Chapter 253: Reappearance
"Yeah! I really miss the old days..."
Max Alors sat on a creaking wooden stool, staring blankly at the dust motes dancing in the shafts of sunlight that pierced through the roof's cracks. He couldn't help but feel a pang of overwhelming nostalgia.
"Back then, the guild was always so lively. Natsu would be fighting Gray, Elfman would be shouting about being a man, and Loki would be flirting... We didn't have to worry about money, or reputation, or being bullied by other guilds. With the Master, Ren, Erza, and the other elites supporting us, the sky could fall, and we wouldn't flinch."
Now, they truly understood the weight of the shelter they had lost. They had been protected so well that they had forgotten how cruel the world outside could be.
"Everything changed after that day..."
Tears welled up in Warren Rocko's eyes as he adjusted his telepathy headset, which had seen little use lately. "Seven years... It's been seven years since Tenrou Island disappeared."
After hearing the news of the island's destruction, they had refused to believe it. They had mobilized everyone, spent every Jewel they had, and searched the waters for months. But they found nothing. No debris, no bodies, not even a trace of magic.
According to the Magic Council's official report, the Black Dragon, Acnologia, had annihilated the island completely.
"From the moment they disappeared, we became... this." Vijeeter slumped on the table, his dance moves long forgotten. "A weak, pathetic guild that can't even pay its rent."
Logically, even without the Tenrou Group, the remaining members of Fairy Tail shouldn't have fallen so far. They were still competent Mages. While they couldn't compare to the likes of Lamia Scale or Blue Pegasus, they should have been able to hold their own against ordinary guilds.
However, Fairy Tail had been too dazzling in the past. They were the number one guild in Fiore, the home of monsters like Ren and Gildarts. Their brilliance had cast a long shadow, attracting envy and resentment.
When the tree fell, the monkeys scattered, and the wolves moved in. Without the deterrence of their top combatants, those who had once feared Fairy Tail now sought to trample it to gain fame. Twilight Ogre was just the most persistent of the hyenas.
This constant pressure led to more and more members leaving, unable to bear the humiliation and poverty, eventually turning the once-great guild into this empty, unnoticed shack on the outskirts of town.
"Why did it have to be them..." Droy muttered, stuffing a handful of dry bread into his mouth, though he tasted nothing. He had lost so much weight that his clothes hung loosely on his frame. "They were the best of us. They didn't do anything wrong. So why did they attract that monster, the Black Dragon Acnologia?"
"It seems this guild isn't far from collapsing either..." Laki Olietta polished her glasses, her voice devoid of hope.
Many of those who remained now were the ones who had grown up in Fairy Tail. It was their home, their family. They had deep affections for this tattered flag. Otherwise, with their strength, they could have lived much more easily and freely in any other guild.
"You've done your best, Macao... no... Master!"
Wakaba Mine took a long drag from his pipe and patted his old friend on the back, calling Macao "Master" with genuine respect for the first time.
He knew how much effort Macao had put into maintaining this guild over the hellish seven years. Macao had swallowed his pride, bowed his head to thugs like Teebo, and begged for extensions on debts, all to keep the name "Fairy Tail" alive. If Macao hadn't taken on this mess, the guild would have disbanded years ago.
"Wuwuwu... Romeo hasn't smiled since that day, not even once... wuwuwu..."
Macao buried his face in his hands, his tears flowing uncontrollably. He was grieving for the disappearance of his friends, for the suffering of his son, and agonizing over his own incompetence as a father and a leader.
Buzz buzz buzz!!
At this moment, a low, rhythmic roaring sound rang out from outside, vibrating the dust off the rafters.
"What's that sound?!"
"An earthquake?"
"No, it's coming from the sky!"
"What is it this time?! Is it Twilight Ogre again?!"
The guild members, nerves already frayed, immediately ran out of the shack to investigate.
Looking up in the direction of the sound, their eyes widened. A massive, majestic magical airship had appeared in mid-air, its polished hull gleaming in the sunlight. It was shaped like a Pegasus, elegant and imposing.
"That crest..." Max squinted against the sun. "It's Blue Pegasus's Christina?!"
The guild members immediately recognized it as the signature magical bomber of the Blue Pegasus Guild. In the entire Kingdom of Fiore, only a handful of wealthy Mage Guilds possessed such high-level magical bomber technology.
The airship hovered over the dilapidated shack of Fairy Tail, a stark contrast between the rich and the poor.
Sniff sniff!
A voice, magnified by magic, drifted down from the ship.
"This is the scent of sadness... Parfum! Hup!"
A short, stout figure in a white suit jumped directly from the airship's hatch. He posed in mid-air, intending to land gracefully, but he misjudged the distance and the angle.
Splat!
He fell headfirst onto the dirt road, face planting with a dull thud.
"He fell?!" The Fairy Tail members jumped back, startled.
"Is he okay?"
The man twitched, then sprang up as if nothing had happened, striking a sparkling pose with one hand on his hip and the other pointing to the sky.
"I am Ichiya! Here for you~~! Men!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At this moment, three more figures descended gracefully from above, landing lightly on their feet behind Ichiya. They were handsome, stylish, and radiated an aura of confidence. It was the "Trimens" of Blue Pegasus: Hibiki Lates, Eve Tearm, and Ren Akatsuki.
"I understand your feelings, Ichiya-sama," Hibiki said with a charming smile, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. "But couldn't you have waited just a little longer for the landing ramp?"
"I am an Air Mage," Eve added with a wink. "I can land safely anytime."
"Long time no see, everyone from Fairy Tail," Ren Akatsuki said, crossing his arms. He looked around the rundown shack, a hint of sympathy in his eyes.
Droy exclaimed in surprise, "Blue Pegasus?!"
Jet also wondered, "Why are they here?"
Unlike the declining Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus had been thriving these past few years. Now, with the prevalence of magic in the Fiore Kingdom, the status of Mages had risen sharply. Mages from renowned guilds were treated like celebrities, and the Blue Pegasus Trio, with their good looks and powerful abilities, had become standouts among Fiore's guild Mages. They were frequently featured in Sorcerer Weekly.
Of course, none of this had anything to do with the struggling Fairy Tail Guild, which had been forgotten by the world.
The Trimens immediately began their usual routine. They scanned the crowd for ladies.
"You're as charming as ever, Miss Laki," Hibiki said, stepping up to the purple-haired girl. He gently took her hand. "Those... those glasses suit you very well. They frame your sorrow beautifully."
"Do you mind if I call you 'my dear'?" Eve asked with a dazzling smile.
"Uh..." Laki blushed, unsure how to react to such sudden aggression.
Max retorted, stepping in front of her, "Hey! Don't hit on the girls in our guild!!"
There were only two girls left in their guild now who were active. One was Bisca, who was married to Alzack and had a child, Asuka. The other was Laki. They couldn't let these playboys snatch away their few remaining treasures!
"Hey! You guys! Stop fooling around!"
Ichiya stood up, dusting off his white suit. His face became serious, losing its usual comedic expression.
"Our apologies!"
The trio immediately straightened up and bowed in apology to the Fairy Tail members.
Ichiya stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Macao and the others. "We didn't come here to show off. I will never forget the scent of friendship from our battles together against the Oración Seis. That bond connects us tightly, no matter the distance or time."
"Battle..." Macao murmured. That felt like a lifetime ago.
Hibiki stepped forward, opening a holographic magical archive. "We bring news. Important news."
"During a recent mission, we passed through the seas near the coordinates where Tenrou Island used to be," Hibiki explained, tapping on the screen. "We conducted a magical power data detection of the area. Normally, the sea is magically inert."
"However," Hibiki's voice trembled slightly, "we detected a different set of magical power data. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Based on its unique Ethernano signature and wavelength characteristics, this magical power fluctuation completely matches the recorded signature of Tenrou Island."
"In other words," Hibiki looked up, his eyes shining, "Tenrou Island still exists."
The world seemed to stop.
The Fairy Tail members' hearts trembled violently upon hearing this. The air in the shack seemed to freeze.
"Is... is it true?" Macao asked, his voice shaking so hard he could barely form the words.
"Tenrou Island still... exists..." Wakaba dropped his pipe.
"Is everyone still... alive?" Romeo, who had been silent in the corner, rushed forward, grabbing Hibiki's arm. "Are Natsu-nii and the others alive?!"
Hibiki nodded slowly and said, "That's right. According to our detection, the physical mass of Tenrou Island is still there, shielding the magical signatures inside. We are not sure if everyone is still alive, as we couldn't penetrate the barrier to scan for life signs. But the island itself survived the Dragon's Roar."
"You will need to search for yourselves," Ichiya added. "As far as I know, your guild's emblem is the key to Tenrou Island; without the Fairy Tail Guild emblem and the bond between members, you cannot even see where Tenrou Island is located. That is likely why the Council ships found nothing."
"We understand. Thank you... Thank you for telling us this news, we are very grateful."
Macao bowed respectfully, his waist bending almost ninety degrees. Tears streamed down his face again, but this time, they were tears of hope.
Regardless of whether they could find everyone, Blue Pegasus's kindness was truly worth thanking. They had come all this way just to deliver hope. Moreover, over the years, Fairy Tail had faced several life-or-death crises, and Blue Pegasus had secretly stepped in to help resolve them more than once. They were true allies.
"You're welcome! It's what we should do. Men!" Ichiya flashed a thumbs up.
After Blue Pegasus left, the Fairy Tail members didn't waste a single second.
"Everyone! Move out!" Macao roared with a vigor he hadn't felt in seven years. "We're going to get our family back!"
They immediately organized a team. Macao, Wakaba, Romeo, Alzack, Bisca, Jet, Droy, Max, and Warren boarded the guild's small, battered ship.
They sailed with desperate speed, pushing the engine to its limit.
Hours later, they arrived near Tenrou Island's coordinates.
The sea was calm, disturbingly so. The sun beat down on the endless blue expanse.
"Is it really around here?"
Bisca stood at the bow, scanning the horizon several times with her sniper scope binoculars. "I've checked everywhere. There's nothing. No shadows, no fog, nothing."
The surrounding ocean stretched endlessly, with no obstructions, and naturally, no islands.
"I can't see anything..." Alzack lowered his telescope, his heart sinking. "Could the coordinates be wrong?"
"No!" Warren pressed his hands to his temples, using his Telepathy magic to scan the area. "According to the data from Blue Pegasus, the magical particle fluctuation reactions are strongest right here! We are right on top of it!"
"But there's nothing here!" Droy shouted, panic rising in his voice. "It's just water! Just like seven years ago!"
"I can finally see Levy again!! I can finally see Levy again!!" Jet was pacing frantically, trying to convince himself. "She has to be here!"
"We haven't found anyone yet, don't get too excited! There's been no news for seven years, prepare for the worst!!" Wakaba warned, though his own hands were shaking as he gripped the railing.
They circled the area again. Nothing.
Despair began to creep back in. Was it a mistake? Was it a ghost signal?
"Hey..."
Suddenly, Max, who was looking off the port side, noticed something. His eyes widened.
"Eh? Is that..."
"What is it, Max?"
"Over there! On the water!"
Everyone looked up ahead.
In the middle of the empty ocean, a figure stood.
"A person?!"
"Standing on the sea?!"
"Is it a ghost?"
They saw a lone girl with long, flowing golden hair standing barefoot on the surface of the ocean. She wore a simple dress, and her body seemed to shimmer with an ethereal light.
She looked at the Fairy Tail ship and smiled—a gentle, welcoming smile that warmed their frozen souls.
Then, the girl raised her hand towards the sky.
Rumble...
The ocean began to tremble.
Whoosh—!!
The seawater surged violently, foaming and churning. A massive shadow rose from the depths.
"Look! Below!"
"It's rising!"
Water cascaded off a giant, translucent, spherical barrier that broke the surface. Inside the sphere, land, trees, and a distinctive giant tree were visible.
An island, encased in a giant transparent sphere bearing the Fairy Tail emblem, floated directly up from beneath the sea, defying gravity and logic.
It was majestic. It was miraculous. It was home.
"Tenrou Island!!"