The battle between Goku and Erza sent shockwaves throughout Magnolia and the Fairy Tail Guild. However, for Goku himself, there was little pride to be felt. To him, it was merely a practical test to verify his new techniques—a light sparring session.
In truth, because Erza's plateaued physical defense couldn't quite match his explosive output, the effectiveness of his "Breath of Ki" field test only reached about sixty percent. Out of the ten forms he had developed, four remained unused:
Fourth Form: Thunder Tiger Flash
Seventh Form: Ghost Flash
Eighth Form: Ten Thousand Mile Tracker
Tenth Form: Dragon Descent
Goku hadn't come up with these elaborate names himself; he wasn't one for complex terminology. These were titles bestowed by the Hashira and the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps based on the characteristics of his movements.
According to them, the name of a technique provided psychological momentum in battle and shouldn't be overlooked. While Goku didn't quite grasp the logic, he respected their passion.
Without their selfless guidance, he never would have refined his raw ki into such sophisticated martial forms.
Unfortunately, even the Hashira couldn't help him push these moves to their limit—any single form executed at full power would have likely vaporized a Pillar-level combatant. Even Erza had only survived six forms because Goku had consciously suppressed his physical striking force.
With no mages stronger than Erza currently available for sparring, and unable to go all-out against Master Makarov without risking the town, Goku pivoted his focus.
He spent the following days deep in the forests behind the guild, obsessing over the Giant Magic curriculum, physical conditioning, and perfecting the "precision control" of his burgeoning strength.
As for guild requests? Once Makarov confirmed that Goku's power surpassed a standard S-Class mage, he stopped assigning him regular jobs. Missions below S-rank were trivialities that offered no growth.
However, S-Class missions required official certification. With the annual S-Class Promotion Trial only five months away, Makarov decided it was best for Goku to stay close to home, master his Giant form, and wait for the official exam.
Of course, Goku wasn't idle. Whenever a guild member caused "excessive collateral damage" (which was daily), Makarov dispatched Goku to handle the cleanup. Using his repair spells, Goku saved the guild a fortune in Council fines.
Makarov would then funnel a portion of those saved funds into Goku's pocket as a "settlement fee," which was more than enough to keep the boy fed.
Makarov didn't realize that Goku was actually quite wealthy—his bottomless storage box still held piles of Wizarding Gold Galleons.
Furthermore, as his Transfiguration skills improved, a quick walk through the forest allowed Goku to turn stones and branches into a feast fit for a king.
The "cleanup" duty had an unexpected perk: Goku had now visited almost every major city in the Kingdom of Fiore. He had mapped out the ki signatures of every local landmark. Now, he could Apparate to any corner of the kingdom in a heartbeat. He also caught glimpses of various bizarre magics, broadening his understanding of Earth Land's mystical laws.
...
Two weeks passed in peaceful cultivation. Deep in the woods, Goku stood amidst shattered boulders, his body now able to swell into a four-meter-tall Giant Form at will. His raw power had grown significantly since his duel with Erza.
"Goku! Goku! The Master is looking for you!"
Hearing Mirajane's voice, Goku ceased his training and vanished, reappearing instantly at her side via Apparition.
"Mira-chan, is there another mess to clean up?" Goku asked, wiping sweat from his brow. Usually, her summons meant Natsu had burned down a tavern or Gray had accidentally frozen a fountain.
Mirajane's expression was uncharacteristically grim. "It's not a cleanup mission. Natsu has stolen an S-Class request from the second floor. The Master wants you to bring him back immediately."
As they walked toward the guild hall, Mira filled him in. Yesterday, two of the guild's most elusive S-Class mages had returned: Mystogan and Laxus.
Seeing them, Natsu had been provoked by his own desire for strength. Last night, he'd had Happy fly to the forbidden second floor to snatch a purple S-Class flyer, dragging a reluctant Lucy along to the cursed island of Galuna.
For a non-S-Class mage, an S-Class mission was essentially a suicide mission.
Makarov had chosen Goku for the retrieval for two reasons. First, Natsu was stubborn and powerful; only an S-Class-level combatant could physically force him back. Erza was away on a job, Mystogan had vanished back into the shadows, and Laxus—the most capable candidate—flat-out refused to help.
Second, Goku possessed teleportation and his unique ki sensing. He was the fastest way to track them down before they got themselves killed.
...
"Old man, you should just kick him out," a harsh, arrogant voice boomed as Goku entered the hall. "A weakling who doesn't know his place is useless to this guild."
"Laxus, shut your mouth! If you won't help, get out and do your own work!" Makarov barked back.
Goku looked toward the source of the friction. Sitting in a chair was a burly man with spiky blond hair and a jagged lightning-bolt scar over his left eye. He wore a plush fur coat over his shoulders and radiated an aura of overwhelming arrogance, looking down even on the Guild Master.
"Goku, you're here!" Makarov's anger softened the moment he saw his disciple. "Take Gray and go to Hargeon Port. Find that idiot Natsu and drag him back by his scarf!"
Laxus turned his gaze toward Goku, his eyes narrowing. "So, you're the brat who beat Erza? Not bad. You've got some spark. How about it? Forget the old man's errands and join my Thunder Legion."
Goku tilted his head, looking Laxus up and down. "You're... the Master's grandson, right?"
He didn't quite remember the name Laxus, but he remembered Mirajane mentioning that the arrogant S-Class mage was Makarov's own flesh and blood.
Laxus's face darkened instantly. He hated being defined by his relationship to the "decrepit" old man. "I'm Laxus. And in this guild, strength is the only thing that matters. Don't compare me to that fossil."
Goku just blinked, his tail swishing casually. "The Master says you're strong, but you seem kind of grumpy. Anyway, I have to go save Natsu. Gray, let's go!"
Gray, who was already packed (and remarkably, still wearing a shirt for once), nodded. "Right. If we don't hurry, Natsu will probably set the whole island on fire."