After completely destroying the headquarters of Black Sail and handing over all the evidence to the Magic Council members who arrived later, Hoshino Arashi, Erza, and Gildarts began their journey back to the guild.
From Hargeon Port, the salty tang of the sea breeze accompanied them for seven full days.
When the ship docked, they switched to land transport and endured nearly another week of bumpy travel.
As the stone-paved road beneath the wheels grew smoother, and the scent of wild grass and trees gave way to the aroma of smoke and wheat from civilization, Arashi knew the journey's end was near.
Leaning against the carriage window, he watched the fields and forests rush past, his heart unusually calm. The bloody and destructive memories of the battle with Black Sail seemed to have been washed away by the long, tranquil trip.
Beside him, Erza's armor seemed softer these days; the ever-present sharpness around her had quietly faded.
Meanwhile, Gildarts had spent most of the journey snoring thunderously, asleep from start to finish.
Finally, after cresting one last gentle hill, a city of unimaginable scale appeared before them.
White walls gleamed under the sunlight, and countless towers of every shape and design pierced the sky, forming a majestic and vibrant panorama.
"Up ahead is Magnolia," Erza said, her voice carrying a hint of delight. She pointed toward the golden city bathed in sunlight and turned slightly toward Arashi.
In her eyes, the city's outline reflected the light of a homecoming—a brightness both warm and alive.
"Our guild is there."
The carriage stopped before the city gates.
Gildarts yawned, stretched, and jumped down first. The moment his towering figure touched Magnolia's ground, a strange reaction occurred.
Wooo—Wooo—Wooo—!!!
Sirens blared.
Not the sharp, warlike alarms of danger—but something deeper, fuller, and almost bestial, echoing through every corner of the city and rumbling in the sky like the roar of an ancient creature.
Arashi's brows furrowed at once. Magic surged instinctively through his body as he scanned the surroundings for danger.
But no enemy appeared.
Instead, something far stranger unfolded before his eyes.
Rumble… rumble…
The ground began to shake.
Not like an earthquake—this was rhythmic, steady, deliberate. Something massive, mechanical, was stirring beneath the city.
Arashi's pupils contracted.
He saw the broad main road before them—wide enough for ten carriages to ride side by side—split open down the center. The crack widened, spreading outward, and the entire street, along with the buildings on either side, began sliding apart.
Houses, shops, clocktowers—everything lifted into the air as if supported by some unseen force, slowly rising higher and higher.
The grinding of gears, the screech of metal, the hum of magic conduits pulsing with energy—all blended into a symphony so grand it made the scalp tingle.
In less than a minute, a new, smooth, and impossibly wide road had opened—a colossal thoroughfare stretching straight from the city gate toward the heart of Magnolia.
On both sides of this "road," floating city blocks hovered midair. Citizens leaned out of their windows and balconies to watch, waving cheerfully at the newcomers. There wasn't a trace of panic in their faces.
"What… is this?" Arashi asked, his throat dry from awe.
This wasn't mere magic. It was a masterpiece—a perfect fusion of magic, machinery, alchemy, and urban design.
"Ah, that?" Erza's calm voice brought him back. She sounded as though she were commenting on the weather.
"That's called the Gildarts Mode."
"…What?"
Arashi blinked, momentarily unable to process what he'd heard.
"Because every time Gildarts comes back," she said helplessly, "he can't control his Crush (Kuraasshu) magic."
She gestured toward the man scratching the back of his head with an awkward grin.
"He tends to accidentally destroy every building along his path—whether he's walking or drunk, it doesn't matter. So, eventually, to minimize property damage and keep everyone safe, the Magic Council funded and built this emergency city-avoidance system just for him."
She pointed toward the enormous straight road.
"The moment he sets foot within Magnolia, the system activates automatically. The entire city moves out of his way."
Arashi fell silent.
He looked again at the towering man before him.
They had modified an entire city—for one person.
What kind of terrifying destructive power must that be, for the notoriously strict Magic Council to spend such a fortune making such a massive adjustment?
He finally understood, more clearly than ever, what it meant for Gildarts to be an S-Class Wizard.
The three of them followed the grand road—appropriately named the Path of Kings—straight to the city's heart.
At the end of the avenue stood a fantastical red building. Its roofline was bold and chaotic, with spires piled haphazardly, yet strangely harmonious.
A flag with a unique emblem fluttered proudly atop the roof.
Fairy Tail.
Before the large front doors, a crowd had already gathered, drawn by the sound of the sirens. They waved, shouted Gildarts' name, and some were already raising barrels of ale in welcome.
The air itself seemed alive—full of laughter, noise, warmth, and freedom.
Erza stopped walking and turned toward Arashi.
Her expression softened. Her scarlet eyes shone with a brilliance he had never seen before, and a radiant, genuine smile bloomed across her face.
Gone was the majesty of the "Fairy Queen." Gone was the edge of the warrior.
What remained was the simple joy of a girl returning home.
"We're here," she said softly, her voice carrying clearly to his ears.
"Hoshino Arashi—welcome home."
(End of Chapter)
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