"Scared…?!"
Every giant froze in disbelief at Kaien's words.
They had spent a lifetime fighting against the Troll Kingdom. They knew exactly how terrifying the trolls were—towering savages with immense strength and terrifying brutality.
It was only through superior equipment and disciplined training that the giants had been able to keep them at bay.
And yet… Kaien had single-handedly stormed the entire Troll Capital and lived to tell the tale.
If they hadn't seen the aftermath themselves, they never would've believed it. But looking at the trolls now—cowering, trembling, afraid to make a move—they knew the truth.
This young human… had scared the trolls into submission.
"Let's go."
Kaien's calm voice broke the silence.
He had caused plenty of destruction inside the Troll Capital, but in truth, he hadn't killed all that many. Physically, trolls were even more monstrous than giants—every one of them took serious effort to bring down.
He could maybe take out a hundred with his current magic reserves… but after that, he'd be running on fumes.
And besides—he didn't have any real grudge with the trolls. The Mage Guild Code was also clear: no involvement in national wars.
The Giant King nodded.
Even though they'd managed to force their way into the capital, he knew how costly a real battle would be. If they actually fought… the casualties would be horrific on both sides.
Their goal had been to rescue Kaien—and that had been accomplished.
There was no reason to stay.
The giants and Kaien turned to leave.
As Kaien's figure disappeared, the trolls finally let out a collective sigh of relief.
"That human was terrifying…"
"I thought humans were supposed to be weak? What kind of monster was that guy?"
"Yeah… to cause that much destruction… Is that the power of human magic?"
Giant Kingdom – Royal Gates
A crowd had already gathered, anxiously awaiting their return.
Then—THUD. THUD. THUD.
The thunderous footsteps of the Giant King and his party echoed through the city.
"We're back—!!" the king roared.
"OOOOHHHHHH!!!"
The whole city erupted in cheers.
News had already spread—Kaien Blaze was the one who had saved their children. To the Giant Kingdom, he was nothing short of a hero.
"To celebrate the return of our children—and to honor our hero, Kaien—tonight, we feast!!" the Giant King declared.
"OOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
The giants roared with joy.
Children safe. Families reunited. It was worth celebrating.
Soon, the entire kingdom was bustling with preparations. In the central plaza, bonfires were lit, fruit and meat were piled high, barrels of wine were opened. Giants danced around the flames, laughing and singing.
The children Kaien had rescued all stared up at him with wide, admiring eyes.
The Giant King—Haiya—raised his cup and clinked it gently against Kaien's.
Then both downed the drink in one gulp.
"Ahhh—now that hits the spot! These past few months, I've been miserable worrying about those kids. And now? Now we've beaten the hell outta those troll bastards! That felt great! Hahahaha!"
Kaien finally learned the Giant King's name—Haiya.
Queen Lina smiled warmly.
"It's all thanks to you, Kaien. You actually rescued every last child from the Troll Capital. It's hard to believe… You're not an ordinary mage, are you?"
Though they hadn't traveled the human world, Haiya and Lina had gathered plenty of intelligence over the years. In general, human mages weren't even as strong as giant children. Even the powerful ones were only about equal to adult giants.
But Kaien's strength? It was in a different league entirely. Even more shocking than Makarov's in his prime.
"Hmm… I guess I'm okay."
Kaien wasn't entirely sure where he ranked. Maybe around the level of one of Ishgar's Four Emperors of the West?
The Ishgar continent was huge—and full of hidden monsters. The Giant and Troll races alone had enough strength to rival entire human nations.
"'Okay,' he says," Haiya barked. "Lina, you don't know how crazy this kid is! He walked out of the Troll Capital all by himself, and the trolls didn't dare lift a finger! If that's not badass, I don't know what is!"
Lina chuckled.
"Alright, alright, I've heard you brag about him enough. But truly, Kaien… whether or not you're the strongest in Ishgar, you're definitely top three. To be so powerful at such a young age… Humans really are the race of miracles."
Kaien spent the rest of the feast enjoying food and company, chatting with the royal couple.
That's when he learned about their connection to Makarov.
Long ago, Makarov had accepted a mission that led him to the Giant Kingdom. There, he met Haiya and Lina, and the three of them ended up defeating the monstrous Hydra. From that day on, they were hailed as heroes of the kingdom.
Apparently, Makarov had even confessed to Lina back then—inviting her to leave the kingdom with him.
But she had gently turned him down.
She saw Makarov as a little brother. Besides, she and Haiya were childhood sweethearts, and her love for her homeland ran deep. Life among humans wouldn't have suited her.
In the end, Makarov had returned to the guild alone.
Because the Giant Kingdom was so isolated—and nearly halfway across the continent—they had never contacted each other again.
Kaien never expected the old man to have a backstory like that… but then again, the Master had probably been a real legend in his youth.
The feast lasted late into the night.
By the next morning, Kaien had packed up and was ready to leave.
"You're heading back so soon?" Haiya asked. "Won't you stay a little longer?"
Kaien smiled.
"I'd love to, but Fairy Tail is still being rebuilt. I should get back and help. Besides, this place is a bit far from Magnolia… They're probably worried."
"…Alright. I won't stop you."
At the city gates, a crowd had already gathered. The children and their parents were there to send him off.
"Kaien!!"
Brie and the others waved excitedly.
"Brie? Ella? You all came?"
Ella smiled.
"Of course. You're leaving—we had to come see you off!"
"I want to be just like you when I grow up!" Brie declared proudly.
"Hah! I'll be rooting for you. You'd better grow strong enough to protect your mom."
A little girl piped up, "Brother Kaien, when I grow up… can I marry you?"
Kaien immediately broke into a sweat.
"Uh… compared to me, I think you're already plenty grown."
"BAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Everyone burst into laughter at Kaien's flustered face.
"Alright, everyone—this is goodbye!"
"Full Take Over: Ulquiorra!"
Kaien transformed again, to the cheers of the children.
"Woooaaah!! So cool!!"
Kaien stepped into the air—floating above the plaza.
"Waaaah!! He can fly?!"
The adults were stunned. The kids were ecstatic.
Kaien waved.
"Goodbye, everyone!"
"Take care!!"
"Come visit again!!"
The Giant King raised his voice one last time.
"The Giant Kingdom will always be a friend of Fairy Tail! If you ever need help—just say the word!! We'll come running!!"
Kaien waved again, then activated Resurrección.
Black wings burst from his back.
And with a powerful flap, he soared through the skies—back toward home.
He wasn't the most selfless person. He didn't go around saving strangers out of pure goodwill.
But this feeling… of being genuinely appreciated?
It wasn't bad at all.