Chapter 259: Rejoining the Guild
"We really won!!"
Warren Rocko threw his hands in the air, his voice cracking with a mixture of disbelief and exhilaration. Beside him, the other members who had stayed behind for seven years erupted into cheers, their voices echoing off the worn wooden beams of the dilapidated guild hall.
In the center of the makeshift arena, the dust settled.
Max Alors, the sand mage who had once been known mostly for managing the guild's merchandise and sweeping floors, stood panting. Sweat dripped from his nose, but he was standing.
Opposite him, Natsu Dragneel—the legendary Salamander, the Dragon Slayer who had toppled phantom guilds and fought wizard saints—lay sprawled on his back. Swirls of steam rose from his body, but his magic power was completely drained.
"He... he actually did it," Vijeeter whispered, adjusting his grip on his dance attire.
This was the famous 'Salamander.' Although everyone could see that Natsu hadn't used his full lethal force and hadn't activated his Lightning Flame Dragon Mode, the outcome was undeniable. In a contest of basic magical endurance and fundamental combat skills, Max had suppressed him.
It meant that Natsu's fundamentals—his base level of magic power—had fallen behind Max's.
"Natsu... lost!!"
Lucy Heartfilia covered her mouth with both hands, her brown eyes wide with shock. "I can't believe it. Losing to Erza or Ren would be perfectly normal, even expected. But losing to Max..."
The image of the Max they remembered—the skinny guy who was always complaining about sales figures or getting beaten up for comic relief—clashed violently with the reality before them.
"Seven years..." Gray Fullbuster clenched his fists, his expression dark. "Is the gap really this big?"
"But with power like that, why were those Twilight Ogre guys still pushing us around?" Carla crossed her arms, her tail twitching in agitation. "If Max and the others have grown this much, they shouldn't have been bullied so easily."
"You're right, Carla," Wakaba sighed, blowing a smoke ring that drifted lazily toward the ceiling. "But we really did owe them a lot of money. We were in debt, and the Guild Master... well, Macao isn't the type to solve debt with violence. Plus, Twilight Ogre has numbers and political backing we lost long ago."
"Violence alone can't solve everything when you're trying to operate a legal guild," Warren added, adjusting his telepathy headset.
Gray shook his head, looking down at his own hands. "That's not the point right now. We're facing a huge problem. Leaving monsters like Ren and Gildarts aside—since their power logic doesn't apply to normal humans—our strength has fallen far behind in this era."
Lucy nodded grimly. "True. If Natsu couldn't even beat Max, then where does that leave the rest of us? We're stuck in the past."
"Yeah, that Max..." Wendy Marvell murmured, looking at the sand mage with newfound respect. "I haven't been in the guild long, but I always thought the core members from Tenrou Island were invincible."
Max, hearing his name repeated with such incredulity, snapped his head around. "Hey! Am I that lousy?! Why does everyone sound so disappointed that I won?! I've been training my butt off for seven years while you guys were sleeping!"
"It's not that, Max," Happy flew over, landing on Natsu's heaving chest. "It's just... shocking."
"Is there any way to boost your magic power instantly?" Natsu groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "I don't want to be weak! I'm all fired up, but my tank is empty!"
"There is one person," Gray said, a thought occurring to him. "The intricate apothecary in the East Forest."
An hour later, the Tenrou group—Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Wendy, and Happy—arrived breathless outside a peculiar treehouse deep within the East Forest.
This was the home of Porlyusica, the Fairy Tail Guild's advisor and a master apothecary famed for her miraculous medicines. If anyone could bridge the seven-year gap instantly, it was her.
They knocked on the door, explaining their desperate situation through the wood. They poured out their hearts about the humiliation of being weak, the fear of being left behind, and their desire to protect the guild.
"Go home."
The response was cold, immediate, and muffled by the door.
After hearing them out, Porlyusica didn't even open the door fully. She simply slammed it shut the moment they finished speaking.
Lucy refused to give up. She banged on the wood again. "Please, Ms. Porlyusica! Don't you have any useful medicines? We'll do anything! We'll clean your house, we'll gather herbs!"
Natsu shouted excitedly, pressing his face against the doorframe. "Yeah! Like the kind that multiplies your power a hundred times at once! Or a pill that makes me breathe fire capable of melting mountains instantly!"
Gray sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Natsu, that sounds like a poison, not a medicine. Guess it really is impossible."
Creak.
Just then, the door reopened slowly.
Light spilled out, and everyone's faces lit up. They thought their sincerity had moved the eccentric healer.
"She's going to help us!" Happy cheered.
Porlyusica stepped out. She was an elderly woman with pink hair and a stern expression clad in a red cape. In her hand, she wielded a broom like a spear.
"I hate humans!!" she shrieked, her eyes burning with irritation.
Whack! Thwack!
She swung the broom with surprising speed and accuracy, hitting Natsu square in the face and sweeping Lucy toward the bushes.
"Go home!! Hurry up!! Shoo!! Don't contaminate my air with your foolishness!"
"Sorry for bothering you!!"
"Run away!!"
The group scrambled, retreating into the forest as the broom continued to assault them.
"What kind of woman is that?!" Lucy cried out as she dodged a pinecone thrown at her head. "She's terrifying!"
"The old man's former lover!" Natsu shouted back as he ran.
"No way, you idiot!!" Gray retorted. "Though... they do have a similar vibe."
The group ran back to the guild in record time, collapsing at a table in the corner of the small, run-down tavern.
"Phew, scared me to death," Natsu panted, wiping dirt off his face. "If the old lady won't help, fine, but why chase us out like we were pests?!"
"Aye, sir~~!" Happy nodded vigorously, nursing a bump on his head. "She's definitely a demon king in disguise."
Ren, who was sitting comfortably at the bar sipping a drink, looked over at the disheveled group. He hadn't joined them on their errand, opting instead to enjoy the rare peace.
"Where have you guys been?" Ren asked curiously, noting the leaves in Natsu's hair. "You look like you fought a forest cat and lost."
They told him how they'd gone to ask Porlyusica for a potion that could instantly boost magic power and their subsequent eviction.
Mira, who was wiping a glass behind the counter, couldn't help laughing. Her gentle laughter was a balm to their wounded pride. "Haha! Porlyusica-san hasn't changed a bit. She doesn't like humans, so she lives alone in the outskirts. Asking her for a magical steroid was probably not the best approach."
"We were desperate," Gray muttered.
Just then, the murmuring in the guild hall died down.
Seeing everyone gathered, Lucy looked around. "What's going on here? Why is everyone so quiet?"
Mira grinned, placing the glass down. "Our Fourth Master has an announcement."
Macao Conbolt stood on the bar counter. He looked tired. The wrinkles on his face seemed to have deepened over the last seven years, etched by the stress of keeping the guild alive against insurmountable debt and bullying. But today, his eyes were clear.
"Ahem! I have something to declare!"
Macao cleared his throat theatrically, demanding the attention of every mage in the room.
"First: As the Fourth Master of Fairy Tail, I have made a decision regarding a certain exiled member."
The room held its breath.
"I officially allow Laxus Dreyar to rejoin the guild!"
"What?!"
Makarov, who was sitting on a stool drinking beer, choked. His eyes bulged out of his head. "Laxus?!"
"Great news, Laxus!!"
"He's back! He's really back!"
"Now the Thunder Legion is fully revived!!"
Freed Justine, Bickslow, and Evergreen embraced each other, tears streaming down their faces. They had waited seven long years for this moment.
"Master Macao!! You're a truly great man!!" Freed shouted, looking at Macao with sparkling reverence.
Natsu grinned, pumping his fist. "Well done, Macao! That's manly!"
He had argued with Makarov several times over Laxus's expulsion in the past. Laxus was family, and Natsu hated it when family was separated. Now, finally, the lightning mage was back where he belonged.
Wakaba took a puff of his pipe, smiling at his old friend. "Finally did something befitting a master, eh, Macao?"
Macao scratched his cheek, embarrassed by the sudden wave of praise. "It wasn't me, actually. Ren suggested it. I was going to pass the title to him, but he told me the first thing I should do before stepping down is let Laxus back in."
Makarov froze. He spun around on his stool and yelled at Ren, "Ren! Was this your idea, you Brat?"
Everyone turned to look at Ren, who was calmly swirling the ice in his glass.
"It was logical," Ren said with a shrug, his voice calm and carrying easily across the room. "Laxus has truly turned over a new leaf. We saw that on Tenrou Island. He fought for the guild, not for himself. No one here bears him any grudge anymore."
Ren paused, looking around at the familiar faces—some aged by time, others preserved by magic. "Besides, Fairy Tail is down to a handful of members. We are weak, broke, and underestimated. Every extra pair of hands counts, especially when those hands wield the power of a Dragon Slayer."
Ren smiled; this was the perfect time for Laxus's return. In the old, crowded guild, with how extreme Laxus had acted during the Battle of Fairy Tail, plenty would have objected. But shared trauma and the passage of time had a way of healing wounds. Now, those who remained had grown up in the guild alongside Laxus, and seven years of hardship had made them value their bonds more than ever.
Laxus, who was leaning against a pillar in the shadows of the second floor, looked down. His expression was a mixture of stoicism and deep relief. He looked at Ren and nodded slightly.
"Ren..." Laxus whispered. He felt ashamed; after what he'd done, Ren—who was strong enough to judge him—had instead paved the way for his return.
"Alright, settle down!" Macao waved his hands. "Next, I have the second item to announce."
The room quieted again.
"Secondly, effective immediately, I am resigning as Guild Master." Macao took a deep breath, looking as if a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders. "And I appoint Makarov Dreyar as the Fifth Generation Master of Fairy Tail."
"Still me?!! Not that Brat Ren?!!"
Makarov spat out his beer again. He jumped off his stool, pointing an accusatory finger at Ren. "Why isn't it you?! You're the strongest! You're the one with the brain!"
Macao scratched his head and spread his hands helplessly. "I wanted to pass it to Ren. I practically begged him! But he refused!"
"I'm still young, Gramps," Ren leaned back, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "I have no intention of becoming a master and drowning in paperwork. Look at every guild master we know—Bob, Goldmine, Yajima... they're all geezers. Look at Macao! He's barely over forty yet looks seventy because of this job."
"I... do I really look that old..." Macao slumped, crushed by the stray bullet.
"Ren!" Makarov fumed. "Responsibility is part of strength!"
"It's not just about age," Ren continued, his tone turning slightly more serious, though the amusement remained in his eyes. "Think about it, Master. A Guild Master needs patience. Diplomatic skills. The ability to tolerate the Magic Council's nonsense."
Ren raised a finger, sparking with a tiny amount of chaotic energy. "With my temper? If those Council windbags nag me or try to sanction us again, I might not resist firing a Tailed Beast Ball into their headquarters. Or maybe expand my domain, Unlimited Void, and turn the Chairman into a vegetable."
The entire guild shuddered.
They remembered the black spheres. They remembered the erased landscapes.
"He... he would definitely do it," Romeo whispered, terrified.
"One shot could flatten the entire Magic Council ERA," Warren noted, sweating. "We'd be wanted criminals within a week."
"Unlimited Void could paralyze a person's brain with infinite information... lobotomizing the Council..." Lucy imagined the scene and turned pale. "Yeah, maybe Ren isn't the best fit for a diplomat."
And no one doubted Ren would do it—after all, even the Council's ultimate weapon, Etherion, couldn't touch him. Having a walking calamity as a Guild Master might be great for deterrence, but terrible for international relations.
"Hmph~~! Fine then!" Makarov crossed his arms, huffing like a child. "If that's how it is, the seat goes to no one else! I'll keep at it till I drop!! I'll work until my bones turn to dust!"
He slammed his fist on the table. "Where's the booze? Bring the booze!!"
"Coming right up! Right up!!"
Mira hurried over with a fresh mug of ale. Her eyes crinkled with warmth. She could tell that despite his complaints, the old man was secretly delighted. Laxus was back, his family was whole again, and he couldn't bear to part with the kids anyway. This was exactly where he wanted to be.
The guild grew lively once more. The heavy atmosphere of their earlier defeat vanished, replaced by the rowdy, chaotic joy that defined Fairy Tail.
Amidst the celebration, Laxus walked down from the second floor. He approached the bar where Ren sat.
The chatter died down slightly near them.
Laxus picked up a glass, poured himself a drink, and held it up. He didn't say much—he wasn't a man of many words—but the respect in his eyes was clear.
"Ren," Laxus said, his voice gruff but sincere. "Thank you."