Next, Takeshi meticulously reported the detailed events that occurred at the Tower of Heaven, which made Makarov's heart pound with fear.
"Phew... Thank you for taking care of Erza's situation."
He had watched Erza grow up since she was a child, and she was like a daughter to him. That painful experience had once been too cruel for her.
"Erza is my companion. Naturally, I wouldn't stand by and watch her get hurt."
Hearing Takeshi say that, Makarov nodded in satisfaction.
Then he said, "Oh, and you brat, come early tomorrow. A reporter is coming for an interview."
"An interview? So that's what it is. No wonder the guild put up all that fancy nonsense."
When Takeshi heard about the reporter's interview, he immediately understood why the guild had set up small shops and an outdoor cafe.
"What fancy nonsense? This is just to give everyone a good impression."
Although Fairy Tail was the strongest Mage guild in Fiore, it was also the most infamous guild in Fiore.
Fairy Tail often caused trouble, and every time they did, it made headlines, causing the guild's reputation to be severely polarized.
Those who liked Fairy Tail, such as Lucy before, found them to be full of personality.
Those who disliked Fairy Tail, such as the Council Members, felt that they caused too much trouble.
So, Makarov wanted to use the new guild to show everyone the good side of Fairy Tail.
Takeshi, as one of the biggest players, naturally had to be shown off. He was now the most famous man in Fiore, no, in the entire Ishgar continent.
"An interview? I understand."
Takeshi hadn't expected that the treatment only big stars and bosses received in his previous life would one day fall upon him.
—
Early the next morning.
"Ugh, it's so chaotic..."
Lucy had dressed up carefully. This was a special feature for Weekly Sorcerer, and she wanted to make a good impression.
Upon arriving at the guild, she found it in disarray. This wouldn't leave a good impression, would it?
"This is Fairy Tail. Isn't it great?"
Erza had changed into a brand-new armor. Since she was going to be on camera, she had also dressed up nicely.
Lucy paused, then smiled and said, "Erza has changed too. The old Erza would have immediately scolded everyone."
Lucy noticed that since returning from Akane this time, Erza had smiled more, and she wasn't as tense.
Erza said, "Is that so? Let's just treat this as a party for the new guild's inauguration. A little bit of ruckus is a privilege of youth, after all."
Suddenly—
A gasp sounded behind them.
"Oh! Fairy Queen!"
"Oh my god! It's the real person. COOL! This is so cool! A living Erza!"
Jason, the Sorcerer Weekly reporter with a camera around his neck, slid on his knees in front of Erza.
"Is this overly excited person the reporter from Sorcerer Weekly?"
"You're already here. Please excuse the mess, the guild is all over the place."
Jason waved his finger. "NO PROBLEM! I want to see this natural state! If possible, I'd like to ask you a few questions."
"Go ahead and ask."
"How many sets of Requip armor do you have?"
"Over 100."
"COOL!"
"Which one is your favorite?"
"Probably the Bunny Girl."
"Bunny... Bunny Girl?! COOL!!!"
...
After interviewing Erza, Jason quickly rushed to Gray.
"Gray, why do you always take off your clothes?"
This infuriated Gray. "I don't take off my clothes! Don't make me sound like a pervert!"
...
"Agh! Which guy is the reporter?!" Natsu, hearing that a reporter had arrived, yelled as he flipped a table.
"Natsu! The Salamander! COOL!"
"Hey! You're the bastard who always writes bad things about me."
"YES!"
"Die!"
Natsu punched Jason in the face, sending him tumbling on the floor.
"Unbelievable! Even the punching posture is so cool! COOL!"
—
Jason began interviewing everyone with a bit of fame throughout the guild, leaving no one out.
"Master! Please talk about the aspirations for the new guild."
Makarov trembled nervously. "Ah... well... to engrave love and justice in our hearts, and to strive for daily improvement."
At this moment, Jason noticed Takeshi, who was drinking and chatting with Mirajane at the bar, and immediately abandoned Makarov.
"Th-that back... Takeshi! It's Takeshi!!! I finally get to see him in person!" Jason rushed towards Takeshi like an excited fan.
Takeshi asked, "Uh... who is he?"
Mirajane introduced him, "A reporter from Sorcerer Weekly."
Mirajane had once been a cover girl for Sorcerer Weekly, so she was quite familiar with Jason.
Jason said, "Mirajane-san, it's been a long time. It's been a while since you've done a photoshoot."
"Well... It's a bit inconvenient now." Mirajane secretly glanced at Takeshi. Photoshoots could be a bit revealing.
Jason asked, "Takeshi-san, may I ask you a few questions?"
Takeshi nodded. "Yes, go ahead."
"How many transformations do you have in total?"
"Seven currently, and there might be more in the future."
"Seven?! COOL!!!"
Takeshi had debuted relatively late and mostly focused on missions. His true public appearances were at Onibus in Phantom Lord showdowns, where he displayed two transformations, each incredibly powerful, leaving a deep impression.
"Is the old man with the white mustache your strongest transformation?"
Takeshi shook his head. "No."
"No?! COOL!!!"
Jason immediately became excited. This was big news. Takeshi's Whitebeard form was deeply ingrained in people's minds. After all, its terrifying destructive power had defeated Jose, a Wizard Saint. Yet, that wasn't his strongest transformation.
What could his strongest transformation be? It made one incredibly curious.
Mirajane was also surprised to hear Takeshi's words. She too had thought the Whitebeard form was Takeshi's strongest transformation. It turned out Takeshi had an even stronger transformation.
Mirajane had seen six of Takeshi's transformations. It should be the one that transferred Etherion that is the strongest.
Mirajane's guess was correct. Minato was indeed Takeshi's current strongest transformation.
Takeshi had gotten his hands on not Minato under normal circumstances, but at his peak. However, his current magic power was still somewhat low, preventing him from fully unleashing Minato's strongest form.
Jason asked, "Excuse me, are you and Mirajane-san dating?"
"Yes. Mirajane and I are dating." Takeshi said with a smile, looking at Mirajane, whose face couldn't help but flush slightly.
"COOL!!!"
***
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