"Alright, just a normal day," Aki muttered, stretching his arms as he slid open the door to his manga corner in the Fairy Tail guild.
That statement, as always, triggered divine irony.
Because standing at the entrance was a small crowd.
"Um… do I need a ticket system now?" he whispered, blinking at the dozen or so readers standing outside his manga stall—some holding their own copies, others holding fan-made posters, and one guy in a trench coat whispering to himself with suspicious fervor.
Mira peered over his shoulder with a teasing smile. "You've got fans, Aki. Better start charging for autographs."
"Fans? I haven't even installed a chair for myself yet!"
Before he could panic further, the System chimed in:
> [System Notification]
Due to increased exposure and popularity, a "Reader's Event" has been automatically triggered.
Mission: Survive the Q&A session.
Difficulty: Hilariously Dangerous.
Reward: +10,000 Reading Points, "Author of the People" Title, Mystery Sketch Ticket.
"Oh no," Aki groaned. "I didn't sign up for Comic-Con: Fiore Edition.
The first fan, a nervous boy around ten, stepped forward.
"Excuse me… did Lucy really do that spinning whip combo against Everlue? It looked too cool!"
"Uh, yeah," Aki smiled. "She added an extra twirl for flair. Totally canon."
Next came a muscular mage from some backwater guild called "Buff Beef Brigade."
"Oi, why's Erza wearing armor in every panel? Don't you know real warriors fight shirtless?!"
"Erza is a real warrior," Aki deadpanned. "And she wears armor because she doesn't want frostbite on her dignity."
"Bah!" The man ripped open his cloak, revealing a series of badly drawn tattoos that spelled "FAIRY FAIL."
"Okay, this is escalating."
Then came the real storm—an elegant man with too-perfect hair, a monocle, and a scarf that probably cost more than the guild hall.
"I challenge you to a duel," the man announced, slamming a white glove on Aki's manga counter. "For you have slandered Duke Everlue!"
"…I'm sorry, what?"
"You portrayed him as a grotesque villain with a face shaped like a squashed potato!"
"That's because he looked like a squashed potato!"
"Blasphemy! I, Sir Everlue IV, shall restore my family's honor!" He pointed dramatically. "Draw, manga-scribe!"
Aki stared blankly.
Then he turned to Mira.
"Do… do I legally have to do this?"
Mira just smiled sweetly and rang a small bell. "Duel accepted!"
To everyone's confusion and amusement, Aki wasn't using weapons.
He summoned his drawing pad.
And with a manic glint in his eye, he began sketching.
> Sketching activated.
"Cartoon Defense Wall" deployed.
"Slapstick Counterattack" armed.
The nobleman charged with a rapier made of polished marble. Aki flipped a page.
POOF.
Out popped a drawing of Natsu… wearing a tutu and carrying a frying pan.
"Wh–what is this madness?!" Everlue IV screamed as he dodged the squeaky bonk attack.
The readers laughed. The guild roared.
And the System buzzed again:
> [System Glitch Detected]
Unintended summon: Meme-Mode Natsu activated.
Battlefield morale +300%.
All seriousness: -100%.
Eventually, the nobleman tripped over a banana peel Aki doodled mid-duel, landed in a barrel of fish, and was politely escorted off by a pair of Rune Knights (who had arrived… mostly to read the manga).
Later, Aki sat under a table, breathing heavily, clutching a sketchbook like it was a holy relic.
"I just wanted to draw stuff," he whimpered.
Gray leaned over. "You sure you're not secretly trying to be a wizard?"
"Trust me. I'm not."
[System Notification]
> Mission Complete: "Survive the Q&A"
Reward Granted: +10,000 Reading Points
Title Unlocked: "Author of the People"
Mystery Sketch Ticket added to inventory. Use it to draw anything—just once. Results may vary wildly.
Mira put a hand on Aki's shoulder. "Cheer up. You've got fans, fame, and near-death experiences. You're practically a Fairy Tail member now."
Aki stared at her. Then the sketchbook. Then the manga shelf.
"…God help us all."
Aki muttered, sifting through the day's wreckage. "So today included: one public duel, two fish barrels, and three conspiracy theories about Lucy's star signs."
Levy was flipping through Volume 2 beside him. "You handled it pretty well. Though next time, maybe don't summon Tutu Natsu in front of children."
"They loved it!"
"They also started chanting 'FIRE FAIRY FASHION ICON.' We might have a problem."
Aki buried his face in his sketchpad.
Meanwhile, at the Fairy Tail Bar…
Makarov leaned on the bar with a groan. "I've lived through wars, debt collectors, and Erza's cookie baking phase… but I was not prepared for merchandising."
Beside him, Mira was already writing down ideas:
Natsu Action Figures (Fire Not Included)
Lucy Pin-Up Calendars (She Will Sue)
Gray Plushies (Self-Stripping Not Guaranteed)
Aki's Special Edition "Author Anguish" Poster
Erza slammed a gauntlet on the table. "Where are my figurines?!"
"They're in high demand," Mira said sweetly. "Backordered for months."
"Justice," Erza whispered, tearfully proud.
Back in his manga stall, Aki heard the ding.
> [Inventory Update]
Item Acquired: "Mystery Sketch Ticket"
One-time use. Sketch anything. Results will depend on intent, energy, and artistic flair.
Warning: May summon eldritch horrors or overly attractive versions of Happy.
Aki held the ticket like it was a live grenade.
"I feel like this is the System's way of daring me to do something stupid."
"I'm not using it unless I'm literally about to die, or if someone else is about to die in a really unfunny way."
Later that evening, Aki sat on the guild's rooftop, sketchbook on his lap, eyes on the moon.
He thought about the crowd earlier. The kids pretending to be Natsu and Happy. The fangirl who threatened to burn down a bakery if they didn't released next volume soon. The nobleman who challenged him to a duel over potato-based facial slander.
All of it was ridiculous.
And yet… deeply human.
"Storytelling," Aki whispered, "might just be the most dangerous kind of magic."
> [System Notification]
You've gained +1 Philosophical Point.
New System Entry: "Manga Magic – The Art of Influence."
Definition: A form of reality manipulation through emotional resonance, cultural diffusion, and dangerously overhyped fan theories.
"…Why does the System sound like it got a philosophy degree from an underground literature club?"
As Aki scribbled in silence, Happy fluttered down beside him.
"You thinking about what to draw next?"
"Yeah," Aki said, tapping his pencil on the page. "We're nearing the forbidden magic, cold ruins, and a half-naked Gray storyline."
"Sounds cold," Happy shivered. "Draw me with a scarf."
Aki smirked. "I'll give you a trench coat and shades."
Happy beamed. "Aki, you are a god among artists."
Aki looked at the Mystery Sketch Ticket tucked in his sketchpad.
It pulsed slightly. Whispered something about
"Plot Advancement."
"…I make no promises."