As the time approached 7:00 PM, a crescent moon hung in the sky. The moonlight wasn't particularly bright, but the stars in the sky shone competitively, as if vying for brilliance with the crescent moon.
Whether it was visitors from afar, such as Mr. Yajima and President Goldman, or local residents like the Goodmans, everyone was already waiting along the parade route.
Some, who were more impatient, simply waited at the entrance of the Fairy Tail Guild.
However, the guild, which was expected to be brightly lit and bustling with noise, was eerily quiet, leaving people wondering if the starting point of the magical parade had been changed.
But just as the second hand and minute hand met at the 12 o'clock position, a sudden flash of light rose into the sky from afar.
Bang!
A dazzling red light accompanied by a crisp sound.
Immediately after, streaks of light with long tail flames rose around Magnolia, exploding into colorful fireworks.
Crackle, pop!
Various colors of fireworks lit up the entire night sky, with the sound of explosions unceasing.
The mages had not even appeared yet, but the audience's enthusiasm was already ignited by the preliminary fireworks display.
The flickering lights illuminated faces gazing up at the sky, filled with surprise and anticipation.
The splendid fireworks bloomed intensively for about three minutes before gradually thinning out, but new lights appeared again in the night sky near Fairy Tail.
It was a magic array, one layer, two layers, three layers... up to five layers of gigantic magic arrays of different colors appeared above the guild, capturing the audience's attention.
As the light of the array faded, a giant taller than the guild house seemed to emerge from the void, with ripples like water undulating in mid-air.
In the meantime, a festive and cheerful music fitting the celebration unexpectedly began to play, with no musicians in sight.
"That's Lord Makarov!"
"He truly is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, such overwhelming presence!"
"It's a misconception, President Makarov is a good person."
Local residents eagerly shared their impressions of Makarov, seemingly feeling a mysterious thrill as the distant visitors grew more amazed.
Boom! Boom! Each step of the gigantic Makarov seemed to make the ground tremble.
The vast difference in size would typically induce fear, but knowing it was a magical performance transformed the audience's emotions into excitement.
Next in line were two rows of a band, with a total of ten members, composed of music enthusiasts from the guild.
They were the ones who had just started the festive music, using instruments that were specially crafted magical tools.
Even though fireworks continued to burst, the music seamlessly reached every audience member's ear.
Following the band was a tall float carrying the girls who participated in the Miss Fairy Tail Contest.
Kana, Reby, Bisca, and others were all aboard, dressed in matching outfits, waving ribbons and performing a dance resembling cheerleading.
Even Kana, who had been hungover for days, wore a smile — as long as she stayed in this guild, one day she'd achieve what she wanted.
On both sides of the float, teams of dancers accompanied, dressed in their favorite costumes, following the rhythm of the music with simple and joyful steps.
Characters like Jet, Nabu, Troy, and Bigda, whose magic was not flashy enough for performance, all joined in.
The second float carried Elfman, Lidas, and Loki.
Elfman's arm transformed into a ferocious beast arm, showcasing his manly spirit;
Loki bent his arm, and the rings on his fingers glowed, forming the guild's name under his control.
Lissas waved a brush, and rainbows and fireworks flew from his belly, which served as a canvas, almost indistinguishable from reality.
Countless petals drifted backwards, towards the following float.
On this float, Mira, dressed in a blue festival outfit, danced gracefully. As her arms waved, petals swirled around like a flower fairy.
Next naturally was Erza's float, where she had switched into special armor designed for the festival.
Sixteen long swords, also crafted for the festival, danced and spun along with her movements, embodying both beauty and valor.
Many in the audience marveled but were puzzled:
Why didn't she perform in this attire during the beauty contest? Wouldn't this be better than those sharp swords flying over people's heads?
Each float had a team of dancers accompanying its sides, and between the floats were bands or dance troupes.
Everyone was either in formal attire or showcasing appropriate magic, gradually pushing the atmosphere to a climax.
The group bringing up the rear consisted of Rhode, Hapi, Natsu, and Gray.
Gray and Natsu each rode an Ancient Stone Beetle, moving side by side.
Gray clapped his fists, and massive ice crystal snowflakes ascended to the sky, shattering into tiny icy fragments.
Natsu forced himself to get energized, spitting fireballs upwards, which rose alongside the ice crystals and exploded into fireworks.
Rhode flew into the air with Hapi, skillfully weaving through flames and ice crystals, spiraling upwards.
Hapi let go, allowing Rhode to fall naturally.
Just then, a flock of red mythical birds flew by, and Rhode walked down their backs like descending stairs at a leisurely pace.
As he nearly fell, Hapi caught him again, suspending him in front of Natsu and Gray.
Rhode extended his hands, writing 'FIRE' with one and 'ICE' with the other.
The words transformed into symbols made of fire and ice, cascading downwards.
Natsu opened his mouth, swallowing the fire, and spewed out flames forming the guild's name, while Gray caught the ice and with magic reshaped it into the guild's emblem.
Macao and Wakaba, positioned alongside, manipulated purple flames and smoke, creating intricate patterns that encircled the guild's emblem and name.
When everyone had made their appearance, Mystogan, hiding in the shadows, withdrew his magic staff.
The magic arrays at the beginning and the president and floats appearing from nowhere were all achieved through his illusion technique.
Now, the S-Class special effects expert Mystogan bowed out, handing off to the S-Class security Mystogan.
As he silently climbed to the highest part of a building, he discovered two Gorge Swift Crabs disguised by Lidas's magic.
Mystogan had heard a bit about this guild newcomer's reputation, such as phrases like "very diligent in his practice," "harboring ill intentions towards Mira," "terrifyingly cautious," and the like.
Mystogan wasn't clear about other aspects, but he had witnessed firsthand the caution.
Congratulations to the president, for once encountering someone who was trouble-free.
This magical parade was meant to start from the guild's entrance, cross the canal, proceed to the Kardia Cathedral, and then return to the guild via another route.
Everyone worked hard to perform, showcasing both the magical side of the Mages' Guild and their friendly side.
Yajima stood with his hands behind his back in the crowd: "So many talented kids, no wonder Xiaoma is so happy."
"Compared to them, the kids in our guild still have a long way to go." President Goldman crossed his arms, initially displeased, then content, "Well, after all, it's Fairy Tail."
Not far from them, a blue-haired little girl holding a small white cat didn't draw much attention.
"What a beautiful, impressive guild."
The small white cat spoke: "You haven't forgotten what you came for, have you?"
"Tomorrow, I'll definitely..."
"You said the same thing yesterday."
"Carla~"
In a small alley, Laxus stood leaning against the wall, looking coolly at the parade, lost in thought.
The Thunder God Tribe diligently patrolled the parade route—Laxus didn't want Fairy Tail to embarrass themselves, and they didn't want Laxus to be unhappy.
Porlyusica, alone in the forest outside the city, gazed at the fireworks in the sky with a faint smile on her face, which quickly disappeared:
"Why do they have to hold this ceremony every year, it's so noisy, how can one sleep?"