The Fiore Kingdom!
A peaceful, permanently neutral nation boasting a population of seventeen million, nestled within the Ishgar Continent. It was a realm governed by magic. Here, sorcery was an integral part of everyday life; magic shops selling spells and artifacts could be found on every corner, and for many, magic was their sole livelihood.
Those capable of wielding such power were known as "wizards." The vast majority of these individuals chose to band together and form "guilds"—specialized organizations where mages accepted requests from ordinary citizens, completing them to earn their keep. As a result, countless guilds were scattered across the country, ranging from tiny, obscure factions to massive, sprawling alliances. And Fairy Tail was undoubtedly one of the most renowned among them!
…
After three days at sea and another day of travel by land, Makarov's group finally arrived at the heart and home of Fairy Tail—the bustling, prosperous city of Magnolia!
As they strolled through the lively streets, Night half-listened to the ambient hum of the city and the incessant, boastful chatter of the old man. Makarov was tirelessly singing the praises of his guild, exaggerating its greatness to the point of sheer absurdity. Night could only roll his eyes in exasperation. To hear Makarov tell it, Fairy Tail was the undisputed number one guild in the entire kingdom! Was the old man truly oblivious to the absolute circus he was running? Sure, in a few years, Fairy Tail would genuinely possess the might required to claim the title of the nation's strongest guild. But that time was certainly not now! At present, the establishment resembled nothing more than a chaotic daycare for troubled youths.
Finally, as the quartet reached the center of the city, the most imposing building in the entire district loomed before them.
"See that?! That's Fairy Tail! Impressive, isn't it?!" Makarov exclaimed, puffing his chest out with pride.
Standing beside him, Gildarts chuckled and chimed in, "The Master might have been exaggerating the whole way here, but our guild really is something special!"
Laxus remained silent. Despite his sour demeanor, he harbored a deep, underlying affection for Fairy Tail; his love for the guild had simply warped into a rather twisted and distorted form.
It was worth noting that, as a Dragon Slayer, Laxus possessed a physique far more resilient than that of an ordinary mage. Despite the severe injuries he had sustained, he had managed to heal almost completely over the course of a single night. Such monstrous regenerative abilities were truly staggering.
Over the past few days of travel, the dynamic between Laxus and Night had thawed considerably compared to their initial encounter. To Night's mild surprise, interacting with Laxus wasn't nearly as difficult as the original story had made it out to be. However, he quickly deduced the reason: their peaceful coexistence was built entirely on Laxus's begrudging respect for Night's overwhelming strength. Had it been Natsu or Gray in his shoes, Laxus wouldn't have even given them the time of day!
Fairy Tail... The guild that Mavis built?
Standing before the entrance, Night stared intently at the structure. Images that had slightly faded over his twelve years in this world began to resurface in his mind. The building he had once only seen through a screen was now towering right in front of him, real and tangible. The very heart of the entire story—Fairy Tail!
"Let's go in!" Makarov announced, striding forward and pushing the massive double doors open with an air of grand importance. The four of them stepped inside.
"Oh, Master! You're back!" called out Macao Conbolt, one of the guild's seasoned veterans.
His words immediately drew the attention of everyone else in the room. In an instant, the hall erupted into a joyful, chaotic uproar of excited shouts.
"Gramps is back!!!"
"Did Laxus make it? Is he an S-Class Mage now?!"
"Awesome, I'm all fired up! Hey, Laxus, fight me!!"
The previously quiet guildhall instantly exploded into a cacophony of noise. Night's gaze swept over the crowd, picking out faces that were achingly familiar to him. Of course, right now, they were all just a bunch of rowdy, snot-nosed kids; it would be quite some time before they fully matured into the legends they were destined to become.
Natsu Dragneel. Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. He had that signature spiky, cherry-blossom pink hair, sharp eyes, and the iconic white, scaled scarf wrapped snugly around his neck—a parting gift from his adoptive father, the Fire Dragon King, Igneel. He perfectly embodied the classic archetype of the straightforward, simple-minded, and utterly reckless hero who ran on pure instinct and adrenaline.
Gray Fullbuster. Ice-Make Magic. A handsome kid with an incredibly bizarre penchant for stripping at a moment's notice. He had short, pitch-black hair, sharp features, and a silver necklace with a cross-like stone resting against his chest.
Cana Alberona. Card Magic. A young girl with an unfathomable tolerance and craving for alcohol. Rumor had it that thirty percent of Fairy Tail's entire annual liquor supply ended up directly in her stomach. Her primary reason for joining the guild had been to find her biological father—none other than the immensely powerful and notoriously flirtatious Gildarts Clive! In the original timeline, she was the one Mavis would eventually entrust with the legendary spell, Fairy Glitter.
And finally, how could anyone forget their very own Fairy Queen! Erza Scarlet. Requip: The Knight. The girl who would one day be hailed far and wide as Titania. She would grow to be strong, breathtakingly beautiful, and recognizable by her flowing scarlet hair. But right now, she was just a small, deeply insecure girl, desperately yearning for a sense of safety and hiding her fragile heart from the world behind cold, steel armor.
As for the rest of the older members, there was little point in listing them off—for the most part, they were merely background characters in the grand scheme of things.
"What an annoying bunch of brats," Laxus scowled. Watching the chaotic circus unfold before him filled him with intense irritation, instantly killing any desire he had to stick around. "I'm out of here," he muttered to Night. Without so much as a passing glance at Makarov, he turned on his heel and arrogantly marched back out the door.
Makarov could only let out a heavy, defeated sigh, while Night simply shrugged—he was already getting used to the blonde's temperamental antics. As for Night himself, the reigning chaos of the guildhall didn't bother him in the slightest.
Thanks to the immense power he had acquired, his perception of the world had shifted drastically compared to his previous life, granting him a rather philosophical outlook on most things. Yet, deep down, he was still just a regular guy. He lacked the forced edginess, feigned coldness, and arrogant melodrama so typical of the protagonists in cheap isekai novels. He had a naturally easygoing and laid-back personality. And, naturally, like any red-blooded young man, he had a distinct weakness for beautiful girls—especially when those girls happened to be the perfect, idealized 2D waifus from his past life's fantasies, heh-heh...
As for Fairy Tail itself, whether it was due to the lingering nostalgia of his past life or his deep bond with Mavis, he couldn't find a single reason to harbor any ill will toward the guild. Since Mavis had built this place with her own two hands, he would protect it. He would guard it just as fiercely as he had sworn to protect Mavis herself!
And at that exact moment, a loud, feral yell echoed through the hall, accompanied by a blazing fist flying through the air:
"Laxus, don't you dare run away! I'm gonna beat you! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"