Gestures and Schemes

As the last note faded, a deafening roar of cheers nearly lifted the night sky above Magnolia.

The float slowly came to a stop in the center of the town square. Under a dazzling array of magical lights, Makarov, standing at the very front, wore a satisfied and happy smile.

He slowly raised his right hand, extending his thumb and forefinger, with his forefinger pointing firmly to the sky.

This pose might seem strange to outsiders, but it holds extraordinary significance for every member of Fairy Tail.

That was a secret code among family members, meaning "No matter where you are, I will be watching over you and protecting you."

Almost at the same moment Makarov made the gesture, all the members of Fairy Tail, both on and below the floats, spontaneously adopted the same pose as if they had received the most sacred command.

Natsu grinned like a fool, Erza's eyes softened, Gray and Juvia exchanged a knowing smile, Mirajane, Elfman, Cana, Levy...

On everyone's faces was the unspoken understanding and warmth that only family members share.

Laxus, standing at the very back of the stage, was completely stunned by what he saw.

This gesture was something he invented when he was a child, to tell his grandfather, who was always busy with guild affairs, "I will always be watching over you."

He thought that as he grew up and became rebellious, he would have long forgotten this gesture.

But he never expected that his grandfather not only remembered it all along, but also... turned it into the legacy of the entire guild.

An indescribable warm current instantly surged through his body, dispelling the last trace of gloom in his heart.

It turns out I was never abandoned.

It turns out that he always had a place in this family.

Laxus smiled, a genuine smile, and slowly raised his hand, making the same familiar yet unfamiliar gesture.

"Jiang Bai,"

He turned his head, looked at the man beside him who had just finished dancing and was still excited, and his voice was filled with unprecedented sincerity.

"Thank you so much this time..."

Jiang Bai glanced at him and pursed his lips.

"You're welcome. Just try to cause less trouble for the guild in the future and contribute more."

"Hmph! You don't need to tell me that!" Laxus turned her head away haughtily, but her tone was incredibly firm.

"From now on, I will not let any of those who dare to bully Fairy Tail get away with it!"

At that moment, he made up his mind to dedicate his life to protecting the guild he had once hurt but also loved deeply, and every member of the guild.

Even at the cost of my own life.

Meanwhile, during the height of the Fairy Tail civil war, in a remote and impoverished place far from Magnolia.

This is the headquarters of the dark guild "Raven Tail".

Deep within the dark, damp cave, an old man with a mustache and a sinister face held a jet-black raven in his hands, muttering to himself in a neurotic tone, almost morbidly.

"Oh, my lovely crow~ Why are you so beautiful~"

"Ah~ I see, so it's because you, like us, are beings despised by the world~"

As soon as he finished speaking, the crow in his hand suddenly let out a mournful cry, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into a pale piece of paper, which floated to the ground.

This man was none other than Ivan Dreyar, Makarov's biological son, Laxus's biological father, and who had been expelled from Fairy Tail in his early years due to his dangerous ideas.

He raised his head, looked at a tall figure in the shadows not far away, and revealed a strange smile.

"Beautiful things are always fleeting, aren't they, Gajeel?"

Gajeel emerged from the shadows. Ignoring Ivan's words, he coldly asked, "I've never heard of Laxus being Dragon Slayer."

"Pfft, hahaha~" Ivan let out a piercing laugh.

"That's a fake, a fake."

"A fake?" Gajeel frowned.

"That's right," Ivan's eyes gleamed with greed and smugness.

"That kid inherited the old man's powerful magic, and his body couldn't handle it from a young age. I felt sorry for him, so I implanted a Magic Crystal into him."

Gajeel was startled. "You mean... Magic Crystal that can use Dragon Slayer Magic?"

"That's right! It's very rare, isn't it!" Ivan boasted.

"I thought that after he was expelled from the guild, he would obediently come to me, but I didn't expect that a little brat named Jiang Bai would ruin the plan."

"Give me a chance, and I'll teach him a lesson."

Gajeel stared at the self-absorbed man before him, inwardly scoffing. "You can't even beat me, where do you get the confidence to teach that monster Jiang Bai a lesson? What a mediocre guy!"

Ivan was completely unaware that Gajeel was internally ranting about him. He continued, "But it's alright, we can just find an opportunity to catch him when Laxus goes out on a mission."

"I happen to know that the Magic Crystal inside his body is incredibly valuable."

Gajeel's pupils constricted sharply. "You mean... you want to remove that Magic Crystal from Laxus's body? But if you do that, Laxus...?"

"Pfft, hahaha~" Ivan let out that nauseating laugh again.

"It's alright! Father is short on money right now, which is exactly the time when his son needs to step up and support him!"

"I need money! Lots of money! Going to war with Fairy Tail is going to cost a fortune!"

He stood up, walked over to Gajeel, and patted him on the shoulder.

"You continue to infiltrate Fairy Tail and keep a close watch. Remember, even if your identity as a spy is exposed, you absolutely cannot reveal this place, understand?"

Gajeel lowered his head and replied in a deep voice, "Don't worry, we won't be exposed."

[Gajeel's inner monologue: Because I, this spy, was sent here by the guild master from the very beginning, you idiot!]

The scene returns to Magnolia.

After the grand parade concluded successfully, a grand celebration banquet officially began in the Fairy Tail guild hall.

This time, everyone tacitly shared the same goal—to get the reformed Laxus, along with his three equally deserving "Thunder God Tribe," completely drunk!

"Cana! That green-haired woman is yours to handle!"

"No problem! I'll drink her under the table today!"

The barrel queen Cana, readily accepted the task of getting Evergreen drunk. Carrying an entire barrel, she boldly went to find her.

The remaining guild members formed a massive army of toasts, launching a fierce offensive against Laxus, Freed, and Bickslow.

"Laxus! I raise a glass to you! To celebrate your redemption!"

"Freed! Come on! Cheers! And don't write any more of those weird spells!"

"Bickslow! And you! Apologize for your ugly dolls! Drink!"

For a moment, the entire guild was filled with shouts of urging people to drink and the crisp sound of glasses clinking, making it even more lively than during the previous civil war.