Bang!
The guild's front doors were kicked open.
"Yo, Guild Master, you're up pretty early today." Wakaba and Macao walked in with their arms slung over each other's shoulders, swaying as they came. Drinking buddies, and also rivals who were always quietly competing inside the guild.
That door really suffers. It gets kicked like this every day, Kurosaki thought as he watched them enter together.
They looked like they were only in their early twenties, right in that hot-blooded, reckless stage of youth.
"Oh?" Wakaba puffed on his pipe, eyeing Kurosaki with a half-smile. "Where'd this little brat come from? Don't tell me he's your illegitimate son, Guild Master. Hahahaha."
Before the words even finished leaving his mouth, a huge fist appeared above both Wakaba and Macao. A massive shadow swallowed them.
Thud!
They were smashed straight into the floor.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting, you bastard?!" Makarov's temple veins bulged as he snapped, practically blazing like a tiny fireball. "This is Kurosaki Sorrus. He joined the guild today."
"Why'd you hit me too? I didn't even say anything!" Macao rubbed the back of his neck, looking wronged as he complained.
Makarov shot them a sideways look. "Even if you didn't say it, I know exactly what you were thinking. So you got it too. Kurosaki, introduce yourself."
Kurosaki nodded. "Hello. I'm Kurosaki Sorrus. I joined the guild today. My ability is healing-type. I can treat wounds and restore stamina."
He did not mention where it really came from. The whole Gotei 13 concept did not belong in this world. Better to keep it vague.
Wakaba grinned. "Heh. I'm Wakaba Mine. I use Smoke Magic."
Macao followed up quickly. "And I'm Macao Conbolt. I use Flame Magic, Purple Flame."
"Could you two stand up and introduce yourselves properly?" Makarov sat on the bar with his arms crossed, unable to resist mocking them. "Is the floor that comfortable?"
"Hahaha, we were just so happy to see a newcomer, we forgot." They laughed and scrambled up.
"Wait." The two of them exchanged a look, instantly understanding each other. "A newcomer means we can throw a party again tonight, right?"
"You idiots. Why wait until night?" Makarov looked at them like they were hopeless. "Once everyone shows up, we start. We keep it going until night!"
"Oh!!!"
The mood ignited in an instant.
Kurosaki stared at the three of them raising cups and clinking like he was not even there, then burst out, unable to hold it in.
"How do you three manage to yell like thirty people? This is way too hot-blooded. And hey, don't ignore me!"
...
When night fell, Kurosaki first followed Makarov to buy a few sets of clothes. He picked practical, inexpensive ones, planning to upgrade later once he could earn money himself.
After that, they returned home. The house was not far from the guild, built by the river, a two-story place.
The moment he stepped inside, warm-toned decor greeted him. The atmosphere was cozy, as if it pushed away the cold clinging to the air outside.
"You'll stay in this room," Makarov said, opening a door. "The room next to it is Laxus's."
Kurosaki's first impression was how bright it was. The curtains by the window were pulled open, and through the glass he could see scattered lights along the street. Even the indoor lighting was warm, creating a comfortable glow.
A large bed, nearly two meters long, sat in the room. A desk stood beside it. The wardrobe was built-in. Kurosaki estimated the room at about twelve square meters. Not large, but well laid out, making it feel spacious and bright.
"Well? Satisfied?" Makarov asked with a smile when Kurosaki stayed quiet.
That smile made Kurosaki feel strangely dazed for a moment. In front of him was a skinny old man, yet right now he seemed impossibly tall.
"Yeah. I really like it, Grandpa." Kurosaki came back to himself and quickly wiped the dampness at the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand. His voice carried the faintest tremble.
"Good. Then rest up. Kids shouldn't stay up late." Makarov turned as if to head back to his own room.
"Wait, Grandpa. Do you have paper and a pen? I need them for something."
Makarov paused, then nodded. "Sure. Come with me."
Once he had the paper and pen, Kurosaki sat at the desk and started writing immediately. He knew memory could not be trusted. Anything important needed to be recorded while it was still fresh.
I should write time in Chinese. If someone sees it one day, it won't be easy for them to understand.
"Kana joins Fairy Tail in X772. Gray is X774. Ultear... I think she escaped the Magic Development Bureau in 774 too. That year Ur took in Leon and Gray, and the Deliora incident happened then as well."
"Erza should be taken away in X775, and she probably joins Fairy Tail in 776 or early 777. Right now she should still be in Rosemary Village. Kagura and Simon seem to be from that village too."
"Layla opens the Eclipse Gate on July 7, X777 and sends Natsu and the others into this era. Brandish's mother, Grammi, is killed sometime around July 15 to August in X777. Looks like in two years I need to buy a map. I have to confirm the locations of these events."
He set the pen down, breath steady.
"Alright. My main goal now is training. Raise my spiritual pressure. Get Captain Unohana's ability to a higher level. She's the first Kenpachi."
He understood it clearly. Only by becoming stronger could he truly gain a foothold in a world full of unknowns and danger.
After storing the paper carefully, Kurosaki fell asleep with thoughts of a better life ahead.
…