"It's a Demon!"
Seeing the massive, multi-hundred-meter tall wooden creature, Erza's expression grew grim. Demons, as magical lifeforms, possessed terrifying power; a single one could easily level a city.
Usually, it required a coordinated subjugation by a large group of high-level mages to even stand a chance. Some particularly powerful demons couldn't even be killed—only sealed.
Looking at the sheer scale of this entity, she knew its power was no joke. However, she wasn't panicking. She had slain demons before, but this one was clearly on a different level. Thankfully, she wasn't alone; she had Natsu, Gray, Goku, Lucy, and Happy by her side.
"Now then... let's see," the Wood Demon hissed, leaning down toward the group with a sadistic grin. "Whose soul should I start eating first?"
Natsu blinked, looking curiously at Gray. "Hey, are souls actually tasty?"
"How should I know? I've never eaten one," Gray replied crossly, arms crossed over his chest.
"Tasty? Did someone say something's tasty? Can I have some?" At that moment, Goku touched down. The mention of food instantly revitalized his spirit.
"How dare you look down on me! Behold my true power!"
Feeling insulted by the mages' lack of fear, the Wood Demon puffed out its chest. It aimed at a mountain several hundred meters high in the distance and fired a massive beam of magical energy.
*BOOM!*
A cataclysmic explosion rocked the canyon. Within seconds, the mountain was wiped from the face of the earth.
"Hey, big guy," Goku said, looking up with a disappointed sigh. "You're huge, but your strength is actually pretty average."
Goku had expected someone of that size to be significantly stronger than Erigor—strong enough to let him go all-out. But this? Destroying a small mountain was something he could do with a Kamehameha back at the end of the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Now, he was leagues beyond that level.
"You human ant! How dare you mock me! I'll kill you first!"
The Demon felt a surge of pure humiliation. It opened its maw again, and a giant black magic circle manifested in the sky. A concentrated pillar of destruction hurtled directly toward Goku.
Natsu and Gray moved to intercept, but Erza held out an arm, stopping them. "Wait. Look at Goku."
"Are you trying to have a beam struggle with me?"
Goku watched the magical blast approach. He cupped his hands at his side, focusing his ki into a single point. As the energy reached a blinding intensity, he thrust his palms forward: "KAMEHAMEHA!!!"
The blue stream of pure energy collided head-on with the black magic beam. For a split second, they ground against each other in mid-air.
"Hah!"
Goku pushed a fraction more power into the attack. The Kamehameha surged forward like silk, effortlessly swallowing the demon's magic and slamming into its wooden chest.
"This... this... IMPOSSIBLE!"
The Wood Demon let out one final, disbelieving shriek before being completely vaporized. It didn't just break; it ceased to exist, erased from the world down to the last atom. A creation of the Black Wizard Zeref, one of the most feared entities in history, had been one-shot by a child.
"Was that 'Ki Magic' too?" Lucy's jaw was practically dragging on the floor. When the demon appeared, she had nearly fainted from terror, yet Goku had handled it like he was shooing away a fly. 'Is Ki Magic some kind of Lost Magic from the myths?' she wondered. 'It's way too powerful!'
"Dammit! Goku beat me to it!" Natsu shouted, fire puffing from his mouth in frustration. He had wanted to test his new move, the Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame, but Goku hadn't left him a scrap to fight.
"You might not have been able to handle it alone, Natsu," Gray said, the voice of reason. He had encountered demons in his youth and knew their terror. If the three of them—him, Natsu, and Erza—had fought together, they would have won, but a solo victory would have been uncertain.
'This kid... his strength is probably already beyond the Master's,' Gray thought, glancing at Goku in awe. He realized now that before Goku even learned Giant Magic, his "Ki" alone made him an S-Class monster.
"Beautifully done, Goku!" Erza stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder, her eyes full of pride. There wasn't a hint of jealousy; in her heart, she wanted every member of the family to become stronger than her. That was the only way they could truly protect their home.
"By the way," Erza added with a smile, "could you use your magic to fix the station?"
...
Meanwhile, in Clover Town
At the headquarters of the Guild Master League, Makarov was currently enjoying a few drinks while bragging to his old friends about his incredible new disciple. Suddenly, a small bird landed on the table. "Master Makarov! Master Makarov! A letter for you!"
Makarov took the letter and infused it with magic. Mirajane's magical projection shimmered into view.
"Master, I hope the conference is going well!"
"Look! Look!" Makarov pointed at the projection, grinning at the other Masters. "That's our guild's poster girl. Beautiful, isn't she?"
The other Masters nodded, impressed.
"Actually, while you've been away, something amazing happened!" Mira's projection continued happily. "Erza, Gray, and Natsu have finally formed a team! I think they might be the strongest team in the guild's history!"
*CLANG.*
Makarov nearly fell off his chair. With those three together, they wouldn't just complete the mission—they'd likely accidentally delete a country. He could already feel the Magic Council's spittle on his face and the guild's bank account hitting zero.
"Don't worry, Master," Mira's voice continued. "I sent the newcomer Lucy and little Goku along with them."
Makarov let out a long, shaky breath of relief. Lucy was sensible, and Goku's repair magic could mitigate the damage. He still felt uneasy, waiting for the inevitable mountain of bills.
That evening, a messenger from the Magic Council arrived. Makarov braced himself for the worst, but instead of a fine, he was handed a rare letter of commendation.
The letter praised Fairy Tail for dismantling Eisenwald's conspiracy, defeating a demon, and rescuing the hostages at Kunugi Station. Most importantly, it noted that not a single piece of public property had been damaged. The only missing mountain was attributed to the demon's own actions, not the mages.
"Goku..." Makarov clutched the letter to his chest, tears of joy streaming down his face. "Having you in this guild is truly a blessing!"
'I've suffered for so many years... finally, someone who cleans up the mess!'