When Gajeel was introduced, he was gnawing on an iron pillar with great relish, merely grunting in response.
When Max was introduced, he was manipulating gold sand to practice shaping and improve his magic control. He simply nodded faintly, his emerald pupils sweeping over the inhibitor on Sorano's arm without saying much.
When Ikaruga was introduced, she merely raised her teacup from across the crowd, her cool gaze carrying a hint of imperceptible approval towards Sorano.
When it was time to introduce the Master, Makarov was holding a large mug of ale, heartily slapping his chest: "Sorano! From now on, this is your home! If anyone dares to bully you, tell this old man! This old man will flatten him with 'Giant'!"
Sorano looked at the short Master, feeling the undeniable sense of protection in his words, and her last trace of unease dissipated. She bowed solemnly: "Thank you, Master!"
The atmosphere of the banquet grew more relaxed.
Lucy curiously asked Yukino: "Yukino, was your journey smooth? The Council… didn't make things difficult for you, did they?"
Yukino shook her head, a relaxed smile on her face: "It was very smooth. As for the Council, because my sister proactively provided a large amount of information on Oración Seis and other Dark Guilds after her capture, coupled with the guarantees from the Master and a friend of the Council's chairman, the bail procedures were faster than expected. It's just…"
She glanced at the inhibitor on Sorano's arm, "This will still take some time to remove."
Sorano subconsciously touched the cold metal ring and whispered: "It's okay… To be out, to be back with Yukino, to… come here, I'm already very satisfied."
"Sister…" Yukino held her hand, her eyes gentle.
"Sorano-nee-chan," Wendy-chan leaned over, her small face full of concern, "Does wearing this make you uncomfortable?"
Sorano looked at Wendy-chan's pure eyes, her heart warming: "It's fine, it just… restricts some magic flow. I'll get used to it."
"Wendy-chan's healing magic is really powerful! Maybe she can help you feel better!" Lucy suggested.
"Really?" Sorano was a little surprised.
"Mm! I can try!" Wendy-chan immediately perked up, extending her small hand and carefully approaching Sorano's arm, a soft green light emanating from her palm.
Sorano felt a warm and vibrant energy slowly seep into her skin. The subtle sense of stagnation and discomfort caused by the inhibitor actually lessened considerably.
"It really… feels much better! Thank you, Wendy-chan!" Sorano said delightedly.
"Hehe, as long as I can help Sorano-nee-chan!" Wendy-chan smiled happily… While the new members were busy getting to know each other, the older members of the guild were much more at ease, eating and drinking without delay.
Natsu and Gajeel, on the other hand, were pulling Elfman into a barbecue eating contest, and the scene was quite "spectacular" at times.
"A Man! Barbecue must be eaten in big bites!" Elfman roared, grabbing a large piece of meat and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Tch! Watch me!" Natsu was not to be outdone, his flames enveloping the barbecue, instantly cooking it, then swallowing the whole piece.
Gajeel simply broke off a piece of the iron rack from the grill, chewing it with a crunching sound: "Iron is still the best!"
Mira smiled helplessly nearby, constantly replenishing the barbecue.
Ikaruga sat by the window, quietly drinking tea.
Ezreal sat beside her, a silent understanding flowing between the two.
"Yukino looks very happy." Ezreal looked at the Yukino sisters, who were surrounded by Lucy and the others.
"Mm." Ikaruga responded, her gaze sweeping over Sorano, "To bear shackles, yet find a place to belong. It is her fortune."
"And the guild's fortune too." Ezreal added, "One more powerful Celestial Spirit Mage is always a good thing."
Ikaruga did not refute, merely picked up her teacup and gently blew on it.
The misty hot air blurred her cool, clear features for a moment.
She put down her teacup and turned her gaze to Ezreal. In the depths of her sharp eyes, a hint of extremely subtle concern seemed to flash.
"What about you?" Ikaruga's voice was still calm, but it had an imperceptible warmth that was not there before, "Your body… has it recovered?"
She was referring to the immense drain and dark erosion damage Ezreal suffered from his self-seal during the previous Nirvana battle.
Ezreal heard this, moved his shoulders, and showed a relaxed smile on his face: "Completely fine. I had a long sleep, feel energetic, and my magic is flowing as usual."
His golden pupils sparkled in the sunlight, indeed showing no trace of weakness.
Ikaruga nodded slightly, acknowledging his statement.
After a brief silence, she spoke again, turning the conversation to a more core issue: "Then… what about them?"
She didn't explicitly say it, but both of them knew what she was referring to — Ezreal's five powerful Summoned Beasts.
At the mention of the Summoned Beasts, Ezreal's smile faded a little, and his eyes darkened: "They… are not doing well."
He picked up his teacup, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the rim, "Nirvana's dark magic… has eroded too deeply."
"Not only is their power corrupted, but even their minds… have almost completely turned to the dark side, filled with thoughts of destruction and madness."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of heaviness: "The summoning contract between me and them… is now very fragile, one could even say… loose."
"They resist my summons, or rather, in their current state, the contract itself can no longer forcibly bind them. For now… I can't summon them to fight alongside me."
Ikaruga listened quietly, her cool eyes showing no surprise, only understanding.
She had experienced the final battle with Zero. Although she hadn't fought the Summoned Beasts affected by Nirvana, she had witnessed the terrifying power of those five Summoned Beasts distorted by darkness.
"However," Ezreal changed the subject, a slightly self-mocking yet subtly sharp smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, "Fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Although Nirvana twisted their minds, it also, in an almost violent way, forcibly raised their power ceiling."
He put down his teacup, his eyes becoming sharp: "Blue Buff and Marsh Frog, who were originally stuck at the A-rank threshold, now have magic intensity and destructive power that has definitely reached the S-rank level. And the Evil Wolf, Fire Crown Treant, and Flamingo, who were already S-rank…"
He paused, "Their strength has been increased by several times over. That kind of power… even I am shocked."
Ezreal looked at Ikaruga, his eyes flashing with a complex light, containing both worry and an irresistible longing for powerful partners, characteristic of a Summoner: "As long as I can find a way to purify their corrupted minds, or… re-establish a contractual link that can control this rampant power…"
His voice was deep and full of power, "Then, I will directly possess five… terrifyingly powerful, genuine S-rank Summoned Beasts!"
He picked up his teacup, made a gesture of toasting Ikaruga, and showed a smile that was somewhat playful yet incredibly serious: "By then, Ikaruga, maybe… you'll have to change your tune and call me the 'strongest' of the guild's younger generation?"
Ikaruga's cool eyes met Ezreal's, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce through one's heart.
She didn't immediately respond to Ezreal's challenging joke, merely picked up her own teacup and took a shallow sip.
When she put down the teacup, the corner of her mouth seemed to curve upwards ever so slightly, an almost imperceptible arc, yet it carried a strange charm like a crack appearing on a frozen lake.
"Talk when you can truly control those five 'monsters'." Her voice was still flat, but it had lost some of its coolness, gaining an indescribable… perhaps anticipation?
"By then, I'd like to see just how strong this so-called 'strongest' Summoned Beast army truly is."
Ezreal laughed heartily at her words, his golden eyes filled with confident light: "Don't worry, that day will come. When it does, you'll be the first I test my blade on!"
Ikaruga didn't reply, merely turned her gaze back to the window, the sunlight casting a faint golden edge on her beautiful profile.
The clamor outside the window seemed far away from her, but Ezreal knew that her words just now were a silent acknowledgment and… anticipation.
Master Makarov looked at the two talking softly by the window, then at the gentle smile on the newly joined Sorano's face, at the peace flickering in Yukino's eyes, and then at the noisy yet lively bunch in the guild… He raised his huge mug, took a big gulp of ale, and let out a satisfied burp.
"It feels even noisier than before with more people…" He muttered softly, but the smile on his face was brighter than the sunlight outside the window, "But… this is how it should be! This is… Fairy Tail!"
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