gray vest. The city was pleasant, but his mind was already at the Port.
"Time to put the RPG starter kit to work," he muttered, picking up the pace.
At East Port, the smell of salt and fish filled the air. He found the wood depot, an old and dim warehouse. The owner, a burly man with a straw hat, stood by the door rubbing his chin.
"You're from Fairy Tail? You're just a kid!"
"I'm the one who came." Axel showed the mission paper. "Where are the bats?"
"Inside. They came in through the upper window and started gnawing on the magic-treated wood. They're small, like regular bats, but they move really fast when startled. If they bite you, you'll feel a tingling sensation all day."
Axel nodded. Run Bats—harmless but annoying.
He stepped inside. The air was stuffy and smelled of mold. Up on the ceiling, he saw the swarm: dozens of small black creatures with membranous wings and glowing red eyes, flying in erratic patterns.
[Warning: Enemy Level 5 – Run Bat (x40)]
[NEW ACHIEVEMENT: First Combat in Earthland – Reward: 5 CP]
"Nice. Five CP. Only a bit under 500 left."
He had to move quickly and quietly. Using magic would attract attention and waste Mana.
He activated the one skill that didn't cost Mana: Shadow Step.
"Shadow Step!"
His body grew lighter, and his perception of time shifted. He didn't turn invisible, but his movements became blurry—like afterimages to the naked eye.
Axel dashed along the side of the depot, leaping over crates and piles of wood. His 19 Agility plus Shadow Step's fluid movement effect made him a swift shadow.
He didn't need magic. He had Super Soldier Serum.
He jumped and grabbed two low-flying bats, crushing them in his grip. The others noticed and dove toward him.
Axel moved within Shadow Step's time distortion—dodging, weaving, striking. He pulled out his three Throwing Knives and hurled them with absurd precision, pinning three bats to the walls.
In less than a minute, the floor was covered with defeated pests.
Axel stopped, breathing calmly. No sweat, thanks to Vitality 18.
[Run Bats defeated: 40/40][Pest Cleaning Mission COMPLETE][Mission Reward: 1,500 Jewels]
[EPIC ACHIEVEMENT: Pest Exterminator – Reward: 50 CP]
Axel's eyes widened.
"Fifty CP for killing bats? The system is being generous!"
He now had 550 CP. He was just 450 CP away from buying the Boosted Gear.
He walked out of the depot, smiling at the shocked owner.
"Mission complete. Didn't take long."
The man stared at him, dumbfounded, then cleared his throat and handed him a pouch of Jewels.
"Well… that was fast. Thanks, Fairy Tail mage."
Axel nodded and started back toward the guild. He needed to report the mission and, more importantly, grab the next one. The sooner he got the Boosted Gear, the safer he'd be in this insane world.
On his way back, the 1,500 Jewels jingling in his pocket, a satisfying mental chime rang in his head—far better than a simple ding.
[SYSTEM ALERT: LEVEL UPDATED!]
A notification window appeared:
[CONGRATULATIONS! You reached Level 5!]
Rewards:• +40 CP (10 CP per level gained)• +1 Attribute Point per Level (Total: 4)• +1 Skill Point (Total: 4)
Axel stopped in the street, ignoring a bread vendor's confused stare.
"I leveled up four times at once?" He realized it must've been the Run Bats. They must have given tons of EXP.
He opened the [STATUS] tab.
Attribute points were crucial—especially if he wanted to use more complex magic or eventually wield the Boosted Gear.
He had 4 free Attribute Points, plus the base increases.
He decided to heavily invest in Mana and a bit in Vitality for safety:
+2 Mana → 27+2 Vitality → 20
[UPDATED STATUS]
Name: Axel DrakeRace: High HumanAge: 10Level: 5
Strength: 17Agility: 19Vitality: 20Mana: 27Luck: 4
His CP also increased:550 CP + 40 CP = 590 CP
He was now only 410 CP away from the Boosted Gear.
He had 4 free Skill Points. He already had Shadow Step and Emperor's Eyes at Level 1.
Shadow Step was excellent for fast farming and cost no Mana—perfect for evasion. He upgraded it:
Shadow Step (Lv. 1 → Lv. 4):• Lv. 2: Duration increased by 50%• Lv. 3: Activation cost reduced• Lv. 4: Movement now creates a confusing afterimage (Passive)
That consumed 3 points.He used the last one to upgrade Emperor's Eyes:
Emperor's Eyes (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2):• Lv. 2: Can now detect weaknesses and critical impact points in enemies.
[UPDATED SKILLS]
• Emperor's Eyes (Lv. 2)• Shadow Step (Lv. 4)• Synchronized Body (Passive)
The combination of Emperor's Eyes (Lv. 2) and Magic Sight created an incredible synergy—enhanced prediction ability and mana sight together. Shadow Step consumed stamina or mana depending on intensity, and his boosted body made it even stronger.
Axel closed the menu, feeling the power bubbling inside him. His body was stronger, more resilient, and his Mana denser.