The day after Makarov departed for Clover Town to attend the regular meeting of the local Guild Masters, the guild was left in a state of restless peace. Goku, however, did not follow the Master's suggestion to idle away his time sightseeing in Magnolia.
To him, wandering aimlessly through streets was a luxury he couldn't afford; every moment spent not honing his craft was a moment wasted.
Newly christened with the secrets of Giant Magic, Goku was obsessed with the tactile feedback of the spells. While the other mages were in the hall, drowning themselves in ale and tall tales, Goku was in the clearing behind the guild, repeating the same high-intensity drills over and over.
He was deep into a sequence of partial-enlargement kicks when Mirajane came running toward him, her white hair fluttering in the breeze.
"Goku! Goku, come over here for a second!"
"What is it, Mira-nee?" Goku deactivated the magic in his right leg, shrinking it back to its original size, and used a burst of speed to appear instantly at her side.
Mirajane leaned down, her expression a mix of concern and professional evaluation. "Goku, a very difficult request has just come in. I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to take it?"
Before leaving, the Master had confided in Mira regarding Goku's true level. He had instructed her to screen potential missions for the boy to tackle once he returned. However, the situation had shifted. Erza Scarlet, the guild's strongest female mage, had just returned and immediately organized a "team-up" with Natsu and Gray to handle an exceptionally thorny problem involving a Dark Guild and a forbidden magic known as Lullaby.
Normally, Erza could handle S-Class threats alone. The fact that she had requested the help of Natsu and Gray—the two strongest candidates for the next S-Class promotion—spoke volumes about the mission's severity.
Mirajane's mind had raced. On one hand, Goku possessed S-Class power; his inclusion would provide an ironclad safety net. On the other hand, Erza was a veteran of a thousand battles; there was no better mentor for Goku's first official outing.
But most importantly, she knew the "destructive trio" of Erza, Natsu, and Gray. Left to their own devices, they were liable to accidentally delete a city from the map. Having Goku there with his "Ki Magic" to repair the inevitable collateral damage would save the guild's finances from total ruin.
"I'll do it!" Goku agreed without a second's hesitation.
Master Makarov's voice echoed in his mind: 'To advance in magic, you must seek conflict, seek challenges, and move forward without fear.' This mirrored his own martial arts philosophy perfectly.
...
The Crimson Knight
As Mira led Goku back into the guild, the atmosphere was thick with a strange, heavy tension. Usually, the hall was a riot of noise, but today, everyone was suspiciously "well-behaved."
Natsu and Gray, usually at each other's throats, were currently standing side-by-side, arms linked in a forced display of brotherly love. This unnatural harmony was directed toward a woman standing in the center of the hall. She had long, crimson hair, wore gleaming silver armor, and radiated an aura of absolute authority.
'She feels really strong,' Goku thought.
'I hope she'll spar with me after the mission.'
"Erza, this is Son Goku," Mira introduced. "He'll be joining your team for this operation."
Erza Scarlet looked down at the boy. To the shock of the onlookers, she knelt and pulled Goku into a powerful embrace. Goku's forehead struck the cold, hard steel of her breastplate with a resounding *CLANG*, a sound that made several mages wince in sympathy.
"I've heard of you," Erza said, her voice resonant and steady. "Training with hundred-ton logs and restoring the guild hall in seconds. Having a talent like yours with us is a great relief. Welcome to the team."
"No problem!" Goku said, pulling back and rubbing his head. "Can we fight after the mission is over?"
The guild fell into a stunned silence. They didn't doubt Goku's future potential—many saw him as a future Wizard Saint—but challenging Erza when he had only just learned his first real spell? That was beyond brave; it was suicidal. Erza wasn't just an S-Class mage; she was the pinnacle of the rank, a warrior who struck fear into the hearts of even the most hardened criminals.
"Count me in too!" Natsu shouted, fire leaping from his mouth. "Erza, when we get back, let's settle the score!"
"Hey, don't be an idiot!" Gray hissed, trying to pull Natsu back. He and Natsu had been beaten black and blue by Erza since they were children.
"I'm different now! I've got a good feeling about this time!" Natsu insisted.
Erza offered a rare, slight smile. "Very well. I accept both your challenges. Gray, what about you?"
"Forget it," Gray said, waving his hands frantically. "I'm not interested in a one-sided beating."
"Good. Everyone, go and prepare. We meet at Magnolia Station in one hour!"
...
Departure
Goku followed Gray back to the boys' dorm. He checked his storage box—it was packed with like potions, food, magical items from Hogwarts, and a mountain of gold Galleons.
'Oh, right! Nimbus!' Goku thought. He briefly concentrated, mentally reaching out to his own world to call the Flying Nimbus. He stored it in a pocket dimension nearby, ready to be summoned. While he had a Firebolt broom in his box, he found the sitting position awkward and preferred the freedom of the cloud.
When they arrived at the station, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy were already there. Lucy had been recruited by Mirajane at the last second, tasked with being the "voice of reason" for the volatile group and keeping an eye on the innocent Goku.
"Lucy! I've heard about you," Erza said as the train pulled in. "They say you defeated a powerful Vulcan gorilla with a single finger. Impressive."
"HUH?!" Lucy's jaw hit the platform. Natsu had done the heavy lifting on that job; she had barely managed a distraction. How had the rumor mill turned her into a finger-flicking master?
Goku's eyes widened as he looked at Lucy. "Wow, Lucy! I didn't know you were that strong! We definitely have to spar after Erza and I are done!"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Lucy yelled, her face pale. She had no intention of being pulverized by a boy who considered a hundred tons a "warm-up."
As Erza began loading a literal mountain of luggage—dozens of trunks filled with armor and clothes—onto the train, Goku looked toward the tracks. His first mission was about to begin. New enemies, new magic, and perhaps, a chance to see how high the ceiling of this world truly was.