Watching the flames consume the Etherion, Gray's anxiety melted away.
"That's our Finn. As strong as ever!"
At that moment, the flames erupted with renewed intensity, the Etherion completely ignited. Its violent energy fueled the inferno.
Finally, before the shocked gazes of everyone present, the flames burned away the last vestiges of magical energy, dissipating into the heavens.
Then, Finn fell from the sky.
Erza scrambled to her feet, sprinting towards where Finn was falling.
With a powerful leap, she caught him as he plummeted. Looking at the weakened Finn, Erza held him tightly. To her, Finn was her boy.
Finn managed a weak smile. "Erza, your nightmare is finally over."
Holding the boy close, Erza felt a profound sense of rescue. This boy, who dared to confront the holy light, had pulled her from the depths of hell.
"Ah, my nightmare is finally over…" Erza gently rested her forehead against Finn's. Their eyes met, their hearts closer than ever before.
In that moment, Finn clearly saw tears welling up in Erza's prosthetic eye. He gently wiped them away.
"You're not pretty when you cry."
"Pfft~" Erza laughed, the tears finally giving way to relief.
"What were you about to say earlier?" Finn remembered Erza had been about to speak before he'd been forced to interrupt her due to the imminent arrival of the Etherion.
Now that the danger had passed, Finn couldn't help but ask.
Because they were so close, Finn could clearly see Erza's face redden rapidly, a faint steam rising from her forehead.
"I…I wanted to…" Erza stammered, unable to articulate her thoughts, leaving Finn completely baffled.
Erza's hands tightened on her skirt, as if she had finally made a decision. Closing her eyes, she reached out and gently embraced Finn's head, leaning in for a kiss.
Finn's eyes widened in surprise. The calm sea breeze played with their hair, mirroring their first encounter on the beach. The wind moved then, the heart moves now.
Before either of them could fully process what had happened, Erza pulled away, her cheeks flushed crimson.
Finn stared blankly, touching his lips, still unable to believe what had just transpired.
"That…that's what I wanted to say," Erza finally managed a slightly more coherent sentence.
"Don't tell anyone about this," she warned, her face still flushed.
Finn nodded dumbly. "But I didn't even have time to react before it was over."
He looked slightly unsatisfied, causing Erza to stifle a giggle. "Then…I'll give you another chance," she said playfully.
Erza closed her eyes again, their heads slowly drawing closer. Just then—
"Finn! Erza!" The shouts of Natsu, Gray, and the others cut through the air. After the intense battle, Natsu and the others had rushed over, worried sick about Finn and Erza.
At the sound, Erza sprang back as if startled, her cheeks burning even brighter.
'Well—Well These symbols kept appearing on Finn's forehead. "Those damn idiots…"
......
Three days had passed since the incident. Everyone had returned to the resort hotel on the day of the battle to rest and recover.
Their tickets weren't expiring yet, so why not enjoy the rest of their vacation?
With that thought in mind, everyone happily enjoyed three more days of their vacation at the resort hotel, except for those who had suffered more serious injuries.
Lucy, who had been quite severely injured during her fight with Vidaldus, spent most of these days resting in her room.
Juvia, while initially quite badly injured, had recovered remarkably quickly. Her performance during the incident had impressed everyone, and there were no objections to her request to join Fairy Tail.
Consequently, Juvia eagerly departed for Fairy Tail ahead of the others.
Over the next few days, Finn also learned from Erza about her invitation to Shô and the others to join Fairy Tail.
The group expressed deep remorse for their past actions towards Erza. Erza, however, didn't hold any resentment towards them; instead, she reflected on her own past weaknesses and apologized for her own shortcomings.
In this atmosphere of reconciliation and understanding, the two groups exchanged smiles, marking the end of their conflict. Erza took this opportunity to formally invite Shô and the others to join Fairy Tail.
"This might be a little different from the freedom you've always sought, but it's a very happy place," Erza had told them.
However, that very night, Shô, Simon, and the others disappeared.
A small boat was waiting at the edge of the sea.
Wally hesitated, voicing his uncertainty. "Are we really going to leave for the outside world?"
Millianna, sitting on the boat and swinging her little feet, looked unhappy, her face a clear reflection of her anxieties about the future. "Meow~"
"We have to try. We can't keep causing trouble for Nee-san," Shô said, trying to encourage the others.
Simon gazed out at the boundless ocean, his eyes reflecting a mixture of anticipation and a hint of sadness. Perhaps it was the allure of the unknown world beyond, or perhaps something else entirely. "If we stay, it will only cause Erza to relive those painful memories."
"You guys…" Erza approached them, her expression a mixture of concern and confusion.
Shô, still feeling the weight of his past actions, kept his head down as he responded to his sister's questioning gaze. "We've always lived inside the tower; we've never known the outside world."
"So we want to see it with our own eyes. We really don't want to rely on anyone else anymore," Shô looked up at Erza, bravely expressing his and his companions' heartfelt desires.
"From now on, we'll live for ourselves," Shô declared, looking at his hands. "We'll use our own hands to find what we truly want to do. That's the freedom we've always longed for."
Seeing their unwavering determination, Erza couldn't find any reason to stop them. In fact, she felt a surge of pride, seeing the children who had always followed behind her finally growing up and taking control of their own destinies. "As long as you have that kind of strong will, you can achieve anything."
"I'm finally at peace," Erza said, a soft glow emanating from her body.
In that moment, she donned a rarely seen armor, not an armor designed for battle, but one that seemed more suited for bidding farewell to loved ones.
The armor was adorned with intricate silver and gold patterns, and her red cape bore the Fairy Tail emblem. In her hand, she held a flag, also emblazoned with the Fairy Tail mark.
"But…those leaving Fairy Tail must abide by three rules. Listen carefully," Erza stated, her voice solemn.
Her words left the group momentarily bewildered. "Wait…we haven't even joined yet…"
Simon placed a reassuring hand on Wally's shoulder, shaking his head slightly.
"First, the four of you are forbidden from ever spreading information detrimental to Fairy Tail."
"Second, you must never casually contact past clients or pursue personal gain at the expense of others."
"Third…" Erza took a step forward, emphasizing her words, "even if your paths diverge, you must strive with all your might to live strong and resilient lives. You must never undervalue your own lives, never belittle your own existence…"
Tears of farewell welled in her eyes. "And…for the rest of your lives…never forget…the comrades you hold dear!!"
Erza raised the flag high. "Fairy Tail farewell ceremony, commence!"
Upon receiving the signal, Natsu tilted his head back, his mouth puffing out slightly as countless small flames erupted from his mouth.
The flames soared into the night sky, exploding at their peak in a breathtaking display of fireworks.
Gray, not to be outdone, launched his own icy fireworks into the air. The fireworks burst, showering the sky with countless glistening ice crystals that shimmered like a dream.
Lucy's fireworks transformed into a breathtaking cascade of tiny stars, their light replacing the darkness of the night sky.
Finn, holding his hands together in a spherical shape, propelled a wave of flames forward. The flames formed numerous vines that extended along both sides of the sea, leaving a wide expanse in the center. On these vines, delicate flame-like flower buds slowly bloomed, creating a stunning spectacle of fiery blossoms.
The light from the flames illuminated the path ahead for the departing group.
"May your hearts bloom with radiant light," Erza whispered softly, her voice filled with both sorrow and hope.
Watching the small boat slowly sail away, guided by the ethereal glow of the flame flowers, she continued, "No matter where you go, I will never forget you. As long as we remember this day, we will surely meet again. Take care!"
Erza's voice seemed to carry across the vast expanse of the ocean, reaching the far shores.
From the departing boat, the four friends waved their arms enthusiastically. "Bye, little Erza!"
"Nee-san, please take care of yourselves! And Finn, please be happy with Nee-san!" Shô shouted back, his voice filled with emotion.
Erza watched until the small boat disappeared from view, her heart heavy with a mix of sadness and pride.
…
After a few more days of rest at the hotel, everyone prepared to return to the guild.
"This whole event was truly thrilling," Lucy remarked as she and the others walked through the streets of Magnolia, a lingering sense of fear and awe still evident in her voice.
The experience had been as intense as any S-class mission, perhaps even more so, given the involvement of a powerful figure like Zeref. Their safe return was truly a stroke of incredible luck.
"Oh, is that our guild?" Finn's sharp eyes instantly spotted the newly completed Fairy Tail guild hall.
"Amazing! It's already finished!" The group gazed in awe at the completely renovated Fairy Tail guild, a structure that was vastly different from its previous iteration. The new guild hall was more than twice the size of the old one.
A large courtyard, enclosed by elegant railings, surrounded the building.
Entering through the grand entrance, they were greeted by a sight that left them speechless—rows of large parasols, providing shade over numerous rows of comfortable chairs and benches.
"An outdoor café?" Gray exclaimed, his jaw dropping in astonishment at the transformation.
"They even have a general store!" Lucy's eyes lit up with excitement at the sight of the wide array of goods on display. For a girl, shopping was an innate biological imperative.
"Yo, Marcus, you're back," Finn greeted the man behind the counter.
"It's you all! Welcome back, Finn, and everyone else," Marcus replied, looking up from arranging his merchandise as he heard their voices.
"Marcus?" Lucy looked at the man, clearly unfamiliar with him.
"It's been a long time," Finn remarked, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
"I was sent by the Master to learn about running a business," Marcus explained with a slightly weary shake of his head. "But you, you've been gone for over two years!"
"Haha, let me introduce you. This is Lucy, a new member who joined the guild during your absence," Finn said, gesturing towards Lucy.
"Pleased to meet you. I hope we can work well together," Marcus responded with a friendly smile.
"Nice to meet you too, I'm Lucy," Lucy replied politely.
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