With the day's events throwing everything into chaos, there were no more trains to Clover Town. So, Erza pulled out her trusty ride—a "Hope" brand magical four-wheeler, license plate FT9569257.
Magical four-wheelers were a popular mode of transport in Ishgar, way faster than horse-drawn carriages. Powered by a wizard's magic, they were this world's equivalent of cars.
Sure, they weren't as fast as trains, but with no trains running, this was the best way to get around.
Why not use Kira's flying carpet? Well, it got soaked, and the texture was all wrong now. Plus, Kira's magic tools were like something out of Doraemon—most of them were one-and-done unless there was a special need. He rarely reused them.
Erza's four-wheeler, also crafted by Kira, was a cut above the rest. It was more energy-efficient, had better shock absorption, and even came with a gliding function. Fall off a cliff? No problem—it'd land smoothly.
Best of all, unlike standard four-wheelers that required constant magic input while driving, the "Hope" model had a magic crystal that stored energy. Just charge it up beforehand, and the crystal powered the vehicle, making driving a breeze.
"Get in!" Erza's command was as straightforward as ever. Natsu grumbled but was practically dragged onboard. Once inside, his motion sickness kicked in, and he was too woozy to resist.
Erza floored it, and the vehicle sped toward Clover Town.
An hour later, the five arrived.
"Master! How's the meeting going?" they called out, greeting Makarov with enthusiasm. But when Makarov saw them, he was so startled he spilled the drink he'd been using to calm his nerves.
These kids… they didn't chase the enemy all the way here, did they?
It had been less than half a day since Makarov got Mirajane's message, so he was still reeling. Seeing them suddenly pop up in Clover Town, he half-expected they were here to wreck the place.
"You lot…" Makarov stammered, "you didn't cause any trouble, did you?"
Erza and Natsu exchanged glances. Gray pretended not to hear, staring off into the distance. Lucy hid behind Natsu, unsure what to do. Finally, Kira crouched down, patted the old man's shoulder, and said, "Relax, Master. It's no big deal!"
No big deal?! Makarov thought. Last time you said that, you trashed half a street in the capital and nearly took out a royal guard!
"Alright, just tell me. I can handle it…" he sighed.
"Natsu just smashed Kunugi's train station," Kira said casually.
"?!"
Makarov's legs nearly gave out, but Kira steadied him. After a couple of seconds, he processed that it was just a train station, not the whole town. Phew, manageable. Kira's right—no big deal.
Kira went on, "But Natsu also took down the entire Eisenwald dark guild single-handedly. You might need to handle some negotiations for that."
What? Took down a whole guild? Oh, a dark guild? That's nothing! Makarov's mood brightened. We can just make them pay for damages.
"Not bad, not bad…" His blood pressure settled, and he decided the weather wasn't so bad today after all.
Wait, am I forgetting something? Makarov wondered, racking his brain.
Before he could figure it out, the other guild masters swarmed over.
"Hey, Kira, long time no see! You've gotten even stronger, huh?" one said.
"Little Erza's all grown up!" another chimed in.
"Natsu and Gray are looking cute as ever!"
"Oh, and this must be the famous rookie! The one who took down a three-meter-tall gorilla-like woman and put some big-shot noble in his place!"
Lucy, still a newbie, felt awkward under the praise. Part of it was embarrassment since she hadn't actually done those things. She could brush it off with her guildmates, but facing guild masters? She blushed, flustered.
The other four took it in stride. Erza gave a polite, humble bow. Gray and Natsu were a bit shy but mostly thrilled—though they got nervous around Bob, the master of Blue Pegasus. Kira, as usual, was unfazed, greeting them with a grin.
"Yo, Master Bob! Been a while! How's everyone at Blue Pegasus doing?"
"Full of energy every day!" Bob replied.
Kira had history with Blue Pegasus, mostly through Sorcerer Weekly. For a while, he dominated the magazine's headlines, which led to friendships with folks like Hibiki and Jenny. They made the pages for their looks; Kira, for his looks and strength.
He'd even topped lists like "Most Wanted Boyfriend"! Young, rich, handsome, and a top-tier wizard—who wouldn't want him?
He'd also collaborated with Hibiki on magic. Combining Word Magic with Archive Magic had sparked some unique reactions, which Kira found incredibly useful.
Since Makarov and Bob were old friends, the two guilds often crossed paths. But after a while, Kira went into hermit mode, focusing on his shop and crafting gear, and the connections faded.
In a world dominated by magic, there'd been no industrial revolution. Technology was basic, with no internet, phones, or even power lines. Magic crystals were the main energy source. Long-distance communication crystals existed, but they were the size of a grown adult—hardly portable.
"So, Master, what's the deal with this meeting?" Kira asked, pulling Makarov aside after half an hour of small talk.
From past experience, Fiore's regular meetings often led to big moves or reforms. The last one had prompted the royal family to recruit young, talented wizards, reportedly to form a royal guard. There were whispers it was a step toward tighter control over the kingdom's magic guilds.
That wasn't surprising. Magic guilds and wizards had been game-changers in wars less than a century ago. Even with the Magic Council keeping things stable, no ruler could ignore a group of people with superpowers.
Fiore, located on the eastern continent's coast, had unmatched trade advantages. It had stayed neutral for years, but its prime location dragged it into the First Trade War a hundred years ago. With dragons gone and magic power growing ever stronger, wizards had turned the tide in that war—acting as elite soldiers, assassins, one-man armies, and even reshaping landscapes.
And don't forget data crunching!
Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis, the "Fairy Tactician," had earned her legend in that war.
In the face of powerful magic, traditional weapons became obsolete, and royals realized the truth: times had changed. Without enough strength, a kingdom could face disaster.
Makarov thought for a moment. Since they'd find out eventually, he figured it was fine to let Kira, the guild's sharpest mind, in on it first. "There's something—about the Baram Alliance. Wanna hear it?"
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