Chapter 04: The Training Arc Redux

The General List of Objectives

> Learn Supportive Magic

> Learn to Enchant

> Learn Alchemy

> Learn Additional Offensive Magic

> Procure Dragon Lacrima

> Initiate Second Origin

> Get Laid

Within these 5 years, he has completed a lot of objectives but not them all. A major portion of his time of his days were spent in the Fairy Tail Archives, learning and gathering arcane knowledge, to become self sufficient.

(Flashback)

"Arcturus-kun, trying to learn more magic is it?" A familiar voice spoke to him.

"Master, I have to be Mage after all and no Mage worth his salt should skip on his arcane studies."

"Very few, think like you. Most Mages are combat oriented these days because Quests are generally designed around combat and protection. Most people also wouldn't ask a guild to install protective wards for their houses or enchant objects on commission. So why do you?"

"If I could do most of these myself, I wouldn't have to depend on anyone's goodwill nor do I have to be on their timetable. For Example, if I learn Transformation Magic, it would be helpful to infiltrate these Dark Guilds which crop up more often these days. Flight and Basic Re Equip magic would lessen the capacity I have to carry around and it allows me to be mobile."

"Well thought out, looks like you are trying to learn Re-Equip and I see that you are having trouble, what seems to be the problem?"

"I want to Re-Equip from an extra-dimensional storage space like my enchanted bag or enchanted Chest."

"You need actual space anchored to your re-equip signature. Enchanted Extra-Dimensional Space will be discounted as it isn't truly considered actual space but rather, a fold in the realm."

"So, that's why it isn't working. Can I anchor it to my room?"

"No."

"Aww, crab apples."

Learning beyond esoteric magical skills are general knowledge, like Law.

"Master, the council seems hell bent on banning Blood Magic again. Don't they know the difference between Flesh Magic and Blood Magic. Appealing this everytime makes me extremely exhausted."

"Arcturus-kun, the council is run by mad men and incompetent buffoons, they aren't going to listen. Remember, the Mirajane incident?"

"I remember very clearly, Master. I had to get her off on a technicality too, Satan Soul isn't demonic bargain but a demonic reflection magic. Proving that she didn't sell her soul to some demon was hard work."

"It is technically demon magic, right?"

"Yes, it is. I'm just good at representing our guild."

He has made friends with the male members who treat him like their little brother, pinning their hopes and dreams of every male fantasy (getting a harem) on him.

(Flashback)

"Bella-san, you don't have to give me so many Jewels, I was only doing my job."

"Arctu-kun is a very sweet boy, you deserve to be treated well also, no?"

"Bella-chan, Arcturus-kun isn't of age yet, you shouldn't flirt with him. If you want to, us manly men are here for that."

"Johnny-baka, this is why you have no girlfriends. Hrmf"

All the women in the guild hall who pick up on this conversation start yelling out in unison.

"Y'all so called manly men don't have a romantic bone in your bodies, no wonder you are jealous of a little boy. Arctu-kun is so wonderful, he listens to us without judgement, he knows what we like, he can sing…"

Some of the other girls start pitching in.

"He brought me flowers, when I was sad."

"He walks me home whenever I am in town."

"He buys me these little chocolates because I like them."

"He cooks me his breakfast special himself everytime I ask him. I've never tasted eggs so good."

"Do you know he can sing like an angel? It makes me cry everytime."

Then the girls realise that he wasn't being sweet to just them alone, but to all the ladies.

"Arctu-kun, you gave other girls also chocolates and flowers? I thought I was special?" one of the ladies spoke with a shaky voice and watery eyes.

"Kyoko-san, all women must feel special, no? You are just as special as the one next to you, so I thought I should celebrate you all." He spoke with an unnatural glibness and a pleasant smile.

Every female member instantly falls in love with him, the older ones seeing him as a sweet younger brother but the ones near his age have begun crushing on him. Truly a devastating outcome for the girls and an a supreme sense of satisfaction for a boy as unscrupulous as he is. The wonders of a few kind words and flowers can do.

As the entire hubbub quietens down, the grumbling and fuming of men being the only constant, they ask him.

"How do you do this? How do you know this? We like you too, you don't buy us anything? Just for the ladies, huh, Arctuuu-kun?"

Forcing a blush quite heavily, he replies.

"Mark-san, I just treat the girls how I want to be treated. They like to be pampered so I do.

Also, it's way cheaper to buy flowers and chocolates than the booze you guys all love. I would buy you those Weekly Sorcerer Special Editions you keep looking at but the old man told me it isn't for my age."

As they look on in awe which morphs into frustration and finally despair.

"Wait, they don't like us because we read them weekly and you don't buy us anything because booze and porn is out of your range. Oh we aren't cut out for this romance stuff. These girls are too hard to please."

"Well...you can always help me with magic and training, I'll put in a good word. Sounds fair?"

"Arcturus-sama, please teach me and I'll teach you."

Making friends with Laxus Dreyar was wonderful experience. He truly and openly loved everyone, a child who simply couldn't hate. They trained in Magic together, and their body as well.

(Flashback)

"Laxus, the first to 100 push ups gets to buy the other sweets for the other. Sound good?"

"I already bought many sweets for you, I keep spending my jewels on you. Arctu, I will defeat you this time and the sweets you buy with your jewels will taste sweeter than what grandpa buys for me!"

"You are on Blondie."

As they both drop down and begin to push off, he pumps his body, up and down. Laxus being far more inexperienced began to struggle quickly and had to quit half way through but Arcturus, completes the challenge, albeit taking more time than he desired, grunting and breathing heavily as he finishes his 100th push up. The guild goes wild and they partake in new rounds of drink, this is just another excuse to party for them.

OBJECTIVE COMPLETED

REWARD: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance.

"Laxus, we should train more to become strong mages. We should do this again."

"It hurts, Arctu. Why can't we just go play with Grandpa.

"You have to be strong to do quests, so I want to be strong as possible and I want you to do it with me so we can go together."

"If you say so, Arctu. Can we play now?"

"...Okay."

He constantly trains in endurance and dexterity saying that a healing spell is wasted on a good mage because he can take care of himself.

He constantly trains his magic, his mind and his body. Every waking moment is drowned in furious activity, be it working at the guild, making friends, training or studying. He has vowed that he would be the most powerful wizard and he would get to S-Rank the earliest.

Now, the Wizarding Council is very important. The possibility of taking Ultear as a lover has passed his mind several time. So the first of many important connections is the Council. The Master is not an ordinary Guildmaster himself, a Wizarding Saint of Ishgar is certainly no joke and trusts him to be the responsible one, the kind and gentle one, the protective one and the just one. He quickly realised that the Guildmaster actually likened him to be Guildmaster after his own son's retirement from the position, but he knows that the old man is going to fuck up with Laxus eventually and he is going to pin his hopes and dreams on Arcturus. Grooming him slowly to take over the guild and he is not one to waste a single opportunity so he takes advantage.

He is the liaison between the guild and the council. He has made good connections there, how far these saccharine smiles and silvered words take him and he hopes to keep them until their usefulness runs out, one way or another. The master in turn, compensates by spending time with him, teaches him a lot of magic and taking his help with the bureaucracy that he hates so much. That attention came from a single incident which made Makarov trust Arcturus so much.

(Flashback)

Arcturus-kun's mastery of the supplementary magic I taught him intrigued me. Is he some sort of prodigy, he hasn't revealed any speciality magic yet.

Makarov follows Arcturus along the path he disappears of too, when he has completed his shift at the guildhall and what he discovers amazes the old master.

"Uff, would have to learn Transformation Magic to the best extent possible. Nobody is willing to give me work outside the guild. If I don't master it now, I won't have enough money for gifts and stuff."

He practices the magic vehemently, trying and failing repeatedly. Though he didn't master it, he tasted minor success which put him above most children, even a few adults. This drive solidified his intent to make him one of his successor, his son seems far too interested in the power of being the Guildmaster and Gildarts is not interested at all. He deemed this to be his best bet for the future."

Merely being well loved by the Guild is insufficient, He has to be well loved by the people of Magnolia as well. His good manner and his helpful nature makes him a running favourite as the best mage in Magnolia in comparison to his mates.

He also realised that though, the guild wages are rich for the job he occupies. It isn't close to is required to afford the luxuries he desires. Reagents and Resources is a main one, Good Clothing is another, Equipment and Supplies along with miscellaneous expenses need to be back by solid jewels so he has to supplement his income before his first quest. Thus he resorts to thievery outside the boundaries of Magnolia, knocking of some rich noble or merchant from time to time and shaking down the criminal elements out of their ill-gotten fortunes is a fruitful endeavor which also indirectly led to an increase in merchants for the town and quests for the Guild. Transformative Magic when used correctly is worth its weight in gold.

Hoarding supplies in his room in the guildhall is dangerous but that is the only measure he can take until he gets his own place.

A great haul over the 5 years of my existence in this world.

A supply of potions and magical objects like Lacrima were acquired. A good Charmsteel sword and Plate along with some high quality leathers should do the trick, they degrade slowly and are of higher quality than unenchanted metal. This stuff is regulated but if you know where to look and which locations to hit, acquiring them are easy as Fairy Tail being fined by the Council. The rest he spends on his clothes (Some formal for the occasional trips to the Council) and to buy a steady supply of alcohol for the men and chocolates and flowers for the ladies.

Back to the Present.

"Status"

Name: Arcturus Mercator

Alias: None

Age: 10

Level: 2 (Spent 3)

Stats:

Strength: 8/20

Endurance: 10/20

Dexterity: 10/20

Intelligence: 7/10

Charisma: 9/10

Luck: 10/10 (Maxed)

Magic Specialisation Slot: ⅓

True Gravity Magic: Level 3/10

General Magical Skills

Transformation Magic: Level 8/10

Telepathy: Level 7/10

Thought Projection: Level 5/10

Sleep Magic: Level 5/10

Re Equip: Level 3/10

Basic Dispel: Level 6/10

Flight: Level 7/10

Basic Healing: 8/10

Basic Sensor: Level Level 5/10

Basic Fire Magic: Level 3/10

Basic Ice Magic: Level 1/10

Basic Lightning Magic: Level 3/10

Basic Water Magic: Level 2/10

Basic Earth Magic: Level 1/10

Battle Alchemy Magic: Level 3/10

Alchemy: Level 4/10

General Mundane Skills

Hand to Hand Combat: 4/10

Sword Fighting: 3/10

Singing: 8/10

Dancing: 4/10

Sleight of Hand: 10/10

Sneak: 10/10

Abilities:

Mage: Can use Magic without the use of a Focus.

Inherent Speciality: Capable of Special Magic

Eidetic Memory: Can Remember with perfect clarity.

Supreme Magic Capacity: An Extremely High amount of Magic within the body.

Supreme Magic Control: A capacity to control the magic output, to shape it and transform it as you see fit.

Time to Rock!