After another search confirmed there were no other discoveries, the three prepared to return.
Before leaving the cave, Hope looked back at what was once the Demon Slayers' headquarters.
The murals on the stone walls appeared particularly desolate in the dim light, depicting heroic scenes of humans battling demons, yet now this place had become a demon's lair.
The Demon Slayers had vanished, but demons still existed.
However, history always repeats itself; no matter how far forward it goes, someone will always take up the Demon Slayers' aspirations and do the same.
Walking out of the cave, Hope looked up at the Sky that was barely visible above the canyon. This commission not only resolved the demon threat but also unexpectedly clarified Kinana's origins. Hope and Mirajane also respectively gained the 'Light Demon Slayer Magic' inheritance and the 'soul of lucifer'.
It was truly a fruitful endeavor.
As for Cana, she received her reward. The bounty for this mission was 20 million J. Divided among them, each person would get 6.66 million, with the remaining 20,000 left for a celebratory meal.
After calculating, Cana's eyes lit up when she realized she had stumbled upon so much money on this trip. "Finally, I can buy alcohol! When I get back to the guild, I'm going to drink my fill!"
Mirajane shook her head helplessly, "Can't you think of anything else besides drinking?"
"Of course I can."
Cana grinned as she wrapped an arm around Mirajane's shoulder and playfully lifted her chin. "Drinking, of course, needs snacks, and maybe a hostess to keep me company, little beauty~ You just wait to serve me when we get back~"
"Ow—!
"Pain, pain, pain, pain!"
Watching Cana being subdued by Mirajane's reverse hold, Hope sighed. Ask Mirajane to serve drinks? Not even Natsu was that brave. When did this drunkard become so suicidal... The three chatted and laughed as they left the Crobat Great Canyon.
Behind them, the chilling aura of demons was gone, and sunlight completely illuminated this dangerous place known as "Spider Nest Valley."
Taking a magic train to the nearest town, Hope went to the Council's local outpost. After explaining the situation to the person in charge, Hope released the snake swarm brought from the Crobat Great Canyon from a card and used the Ruby Staff to restore them to human form.
Since this item could unleash the Snake Transformation Curse, it could naturally also undo it.
However, just like Kinana's situation, these victims of the Snake Transformation Curse lost all Memory of being turned into snakes after reverting to humans. Moreover, because they had been snakes for so long, some people now had full heads of white hair, and whether they could even contact their families was still unknown.
How to settle the victims was the Council's concern.
The person in charge reported the situation, and Hope soon received a payment notification from the Council; the 20 million J reward was paid in full.
This efficiency showed that the New Council was much faster than the original Council.
As for the harmful Ruby Staff, after lifting the Snake Transformation Curse, Hope completely destroyed it using Crush magic right in front of the Council outpost's person in charge.
After all that, and enjoying a delicious meal at a local specialty restaurant, the three finally bought their return train tickets.
On the way back, Cana kept fiddling with her new cards, occasionally summoning Cyber Dragon or Blue-Eyes White Dragon to practice control. It was fortunate that there was no one else on the train besides them, otherwise, the flashing phantoms of two giant dragons outside the carriage would have probably scared people.
Hope looked at her excited expression and asked with a smile, "How is it? Are you satisfied with this gift?"
"Satisfied! Extremely satisfied!"
Cana nodded vigorously, "But Hope, when can you make me a few new cards?"
"You're insatiably greedy."
Hope raised an eyebrow. "These cards are enough for you for a long time, and making them is very energy-consuming, you know?"
"I'll just give you another kiss as payment then~"
"No thanks. Aren't you afraid Mirajane will kill me? She's got her magic back now, unlike last time when she could only watch Erza draw her sword."
"That's true, Mirajane's level of violence is no less than Erza's..."
Listening to the two bickering and eventually dragging her into it, dark aura slowly rose around Mira. "This is such a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, why do you two bastards have to be such killjoys? Go die!"
After a commotion of playful fighting, Hope was unharmed, and Cana also survived by scurrying around with her head in her hands. Only the unlucky train carriage received a special renovation... Truly Fairy Tail; they never miss an opportunity to cause destruction.
A day later, the three returned to Magnolia.
The guild hall was still lively, with some members who had been out on jobs gradually returning, restoring the guild to its usual hustle and bustle.
"We're back!"
Cana swaggered to the bar as soon as she entered, slapping down a thick money pouch. "Mission complete! Reward in hand! Mirajane, quickly, bring me some wine!"
Makarov, at the bar, put down his glass and said with a smile, "I received a thank-you letter from the Council early this morning. You all did well."
Hope quickly summarized the mission details for Makarov, then asked, "Where's Kinana?"
"She's organizing things in the warehouse." Makarov pointed to the passage to the basement floor; the warehouse's location hadn't changed.
Comforting girls is easier for other girls, so Hope didn't go.
When Mirajane and Cana found Kinana, she was meticulously counting the guild's inventory.
This girl, who had once lost her Memory and lived as a snake for ten years, had now fully integrated into the Fairy Tail family.
"Kinana, there's something we want to talk to you about," Mirajane said softly.
Kinana turned her head, a warm smile on her face. "Mirajane, Cana, you're back. Was the mission smooth?"
"Very smooth."
Mirajane and Cana exchanged glances, then hesitated before deciding to tell her the truth they had found. "In Crobat Great Canyon... we encountered something related to you."
After listening to Cana's account, Kinana was silent for a long time.
She looked up, tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips. "Thank you. Although it's sad to know why I turned into a snake, at least... I know who my parents were, and I know they loved me very much, even sacrificing their lives to keep me out of danger."
Cana patted her shoulder. "If you want to cry, my shoulder is here for you."
Kinana shook her head, wiping away the tears from her eyes. "I've cried enough. Now I just want to live well, for my parents too."
She looked at her noisy companions in the hall.
Here, she had found a new family.
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