Daily Life with Three Systems: Chapter 15

"Hmm?" I hum, a tired half-lidded expression on my face.

I let out a long yawn, rubbing an eye.

"Say again?" I blink at Rias, the screen of archive magic fading in front of me.

It has been about a month and a half since I went out and slayed Deliora... or a week since Natsuki showed up.

It was... interesting to watch her shout about how Rias is a pervert once she saw her walking around in the nude.

But anyways, I've been trying to craft a special divination spell to work with my 'map' spell that I created two weeks ago. It functions like some MMO maps that are all greyed out until I go places.

It was pretty easy to fill out the area around Magnolia. I just used my Skrill takeover and flew up into the clouds.

"Master Makarov told me to get you to the guild hall before noon... even if I had to drag you."

"Why?" I cautiously question, eyes narrowing slightly and causing the girl to shrug.

"Who knows." She replies. "But. He didn't seem mad or anything."

"I see..." I mutter, eyes straying to the side where Natsuki is in the kitchen with Virgo.

She seemed happy to meet the pink haired maid.

Maybe she sees her as a mother-figure... or maybe she's just happy to have someone to bake with. I'm unsure.

"Alright. So we should start heading over there, right?"

I pause as the house shakes briefly.

Alarms blare.

"What... is that?" Natsuki cautiously questions from the kitchen, her domain in the house as only she and Virgo ever use it, beyond putting stuff in the fridge, at least.

"The Gildart's Shift." I note. "It seems Fairy Tail's strongest S Class has finally returned."

"Really?!" Rias beams.

"So... uh, Natsuki. I'm probably heading out with the others. Do you want me to order you food for later or will you be fine? If we're gone all day at least... we might be back earlier."

"I'll be fine." The petite girl replies as she peers out the window towards the shifted city. It looks as if an entire line has been carved into the town, leaving a strange gap that leads right towards the coast of a large lake. 

"Well, it's eleven, thirty, so we should probably get moving, Rias." I glance to the redhead who nods at my suggestion.

We walk out the door and quickly make our way towards the guild.

[Split]

The cheer of the guild hall reaches me first as I open the large doors and step inside. The others follow after me.

People linger around the job board, rushing back and forth. I can see a brown haired man sat at the bar chatting with Makarov.

I did a few divinations to determine this, sooooo yipee I can use my future knowledge.

As for what future knowledge I'm using?

Eh. I wanted to cause a bit of chaos.

Rias seems to walk off into the guild hall, Koneko beelines for the bar to get something to eat and Valerie trails after Rias.

I make my way to the bar and take a seat next to Fairy Tail's S-Class and the guild master who's sat on the bat.

"Master." I nod once, eyes slowly straying to the brown haired man. "You're Gildarts Clive, right?"

"Who are you, kid?"

"Just a mage." I reply, not allowing my inner turmoil and shyness to show on my face. An almost practiced indifference... by that I mean that I did practice it... in the middle of nowhere... last night... and the night before. "Anyways. I've been practicing some divination magic recently and I wanted to see how Fairy Tail's Ace held up... meh. You should look into prosthetics..."

"..."

"What?" The man seems genuinely caught off guard.

"Gildarts... this is Andrew Graves. A newer mage in the guild... he is the one I was talking about."

"Hah? You took down that damned demon?" He seems to scrutinize over me. "You're pretty small."

"And you're a pretty shit father, but you don't see me throwing insults around."

I had that sort of reply ready since the start of this month.

Makarov chokes on his tankard of alcohol, violently coughing.

"..."

"..."

"Wait wait wait- no. I'm not your father."

"Of course, not... you're her's." I gesture lazily over my shoulder with my thumb. "Cana... Alberona. Age seven and a half."

His eyes widen.

"What?" He hisses.

"Anyways." I stand up, quickly reaching the end of what I had actually prepared for this interaction. "I only said anything because she'd be too shy to reach out to you and you'd likely go around and around for years and that kind of bothers me, the random orphan child, on a deeper level. Bye."

I turn and wander off, leaving the stunned S-Class and the guild master staring into his mug with wide eyes.

I watch Gildarts slowly stand as I take a seat in the corner of the room. He seems to quickly approach the girl and ask her name.

They're too far for me to really listen in, but he crouches down, seemingly speaking on a deeper level to the girl.

Koneko sits beside me.

"Yo." I wave.

"Mhn?" She hums, mouth full with an entire turkey leg, the bone sticking out of her lips.

She takes it out, the bone picked completely clean of meat.

How the fuck-

I try not to look at her while she continues to feast. She's a ravenous black hole. If I get too close, I might even lose an arm.

"You were thinking something mean... weren't you." Koneko deadpans.

"I was thinking that I might lose an arm if I got to close to you while you're eating, yes."

"..."

"I might... have a little nibble..." She replies, her lips quirking ever so slightly.

I freeze, body stiffening.

"Heh." The girl huffs, likely enjoying that moment of discomfort.

We continue idly chatting, Rias eventually coming by and taking a seat alongside us.

"Where's Valerie?" I ask.

"Oh, she's speaking to this Laxus kid. They're friends... but you'd know that if you actually went to the guild more than once a month." Rias pouts.

"Yeah yeah. I get it." I roll my eyes with a small scoff.

About thirty minutes later Makarov hops up on the railing up at the second floor.

"Listen up you brats!" He calls out. The guild is utterly silenced, everyone is looking up at the master, excitement practically exploding from each and every person. Koneko looks around in confusion, seemingly sensing the change in demeanor.

"In accordance with the Fairy Tail Guild's time honored tradition... I will now announce this year's entrants for the S-Class Wizard promotion trial!"

Cheers echo out, the guild going absolutely crazy.

Makarov waits for the cheers to die down. "The trials this year will take place within the Boundary Forest. Towards the southeast of Fiore in a stretch of land which borders the land of Seven."

"The strength you possess inside, your character, and your hearts. These are what I considered while making my selection... and I have chosen six potential participants!"

"Laxus Dreyar!" He calls out causing a cascade of claps to echo out.

"Rias Gremory!" 

"Yes!" The red haired girl hisses under her breath.

"Koneko Toujou"

"Mn?" The white haired girl hums, looking to me and giving me a smug look, seemingly waiting for something.

"Maccao Conbolt!"

"Valerie Tepes."

"And finally Andrew Graves!" Makarov finishes. "And although six participants have been selected, only one will emerge victorious! The Trial will begin in one week's time. So better step up your preparations!"

"We will reveal the particular details of the challenge once we have arrived at Borwatt town. The closest town we can reach by train... but know, at the end of it all you must get past Gildarts to claim victory."

"WHAAAAAAAT?!" The guild practically shouts.

"The six participants are asked to meet at Magnolia station as soon as the sun rises... one week from today!" Makarov proclaims. 

With that he smiles. "Thank you for your time."

he hops off the railing, landing on the ground floor and wanders off.

"I'm going to make S-Class before you." Rias grins mischievously as she looks over.

"Frankly... it doesn't really matter which of us makes it to S-Class first." I admit after a moment. "Even one of us being able to take S-Class jobs would allow us all as a group to take them."

The redhead pouts as I'm not really getting into the 'competitive spirit'.

"Annnndy..." She whines. "You're no fun. You're supposed to be all 'no! You'll never beat me! Then we'd do wagers and stuff."

"What would you even wager?" I snort. "You live in my house, eat my food, I have no real need for money."

Rias eyes narrow. "My virginity-"

"Pass." I decline almost instantaneously after the words leave her lips.

"Ouch." Koneko smirks what was building up to probably be a hateful declaration of how she wouldn't allow that to happen now just being turned into poking fun at the redhead. "Rejected instantly. That sucks, hmmm Rias? Hmmm? Pervert. Pillow chest. Dairy cow."

Rias' eyes narrow at me as she opens her mouth.

"Two reasons." I point out suddenly. "First... are you sure that your family hasn't done anything to you that might force a summoning the second we try and do anything like that."

"..."

She glares down at her stomach.

"Second... you're too young for me."

The girl pouts at me, a frown tugging at her lips. 

"One of these days, Andy." She threatens.

"Sure. One of these days... after your eighteenth birthday."

"Heh." Koneko huffs. "Owned."

"Koneko I'll make you watch if you don't stop sassing me." Rias declares with a small glare.

"Hm..." The white haired girl hums. "What if I make you watch?"

I let out a long sigh, a hand coming to my face. "Anyways I'm going to start preparations... see you two later."

[Split]

'let's see here... boundary... boundary... boundary... AH! Here we go. The ecology of the boundary forest.'

I pull the book from the bookcase, going to a table towards the corner of the room to read.

'If I'm going into some spooky forest, I might as well get an idea of what I'm going to be up against.'

My eyes skim the pages as I quietly continue to read.

I would have normally asked Rias for her glasses, but eh... I kind of want to win. It'd be pretty convenient at the very least. If I ask for her glasses, she'll probably want to know why.

Oh. Also I'll probably get an achievement for becoming an S Class.

What that will give me... who knows. But. Free stuff is free stuff! After that, I need to finish up some divination work... then some other things here and there.

You know, I sort of thought I'd get some sort of achievement for learning a lost magic... but whatever.

'Ah! Here we go. Beasts... killer birds... blue wolves... giant toads- well, those are probably more akin to salamanders as they have tails... they also have these massive lizards that look more like that one fat lizard monster hunter thing... dodogama I think it was?' 

They call them bulged lizards, or just 'lizards' for short.

Wait. What the hell is THIS?

There's like... supposedly some sort of massive purple monster there? Like one that towers over trees. A finned endlizard. It is quadrupedal with an ability to switch to bipedal movement, back completely covered in large purple spikes and armor... kind of like some sort of ankylosaurus, then there's the three large fins atop its head. It vaguely reminds me of a D&D tarrasque.

It's... about the size of Deliora.

Now...

Could I take that?

Well, I mean, it's not Deliora, so probably.

I'll need to make some electric ofuda to recharge me via skrill form, then kind of play it by the ear... I also need to find a way to defeat Gildarts, but his magic is pretty... unbeatable.

The only real way I could do so is by overpowering him. Or outlasting him.

The prior... is impossible- maybe. It depends on if I could do it in the short time my Third Origin would give me- but the latter is much more plausible thanks to my Skrill recharge and a nigh endless supply of lightning ofuda.

But... realistically, I don't need to beat him, just impress him.

It's a lot harder to beat someone without killing them.

I've got this pretty much in the bag.

[Split]

I step back into the house with a low hum, looking over my archive screen.

"I'm home!" I call out as I gaze around briefly. Natsuki's in the kitchen, baking, Koneko is sat nearby, staring intently, Rias is sat on our little sofa, and judging by the sound of rushing water, Valerie is taking a shower.

"Welcome back." Rias calls out. "I'm still tooootally going to beat you in the S-Class trials though."

"Sure." I hum with a small eye-roll.

"I-I totally will!" She grumbles.

"No no. I have complete faith in you." I wave off with a small smile.

Rias' eyes narrow.

"U-Uh... hey, Andy... I made you- I-I made these... here... h-have one." She offers me a cupcake.

"Oh? Thanks!" I smile as I take it.

Oh wow...

"This is really good. You must have spent a long time learning how to do this."

"I-It's nothing." She stammers. 

"It's really impressive, actually... as you had to do all this from scratch, right? There's no cupcake mix in Fiore and all." I continue. "You shouldn't put yourself down, Natsuki."

"O-Okay..." She mutters. "Have... have you found any baker magic yet?"

"Not yet... but I have found vegetable magic." I continue. "The guildhall has a book on it, you could probably start there, then learn how to make wheat, some basic water magic, then some basic fire magic."

"What about... some form of magical baking?" She questions, seemingly being distracted by her future magical arts. "Like, what if I put runes on what I cook to give them effects?"

I let out a low hum as I briefly ponder the question. "From what I know about runes, that wouldn't work. Biting or chewing the pastry would break the runic sequence and would in turn discharge the rune, with potentially disastrous results for your teeth. What you need to look for would probably be potion creation or some form of alchemy. At most, the runes you put on them would have to be some sort of... stasis or warming rune to keep the pastries from going stale or keep them nice and warm like they had just gotten out of the oven."

"Ah! That... that makes sense!" The pink haired girl beams.

"Although... if you get your deserts to store the effects of the runes..." I tilt my head. "Runes could work if they just charge the pastries. Like if you can get them to store mana. You could use runes to charge them and they could work kind of like mana potions. Think of the runes being like... phone chargers in this scenario."

"Would... that work?" She mutters.

"Natsuki... I can turn into a dragon and use my blood to write on pieces of printer paper, causing them to explode. I have a key that conjures an entire woman named after a constellation out of thin air. It really wouldn't be the strangest thing."

[Split]

"Alright! Now that we have arrived. Allow me to tell you about the first event of this year's S-Class challenge!" Makarov exclaims, gesturing backwards with a hand. "This... is the Boundary Forest!"

In the distance a large bird flutters off with a loud dinosaur-like shriek.

"It is one of the most dangerous locations in Fiore with some monsters that might even give S-Class wizards some trouble." He continues. "And, within this forest... I and Gildarts have hidden ten chests! Your goal... is indeed to find those ten chests and return here. HOWEVER."

"Of the ten chests... only three will grant you the opportunity to continue to the next round. You could find seven chests, but at the end of the day, if none of them have the item you need to continue, you will not progress in this S-Class Trial." Makarov speaks. "Once the three items are found, I will be launching a green flare into the sky. At which point, you are all expected to return."

"Now... Any questions?"

"What happens if we collect more than one of these items?" Rias questions.

"You will just have less competition." Makarov shrugs. "Are you all ready to begin."

His gaze strays across us all, as we all give our confirmations.

"Good... Good... BEGIN!"

With that, five wizards rush forwards, one turning into a bolt of lightning, a second into a swarm of bats, a the third grows a pair of bat-like wings and shoots off into the sky and the fourth rushes forwards at high speeds, a white outline surrounding her.

The final wizard... just sort of jogs into the woods as I remain standing there.

"Hm..." I hum mutely.

"I said go, my boy. Are you giving up already?" Makarov asks.

"Of course not." I shake my head. "One moment."

I open an archive window and bring out some bone dice from my requip space. I carve a circle in the ground and shake the dice in my hand and throw them down.

I mentally note the numbers rolled then collect them and do it again... and again... and again.

I pick up the dice as I look over to the archive window that shows a very basic greyed out map and push my finger on a spot in the forest.

"Silk Make: Wyvern." I hold a hand out, a magic circle appearing in front of my curled index and ring finger, a cocoon of silk briefly surrounding my body before flopping downwards.

Two powerful wings swing downwards as I slowly raise up into the air on a platform of silk. A neck is weaved quickly, a tail begins rapidly forming. A reptilian head of cloth sprouts from the stump as with a single flap of its wings I am launched into the sky, my feet snugly secured in its back, a rope tying it to my silk-make magic circle so I can recall the silk later- even if I have no real need to due to the fact that I can recharge with electricity.

My creation doesn't even really take that much energy from me, just a little over three percent. He is quite the impressive summon, though. Being about as long as a bus is with a wingspan of similar proportions.

My gaze strays to my archive map as my wyvern swoops low.

I can see a chest in a nearby tree.

With a flap of my wyvern's wings, it swoops down and picks it up in a talon, sucking the chest into its body.

The wyvern turns as I nod once, quickly returning towards the place where the spectators are waiting.

Dozens of birds free themselves from the tree line, causing a sigh to leave my lips. The wyvern flips over so I am hanging upside down as I requip my lighter to my hand.

"Ignis. Maxima."

Orbs of fire are shot downwards towards the birds, knocking a few out and as they don't seem to get the memo to buzz off, I create a gout of fire that extends out hundreds of feet.

I nod once, watching the killer birds fall from the sky, then the wyvern simply flips back over.

After a few more seconds, it swoops down, landing in the clearing where everyone is waiting.

I hop off the wyvern as it begins rapidly unraveling, raising a hand and catching the small chest as it falls downwards.

"I'm done." I state slowly as the wyvern finally vanishes. I open the chest revealing a small wooden figurine in the shape of Fairy Tail's guild symbol.

"Huh..." Makarov blinks. "Good work, Andrew. You're first. Take a rest over there."

He gestures to what can only be described as a picnic area.

[Split]

"Alright! Since you've all returned. Allow me to list those who will continue to the next round. Koneko Toujou, Rias Gremory, and Andrew Graves."

I rise from my seat, a sly smile on my lips as I glance to the red haired girl and my fellow peerage member. The prior giving me a competitive glare while the other... is kind of just impassive. I think she's only competing so she can rub it in Rias face if she wins.

Very based.

We all approach Makarov who is stood there with his arms crossed.

"Now... I will tell you the next goal for you to become an S-Class wizard..." He gestures to the forests. "Within this forest behind me... Gildarts wandered off. Your goal is to find him and make your way to him."

"Is... that it?" Rias questions slowly.

"Yes." Makarov nods once, but there's a slight glint to his eye. "If you can make it to him in under an hour, you have what it takes to be an S-Class wizard of Fairy Tail."

"..."

"There's something you're not telling us..." Rias frowns.

"BEGIN!" Makarov shouts.

I don't wait this time, this time, scales creep along my arms and the world seems to slow down. I shoot off like a bullet gaining a considerable lead.

I already know where Gildarts is... or his general location at the very least.

I slide to a halt at the edge of a large clearing in the trees, my scales receding as I release the hold on my takeover magic.

"Should have known you'd be the first. You roll dice this time too?" The man huffs. "Give it your best shot. Come here. If you can, that is."

My eyes slowly scan the clearing, a frown on my lips.

I take a step forwards- it's as if a pillar of light has descended in front of me. Magical energy explodes off the man, nearly obscuring him completely.

My knees shake as I nearly trip. It's as if gravity increased. I taste blood in my mouth as a sheer weight of magic crashes into me.

Holy- holy shit!

I...

I have my second origin unlocked and yet... he still completely surpasses me more than five-fold.

What?

How? What the hell is this?!

I, a once 'frost human', now devil BISHOP with both the Occultist Essence and Apprentice Essence with my SECOND ORIGIN Still can't compare to this guy?!

Fucking hell. I almost bit my tongue.

I close my eyes briefly thinking about one of the main reasons I am doing this. 'I'd probably get an achievement for reaching S-Class, riiiight?'

My eyes snap open as my teeth grit, a glint of greed appearing in my eyes.

An... achievement...

The corners of my mouth turn upwards, then my magical energy explodes around me, not even close to matching the domineering aura of the man in front of me but easing the burden more than enough to take a step forwards... then another... and another.

I didn't need my third origin at the very least... I'll probably keep that in my back pocket though. The less who know about that, the better.

"Is this... enough?" I ask, giving the man an impassive deadpan stare.

He looks down. "Heh. Not bad, kid. I still don't see how you managed to clear that SS class job, though."

"I cheated. Anti-Demon seals. Stuck a talisman to its forehead that knocked it out for an hour." I explain blandly before pointing at my neck. "Wrapped the neck in several layers of anti-demon explosive seals." 

"Huh. How 'bout that. This is enough." The man lets out a long sigh as he pulls out a flare and shoots it up into the sky.

A bright green flash appears up above as I turn and walk away.

We all gather at the original area, I can see Makarov barely containing his elation.

"The fairy tail guild welcomes its newest S-Class Wizard... Andrew Graves!"

The spectators who came here to 'watch' the events erupt into cheers.

I scratch the side of my head as my gaze strays the surroundings, Valerie is clapping politely. Koneko is stood there with her arms crossed, giving me a half-lidded stare, a smile on her lips, Rias seems to be fuming- pouting, really-, arms crossed with her back to Koneko. Apparently, the white haired girl continued her attempts to territorially bully Rias. That's kind of funny, actually.

"Haaah" I let out a long sigh, a weary and shaky smile appearing on my lips.

I want to go home and take a nap so bad right now.