Chapter 496: What on Earth Is Going On

Li An's lips curled slightly upward, revealing a faint smile as he said softly, "Yes, but I feel something is a bit off." His sharp gaze swept the surroundings, his brows knitting slightly as an unease stirred deep within his heart.

The members of the guild were each busy with their own affairs; some were talking loudly, others drinking heartily, and still others sparring with magic. Yet Li An noticed that whenever their eyes met, a subtle distance would flash across them. This delicate feeling was like an undercurrent hidden beneath a calm lake, ready to stir up towering waves at any moment.

"A-Yao, you sit here for a while; I'll go look around." Li An gently patted Guo Yao's hand, then walked into the crowd.

Guo Yao obediently nodded and found a corner to sit in. Watching Li An's retreating back, she felt both some worry and a curiosity about this new environment.

Li An wove through the crowd, deliberately observing everyone's expressions and movements. He found that some members spoke in hushed tones during their conversations, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings warily, as if hiding something important.

"What on earth is going on?" Li An muttered to himself. He decided to find the guild master, Makarov, hoping to get some clues from him.

Makarov sat in a corner of the guild, leisurely sipping a cup of hot tea. Seeing Li An approach, he wore a kind smile on his face: "Young man, welcome to Fairy Tail."

Li An bowed slightly and said politely, "Guild Master, hello. I just arrived here and already feel something strange about the guild. Can you tell me what is going on?"

Makarov's smile faltered slightly. He gently set down his teacup, remained silent for a moment, then said, "Some things you still need to discover yourself. I believe you have the ability."

Li An was taken aback. He had expected Makarov to tell him directly about the guild's situation, but instead received such an ambiguous answer. This made him even more certain that the matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.

"Alright, Guild Master. I will do my best to find out the truth." Although puzzled in his heart, Li An nodded firmly.

After leaving Makarov, Li An's mood grew even heavier. He began to wonder why Makarov had held back information from him. Was it to keep him from getting involved in trouble, or was there some deeper reason?

Just then, an enthusiastic voice came from behind: "Hey, you must be the new guy, Li An? I'm Natsu!"

Li An turned his head and saw an orange-haired boy smiling broadly at him... Natsu's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and a scorching aura radiated from his body, as if he could burst into flames at any moment.

"Hello, Natsu. Nice to meet you." Li An replied with a smile.

"I heard you're very powerful. Interested in a magic duel with me?" Natsu said excitedly, his hands already ignited with Xiong Xiong flames.

Li An smiled slightly. He knew Natsu just wanted to spar and meant no harm. "Sure, but I won't hold back 2.3."

The two arrived at the guild's duel arena, and the area was instantly surrounded by spectators. Everyone eagerly anticipated this spectacular match.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu launched his attack first. A massive pillar of fire shot toward Li An. The heat of the flames was extremely high, igniting the surrounding air and producing crackling sounds.