The train doors closed behind him.
For a few seconds, Yaman simply stood there silently in the middle of the station.
Watching.
Listening.
Breathing.
.
"…So this is Magnolia…"
Compared to the other cities he had visited—
This place felt different.
Alive.
People laughed openly in the streets.
Children ran around chasing each other.
Street vendors shouted proudly about their food.
Music could be heard somewhere in the distance.
The city wasn't luxurious like .
Nor strict like .
Nor dark like .
It simply…
felt warm.
Yaman slowly walked through the streets.
His eyes moved everywhere.
"…Weird…"
This was the first time he had seen a city like this.
Shops lined the roads.
Restaurants overflowing with people.
Couples walking together.
Kids running around with wooden swords pretending to be wizards.
A completely different world from .
For a brief moment—
Yaman forgot himself.
He stopped near a bakery, staring at cakes displayed behind the glass.
Then at a musician playing violin on the corner.
Then at people casually using magic in daily life.
"…This place…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Eventually—
He reached the river dividing the city.
The water reflected the orange glow of the afternoon sun beautifully.
Boats drifted peacefully across the surface.
The wind carried the smell of water and food together.
Yaman leaned slightly on the railing.
Watching silently.
"…Not bad…"
Then—
His eyes narrowed.
In the distance—
A massive building stood proudly beside the river.
Loud.
Chaotic.
Almost exploding with energy.
A giant guild symbol decorated the front.
.
"…Found it."
A grin appeared on his face.
Finally.
He started walking toward it.
Step after step.
Determined.
The closer he got—
The louder it became.
Crashes.
Shouting.
Laughter.
Explosions.
Yaman's eyebrow twitched.
"…What kind of guild is this…"
Then he finally stood before the entrance.
Large wooden doors.
Guild emblem proudly displayed.
Yaman knocked.
Silence.
He knocked again.
Nothing.
Third time.
Still nothing.
A vein appeared on his forehead.
"…Are they deaf?"
He lost patience instantly.
Magma erupted around his arm.
The temperature around the entrance skyrocketed.
BOOOOM!!
The door exploded apart violently.
Burning wood scattered everywhere.
Half the entrance melted instantly.
Silence filled the guild hall.
Every single person turned toward him.
Yaman stood there calmly in the smoke.
Inside—
Absolute chaos.
Tables broken.
People fighting.
Someone hanging upside down for some reason.
Two older men looked toward the destroyed entrance.
sighed deeply.
"These kids nowadays…"
Beside him, shook his head.
"They really hate knocking properly…"
At another table—
A black-haired boy and a brown hair girl stared at Yaman in shock.
frowned slightly.
The brown hair girl whispered:
"…Gray… what do you think about him?"
Gray crossed his arms nervously.
"…He looks like trouble."
Meanwhile—
In the corner of the guild—
A red-haired girl around Yaman's age quietly continued eating her strawberry cake while observing him silently.
.
Her eyes stayed on him longer than everyone else's.
Yaman ignored everybody.
Walked straight forward.
Then—
A tiny old man jumped onto the counter furiously.
.
His face trembled dramatically.
"…MY DOOR…"
His eyes became watery.
Then instantly—
Rage.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT DOOR COST, YOU BRAT?!"
Yaman stared calmly.
"I knocked."
Makarov pointed furiously at the remains of the entrance.
"IT WAS UNLOCKED, YOU IDIOT!!"
Silence.
Yaman blinked once.
"…Principles first."
The guild went silent for two seconds.
Then—
Laughter exploded everywhere.
"Hahahahaha!!"
"What kind of logic is that?!"
Even Macao nearly choked laughing.
Makarov's eye twitched violently.
"…Why are all strong kids insane…"
Yaman crossed his arms.
Straight to the point.
"I want to join."
The guild quieted slightly.
Makarov narrowed his eyes.
"You use magic?"
Without answering—
Magma emerged from Yaman's body.
The air temperature rose instantly.
The floor beneath him slightly melted.
Several guild members widened their eyes.
Gray immediately frowned from the sudden heat.
"…Hot…"
Macao and Wakaba both sweated nervously.
"…Kids these days are terrifying…"
Makarov stared at the magma silently for a moment.
Then suddenly—
"Okay. You're in."
Yaman blinked.
"…What?"
"No test?"
"No trial?"
Makarov picked his nose casually.
"Nope."
Everyone acted like this was completely normal.
Yaman looked genuinely confused now.
Makarov smirked slightly.
"Besides…"
"I already heard about you."
Yaman raised an eyebrow.
"During the Guild Masters meeting two days ago…"
" wouldn't stop complaining."
The guild laughed instantly.
Makarov imitated Jose dramatically:
"'I LOST A TALENT THAT WOULD'VE MADE PHANTOM LORD RULE THE NEXT ERA!'"
More laughter erupted.
"Then he kept ranting about some stubborn magma brat…"
Makarov pointed at Yaman.
"…Seems that was you."
Yaman sighed tiredly.
"…Yeah. That guy was a pain in the ass."
Makarov burst out laughing loudly.
"HAHAHAHA!!"
"Yeah, sounds like Jose!"
Then he jumped down from the counter holding the guild stamp.
"Alright then."
"What color?"
"And where?"
Yaman answered immediately.
"Black."
"Left shoulder."
Makarov grinned.
"Good choice."
And at that moment—
Without realizing it—
Yaman Ignis officially became part of .
📖 Chapter: Thomas the Cat
The guild stamp burned slightly against Yaman's left shoulder.
A black Fairy Tail emblem.
.
Officially—
He now belonged to a guild.
"…Tch."
Yaman adjusted his shirt slightly, still not fully used to the feeling.
Meanwhile, was already scribbling something into the guild records.
"Name: Yaman Ignis…"
Makarov nodded.
"There. Now you officially exist."
"…What does that even mean?"
"Means if you destroy another door, I can charge you legally."
The guild burst into laughter again.
Yaman clicked his tongue.
"…Annoying old man."
Makarov smirked.
Then suddenly jumped onto the table dramatically.
"LISTEN UP!"
The guild quieted slightly.
"We got a new brat joining us today!"
Several members looked over curiously.
Some waved casually.
Others ignored him entirely.
Makarov pointed toward a nearby table.
"You'll probably be around these idiots the most."
At the table sat three people around his age.
A black-haired boy with sharp eyes and an irritated expression.
.
A brown-haired girl lazily drinking while sitting with one leg over the table.
.
And—
The red-haired girl from the corner.
Quietly eating strawberry cake.
.
Makarov smiled slightly.
"I hope you become friends."
Silence.
Yaman scoffed immediately.
"I don't need friends."
The atmosphere paused slightly.
Yaman's eyes stayed cold.
"Just give me a quest."
"I want to become stronger."
Gray frowned slightly.
Cana raised an eyebrow.
Even Erza slowly stopped eating for a second.
Makarov stared at him quietly.
Then sighed.
"…You really are like Jose described."
He jumped off the table.
"Fine."
Together, they walked toward the quest board.
Requests covered the wall.
Monster hunts.
Escort jobs.
Deliveries.
Treasure searches.
Yaman's eyes sharpened immediately.
"…Finally."
Makarov scanned the requests briefly.
Then pulled one down.
"Here."
Yaman took it.
Read the title.
"Help a woman in the West End District."
"…That's it?"
"No details?"
Makarov shrugged casually.
"Go there and find out."
Yaman frowned.
"…Weird guild."
Still—
A quest was a quest.
So he left immediately.
West End District
The sun was beginning to lower by the time Yaman arrived.
The West End was quieter than the city center.
Small houses lined the streets.
Children played outside while neighbors chatted casually.
Yaman stopped before a modest house.
Knocked.
The door opened violently.
A middle-aged woman looked at him.
Then froze.
"…They sent a child?"
Instant irritation appeared on her face.
"You're from Fairy Tail?!"
Yaman's eyebrow twitched instantly.
"…I'm strong."
"Now tell me what you want."
The woman looked unconvinced.
Then suddenly—
Her eyes watered.
"…Thomas…"
Yaman blinked.
"…What?"
The woman burst into tears dramatically.
"THOMAS RAN AWAY!!"
Silence.
Yaman stared at her blankly.
"…Who's Thomas?"
"My precious baby!!"
"…Your son?"
"…MY CAT!!"
Silence.
Complete silence.
Yaman's face slowly darkened.
"…You're telling me…"
"…Fairy Tail sent me…"
"…to look for a cat?"
His eye twitched violently.
Magma almost leaked from his arm.
"This is a waste of human life…"
The woman instantly pointed accusingly.
"DON'T INSULT THOMAS!"
"…Tch."
Yaman rubbed his forehead aggressively.
Trying not to explode.
"…Fine."
"Do you at least have a picture?"
The woman sniffed dramatically.
Then hurried inside.
A few seconds later—
She returned holding a picture carefully.
Yaman took it.
Looked down.
A fat orange cat stared back proudly.
"…This thing…"
"His name is Thomas!"
Yaman sighed deeply.
Long.
Painfully long.
"…I crossed half the city for this…"
Then slowly—
He placed the picture into his pocket.
Turned around.
And thus—
The legendary search for Thomas began.