The magic train glided smoothly along the tracks. The endless mountain ranges outside the window drifted away, replaced by flat plains and the first signs of human settlements.
Inside the carriage, though, the vibe was way different from the trip there.
Ace, Mirajane, and Lisanna were sitting in the same row again.
But unlike the ride out, this time Mirajane was glued to the window seat.
She looked like she was watching the scenery, but her tight lips and the weird, complicated glances she kept shooting at Ace made it obvious her mind wasn't on the view.
Lisanna sat in the middle, bouncing her gaze between her sister and Ace, who was sitting across the aisle.
She looked worried, opening her mouth a few times to try and break the awkward tension, but she just didn't know where to start.
Ace, on the other hand, just kept his eyes closed, pretending to nap.
In reality, his mind was busy checking the reward from his solo mission.
The reward the system gave him for wiping out the hidden threat of the dark guild was better than he expected.
It wasn't raw energy or summoning chances, but a ball of warm, pure white light that felt like it held infinite life and possibility—[Culumon's Light of Evolution (One-time use)].
"Culumon..." Ace ran the name through his head.
He remembered this was a special Digimon from the third season Digimon Tamers, born from the power of Azulongmon, one of the Four Great Dragons.
It couldn't fight, but it had the insane ability to force other Digimon to evolve.
Even though this light was a one-time thing, its value was high.
This meant that in a do-or-die moment, he could trigger an instant evolution for his partners without needing an evolution card or relying on an emotional breakdown!
It was a massive trump card to have up his sleeve.
On top of that, when he finished the quest to take down the Iron Fang Bandit Gang earlier, the system had finally settled the reward for defeating the leader, Barton (even if he technically kill-stealed it from Mirajane)—[Flamemon's Special Move: Fire Rocket].
Flamemon was the armor evolution of Veemon from season two.
He remembered thinking Flamemon looked pretty cool when he first saw it, especially its signature move of engulfing its whole body in flames and rocketing at the enemy like a living cannonball.
But right now, the real headache was figuring out how to deal with the fallout back at the guild.
Going rogue or ditching your teammates—no matter the reason—was a huge taboo.
He could barely scrape by with Mirajane and Lisanna using a half-truth about "standing up for them," claiming he found out the Dark Guild wanted a vessel and acted on impulse.
(Even though Mirajane was still pissed enough to want to beat him up, she let it slide and tacitly accepted the excuse).
But the operation really was risky.
If SkullGreymon hadn't been strong enough, the ending would have been a disaster.
How would the Master punished him?
Solitary confinement? Taking his reward money? Or something worse?
Ace felt a little nervous.
"Wooo—"
Back in the familiar city, the three of them walked silently toward the guild.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long, and the mood remained heavy.
When he pushed open the heavy doors of Fairy Tail, a wave of loud, rowdy heat washed over them instantly.
But the second the members in the hall saw Ace walk in, followed by a clearly unhappy Mirajane and Lisanna, the noise died down.
A lot of people threw curious looks their way.
Natsu and Elfman, who got back earlier, must have already spilled the beans.
Ace took a deep breath and walked straight up to the bar.
Behind the counter, Master Makarov had his back to them, slowly wiping a beer mug.
Under the lights, his short figure seemed to carry the weight of a mountain.
"Master, we're back," Ace said.
Makarov froze and he slowly turned around.
The usual kindly smile was gone.
His mustache was bristling, his brow was furrowed deep, and his small eyes were sharp and stern.
He checked Mirajane and Lisanna first, and seeing they were unhurt, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, his gaze locked onto Ace like a hawk.
"You're back?" The Master's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a heavy pressure that silenced the whole hall.
Ace could feel everyone's eyes burning into his back.
He lowered his head. "Master, I..."
"Alone! Single-handedly! You went to take out a Dark Guild's base!" Makarov suddenly yelled, slamming the beer mug on the counter with a loud BANG.
Ale splashed everywhere.
"Do you have a death wish?! Huh?! The Dark guild could have had traps, curses, or enemies you couldn't handle! You think you're invincible just because you have a few strong Summoned Beasts?!"
The Master's roar echoed through the hall, hitting Ace's chest like a hammer.
Natsu, Gray, and the others held their breath.
Even Cana put down her barrel of booze.
"If Mirajane and Lisanna hadn't worried and turned back, what would we... what would the guild do if you died?!" The Master's voice shook slightly, carrying a trace of lingering fear.
"Acting on your own, ditching the team, and hiding things from your friends! Ace, you've disappointed me!"
Ace pressed his lips together.
Even though the Master's words were harsh, he could hear the genuine care hidden under the anger.
The excuses he prepared vanished from his mind; he just stood there in silence.
Makarov looked at the young man in front of him.
Ace kept his head down but his spine was straight. The old man's anger was slowly replaced by a complicated mix of emotions.
How could he not know that Ace likely did it for Mirajane, and for the guild?
The kid was strong and responsible, but he was too much of a loner, way too careless with his own life! It made Makarov both angry and heartbroken.
Silence filled the hall for a moment.
Makarov let out a long sigh, his voice dropping low, sounding exhausted.
"Ace, listen to me. This isn't a place for you to play the lone hero! Fairy Tail is a family! Every kid in this family, no matter how strong, is a crucial part of it! If you get hurt, we hurt; if you're in danger, we'll risk our lives for you! If you ever dare to pull a stunt like this again, I'll... I'll make you clean the guild toilets for a year! No, three years!"
Even though the last part was a bit childish, the words "family" and "child" warmed Ace's heart and made his nose sting.
He looked up to meet the Master's eyes—stern, but full of concern—and spoke seriously.
"Yes, Master! I was wrong! It won't happen again!"
Seeing Ace admit his mistake sincerely, Makarov's face softened a bit.
He huffed and waved his hand. "Good! As long as you know you messed up! Half the reward for this mission is being seized for the guild funds! Call it a lesson! Now, hurry up and get some food, stop standing there being an eyesore!"
"Yes!" Ace replied quickly, like he'd just been pardoned from death row.
The atmosphere in the hall relaxed instantly.
Everyone got loud and rowdy again, like the heavy mood from before never happened.
Wakaba and Macao came over, arms around each other, slapping Ace on the back with grins.
"You brat, not bad! Wiping out a Dark Guild solo!"
"Next time, bring us along to get rich!"
Cana and Levy gathered around too, asking worriedly if he was hurt.
Surrounded by his friends, feeling their care and the noise of the guild, the last bit of anxiety in Ace's heart faded away.
He looked toward the bar.
The Master had already turned back around and went back to wiping his mugs.
His small back, under the warm lights, looked strong enough to hold up the sky.
He knew that behind the Master's "scolding" was deep love.
And this love was precisely what makes Fairy Tail, the best guild in Fiore!
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I ask several AI on which stronger between grapleomon and mystogan according to the lore, and it all said mystogan is stronger... do you all agree?