Magic Council – Fiore Division
A ripple of golden light spread across the long marble corridor as Kael and the frog-like messenger materialized within the Council's Fiore branch.
Waiting ahead, leaning casually against a pillar, was a blue-haired young man with a faint, knowing smile.
The frog messenger immediately froze, then threw himself flat on the floor when he realized who it was—Jellal Fernandes, a member of the Magic Council and one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
Kael regarded him coolly. "First time meeting you in person, Jellal."
"Oh?" Jellal's smirk deepened. "Somehow, I doubt that. After all…" He trailed off, eyes glinting mischievously.
Kael crossed his arms, amusement flickering in his expression. "You're not here waiting for me, are you? You're waiting for Erza, aren't you?"
Jellal chuckled softly, mistaking Kael's tone as simple jealousy. "Well, Erza and I were close friends once. You must have heard about that from her."
He had no idea how much Kael truly knew—far more than Jellal could imagine.
"I did put in a good word for Fairy Tail during the council meeting, you know," Jellal said lightly, trying to ease the tension. "You could show a little gratitude instead of glaring at me like that."
Kael gave him a polite but empty smile. "How generous of you."
Though Jellal's later actions would redeem him somewhat, Kael knew well that mistakes—especially grave ones—couldn't simply be washed away by excuses.
"Let me give you a warning," Kael said quietly. "Those old men in there—they're terrified of losing their positions. They'll find a scapegoat to protect themselves. Don't think they won't."
Jellal gave a nonchalant shrug. "I'll be inside, waiting for you then." His body shimmered and vanished in a swirl of blue light.
At the threshold, his voice lingered in the air. "Erza… I hope you haven't told Kael anything you shouldn't have."
Then he was gone.
The Council Chamber – Tribunal Hall
"Kael?!" one of the councilors exclaimed, staring down from the high dais in shock. "Why are you here?"
Kael stood below, gaze sharp and voice cutting. "Because some of you have grown far too comfortable doing only surface work. The real issues—the ones that matter—you've been conveniently ignoring."
The words landed like thunder. The hall fell silent.
Several councilors shifted uneasily, while others—those with nothing to lose—watched the scene with faint amusement.
"Enough!" a portly councilor barked, slamming his hands against the table. "Watch your tone, Kael! Don't think that just because you're one of the Ten Wizard Saints, you can speak to us however you please. That title was granted to you by this Council!"
Kael's eyes narrowed.
A surge of power burst forth from him, shaking the entire hall. The air thickened instantly, a crushing wave of magic pressure filling every corner. Papers flew, stone cracked, and even the reinforced glass began to hum with tension.
Several attendants fell to their knees, gasping for breath under the weight of it.
"You want to know," Kael said coldly, taking a step forward, "how I earned that title?"
The defiant councilor trembled, sweat pouring down his face. His legs gave out and he dropped back into his chair, desperately raising a magical barrier that cracked almost instantly under Kael's aura.
"Enough, Kael!" the Chairman shouted, slamming his gavel down.
Kael exhaled slowly, withdrawing his power as he stepped back. The sudden release of pressure left the room gasping.
"Now then," Kael said evenly, "I have three proposals."
He raised a hand and began counting them off.
"First—punish the councilors responsible for the lax supervision that led to this incident.
Second—compensate the citizens affected by the chaos.
Third—increase efforts to hunt down and dismantle all remaining dark guilds."
He glanced up. "Any objections?"
The chamber was silent. Councilors exchanged uncertain glances, but none dared to speak first.
After a long moment, Jellal smiled faintly. "Actually, I think those are fair and reasonable. The Council should take responsibility where it's due."
Yamaji nodded gravely. "I agree. It's long overdue."
One by one, others followed suit. "Agreed." "Yes." "No objections."
Whether it was genuine agreement or fear of Kael's power, no one could tell.
The Chairman sighed, resigned. "Then it's settled. Those found guilty of negligence will be judged separately. As for the damage caused here today… Kael, you'll be responsible for repairs."
Kael inclined his head. "No problem, Chairman."
"This must not happen again," the Chairman warned, pounding the gavel one last time. "Court adjourned."
Meanwhile, back at Fairy Tail…
The duel between Natsu and Erza was reaching its climax.
Every strike Natsu launched was deflected. From the outside, it looked evenly matched, but the guild members could tell—Natsu was losing steam fast. His breathing had gone ragged.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
Roaring, Natsu slammed his foot into the ground and propelled himself upward in a spinning blaze of fire.
Erza braced herself, crossing both arms. The collision sent sparks scattering, but as Natsu's momentum faded, Erza countered with a single, devastating punch to his stomach—slamming him into the ground.
"Wow, she's so strong!" Lucy gasped, awe filling her voice.
"Of course," someone said proudly. "That's Erza Scarlet—one of Fairy Tail's six S-Class mages!"
"The winner—Erza!"
Cheers erupted.
"Haha! Natsu lost again!"
"Let's head back to the guild!"
As the crowd dispersed, laughter and chatter filled the air.
"Come on, Natsu," Happy said, tugging on his arm. "Let's go, buddy."
"Yeah… yeah…" Natsu groaned weakly as Happy helped him to his feet and slowly flew back toward the guild.
Kael was already waiting at the bar when the others returned, a calm smile on his face. He'd come back right as the battle ended.
The guild was alive with noise—members recapping the fight, laughing, shouting, and teasing.
Lucy, Cana, Levy, and Erza huddled together, whispering in a corner about things that were definitely not for male ears. Cana had even shoved Kael aside to make sure he couldn't listen in.
So Kael ended up sharing drinks with Master Makarov at the counter instead.
"All settled?" the old man asked, setting his mug down.
Kael nodded. "All settled. No surprises."
Makarov chuckled softly. "Good. I can rest easy, then… though I am getting a bit sleepy."
Before Kael could reply, Makarov yawned loudly—and suddenly slumped forward, fast asleep.
Lisanna was next, her head dipping as she nodded off—only to be caught mid-fall by Elfman, who yawned right after and promptly fell asleep himself.
Confusion rippled through the guild. One by one, people started collapsing into slumber.
Cana and Erza managed to resist for a few moments longer, eyes heavy with drowsiness. Just before they lost consciousness, both saw a hazy silhouette at the doorway.
Kael reacted instantly, catching Cana gently as she fell. He looked up to see a figure in a dark cloak—the ever-mysterious Mistgun.
"It's been a while," Kael said quietly.
Mistgun's voice was calm but distant. "The Master accepted this request."
Kael sighed. "Still as cold as ever, huh, Mistgun? You do realize there's someone else here from your world, don't you?" He nodded toward Lisanna, still sleeping peacefully in Elfman's arms.
Mistgun's gaze softened behind his mask. "I see. That's… reassuring. It won't be long now."
He turned to leave.
"Five… four… three… two… one…" Kael murmured.
The moment Mistgun stepped out of the guild, the sleep magic lifted.
Makarov stirred first, blinking in confusion. "Huh… did I just fall asleep?"
The rest of the guild began waking as if nothing had happened, laughter slowly returning to the hall.
Kael smiled faintly, glancing at the door where Mistgun had vanished.
"Welcome home," he whispered.