novelraw Chapter 521 521
Chapter 521 521
In the past, Gildarts would never have refused such a challenge.
But facing Marco now, he found himself hesitant—not out of fear, but out of concern that if they fought, he might not be able to hold back.
Previously, he had always treated challenges from the guild's younger members with a playful, effortless confidence.
But with Marco, he had a strong premonition: if he didn't go all out, he might actually lose.
"Let's fight when you can face me with the same ease I used to have," Gildarts said, looking at Marco with a hearty laugh.
"I'm sure that day isn't far off."
He wasn't the least bit bothered by the idea of Marco surpassing him.
In fact, he eagerly anticipated the day Marco could spar with him effortlessly, completely controlling the flow of battle, to the point where even Gildarts' full power couldn't scratch him.
"What?! Why not?!" Natsu exclaimed in shock.
He couldn't believe Gildarts wouldn't fight Marco!
"Alright, alright, everyone out! Out! I need to begin the surgery!"
Natsu's outburst was quickly silenced as Porlyusica, irritated by the chattering crowd, began shooing them out of her home.
'These guys! They delivered the supplies and just stood around, making a racket! This is my home, not a marketplace!'
When Porlyusica unleashed her fury, the group immediately cowered like turtles pulling their heads into their shells.
Natsu, who had been shouting just moments before, bolted out the door, terrified of getting another scolding.
Even Marco had to force a sheepish smile and retreat obediently, helping to maintain order among the others.
No matter how powerful they were outside, back in the guild, they all had to behave themselves in front of their respected elders.
'Slam!'
Porlyusica slammed the door shut.
'Creak!'
The door swung open again.
"Quiet! Don't disturb me!" she snapped, glaring at the crowd before slamming the door shut once more with a final, resounding 'Slam!'
Everyone exchanged glances, but no one dared to speak.
"Got told off, didn't you?"
Only Master Makarov spoke, his voice dripping with schadenfreude.
He had stayed outside the whole time, arms crossed behind his back, enjoying the show.
Seeing the group get kicked out by Porlyusica made him grin with delight—he'd predicted this outcome from the start.
"MAKAROV!!!"
The old man's laughter died in his throat.
Porlyusica's furious roar froze the smile on his face.
"Ahem... ahem..."
The old man cleared his throat twice, plopped down on the nearby grass, and fell silent. This sent the others into fits of stifled laughter.
"Hahaha~ Even the Master is scared of Granny Porlyusica!"
Amidst the silence, only one voice "spoke"—Warren's.
He was using his Telepathic Magic, which allowed him to transmit his thoughts directly without speaking aloud.
This unique ability meant that whenever his fear of heights kicked in, he would involuntarily broadcast distress signals to everyone around him.
Upon "hearing" this, the others glared at Warren.
Most of them lacked the ability to communicate without speaking.
Even with Warren's telepathic "network" established, they could only "send voice messages," not "type."
Marco chuckled helplessly.
With this bunch around, things were never dull, even the simplest tasks became entertaining.
But when it was time to be serious, they knew how to behave.
With Porlyusica performing surgery, they all quieted down and waited patiently.
Thanks to their combined efforts, they had quickly gathered all the medicinal herbs and materials needed to craft Gildarts' prosthetic limb.
They had gathered the materials for the prosthetic limb first, since crafting it would take time.
The medicinal herbs arrived just today, perfectly timed with the completion of the limb, allowing the surgery to proceed immediately.
...
The operation was a swift success.
Afterward, not only the crowd waiting outside but also Gildarts himself were promptly shooed out of the room.
Gildarts had been recuperating for days.
Under Porlyusica's seemingly reluctant yet meticulous care, his internal injuries had mostly healed.
Replacing the limb was a quick procedure, and Porlyusica's medical skills were truly astounding—Gildarts could move freely the moment the new limb was attached.
"Thank you so much, Porlyusica-san!"
Though he'd been unceremoniously kicked out of the ward, Gildarts wasn't angry.
Instead, he smiled and expressed his gratitude.
"If you're truly grateful, then take your people and leave," Porlyusica retorted before slamming the door shut.
"Haha~ We're going, we're going," Gildarts chuckled in response.
He flexed his new left arm and leg, marveling at the sensation.
It felt incredibly natural, allowing him to cast magic perfectly without any hindrance.
Even visually, it was indistinguishable from a real limb.
"This is amazing!"
Even Marco couldn't help but gasp in amazement at this "medical skill."
This lifelike prosthetic technology... Cyberpunk 2077 probably couldn't even hold a candle to it.
But that was to be expected—just look at Erza's eye.
"To be honest, I don't really care about appearances, as long as it doesn't interfere with my magic," Gildarts explained with a hearty laugh.
"But Porlyusica was very thoughtful and made it look this realistic on her own initiative."
Gildarts was a "power-first" kind of guy, not particularly concerned with the prosthetic's appearance.
Madam Porlyusica, however, clearly held her work to a strict standard, regardless of whether Gildarts cared or not.
As the group chattered excitedly around Gildarts, a sharp 'CRASH' suddenly echoed from inside the house, as if something had shattered.
The lively atmosphere instantly fell silent.
"Haha~ That's enough, that's enough! Let's go, quickly!" Marco chuckled, urging everyone to leave before Porlyusica erupted again.
The group obediently followed Marco away.
Only Wendy and Carla stayed behind, Wendy intended to help Porlyusica clean up, and she was the only one brave enough to do so.
After spending so much time together, Porlyusica seemed to have accepted Wendy's presence.
The old woman and the young girl shared a genuinely harmonious bond.