The guild hall, though still scarred from the attack, buzzed with a sense of renewed life. Planks creaked beneath workers' boots, and conversations mixed with laughter and the clatter of rebuilding. In the center of it all stood Mira and Lucy, watching the chaos unfold as Y/N and Masumi returned like legends from a forgotten tale.
Mira: (smiling fondly) "Y/N's the second strongest mage in Fairy Tail. Would've been first, but… someone barely edged him out."
Lucy: (still in awe) "Wait—seriously? Then what about Masumi?"
Mira: "Masumi's Y/N's rival… and his best friend. His Thunder God Slayer magic is just as destructive. Those two together?"
(She chuckled, brushing her bangs back) "They could level a whole city if they weren't careful."
Lucy's jaw dropped. She turned to look at the pair—Y/N, surrounded by flickers of green fire, and Masumi, his body crackling with lightning. Both looked like they could take on an army—and probably had.
Lucy: "I didn't know they were that strong…"
Mira: (grinning) "They've taken down entire dark guilds on their own. People call them walking natural disasters for a reason."
Suddenly—
Natsu: "YOOOO! Y/N! MASUMI! FIGHT ME!!"
With a wide grin and his fist igniting, Natsu charged. "FIRE DRAGON'S IR—"
He never finished.
THUD!
In a blink, Natsu was launched across the room by Y/N's outstretched arm—effortless. He crashed into the wall, leaving a crater-shaped dent.
Y/N: (calmly) "Better luck next time, flame brain."
The guild erupted into laughter while Natsu groaned from the floor, muttering something about unfair sneak attacks.
Y/N casually made his way to Mira, brushing ash off his coat.
Y/N: "Where's the Master?"
Mira: (raising an eyebrow) "Around somewhere. Why?"
Y/N: (tone shifting slightly) "There's something important I need to talk to him about."
Mira: "Hmm… he should show up soon. He never strays far these days."
Y/N: "Alright. I'll wait."
He pulled up a nearby chair and sat, finally letting himself relax. But just as he leaned back—
???: "Y/N!!!"
Before he could react, a blur of black hair and excitement barreled into him, knocking him clean out of his seat and onto the floor with a loud thud.
Y/N: (laughing as he hit the ground) "Diana…?"
Diana: (on top of him, grinning) "I missed you so much, idiot."
Y/N blinked, then smiled. She hadn't changed—same fire in her eyes, same wild energy. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders as she leaned down, her arms wrapped around his neck like she never wanted to let go.
Y/N: "I missed you too. More than I thought I would."
She pulled back slightly, still straddling him.
Diana: "So? How was the mission? Don't tell me it was too easy for you and Masumi."
Y/N: "Easy? Not even close. If it was easy, we'd have been back the day I picked it."
Masumi: (walking over with an exaggerated scoff) "You picked it? Delusional as always. I picked it—and if you hadn't tagged along, I'd have finished it weeks ago."
Y/N: "Right. Because soloing an entire necromancer guild was totally your idea of a walk in the park."
Masumi: (grumbling) "Damn it, I hate when you're right…"
Y/N: (smirking) "You must hate me all the time, then."
Masumi: "You wanna go right now? Because I swear, if we start, I'm not holding back like last time."
Y/N: "You only won last time because I let you. This time? No holding back."
The guild members instantly stiffened.
Guild Member 1: "Not again…"
Guild Member 2: "Last time they fought, they melted the training ground!"
Guild Member 3: "And blew up the north tower!"
Diana: (stepping between them, arms out) "Easy, you two! You just got back, and five minutes in, you're already ready to destroy something?!"
Y/N / Masumi (simultaneously): "Yes."
Diana: (sighing and thinking) 'They're impossible… but gods, I missed him.'
She glanced at Y/N. 'Even after everything, I still feel the same. Maybe more now.'
Y/N: (shrugging as the flames died down) "Alright. We'll postpone it. At least until we find a big enough battlefield."
Masumi: "Fine by me. That next fight is our 100th anyway."
Y/N: "99 wins each. This one settles it."
Masumi: (grinning) "Can't wait."
Y/N: "Neither can I."
The tension finally eased as the guild members let out sighs of relief.
From a nearby hallway, a heavy set of footsteps echoed closer—familiar, deliberate.
Mira: (noticing) "Speak of the devil… I think Master's finally coming."
Y/N: (rising to his feet, face serious again) "Good. We've got more to talk about than just our fight count."