There are four dragon slayer mages in the guild. Natsu has had transportation sickness since childhood, Laxus has always tried his best to hide it, and Gajeel suddenly started feeling sick a few days ago.
According to Stinger, only those who get transportation sickness can be considered true dragon slayer mages.
And Wendy, until the day before the finals, felt perfectly fine when boarding the flying ship to the starting point.
Previously, Rhode thought maybe Wendy didn't get sick because of the uniqueness of her sky magic, but now it seems she hasn't reached a certain standard.
Logically, this kind of change shouldn't come without warning; there must be some unnoticed reason.
And the biggest thing that happened in the past two days...
Was it because of participating in the 'Dragon Slayer' battle that caused some kind of change in her body?
Although she had fought dragons before, it was more like training and not a life-and-death battle, so the issue might lie there.
"Should I congratulate you at a time like this?" Rhode squatted down and patted Wendy's head, "Wendy, you must have gotten stronger in some way."
Carla asked puzzled, "Stronger?"
"..." Wendy dizzily lowered her tiny hands, touched her chest, and said aggrievedly, "Brother Rhode is lying..."
"...This child is hopeless, why care so much about that at such a young age?"
Rhode said helplessly, "I mean in terms of dragon slayer magic, you've probably made some unnoticed progress. My guess is that maybe you'll be able to use Dragon Power someday."
"Is that so?" Wendy was a bit unsure of herself. She thought seriously for a second, then her face turned green, "Ugh... I feel terrible..."
"Let's think about it once we get back." Carla transformed into a cat-eared girl with a mix of sympathy and amusement and gently patted Wendy.
"If Wendy has undergone such a change, then perhaps you guys too..." Rhode glanced at Natsu and Gajeel, who were struggling to jump off the ship, "Forget it, we'll talk after we get back."
The flying ship wasn't slow; the dragon slayer mages didn't have to endure long before they reached near Magnolia.
At this time, Alzack, acting as the lookout, reported, "President, there's someone signaling with flags below, asking us to land outside the west gate."
Magnolia is in the eastern part of the Kingdom, so naturally returning from Kulokas, they should enter from the west gate.
However, usually they would fly directly to the big lake behind the guild after going out, so it's rare for a landing request to be made in advance.
But Makarov didn't hesitate, "Let's land as instructed."
Lisana received the order and piloted the flying ship to stop at the designated location outside the west gate.
Everyone disembarked, with the dragon slayer mages lagging slightly behind but quickly catching up with the group.
The person who signaled with flags earlier gestured with a smiling face, inviting them into the city.
There was a bit of confusion among the group as they stepped into the city.
Both sides of the street were already packed with people; a glance around suggested it was even more crowded than during the busy times at the Royal Capital.
This was probably what's known as being welcomed through a lined path.
"Warm welcome to the champions of the Great Demon Fighting Martial Arts—Fairy Tail!"
As soon as this statement was made, applause erupted from the crowd.
Names of those who performed excellently in the competition, like Rhode, Mira, Laxus, Erza..., were shouted continuously by people.
Even though Team A didn't win the championship, they were treated similarly because losing to your own people doesn't count as losing.
The two teams defeated major guilds all the way, bringing glory not only to Fairy Tail but also to the entire Magnolia.
This was an achievement the Ghost of Dusk, also based in Magnolia, hadn't attained in seven years.
The applause and cheers served like a signal. As they rang out, colorful fireworks lit up the sky, confetti flew, and supportive banners for solo or combined contestants rose from within the crowd.
Rhode casually scanned around and spotted seven or eight banners with his name and placards stuck with Mira's photos.
Erza's popularity was also comparable; someone even made posters of her fighting scenes in the Demon Suppression Hall and waved them around.
Baggs, wobbling within the group, said, "Your guild really is popular."
"Of course," Kana beamed, "Why don't you just join our guild?"
Baggs laughed heartily, "Haha... That would be a headache for the old man."
Facing the residents' welcome, everyone waved enthusiastically in return.
Rhode ceremoniously took out the trophy, handed it to Asuka to hold, while Makarov lifted her up and twirled her around to display it.
The cheers slowly quieted down, as two people approached from the other end of the street.
One was the president of the Ghost of Dusk, and the other was the mayor of Magnolia.
Although the two guilds were originally competitors, the president of Ghost of Dusk wore a broad smile.
—It's foreseeable that Fairy Tail will see a rapid increase in commission volumes, and since the two guilds are located in the same city, any overflow commissions they can't handle could be shared with them.
In fact, the Ghost of Dusk had already enjoyed the benefits Fairy Tail brought these past few days since the entire guild wasn't around.
This president had decided to ensure friendly relations with Fairy Tail.
For a moment, the members of Fairy Tail quieted down. Makarov, maintaining composure, stepped forward to greet them.
"Ahem..." The mayor cleared his throat, solemnly stating, "First, I want to congratulate Fairy Tail for winning the Great Demon Fighting Martial Arts!
"For a long time, Fairy Tail has made outstanding contributions to the development of Magnolia. This championship is also a pride for our Magnolia!
"On behalf of all citizens, I sincerely thank every member of Fairy Tail. Thank you all!"
"Oh... This is too embarrassing!" Makarov awkwardly scratched his head.
He was genuinely a bit embarrassed because although the guild had promoted the city's development in a way, it had also caused quite a few problems.
Moreover, he was rarely praised so openly, especially in front of the city's entire population.
Makarov couldn't help but smile ear to ear.
Rhode felt somewhat peculiar, akin to being an Olympic champion welcomed by the crowds.
He realized he had underestimated the significance of the Great Demon Fighting Martial Arts.
Meanwhile, the mayor warmly shook hands with Makarov, inquiring if Fairy Tail needed any help from the city.
Makarov wanted to ask the city to help write an apology... but that would damage the guild's image, so he couldn't say that.
He had to honestly say, "We just received the prize money and would like to renovate the guild, so could you please recommend some talented craftsmen?"
"No problem. I will definitely invite the best craftsmen to assist," the mayor generously offered, "Moreover, all expenses will be covered by City Hall!"
"Oh, this... Thank you so much!"
After the mayor left, Rhode immediately moved close to Makarov, showering him with praise, "That's amazing! Just a few words with the mayor saved the guild so much funding, as expected of the president!"
Makarov laughed heartily, "Hahaha... It's not that big of a deal!"
Rhode quickly added, "How could it not be? We all have so much to learn from you. The guild has developed to this day thanks to your leadership. Please continue to set an example for us young ones!"
"Hahaha... That's what..." Makarov laughed joyfully, but suddenly sensed something seemed off.
Was this kid implying something else?