"Hey everyone! Laxus and I are back! Miss us at all?"
Kael strode through the guild doors with Laxus beside him, grinning from ear to ear. His voice rang through the hall, full of energy.
But the room didn't react the way he expected. The guild hall was just as noisy as ever—people chatting, laughing, working—but no one even looked their way.
Before Kael could speak again, Cana came running straight at him. She jumped into his arms with a bright smile.
"Welcome back, darling," she said, looking up at him with warmth in her eyes.
Kael smiled softly and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Yeah… I'm home."
"Ugh," Laxus muttered, turning away immediately. He couldn't tell if it was envy or disgust twisting in his chest. Either way, he stomped toward the second floor, muttering, "I don't need to see this crap," before disappearing upstairs.
Whoosh!
A scroll suddenly came flying from behind the bar—straight toward Kael's face. He caught it midair, brow raised, and turned it over in his hand. The wax seal glimmered with the insignia of the Magic Council (ERA).
"The Magic Council? A Saint Ten nomination?" Kael murmured in confusion as Makarov approached him with a knowing grin.
"That's right," the old master said cheerfully. "The official notice just came in. We'd better get moving."
Without another word, Makarov walked toward the door, hands behind his back like he was going to the morning market instead of an official Council assessment.
"What are you standing there for? Come on," he added over his shoulder. "Oh, and Laxus—you're in charge of the guild while we're gone! Erza and Mirajane are both out on missions."
"Yeah, yeah, got it, old man!" Laxus shouted from upstairs.
"You should hurry," Cana said, giving Kael a playful shove. "The Master doesn't like to wait."
Kael grinned, jogged after Makarov, and turned back to wave at Cana before they left. A golden glow flickered beneath his feet as he used Light Magic to lift Makarov gently into the air, saving him the trouble of walking.
Grand Magic Games Arena — The Domus Flau
When Kael and Makarov arrived, they realized the Council had gathered at the Grand Magic Games Stadium to conduct the Saint Ten evaluations.
And Kael wasn't the only candidate.
Several other mages, all of whom had achieved notable accomplishments across the continent, were also up for consideration.
The earlier tests were already underway, so Kael and Makarov were simply arriving in time for Kael's own turn.
They soared high above the clouds toward the colossal domed arena, the wind whistling in their ears.
"Master, are Natsu and the others out on missions too?" Kael asked casually.
Makarov nodded. "They are. Once they heard you were nominated for the Saint Ten, they got fired up—said they'd surpass you one day. Good kids."
Kael smiled faintly. "I just hope they remember what I told them. Take it easy on the environment while doing missions."
"Hah! That's asking a lot from Fairy Tail members," Makarov chuckled. "But I reminded them before they left. Maybe they'll rein it in a bit this time."
"Good," Kael replied with relief.
"Oh, by the way," Makarov added, "Gildarts should be back soon. Word is, he just completed that ten-year mission. We'll have to throw a real celebration this time."
Kael froze midair.
Gildarts… coming back from the ten-year quest?
That meant the timeline was close—the point where Gildarts would soon accept the Hundred Year Quest, encounter the Black Dragon Acnologia, and lose his arm.
Kael clenched his jaw. No… I can't let that happen. I have to stop him in time.
Determined, Kael's flight speed surged suddenly, catching Makarov off guard.
"Whoa—what's gotten into you, lad?"
Kael laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha, nothing! Just… hungry."
He couldn't exactly explain how he knew the future. That secret was too heavy to share, even with Makarov.
Moments later, Kael's senses sharpened. His Observation Haki flared to life, feeling out the flow of magic in the distance.
"Got it," he said quietly. "I can sense it—a lot of powerful magic gathered in one place."
A radiant golden magic circle unfolded before them, and in the blink of an eye, both vanished into its light.
They reappeared within the vast arena, golden energy still crackling in the air.
"Well, looks like we made it just in time," Kael said casually. "Master, you head to the spectator seats. This won't take long."
Down in the arena, the last examinee had just been struck by Jose Porla's "Dark Stream." The candidate was sent flying, only to be caught midair by Kael's light magic and gently placed near Makarov.
"Disgusting aura," Kael muttered, glaring at Jose. "Let's end this quickly."
Golden light flared around him, pure and blinding.
The Council members in the viewing box murmured among themselves, impressed.
"Such potent magic power…"
"Indeed. A fine candidate."
Jose, however, sneered darkly.
"You brat… You're just as irritating as Makarov."
Darkness erupted from his body, flooding the arena. The ground beneath his feet cracked open, black energy coiling around him like smoke.
Kael didn't even flinch.
"Scary," he said mockingly. "Really terrifying. But tell me—ever been kicked by light before?"
His teasing voice sounded behind Jose before the man could even turn. Kael's glowing right foot slammed into his chest with explosive force.
BOOM!
Jose shot across the arena like a broken kite, smashing through the stone wall and disappearing in a cloud of dust and debris.
But Kael wasn't done.
He raised his right hand, summoning a storm of floating light blades that shimmered in the air behind him.
"Let's wrap this up."
With a flick of his wrist, the blades shot forward, streaking across the sky like a rain of holy arrows. Each one struck with pinpoint accuracy, detonating across the rubble where Jose had fallen.
The earth trembled violently under the onslaught.
In the stands, the Council members scrambled to cast defensive barriers as the shockwaves rippled outward.
"This boy… he's incredible," one of them muttered.
"You're lucky, Makarov," said another, watching in awe.
Makarov crossed his arms, grinning with fatherly pride. "Heh. And if you knew I've forbidden him from using his Sunlight Magic—you'd all be even more jealous."
Back on the field, Kael called out lazily, "You still alive, old man? Or are you gonna hide in that rubble all day? I'm on a schedule, you know."
He could sense that Jose was only lightly injured—impressive durability, befitting a former Saint Wizard.
Though that same attack took down an entire ruin last time, Kael thought.
With a sudden crack, the rubble exploded outward.
Jose rose from the debris, his body wreathed in black energy. His magic surged violently, twisting the very air around him. Clouds spiraled overhead, drawn into a massive vortex.
"Impressive show of power," Kael said dryly. "But you're not the only one who can change the weather."
He unleashed his own aura—golden light erupting upward like a miniature sun.
Dark and light magic clashed in the sky, dividing it cleanly in two. The collision of their auras created a violent storm that sucked the clouds downward in a rare and awe-inspiring sight—a Dragon's Maw vortex.
"Unbelievable…" whispered one Councilor. "At his age… to wield such terrifying power…"
No one could look away.
Kael stood tall amid the roaring winds, his golden magic pressing down on the darkness.
And as the light swallowed the shadows, it became clear—
the young mage of Fairy Tail was no ordinary wizard.