Fairy Tail: Starting with Marrying the Dragon Queen Irene

"Who the hell are you?!" 

"Damn it! Do you even realize who you just punched?!" 

"Do you know what kind of price you'll pay for injuring him?"

After Ian successfully broke through the defense barriers of the Magic Development Bureau, infiltrated the interior, and sent Brian—the director—flying with a single punch, the staff and researchers finally snapped out of their shock. They shouted angrily at Ian, trying to intimidate him.

"And do you know who I am?" Ian looked calmly at the researchers, flipping the question back on them.

"Uh…" 

"Do you know who he is?" 

"No… I've never heard of him." 

"He's not on the list of S-Class wizards or the Ten Wizard Saints, is he?" 

"Could he not be an S-Class mage?" 

"Impossible! He broke through our defenses and sent Director Brian flying. There's no way he's ordinary…"

As Ian posed his question, the researchers exchanged confused glances. Although they could tell Ian was incredibly powerful, they had no idea who he was. They combed through their collective knowledge but couldn't match him to any well-known figures. Eventually, they turned back to Ian, looking bewildered.

"Uh… no, we don't know," they admitted hesitantly.

"Don't know?" Ian's eyes narrowed. "Well, let me enlighten you."

Without another word, Ian raised his hand, casting a massive purple magic circle that covered the entire Magic Development Bureau. The weight of his gravity magic fell upon every researcher present.

Boom!

Ian didn't hold back against those who had aided Brian's wicked deeds. The researchers were forcefully slammed into the ground, their knees crushed under the immense pressure.

"It hurts! It hurts so much!" 

"Please, help me! I was wrong!" 

"Don't kill me! My mind is valuable—I'm full of knowledge!"

The researchers screamed in agony, their bodies wracked with pain as Ian's gravity magic pressed on them, causing their organs to twist inside their bodies as they coughed up blood.

"I'm not killing you because I don't want to bring trouble to Ur and Ultear," Ian said coldly as he looked at the groveling researchers. As much as he wanted to end them all, he knew it would cause unnecessary complications before the Magic Council was aware of the Bureau's true nature.

Though Ian wasn't afraid of trouble, he didn't want to drag Ur, Ultear, or the young Gray and Lyon into a bigger mess. So he held back—for now.

"Man, Ian, you sure run fast!" A familiar voice called out as Ian's fleeting thoughts of bloodshed were interrupted. Snowflakes began to drift down through the large hole Ian had blasted in the ceiling.

"Ice-Make: Staircase!"

With a soft hum, a blue magic circle formed in midair, and a staircase of ice—decorated with intricate rose patterns—materialized, connecting the outside to where Ian stood. A moment later, Ur, Ultear, Gray, and Lyon quickly descended the icy steps and arrived beside him.

"Heh," Ian grinned, glancing at Ur and the others. "I thought I'd have everything wrapped up before you got here. Seems like I was a bit slow—still not decisive enough. I'll have to work on that."

"Seriously?" Ur frowned, though her voice carried a hint of amusement. "This is my personal matter. You can't just handle everything on your own."

"Hey, we're all family in the end!" Ian quipped nonchalantly, slapping Ur on the shoulder. His cheeky grin widened.

"Family?!" Ur's face flushed deep red, and she quickly smacked his hand away from her shoulder. "Who said we're family?!"

"Hehe, I knew it!" Lyon whispered, sharing a mischievous look with Ultear. "See? There's totally something going on between them!"

Ultear nodded, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Trust a daughter's intuition. She can see the truth…"

"Huh?" Gray remained utterly confused, but for some reason, he had already taken off his shirt.

"Where's Brian?" Ur asked, regaining her composure as she took a deep breath.

"Over there," Ian gestured to the crumpled form of Brian lying amidst the rubble. "Took one of my punches straight to the face. Probably unconscious by now."

"And these researchers?" Ur's gaze shifted to the fallen researchers scattered around the room.

"They were all in on the Magic Enhancement Project," Ian explained. "Rather than report the truth to the Magic Council, they helped Brian cover up the Bureau's dirty secrets and experimented on children. I didn't kill them, but I crippled their magic and left them half-dead. I'm holding off on finishing the job until the Council knows the truth about what's been going on here."

"No, no, you misunderstood me," Ur said, shaking her head slightly. "I meant that you went too easy on them. You should have at least broken their limbs."

At that, Ur flicked her wrist, conjuring several transparent blades of ice that shimmered ominously in the air.

"Spare us! Please, don't kill us!" The researchers screamed in terror.

"Go beg the children you tortured for mercy!" Ur spat coldly, and with a wave of her hand, the ice blades shot out, severing the researchers' limbs in one swift motion. She immediately sealed their wounds with ice to prevent them from bleeding out—though they were crippled, she showed just enough mercy to keep them alive.

"Ahhh!" The screams of the researchers filled the air, echoing through the Bureau.

Ian winced, a shiver running down his spine. Note to self: never cross a single mother, especially when her child is involved. They will not hesitate to destroy you.

---

Boom!

Suddenly, a powerful surge of magic exploded from where Brian had fallen. His body lifted from the ground, hovering eerily as dark energy poured from him.

"Hahaha! Finally, I'm free!" 

"The seal on me is gone at last!" 

"Brian, that weak fool, got himself knocked out? How pathetic!" 

"Fine, I'll deal with the intruders myself!"

As the overwhelming magical force continued to swell, Brian opened his eyes. But his expression had changed—his once-intelligent gaze now replaced by the wild, crimson eyes of a demon. His entire demeanor shifted, as if he were an entirely different person.

"Let me see the one who defeated Brian!" he growled, landing lightly on the ground. His savage eyes scanned the area until they landed on Ian and Ur.

For a moment, there was silence.

---

Leon changed to Lyon.