Chapter 35: Set off, the human world

[The perspective also shifted at this moment.]

[All around were the chirping of insects, the rustling of leaves, and the sound of flowing water in a small stream.]

[Natsu had been walking in this forest for nearly two hours.]

[According to the route in his memory, it would take at least another three hours to walk out of this forest.]

[According to the calculation, it would be almost dawn by then.]

[Thinking of this, Natsu couldn't help but tighten the cloth bag in his arms.]

[This was the gold beans Anna stuffed into his hand when he left.]

[According to Teacher Anna, in the human world, no matter where you go, money is necessary.]

[And among money, gold is the most valuable, and it is also one of the hard currencies of various kingdoms.]

[Therefore, since Natsu wanted to go to the outside world, money was necessary. This was the travel money she gave him.]

[A whole bag of gold beans.]

[According to Anna, one gold bean was enough for Natsu to eat ten full meals.]

["The delicacies of the human world... should be better than the meat of those roasted wild beasts, right?"]

[While muttering such words, Natsu moved forward in the dark.]

Lucy: "Whoa, this Anna is so rich, is she so generous?"

Happy: "A big bag of gold beans, enough to trade for many, many fish."

Carla: "No ambition, do you only know fish, fish, fish?"

Gajeel: "That's right, what's the point of eating fish? If you want to eat, eat these gold beans!"

"They seem to look quite delicious."

Everyone: "???"

Levy: "Gajeel, can you even eat gold?"

Gajeel: "Uh... I haven't eaten it, but it should be fine. After all, it's all metal, I just don't know how it tastes. I really want to try it."

Natsu: "You really dare to think. I'm afraid even the Dragon of Steel hasn't been this extravagant, right?"

Makarov: "That's gold beans! You spendthrift!"

There was a lot of discussion in the Fairy Tail guild.

During this period, the footage seemed to have been pressed with a fast-forward button, constantly accelerating.]

[Soon, Natsu had arrived at the outskirts of the forest.]

[Not far away, the morning sun had already poked its head out from the mountain peak.]

[The warm sunlight shone on Natsu, reflecting the face covered in sweat.]

["Whoo... finally arrived?"]

[Natsu's gaze looked toward a wheat field in the distance.]

[Coming to the outside world for the first time, his inner excitement was beyond words.]

["The human world!"]

[Turning his head, Natsu looked at the endless forest again.]

[He gently pursed his lips.]

["Igneel should have discovered the fact that I'm not there by now, right? Did Teacher Anna tell Igneel?"]

["Will he be in a hurry to find me all over the world?"]

[Countless thoughts flashed through Natsu's mind, and finally turned into a smile, hanging on his face.]

["Anyway, no matter what, I want to go out and take a look. Wait for me, Igneel."]

["When I go back, I will definitely drop your jaw!"]

[Seeming to have thought of some funny scene, Natsu was in a great mood.]

[No matter how rigorous Natsu is in his logic of handling things now, in the end, he is actually just a ten-year-old child.]

[A child who wants his parents to be proud of him.]

[With endless motivation, Natsu set off on his journey again, heading toward the golden wheat field in front.]

[Soon, Natsu arrived at the wheat field, and the endless gold entered his eyes.]

["Is this the rice that Teacher Anna often likes to eat?"]

[Because he had learned this knowledge in previous classes, Natsu could still recognize the wheat in front of him.]

["Then that means, this should be the farmers' land, right?"]

[Natsu continued to walk forward. Since he had already reached the farmland, there must be a village nearby.]

[And the existence of a village proved that there was food.]

[Thinking of this, Natsu touched his stomach, which had already started to grumble, and his pace couldn't help but quicken a bit.]

[Soon, Natsu crossed one piece of farmland after another. At the same time, a question gradually began to fill Natsu's heart.]

[Along the way, Natsu saw many crops, but unexpectedly, these crops had clearly reached the time for harvest, yet it seemed no one cared about them.]

[Some had even rotted in the soil.]

[You know, many crops have a long growth period, but the harvest period is very short.]

[Therefore, when crops are harvested, it is absolutely the time farmers look forward to most. They couldn't possibly leave these crops alone, or even let them rot in the ground.]

[If that were the case, the farmers' half a year of effort, or even a year of effort, would be completely in vain.]

[Therefore, the current situation is absolutely abnormal.]

[With doubts, Natsu crossed the farmland, his gaze locked on the direction of the cluster of buildings not far away.]

["Found it, a human village."]

["Huh? How could this be?"]

【Before even entering the village, Natsu’s brow furrowed tightly.】

【“What on earth… is going on here?”】

【At this moment, what met Natsu’s eyes was not the harmony of neighbors, nor the carefree laughter of children.】

【It was chaos!】

【Yes, everything within his line of sight was in such disarray.】

【Crowds of people, carrying bags large and small, were gathered in the streets, scrambling to head out of the village.】

【And outside, a few carriages were parked.】

【Ready to depart at any moment.】

【Noise, angry curses, and the crying of children echoed incessantly throughout the village.】

【Villager after villager scrambled desperately to squeeze onto the carriages.】

【Some even got into a dispute over it, and one man slapped a woman, knocking her to the ground.】

【“Bastard! If you’re dragging a dead weight along, don’t fight to get ahead and block my path.”】

【The burly man cursed, completely disregarding the life of the woman with the child.】

【He then shoved through the crowded mass and hurried toward the very last remaining carriage.】

【But he was immediately told that the carriage was full and he would have to wait for the next one.】

【“Damn it! Do you take me for a fool? Those monsters are coming soon; how could there be time to wait for the next batch of carriages? Let me on!”】

【The burly man refused to accept it, cursing while preparing to force his way on.】

【“Don’t push, don’t push! It’s really overloaded. If you get on, the horses won’t be able to pull it, and then none of us will be able to escape!”】

【The coachman shouted helplessly, attempting to stop the burly man.】

【“Full? Then just have someone get off, and that’ll be that.”】

【As he spoke, the burly man’s crazed gaze locked onto an old man on the carriage.】

【“Old thing, your life is already at its end; don’t go stealing a way out from others.”】

【The old man’s eyes were filled with terror; his trembling hands gripped the carriage railing tightly.】

【His other hand held a little girl sitting beside him firmly in his arms.】

【“I… I have a child with me. The child cannot be without me, or she won’t survive!”】

【“A child?”】

【The madness in the burly man’s eyes intensified.】

【“In that case, both of you get down. Two people for one, and the horses will be able to run faster!”】

【Saying this, the burly man prepared to reach out and drag both the old man and the little girl down.】

Hades: “This person is already on the verge of insanity.”

Ultear: “It’s obvious, he’s just scum. He can even lay a hand on the elderly, children, and women.” ===== CHAPTER 83 =====