Katsuki had no interest in the burgeoning camaraderie or the welcoming cheers, however raucous and begrudgingly accepting they might have sounded. His focus was singular, laser-sharp. He needed to establish himself, prove his capability, and acquire resources. Sentimentality was a distraction. He brushed past a few curious guild members who were approaching him, his expression a clear 'don't-even-think-about-it' warning, and made a beeline for a large, cluttered board on one of the far walls. It was covered in parchments and flyers of varying sizes and states of repair – the Request Board, he surmised, his eyes scanning it with predatory efficiency.
The requests were varied. Escort missions, item retrieval, investigations into 'strange phenomena' – all of it sounded tedious, beneath him. His gaze, however, snagged on a section explicitly marked with crude drawings of grotesque creatures: 'Monster Subjugation.' That was more like it. Direct. Action-oriented. A clear measure of strength.
He scanned the available monster hunts, his lips curling into a sneer at some of the descriptions. 'Giant Spider infestation in the Whisperwind Caves – caution, venomous.' Pathetic. 'Grave Golem terrorizing the Old Mill – slow but strong.' Boring. His fingers, still faintly tingling with latent explosive energy, twitched. He needed a challenge, or at least something that would allow him to unleash a satisfying amount of destructive power.
His eyes landed on three specific requests, clustered together, their threat levels indicated by a crude skull-and-crossbones rating system. One involved a pack of 'Gravefang Wolves' that had been harassing travelers on the northern trade route. Another spoke of a 'Rock-Scaled Wyrm' that had taken up residence in the foothills of Mount Hakobe, disrupting mining operations. The third, and most intriguing, detailed a 'Shadow Panther' said to be preying on livestock near a remote village, its movements described as unnaturally swift and stealthy.
Wolves, a wyrm, a panther. Individually, they sounded like annoyances. But back-to-back? That offered a decent outlet for his pent-up aggression, a chance to thoroughly test his capabilities in this new world without his usual support gear, and, most importantly, it would bring in a significant amount of whatever currency these people used. He wouldn't just do one. He'd do all three. Now.
Without a word to anyone, Katsuki ripped the three parchments from the board with a violent tug, the paper tearing slightly at the edges. The surrounding guild members, who had been watching him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, flinched at the sudden, aggressive action. He ignored their stares, turning on his heel and stalking back towards the bar where Mirajane was still calmly serving drinks, her serene smile unwavering despite the chaos that seemed to perpetually swirl around her. Makarov had disappeared somewhere into the depths of the guild hall.
Katsuki slapped the three crumpled requests onto the scorched patch of bar top he'd created earlier. "These," he stated, his voice flat and devoid of any politeness. "I'm doing these. Now. Stamp them, approve them, whatever the hell you do here."
Mirajane picked up the requests, her blue eyes scanning them quickly. A delicate eyebrow arched slightly as she noted he'd taken three monster subjugation quests simultaneously, including the Rock-Scaled Wyrm, which was known to be particularly troublesome. Most new members, even confident ones, started with something less ambitious.
"All three?" she asked, her tone neutral, though a hint of something – surprise? respect? – flickered in her gaze. "That's quite a workload for your first day, Bakugo-san."
"Just get it done," Katsuki grunted, his patience wearing thin. He wasn't here for a lecture on workload management. He was here for action.
Mirajane, however, simply smiled her placid smile. She produced a stamp from beneath the counter and, with practiced efficiency, pressed it onto each parchment, the ink leaving behind the official Fairy Tail guild seal. "Very well. The Gravefang Wolves are north, beyond the Silverwood. The Rock-Scaled Wyrm is further east, on Mount Hakobe. And the Shadow Panther has been sighted near the village of Oakhaven, to the southeast. The details and specific locations are on the requests." She handed them back to him. "Good luck, Bakugo-san. And try to bring back proof of subjugation. Intact, if possible, but we're not overly picky."
Katsuki snatched the parchments without a word of thanks, already turning away. He didn't need luck. He had power. Proof of subjugation? They'd get their proof. Probably in pieces.
He strode towards the massive guild doors, the eyes of many Fairy Tail members following him. He could feel their curiosity, their skepticism, their anticipation. Let them watch. He'd give them a show they wouldn't soon forget.
Once outside, clear of the sprawling guild hall, he didn't waste a second. The directions Mirajane had given, combined with the crude maps on the parchments, gave him a general sense of direction. North first, for the wolves. He didn't bother with roads or paths. Those were for people who walked.
He crouched, his palms already heating up, the familiar tingle spreading through his arms. The air around him shimmered. "Explosive Speed: Turbo Cluster!" he roared, the words a violent exhalation.
A deafening series of blasts erupted from his hands, kicking up a whirlwind of dust, leaves, and loose debris from the street. The ground shuddered. Several nearby windows rattled in their frames, and a startled yelp came from a passing citizen who quickly scrambled for cover. With a powerful, upward surge, Katsuki launched himself into the sky, a human rocket propelled by pure, concussive force.
He angled himself north, a rapidly ascending streak of defiance against the bright blue sky. The town of Magnolia dwindled beneath him with astonishing speed, its chaotic layout shrinking into a toy-like model. The wind roared in his ears, a familiar symphony of his own making. The forests and fields that surrounded the town spread out like a vast, unexplored map.
He didn't care about the scenery. His crimson eyes, narrowed against the rush of air, were already scanning the terrain ahead, searching for any sign of the Silverwood, his first hunting ground. The rage still simmered within him, a potent fuel. But now, it was channeled, directed. He had targets. He had a purpose. And he would unleash his fury upon anything foolish enough to stand in his way. The monsters of this world were about to learn the name Katsuki Bakugo.