Just as he had on the way there, Kael chose to fly across the Grand Canyon on his return trip.
Now that his magic power had reached the six-star level, he no longer needed to pinch every drop of mana whenever he used a Take Over. Magic power wasn't a finite resource—rest properly, and it replenished quickly.
Even so, Kael stayed careful. He knew that burning through mana too hard came with physical fatigue, and fatigue got people killed when the unexpected happened. His rule was simple: once his reserves dipped to around half, he would stop to rest—or switch to normal transportation.
It took him about three days to get back to Fairy Tail. Completing an S-Class mission—travel included—in a single week was efficiency that few could match.
"Everyone! I'm back!"
Kael called as he stepped into the guild hall.
Even with the building still under reconstruction, Fairy Tail felt like home in a way no other place ever did.
Mira's face brightened with surprise and relief. No matter how strong Kael was, she still worried whenever he went out on a high-stakes S-Class assignment.
"Kael's back!"
"Welcome home!"
Kael looked around at the construction site.
"Hey—I've been gone a week, and it looks like you haven't made any progress. Don't tell me you've all been slacking again."
The guild hall looked almost the same as when he've left. Knowing this crowd, Kael figured they'd done more drinking than building.
"Give us a break!"
Gray shot back.
"Most of us have been out on missions to keep the lights on, so there haven't been many hands left for construction. Besides, look—the outer wall is almost finished! And you went out on a job too, so don't act like you're innocent."
"Kael! Did you finish another S-Class job?"
Natsu jumped over, eyes shining.
"With me on the case? It was easy."
Kael grinned.
"How much did you make this time?"
Happy floated over and landed in front of him, curious as always.
"Fifteen million Jewels."
Hajrudin had paid without hesitation. Despite Elbaf's isolation, the Giant Kingdom maintained limited trade routes with a few daring merchants—enough to keep a reserve of human currency for emergencies.
"Fifteen million?!"
Lucy's eyes nearly turned into coins. Even though she knew Kael was a walking payday, the number still hit like a hammer.
"I wish Kael was the one teaming up with me!"
She and Natsu had completed two missions while Kael was away, but after expenses they barely had enough left for food and clothes. She was already stressing about next month's rent.
"Lucy, you should be glad you aren't teaming up with Kael. Every mission he takes would be life-or-death for anyone else."
Mira giggled softly. Because of how close they were, Mira often heard the details of Kael's trips. The danger he dealt with regularly was enough to make even an S-Class mage feel a chill.
"Uh… fair point,"
Lucy admitted. Galuna Island had been fun because Kael made it look effortless, but she knew not every S-Class job came with that kind of safety net. She preferred staying alive.
"Welcome home. What do you want to eat?"
Mira stepped closer.
"The usual's fine."
Kael glanced around.
"Where's the Master?"
"The Council called him away again,"
Mira said, her smile sympathetic.
"Being Master is a thankless job."
Kael sighed. Only Makarov would tolerate constant scolding and paperwork just to keep Fairy Tail in the Council's good graces.
"Kael, Kael! Tell us about the mission!"
"Yeah! What happened in the Giant Kingdom?"
Natsu, Gray, Elfman, and a dozen others crowded in, hungry for a story. In Fairy Tail, Kael was one of the few S-Class mages who actually liked talking about his adventures.
"Well,"
Kael began,
"I traveled to a Giant Kingdom on the far eastern edge of Ishgar…"
He described the towering giants and the feral trolls, painting a picture of creatures thirty to fifty meters tall. The guild members gasped, trying to imagine what a nation of living mountains must look like.
Then Kael dropped the real bomb.
When he mentioned that Makarov had once tried to court a giantess, the entire hall exploded into laughter and disbelief.
"No way!"
Macao shouted.
"That's the Master for you—he actually went after a giantess!"
"Ahem."
A sharp cough cut through the crowd.
Everyone turned to see Master Makarov standing there, his face red and his expression sour.
"Master! You're back!"
"You brats!"
Makarov barked.
"If you've got time to gossip, you've got time to work! Move it!"
The hall scattered instantly, terrified of the old man's wrath.
Makarov huffed, then looked at Kael.
"Don't listen to Hajrudin's nonsense. He was the one who liked Lina and didn't have the guts to say it, so he tried to rope me into helping. Anyway… are Hajrudin and Lina doing well?"
"Yeah,"
Kael said.
"They're King and Queen now. They look like they're in their thirties—healthy, strong."
Something softened in Makarov's eyes—bittersweet nostalgia.
"Is that so… I'm glad."
He missed old friends, but the distance between east and west Ishgar was enormous. And more than that, as Master of Fairy Tail, he had a family here he could never abandon.
"Kael,"
Makarov said, and his tone shifted—lower, heavier.
"Come with me for a moment. There's something I need to show you."
Kael blinked. That seriousness wasn't normal. He followed the old man down to the first basement level, one of the few parts of the guild that had survived the destruction.
Makarov walked to a hidden corner and triggered a mechanism. Stone shifted with a low grind, revealing a concealed staircase leading deeper underground.
"Whoa… Master, I didn't know we had a sub-basement,"
Kael muttered.
"There's a lot you still don't know, boy,"
Makarov said.
"Stay close."
They reached an enormous ornate door. Makarov traced a complex magic circle in the air with his fingers. The seals pulsed, and the heavy doors groaned as they slowly swung open.
Inside was a vast, silent hall. At the far end, bathed in soft, ethereal light, stood a massive lacrima crystal.
Sealed deep within it was the body of a young blonde girl.
Kael's heart skipped.
He knew exactly what he was looking at.
Makarov spoke in a hushed, solemn voice.
"This is the greatest secret of our guild… Lumen Histoire."