After the chaotic dance party, everyone stayed at the camp for another two days to supplement their testimonies, making it easier for the Magic Council to compile the records.
Since the cause and course of the incident were quite clear, with no particular points of contention, this period of control was two days shorter than the original timeline's one week.
By the afternoon of the fifth day, the Fairy Tail members were free to move about, though they still had to remain on standby to respond to any further summons from the Council.
And so, led by Makarov, the Fairy Tail group made their grand return to Magnolia.
"Hey! Master Makarov, you guys are in the clear, right?"
"When Phantom Lord's Magic Colossus appeared on the lake, it really scared us! Glad it didn't end up causing too much damage to the town in the end."
"That was so cool, Chase-nii! You took down that huge giant!"
"Cool as it was, please, whatever you do, don't come wandering around our street!"
"Mira-san and Erza-san, you both look as beautiful as ever today~!"
The townsfolk along the way greeted them warmly.
Though Fairy Tail was the main reason the war had started, the guild had still evacuated everyone in advance and blocked the Colossus's indiscriminate attacks, making the residents feel safe and protected.
"Chase really is popular in Magnolia, huh."
Walking among the crowd, Lucy quietly marked after hearing Chase's name called out the most.
"Aye! Even three-year-olds know to keep their distance from him!" Happy added.
"I suppose negative attention is still attention…"
Lucy sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"Well, Chase is one of only two mages in our guild who gets Magnolia's special treatment," Mira said, a faint smile gracing her flawless face as she glanced at Chase, whose fierce expression had just made a nearby child burst into tears.
"Magnolia's special treatment?" Lucy blinked, utterly confused.
How had she never heard about this?
"It's something called the Chase Code. Every Magnolia resident has to memorize it and strictly follow the rules," Erza explained.
The Chase Code…
Lucy could already guess what it contained. "Th-That's definitely something only Chase would have! How unique!"
"You're still a long way from earning that kind of special treatment. You need to stay grounded!" Erza said seriously.
"Pfft! Do I really look like I'm that eager?! Besides, that doesn't exactly sound like a glorious achievement!"
Lucy's eyes practically popped out of her head as she pointed at her own admittedly weak self. "Wait, Erza, you said 'one of two'—"
"Natsu and Gray don't seem to have anything like that. Mira would definitely be the popular type, so is the other person Mystogan? No, that doesn't fit Chase's style… could it be Laxus?"
After her outburst, Lucy calmed down and started analyzing with surprising focus.
"No, it's Gildarts, the mage whose strength is second only to the Master in our guild. Magnolia has something called the Gildarts Protocol," Mira said, holding up a finger with a smile. "He's on a completely different level, so he's usually not even included in discussions about Fairy Tail's strongest mages."
"A completely different level? You mean… even stronger than Chase and Erza?!" Lucy's eyes widened in shock.
With her current level of experience, she couldn't even imagine what kind of terrifying monster that must be.
"Compared to him, I'm still just a child fumbling in the dark," Erza said, shaking her head humbly.
"Gidarts, huh… I'd love to have a go at him sometime!"
Chase, having finished terrorizing the local children, rejoined the group. His eyes burned with fighting spirit.
With his current strength, he probably wasn't a match for Gildarts yet.
But as Fairy Tail's ultimate powerhouse, Gildarts should drop some pretty good cards, right?
Thinking about it, taking a beating might not be so bad…
Chase had been transported here two years ago, and Gildarts had left on his Hundred-Year Quest over three years ago. They'd never met, let alone fought.
"Chase, even you would get utterly crushed if you recklessly challenged Gildarts," Erza warned with a serious expression.
"Damn it! Next time I see that old monster, I'm gonna beat him!" Natsu clenched his fists, fuming.
"Aye, Natsu. Have you already forgotten how Gildarts knocked you out for three days with one punch last time?" Happy unhelpfully added.
"Shut up! I'm way stronger now than I was three years ago!"
Gray: "Heh. Even if you had thirty years, you fireball idiot, you'd never catch up to Gildarts."
Lucy: "Hey, hey, from the way you're all talking, this old man sounds even more terrifying!"
Mira: "Gray, your clothes."
"Ah?! When did—!"
Amid Natsu and Gray's usual bickering, the group finally reached the guild's district.
After five days of wind and sun, the guild building—which had barely retained some outline before—was now reduced to a complete pile of rubble. Even the signboard reading "FAIRY TAIL" had snapped in two.
The Phantom Lord Colossus's wreckage was nowhere to be seen on the nearby lake—either it had sunk to the bottom or the Council had cleaned it up.
This place held countless memories for everyone. Looking at the pile of broken debris, the Fairy Tail members felt a heavy pang in their hearts.
Especially Cana, Mira, Natsu—those who had grown up here.
Deep within Makarov's aged eyes lay a quiet sorrow.
Looking at this wreckage stirred old memories. At eighty-eight years old, he realized he might have to start thinking about retirement.
He'd considered this issue long ago, but he'd never found a suitable candidate to take over as Master.
His son Ivan, who had the age, experience, and seniority, had gone down the wrong path, becoming the master of a dark guild.
Gildarts, meanwhile, valued his freedom too much. He was almost never at the guild.
As for him grandson Laxus… well, he was too rebellious for words, constantly calling his guildmates trash.
All things considered—strength, experience, and cherishing one's comrades—Chase seemed the best candidate for the Fourth Master.
But…
Every time Makarov imagined the chaos that brat would cause—like demolishing the Magic Council headquarters—his head started throbbing.
What a dilemma!
Finding a successor was just too hard!
Ah, well. He'd just hold on for a few more years…
Makarov let out a heavy sigh, deciding to stop worrying about such a headache-inducing problem.
"You brats! What are you standing around for?! Rebuilding the new guild is a top priority! If we don't clear away this mess today, nobody's going home!"
***
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