" Damn that shameless old man," Akira cursed as he walked through crowded streets. On his head, there was a noticeable bump. He still couldn't believe that Makarov actually punched him so hard because of jealousy. Fortunately, he left out the part about the Heartfilia family and how he technically acquired a Celestial Spirit.
If those guys learned that, he is pretty sure others would also join in on the fun and beat him out of jealousy.
Speaking of the Heartfilia family, now that he thinks about it, isn't he technically indebted to them? Although Layla didn't mind giving him the Celestial Spirit Key since she had already gotten Ophiuchus's word for cooperation, Akira knew it wasn't that simple.
Logically, even if Ophiuchus expressed her opinion on how much she wanted to form a contract with him, Layla didn't need to care, as legally the Celestial Spirit Key belonged to her, as she had paid for it.
And if Akira wanted to take the Celestial Spirit Key, he should either buy it from Layla or wait until Layla finished her one-time use. Then all Akira would have to do is go search for it.
So technically Layla's willingness to give the Celestial Spirit Key to him can be considered as a big favor, Akira. Well, at least that is how Akira thinks of it.
And Akira didn't like to owe favors to others. So he began to think of a way to repay Layla for this.
As Akira was thinking about this, he looked at the sky in deep in thought. He could take an oath to protect the Heartfilia family if they were to ever face any problem, and considering how Lucy would join Fairy Tail in the future, this isn't a bad option. But considering Jude's character, Akira was very hesitant about it.
Unlike Layla, Jude is a pure businessman and has a weak mentality. This was proven when Layla died; he began to change drastically and become a cold and indifferent person who didn't even take her daughter's feelings into consideration.
'Wait, can't I just prevent Layala from dying like in the original timeline? ' Akira suddenly paused as he thought about it. He felt like an idiot for thinking so deeply.
Although Layla now has Ophiuchus's full cooperation, there is still a bit of risk in the whole mission. Even though Ophiuchus is strong and is the guardian of the Astral Plane, she can't replace any of the zodiac keys' authority without paying a steep price.
For example, the price needed to replace a zodiac key may be 10 times the magic power or even 10 times the celestial mana. Akira couldn't be sure, as he had no knowledge about the Eclipse Gate or how it functions. So until he fully understands why the Eclipse Gate needs specifically all 12 Zodiac Keys to operate, Akira couldn't guarantee Layla's safety 100%.
'Well, although it is hard, I think I may be able to help Layla,' Akira thought. If what he remembered was right, Layla would only miss Aquarius's key due to her contractor living in the Western Continent. So if Akira managed to escort that person in time, wouldn't things be fine?
And what's better, he may also be able to stop the animosity that would happen between Brandish and Lucy in the future.
"Wow, my geniuses sometimes even frighten me, " Akira said smugly before he was hit on the head by someone.
"Yeah, keep saying that your huge ego would grow even bigger," Laxus, who arrived at his side at some time, said sarcastically.
Akira glared at Laxus with annoyance. He couldn't wait to beat this bastard. Did he really have to hit the exact place his stupid grandpa hit him?
Feeling Akira's resentment, Laxus only smirked victoriously. Obviously, the proud Laxus has changed to a person who is very much like his grandfather. A petty bastard who wouldn't mind screwing his friends for fun.
" So why are you here? I thought you would have gone on a quest already, " Akira asked.
One thing Akira noticed was that Laxus, from a young age, was a workaholic. This bastard would take on multiple quests at the same time. Especially after he was stimulated by watching an exciting fight between the two Great Wizard Saints.
Well, it's maybe because of this habit that he managed to save enough money to create that Thunder Palace. Making that thing is no joke, as one would need to buy a large amount of mana crystals and many other rare ingredients.
"Well, I kind of need your help on something, " Laxus said as he awkwardly looked away. As a lone wolf, he was very embarrassed to ask for someone's help.
"Oh, the great Laxus wants help from me, " Akira asked with curiosity. He usually turns off his unique skill in a crowded place like this since he would go crazy with the amount of information he would get at once.
"Yes." Laxus stared at Akira for a long time before answering. He was considering whether it was really worth the hassle. Well, he ultimately relented. For what he is doing next, he may need Akira's help.
"Okay, let's first go to my place, Sera must be at home waiting for us with lunch ready, " Akira said. He kind of missed Sera's cooking after not eating it for a whole week.
Don't get him wrong. the food at the Heartfilia mansion was amazing. But they are in no way good compared to what Sera could make.
"Okay," Laxus agreed. He would never say no to a free meal made by Sera. In fact, he would have most of his meals made by Sera. Her cooking is that delicious after all.
Unfortunately, Sera couldn't become a permanent chef at the guild. If that ever happened, he could eat her cooking every day.
….
" So what did you want my help from, " Akira asked as he brought Laxus to the living room. They had just eaten lunch, so Akira was feeling a bit sleepy.
"Well, I want your help in training my dragon slayer magic." Laxus didn't beat around the bush, as he said directly.
"Oh, as in helping you train, do you mean helping you further refine your Dragon Slayer magic or helping you make a new set of moves?" Akira asked, looking at him.
" Both. " Laxus said, making Akira raise an eyebrow.
" You know that I could use Dragon Slayer magic due to the Dragon Lacrima that is inside me, right " he asked, to which Akira nodded. "Well, you see, after I began learning Dragon Slayer magic, I noticed that apart from two basic moves that I inherited, I don't seem to have knowledge of any other techniques.
But from the records I read, dragon slayer mages instinctively learn more than 5 techniques. "
" I see. I think I might know what the reason for your problem is." Akira, who heard Laxus's story, nodded as he explained.
Laxus looked at him, urging him to continue.
"Well, you see, Laxus, currently there are three types of Dragon Slayer Mages.
The first generation, which consists of wizards who directly learned dragon slayer magic from dragons.
The second generation, which consists of people like you who had Dragon Lacrima implanted in their bodies.
And the third generation which consists of wizards who actually managed to kill a dragon and devour their flesh and blood.
Each generation has their own advantages and disadvantages.." As Akira began his deep explanation, Laxus, who was not very good with long lectures, tried his best not to fall asleep.
Even though he has begun to read books recently, Laxus is like everyone else in the guild and is not interested in being a nerd. They all prefer actions rather than reading.
Seeing Laxus's state Akira sighed and stopped with the explanation. It seems he should have to wait until Levi joins the guild to show off his deep knowledge.
"Well, in short, let's just fight until you either deepen your understanding of your own magic. That way we could deduce whether you would have to create your own move set or there is a template for you to work with " Akira said, to which Laxus nodded. He could work with that.
The reason why Laxus wanted to know about this is that, unlike other magic, slayer magic types need inspiration from their originators to fully demonstrate their value.
After all, these magica are especially created by imbuing their respective originators with the principle of 'to defeat a monster, you must become a monster yourself '.
****
Hey everyone!
I've got some great news to share—after a month of hard work, I've officially introduced a brand-new tier on my Patreon! And yes, that means more advanced chapters are now available for you to enjoy. While some series may currently have only 3–4 chapters in the new tier, I'll be updating and adding more over the coming days.
Also, I'd like to kindly ask for your support:
As I begin my journey at university, I'm hoping to earn a little extra pocket money through Patreon. If you've been enjoying my work, it would mean a lot if you could recommend my novels to others. Even helping bring in just one new member makes a big difference.
Thank you as always for reading and supporting my stories.
Please enjoy the new chapters—and see you again soon!
If you want to read up to 20 advanced chapters, go to my Patreon account.
patreon.com/Nauty_Manu