Erza Joins Fairy Tail

"I... have no home."

The Tower of Heaven was destroyed, and the village from before was long gone.

Now, she was truly homeless.

Lu Chongwei looked at her lonely, helpless appearance, and the scene of when he first met Gildarts suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Back then, he had been just as lost, not knowing where his future lay.

It was that older man who had reached out a hand to him, giving him a home called "Fairy Tail."

Lu Chongwei took a deep breath.

He looked at Erza earnestly, his eyes firm and warm.

"Since you have no home, then come with me."

Lu Chongwei reached out his hand, extending the invitation that would change her destiny.

"Join the Fairy Tail guild."

"Fairy Tail?"

Hearing those two words, Erza suddenly lifted her head.

Her emotions instantly surged, and her single eye shimmered with an expression of disbelief.

That was the guild Grandpa Rob had once mentioned!

That was the place she had always yearned for, a place filled with freedom and hope!

"Is it really... Fairy Tail?"

Erza tremblingly reached out and gripped Lu Chongwei's arm tightly, as if she were clutching the last straw of salvation.

"Do you... do you have the mark?"

Lu Chongwei smiled.

He rolled up the sleeve on his left arm, revealing the bright red Fairy Tail emblem on his shoulder.

Under the sunlight, the emblem shone brilliantly, like a burning flame.

Erza stared fixedly at the mark.

There was no mistake.

That was the pattern she had seen countless times in her dreams!

Tears finally could not be held back, spilling from her eyes.

She nodded forcefully, her voice choked with emotion yet incredibly firm:

"I'll join!"

The streets of Magnolia were wide and clean, with shops lining both sides in a bustling, lively display.

Lu Chongwei led Erza to stand before that iconic guild building.

The massive guild emblem hung above the main entrance, glittering in the sun.

"This is Fairy Tail."

Lu Chongwei pointed at the emblem and smiled.

Erza looked up, her remaining right eye fixed on the strange pattern, a flicker of doubt crossing her gaze.

"Fairy... Tail?"

She repeated the name in a low voice, her tone somewhat hoarse.

"A strange name, right?"

Lu Chongwei seemed to see through her thoughts; he rested his hands behind his head and explained leisurely:

"Whether fairies actually have tails, or even if they exist in this world at all, is an unsolved mystery."

"Precisely because it is a mystery, it represents the eternal unknown."

Lu Chongwei turned his head to look at Erza, his eyes bright.

"And the unknown means endless adventure. That is the meaning of this name—an adventure toward the unknown, never-ending."

Erza's body trembled slightly.

These words were like a key, unlocking her sealed memories.

Back in that dark, sunless cage of the Tower of Heaven, Grandpa Rob had once told her stories about this guild in that same gentle tone.

It was the home Grandpa Rob had been willing to risk his life to protect.

"Eternal adventure..."

Erza murmured to herself, and the expression on her previously tense little face softened slightly.

"Alright, stop daydreaming, let's go in."

Lu Chongwei grinned and strode toward the guild's heavy wooden doors.

Then.

Under Erza's shocked gaze, he raised his foot and kicked the door without the slightest hesitation.

"BANG!!!"

The door let out a pained groan as it slammed heavily against the wall, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"I'm home!!!"

Lu Chongwei gathered his strength and let out a thunderous roar.

The next second.

"You brat! How many times have I told you! No kicking the door!!!"

An even louder roar erupted from the depths of the guild, shaking the roof so hard that dust rained down in sheets.

Erza instinctively shrank her neck, hiding behind Lu Chongwei in fear.

However, when she peeked out to look inside the guild, she was completely stunned.

In the spacious hall, an epic, all-out brawl was currently underway.

Flames and ice flew through the air, while wine bottles and chairs were scattered everywhere.

Some were laughing wildly while standing on tables, others were grabbing each other by the collars and spitting insults, and some had been thrown directly onto the ceiling, dangling from the chandeliers as they swung back and forth.

"Go to hell! Droopy-eyes!"

"What did you say?! You jerk with the slanted eyes!"

The light of various magics intertwined in the air, with explosions echoing one after another.

How could this be a guild?

This was clearly a battlefield!

"This..."

Erza's eyes widened, her pupils trembling violently.

"Are they... enemies?"

She couldn't understand why comrades from the same guild were attacking each other.

Lu Chongwei casually caught a flying wine glass and calmly placed it on a nearby table.

"Don't misunderstand, this is Fairy Tail's unique way of 'saying hello'."

Lu Chongwei shrugged, looking completely accustomed to the scene.

"The closer everyone is, the harder they fight. You'll get used to it."

With that, he led Erza through the chaotic crowd and headed straight for the bar.

The guild members who were fighting stopped what they were doing when they saw Lu Chongwei, smiling and greeting him, even though many of them were still sporting bruises.

At the bar.

Makarov was hugging a massive barrel of ale, his face flushed and his eyes unfocused.

"Hic... where did that guy Gildarts run off to again?"

Makarov let out a drunken hiccup, looking at Lu Chongwei with bleary eyes.

"Master, I've brought her back."

Lu Chongwei pointed to Erza behind him.

Makarov struggled to open his eyelids, glancing at her nonchalantly.

However.

The moment his gaze landed on Erza.

A sharp glint suddenly flashed through his murky, aged eyes!

The drunkenness vanished without a trace in an instant.

As one of the Ten Wizard Saints, his perception was incredibly keen.

Even though the little girl looked disheveled, he could clearly sense a massive, heart-stopping amount of magic power hidden within her small body.

She was an unpolished gem!

No, she was more like a supernova on the verge of exploding!

"This child..."

Makarov set down the barrel, leaning forward slightly as his expression turned serious.

Just then, Gildarts appeared out of nowhere, holding a chicken leg in his hand.

He leaned into Makarov's ear and lowered his voice:

"Old man, that kid Lu Chongwei has done a great service this time. This girl is a monster; her potential is likely no less than Laxus'."

Hearing this, the corners of Makarov's mouth couldn't help but curl upward, his mustache practically twitching toward the sky.

I've struck gold!

I've absolutely struck gold!

"Quick, quick, quick!"

Makarov's expression shifted in an instant, his face blooming into a wide grin.

He scrambled to dig out the guild's stamp, looking at Erza with an eagerness as if he were gazing upon his own granddaughter.