The somber, heavy atmosphere that had blanketed Fairy Tail after the Strauss siblings' near-tragedy had lasted exactly one night. The next morning, the guild was back to its chaotic, noisy, resilient self. The reason was simple: Blake Corvus was home.
His dark green Urus was parked proudly outside, already a landmark. He made his way to the guild hall, and where yesterday he had been met with silence, today he was welcomed with a roar of cheers.
"HE'S BACK!"
"BLAKE'S HOME!"
Blake grinned, the familiar, chaotic warmth of the guild washing over him. He'd missed this. "Alright, you brats!" he shouted over the din, his voice a deep, confident baritone that rumbled with S-Class power. "Drinks on me, everyone!"
The cheer, predictably, became a deafening roar.
He spent the first hour making his rounds, a king returning to his court. He greeted everyone in the guild, clapping Macao on the back, dodging a congratulatory (and sloppy) hug from Wakaba, and accepting the awe-filled stares of the newer members.
He went to Makarov first, who was beaming from his barstool.
"You handled that situation with the Strauss children perfectly, my boy," Makarov said quietly, his eyes full of pride. "You saved three of my children in one night. Welcome home."
"It's good to be home, Master," Blake replied, their brief, serious talk covering the revocation of Mira's rank and Elfman's stable condition. Then he told of the Flare corona and that she will be joining the guild. Hearing that Makarov agreed to her joining the guild.
He turned to the guild, his eyes scanning for his friends. A pink-haired missile was already inbound.
"BLAKE!" Natsu screamed, his fists on fire. "You're back! Let's fight!"
Natsu launched himself through the air, aiming a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist at Blake's face.
Blake didn't even flinch. He didn't draw his sword. He simply caught Natsu's flaming fist in his open palm, his Haki snuffing the fire out like a candle. He then, with a casual, bored expression, delivered a short, sharp punch to Natsu's stomach.
The Dragon Slayer's eyes bulged. He folded like a piece of paper and was sent flying out of the guild hall, crashing into the street with a distant, familiar thud. And following him outside was a familiar blue cat with white wings. "Natsu, I'm coming."
"He's gotten stronger," Gray noted, sipping a drink.
"He was holding back," Erza countered, a small, competitive smile on her face.
Blake walked over to his real rival. He met with Laxus, who was brooding in his usual corner. The two S-Class mages didn't need words. They just looked at each other—a nod of respect.
"You got taller," Laxus grunted.
"We should fight later," Laxus stated.
"We will," Blake agreed.
He finally sat down at a table, and Gray slid into the seat opposite him. He talked with Gray, asking what recent things had happened around Fiore.
"Things have been... interesting," Gray replied, crossing his arms (and thankfully remaining clothed). "You heard about the Tower kids, right? They formed their own guild, 'New Dawn.' Rob's the Master. "
"Good for them," Blake agreed, feeling a swell of pride. "What else?"
"Big news, actually. You know how you saved Ur and Ultear? Well, Ur and Ultear have joined Mermaid Heel. They've been shaking things up. And... about six months after joining, Ur has become its Guild Master."
Blake's eyebrows shot up. "Ur? A Guild Master? I guess she's finally stopped running."
"Yeah," Gray said. "Ultear's her second-in-command. They're already a major guild. Kinda scary, actually."
Blake nodded, processing the information. He then turned and met the newcomers he'd only briefly seen the day before. He gave a respectful nod to Mirajane, who was quietly serving drinks behind the bar, her "Demon" persona visibly shattered, replaced by a fragile, quiet sadness.
He clapped Elfman on the shoulder, who looked grateful and deeply ashamed. He smiled at Levy, Jet, and Droy, who were hiding behind a book.
The newcomers looked at Blake with admiration. He wasn't just an S-Class mage; he was the S-Class mage, the one who had been gone for four years, the one who owned the "monster car," and the one who had just saved their lives.
He was so busy catching up that he didn't notice the person who had been staring at him since he'd walked in.
"Well... look who finally decided to come home."
The voice was slurred, warm, and full of a familiar, playful pout.
Blake turned. He met Cana, who was leaning against the bar, a half-empty barrel of beer already tucked under her arm. She was sixteen now, no longer the little girl he'd brought to the guild, but a young woman, beautiful and already intoxicated.
He'd missed her so much during this time of absence. More than the fights, more than the noise, he'd missed this.
"Cana," he smiled, his voice softening. "You're starting early today, even for you."
As soon as Cana saw Blake smile at her, her drunken bravado broke. Her eyes welled up.
"You... you idiot!" she said, her voice cracking. She dropped the barrel and ran at him, hugging him with a desperate strength, burying her face in his cloak. "I missed you so much."
Before he could react, she pulled back just enough, stood on her toes, and planted a firm, warm kiss on his cheek.
"Don't you ever leave for that long again, you big jerk," she mumbled into his shoulder, her blush hidden.
Blake, when he saw Cana acting like this, smiled gently. He wrapped his strong arms around her and hugged her back just as tightly. "I won't. I missed you, too, Cana. More than you know."
A massive, guild-wide "OOOOOOOHHH!" erupted from the tables.
"Young love!"
"Finally!"
"Blake, you'd better watch your back when Gildarts comes back!" Macao howled with laughter.
Gildarts, who had been gone on an S-Class quest for the better part of a year, was the only person who could possibly object.
Blake just laughed, still holding Cana. "We'll see when the time comes, won't we?"
Cana, her courage restored by the hug and the alcohol, pulled away, her face bright red but defiant. "Come on, drink with me!" She magically summoned another barrel and shoved it into Blake's hands. "You're not getting away. You have to tell me everything."
And so he did. He told the guild members about his adventures, about the year of traveling, the Dark Guilds he'd busted, and the strange, quirky people he'd met. But his stories were aimed at Cana, who sat beside him, their shoulders touching.
He told her about the Sun Village. About Thrym the giant-king, about fighting 100-foot-tall warriors, about Flare, and about the eternal ice of Motherflame.
They both drank till the night, and Blake sat there with her, telling the stories of his vacation, surrounded by his friends, his family, and the only home he'd ever truly known.
The next morning, Blake woke up on a cot in the infirmary, his head pounding only slightly. He'd spent years drinking giant's mead; Fairy Tail's ale was a lightweight in comparison. But the night of celebration had solidified his next move.
He was 19 years old. He was an S-Class mage. He was, thanks to his car company, absurdly wealthy.
It was time to move out of the dorms.
He went to the guild, had a quick breakfast, and then went to look for a realtor in Magnolia. He found the most expensive, high-end agency in the city and walked in.
"I'm looking to buy a land in Magnolia," Blake told the well-dressed realtor.
"Of course, sir," the man said, looking at Blake's casual (but expensive) clothes.
"No," Blake said, cutting him off. "I'm looking to buy a large plot of land, preferably. Near the lake."
The realtor's eyes widened. "Sir, a project of that... scale..."
"Money is not an issue," Blake said flatly, the success of the car sales echoing in his voice.
The realtor's posture changed instantly. "Of course, sir! Right this way! We have the perfect plot!"
After meeting the realtor and buying the place—a massive, forested plot on the quiet, western shore of Lake Sciliora—Blake didn't look at the agency's blueprints. He unrolled his own.
"I'm giving you my house design details," Blake said. "This is what you will build." Blake has been designing this building whenever I had free time on my journey.
The realtor looked at the plans, and his jaw dropped. This was not a house. This was a fortress of art.
The luxury mansion Blake had designed was a masterpiece of modern minimalism, security, and raw power.
The Aesthetics: The house was not a traditional brick-and-mortar building. It was a three-story marvel of dark teak, black obsidian-infused stone, and vast, floor-to-ceiling walls of magic-resistant, reinforced glass. It was designed to blend into the forest, with a waterfall feature that cascaded from the roof into a series of infinity pools.
The Security: The entire compound was to be surrounded by a discreet, high-voltage runic fence, tied to a personalized security grid. Only those with a magical 'key' (which Blake would give to his friends) could approach.
Anyone else would be met with an S-Class-level paralysis rune. The house itself would be tied to Blake's Haki, alerting him if a single, uninvited person set foot on the property.
The Garage: The driveway was hidden, leading into a subterranean, 10-car garage that was more of a showroom. It had hydraulic lifts, a full-service workshop, and a magical air-filtration system. This was the one thing he'd missed most from his old life.
The Main Floor: The front doors opened into a cavernous great room. It was an open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area with a 20-foot ceiling. One entire wall was a sheet of glass looking out over the infinity pool and the lake.
The kitchen was a professional-grade affair with lacrima-powered refrigeration, a wood-fired pizza oven, and a bar big enough to seat the entire guild (or so it seemed).
The Wings: The mansion was split into two wings. The "Guest Wing" featured six full-size suites, each with its own bathroom and balcony, for his friends.
The "Master Wing" was Blake's private sanctuary. It comprised the entire top floor and featured a massive bedroom with a panoramic view of the lake, an automated walk-in closet the size of a small apartment, a high-tech office for his business dealings, and a private room, with its own air supply and communication lacrima.
Then the backyard consists of a Basketball Court and a place to train and fight battles.
The realtor looked up from the blueprints, his face pale. The cost would be astronomical, easily tens of millions of Jewels.
"Sir, this... this is the most advanced private residence I have ever seen. The materials alone..."
"Just find the workers and start working on it," Blake said, sliding a gold bar across the table as a down payment. "I want it done in six months."
The realtor, looking at the bar of pure gold, simply nodded, a bead of sweat on his brow. "Y-Yes, sir. It will be done."
Blake walked out of the office, the sun on his face. He was home. He had his family, his friends, his rival, his car, and soon, his fortress. Life was good.