When Rayne returned to the guild, it was already noon the next day.

"You're back already?!"

Makarov stared at the young man before him, visibly shocked.

If he remembered correctly, Rayne's request was to track down and capture a thief.

Finding clues, identifying the culprit, and apprehending them—all of that should have taken considerable time.

Yet Rayne had only left yesterday, and here he was, back already?

Makarov couldn't help but feel bewildered.

For a moment, he even wondered if he'd blacked out from drinking and somehow skipped ahead in time.

"Got lucky. I happened to stumble upon the reason behind the missing items."

Rayne understood the guild master's surprise and simply smiled as he and Kanna took their seats.

He'd expected the job to take longer too.

But running into Mystogan had drastically cut down the time needed.

"So it wasn't done by a person?"

"No. It seemed to be a rift leading to another world. Someone was sealing it when I arrived."

Rayne kept the details about "souls" to himself, opting for a more plausible explanation.

"Another world?!"

Even the well-traveled Makarov couldn't hide his astonishment at that answer.

The existence of other worlds wasn't unheard of—after all, ancient texts often hinted at such things.

Like the Celestial Spirit World, the realms where demons and gods resided, or even magic that summoned creatures not native to this world.

Rayne's Dragon Summoning Magic was proof enough of that.

But what surprised Makarov was that in all his years, he'd never encountered such a phenomenon himself—yet Rayne had just stumbled upon it.

"Who was the one sealing the rift?"

Anyone capable of such a feat must have been a renowned mage—perhaps even one of the Ten Wizard Saints.

"They were a bit shorter than me, with their face completely covered."

It wasn't a lie—just an omission.

Explaining the "souls" or how he knew about Edolas would've been too complicated.

Besides, even if he told them, there was no way to reach that world.

"Shorter than you?"

Makarov scrutinized Rayne's height, mentally comparing it to the Ten Wizard Saints.

But none matched the description—aside from himself, none were shorter than Rayne.

"Must've been a powerful mage who prefers to stay out of the spotlight."

Makarov sighed in resignation.

The Ten Wizard Saints weren't necessarily the strongest in the world—they were simply those recognized for both power and reputation.

But there were plenty of formidable mages who shunned fame, and the Magic Council wouldn't disclose their identities.

"Maybe."

Rayne shrugged nonchalantly.

Kanna glanced up at him, sensing he knew more than he let on.

But since Rayne chose not to elaborate, she stayed quiet.

Noticing her gaze, Rayne chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Well, now that you're back, take it easy. Don't push yourself too hard."

Makarov's tone turned fatherly as he spoke.

In a guild known for its laid-back attitude, Rayne was an anomaly—relentless to the point of self-endangerment.

It worried Makarov.

"I'm fine, really."

Rayne tilted his head slightly, unfazed.

Thanks to the Dragon Root's influence, his body was gradually becoming superhuman.

What others saw as grueling tRayneing felt like a normal workout to him.

His recovery was faster, and the tangible progress he made after each session left him craving more.

"...Oh, right."

Makarov's eye twitched at Rayne's nonchalance, but he quickly remembered something else.

"The Magic Council approved the bounty for the 'Rat Catchers.' It should arrive in a few days—around 200,000 Jewel."

That amount made even Rayne raise an eyebrow.

How were a bunch of weaklings worth so much?

"They weren't strong, but their crimes were vile. Many families who lost children pooled money together, driving up the bounty."

Makarov explained, sensing Rayne's confusion.

"I see. Then my share goes to you, Master. With this 30,000 Jewel, that's half the rent paid."

Since Laxus had helped with the request, Rayne couldn't take the full reward.

He split both the bounty and the mission earnings equally.

The apartment rent was 70,000 Jewel, so three months totaled 210,000.

Between the previous two missions (30,000 Jewel), the Rat Catchers' bounty (100,000 Jewel), and this job (30,000 Jewel), Rayne had already repaid over half.

Handing Makarov the 30,000 Jewel, Rayne couldn't help but feel relieved.

"Rayne. Want to pay it all off at once?"

Laxus's sharp voice cut in.

Rayne turned to see the blond-haired mage lounging in a corner, chin propped on his hand, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Laxus, what are you planning?!"

Makarov frowned, instantly wary of his grandson's tone.

"Nothing much. Just thought it's time we settled our little debt, don't you think?"

Dismissing his grandfather, Laxus's eyes gleamed with something complicated.

Ever since their battle in Oak Village, he'd known Rayne wasn't weak.

He'd intended to settle their old score immediately after returning, but Rayne had vanished—first to tRayne under Makarov, then on another mission.

When Rayne finally reappeared, guild members whispered about how much stronger he'd gotten.

Even Gildarts had praised him.

In just a few days, Rayne had grown again.

And that realization filled Laxus with an unfamiliar urgency.

He hated to admit it, but a thought had crept into his mind:

If this keeps up, he'll surpass me.

Shoving the idea aside only made the unease worse.

The solution was simple.

Crush Rayne with overwhelming force—before he could catch up.

So Laxus had resolved to stay in the guild, skipping missions just to wait for Rayne's return.

And now here he was—back sooner than expected.

And just as the rumors said, Rayne carried himself differently now.

The massive sword on his back exuded a primal, almost savage aura.

Like a beast from ancient times, slowly baring its fangs.

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