Macao Bursts into Tears!

Silence.

A deathly silence.

When that lazy yet undeniably authoritative voice came from the doorway, time seemed to stand still in the entire dilapidated tavern.

Macao's body froze completely; he slowly turned his head in disbelief.

The pipe in Wakaba's mouth fell to the ground with a "thud".

Meanwhile, the hyenas of the "Twilight Ogre" looked towards the entrance with displeasure.

A black-haired young man stood at the entrance, followed by a large group of people.

They were travel-worn and had different expressions, but each of them carried an aura that was extremely familiar to Macao and the others.

That's the scent of Fairy Tail!

Just as everyone was stunned speechless by this sudden turn of events, a lively, loud voice broke the silence.

"Hey! Jiang Bai, is this really our guild? Why is it so small and dilapidated?!"

A boy with cherry-blossom-colored hair curiously looked around the small, dilapidated tavern, his tone filled with undisguised disdain.

That sound...

This voice, so naive yet so deeply nostalgic...

Wakaba shuddered, his lips trembling, and he unconsciously murmured something.

"Naz...?"

"Huh? Who's that?"

Before Tebo could figure out what was going on, he impatiently spat towards the door.

"I don't care who you are, who was that idiot who dared to interrupt me?!"

However, all he received in response was a pitying gaze.

"He's finished!" Marcus looked at the still-shouting "Twilight Ogre" and said in a low voice, as if he were looking at a dead man.

"No!" Macao stared intently at the leading figure at the door, his voice trembling with extreme excitement as he corrected him, enunciating each word clearly.

"The entire Twilight Ogre is doomed!"

Jiang Bai didn't even glance at Tebo and his group of clowns, as if they were just a nuisance.

He led Erza, Gray, Lucy, and the others into the tavern, past the group of "Twilight Ogre" members who were still standing there in a daze, and came to Macao.

His familiar, lazy smile reappeared on his face.

"Long time no see, Uncle Macao."

His gaze swept over Wakaba, over Laki, over Droy, and over every old member of the guild who was still present.

"And... everyone."

The word "everyone" was like a key, instantly unlocking the floodgates of "grievance" that had been locked in the hearts of Macao and the others for seven years.

"Waaaaah... Waaaaah--!"

This middle-aged man, who had gritted his teeth and persevered through countless debt collectors and provocations over the past seven years, now burst into tears like a child in front of everyone.

"You... you bunch of bastards... you're finally back!"

He grabbed Jiang Bai's clothes, tears streaming down his face.

"I... I really... I really can't hold on much longer!!"

Macao's cries were like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly igniting everyone's emotions.

Even this tough guy, Wakaba, had tears welling up in his eyes. He silently turned away, not wanting anyone to see him cry.

Laki and Bisca were already sobbing uncontrollably.

Even Droy, who had just been arrogant and stubbornly insisted that Levy wouldn't come back, was now crying like a 300-pound child as she looked at that petite figure in the crowd.

Looking at the dilapidated guild before him, and at the old members who were crying their eyes out but had never given up, Makarov understood immediately the extent of their efforts over the past seven years.

You should know that the main force of Fairy Tail went to Tenrou Island back then!

He walked up to Macao and patted him heavily on the shoulder, his aged voice filled with satisfaction and pride.

"Macao, well done."

"President..." Macao cried even harder.

"Hey! What are you guys up to?!"

Tebo, witnessing this touching reunion, felt nothing but annoyance and frustration.

What he hated most was the sticky, gooey "family game" of Fairy Tail.

"How dare you ignore me? I think you really don't want to live!"

He roared and was about to rush forward to attack.

Jiang Bai then seemed to have just noticed the group of people, turned his head, glanced at him, and then looked at Macao, who was crying sadly, and asked lazily.

"So, who are these flies?"

As Macao sobbed, he recounted at top speed how, over the past seven years, the Twilight Ogre had used despicable means to inflict Fairy Tail with enormous high-interest loans.

He briefly recounted how they had been harassing Jiang Bai for the past two years, and how now they were eyeing the properties under Jiang Bai's name.

After listening, Jiang Bai's smile remained unchanged.

But there was a chilling coldness in that smile.

"It seems that during my absence these past few years, the Kingdom of Fiore... has forgotten some things it shouldn't have forgotten."

"You little rascal, take it easy!"

Makarov spoke up from the side, but his tone wasn't one of dissuasion.

"Don't go too far, we're going to be living here from now on."

The old man's meaning was clear: it's fine to get rid of these bastards, but don't go too far and demolish the entire town of Magnolia, that would be bad.

"Want to fight? Count me in! I'm fired up!" Natsu clenched his fist excitedly, eager to try.

Jiang Bai didn't even turn his head, directly pouring cold water on the situation.

"With your current skill level, you should just stand aside and watch the show, and train for another two years!"

After saying that, he didn't even bother to raise his hand, only glancing indifferently at Tebo and his group.

An invisible, irresistible, and terrifying force descended in an instant!

"Huh?! Eh?!"

Tebo and his men, who were about to charge forward, suddenly found themselves completely unable to move!

They were like people bound tightly to the spot by invisible ropes, unable to move an inch no matter how much they struggled!

"This is..."

"My body... why..."

Looking at the group of hyenas who were gripped by panic and confusion, Jiang Bai slowly turned his head and revealed a devilish smile to Macao, Wakaba, and all the old members who had suffered injustices over the past seven years.

"Alright."

"The time to vent our anger has come."

"Everyone, charge!"

"Beat them to death!"

Jiang Bai had barely finished speaking.

"Oh--!"

Macao was the first to let out a beastly Roar, his tear-streaked face instantly replaced by extreme rage!

Like a mad bull, he charged forward and delivered a powerful right hook that slammed into Tebo's hideous pompadour!

"Bang!"

"Ah!!"

Next came Wakaba, then Droy, then Sarukusuke...

Even Laki, a girl, charged forward without flinching, launching the most primal and direct "physical revenge" against the "Twilight Ogre" members who were pinned to the spot and completely unable to resist.

Punching and kicking!

Elbow strike and knee strike!

For a moment, the only sounds in the guild were the muffled thuds of fists hitting flesh and the painful, incredulous screams of the "Twilight Ogre".

They were completely different from how they had been just moments before, cowering and unable to lift their heads after being criticized!

All the grievances, anger, and resentment that had accumulated over the past seven years were finally released in this moment!

"Damn it! You bunch of trash... how dare you hit me?!"

Tebo's face was swollen like a pig's head, and he was spitting out blood and foam as he Roar madly.

"And another thing! Why! Why can't I move! You bastard, what have you done to us?!"

No one answered him.

The only response he received was Macao's iron fist, raining down with the fury of seven years!