Chapter Summaries

Chiba returned to Fairy Tail in Magnolia and reunited with Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna after months away. He introduced Feiyin to the guild, and the guild quickly erupted into its usual brawl while Erza sat quietly, still blaming herself for the trouble she had caused the master.

• Erza returned to Fairy Tail with Chiba and asked Wakaba whether the master was back from a Magic Council meeting.
• Elfman and Lisanna hugged Chiba and cried, while Mira denied that she had secretly cried for him.
• Chiba told Mira and Elfman about his past six months and introduced Feiyin, who claimed she lived inside his body.
• Mira offered Feiyin a home with her and Lisanna, but Feiyin retreated into Chiba’s body after he glared at her.
• Mira confronted Chiba about keeping Feiyin inside him, then Wakaba and Macao’s teasing sparked a guild-wide fight.
• Erza remained seated in a corner, blaming herself for the trouble she had caused the master.

Makarov welcomed Chiba to Fairy Tail, where the guild learned he was a ninja who used Chakra and watched him demonstrate his Shadow Clone Technique. Laxus arrived and challenged Chiba, and the chapter ended with their fists colliding amid lava and lightning.

• Makarov arrived, met Chiba, and asked Mira and Erza about the incident in Deli Town.
• Mira admitted she had started the trouble and presented Chiba as a powerful new source of combat strength.
• Chiba explained that he used Chakra and Ninjutsu, and Makarov connected him to the Land of Shinobi.
• Natsu asked Chiba to demonstrate a ninja technique, so Chiba created several Shadow Clones for the guild members.
• Laxus mocked Chiba and attacked him, and Chiba met his lightning-charged punch with a lava-coated arm.

After Makarov stopped the fight, Chiba joined Fairy Tail and decided to live outside town rather than in the guild dormitory. Natsu invited him to share the walk to his cabin, leaving Chiba to set out with his new guildmate.

• Makarov's magical pressure stopped Laxus and Chiba's fight, and Laxus introduced himself before leaving with two job requests.
• Natsu grew angry about Laxus's insults, while Erza tried to calm him and Gray provoked him until the guild grew noisy again.
• Mira gave Chiba the guild mark and reminded him that he had left over a million with her after Frog in the Pond stole his money.
• Chiba decided against the guild dormitory and planned to build a house outside town, despite Mira's apparent wish for him to stay.
• Natsu caught up with Chiba, introduced himself, and invited him to walk together to the cabin where he lived outside town.

Chiba built a house in the woods, then entered the Ninjutsu Chamber to learn Demon Flash, an A-Class technique modified from Rasengan. After more than two months of practice, he could form the rotating chakra needle but still could not make it expand inside a target and destroy it from within.

• Natsu challenged Chiba to a fight and took him to his cabin in the woods.
• Chiba used Wood Release to build a two-story house, and Natsu asked to learn Ninjutsu before deciding to stay at the guild instead.
• Chiba worried that Laxus and other Fairy Tail mages were stronger than him, so he entered the Ninjutsu Chamber to find a stronger technique.
• Chiba chose Feiyin's Demon Flash, which combined Rasengan's destructive force with Chidori's penetrating power.
• After more than two months of practice, Chiba formed Demon Flash and shattered a boulder but could not yet destroy a target from within.

Chiba went to the guild to take his first mission because he had run out of money, and Mira agreed to accompany him on a cargo-escort job. They arrived in Feinard City and headed for the Sharu mansion to meet the client.

• Chiba visited the guild and found only two jobs on the mission board, choosing a cargo-escort mission with a 2,800,000J reward.
• Mira asked how Chiba had spent the two million she had given him, and Chiba admitted he had used it on clothes, food, and outings with Feiyin and Natsu.
• Mira agreed to join Chiba, despite Lisanna reminding her that she was meant to help prepare for New Year's.
• Chiba registered the mission with Makarov, and Mira dragged him out of the guild after he tried to leave without her.
• Chiba and Mira took a train to Feinard City, then walked toward the Sharu mansion to meet the client.

Mira and Chiba met wealthy client Labi and fellow escort mages Ailong, Lixi, and Koi before setting out to guard Labi’s important shipment. When Mira and Chiba could not ride their assigned horses, Chiba used his Sharingan Genjutsu to control one, and the convoy began its journey south.

• Mira and Chiba arrived at Labi’s mansion, where Chiba introduced them to Labi and the Wind guild mages Ailong, Lixi, and Koi.
• Mira challenged Koi after he complained about their arrival, while Ailong stopped him and smoothed over the tension.
• Labi explained that the mages had to escort his goods to Shadow Mountain behind Shanwu Town, where bandits and monsters might attack.
• Labi ordered the convoy to prepare, and a line of carriages and horses eventually emerged from the estate.
• Mira admitted that she could not ride, and Chiba used his Sharingan Genjutsu to control a horse so they could mount it.
• Labi led the convoy south with the five mages positioned around the carriages.

Chiba and Mira shared a warm evening in a wooden house, where Mira confessed how desperately she had searched for him and questioned him about Ultear. Their conversation was interrupted when Ailong warned that a dangerous group of monsters was approaching, and Chiba decided they should destroy them rather than draw them away.

• Chiba built a wooden house with Wood Release and warmed flatbread for Mira with Lava Release.
• Mira cried as she told Chiba she had searched for him after believing he was dead, then pressed him for details about Ultear.
• Chiba explained Ultear’s connection to Grimoire Heart and Arc of Time, and Mira revealed that she had lost Winter Water but ordered a replacement.
• Ailong arrived and warned Chiba and Mira that a group of murderous monsters was approaching the caravan.
• Ailong proposed drawing away more than thirty B-Class monsters and two A-Class monsters, but Chiba insisted on wiping them out and formed the Shadow Clone Technique hand seal.

Chiba and Mira joined Ailong’s group in attacking the monsters, but Mira transformed into Satan Soul and flew ahead with Chiba. Chiba and Mira began fighting the powerful pack, while the two strongest monsters charged Mira.

• Chiba summoned ten Shadow Clones to guard the caravan, and Ailong led Koi and Lixi toward the monsters.
• Mira transformed into Satan Soul, carried Chiba through the air, and flew past Ailong’s group.
• Mira dropped Chiba above the monsters, and he used a Great Fireball as cover before landing in Lava Armor and striking several creatures.
• Mira attacked the monsters with dark magic, drawing their attention away from Chiba.
• A giant chimpanzee and a lion, the strongest monsters in the pack, charged at Mira.

Chiba and Mira defeated a horde of demons, including two A-Class demons, and returned to their cabin, where Chiba made a hot spring for Mira and Feiyin. He then reviewed Feiyin’s research on his Ninjutsu training, which showed his current learning ranks and progress on Demon Flash and Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu.

• Mira fought the demon gorilla and demon lion while Chiba used Lava Release to trap the surrounding demons, then Mira finished them with Satan Soul: Yokugeki.
• Ailong and the others arrived and were stunned by the defeated demons, and the group confirmed the battlefield was clear before returning to camp.
• Chiba used his abilities to build a heated bath for Mira, and Feiyin emerged from him to join her.
• Chiba studied Feiyin’s data, which listed his available Ninjutsu ranks and showed his Demon Flash completion at 75% and Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu completion at 46%.

Chiba and Mira suspected someone had sent monsters to test their escort group, then the party entered the dangerous Wenlubu Mountain Range and encountered Kamuer, who recognized Chiba as the legendary “Lava Monster.”

• Chiba practiced Water Dragon Bullet hand seals in the bath and produced a dragon-shaped stream of water.
• Mira warned Chiba that the previous night's monsters might have been deliberately sent to test them, and Chiba alerted Ailong and the others.
• The group traveled into the Wenlubu Mountain Range, where Mira sensed a strange aura and the others grew wary.
• Kamuer appeared on the mountain road and mocked Labi for trying to leave the Flames of Life and Death.
• Labi ordered Kamuer killed, and Chiba and Ailong attacked him with Lava Release: Lava Armor and Rain of Wind Arrows.
• Kamuer ignored Ailong's attack and recognized Chiba as the legendary “Lava Monster.”

Chiba and his allies fought Kamuer, whose fire-body magic made him nearly immune to physical and magical attacks. After Mira identified his weakness to water or ice, Chiba used a water technique to drive Kamuer away, leaving the group without a decisive victory.

• Ailong's attack failed to stop Kamuer, who struck Ailong and challenged Chiba over Rina's death.
• Chiba fought Kamuer but was outmatched, and Kamuer's body let Lixi's lightning arrow pass through him.
• Mira blocked Kamuer's attack and explained that his fire magic could be countered with water or ice.
• Chiba used Water Bullet Jutsu against Kamuer, who dodged it and realized Mira could exploit the water attack to injure him.
• Kamuer threatened Labi and fled into the mountains.

Labi revealed that he had once led the business guild that became Flames of Life and Death, then explained how Shadow Skull forced him into its service after he survived a deadly ordeal. He told Chiba and the others that the special wine shipment was intended for the mysterious Water King, while warning them that powerful interests would prevent them from exposing Shadow Skull.

• Labi admitted that he had once been the guild master of Flames of Life and Death, when it was still a commercial guild.
• Labi recounted how Shadow Skull stranded his guild companions on a monster-infested island, where he killed and ate them to survive before agreeing to work for the dark guild.
• Labi explained that Shadow Skull made him sell special red wine to wealthy buyers and assigned Kamuer to his rebuilt guild.
• Chiba asked about the wine shipment, and Labi said it was a separate batch intended for Lord Water King, whose identity was unknown.
• Labi said Flames of Life and Death became a dark guild after Shadow Skull suffered losses against Grimoire Heart, and that he lost his position because he could not use magic.
• Labi warned that reporting Shadow Skull to the kingdom or Magic Council would change nothing because powerful people and interests would block the information.

After learning that the Shadow Skull would hunt them for escorting Labi’s cargo, Chiba, Mira, and Ailong’s group continued toward their destination while preparing for a fight. Chiba confirmed they were being watched and sent Shadow Clones to alert Makarov, leaving the group tense as their journey continued.

• Chiba pointed out that Kamuer and the Shadow Skull would target the escorts, and Ailong said he would abandon the job, but Labi warned that Kamuer could track them down.
• Koi attacked Labi for putting them in danger, but Ailong stopped him; Chiba and Mira chose to face the Shadow Skull and proposed slowing their journey.
• That night, Mira questioned Labi’s motives, and Chiba said they should judge him by his actions while they discussed the danger from the Shadow Skull.
• Chiba sent a Shadow Clone out at night, and by dawn he learned masked men had killed it, confirming that the group was being watched.
• Chiba sent more than a dozen Shadow Clones toward the guild to get word to Makarov, while Ailong’s group handled bandits and monsters along the road.

Ailong told Chiba how deeply he feared Shadow Skull and asked him to protect Lixi and Koi if the mission turned deadly. Chiba promised not to abandon his team, while the chapter ended with Fairy Tail preparing for the end of the year and Natsu asking where Chiba was.

• Ailong visited Chiba and asked whether his abilities were magic, and Chiba explained that he used Ninjutsu.
• Ailong said he doubted Labi’s warning but feared Shadow Skull because a Throne had once crushed his guild, Spirit Realm of Wind.
• Ailong asked Chiba to protect Lixi and Koi, and Chiba said he would not abandon the team and hoped Ailong would stand by them too.
• Mira told Chiba that everyone had something they feared, and Chiba checked his progress on Water Release techniques.
• At Fairy Tail, Natsu complained that he could not find Chiba, and Lisanna told him Chiba had gone on a mission with Mira.

Chiba and Mira escorted Labi’s cargo to Shanwu Town, where Yaro revealed the job had been arranged to lure Chiba into a fight with Kamuer. Chiba trapped Kamuer with water techniques and Shadow Clones, but Kamuer unleashed a surge of dark purple flames and began breaking through the water.

• Makarov recognized Labi’s request and hurried to Shanwu Town.
• The caravan reached the mountain path, where Yaro and the Flames of Life and Death were waiting; Labi admitted that he wanted to leave the group, but Yaro refused to release him.
• Yaro revealed that the job had been designed for Chiba, and Kamuer attacked him with flames while an armored young man kept Mira from joining the fight.
• Chiba used water techniques and Shadow Clones to surround Kamuer with water walls, repeatedly attacking him and exhausting much of his magic power.
• Kamuer’s dark purple flames intensified, evaporating the water walls as he roared, “Shadow Burst!!!!”

Chiba defeated Kamuer, but Yaro revealed that the job had been repeatedly posted to lure Chiba into capture and research. The revelation that Erza had completed the same job earlier left Chiba wondering how much the Shadow Skull had planned around him.

• Chiba used Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu to extinguish Kamuer's flames and knock him unconscious.
• Yaro deflected Chiba's Kunai, while Chiba relied on Chakra leaking from Feiyin's Seven Star Seal to recover.
• Mira joined Chiba, and Yaro said Chiba and Mira had impressed him with their strength.
• Yaro revealed that the people above him wanted to capture Chiba and study the power they believed had helped him defeat Rina and Shadow Skull elites.
• Chiba asked whether the job had been designed to draw him out, and Yaro admitted they would keep posting it until Chiba accepted.
• Yaro said Erza had taken and completed the job before Chiba, leaving Chiba unsettled by the Shadow Skull's apparent foresight.

Yaro revealed that Chiba and his companions had been lured into a trap, then hypnotized and ordered taken to Shadow Skull’s base. Meanwhile, Makarov warned Shadow Skull’s leaders that he would act if his children were harmed and reminded them that Chiba was Hodrian’s disciple.

• Yaro admitted that the job, the monster horde, and Labi’s warnings had all been part of a plan to capture Chiba and his companions.
• Yaro used Genjutsu to put Ailong, Mira, and the others to sleep; Feiyin persuaded Chiba to let himself be hypnotized so they could learn about the Water King, the red wine, and Alili’s transformation.
• Yaro ordered the group taken to the base, the wizards prepared for injection with Demon Factor, the ordinary people killed, and the goods delivered to the Water King.
• Makarov confronted seven black-robed figures and warned them that he would unleash his power if Chiba or the others were harmed.
• Makarov revealed that Chiba was Hodrian’s disciple, and the seven realized they risked provoking the famed wizard who had once destroyed a dark guild in revenge for his disciple.

Chiba escaped his cell in Yamanaka Prison and caused a riot while searching for Mira. He reached the laboratory through a concealed passage, where he froze at what he saw.

• Chiba melted his shackles, bent apart his cell bars, and escaped after Feiyin told him Mira had been taken to a laboratory.
• Chiba ambushed and killed two guards with Rasengan as he made his way down through the prison.
• When the prisoners exposed Chiba’s escape by shouting for help, he used Shadow Clones to free them and prisoners on the level above.
• Chiba used the prisoners’ riot to slip past patrolmen on the fourth level and break through a concealed wall leading toward the laboratory.
• Chiba entered the enormous laboratory and froze.

Chiba, Mira, Ailong, Lixi, and Koi followed a secret passage to a hidden laboratory, where Mira rescued a girl trapped in a blood-filled apparatus. A young man in a lab coat confronted them after they freed the girl, whom he called the “core.”

• Chiba reunited with Mira, Ailong, Lixi, and Koi after escaping and learned that Mira had been preparing to rescue him.
• The group chose a hidden passage over the route through the chaotic laboratory and followed its long spiral staircase downward.
• Chiba blasted through a wall and discovered a chamber containing a blood pool and a girl suspended in an apparatus.
• Mira used her Satan Soul Form to reach the girl, removed her tubes, and carried her apparatus out of the pool.
• Mira broke the apparatus, and Lixi caught the unconscious girl as Ailong offered his coat to cover her.
• A young man in a lab coat appeared and accused the group of releasing the “core.”

Chiba and his companions discovered that the girl’s blood was being sold as red wine, rescued her, and fled as their pursuers closed in. Chiba stayed behind to flood and barricade the passage, then hurried after the others.

• Chiba interrogated the white-coated man, who revealed that the girl was the “core” used to make red wine.
• Chiba realized that the red wine was the girl’s blood and told the others that she had been exploited for it.
• The girl woke and thanked Lixi, while Mira noticed her unusually rapid recovery and suspected she had a special identity.
• As footsteps approached, Ailong forced the man, who gave his name as Hualun, to lead them toward the exit.
• Lixi carried the girl as Mira and the others fled, while Chiba used Water Release to flood the pursuers’ passage and raised several Wood Locking Walls to block them.
• Chiba caught up through the short exit passage and prepared to continue escaping.