"Chen Fan!"
"That bastard!"
"Big Brother Chen Fan!"
As soon as they heard that frivolous voice, everyone knew he had arrived. The members of Fairy Tail couldn't help but shout his name.
Relaxed smiles appeared on their faces. No one understood Chen Fan's true strength better than they did. They knew they had brought this on themselves, trying to settle the Oración Seis before Chen Fan interfered, only to end up being wiped out.
Racer, sensing the mortal danger the moment Chen Fan spoke, had retreated frantically. It was only because of that quick reaction that he managed to keep his life.
Retreating back to the ranks of the Oración Seis, Racer stared at the scorched trail left by the fire. Sweat poured down his face.
Chen Fan walked out from the path his "pebble" had cleared. Little Wendy saw him and cried out his name, running into his arms.
Chen Fan picked her up and said softly, "Wendy, were you scared? I'm sorry, I got here late."
Wendy shook her cute little head and looked at him. "It's okay. Wendy isn't afraid." Even as she spoke, her body was still trembling slightly, something Chen Fan could feel clearly.
It pained him to see her like this. When Mystogan had first brought Wendy to him, Chen Fan had intended to keep her. But Mystogan had disagreed. He knew Chen Fan's abilities, but he also knew Wendy's potential. Given how much Chen Fan doted on her, it wouldn't have been good for either of them.
Chen Fan might have made a great brother, but at the time, he was definitely not father material. He was far too stubborn and held onto certain things with an unexpected intensity.
In the end, he and Mystogan decided to send Wendy to the old man at Cait Shelter. Chen Fan made it a point to visit several times a year, always bringing massive amounts of food, clothes, and supplies.
He had also tried to convince that old fellow, Roubaul, to just "attain Buddhahood" and move on to his next life several times. It had made Roubaul furious. The old man swore he wouldn't move on until Nirvana vanished. Chen Fan had nothing but disdain for thatdid the old man think he was Ksitigarbha?
To calm Wendy down, Chen Fan ignored everyone else and started telling her jokes. After a while, he finally got her to laugh, and the trembling stopped.
Chen Fan relaxed, but the others were fuming. Still, intimidated by his entrance, none of them dared to take a step forward.
The battle between Brain and Jura had also ceased, with both returning to their respective sides. Jura walked over to stand beside Chen Fan.
"Withdraw!" Brain said, giving Chen Fan a long, deep look. He waved his hand and turned to walk away.
The other members of the Oración Seis said nothing. They scanned the area once before following their leader. Chen Fan was a bit surprised that Brain would retreat so decisively, but he had no intention of stopping them.
Seeing that Chen Fan wasn't moving, the people on the ground grew anxious. They begged him to stop the villains from escaping, but Jura remained silent.
"You lot should look at yourselves before deciding who needs to run," Chen Fan shouted at the group on the ground. "You're all injured, and you want me to go up there? Do you think my help is just a given now? Under normal circumstances, we should be the ones running away! You're acting without using your brains. Think carefully before you do anything from now on."
Chen Fan knew that if he always stepped in, they would develop a psychological dependency on him, which would be detrimental to their growth.
Though they were frustrated, they had to admit they had failed. They had lost even though they had nearly double the numbers. If Chen Fan and Jura hadn't arrived, there was no telling what would have happened to them. They slammed their fists into the ground in humiliation.
Seeing them like this, Jura found himself agreeing with Chen Fan's decision. He sighed and said, "Mr. Chen Fan, your words are as sharp as ever."
"It's nothing. Just giving them an education." After speaking to Jura, Chen Fan set Wendy down. "Wendy, go and heal those big brothers and sisters."
"Okay." Wendy nodded and ran over to Erza first, as her injuries were the most severe.
"Can she heal?" Jura asked, sounding doubtful. Then, remembering Chen Fan's former profession, he had an epiphany. "Ah, I see. You taught her, Mr. Chen Fan."
"No, you're wrong," Chen Fan explained. "Wendy's healing has nothing to do with me. Her healing ability is far stronger than mine. My 'healing' was just a trick."
"You are far too modest," Jura replied. Well, Chen Fan had told the truth for once, and Jura simply didn't believe him.
While Chen Fan and Jura were talking, Wendy had finished healing Erza.
Erza moved her body, feeling as though she hadn't been injured at all. She gasped in amazement. "I'm really cured. The toxins are gone, and my body feels like it was never hurt."
"Of course! Wendy is a Sky Dragon Slayer, after all," Carla said proudly, acting as if she were the Dragon Slayer herself.
"A Dragon Slayer!" the others cried out in shock. The Fairy Tail members turned their gaze toward Natsu.
Natsu's eyes were wide, filled with disbelief. This was the third Dragon Slayer he had met. No wonder he had felt an inexplicable sense of kinship the moment he saw her.
Under Wendy's treatment, everyone was mostly recovered. Sweat began to bead on Wendy's forehead. Chen Fan, feeling protective, picked her up again.
"Now you know their fighting styles," Chen Fan said to Erza and the others. "The rest is up to you." With that, he began carrying Wendy back toward the villa, with Carla following behind.
The others said nothing. Everyone had a temper, and after being beaten so badly and then scolded by Chen Fan, they were seething with rage. It was better that Chen Fan didn't go; they were ready to reclaim their honor. The group marched off in the direction the Oración Seis had taken.
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