Chapter Summaries

Rhode, Erza, Natsu, and Happy investigated strange lights and a scent near the sealed altar of the Cannibal Demon, where an Illusion Magic Circle kept them from reaching the site. Rhode explained how they might dispel it, but stopped Natsu from destroying the area, and the group was left facing the illusion barrier.

• Happy described seeing changing purple, gold, and blue lights on a northern mountain, prompting Rhode and Erza to head toward the former altar.
• Rhode and Erza learned that Natsu had run in the same direction, and Happy hurried after them while Wendy and Charuru returned to the inn.
• Natsu admitted he had smelled something strange and seen light near the sealed altar, but an Illusion Magic Circle kept sending him back to where he started.
• Erza explained that the illusion barrier might have weakened enough to let the demon revive, though Rhode had detected no unusual scent.
• Rhode said they could break the barrier by destroying its Magic Crystals, but stopped Natsu from attacking the mountain because they had only come to investigate.

Rhode, Erza, Natsu, and Happy reached the failing seal and attacked the demon emerging from it. Caniber survived their opening assault and crippled Rhode’s treant, leaving the group facing a powerful enemy.

• Erza used her weapons as markers to guide the group through the illusion and reach the seal.
• The group found the seal cracked and eroding, and its golden formulas collapsed after Natsu called out to the demon.
• Rhode strengthened Erza and Natsu with Red Buff as they attacked the demon horn protruding from the rocks.
• The rocky mountain collapsed under their attacks, but Caniber rose from the rubble with only minor injuries.
• Caniber smashed the treant’s right foreleg during their first clash, and Rhode realized the demon was exceptionally strong.

Wendy used Galaxy to listen for human souls and discovered something alarming, then hurried with Charuru to find Mr. Rhode and the others. Meanwhile, Rhode, Natsu, and Erza continued battling Caniber, whose Earth Magic let it withstand their attacks and unleash another widespread assault.

• Wendy used Galaxy in hopes of finding a way to help Miss Lis, and Charuru worried about the strain on her magic power.
• After hearing something that terrified her, Wendy urged Charuru to take her to Mr. Rhode and the others, and Charuru flew off with her as nearby residents came to investigate the light.
• Rhode, Natsu, and Erza fought the heavily armored Caniber, and Rhode caught Natsu with vines after he was sent flying.
• Rhode gave Natsu flames to eat, and Natsu used Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame to engulf Caniber, but the demon formed stone armor and survived.
• Caniber fired a purple beam and struck the ground, causing Magic Circles to spread and stone spikes to erupt across the valley toward Erza and Rhode.

Rhode, Erza, and Natsu fought Caniber, bringing the giant down briefly before he rose again and filled them with fear. With Erza and Natsu at his side, Rhode steadied himself and prepared to fight on with Fairy Tail.

• Rhode flew Erza above Caniber while Natsu and Happy dodged the giant’s barrage of stone spikes.
• Erza pierced the back of Caniber’s head with the Spear of Evil Repulsion as Natsu struck from the front and Rhode attacked his wrist with Azure Floating Cannons.
• Caniber fell but quickly revived, destroyed the Floating Cannons, and slapped Rhode into the ground.
• Erza caught Rhode, and he canceled his Take Over after being badly injured.
• Caniber rose and roared, frightening Rhode with the threat that they might lose their lives.
• Erza and Natsu reassured Rhode, and the three declared that they would keep fighting because they were Fairy Tail.

Rhode, Erza, and Natsu defeated Kaniber with Wendy’s support, then learned from Wendy that Lis had been dead for a long time. The group survived the battle but faced the damage they had caused to the mountains and the Council’s seal.

• Wendy and Charuru reached the battlefield and joined Rhode, Erza, and Natsu, with Wendy casting a spell to boost their speed and attack power.
• Kaniber tore off its weakened foreleg and charged, but Rhode restrained it while Erza and Natsu struck it with their finishing attacks.
• Kaniber’s body scattered like sand, and the exhausted fighters rested before Rhode treated their injuries with a medical kit.
• Wendy told Rhode that Lis had been dead for a long time.

Wendy revealed that Lis was already dead and had remained with her parents as a soul, prompting the guild members to uncover how the Dark Magic Cult’s ritual had killed her. Rhode and the others told Mr. Yopa the truth, leaving him devastated as Wendy apologized.

• Wendy used Galaxy to explain that the Lis they had seen was only her soul, and Erza reasoned that Lis’s wish to return home had kept her beside her parents.
• Natsu raged that Lis could not be brought back, while Rhode reflected on his helplessness and the danger posed by Dark Magic Cult members.
• The next morning, Rhode and the others visited Mr. Yopa, who thanked them because Lis had awakened early the previous night.
• Rhode carefully told Mr. Yopa about the cult, the demon, and Lis’s death, while Erza explained how Lis’s blood and soul may have been involved in the ritual.
• Mr. Yopa struggled to light a cigarette and crouched silently as Wendy bowed to him and apologized.

Rhode and the others helped Lis learn that she had died, allowing her soul to pass on after a farewell with her parents. On the journey home, they encountered Grimoire Heart members seeking revenge on Rhode.

• Mr. Yopa and Mrs. Aivy told Lis that she had died, and Lis said goodbye before her soul departed into the sky.
• The group stayed in Poppy Town until Lis's parents held her funeral and promised to care for themselves, then refused Mr. Yopa's reward and left for home.
• Rhode apologized to Wendy for bringing her on the mission, and he and the others parted from Wendy and Charuru on the road.
• Wendy returned to Cat of the Moon, resumed practicing the Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Galaxy, and cried after collapsing.
• Rhode, Erza, and Natsu encountered around thirty Grimoire Heart members blocking their road, and Rhode recognized them as people he had fought with Mira in the Royal Capital.

Natsu, Erza, Rhode, and Happy defeated a Phantom Lord group that ambushed them on the road, then returned safely to the guild. Mira’s anxious feelings proved justified when Rhode came back injured, and she hurried to check on him.

• Natsu, Erza, Rhode, and Happy defeated more than thirty Phantom Lord members who had blocked their way.
• Rhode questioned Faru and Stada, learned they had no special agenda, and the group continued toward Magnolia.
• Kana teased Mira with a tarot reading that predicted her beloved would return within days and soon leave on another long journey.
• Elfman felt a chill and wondered whether he should take a job.
• Natsu, Erza, and Rhode returned to the guild, where Erza quickly silenced the rowdy members.
• Mira rushed to Rhode when she saw his bandaged injuries and asked how he had been hurt.

Rhode told Makarov that the team had defeated a demon after entering a sealed restricted area and destroying two mountains, while also fighting Phantom Lord members on the way home. A Council envoy arrived at Fairy Tail and ordered Rhode, Erza, Natsu, and the others to report for investigation.

• Rhode gathered Mira, Erza, Natsu, and Makarov to explain the mission and warned Makarov that they were in trouble.
• Rhode described how the team had beaten more than thirty Phantom Lord members after they started a dispute, and Makarov judged that Phantom Lord would bear responsibility.
• Rhode and Erza explained that the team had entered a sealed restricted area without permission and defeated a demon, leveling two mountains in the battle.
• Marcus announced that Council representatives had arrived outside Fairy Tail, causing the guild members to panic.
• A frog-faced Council envoy ordered Erza, Rhode, Natsu, and the others to report for investigation over property destruction and unauthorized entry.

Makarov accompanied Rhode, Erza, and Natsu to the Council after they were summoned, and they arrived at the courtroom to face the councilors. Wendy and Charuru were brought in as well, and Rhode caught Wendy by the collar when she hurried toward them.

• The frog messenger summoned Natsu, Erza, and Rhode, and Makarov decided to accompany them because their actions had been under his orders.
• Makarov left Mira in charge of the guild and led Rhode, Natsu, and Happy away with the Council's enforcement squad.
• The group traveled by carriage and magic lift to the Council's remote Fiore branch, where they encountered the councilor Zikrain's Thought Projection.
• Makarov, Erza, Natsu, Rhode, and Happy entered the courtroom and waited before the councilors, including Yajima.
• A frog messenger brought Wendy and Charuru into the courtroom, and Rhode caught Wendy by the collar when she hurried toward the group.

Rhode, Erza, and Makarov testified before the Magic Council about the demon Caniber’s awakening and defeat, while Rhode challenged the Council’s handling of the seal. Mr. Yajima urged Rhode to stop arguing and promised a fair judgment.

• Rhode brought Wendy and Charuru back to the witness stand, and Erza asked whether the Council had bullied Wendy.
• The chairman opened the inquiry into Caniber’s defeat, and Erza asked Rhode about his surname; Rhode explained that his full name was simply Rhode.
• Makarov briefly fell asleep when called to testify, then recounted the events after Erza woke him.
• Erza and Rhode added details to Makarov’s account, and Rhode criticized the Council for failing to notice the seal’s problems and handle the aftermath properly.
• Ogre accused Rhode of shifting blame to the Council, and Rhode argued that the seal had failed before the group entered the restricted area.
• Mr. Yajima stopped Ogre from dismissing the danger to the two towns, then asked Rhode to show respect and promised the Council would judge fairly.

The Council concluded its investigation into the demon Canibear, concealed the incident from the public, and compensated Fairy Tail. After Wendy recognized Councilor Zikrain as Jellal, he revealed that he was Jellal’s twin brother, leaving Wendy searching for answers as she and Charuru prepared to return to Cat of the Moon.

• The Council thanked Fairy Tail for defeating Canibear, warned the guild against entering forbidden places, and promised six million J in compensation.
• Wendy called Zikrain “Jellal,” and he rushed over to ask where she had heard the name.
• Wendy explained that Jellal had helped her after she got lost seven years earlier, and Zikrain revealed that Jellal was his twin brother.
• Zikrain said he could not tell them where Jellal was and left to consider whether someone had impersonated his brother.
• Erza told Wendy that the Jellal she knew could not have been the person who had cared for Wendy.
• Wendy rejected the suggestion that she visit Fairy Tail, and Charuru said they wanted to return to Cat of the Moon and rest.

After returning safely to Magnolia, Rhode and the others celebrated with the Fairy Tail guild. Once the party ended, Mira took Rhode to the infirmary and tended to his remaining injuries.

• The Council paid the group 6 million J, and Rhode sent a Two-Headed Wolf to escort Wendy and Charuru before everyone returned to Magnolia.
• The guild welcomed Makarov, Erza, Rhode, and the others home, and Makarov started a party to celebrate their safe return.
• Mira told Rhode that she had cracked a guild pillar after hearing exaggerated rumors that the Council had detained him.
• Mira stopped Rhode from drinking alcohol because he was injured, and the guild partied late into the night.
• After the party, Mira brought Rhode to the infirmary, checked his wounds, and replaced the bandage on his head.

Rhode recovered in the infirmary while Mira stayed with him, and the two spent the night talking before falling asleep at the guild. Makarov asked Mystogan to visit Wendy at Cat of the Moon, where she was searching for Jellal, and Mystogan set out to see her.

• Mira treated Rhode's injuries, then sat beside him and listened as he recounted the battle with the Cannibal Demon.
• Rhode and Mira talked through the night about recent guild events, then napped in the infirmary before returning to work.
• Rhode and Mira fell asleep at the counter under Sleep Magic as Mystogan entered and selected a job.
• Makarov told Mystogan that Wendy was looking for Jellal and warned that dangerous people might take advantage of her.
• Mystogan agreed to visit Wendy, dispelled the Sleep Magic, and vanished from the guild.

After Rhode and Mira woke from Mystogan's Sleep Magic, they resumed their routines and grew closer. By late March, they went shopping together and prepared for their planned picnic, leaving the chapter with them walking to the park.

• Mira woke beside Rhode and checked that he had not been pretending to sleep before waking him.
• Makarov told Mira that she and Rhode had slept for nearly an hour while everyone else had slept for only two minutes.
• Rhode watched a purple light gather between the Void Larvae in Summoner's Rift while he continued training and building his magic power.
• Rhode and Mira went shopping for picnic food after finishing their guild work, while Worm joined Happy for a meal.
• Mira made food at her house and changed into a dressed-up outfit; Rhode complimented her before they set off together for the park.

Rhode and Mira enjoyed a spring picnic among the flowers at South Entrance Park, talking about the guild and growing closer. As they prepared to leave, they ran into Levy, who was waiting beneath a magnolia tree.

• Rhode and Mira shared food and discussed Chico, Laxus, Fried, Biguslo, and Evergreen while picnicking in the park.
• Rhode and Mira leaned against each other as magnolia petals drifted down, then packed up and headed to leave.
• Mira spotted Levy pacing beneath a large tree and wanted to hide and discover who she was waiting for.
• Levy saw Rhode and Mira, teased them about their date, and claimed she had come to admire the magnolias.
• Mira joked that the tree was beautiful, making Levy stamp her foot in mock reproach.

Levy waited an hour for Dublin, who had invited her out to confess but decided it was too much trouble to go. After Dublin apologized and Levy forgave him, Rhode’s training improved, and he discovered the Canyon Vanguard before asking Makarov to accompany him outside the city.

• Levy waited at the park for Dublin while Rhode and Mira left, and Mira flicked Rhode on the forehead after he lost their bet.
• Back at the guild, Dublin admitted he had skipped his planned confession because it seemed like too much trouble, and Jet and Troy made him apologize to Levy.
• Over the following days, Rhode’s training efficiency improved, and he found the Canyon Vanguard alongside three Void Larvae in Summoner’s Rift.
• Rhode told Makarov that the new monster excelled at destroying buildings, and Makarov agreed to go outside the city with him.

Rhode summoned the Canyon Vanguard in a remote area and tested its immense destructive power with Makarov. After they returned to Fairy Tail, Laki reminded them that the Cherry Blossom Festival was coming, and Makarov urged everyone to enjoy the present while facing the future bravely.

• Rhode and Makarov traveled north of Magnolia, where Rhode summoned the Canyon Vanguard after preparing to manage the heavy magic cost.
• Rhode ordered the Canyon Vanguard to demolish a hill, and its charge and pincer strikes left the hillside close to collapse.
• Rhode called the Vanguard off when his magic ran low, but Makarov finished destroying the hill with a giant punch and carried Rhode clear of the dust.
• Makarov asked what Rhode might summon next, and Rhode said he might summon a dragon after working for a few more months.
• Laki told Makarov and Rhode that preparations for the Cherry Blossom Festival had to begin, and Makarov proposed starting the banquet that day.
• Makarov said Fairy Tail mages should keep training, face tomorrow bravely, and not overlook the happiness of today.

Rhode and Elfman traveled to Monotropa to protect the village’s Tear of Cries and find the chief’s missing children, Mar and Vina. They learned that dangerous intruders might be targeting the treasure, while the siblings’ stubbornness could complicate bringing them home.

• Rhode recalled the Cherry Blossom Festival and lamented that Nab had won the resort vouchers.
• Rhode explained that the Monotropa chief had hired them to investigate strange lights and figures near the Tear of Cries.
• Rhode told Elfman that Mar and Vina had gone to investigate the threat themselves and would likely resist returning.
• Rhode revealed that someone had killed a grizzly bear and wild boars with a single blow, prompting the chief to suspect dangerous wizards.
• Elfman vowed to stop anyone trying to steal the village treasure, while Rhode warned him not to underestimate their opponents.

Rhode and Elfman reached their client’s village and found it destroyed, with black flames still burning and the villagers dead. After discovering evidence that Heart of the Demon was responsible, Rhode summoned help and chose to search briefly for survivors rather than leave at once.

• Rhode and Elfman camped overnight, where Elfman took over cooking and impressed Rhode with his skill.
• The next day, Rhode spotted the ruined village through the River Crab’s vision, and he and Elfman rushed ahead on Shadow Wolves.
• They found the village reduced to rubble, with strange black flames and corpses beside scattered weapons.
• A Shadow Wolf found a torn garment bearing the symbol of Heart of the Demon, prompting Rhode to recognize the Dark Guild’s involvement.
• Rhode sent the River Crab and Worm to deliver messages requesting help from the guild and Council.
• Rhode told Elfman to search for survivors but not to stay long, believing Heart of the Demon had probably already taken the Tear of Cries and withdrawn.