Honeybone Inn
"Bisca, Alzack, congratulations on your marriage!"
Eden said, presenting Bisca and Alzack with a sword made of pure gold, studded with gems that sparkled brilliantly under the inn's lights.
"Ah..."
"How many Jewel must this be worth?!"
Alzack's eye twitched as he looked at the heavy sword in his hand. Even with the arm strength he'd built up over more than twenty years of being single, he found the sword heavy; it had to be at least fifty kilograms.
Fifty kilograms of gold, what did that even mean?!
Alzack's mind went blank, unable to even imagine it.
After all, Alzack was just a gunman, not a superman like Natsu or Laxus, those Dragon Slayers who could carry mountains weighing hundreds or thousands of tons.
"No."
"This is too valuable, we can't accept it."
Bisca shook her head repeatedly; she didn't dare accept something so precious.
"It's fine."
"Our Fairy Tail guild is lacking in everything right now, except gold."
Eden said, then snapped his fingers lightly. In an instant, a domineering orange-yellow light filled everyone's vision as the entire inn hall was piled high with gold.
"Ah..."
The members of Fairy Tail stared at the floor covered in gold, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"Voom!"
After letting everyone admire his and Nami's handiwork from the sky island for a moment, another ripple in space occurred, and all the gold vanished without a trace.
"Eden, when do you think we could..."
Max came over to Eden's side with a grin. He gently flicked his hair, then looked as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.
"Go find a girlfriend first."
Eden retorted.
"Er..."
"Eden, your words are too harsh!"
Hearing this, Max clutched his chest and knelt on one knee, as if his heart had been completely broken by Eden's words.
"Anyway, even without us main members, you guys shouldn't have been beaten this badly."
Eden sat down in a chair, looking at Max with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Eh..."
"Actually, with our strength, while we couldn't dominate the competition or live up to the title of Fiore's number one mage guild..."
"It's impossible that we wouldn't have scored a single point."
"It's just that during these four days of battle, we discovered a shocking fact! Our mage guild, Fairy Tail, is being targeted by the other guilds."
After Eden finished speaking, Max helplessly ran his fingers through his long hair and sighed.
"Targeted?"
"Why?"
"Were they bribed by our enemies?"
"Or did some dark guild members sneak into the venue?"
Eden was taken aback and asked with confusion.
"It's probably none of those..."
The one who answered was Reedus Jonah. In the year and a half since Eden and the others had been gone, he had become visibly thinner, looking severely malnourished.
"It's simply because all the mage guilds participating in this Grand Magic Games are aiming for the title of number one in the Kingdom of Fiore."
"And, before the Fiore royal family held this Grand Magic Games, our Fairy Tail was effectively number one in the Kingdom of Fiore..."
"In other words, the other mage guilds in the Kingdom of Fiore already see us as the biggest obstacle on their path to becoming number one."
Reedus Jonah said helplessly.
"I think I understand!"
"So you're saying those mage guilds aren't deliberately targeting us, Fairy Tail."
"It's just that everyone knows our Fairy Tail is invincible! Therefore, as the weaker ones, they decided to team up first to eliminate the strongest, us. Is that what you mean?!"
Eden thought for a moment and asked everyone.
"Eh?!"
"When you put it that way, Eden, it sounds so much better!"
"That's exactly it."
The Fairy Tail mages were all stunned for a moment. All the frustration they had felt from being deliberately targeted by all the other participating mage guilds over the past four days vanished with Eden's few short sentences. They even started to feel smug.
That's right!
It's because the other mage guilds know that Fairy Tail is the best in the world, and that they couldn't possibly win without ganging up, so that's why they deliberately targeted them, right?!
"If that's the case, then let's forgive them, shall we?!"
"Hahahaha..."
"Indeed."
For a moment, the cheerful Fairy Tail members were filled with laughter and joy.
"Anyway, I've finally come back, so let's all drink to our hearts' content, brothers!"
Eden said, raising his cup and speaking loudly to everyone present.
By the way, to prevent the guild members from worrying, Eden, Macao, and Wakaba had a quick discussion and told everyone that the reason Master Makarov and the others hadn't returned was that they were tackling an extremely difficult quest, one on par with a Hundred-Year Quest.
Once the quest was completed, everyone would naturally return.
As for Eden, he was dispatched back by Master Makarov because of his superior mobility to report to the guild and assure everyone of their safety.
As if to make up for the lost year and a half, Eden and the others drank heartily at the inn.
Of course, Eden was the one paying.
Honeybone Inn
Outside the main door.
"Ah..."
"They're partying like this after losing for four straight days?!"
"Do we really need to gather intelligence on the Fairy Tail guild?"
"They're guaranteed to lose tomorrow's team battle."
Spies from Lamia Scale, Crimson Minuet, Blue Pegasus, Quatro Cerberus, Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, and Serpent Ogre's Fin, currently the top seven mage guilds in the Kingdom of Fiore, couldn't help but sigh as they watched the revelry inside the inn.
"Chief Editor."
"Do we really need to come here looking for material?!"
"How could the Fairy Tail guild possibly have any hope of turning the tables?!"
Sorcerer Weekly had also undergone huge changes in the past year and a half. Jason, once the star reporter, was now the chief editor. He stood at the inn's entrance with his apprentice, looking at the celebrating Fairy Tail members inside, silent for a long moment.
"Chief Editor Jason?!"
The apprentice, puzzled by his editor's unusual behavior, kept asking.
"Cool! Cool! Cool!"
Jason suddenly cheered loudly, waving his hands excitedly. "Record this moment, Mansent! Tomorrow's match is going to be exceptionally brilliant."
"Eh?!"
"Chief Editor Jason, how do you know?"
Mansent asked, looking at Jason with confusion.
"Because..."
"...that man is back."
Jason said with complete confidence.
The next day.
The fifth and final day of the Grand Magic Games.
"Hisui, if you don't want to attend, you can go back. The sun is particularly harsh today."
For the final day of the Grand Magic Games, the Fiore royal family made a rare group appearance. Both King Toma and Princess Hisui sat in the highest spectator seats, silently enduring the sun, their eyes fixed on the arena.
"Don't worry, Father."
"Hisui can still handle it."
Hisui smiled at King Toma beside her, her eyes filled with determination. She believed that the Fairy Tail guild, which was always creating miracles, would surely turn the tide of defeat today and restore their former glory.
"Today is the final day of the Grand Magic Games!"
"I, your professional commentator, Chapati Lola, along with former Magic Council member Mr. Yajima, will be providing the commentary for you."
A man with his hair parted in the middle and a truly oval face sat at the commentary desk, introducing the guests to the Grand Magic Games audience.
"Haha, I hope everyone is in high spirits today as well."
Yajima smiled. He was no longer a council member, just an ordinary chef.
"Then, without further ado!"
"Next, I will explain the rules for the final day of the Grand Magic Games."
"The final day is a team battle!"
"Each guild will send out five members. Among these five members, there will be one captain and four team members. Taking out a captain earns six points, and taking out a team member earns one point."
"The match duration is two hours..."
"If a team still has members surviving and not eliminated at the end of the match, then that member's points will be added to their team's total score."
"In other words, today is both an elimination match and a game of hide-and-seek!"
"The choice of captain doesn't necessarily have to be the strongest in each guild; it can also be the person who is best at running away."
Chapati sat at the host's desk, explaining the rules of the competition to the audience of the Grand Magic Games.
"A captain is worth six points, a team member is worth one point. If you calculate it that way, doesn't that mean each team is worth ten points?!"
"The current score of the number one guild, Lamia Scale, if my memory serves me right, is seventy-nine points, am I correct?!"
"In other words, as long as the Fairy Tail guild doesn't get a single person eliminated on the final day of the Grand Magic Games, and defeats everyone on the field..."
"The title of Fiore's number one mage guild will still belong to... Fairy Tail."
After Chapati finished speaking, Yajima looked at the scoreboard where Lamia Scale, thanks to the participation of the Wizard Saint Jura, had taken first place with an overwhelming advantage, nearly doubling the score of the second-place guild. He said with a smile.
"Um?!"
"Respected Senior Yajima, are you still drunk from last night?!"
"Let's not even talk about not getting a single person eliminated in a chaotic battle, that's absolutely impossible."
"Just talking about Lamia Scale, they have the Wizard Saint Jura. That's one of the top ten mages on the continent, an existence that absolutely cannot be defeated."
Chapati said in a low voice, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Exactly! Exactly!"
"We've seen enough of what Fairy Tail is made of these past four days!"
"Get them out of the arena! These people who rely on connections are insulting the fairness of the arena by participating in this competition."
As Chapati's voice fell, members of the public loudly agreed.
"Is the Fairy Tail guild really finished?!"
In the audience, because it had only been a year since Makarov and the others disappeared, there were still many spectators who believed in the Fairy Tail guild. They waved small flags with the Fairy Tail emblem, their expressions tinged with a bit of gloom.
Where did the once invincible Fairy Tail go?!
"In any case..."
"I hereby officially announce!"
"Let's welcome the absolute king of this Grand Magic Games, the mage guild of Mr. Jura, the Wizard Saint—Lamia Scale, for a magnificent entrance!!"
Seeing the outcry against Fairy Tail in the arena growing more intense, Chapati immediately announced loudly.
"BOOM!!"
With a roar...
Led by Jura, the members of the mage guild Lamia Scale immediately walked out from their designated tunnel.
The team Lamia Scale sent to compete this time was arguably the strongest they could muster, consisting of the Wizard Saint Jura, Gray's senior, Lyon Vastia, Sherry Blendy, Yuka, and Toby.
"Jura, give it your all and take first place."
Lamia Scale's Master, Oba Babasama, sat in the audience, cheering for Jura in a loud, commanding tone.
"I know, Granny."
Jura sighed helplessly, vowing to himself that unless absolutely necessary, he would completely give up on participating in the Grand Magic Games in the future and go back to cultivating in peace.
This place should be left for the young people to enjoy. As a Wizard Saint, he was not suited for this event.
As for the reason?!
The opponents were all too young, and too weak.
"Don't worry! Mr. Jura is the strongest."
Lyon looked at Jura beside him with full confidence. Since joining Lamia Scale a year ago, he had become a Jura fanboy.
To be honest, the Wizard Saint Jura was probably the most powerful mage Lyon had ever seen in his life, perhaps even stronger than his master, Ur.
"Lyon! Lyon!"
"We love you!"
"Mr. Jura is invincible!"
The audience erupted once again with the appearance of Lamia Scale.
"Next up is the second-ranked mage guild, Crimson Minuet."
Seeing that it was about time, Chapati continued to announce.
"CRACKLE!"
Everyone heard a clap of thunder...
Five young women with slender figures and incredibly beautiful appearances appeared before the crowd.
Among them, the four at the forefront were the four S-Class mages of the mage guild Crimson Minuet. Each one of them, taken alone, was no weaker than Lamia Scale's Lyon, and perhaps even slightly stronger. When the four of them joined forces, they were said to be able to rival a Wizard Saint.
"Alluring Spring!"
"Deceitful Rhapsody!"
"Dazzling Sonnet!"
"Bewitching Ode to Joy!"
"We love you!!"
As the Maiden Quartet made their appearance, countless fans immediately held up their light sticks and shouted loudly.
Oh, by the way, the Maiden Quartet was an idol group, formed with the purpose of competing against Blue Pegasus's Tri-mens.
"That damn Bob!"
"If your guild didn't have Ichiya, there's no way you could surpass the Maiden Quartet in popularity!"
"Only that man cannot be underestimated."
The Master of the mage guild Crimson Minuet, dressed like a noblewoman, was currently biting her glove fiercely, glaring at Blue Pegasus's Master, Bob, with a hint of malice in her eyes.
"Next up is Blue Pegasus!!"
"OH!!"
"Tri-mens! Tri-mens! We love you!"
When the host loudly announced that the next mage guild to appear would be Blue Pegasus, the entire arena's spectator stands went wild. The crowd chanted in unison, calling out for their idols.
"Oh, BABY~"
With a soft pop, several smoke bombs flashed in the arena...
The next second, all the members of the Tri-mens appeared.
Naturally, it was the team led by Ichiya, along with Hibiki, Eve, Ren, and Jenny.
A combination of handsome men and beautiful women, perhaps?!
"After that, we have Quatro Cerberus, Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, and Serpent Ogre's Fin."
Then, the host Chapati continued to announce.
"WILD!!"
The speaker was the legion of manly men led by Quatro Cerberus's S-Class mage, Bacchus.
"The Strongest!!"
As for Sabertooth, it was not yet in its final form. It was led by the new Guild Master Jiemma's daughter, Minerva, and her members included Rufus, Orga, and Dobengal.
The famous Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, the Shadow Dragon Rogue and the White Dragon Sting, had not yet joined.
"I want to join Mermaid Heel!"
"Long live Mermaid Heel!!"
Mermaid Heel, naturally, was a group of beautiful young ladies.
Therefore, Mermaid Heel's popularity had always been high.
The second to last to appear was, of course, Serpent Ogre's Fin, the semi-dark, semi-legal mage guild that had always considered Lamia Scale its rival.
"And last to appear..."
"...is, of course, the current strongest mage guild in the Kingdom of Fiore, Fairy Tail."
"I wonder if they can shatter the doubts today and continue the legend of Fairy Tail's invincibility?! It's worth looking forward to!!"
After briefly introducing the major mage guilds, Chapati immediately picked up the microphone and loudly announced the entrance of the most talked-about guild during the Grand Magic Games, the one known as the strongest mage guild through connections, Fairy Tail.
"Bastards! Refund!"
"Get out of the arena!"
As Chapati's voice fell, the entire venue was instantly filled with curses.
"..."
However, amidst the curses of the audience, no one walked out from the tunnel.
"Eh?!"
"Fairy Tail's entrance?"
Chapati, thinking the Fairy Tail members hadn't heard his broadcast in the waiting room, couldn't help but repeat himself.
"..."
Unfortunately, still no one appeared.
"What's happening?"
"Could it be that Fairy Tail has withdrawn from the competition?"
Chapati looked at the event staff with a puzzled expression.
"We haven't heard..."
The staff members shook their heads repeatedly, indicating they had never heard of Fairy Tail withdrawing.
"There might have been an accident."
"Please wait for fifteen minutes."
"If Fairy Tail fails to arrive at the venue within these fifteen minutes, we will treat it as a withdrawal."
After a discussion with a few judges, Chapati said helplessly.
"What?!"
"Why should we wait for them?"
"It's this guild causing trouble again. They clearly have no strength, but they always love to act tough."
"Isn't it just because they have strong backing?!"
The audience members grumbled in dissatisfaction.
"This..."
Chapati looked on helplessly.
And so, time passed minute by minute.
"Um, I hereby announce that Fairy Tail forfeits..."
Just as fourteen minutes and fifty-some seconds had passed...
And just as Chapati was about to announce Fairy Tail's forfeiture, Eden walked slowly into the arena, carrying a drunk Jet, Max, Alzack, and Bisca.
"Sorry, we drank too much yesterday."
As soon as Eden entered the arena, he immediately gave a small wave to everyone present and explained.
"I feel so sick!"
As for Bisca, Alzack, Jet, and Max, the moment they entered the arena, they plopped onto the ground with a thud, dry-heaving and complaining, "What were we thinking, challenging Eden, a Water Annihilation Mage, to a drinking contest?!"
"A bunch of drunks!"
"Can they even compete like this?"
"I can't watch this! Just eliminate them quickly!"
"Strongest in the kingdom?! More like last place..."
The audience rolled their eyes at the drunken members of Fairy Tail.
"Damn it! How did Fairy Tail become like this?!"
Even the pitifully few supporters of the Fairy Tail guild seemed to think that Fairy Tail was about to exit the Grand Magic Games in shame, with a score of zero.
"Eden!"
However, unlike the ordinary spectators, when the guild masters, the many distinguished guests in the VIP seats, including the king and princess of the Kingdom of Fiore, saw the face of the latecomer clearly, they all shot up from their seats and exclaimed in unison.
"Oh!"
"I have some exciting news to announce."
"The mage from the Fairy Tail guild who has just appeared before us is one of the main members of Fairy Tail who has been missing for a year and a half."
"One of Fairy Tail's strongest candidates, the guild's S-Class mage, the famous 'Sea King Dragon' Eden!!"
Chapati, having learned about Eden from Yajima, immediately said excitedly.
"Strongest candidate?!"
"S-Class mage?"
"Hahaha, don't tell me it's just a hollow title he got through connections, just like Fairy Tail's claim to be the number one guild in Fiore?"
"Anyway, I don't believe in Fairy Tail."
The audience did not gain confidence in Eden because of Chapati's words; they still looked at Eden and Fairy Tail with a scrutinizing attitude.
"Can the match start now?"
Eden ignored these words. While stretching his muscles, he waved to Chapati at the host's desk and asked.
"Contestant Eden, as a latecomer, do you know the rules of the match?!"
Chapati did not rush to announce the start of the match but instead asked Eden.
"To put it simply, as long as I take out everyone here, I win, right?!"
After warming up, Eden smiled at Chapati and said, "No need for all that trouble, just announce the start of the match!"
"Heh!"
As Eden's words fell, a smile spread across Yajima's lips. He seemed to have full confidence in Eden.
"It really is Eden."
After confirming that the person who had arrived was indeed Eden, Hisui sat back down in her seat, wearing an expression that said everything was going exactly as she had expected.
"Take out everyone?!"
"Is this guy crazy?"
"His opponents include the Wizard Saint Jura!"
The audience had now realized that this Fairy Tail S-Class mage, Eden, was a complete and utter madman.
"Match... start!"
Chapati took a deep breath and announced loudly.
"BOOM!"
The moment Chapati's voice fell, the sky instantly turned dark, and a huge barrier covered the entire city of Crocus, isolating the aura within.
"Sea King Dragon's Water Formation Sphere!!"
Without any nonsense, Eden immediately activated Sea King Dragon's Water Formation Sphere. A raging sea of water swept across the entire field. Under Jura's shocked gaze, it engulfed all thirty-five contestants from the other guilds, launching them into the sky.
"Plop! Plop!"
When Eden's magic ended, the seawater from the sky fell like rain, drenching every single spectator...
However, at this moment, not a single person in the entire venue was angry about the torrential downpour. Their eyes were completely captivated by the scene in the arena.
Including the Wizard Saint Jura, and the Maiden Quartet who were said to be able to rival a Wizard Saint when they teamed up, a total of thirty-five contestants from seven guilds were all defeated.
"Overwhelmingly powerful!"
Chapati thought for a long time, only managing to utter two words.
"Is the match over?!"
Eden raised his head at this time, looked at Chapati, and asked.
"Match over!"
"The winner is Eden and Fairy Tail."
Hearing this, Chapati did not hesitate for a second and announced directly.
"Chapati, now tell me loudly, what is the Fairy Tail guild's score?!"
Yajima looked at Chapati beside him and asked faintly.
"Eigh... eighty points!"
"The current accumulated score for the Fairy Tail guild is eighty points."
"Fairy Tail has now completely surpassed Lamia Scale, becoming the guild with the highest score!"
"They are, without a doubt, the strongest mage guild in the Kingdom of Fiore."
Chapati couldn't help but shout as he watched the Fairy Tail guild's column on the score display jump from zero all the way to an astonishing eighty points.
"It's over?!"
"We won?"
"That's it?"
"Let's go, back to drinking our hearts out!"
Eden said, hoisting up Alzack, Bisca, Jet, and Max, and heading towards the tavern.
Compared to the Grand Magic Games, drinking was clearly more satisfying.
"Still drinking?!"
Alzack and the others were about to cry. Could they please surrender?
Quick, someone get Master Cana.
(End of Chapter)
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