— — — — — —
[Congratulations, you have achieved the accomplishment: President of the Fairy Tail Guild.]
[Reward: Yin–Yang Release (Shadow and Light Style)]
Kazuma absorbed the information flooding his mind, but his expression didn't change in the slightest. He looked out over the guild members gathered before him.
Standing at his side was Makarov, his face full of quiet satisfaction. In that moment, Kazuma felt a faint sense of nostalgia. Time really did fly.
Once, he had been nothing more than an ordinary person who couldn't even use magic. Now, he had become the guild master of Fairy Tail.
"There's only one thing I want to say," Kazuma began. "Once you've chosen your path, don't regret it. Walk it through to the end. And umm... Fairy Tail isn't just a guild. We are a family."
The guild erupted into cheers.
"Also," Kazuma continued, "I hereby announce that Laxus is officially returning as a member of Fairy Tail!"
"W-What? That's not possible! Right?"
The smile Laxus had been wearing for Kazuma froze instantly, replaced by shock and confusion.
"Of course it's possible," Kazuma said calmly. "I'm the guild master now. If I say you're back, then you're back."
He looked straight at Laxus. "What, Laxus? You don't want to return?"
Kazuma knew that even if Laxus were chased away again, he would come back sooner or later. This place was his home. No matter how many years he wandered outside, he would eventually return.
"…No. I want to."
Laxus glanced at his grandfather. He wanted to rejoin Fairy Tail more than anything right now, but he also knew he had done wrong before. Was it really okay to come back just like this?
"Don't look at me," Makarov said with a grin. "I'm retired now. I don't run things anymore. Go listen to the current guild master. Whatever he says goes."
The moment he said that, Makarov felt lighter than he had in years. Finally. Finally it was his turn to slack off. This felt amazing. If he'd known it would be this good, he would've retired earlier.
Laxus looked at Kazuma. Kazuma looked back at him. Neither of them said anything else. They didn't need to.
"Laxus doesn't have to leave anymore! That's awesome! Everyone, let's celebrate!"
Natsu climbed straight onto the bar, waving a bottle of champagne and shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Ohoho! Since Natsu's paying, everyone drink as much as you want!"
Cana vaulted over the bar without hesitation, grabbed the most expensive bottle, and started drinking straight from it.
"Thanks, Natsu!"
"Much appreciated!"
"Cheers!"
The rest of the guild finally snapped out of it and rushed forward for drinks. Passing up free booze was just plain stupid.
"Drink up, everyone! I've got this!"
Natsu shouted confidently, completely unaware that he had just been sold out and was happily counting the money for everyone else.
"Natsu, here's the bill. Don't forget to pay me later."
Mira handed him the receipt with a sweet smile.
"No problem, no problem… wait—what bill?"
Natsu finally looked down. One glance was all it took. His feet slipped, and he toppled straight off the bar.
"What?! One hundred thousand?! Mira, that's robbery! I don't have that kind of money!"
He scrambled back to his feet in a panic. All his savings had gone toward compensation for past damages. He barely had anything left. There was no way he could cough up a hundred thousand right now.
"It's fine," Mira said cheerfully. "Happy has prize money, right? "
"N-Natsu, you're not going to touch my secret stash, right?!" Happy clutched his prize money like a cat-shaped piggy bank. He'd worked hard for that cash. He was saving it for the day he might have a girlfriend and could buy her fish.
"Happy, I'll pay you back later!"
Natsu lunged at him, and the guild descended into chaos.
While the noise exploded upstairs, Kazuma followed Makarov to another place entirely.
Makarov led him deep beneath the guild, to a hidden chamber underground. This was where Fairy Tail's eternal magic was stored, known as Fairy Heart.
Inside a massive crystal lay the body of the First Guild Master. She wasn't dead. The curse of immortality prevented her from ever truly dying.
"Fairy Tail has Three Great Magics," Makarov said solemnly. "The first is Fairy Law, which you've already mastered."
"The second is Fairy Glitter. The third is Fairy Sphere. These are the spells that support Fairy Tail's very existence."
"And above all of them is Fairy Heart. The Fairy Heart that holds infinite magic."
Makarov's expression was grave as he gazed at the crystal. What filled his eyes wasn't pride in a weapon or tool, but reverence and respect for the First Guild Master within.
To him, this wasn't a weapon. It was the foundation of Fairy Tail's survival.
"Oh. And then?" Kazuma replied casually.
He looked at Fairy Heart, at the First Master's body, then glanced around. He didn't see her spirit anywhere. Mavis's soul was probably still hanging around Tenrou Island at the moment.
"…That's it? Eternal magic. Infinite power. You're not excited? Not shocked?!"
Makarov practically jumped in place, flustered by Kazuma's calm reaction. This was huge, and the kid wasn't reacting at all.
"I said 'oh,' didn't I? That means I get it," Kazuma replied. "It's just… not that shocking."
It really wasn't. His own energy already regenerated one-tenth of its total every second.
In other words, he effectively had infinite magic too. Once he leveled it up further, it would be truly limitless energy.
"You little brat, show at least a bit of respect for the First Master!"
Makarov didn't know how to argue back. Was it amazing? To him, absolutely. Did Kazuma have to be amazed? Apparently not.
"I am being respectful," Kazuma said seriously.
He truly was. Otherwise, he would've already smashed the magic crystal with one punch and started studying the First Master's body to see if he could crack the secret of immortality.
"You… you… sigh. I don't even know why I bother arguing anymore."
Makarov pointed at him, his finger trembling for a long while before he finally let out a long sigh. Maybe he'd just been annoyed too many times already. At this point, he was used to it.
"This is Fairy Tail's greatest secret, and its most critical safeguard. You must protect it carefully."
"Do not let anyone else learn about this. Never let outsiders come here. And above all, never use this power lightly."
Makarov's tone was deadly serious.
"Got it," Kazuma replied. "I don't need to use this power anyway. My own strength is more than enough."
To be honest, even Kazuma wasn't sure how strong he really was anymore. At a rough guess, maybe around the level of August or Irene.
The Ten Wizard Saints were nothing to him now. He could wipe them out without a second thought. At this point, only dragons might still qualify as worthy opponents.
.
.
.