Chapter 254: Welcome Back
"It's Tenrou Island!!"
Everyone from Fairy Tail on the ship shouted excitedly. They immediately steered the boat closer and quickly disembarked onto the island.
The sea breeze carried the scent of ancient earth and salt as the search party—Bisca, Alzack, Jet, Droy, Warren, and Max—rushed onto the sandy shores.
The island, which had been lost to the ocean for seven long years, had miraculously reappeared, its iconic Great Tenrou Tree standing tall once more, though the landscape was scarred by the battle that had taken place.
"Wait a moment!"
Several people quickly gave chase, their hearts pounding in their chests. They scrambled over roots and shattered rocks, desperate to find any sign of their comrades. Soon, among the rubble not far away, they saw a familiar figure lying face down in the dirt.
"H-how could this be..." Bisca covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.
"Natsu!! Pull yourself together!! Hey!"
Happy flew over, tears streaming down his face as he shook the pink-haired mage.
"Natsu!! Wake up quickly!!"
"Waaahhhhh!!"
Natsu suddenly woke up in surprise, his body jerking upright. He looked around with wide, confused eyes, his senses slowly returning to him.
"Natsu!!"
Seeing Natsu wake up, several people joyfully tackled him, piling onto him in a heap of tears and laughter.
Natsu was a little bewildered, blinking as he looked at the faces hovering over him. "What happened? Why are you guys here? Also, did you all get older?"
He sniffed the air, his Dragon Slayer nose picking up familiar yet slightly different scents. Bisca looked more mature; Alzack's jawline was sharper; Jet and Droy... well, Droy had changed the most.
"You haven't changed at all!!" Bisca cried, hugging him tightly.
"Droy is so fat!!" Natsu exclaimed, pointing a rude finger at the Shadow Gear member.
Although surprised by Droy's weight gain, Natsu's keen sense of smell allowed him to immediately recognize the other party. But then, the memories of the last moments before the darkness hit him like a physical blow.
"Wait! We were just attacked by Acnologia... Where is everyone else..." Natsu scrambled to his feet, panic rising in his voice.
"Over here..."
A soft, ethereal voice floated through the air. The group turned to see a little girl with long, wavy golden hair and wing-like adornments by her ears. She stood barefoot on a tree root, smiling gently.
The little girl with long golden hair said, and everyone immediately followed her to start searching, as Acnologia's terrifying attack had scattered all the guild members across the island.
Guided by the little girl, they traversed the ruins of the island. One by one, they found them. Gray was half-buried under some foliage; Lucy was slumped against a rock; Erza lay near the shore; Gajeel and Levy were found together. Wendy, Carla, Panther Lily... miraculously, everyone was alive.
"Ren!"
Mira excitedly hugged Ren as soon as she saw him sitting up, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Alright, alright, it's good that everyone is safe."
Ren patted Mira's back, feeling the warmth of her embrace. He looked at his hands, then at the surrounding scenery. Seven years, he thought to himself, a complex emotion swelling in his chest. It really passed in the blink of an eye. For us, it was just an instant of sleep.
To be honest, he was also astonished. As expected of Fairy Sphere, one of Fairy Tail's Three Great Super Magic Spells—it could even freeze time within it. He had known about the plot, of course, but experiencing it firsthand was entirely different. The absolute protection that defied even the Dragon King of the Apocalypse... it was humbling.
"You are..."
Makarov, who had just been helped up by Gildarts, looked at the mysterious girl who had led the search party.
The little girl said: "My name is Mavis, the First Master of Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermillion."
"What?!!"
Everyone in the guild was greatly surprised, their jaws dropping. They stared at the petite, ghostly figure, clearly not expecting such a young girl to be the legendary founder, the First Master of the Fairy Tail Guild.
Mavis smiled, her eyes crinkling with warmth. "At that time, I drew strength from everyone's bonds and faith, converting it entirely into magic power. Everyone's will enabled the activation of Fairy Sphere, one of Fairy Tail's Three Great Super Magic Spells—an absolute defense magic that protects the guild from any attack."
She gestured to the island around them. "However, in exchange, everyone was Sealed within the sphere, frozen in a state of suspended animation. The spell requires time to undo itself safely. By the time the Seal was broken, seven years had already passed."
"So, the First Master protected us!"
Makarov looked at Mavis, tears streaming down his aged face. He fell to his knees, deeply moved. "Thank you... Thank you, Shodai!"
"No... I am merely an empty shell, a thought projection," Mavis said softly, her form shimmering slightly in the sunlight. "I only converted the Admiral's power into magic. It was the miracle brought forth by everyone's unwavering faith and unbreakable bonds. This is truly a wonderful guild, Sandaime."
With those parting words, Mavis's figure slowly faded into the light, leaving the guild members standing in the gentle breeze of the new era. They had survived. They were back.
Magnolia Town
Fairy Tail Guild - Temporary Base
The sun hung low over the town of Magnolia, casting long shadows. But the shadows looming over the current Fairy Tail guild hall were far darker than anything the sunset could produce.
The current "guild hall" was nothing more than a small, run-down tavern on the outskirts of town. The glorious cathedral-like building of the past was gone, lost to debt and foreclosure.
Inside, the atmosphere was thick with gloom.
"Is it really alright if Romeo doesn't go with us?"
Macao Conbolt, the Fourth Master of Fairy Tail, sat at a table, looking weary and aged far beyond his years. He looked at his son, Romeo, who sat silently in the corner.
Romeo pretended to be calm and said: "Even if Tenrou Island is found, it doesn't mean everyone is still alive, does it?"
His voice was flat, devoid of the hope that used to burn so brightly in him.
"Nonsense! We must believe in them!" Wakaba shouted, taking a puff of his pipe, though his hand trembled slightly.
"But there has been no news for seven years," Romeo retorted, his fists clenching on his knees. "If they were alive, they would have come back. Big Bro Natsu... Big Bro Ren... they wouldn't just leave us."
"Sigh!" Macao sighed helplessly, burying his face in his hands. Just as Romeo said, he wasn't entirely sure either. The hope was painful, a jagged thing that cut them every time it proved false.
Suddenly!
Bang————!
The wooden doors of the tavern were kicked open with violent force, splintering the wood. A hush fell over the room as a group of thugs swaggered in. It was the guild that had been tormenting them for years—Twilight Ogre.
At the lead was a man with a distinctive, spiked mohawk and a cruel sneer—Teebo.
Teebo chuckled mockingly, scanning the room with disdain: "There are fewer people today than usual! Instead of a guild, it looks more like a hobby club for losers!"
"Pfft ha ha ha ha!!" his lackeys laughed in unison.
Macao stood up, his face darkening. "Teebo, why are you here again? Didn't we agree to pay you back next month?!"
Teebo laughed carelessly, swinging a massive spiked club onto his shoulder. "Ah, our Master won't listen to reason. He says interest rates have gone up. It will be very troublesome if you don't repay the money on time. Since the Master said so, there's nothing I can do! We'll just have to smash up this shack to send a message."
"You bastards!"
Romeo stood up angrily, tears of frustration stinging his eyes. "We don't have money for you guys! Get out!"
"Shut up, Romeo!"
Macao quickly tried to stop him, fear gripping his heart. "Don't provoke them!"
"Being bullied like this by these thugs... Dad and everyone else are cowards!" Romeo shouted, his voice cracking. "I want to fight! I'm not afraid of them! If this continues, Fairy Tail will be completely finished!!"
As Romeo spoke, a ball of purple fire rose in his hand—his Rainbow Fire magic.
"Hmph!"
Teebo looked at the boy with boredom. He lightly blew a breath, and the flame in Romeo's hand was extinguished instantly.
"Weak," Teebo sneered. He drew the Spiked Club from his back, his expression turning vicious. "You were finished long ago! Starting seven years ago, the moment those 'fairies' disappeared. As long as you're alive, you'll always be trampled underfoot by us!!"
As Teebo spoke, he raised the Spiked Club high, preparing to swing it down directly at Romeo's head.
"Stop—!"
Macao desperately shouted, lunging forward, but he was too far away. It was too late to stop him.
I can't protect him, Macao thought in despair. I'm useless.
"Hm?!"
Just after Teebo swung, he felt... nothing. The crushing impact he expected didn't happen. In fact, the weight in his hand had vanished.
He realized the Spiked Club in his hand was gone.
"Looking for this?"
A calm, indifferent voice came from behind him. Teebo turned his head sharply and saw a handsome, unfamiliar young man standing there. The young man had dark hair and eyes that held a terrifyingly cold abyss. He was holding the massive spiked club with one hand, as effortlessly as if it were a twig.
"Who are you?!" Teebo demanded, taking a step back.
"You don't even recognize me? That's truly a shame." Ren tilted his head slightly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "I used to be quite famous around here."
Bang!!
Ren didn't wait for an answer. He flicked his wrist.
"Whoa!"
The Spiked Club smashed Teebo directly onto the ground. The floorboards shattered, and Teebo was embedded into the earth, his eyes rolled back in his head.
"What?!"
"Teebo-san!"
"You bastard! How dare you..."
The four people who came with Teebo saw their comrade being attacked and immediately prepared to fight, magic circles flaring.
But they never got the chance to cast a spell.
"Fire Dragon... Iron Fist!"
"Circle Sword!"
Before they could even make a move, they were all knocked down. Natsu and Erza were the ones who struck them, moving in a blur of motion.
"Natsu?! Erza?!" Macao rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.
Ren smiled at Macao, Wakaba, and the stunned Romeo. He raised his hand in a casual greeting: "Sorry, we're late coming back."
"Re... Ren! And everyone else!"
"You... you guys..."
Macao and the others stared at the scene before them in disbelief. Their mouths hung open, and their eyes immediately filled with tears. Ren, Natsu, Erza, Gray, Lucy... they stood there, bathed in the afternoon light, looking exactly as they did seven years ago. Seven years had not left a single trace on them. They were frozen in time, preserved by their bond.
The Tenrou Island group carefully examined the small, dilapidated guild hall. It was dusty, cramped, and smelled of despair, but it was filled with the people they loved.
Natsu grinned, his signature toothy smile blindingly bright: "We're home!"
Happy jumped up, spreading his wings: "We're back!!"
Erza sheathed her sword, her eyes softening: "We finally returned."
Cana shouted from the back, holding a barrel she had seemingly conjured from nowhere: "Drink, drink~~! Let's party!"
"When did the guild get so small?"
Makarov squeezed through the door, looking around. "And where is all the furniture?"
"Well! It looks pretty good! Cozy!" Natsu laughed.
"We are back."
The Seven-Year Group looked at everyone, knowing this wasn't a dream—they had truly returned. The air in the room shifted instantly. The gloom evaporated, replaced by a radiant, overwhelming joy.
"Welcome back!!"
Tears flowed freely now. Macao hugged Natsu; Wakaba clasped hands with Makarov; Laki and Kinana wept openly.
"They look so young!!"
"Seven years passed, and they haven't changed at all!!"
"What exactly happened?!! What occurred back then?!"
The guild members sat down right there in the ruined tavern. They pushed the unconscious Twilight Ogre thugs into a corner like trash and gathered around. They recounted in detail everything that happened on Tenrou Island—Acnologia's roar, the despair, and how Mavis saved them with the Fairy Sphere. The Seven-Year Group hasn't expected such events to have transpired on Tenrou Island, and the ones who stayed behind listened with rapt attention, clinging to every word.
Soon, the guild members started a feast. Barrels were tapped, food was brought out (mostly courtesy of Mira's cooking magic), and music began to play. They were drinking, singing, and dancing, celebrating joyfully, as if to fill the void of the past seven years in a single night.
In the corner, Natsu sat with Romeo. The boy had grown so much, shedding his childish appearance for a more jagged, teenage look.
"Can you use Fire Magic too, Romeo?" Natsu asked, chomping on a drumstick.
"The temperature in the guild is going to rise by several degrees again," Gray muttered, though he was smiling.
Natsu and Happy looked at Romeo with great interest.
"I can use Ice Fire too, and sticky purple flames like Dad's, and weird-smelling yellow flames."
Romeo proudly demonstrated his magic like he was showing off treasure. Small, multicolored flames danced on his fingertips—Rainbow Fire.
"Whoa! That's awesome!" Natsu's eyes sparkled.
Ren walked over, a gentle smile on his face. He looked at the boy who had once idolized Natsu so much, seeing the strength that had grown from pain.
Ren patted Romeo's head and said with a smile: "Your magical attainment is higher than your old man's!"