"Are you healed already, Makarov?"
Porlyusica turned her head toward the old man, who was grinning ear to ear, and asked in her usual flat, frosty tone.
"Ahh, yes indeed! Your treatment works miracles, Porlyusica!" Makarov laughed, stretching his arms and rotating his shoulders. He even jumped twice, his every movement proving that his body had completely recovered.
"If you're healed—then get the hell out!"
With a single kick, Porlyusica sent Makarov flying out of the cabin door. Yet Makarov didn't even look annoyed; instead, he smiled and waved.
"Got it, got it. I'll be going now!"
He leapt into a sprint, heading straight for Fairy Tail.
Lucy and Erza, who had completed their treatment earlier, had already returned to the guild with Natsu.
After Makarov's departure, Porlyusica sighed softly, muttering under her breath.
"Humans really are such complicated creatures… emotions, desires, contradictions. I'll never understand them. That's why I prefer to stay away from people."
Then, a calm, gentle voice drifted from the edge of the forest, cutting through her thoughts.
"Yet even among the flaws, there's light — righteousness, and purity. Light that dispels the darkness within human hearts. I've always believed that… just as I believe in Fairy Tail's bond."
Porlyusica looked up, frowning slightly.
"Mystogan. You're back already? You shouldn't be here — I don't welcome humans in my forest."
Without another glance, she bent down to lift a crate of apples.
"I came to check on the master. May I have an apple?"
"..."
She didn't answer, but a single apple flew through the air in a perfect arc, landing in Mystogan's hand.
"Thanks."
Before the sound of his voice faded, a gust of wind swept across the yard. The broken banners of the Phantom Lord guild, which had been piled nearby, were carried off by the wind, fluttering and scattering across the grass.
Porlyusica's eyes widened slightly.
"You did all this yourself?"
"No," Mystogan replied coolly. "Laxus helped too. He's back."
At the Ruins of Fairy Tail
The members of Fairy Tail surrounded Kael, cheering, basking in the joy of victory.
The defeated Phantom Lord and the dark guild members were all tied up and tossed aside. The Element Four and Gajeel were bound separately with radiant ropes of light conjured by Kael.
Juvia, however, clung shamelessly to Gray, driving him nearly insane with irritation.
"Nice work, Kael!" someone called out.
Bang!
Erza and Lucy approached from afar. Lucy's expression looked gloomy; Natsu and Happy followed close behind, their faces filled with concern. They didn't speak, choosing instead to quietly walk beside her.
Erza threw the last of the Phantom Lord survivors into the pile of bound enemies, brushing her hands together.
"You really did well," she said firmly, her tone proud yet calm. "Ending Joseph was the right call… though, you could've made it cleaner."
A familiar, slightly mocking voice echoed from the rooftops.
"Not bad, but still a little sloppy."
"Laxus! You're back!"
"Yeah. Mystogan and I just finished wiping out every remaining Phantom Lord branch."
Lightning cracked as Laxus leapt down from above, landing among the ruins. His sharp eyes swept across the destruction.
"Looks like the place really took a beating."
Lucy stepped forward hesitantly. "Everyone… I'm so, so sorry! This is all my fault!"
Her voice trembled. She bowed deeply, tears falling onto the cracked ground. Along the way back, she had learned the truth: everything had started because of a commission issued by her father, Jude Heartfilia — the excuse Phantom Lord needed to attack Fairy Tail.
If it hadn't been for her, none of this would've happened. No one would've been hurt.
As Lucy's shoulders shook with guilt, Kael took a step forward, about to speak — but before he could, a calm, steady voice rose behind him. Kael smiled faintly and looked toward the source.
Makarov was walking slowly across the ruined courtyard.
"Lucy," the old man said softly, "raise your head and stand tall."
He stopped before her, his tone firm but kind.
"Whether it's joy or sorrow, we share it together. That's what a guild is. One person's happiness is everyone's happiness. One person's anger is everyone's anger. One person's tears are everyone's tears. You don't have to bear this alone. You can feel everyone's hearts, can't you?"
Lucy covered her mouth, sobbing harder. Around her, her guildmates smiled gently — forgiving, warm, and proud. Cana and Levy came forward, pulling Lucy into their arms. Without a word, they held her close as she cried her heart out.
Even Gajeel and Juvia, bound among the Phantom Lord prisoners, looked moved by the scene. Juvia leaned against Gray's shoulder with tearful eyes, while Gajeel just turned his head away, scowling faintly.
Makarov looked around at the broken ruins of the guild, the fallen buildings of Magnolia, and the torn streets. He sighed.
"Hm… we might've gone a little overboard this time. Sure, it's Phantom Lord's fault, but if they can't afford the damages, we might have to cover part of it ourselves…"
The thought made cold sweat bead on his forehead. Their guild was in ruins too — rebuilding would cost a fortune.
"Don't worry, Master," Kael said quietly, leaning toward him with a grin. "Phantom Lord's a lot richer than they look."
Makarov's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really. Trust me."
Just as Kael promised, when the debris of the Phantom Lord fortress was cleared, the guild members uncovered piles of treasure — enough to rebuild Fairy Tail, repair Magnolia's homes, and still have plenty left over. The remainder was donated unanimously by the guild members.
A few days later, the Magic Council's Crescent Knight Regiment surrounded Fairy Tail's members for questioning. Makarov left all negotiations to Kael, who handled it smoothly.
The Council quickly confirmed that the Phantom Lord and Dark Guild members were guilty, and all were taken into custody without trial.
After a week of investigation, the Council announced the results: Fairy Tail was cleared of wrongdoing.
The guild threw itself into rebuilding with renewed spirit. Of course, chaos followed — pranksters, loudmouths, and constant mischief, all promptly silenced by Erza's iron discipline.
Kael could only watch and shake his head, smiling helplessly.