The familiar sight of Magnolia's rooftops filled me with relief as we stepped out of the forest and back onto the cobbled roads. The moonlight glimmered faintly off the river, and Fairy Tail's guildhall loomed ahead, glowing warmly against the night.
For most people, coming home after a mission meant relaxation. For me, it meant something else entirely: the chance to measure the ripples I was already creating in this world.
Natsu, of course, charged straight through the doors like usual. "We're back!" he yelled, nearly kicking the guild doors off their hinges.
The hall erupted with noise. Tables slammed, mugs clattered, and half the guild started shouting greetings. "Oi, Salamander! Did you burn the forest down?" Macao called, earning a round of laughter.
"Shut it!" Natsu barked, grinning anyway. "We kicked their asses, easy!"
Happy flew in circles above him. "Aye, sir!"
I entered more quietly, though I noticed the curious stares. Some of the older members—Macao, Wakaba, even Cana—kept glancing at me. They'd seen me fight before, but tonight's mission had been different. News spread fast in Fairy Tail, and the whispers of a rogue wind mage had probably reached the guild before we even got back.
Makarov sat at his usual spot, pipe in hand, watching everything with that deceptively relaxed expression. His gaze sharpened the moment it landed on me.
"Well?" he asked. His voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the hall instantly. "Report."
I stepped forward. "The monsters plaguing the village weren't natural. They were controlled. A rogue mage confronted us in the forest—wind magic user, skilled, but he retreated after the fight."
Makarov puffed on his pipe, frowning. "Controlled beasts… and a direct attack on Fairy Tail members." He muttered something under his breath, then shook his head. "Did he say anything?"
"Yes," I said carefully. "That Fairy Tail would pay."
The hall grew tense.
Macao cursed under his breath. Wakaba set down his mug, face grim. Even Cana stopped mid-sip. The idea of someone openly declaring hostility toward their guild clearly didn't sit well.
Natsu slammed a fist into his palm. "Then we'll just find him and beat him down again!"
Happy chimed in, "Aye, sir!"
The tension cracked slightly with a few chuckles, but Makarov didn't smile. His eyes lingered on me, longer than necessary, as if he could sense there was more to my story than I was revealing.
"…You did well," he said finally, voice heavy. "But listen closely. The world is full of enemies who despise Fairy Tail. Some act in the shadows, some openly. If this man returns, you must be prepared."
"I will," I promised.
Natsu threw his arm around my shoulder, grinning. "Of course we will! Next time, you and me—we'll crush him together!"
The guild laughed, mugs raised, and the atmosphere returned to its usual chaos.
But I couldn't shake the weight of Makarov's gaze. He knew. Maybe not the truth of my system, or my origin, but he sensed that something about me didn't belong in this timeline.
As the night wore on, I sat in the corner with my notebook again, pretending to jot down mission notes while actually drafting blueprints for something bigger.
Hidden bunkers beneath Magnolia. Bedrock fortifications around the guild. Enchanted barriers layered with potions of resistance and regeneration.
Because deep down, I knew this was just the beginning.
The rogue mage wouldn't be the last.
And if the Fairy Tail story was already shifting, then darker, stronger enemies might appear sooner than expected.
My hand tightened around the pen. I need to be ready. For them. For Fairy Tail. For the entire world.