The following night.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Fireworks erupted over Magnolia, painting the night sky in a kaleidoscope of magical light. The city felt alive, shimmering with a beauty that seemed almost surreal.
The streets were packed. It wasn't just the residents of Magnolia; tourists from across the kingdom had flooded in to witness the legendary Fantasia parade.
Leading the procession was the first float, where Lucy, Levy, and the other girls performed a light, synchronized dance.
"It's the Fairy Girls!" "They're so cute!" "Not bad at all!"
Following them was Elfman, standing tall in his Beast King soul form. He let out a periodic roar, flexing his massive muscles.
"A monster!" "The monster's coming!!"
The kids weren't scared; they were screaming with excitement. It seemed that no matter the world, children always had a soft spot for "cool" monsters.
Then came Gray and Juvia. Working in perfect harmony, Juvia unleashed torrents of water while Gray instantly flash-froze them, sculpting an intricate, shimmering ice castle that glistened under the fireworks.
"Look at that! An ice castle!!" "It's breathtaking!"
Next was Erza. Her swords danced around her in a blur of silver, caught in a rhythmic, deadly ballet.
"Titania is here!!" "Look at that sword dance!" "Marry me, Erza!!"
Behind her was a massive pirate ship. Kael stood on deck, having used Take Over to transform into Whitebeard.
"Whoa! It's Whitebeard!!" "He's massive—!!" "Is he really that tall?!"
Kael's Whitebeard form was famous throughout the Fiore Kingdom, but most people had never seen it up close. Standing nearly seven meters tall, the sheer pressure he radiated was immense. Even someone who was six feet tall would feel like a child looking up at his 666cm frame.
"Why the hell do I have to participate in this shame play?" Kael muttered, his voice a low rumble.
Mirajane sat perched on his massive shoulder, giggling. "The Master insisted! Besides, you're our guild's Ace. We have to show you off, right?"
Finally, there was Master Makarov. His recent collapse had been a heart attack—or a "myocardial infarction" in technical terms. It sounded simple, but the mortality rate was terrifying if not treated immediately. However, when he wasn't having an episode, he was as spry as ever. After two days of rest, he was recovered enough to participate, provided he avoided heavy combat.
The old man was dressed as a clown, twisting and dancing in a ridiculous, comical fashion.
Standing at a street corner, Laxus watched the display and chuckled. If this had been the old Laxus, he would have thought his grandfather was just making a fool of himself. How can the Master of the strongest guild act like a court jester in public?
He didn't think like that anymore. Everyone had their own way of living, their own way of expressing love. He realized he had no right to force his own likes or dislikes onto others.
His grandfather hadn't changed. Laxus was the one who had changed.
Seeing that the old man was healthy and happy was enough for him. Laxus turned to leave.
But just as he started to walk away, something caught his eye. He spun back around. Leading the procession, Makarov raised his hand, followed by every single member of the guild. They held their left fists tight and pointed their right index fingers toward the sky.
Laxus stared, his composure crumbling. He couldn't suppress the emotion anymore; tears began to stream down his face. "Grandpa..."
It was a sign he had created as a child during his very first Fantasia parade. It meant: Even if I can't see you, I'll always be watching over you.
He never imagined that after all these years, his grandfather would still remember.
"Thank you..."
In the middle of a desolate, rocky wasteland stood the headquarters of the Dark Guild, Raven Tail. This was the guild founded by Ivan Dreyar, Makarov's son. Ivan had been expelled years ago after Makarov discovered he was trying to steal "Lumen Histoire," and he had been obsessed with destroying Fairy Tail ever since.
"Oh, raven! Why are you so beautiful? Is it because you are so hated?"
Ivan held a raven in his hands before it dissolved into a piece of paper, which he tossed aside like trash.
"I never heard that Laxus was a Dragon Slayer," Gajeel said, leaning against a cold stone wall.
"Pwahaha! He's a fraud. A total defect," Ivan sneered. "The boy was physically weak when he was a kid. I felt sorry for him, so I buried a Dragon Slayer Lacrima inside his body."
"A Lacrima that grants Dragon Slayer magic?!"
Gajeel was genuinely stunned. He hadn't realized such a thing even existed.
"Rare, isn't it? Now that he's been expelled, he'll probably come crawling to us. It's perfect. I've heard that specific Lacrima can fetch an unbelievable price on the market."
"You... you're going to rip it out of him and sell it?!" Gajeel asked, his face a mask of indifference while his mind raced. Is this guy really Laxus's father?
"Pwahaha! That power was always a burden for that child anyway. As his father, I'm just helping him return to his original self. What matters now is money. I need funds to finance the war against Fairy Tail."
"Keep lurking there for a while longer," Ivan added, looking at Gajeel with a threatening glare. "Listen well—even if your cover as a spy is blown, you must never reveal our location."
"I'm not that much of a loser," Gajeel grunted.
Fairy Tail Guild Hall
After the parade concluded, the guild held a massive banquet. Everyone was eating, drinking, and celebrating their victory.
Gajeel looked down at the crowd from the second floor, a strange sense of envy pulling at him. Money, huh?
If it had been the old Gajeel, he would have scoffed at the idea of "bonds." But now, he truly believed that the ties in this guild couldn't be broken by something as shallow as cash.
"Gajeel, aren't you going to join the party?"
Makarov stood beside him, looking down at his rowdy "children."
"That scene doesn't suit me." Gajeel wanted to join in, but he still felt like an outsider among them.
"I see."
Makarov didn't push it. "Sigh. These brats really know how to cause trouble. Starting tomorrow, we have to help with the city's repairs. And Kardia Cathedral... that brat Kael. He either does nothing or he destroys everything. Luckily, the Council is too busy to deal with us right now, otherwise, I'd be getting my head chewed off again."
Gajeel reached into his pocket and handed a small slip of paper to the Master. "This is from Ivan. I found your son's location."
Makarov took the paper, glanced at it, and immediately memorized the details. "Good work. I'm sorry for putting you in such a dangerous position."
"He's planning to go after Laxus's Lacrima," Gajeel warned.
"Don't worry. Now that I know where he is, I won't let that man have his way."
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