The guild's stunned reaction told Shun everything he needed to know. A Dragon Slayer Lacrima was clearly a big deal, treated with the same mixture of awe and caution as a Devil Fruit back in one piece world.
'They're quite similar,' he thought, turning the pulsating crystal over in his hand. 'Both grant incredible power with bizarre weaknesses. The fruit makes you sink in water; this thing gives you crippling motion sickness. But this Lacrim carry the risk of killing you if your body rejects it.'
He noted that while the crowd was fascinated, no one showed any desire to possess the Lacrima themselves. The risk of internal injury or death was no joke.
'I don't have the Devil Fruit's weakness, but if I take this, I'll get a new, annoying one. Still, since I can fly, motion sickness won't be a huge issue. Maybe I can find a magic to cure it later.'
"Sure, go ahead," Laxus said, his tone casual but his eyes fixed intently on the crystal.
"Actually," Shun began, crafting a harmless backstory on the spot, "I got this beautiful crystal from a kind old man after I helped him reach his vacation spot." He smiled gently. "But I have no clue how to actually use it. So… can you tell me about your experience?"
Laxus's expression darkened slightly. "I had it implanted by force, thanks to my dad. I don't know the details. You'll have to ask the old man," he said, irritation lacing his words at the mention of his exiled father.
"Well, he isn't here now," Shun said with a shrug. "If I can get the Lacrima instilled today, we can have our duel. If not, I'm heading out on another mission tomorrow, so I won't be around."
Dismissing the topic, he grabbed a drink and settled in to chat with Cana and Gray. Erza hadn't joined yet, and Natsu wouldn't be found by Makarov for another year. Gildarts, as always, was nowhere to be seen.
'Tomorrow morning, the Oracion Seis kids will arrive,' he thought, sipping his drink through a straw. 'If I just let them and Makarov meet, he'll handle the rest. The man is a master at recruiting talented, troubled kids.'
"Hah, a brat acting all busy just because he's got a bit of strength!" Laxus grumbled before storming off, presumably to find his grandfather.
'Heh. Manipulation… success!' Shun grinned inwardly.
"What are you smiling about?" Cana asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Nothing," Shun replied smoothly. "Just excited about potentially learning a new magic."
"I'm Cana, and this is Gray," she said, formally introducing them even though they'd seen each other around.
"Nice to meet you properly. I'm Shun. My name supposedly means something about being clever or talented," he said with a playful smile. "When did you two join the guild?"
"Me, last year," Gray answered. "Cana joined three years ago."
'So it's almost X776,' Shun calculated. 'That means the dragons will disappear next year, and the main protagonist will join the guild. Just over eight years until the canon story begins.'
"So Cana is the dai-senpai of our age group," Shun said, teasing her with an exaggeratedly respectful tone. "Please guide me well."
Cana blushed at the title. Looking at her now, no one would guess this cute, shy girl would become a barrel-chugging alcoholic in just eight years.
'Well, that's the future,' he mused. 'Maybe if she meets her father sooner, it might change that path. If I ever see Gildarts, I'll drop a few hints about their resemblance. If he doesn't get it after that, he's just an idiot.'
---
About an hour later, the guild's resident tsundere returned with his grandfather in tow.
"I heard from Laxus. You want to become a Dragon Slayer?" Makarov asked, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Why not?" Shun replied calmly. "I want to be strong. Dragon Slayer magic doesn't just grant powerful spells; it enhances speed, strength, endurance, and senses like smell and hearing. The weakness is a small price to pay."
Makarov studied him for a long moment before sighing. "Well, if you've thought it through that much, I have nothing more to say. Follow me."
"We're going outside?"
"We're getting help from an old friend of mine. Porlyusica. She's the expert in this field."
Shun simply nodded and followed the Guild Master out of the city and into the East Forest, where a solitary treehouse stood.
Porlyusica, a sharp-tongued elderly woman, greeted them with a litany of complaints about how much she hated humans. Yet, true to her nature, she complied with Makarov's request in under three minutes.
The procedure was complex, involving a intricate "receiving" magic that sent sharp, invasive jolts through his system. It was painful, but Porlyusica's hands were surprisingly gentle and precise. Within half an hour, it was over.
"It's done. Now get out!" Porlyusica barked, shooing them toward the door.
"Thank you," Shun said, offering a genuine smile and a wave. "I'll pay you back in the future."
"No need!" she snapped, slamming the door behind them.
'She's a tsundere on par with Laxus,' Shun thought with amusement, remembering how the blonde had threatened to use Fairy Law on his enemies, yet the spell had harmed no one in Magnolia—not even former enemies like Gajeel.
As they walked back toward the guild, a new, potent energy hummed within Shun's veins, intertwining with his pre-existing magic.
'I want to test this power. Fast.'