### Chapter 53: The Strongest
Makarov looked at Riku's punchable face and really wanted to slap him flying.
*If you can't finish spending it, you can give it to me to spend!*
"..."
Makarov turned his head away, refusing to continue talking to this brat Riku.
"Eh? Master stopped talking? Born quiet?"
"Beat it!"
Riku walked away laughing, having deliberately teased the old man.
Who didn't know how to spend money? It was just that he was originally an ordinary person and hadn't developed extravagant habits. His only hobby was saving money. Coupled with completing many high-difficulty missions over these years, he had unknowingly accumulated a substantial fortune.
"Oh you, Master is getting old, tease him less."
Mirajane had heard the conversation between Riku and Makarov from the side.
"Isn't it to save the old man from always rushing me out to work! This way, I also have more time to accompany you."
Riku leaned into Mirajane's ear and spoke affectionately.
Mirajane felt very happy in her heart hearing Riku's words.
"Hmm?"
At this moment, Riku's brows raised slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"Mystogan is here."
"Mystogan..."
Before Mirajane could finish her sentence, she felt a strong wave of drowsiness. Riku directly held Mirajane, letting her sit in his arms.
Everyone in the guild sensed it too.
"This is!"
"So sleepy!"
Soon, almost everyone in the guild fell asleep. A figure wrapped tightly from head to toe strode into the guild.
"Long time no see! Mystogan."
Two years ago, after the accident with Lisanna, Riku immediately sought out Mystogan, knowing that Mystogan was the Prince of the Kingdom of Edolas.
He was also a tech geek. Although he possessed no Magic Power himself, he could create and use various powerful Magic Tools.
He had wanted Mystogan to send him to the world of Edolas so he could bring Lisanna back.
The main reason he didn't go to the other world in the end was that while Mystogan could indeed send him there when the Anima appeared, he couldn't guarantee a way to bring him back.
"Long time no see."
Mystogan responded briefly, then walked to the request board. He tore off a mission with a 1 million Jewel reward, showed it to Makarov in front of him.
"I'm leaving now."
"Release the Sleep Magic!!"
Makarov was yawning constantly; even he couldn't quite withstand Mystogan's Sleep Magic.
"Five, four, three, two, one!"
As Mystogan's final count fell, his body walked out of the guild and dissolved into mist.
The guild members also woke up abruptly.
"This feeling, was it Mystogan?"
"That bastard!"
"His Sleep Magic is as powerful as ever."
This kind of thing hadn't happened just once or twice. Everyone in the guild knew Mystogan had just been here. But this overbearing method of putting everyone to sleep without any regard for their will would annoy anyone, yet they couldn't do anything about it.
"Mystogan?"
Lucy rubbed her eyes with a confused expression.
Loke said: "One of the candidates for the strongest mage in Fairy Tail."
Realizing the person he was talking to was Lucy, he quickly moved away to the side.
Gray chimed in: "Don't know the reason, but he doesn't let others see his face. So every time he takes a job, he puts everyone to sleep like this. Except for the Master, no one has seen what Mystogan looks like."
Suddenly, a voice came from the second floor:
"Hmph... I know, you know."
Everyone looked up and saw a blonde young man leaning his arms on the railing, looking down.
"Laxus!!"
"He was here?"
"He's actually here?"
Many people in the guild were very surprised to see Laxus. Laxus rarely appeared in the guild recently, and when he did, he was always on the second floor, acting high and mighty.
Gray said with a look of displeasure: "Another candidate for the strongest."
Laxus said: "Mystogan is just a shy guy, don't dig too deep."
Seeing Laxus appear, Natsu immediately jumped onto a table and shouted at Laxus: "Laxus, fight me!!"
"Hmm? You can't even beat Riku, yet you want to fight me?"
"What do you mean? Laxus?"
Riku didn't speak, but Mirajane, sitting in Riku's arms, was unhappy. Laxus's words clearly implied that Riku wasn't as good as him.
"Calm down! Calm down!"
Riku comforted Mirajane.
Laxus spread his hands and shouted loudly: "I mean, I am the strongest."
Natsu: "You bastard, come down!"
"Come up then."
Laxus said to Natsu with a provocative look.
"Just you wait!"
Sure enough, Natsu couldn't stand Laxus's provocation and immediately tried to go up the stairs.
Makarov's palm suddenly enlarged, then smashed Natsu into the floor with a fist: "You cannot go up, it's forbidden."
Laxus continued to provoke Natsu: "Oh oh oh, you made the old man angry."
"That's enough, Laxus."
Makarov glanced at Laxus.
"I won't yield the throne of the strongest in Fairy Tail to anyone. Not Erza, not Mystogan, not Riku, and not that old man [Gildarts]. I am the strongest!! Hahahaha!!"
After speaking, Laxus spread his arms, laughed arrogantly, and walked into the lounge on the second floor.
***
Read Advanced Chapters on: patreon.com/Amiii_
~Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]