"Ah... well..."
Goku blinked, looking at the swarm of boisterous mages surrounding him. For a moment, he was at a loss; everyone seemed so friendly and enthusiastic that choosing one team felt like he'd be letting everyone else down.
Fortunately, at that moment, Master Makarov's voice thundered through the hall.
"Ahem! Cough, cough... What do you think you're doing, you bunch of rascals? He's just a child! How can he go on missions with you lot? Wait until he's an adult in a few years. For now, his main priority is studying magic. Now scatter! Everyone, scatter!"
Letting Goku go out on missions right now? Makarov thought it was a ridiculous notion. What if the boy ran into a Dark Guild or a powerful monster? If anyone in the guild realized the boy's true value, it was the Master.
To allow the children of the guild to chase their magical dreams, Makarov had endured countless lectures and beratings from the Magic Council. He could handle the scolding—he was thick-skinned enough to let it slide. After all, Fairy Tail had the highest mission completion rate in the kingdom, and as a Wizard Saint, the Council couldn't actually touch him.
However, the property damage was a different story. The repair bills were astronomical. Natsu had saved a ship full of girls from human traffickers, but he'd vaporized half a harbor in the process. Currently, the Fairy Tail coffers were bone-dry.
The processing fees they collected from missions weren't even enough to cover the fines for destroyed public infrastructure. If it weren't for the high commissions brought in by the S-Class mages—who were relatively more stable—the guild would have gone bankrupt years ago.
Goku's arrival was a beam of hope.
'If the boy's 'Ki Magic' can restore an entire hall in the blink of an eye,' Makarov reasoned, 'then whenever the brats break something on a mission, I can just send Goku to clean up the mess.'
The Council would have nothing to complain about if the "destroyed" buildings were standing perfectly by the next morning. But to ensure this future, he had to keep Goku safe and focused.
1. Goku was too young for the high-stakes dangers of the field.
2. If Goku died on a mission, the guild's "insurance policy" died with him.
3. Joining a single team was inefficient. Goku should be a guild-wide resource.
After forcefully dispersing the recruiters, Makarov looked at Goku with a grandfatherly warmth. "Goku, my boy, Mirajane tells me you're interested in learning Giant Magic?"
"Mm-hmm! I think Giant Magic can help me get a lot stronger," Goku nodded eagerly.
Makarov burst into a hearty laugh. "Excellent! You have a keen eye! Don't let the fact that few people study it fool you. I reached the rank of Wizard Saint primarily because of this magic. Since you're so keen, I shall take you as my personal apprentice. I will guide your training myself and ensure you reach a level of mastery no lower than my own!"
This wasn't an exaggeration. While Makarov's Light Magic was technically more potent—especially the legendary Fairy Law—that was a trump card, not a regular combat tool. In ninety percent of his battles, he relied on his unparalleled mastery of Giant Magic. If Goku could learn it, his survival rate would skyrocket.
Moreover, Makarov was touched. His own son and grandson had no interest in his signature style. He had worried his lineage of Giant Magic would end with him, but now, a talented, pure-hearted boy had appeared out of nowhere, wanting to learn it.
"Really?!" Goku's face lit up. To him, learning from the strongest person around was just as good as fighting them. "Thank you, Master!"
"It's settled then. Tomorrow morning, we begin your formal instruction." Makarov turned to Mirajane. "Mira, take the newcomers to the dorms and get them settled."
...
The Dormitories
The guild had its own dorms in Magnolia. Most mages lived there when they weren't traveling. While the girls' dorm, Fairy Hills, was a luxurious mansion with a pool costing 100,000 Jewel a month, the boys' dorm was slightly more modest at 70,000 Jewel. For minors, however, the guild provided housing for free.
Lucy, wanting to maintain her independence, decided to look for an apartment in town instead. Mirajane led Goku toward the south of the town, near the edge of the East Forest.
"This is your room," Mirajane said, showing him a comfortable space. "Feel free to explore the town, but try to stay out of the forest for now. There are some very fierce beasts in there, and until your Giant Magic is further along, it could be dangerous."
She and the Master still believed Goku's magic was purely auxiliary. In their eyes, "Reparo" was a miracle for maintenance but useless in a fight against a hungry Vulcan or a pack of magical wolves.
"Fierce beasts?" Goku's stomach let out a thunderous growl the moment Mira left. "Perfect. I was just getting hungry."
Goku didn't fear fierce beasts. To him, the fiercer the beast, the more meat it provided. Without hesitation, he turned away from the cozy town and marched straight into the shadows of the southern forest.