t the highest floating continent in Heaven stood a massive estate overlooking countless universes.
Golden rivers flowed through endless gardens.
Trees shimmered beneath celestial sunlight.
Crystal bridges connected floating islands.
The entire place was breathtaking.
Today, however, it wasn't empty.
Today was special.
Today was a reunion.
Chaos Tenno stood near the entrance.
A small smile rested on his face.
Rowena stood beside him.
Rowena Graves:
"You seem excited."
Chaos Tenno:
"I am."
Rowena looked surprised.
Chaos Tenno almost never admitted things like that.
Chaos Tenno shrugged.
Chaos Tenno:
"What?"
Rowena:
"Nothing."
She smiled.
Rowena Graves:
"It's nice seeing you look forward to something."
Chaos Tenno chuckled.
Before he could answer—
A portal opened.
BOOM.
A dragon made of blue cosmic flames shot through the portal.
Riding atop it was Finn Zhao.
Finn Zhao:
"CHAOS!"
Chaos Tenno immediately sighed.
Chaos Tenno:
"He's still loud."
Finn landed dramatically.
The dragon vanished behind him.
Finn grinned.
Finn Zhao:
"You missed me."
Chaos Tenno:
"Unfortunately."
Finn laughed loudly and pulled him into a hug.
Chaos Tenno:
"I immediately regret inviting you."
Finn Zhao:
"Love you too."
More portals began appearing.
One after another.
Soon the rest of their friends arrived.
First came Isolde Viktoria Von Aethelgard.
The elegant noblewoman stepped through a silver portal.
As graceful as ever.
Isolde smiled warmly.
Isolde:
"It has been far too long."
Rowena hugged her immediately.
The two quickly started talking.
Gray The Magpie appeared next.
Nobody actually saw him arrive.
One moment he wasn't there.
The next he was somehow sitting in a chair drinking tea.
Gray:
"I've been here for twenty minutes."
Chaos Tenno:
"You literally haven't."
Gray:
"Prove it."
Chaos Tenno:
"…I hate when you do that."
Leon Felix arrived carrying enough luggage for a six-month vacation.
Leon:
"I wasn't sure how long we'd be staying."
Finn stared.
Chaos Tenno stared.
Everyone stared.
Leon had brought seven suitcases.
Eiridis Luvie arrived shortly after.
The moment she appeared she ran straight toward everyone.
Eiridis:
"EVERYONE!"
She practically tackled Rowena and Isolde into a group hug.
Chaos Tenno laughed.
Seeing Eiridis happy always improved the atmosphere.
Hydra Nova emerged from a portal of swirling galaxies.
The cosmic warrior looked around calmly.
Hydra Nova:
"Nobody is trying to kill us today."
Chaos Tenno:
"Correct."
Hydra Nova:
"This feels strange."
Everyone agreed.
Zarvoth Dark'Noctis arrived next.
His dark cloak flowed dramatically behind him.
A thunderstorm appeared.
Lightning flashed.
Dark energy surged.
He landed heroically.
Then immediately tripped over a garden decoration.
CRASH.
Silence.
Everyone stared.
Zarvoth:
"…That never happened."
Finn Zhao was already laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.
Lunar arrived shortly afterward.
Unlike most of the others, she entered peacefully.
The moonlight around her seemed to brighten the entire area.
Lunar smiled.
Lunar:
"It's good to see everyone again."
The group welcomed her warmly.
Then came Vorthax.
The giant reality-anchor stepped through a portal.
The ground trembled slightly.
Vorthax looked around.
Vorthax:
"We survived."
Chaos Tenno smiled.
Chaos Tenno:
"Yeah."
Vorthax nodded.
Vorthax:
"Good."
That was probably the most emotional thing anyone had ever heard him say.
Then came Maximum.
Nobody knew where he came from.
Nobody knew how he arrived.
One second the group was standing peacefully.
The next—
Maximum was upside down hanging from a tree.
Maximum:
"HELLO."
Everyone jumped.
Rowena nearly punched him.
Maximum:
"GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO."
Finally—
A final portal opened.
Paxton and Natsu stepped through together.
Paxton adjusted his glasses.
Natsu stretched lazily.
Natsu:
"So this is what retirement feels like."
Paxton:
"We're not retired."
Natsu:
"We absolutely are."
Chaos Tenno laughed.
Natsu wasn't entirely wrong.
Soon everyone gathered around a massive outdoor table.
Food from countless worlds covered its surface.
Every culture.
Every civilization.
Every favorite meal.
Nobody had to worry about danger.
Nobody had to stay alert.
Nobody had to prepare for battle.
For the first time—
They could simply enjoy themselves.
The afternoon passed quickly.
Stories filled the air.
Laughter echoed through the gardens.
Old memories resurfaced.
Finn repeatedly exaggerated events.
Paxton repeatedly corrected him.
Gray repeatedly made things worse.
Finn Zhao:
"And then I defeated three thousand cosmic monsters by myself."
Paxton:
"It was twelve."
Finn:
"Three thousand sounds cooler."
Paxton:
"It was twelve."
Finn:
"Maybe thirteen."
Paxton:
"It was twelve."
Gray:
"It was actually eleven."
Paxton:
"Thank you."
Gray:
"One of them was a mailbox."
Paxton:
"…"
Chaos Tenno nearly spit out his drink laughing.
Later everyone wandered through the estate.
Some explored the gardens.
Others visited the lakes.
A few simply relaxed.
The peaceful atmosphere felt surreal.
After centuries of fighting together—
They were finally spending time together as friends.
Not warriors.
Not heroes.
Friends.
As evening approached, everyone gathered near a massive cliff overlooking creation itself.
Countless stars stretched across the sky.
Galaxies shimmered in the distance.
Entire universes sparkled like jewels beneath the night.
The view was breathtaking.
Nobody spoke at first.
The moment felt too important.
Eventually Eiridis broke the silence.
Eiridis:
"Can you believe it?"
Lunar smiled.
Lunar:
"What?"
Eiridis looked around at everyone.
Eiridis:
"We actually made it."
The group fell quiet.
Because it was true.
So many times they thought they would fail.
So many times they thought the end had come.
And yet—
Here they were.
Together.
Alive.
Happy.
Chaos Tenno looked at all of them.
Finn.
Rowena.
Isolde.
Gray.
Leon.
Eiridis.
Hydra.
Zarvoth.
Lunar.
Vorthax.
Maximum.
Paxton.
Natsu.
His friends.
His family.
Returns.
Chaos Tenno:
(Smiles)
"Guys…"
To Be Continued.