"Ares, what happened?"
Makarov arrived with the others, their expressions serious as they took in the devastated surroundings.
"Silas is very strong."
Ares descended slowly from the sky. The golden armor covering his body faded away, returning him to normal as he looked toward Makarov with a questioning gaze.
Makarov scanned the ruins. The destruction stretched across a wide area, far beyond what an ordinary battle would cause.
Even though he did not fully understand Ares's true strength, he knew one thing clearly. Ares had already surpassed him, a member of the Ten Wizard Saints. For someone to escape from Ares and even leave him wary, this was no simple matter.
"Silas shouldn't be that strong."
Mira's expression turned serious. Among everyone present, she knew the guild members best.
Ever since Lisanna's incident, she had stayed in the guild, working there for years. That time had given her a deep understanding of everyone connected to Fairy Tail.
"That guy used gun-based magic similar to Alzack's, but it felt different. It might be another form of magic… or something else entirely."
Ares did not finish his sentence. His sharp gaze shifted toward the sky.
It might even be a completely different power system.
"Has he been hiding his strength all this time?"
Lucy looked shaken. An entire section of the city had been destroyed in such a short time.
At that moment, she realized something.
They had completely underestimated Ares.
Every time they went on missions, he would stand by casually, only stepping in when Natsu and the others were exhausted. Then he would defeat the enemy with ease, claiming it was only possible because they had worn the opponent down.
Thinking about it now, that excuse made no sense.
"Alright, everyone, go check on the residents. I delayed the fight as much as possible to give people time to escape, but there are still injuries. Inform everyone that I will cover the cost of rebuilding this area, along with medical expenses and relocation fees."
Ares exchanged a brief glance with Makarov before speaking.
For him, money meant nothing. With his ability, even dirt and stone could be turned into gold permanently.
"Everyone, move out!"
Makarov gave the order.
The members of Fairy Tail quickly spread out to assist the injured. Fortunately, there were no deaths, but several people had been hurt.
At first, many residents were furious. Their homes had been destroyed in an instant.
However, once they heard that Fairy Tail's Golden Emperor would fully compensate them and rebuild everything, their anger vanished just as quickly.
Smiles returned to their faces as they praised Ares and the guild.
After the situation settled, Makarov and Ares stood near the massive crater left behind by the explosion. Underground water was already seeping in, slowly filling the pit. It would not be long before it turned into a lake.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
Life returned to normal.
The Fairy Tail guild hall was as lively as ever, filled with noise and laughter.
Meanwhile, Makarov had begun secretly investigating Phantom Lord.
"Mira, three beers over here!"
"Coming right up."
Mira moved gracefully through the hall, carrying drinks with a gentle smile.
"Go on a date with me sometime, Mira!" Wakaba said with a grin, a cigarette hanging from his lips.
"Here we go again?"
Macao, sitting across from him, adjusted his glasses as if he had seen this countless times.
"Aren't you married?" Mira replied with a smile.
She spun lightly, and in the next moment, her appearance shifted into that of a plump middle-aged woman.
"Whoa, wait, spare me! Change back!"
Wakaba immediately shrank back, his bravado disappearing.
On the other side of the hall, Loki appeared beside Lucy in a flash, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Lucy, how about we form a Love Squad? Tonight, just the two of us, candlelight dinner."
He adjusted his sunglasses, his tone overly gentle.
"You're dazzling. Even through these glasses, your beauty nearly blinded me… my eyes."
"Then go ahead and be blinded."
Lucy looked at him with clear annoyance and pushed him away.
She already knew his personality.
A shameless flirt.
Worse, he kept using the same lines every time.
"Can't you try something new? It's always the same approach. It's not even interesting anymore."
"Oh, what a cruel fate… I guess this is goodbye."
Loki clutched his chest dramatically before turning and running out.
"When did anything even begin?"
Lucy muttered, confused, before taking a sip of her drink.
Her mood quickly shifted.
Over the past week, she had only taken small jobs. The rewards were low, and her finances were starting to look miserable.
Not far away, Natsu and Gray continued their usual argument.
"Damn it, I'm pissed!"
"You droopy-eyed idiot, I'm pissed too!"
"Droopy eyes."
"Flame brain."
Their bickering never changed.
The guild was filled with all kinds of personalities. Cana lounged around in her usual outfit, hugging a barrel of alcohol. Loki had his chaotic love life. Everyone was loud, reckless, and alive.
Ares sat alone at the bar, quietly drinking.
The events from a week ago had not repeated.
Everything seemed peaceful.
Then suddenly, the main doors burst open.
"It's bad, Erza is back!"
Loki rushed in, shouting in panic.
The entire hall fell silent.
Every single person froze.
It was so quiet that even breathing sounded loud.
"Erza is back?"
"The strongest female mage in Fairy Tail…"
Natsu and Gray immediately stopped fighting.
Everyone straightened up, their expressions tense as they stared at the entrance.
Heavy footsteps approached from outside.
Each step was steady and firm.
Those who knew her well could already recognize it.
"That's her."
"No doubt about it."
"It's definitely Erza."
A figure slowly appeared in the doorway, backlit by sunlight.
She was carrying something massive over her shoulder.
Then she stepped inside.
"Bang!"
She dropped the object onto the ground with a loud crash.
As the light shifted, her figure became clear.
Erza stood there, wearing armor on her upper body and a blue skirt below. Her long red hair flowed down her back, giving off a powerful and confident presence.
"I'm back. Is the Master here?"
"So cool…"
Lucy rested her chin in her hands, eyes sparkling as she stared at Erza.
"Welcome back. The Master is at the regular meeting," Mira replied.
"I see."
Erza nodded.
Wakaba stared at the massive object on the ground.
"What is that huge thing?"
"Oh, that? A client gave it to me after a mission. If you want it, you can have it."
"No, no… I'm good."
Wakaba laughed awkwardly.
"Where are Natsu and Gray?"
Erza's gaze swept across the hall.
"They're over there!"
Happy pointed at the two men, who were now hugging each other awkwardly.
"Erza, we're getting along great today!"
Natsu forced a grin, his body trembling.
"Yeah, no fighting at all!"
Gray nodded quickly, sweat dripping down his face.
"I see."
Erza looked at them carefully, her sharp gaze softening slightly.
"I prefer it when you two get along."
Both of them nodded frantically.
"Good."
Erza paused, then spoke again.
"Tomorrow, you're coming with me on a mission."