Chapter 192: A Guild of One
Etherion.
It was a name that struck fear into the hearts of every mage in Ishgar. A satellite magic cannon, a technological marvel of the Magic Council, born from the synthesis of lost ancient wisdom and the strongest modern magical technology. It was the Council's ultimate trump card, a weapon capable of erasing a country from the map, used to deter the entire continent from chaos.
And yet, Ren alone—a single entity of flesh and blood—could achieve a destructive power that rivaled, or perhaps even exceeded, that mechanical god of death.
The realization sent a chill down the spines of the allied mages. It was a power that was simply too frightening to comprehend.
"Let's hurry over!"
Erza's voice broke the stunned silence. Her sharp eyes, usually so composed, held a flicker of genuine worry. She remembered the last time Ren had unleashed energy on this scale; he had collapsed into a coma, sleeping for three days and three nights straight to replenish his depleted reserves.
The group scrambled over the cracked earth and debris of the shattered landscape. Soon, everyone arrived at the epicenter of the explosion. The dust was still settling, swirling in the hot air. There, amidst a crater of glassed earth, Ren sat. He had returned to his human form, his white robes slightly singed, the terrifying aura of the Hollow completely retracted.
"Ren! Are you alright?" Erza reached him first, kneeling beside him, her armored hand hovering near his shoulder.
Ren looked up, his breathing heavy but steady. He offered a faint, tired smile. "I'm fine. It's just that my Magic Power consumption was a bit high."
He waved his hand dismissively, though the tremor in his fingers didn't escape Erza's notice. That final attack—a concentrated beam of annihilation—had consumed nearly half of his total reserves in a split second. It left his legs feeling like lead and his spiritual pressure dangerously low.
Indeed, no matter which world it is, the law of conservation of energy is absolute. The stronger the move, the higher the price. To wield the power of a god, one must pay a god-sized toll.
"Everyone! If you don't mind, you can come to my guild to rest. It's not far from here."
At this moment, a timid voice piped up. Wendy Marvell stood nearby, clutching her arm, looking at the battered group with large, concerned eyes.
Erza looked at the young Sky Dragon Slayer and nodded softly. "Hmm, since we're here, we should indeed say hello to your Guild Master. And... everyone really does need to rest."
She glanced around. The allied forces were in tatters. Natsu was covered in bruises, Gray was shirtless and shivering from magical exhaustion, and the members of Blue Pegasus looked less like princes and more like paupers. Bandages, medicine, and a safe roof were desperately needed.
Happy flew over, landing next to the white exceed. "Carla's guild? I want to see it too! Do you guys have fish?"
"Hmph!" Carla turned her head sharply, her nose in the air, ignoring the blue cat completely. "We have dignity, unlike some."
Jura Neekis, the Iron Rock saint, bowed his head respectfully. "No problem. Since it's nearby, we'll impose on your hospitality."
"Men!"
Suddenly, a figure sprang out from the rubble. Ichiya struck a pose, sparkling despite the dirt on his face. "Indeed! We must report our victory and my dazzling performance to the Master of Blue Pegasus later, but first, let us grace this young lady's guild with our presence! The parfum of hospitality calls to me!"
Ren rolled his eyes but allowed Erza to help him up. "Let's go."
Everyone agreed and began the trek. Originally, this alliance had been fraught with tension and rivalry. But after fighting side-by-side against the Oración Seis, stopping the ancient superweapon Nirvana, and surviving the chaos, the barriers between the guilds had dissolved. They walked not as strangers, but as comrades in arms.
As Wendy had said, the location was close. They left the devastation of the wasteland and entered a dense, misty forest. After a fifteen-minute walk, the trees cleared, revealing a hidden valley.
"Welcome to Cait Shelter!" Wendy announced happily.
It wasn't a fortress or a grand hall like Fairy Tail or Blue Pegasus. Instead, it was a beautiful, tribal-style settlement. Colorful tents and pavilions made of patterned cloth were scattered across the grassy plain. The atmosphere was serene, a stark contrast to the violence they had just left behind.
Members of the guild—wearing tribal attire with distinct patterns—rushed out to greet them.
"Wendy! Carla! You're back!"
"And you brought guests!"
The injured mages were immediately ushered into the central plaza, where soft rugs and cushions were laid out. The members of Cait Shelter moved with efficient kindness, bandaging wounds and offering water.
After everyone had been treated, a hush fell over the crowd. An elderly man with a unique tribal helm and a long white beard walked to the center of the gathering. It was the Guild Master of Cait Shelter, Roubaul.
He looked at the battered but victorious group with a gaze that seemed to hold the weight of centuries.
"Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale... and Wendy and Carla. You have finally defeated the Oración Seis and stopped Nirvana. On behalf of the Local Guild Alliance, and on behalf of this world, I, Roubaul, thank you. Thank you, very much."
Hearing Master Roubaul's sincere gratitude, everyone felt a swell of pride. The pain of their wounds seemed to lessen, replaced by the warm glow of achievement.
"You're welcome!! Master Roubaul!!"
Ichiya stepped forward, throwing his hands up passionately. "The fierce battle with the Oración Seis was a tough one! A symphony of danger! But the beautiful bonds of our comrades led us to victory! My handsome sparkles shone brightly!"
"As expected of Master!!"
Behind him, the Trimens of Blue Pegasus—Hibiki, Eve, and Ren Akatsuki—echoed him in unison, striking identical poses.
Ren Akatsuki, the tanned mage of the Trimens, flipped his hair. "Master Ichiya's parfum was the guiding light!"
Lucy, sitting nearby with her leg bandaged, deadpanned. "What did those guys actually do? I didn't see them on Nirvana earlier!"
"It seems they were defeated by the Oración Seis early on, and Wendy saved them," Gray muttered, putting his shirt back on—or trying to, before realizing he had lost it again.
Lyon Vastia walked up to Jura, his head hung low. "I'm sorry! Mr. Jura, I've disgraced Lamia Scale."
He had originally planned to deal with Midnight, the sleeper of the Oración Seis. He had been so confident. But he hadn't expected Midnight's Reflector magic to be so absolute. He and Gray had thrown everything they had at the dark mage, but they couldn't land a single scratch. Instead, he had been defeated with humiliating ease.
Jura placed a large, comforting hand on Lyon's shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Lyon. The opponent's strength was indeed too great. Even I fell victim to their leader initially. The most important thing is that everyone is safe and sound now. You fought bravely."
Sherry smiled, leaning against a wooden post. "It's finally over. Love has triumphed."
"Next, it should be the celebration feast!!" Natsu shouted, jumping up despite his injuries, fire leaking from his mouth. "I'm starving! Where's the meat?!"
"Aye!" Happy flew circles around him.
Upon hearing of the celebration feast, the Blue Pegasus members also happily started dancing. Ichiya began doing a strange wiggle.
"Alright, everyone from Cait Shelter, join us too! Let the parfum of celebration spread!" Ichiya shouted to the hosts.
"..."
But there was no cheer. No answering shout.
What met them was dead silence.
The smiling members of Cait Shelter stood still, their expressions unreadable. The festive atmosphere instantly evaporated, replaced by an eerie, unnatural heavy air.
"Eh?" Natsu stopped dancing.
After a long pause, Master Roubaul spoke again, his voice grave. "Everyone, please listen carefully to what I am about to say. The person who created 'Nirvana'... was this old man."
"What?!"
The collective gasp sucked the air out of the plaza. Everyone was stunned, their eyes widening in shock. The creator of that superweapon was the kindly old master standing before them?
"Four hundred years ago," Roubaul began, looking up at the sky, "to stop the war that was spreading across the world, I created the good-evil reversal magic, Nirvana. Nirvana, as a symbol of peace for our country, ushered in an era of tranquility."
He paused, leaning heavily on his staff.
"However, powerful strength inevitably produces an opposing force. Nirvana became entangled by the 'darkness' that was changed from darkness to light. Because balance must be achieved. The universe demands equilibrium. Human personalities cannot be infinitely changed to the side of light without consequence. Darkness produces light, and light must also give birth to darkness."
Ren listened silently. He knew this lore, but hearing it from the source gave it a tragic reality that the anime couldn't convey.
"The darkness that people lost entangled my people, the Nirvit tribe," Roubaul continued, his voice trembling with ancient grief. "That was Hell. My people... those who had become too full of light... they were consumed by the backlash. We killed each other. Friends slew friends. Parents slew children. We eventually perished in a sea of blood."
"Only this old man survived. No... to say so now is a bit incorrect." Roubaul looked down at his hands. "This old man's physical body perished in the distant past; now I exist as something akin to a thought-form. A ghost clinging to a purpose."
"To atone for this sin, and to wait for someone who could destroy Nirvana on behalf of the powerless spirits... for 400 years... I have guarded it. Alone. Now, thanks to you, my mission is finally complete."
"..."
The silence was deafening. Even Natsu didn't know what to say. 400 years of solitude. 400 years of penance.
"Mission... complete?" Wendy whispered, a bad feeling rising in her chest.
Whoosh! Whoosh!!
At that moment, the fabric of reality began to fray.
Particles of light drifted upward from the members of Cait Shelter standing around the plaza.
"Ah!" Wendy cried out in panic as she saw a man nearby beginning to fade. "Magna! Bebel!! This is... Everyone... No! Don't disappear!"
A soft, white light also began to glow around Roubaul's body. He smiled, a look of infinite relief on his face. "I'm sorry, Wendy, for keeping it from you all this time. This guild... it does not exist. All the guild members are illusions created by this old man's magic."
"What did you say?!" Natsu shouted, looking around frantically as the tents and banners began to dissolve into mist. "These people... were all fake?"
"Illusions with distinct personalities? Independent thoughts?" Jura, the strongest in terms of conventional magic theory, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration and horror. "To sustain such a complex spell for seven years... What astonishing magic power!!"
"To guard Nirvana, this old man lived alone in this abandoned village," Roubaul explained softly. "Seven years ago, a young boy named Jellal brought you to where I lived. He begged this old man to take care of Wendy for a while, and I agreed. But Wendy... you said you wanted a guild. You were so lonely. So, I created illusions of companions for you."
"No!" Wendy covered her ears, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to hear this! Don't let Busk and Naoki disappear!"
She reached out to grab the boy she had played with, but her hand passed through him like smoke.
"Wendy, Carla," Roubaul's voice was fading now, echoing as if from a great distance. "You don't need illusory companions anymore. Look around you. Don't you have true companions now? Your future has just begun."
With those final words, Master Roubaul shattered into light.
Whoosh.
The wind blew through the valley.
The colorful tents, the bustling plaza, the kind guild members—they were all gone.
In their place stood only dilapidated ruins, ancient stone pillars covered in moss, and overgrown weeds. The once crowded plaza instantly became an empty, desolate clearing.
"Master—!"
Wendy rushed forward to the empty space where Roubaul had stood, grasping at the air.
"Everyone, thank you very much," Roubaul's voice lingered on the wind one last time. "I entrust Wendy and Carla to you."
"Master—!"
Wendy cried out loudly, falling to her knees in the dirt. Her sob tore through the silence of the forest.
"..."
Everyone fell silent. A once lively guild had suddenly become a graveyard of memories. The contrast was heartbreaking. Anyone in such a situation would find it unbearable—to find out their entire life for the past seven years was a beautiful lie. Let alone Wendy, who was just a child.
Ren watched the small girl trembling on the ground. He stepped forward, his boots crunching softly on the dead leaves.
He came to Wendy's side and gently placed his palm on her small head.
"Ren-niisan..." Wendy looked up, her face a mess of tears. "Master... Everyone... Waahhh!"
She buried her face in her hands and wailed.
"If you're sad, cry as much as you want," Ren said softly, his voice devoid of his usual sharpness. "But just as Master Roubaul said, your future has just begun. You aren't alone anymore."
He crouched down to be at eye level with her.
"Join Fairy Tail," Ren said, offering her a hand. "There, you will meet many more new companions. Real ones. Ones who will never disappear."
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