Chapter 169: Fantasia and the Imposter
The next night.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Brilliant, magical fireworks continuously bloomed in the night sky above Magnolia. Colorful bursts of phoenixes, fairies, and guild marks lit up the darkness, making the entire town, still recovering from the "Battle of Fairy Tail," appear beautiful and hopeful once more.
The streets of Magnolia were crowded with people on both sides, their faces upturned in awe. It wasn't just the residents; tourists who had come from other towns, having heard the parade was back on, packed the sidewalks, eager to watch the famous Fantasia Parade.
On the first float, a magnificent creation of starlight and celestial clouds, Lucy Heartfilia and Levy McGarden were dancing a light-hearted, cheerful dance. Lucy, in a new Star Dress, created small, harmless constellations in the air, while Levy used her Solid Script to write "Thank You, Magnolia!" in glittering, multi-colored letters that drifted over the crowd.
"It's the girls from Fairy Tail!"
"So cute!"
"Not bad! That script magic is amazing!"
On the second float, a rugged, jungle-themed creation, Elfman Strauss stood tall in his full Beast Soul: The Beast King form. He roared from time to time, a surprisingly non-threatening sound.
"Monster!"
"The monster is here!"
Instead of scaring the children in the crowd, his appearance made them shout and scream with delight. As expected, children in every world actually like little monsters.
Afterward came a float that steamed with mist and shimmered with frost. Gray Fullbuster, shirtless as always, and Juvia Lockser were working together. Juvia released massive, swirling vortexes of water, and Gray, with practiced ease, used his Ice-Make magic to freeze and shape the water. In moments, a beautiful, intricate ice castle, complete with swans and towers, was formed, glittering under the fireworks.
"What is this?! An ice castle!"
"So beautiful!"
"Oh, Gray-sama, our love is like this castle!" Juvia cooed, which made Gray roll his eyes, but he couldn't hide his proud smirk.
Then came Erza Scarlet's float, a simple platform surrounded by floating weapons. Dressed in her Heaven's Wheel Armor, she performed a breathtaking sword dance, her long swords leaping and spinning around her in a display of perfect, deadly grace.
"The Fairy Queen, Titania, is out!"
"She's dancing with her swords!"
"Wow! Marry me, Erza-sama!"
Next, on a massive float built to resemble a colossal pirate ship, Ren, transformed into his Full-Body Take Over: Whitebeard, stood on the prow.
"Wow! It's Whitebeard!"
"So big!"
"Is he really that tall?!"
[Akarin's Note: Ren's Full-Body Take Over: Edward Newgate (Whitebeard) stands at 666 cm (over 21 feet) tall. This is a non-canon Take Over from the One Piece series.]
Ren's Whitebeard appearance was now almost known to everyone in the Fiore Kingdom after his victories over Jose and, more recently, Laxus. But no one had truly seen him up close.
In fact, seeing him up close, even if one is 180 cm tall, seeing someone 200 cm tall would create a great sense of oppression, let alone Whitebeard's 666 cm height. The crowd instinctively backed away, staring up in awe.
Ren, his deep, resonant voice booming, said with a helpless expression, "Why do I have to participate in such an embarrassing play?!"
Mirajane, in her normal, human form, sat giggling on Ren's massive, coat-covered shoulder. "This is the Master's request! Besides, you are our Guild's big ace, our hero. How can we not show you off? The whole town was demanding to see the man who took down Laxus and the Thunder God's Palace!"
Finally, there was Master Makarov. The old man's problem was a sudden heart attack, or myocardial infarction in professional terms. It sounds simple, but once it occurs, the mortality rate is very high.
However, when it wasn't acting up, the old man was no different from usual. So after two days of rest, his body had almost recovered, though he still couldn't engage in strenuous exercise.
The old man was dressed as a clown, wiggling around on a giant ball, looking very comical and perfectly happy.
At a dark street corner, far from the crowds, Laxus Dreyar watched this scene, his body wrapped in fresh bandages beneath his traveling coat. He smiled, a faint, pained expression.
If it had been before, he would have definitely thought his grandpa was making a fool of himself again. How could the Master of the strongest Guild try to attract attention in public with such a pathetic display?
Now, he no longer thought that way. Everyone has their preferred way of living, and he couldn't force his likes or dislikes onto others.
His grandpa had never changed; it was he who had changed.
Seeing that his grandpa was still healthy and happy, still the heart of this ridiculous, loving family, Laxus was already content. He turned, his exile beginning, to leave.
Just as he was about to turn, he suddenly saw something and immediately turned back. He saw Makarov, at the end of the parade, leading everyone in the Guild. They had all stopped, and in unison, they struck a pose: their left hand clenched into a fist over their heart, and their right index finger pointing to the sky.
[Akarin's Note: This gesture is a unique sign within Fairy Tail, created by Laxus as a child. It signifies an unbreakable bond, meaning that even when separated, they will always be watching over each other.]
Seeing this gesture, Laxus could no longer suppress his emotions. His body, which had endured Black Flash and Red without breaking, now trembled. Tears streamed down his face. "Grandpa…"
This was a gesture he created when he first participated in the Fantasia Parade as a child. He had been so small, and he had been scared, promising his grandpa he'd be watching.
He hadn't expected that his grandpa still remembered something that had happened so long ago.
"Thank you…" Laxus whispered, and walked away into the darkness.
In a desolate, rocky wasteland far from Fiore, the Dark Guild Raven Tail was located. Raven Tail was a Guild created by Makarov's son, Ivan Dreyar. Ivan was expelled from Fairy Tail after Makarov discovered his attempt to steal the 'Fairy Heart'. Since then, he created the Dark Guild, Raven Tail, intending to oppose Fairy Tail.
"Crow~~! Why are you so beautiful? Is it because you are an unpopular fellow?"
Ivan, a tall, menacing man, cupped a crow in his hands. The crow turned into a piece of paper, and Ivan casually discarded it, his eyes turning to the shadows. "Gajeel... my little spy. What news do you have for me?"
Gajeel Redfox leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "I never heard that Laxus was a Dragon Slayer Mage."
"Puhahaha! That's a fake, a fake, you know!" Ivan cackled. "That kid was quite frail when he was young, and I felt sorry for him, so I implanted a Dragon Slayer Magic Crystal in his body."
"A magic crystal that can use Dragon Slayer Magic?!"
Gajeel was very surprised; he, a First-Generation Dragon Slayer, hadn't expected such a thing existed.
"It's rare, isn't it?" Ivan grinned, his greed apparent. "And now that the old man has kicked him out, he's vulnerable. That's great. I recently learned that that lacrima, a Dragon Slayer lacrima, can be sold for an unbelievably large sum of money."
Gajeel's eye twitched. "You... you want to take it out and sell it?! If you do that, Laxus…"
Gajeel couldn't believe it. 'Is this guy really Laxus's biological father?' But his expression remained unchanged, a mask of indifference.
"Puhahahaha! This power was originally too much for that child," Ivan said with false fatherly concern. "As a father, I will properly restore him to his original, weak state. What's important now is money, money! I need money to support the fight against Fairy Tail!"
"You continue to lie low there for a while. Listen carefully," Ivan looked at Gajeel, his eyes threatening, "even if your identity as a spy is exposed, you must never reveal my base here."
"I wouldn't be so embarrassing," Gajeel grunted, turning and walking out of the dark guild.
Fairy Tail Guild.
After the Fantasia Parade, the Guild held a grand banquet in their ruined-but-being-rebuilt hall. Everyone gathered together, eating, drinking, and having fun, the sounds of laughter mixing with the sounds of hammering.
Gajeel, however, sat in a dark corner, looking down, feeling envious in his heart. "Money?"
If it were his old self, the Gajeel of Phantom Lord, he might have scoffed. But now... now he truly didn't believe that the bonds of this Guild could be destroyed by mere money. He had seen it. He had seen them fight for each other.
"Gajeel, aren't you going to join the parade banquet?"
Makarov, holding a mug of ale, looked at Gajeel and asked.
"That kind of occasion isn't for me." Although he was envious and wanted to participate, he still felt somewhat out of place with those guys now.
"I see!"
Makarov didn't press further, sitting on a barrel nearby. "Sigh! These mischievous brats, they really cause trouble. Starting tomorrow, they'll all have to help with the repair work in the town, and also Kardia Cathedral. That brat Ren... either he doesn't cause trouble, or he causes big trouble. The bill for that cathedral... Fortunately, the Magic Council doesn't have time to deal with it, otherwise I'd be chewed out again."
At this moment, Gajeel, seeing that no one was looking, handed over a small, crumpled note. "Master Ivan's whereabouts. Your son's location. I found it."
Makarov's hand closed around it. He took it, glanced at it, and the note was instantly committed to his memory. "Well done. I'm sorry to make you do such dangerous work, my boy."
Gajeel warned, his voice low: "He seems to be planning to go after Laxus's magic crystal."
Makarov's expression turned to stone. "Don't worry," he said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "As long as I know that guy's whereabouts, I won't let him act recklessly. He will not harm my grandson."