Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 274: Quantity is not a problem

The situation was worse than Rhodes had expected. The rats were bold enough to attack a creature as large as a Scuttle Crab, and if that was the case, they might even try biting people on sight.

To be safe, Rhodes summoned a defensive perimeter of summons: three Murk Wolves, six Raptors, a pair of Krugs, and two Gromps to form a circle around himself and Mira.

He wasn't afraid of rats, but getting bitten by one of those filthy things was the last thing anyone wanted.

When they reached the spot where the crab had been attacked, the culprit was still there, clinging stubbornly to the crab's leg. The chitin on its leg had been gnawed away, leaving a raw, vulnerable patch.

The crab couldn't defend itself properly. Its claws were too short to reach behind.

With a quick gesture, Rhodes ordered a Murk Wolf forward. It lunged and clamped its jaws down on the rat in one clean bite, then gave it a shake to end it quickly.

"It's huge," Mira muttered, frowning as she looked at the carcass.

Rhodes scanned the surroundings. "Don't you think it feels... too barren around here?"

Mira nodded. "Yeah. This time of year, the crops around Magnolia are already sprouting. But here, it's all just... empty."

It wasn't just the crops. Even the grass had vanished. The fields looked freshly plowed and weeded, but there were no signs of planting. Just turned-up, dead earth.

They continued forward, their path protected by summoned monsters. The closer they got to the village, the worse the signs became. The bark had been chewed off many of the trees. They passed several rats scurrying across the road, pausing only long enough to glare at the humans before fleeing, probably intimidated by the magical creatures flanking them.

Rhodes pointed, and a nearby Raptor fired a feather like a projectile, pinning one of the larger rats to the ground in an instant.

A Murk Wolf dug a shallow pit off to the side. Rhodes gave a flick of his fingers, etched the word FLAME in the air using Solid Script, and reduced the rodent to ash, clean and efficient.

The acrid smell of burning fur wafted in the air. Rhodes pulled out two masks.

After Mira put hers on, Rhodes couldn't help but stare at her. Though most of her face was now covered, her eyes stood out all the more, clear, sharp, and beautiful.

Mira noticed. She didn't say anything, but the meaning in her gaze was clear: I know what you're thinking.

The outskirts of Ravendel Village came into view. There weren't any stone walls, just a makeshift wooden fence surrounding the area. It was unclear whether it was meant to mark territory or to keep out wild animals.

Clearly, it wasn't working against rats. Rhodes noticed gnaw marks all over the fence posts.

Herbs had been tied around the perimeter, likely repellents. Burned fire pits dotted the outside edge, probably used for smoke. Scattered among them were rudimentary traps, steel snares, baited loops, crude cage traps.

The villagers had clearly tried everything they could to fight the infestation.

Two young men were standing guard at the entrance. They tensed when they saw the group of summoned monsters approaching but relaxed when they realized the creatures were protecting, not attacking.

Mira stepped forward first. As an S-Class Wizard, she was naturally the de facto leader of the mission.

Mira removed her mask and stepped forward with a gentle smile. "Hello. We're wizards from Fairy Tail. We've accepted Mr. Jasper's request to eliminate the rat infestation."

Rhodes rolled up his sleeve and revealed the Fairy Tail emblem on his arm. Mira simply pointed to the emblem printed on her collar, her real mark was on her thigh, and there was no way she was lifting her skirt to prove it.

One of the young guards lit up with relief. "You're finally here! Please, follow me to the village chief!"

Rhodes left the summoned monsters behind to stand guard at the village entrance with the remaining watchman.

It was unusual for a small village to have guards in the first place, so on the way, Rhodes asked casually, "Why are there lookouts posted at the gate?"

The young man explained, "We're in charge of keeping the campfires going. The rats are most active at night. We have to burn fires around the village to keep them at bay. But lately, they're getting braver, coming closer even when the flames are lit."

Rhodes frowned. "Maybe they're not getting braver, just hungrier. Have they harmed anyone yet?"

"Yes. Two of my friends got bitten while outside. They had high fevers for days afterward. Almost died..."

Those two were lucky. Getting bitten by a rat wasn't just a physical wound. It could spread infection, or worse, plague. If untreated, it could be fatal.

They soon arrived at the largest house in the village, where a balding, middle-aged man with a comb-over was waiting. This was Mr. Jasper, the village chief and the one who submitted the job request.

When he saw Rhodes and Mira, his expression dimmed slightly. "Just the two of you?"

Even though he hadn't expected a large team for the 200,000 J reward, part of him had hoped for more than just a couple.

Before Rhodes could answer, the young guard interjected quickly. "Chief, they brought nearly twenty strange creatures with them. There's even a two-headed wolf, it looks terrifying."

The chief raised a brow, visibly unimpressed. He had already tried using animals for pest control. That helped within the village, but with the sheer number of rats out in the fields, it wasn't enough. Last week, two dogs and three cats were killed during a rat hunt. There were just too many of them.

Still, Mr. Jasper didn't show his disappointment too clearly. He invited them in politely and asked the guard to stay outside and tend to the fire.

Following procedure, Mira handed over the signed commission form for the village chief to verify. Once confirmed, she gently prodded, "Could you tell us more about when this started and what you've observed?"

The chief sighed heavily. "It started small. Just a few people catching large rats here and there. Occasionally, someone would spot field mice scampering along the roads during the day."

"No one paid it much attention at first," Mr. Jasper explained. "After all, it's not unusual to see more rats in spring. Every year has its share, doesn't it? We thought it was just seasonal."

He sighed, his voice heavy with regret.

"It wasn't until nearly a month after sowing that we realized something was wrong. The seeds weren't sprouting, not a single sign of green in the fields. When we checked, we found rat burrows everywhere. The seeds had been eaten. And it wasn't just the fields. Rats were chewing through clothing, rice sacks, even rooftops. That's when we realized this wasn't just a nuisance. It was a disaster."

His hands tightened into fists.

"We tried everything, bait, traps, even brought in cats and dogs. We managed to clear out most of the rats inside the village. But the ones outside... they're vicious. They've started attacking livestock. Even people."

Rhodes and Mira exchanged a look, their expressions serious.

"We've tried organizing large-scale hunts, but it hasn't helped. Some villagers got injured, and lately, the rats have started grouping together, trying to break into the village in packs. Everyone's on edge."

Mr. Jasper looked at the two wizards hopefully. "Isn't there... any kind of magic that can eliminate them all in one go?"

Of course there was. Something like Fairy Law could do it, erase every rat within its range.

It'd be like dropping a precision magic bomb to swat a mosquito.

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"Unfortunately," Mira said gently, "neither of us use that kind of magic."

"But give us a little time," Rhodes added with a confident smile. "We have other ways."

Jasper frowned slightly. "Are you planning to rely on those animals the guard mentioned? I don't mean to doubt you, but there's just too many of them. I'm worried your summons might get overwhelmed."

"Don't worry," Rhodes replied, still smiling. "You probably don't know this about wizards, but when it comes to numbers, we're not easily outmatched."

He stood a little taller, eyes gleaming with quiet determination. "To be honest, if you give me some time... I alone can become an entire army."

Mira turned her head and looked at him fondly, unable to hide the proud smile growing on her lips.

The way he said it, "I alone can become an entire army", it almost made him shine.