Magnolia Town
Fairy Tail Guild
Since her last task at the theater with Freed, Wendy had adapted well to the Guild's task system.
She was leisurely enjoying breakfast at a table with Carla.
"Oh, haven't they recovered yet?"
As Lucy entered the Guild hall, she saw Gray, God Leg-Salusuk, Gajeel, and Natsu still looking dejected.
They were all slumped over tables, sighing!
Just a few days prior, during the racing competition, due to various reasons and their own carelessness, they ended up in last place.
There was no other way but to accept the Master's punishment: Everyone had to wear women's clothing for a photoshoot in a magazine, and they had already finished the photoshoot.
Now was their time of despair.
"Haha, Lucy, don't mind them!"
Cana sat at the bar, propping her head with one hand, smiling as she looked at the four, but a hint of mischief gleamed in her eyes.
"Lucy, come here, I'll tell you a secret!" Cana beckoned Lucy over, thoughtfully pouring her a glass of milk.
After Lucy took a few sips of milk, Cana leaned in close to Lucy's ear.
Although Cana covered her mouth with her hand, her voice was only slightly softer than normal, and clearly laced with a smile as she said, "I heard this magazine is already fully booked, and sales are excellent!"
Upon hearing this news, the four individuals with excellent hearing nearby instantly turned into rigid gray stone statues, their expressions utterly devoid of life.
"Oh, they turned to stone!" Lucy immediately exclaimed, looking at the scene before her.
"Well, that's understandable. After all, if there were a crevice right now, they'd surely hide in it! Hahaha"
Cana was quite used to their state, and after speaking, she didn't forget to continue teasing, even bursting into laughter.
"By the way, Zorn hasn't been at the Guild for the past few days, it seems!"
Lucy looked around, not finding Zorn. On the second floor, she only saw Laxus choosing a task from the task board.
"Oh, him. A few days ago, he said he was going to find Mystogan to understand some things."
"Seriously, he just disappeared after saying that, and hasn't sent any message back yet!"
When Cana heard Lucy mention Zorn, her playful expression immediately changed to one of slight anger mixed with disappointment.
Seeing this, Lucy envied their relationship, though for some unknown reason, she also turned to look in Natsu's direction.
Natsu seemed to sense something, and just then, he looked up, meeting Lucy's gaze.
Lucy immediately blushed, picked up the milk on the table, and chugged the rest of it, which finally eased the strange thoughts in her mind.
Ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-dong.
Just as Cana was about to tease Lucy, the sound of bells echoed over Magnolia.
Even the dejected Natsu immediately revived, running out of the Guild with Happy, happily leaning on the railing, looking into the distance.
Cana's previously gossipy expression instantly changed to one of joy, and she looked expectantly towards the Guild entrance.
She no longer fell silent upon hearing news of Gildarts.
Digesting her emotions alone.
Now, she also very much hoped to see Gildarts, though she still felt a little nervous inside.
The others in the Guild also simultaneously stopped what they were doing, all listening intently to the bell sounds.
"It's Gildarts, yeah!"
After confirming, Everyone immediately cheered, clinking their glasses and making a ruckus.
"What's wrong?"
"This bell sound is…"
Lucy looked at the people around her, who were already hyped up just by a bell sound, and her face filled with confusion.
"Gildarts is back!"
"He's the strongest Magician in the Guild!"
Mirajane and Erza both showed expressions of admiration, and such expressions immediately piqued Lucy's curiosity, prompting her to ask further.
"Huh, the strongest? Are Laxus, Zorn, and Erza excluded?"
"Well, my strength compared to his is like a small witch meeting a great one!" Erza frankly admitted this, as Laxus and Zorn were the examiners for their S-Class Exam.
"As for Zorn! His current strength is unknown; since the S-Class Exam, I haven't seen him go all out!"
Mirajane mused, tapping her chin.
"Hmph~ The strongest, I don't quite agree!"
Laxus, transforming into lightning, suddenly appeared next to Lucy from the second floor, his expression eager for a fight, his body crackling with lightning, full of impatience.
"However, Everyone looks like they're having a celebration now!"
Wendy also watched Everyone's boisterous behavior from the side, feeling the same way and being very Happy.
"Well, after all, he hasn't been back for three years!" Mirajane explained the reason to Wendy and Lucy.
"Three years, what exactly did he go to do?!"
"A Hundred-Year Task, above S-Class Tasks."
"No, it's an ultra-high-difficulty task, even above Ten-Year Tasks!"
"It's a task that no one has been able to complete for a hundred years!"
"Ah~"
Just as Lucy, Wendy, and Juvia were shocked upon hearing this news.
"Magnolia is about to switch to Gildarts Mode! All citizens please proceed to the designated locations!"
The announcement repeated over the town, which also began to shake violently.
"What's wrong? What is Gildarts Mode?!"
"Lucy, you can go outside and see!"
When Lucy stood before the Guild, the town of Magnolia before her was directly split in half, towering high in the air.
Only a long passage remained, connecting from the town entrance to the Guild entrance.
A middle-aged man with orange-red hair, wearing a cloak, and a scraggly beard, just appeared at the town entrance.
Upon seeing the familiar figure, Laxus grinned, his body instantly turning into lightning, lightning crackling in his hands, and the sky above immediately became covered with dark clouds, shrouding Gildarts's head.
"This is… it's going to rain! Looks like I need to walk faster, why haven't I reached the Guild yet?"
Gildarts glanced at the dark clouds in the sky, either oblivious or something else, not noticing any problem with the sudden dense clouds.
"Um… I think…"
Lucy looked at Laxus's excited expression, lightning already poised to strike, and was also surprised.
However, her companions around her were still cheering for Laxus, and even Erza, the Master, and others showed no intention of stopping him.
"Taste this move! Lightning Pressure Surge - Enhanced Version!"
A pillar of lightning, with a wave of Laxus's hand, directly descended from the sky, instantly striking Gildarts, who was still yawning.
"What, how is this possible?!"
Lucy, who was already surprised, was utterly shocked by the scene before her.
The magic, upon reaching Gildarts's head, instantly transformed into electric sparks, dissipating in the air.
"This is…"
Gildarts, seeing the familiar magic, finally reacted, but Laxus's next attack had already arrived.
On the other side, Laxus, seeing his magic fail, scoffed, and with a flash of lightning, delivered a downward whip kick directly to Gildarts's head.
"Bang~"
The ground instantly sank, stirring up countless gravel, but Laxus's blow was solidly blocked by Gildarts.
"It seems your strength has increased, Laxus!"
Gildarts, looking at Laxus over the arm that blocked the whip kick, spoke with admiration, then with a raised hand, he sent Laxus flying backward.
"Still so powerful!"
Laxus used the momentum to steady himself again in front of the Guild.
"So amazing!"
"Gildarts is using Crush Magic, which is a super-high-level magic!"
Mirajane was also on the side, explaining the magic Gildarts used to the stunned Lucy.
To be continued~
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