Chapter Summaries

Rhode and Mira learned that Blue Pegasus had also been assigned to deal with the rats, after the guild’s trio found the Rat King and Rat Queen already defeated. Rhode proposed that they help locate or gather the remaining rats in exchange for counting the defeated leaders as mutual assistance.

• Mira unleashed her magic when Hibiki, Ren, and Ichiya flirted with her, then calmed down after Rhode asked her to hear them out.
• Hibiki, Ren, and Ichiya explained that flooding had driven the rats from Lake Miant and that they had found the Rat King and Rat Queen already defeated near Ravendell Village.
• Rhode and Mira realized the rats had migrated from Lake Miant and that separate clients had sent Fairy Tail and Blue Pegasus after the same problem.
• Rhode proposed that Blue Pegasus help locate or gather the remaining rats so the guilds could count their work as mutual assistance.
• Hibiki, Ren, and Ichiya accepted the exchange and introduced themselves in a showy formation as Tri Men.

Rhode, Mira, and the Blue Pegasus team spent the day clearing rats from the area using their coordinated magic. After agreeing that the mission was complete, the groups parted on friendly terms, and Mira flirted with Rhode on the way back to the village.

• Hibiki used Ancient Script Magic to map rat concentrations and assign odd-numbered locations to Ren and even-numbered ones to Ichiya.
• Ren suffocated rats with Air Magic while Ichiya drove them out and froze them with Snow Magic, and Hibiki explained how their abilities worked.
• Rhode recovered his magic power with the Crown of Insight, then joined the team in clearing rats throughout the day.
• As the sun set, the group rested, and Hibiki showed Rhode and Mira that the remaining field mice no longer threatened the villagers.
• Rhode and Hibiki shook hands and agreed their work was done, then the Blue Pegasus trio departed.
• On the way back, Mira teased Rhode by saying the Blue Pegasus wizards were decent despite being less handsome than him, and Rhode warned her that her flirtatious praise had consequences.

Rhode and Mira finished clearing the rat swarm and stayed another day to ensure the village was safe. After sharing an affectionate evening, Rhode noticed their bedtime routine felt off and leaned over Worm to kiss Mira again.

• Mira told Jasper that the rat-swarm job was mostly complete and that she and Rhode would stay another day to make sure the fields were clear.
• Jasper and his wife discussed whether the village’s payment was enough and considered another way to show their gratitude.
• Rhode tried to join Mira in the bath, but she shut the door on him.
• Rhode meditated while Mira bathed, then dried her hair and discussed their future routines with her.
• Mira summoned Worm to sleep between them, and Rhode gave her a goodnight kiss before leaning over Worm to kiss her again.

Rhode and Mira finished their work in Ravendell Village, then spent several days traveling together before news of trouble at the guild sent them back to Magnolia. They returned to find Erza filling in for Mira, and the guild welcomed them with cheers.

• Rhode and Mira accepted the agreed payment from Village Chief Jasper and left Ravendell Village, refusing his offer of an additional 500,000 Jewels.
• Rhode and Mira visited Lake Miant and then traveled to a clothing-manufacturing town, where Rhode learned from a magazine that Laxus had caused a protest and Wollan had lost control of his magic.
• Rhode and Mira discovered that a magazine had mistaken Rhode for the Lake Miant water monster after their sparring match, then enjoyed shopping together.
• Rhode and Mira hurried back to Magnolia after reading about the guild's recent troubles and arrived to find Erza working behind the counter in a waitress uniform.
• The Fairy Tail guild members cheered when Rhode and Mira returned.

Rhode and Mira returned to Fairy Tail and learned that Erza had strictly managed the guild while they were away. Erza challenged Rhode’s habit of advising guild members on missions, arguing that it could keep them from learning to think and act for themselves.

• Makarov welcomed Rhode and Mira back, then complained that Erza had restricted his drinking and made him rewrite self-criticism letters.
• Mira offered to introduce Erza to a magazine editor for a swimsuit pin-up shoot, and Erza agreed to meet the editor.
• Rhode reviewed the guild’s mission records and found that Loki had pursued a performer and a Council member’s granddaughter, while Natsu had destroyed several buildings during a successful mission.
• Erza argued that Rhode’s mission advice could make guild members depend on him instead of developing their own judgment, leaving Rhode wondering how much his guidance had changed them.

Rhode, Erza, and Mira discussed how best to guide and protect their guildmates, and Makarov said their differing approaches all reflected trust and Fairy Tail's spirit. After the guild celebrated Rhode and Mira's return, Natsu and Happy prepared to take another job while Happy learned that Rhode had been the lake monster.

• Rhode said he wanted to warn guildmates about danger so they could survive and have time to grow, while Erza questioned his approach and Mira supported his focus on getting everyone home safely.
• Makarov told Erza, Rhode, and Mira that none of their views was wrong, and encouraged them to keep expressing their ideas and understanding one another.
• Erza suggested that she and Rhode fight again, and Rhode agreed to face her in a few days; Mira and Erza then knocked Makarov off the counter while claiming they were communicating.
• The guild welcomed Rhode and Mira back, and Natsu and Happy handed them a request to capture bandits near Frigia and Rubinas.
• Happy asked Mira whether the lake monster from Lake Miant had been tasty, and Mira revealed that it had been Rhode, prompting Happy to hang from Rhode and try to judge for himself.

Rhode reunited with Mira and tried to arrange a stay at her home, while Erza’s photo shoot and a fresh round of guild jobs stirred up Fairy Tail. The chapter ended with Mira suggesting a beach vacation after Rhode said he wanted to see her in a swimsuit.

• Rhode teased Happy, then asked Mira if he could stay at her home, but she offered to help clean his house instead.
• Mira took Erza to pose for a photo shoot, prompting Macao and Wakaba to plan to buy the magazine and sparking a guild brawl.
• Kana took a distant job to clear her head, and Gray accepted a solo mission investigating a smuggling ring.
• Mira told Rhode that Erza had enjoyed the shoot so much that she kept the editorial department working overtime for three days and nights.
• Rhode told Mira he wanted to see her in a swimsuit, and she suggested they take a beach vacation together.

After Erza returned from exhausting modeling work, Rhode and Mira joked and helped Levy, Jet, and Troy choose a job. That night, Rhode left town with Mira and Makarov to summon the Mountain Drake, which appeared in a burst of earthy yellow light.

• Erza returned after spending three days directing a magazine shoot and complained that the editorial staff lacked energy.
• Rhode and Mira promised to find Erza better-paying work, then teased each other while discussing a nighttime trip outside the city.
• Levy, Jet, and Troy asked Rhode to register them for a job gathering medicinal herbs in the mountains, and he approved it.
• Rhode, Mira, and Makarov rode out of town after dark, and Rhode prepared to summon the Mountain Drake.
• Rhode completed the summoning chant, and the Mountain Drake formed in an earthy yellow glow and roared.

Rhode summoned the Mountain Drake, which destroyed the ring-shaped mountain before disappearing after Rhode touched its tail. The tremors reached Magnolia, where Makarov, Rhode, and Mira discovered that the townspeople had mistaken them for an earthquake and apologized for disturbing everyone.

• Rhode summoned the Mountain Drake, whose arrival created a ring-shaped mountain and nearly drained his magic power.
• Rhode asked the Mountain Drake to destroy the mountain, and it shattered the surrounding walls before letting him touch its tail and vanish.
• Makarov asked Rhode whether he felt at risk of losing control, and Rhode said their connection remained but the Mountain Drake seemed more intelligent and impatient.
• Makarov carried Rhode and Mira back toward Magnolia on his shoulder, and the three joked about the ride.
• The townspeople told Makarov that an earthquake had driven them from their homes, and he demonstrated the tremor before they realized he had caused it.
• Makarov, Rhode, and Mira apologized to the townspeople for disturbing them.

After the dragon encounter, Rhode explained that the Mountain Dragon Soul let him wield the dragon’s power, and Mira carried him home, where they shared an intimate but interrupted moment. The next morning, they returned to guild duties, with Mira checking on Rhode and asking why he had missed breakfast at her home.

• Makarov thanked Mira and Rhode for avoiding damage to Magnolia, then left to apologize to the mayor while Mira took Rhode home.
• Rhode told Mira that the Mountain Dragon Soul let him use the dragon’s power without a normal Reception, and Mira piggybacked him before carrying him home in Satan Soul.
• At home, Mira and Rhode kissed, but Mira stopped Rhode and insisted that he rest; after an awkward exchange, she flew away through the window.
• Mira found Elfman training and, still flustered, dragged him into the yard to practice Beast Soul.
• The next morning, Mira and Rhode handled guild business, and Mira asked whether he had recovered and why he had missed breakfast at her home.

Rhode shared a playful breakfast with Mira and watched Elfman leave on a mission while Makarov went to apologize to the mayor. Later, Rhode tested his Mountain Drake Soul Take Over by sparring with Mira, and the volume ended with their clash as the story set up Lucy’s next arc.

• Mira teased Rhode with breakfast, then sent Elfman off with advice after explaining his bruised face came from training.
• Makarov refused Rhode and Mira’s offer to help with his apology errands, so they planned to give him the wine they had brought back.
• Erza accepted a five-hundred-thousand-reward mission and asked Rhode to spar after she returned.
• Rhode transformed with Full-Body Take Over: Mountain Drake Soul and discovered he could use Earth Magic in that form.
• Rhode and Mira transformed and sparred, trading attacks until Mira gathered a sphere of magic and Rhode unleashed dragon breath.

Rhode and Mira marked the anniversary of their first meeting while helping Macao prepare for a dangerous job and welcoming returning guild members. When Niki reported that a Fire Dragon had appeared in Harujion, Natsu rushed off to find it, leaving his wallet with Mira.

• Rhode practiced receiving the Mountain Dragon Soul and spent time with Mira while Erza took a job instead of joining them.
• Rhode and Mira celebrated the anniversary of their first meeting and comforted Romeo after other children insulted Macao.
• Macao accepted a job to hunt Valken on Hakobe Snow Mountain, and Rhode warned him to be cautious.
• Natsu and Gray returned from their jobs, and Natsu was reprimanded for burning down a church.
• Niki told Natsu that a Fire Dragon had appeared in Harujion, so Natsu and Happy hurried away while Mira kept Natsu's wallet.

Rhode and Mira discussed Niki’s rumor, planned a visit to Wendy, and celebrated the anniversary of their meeting. As Fairy Tail’s members returned and Makarov faced a thick package and news of Natsu wrecking Harujion’s port, the chapter left the Master heading upstairs in distress.

• Rhode and Mira teased Niki about spreading a rumor that might provoke Natsu, then agreed to visit Wendy after the start of the month.
• Rhode gave Mira pink roses for the anniversary of the day they met, and they shared a long kiss.
• Lucy tried and failed to buy the new Mage Weekly featuring Erza, then followed a crowd drawn by news that the Fire Dragon was in Harujion.
• Kana, Levy, Elfman, and other guild members returned from jobs, and Makarov reflected on their growth while drinking liquor from Mira and Rhode.
• Makarov asked when Rhode and Mira would marry, and Mira took away his drink and banned him from drinking for the month.
• A postman delivered a thick package addressed to Makarov, and Marcus reported that Natsu had wrecked half of Harujion’s port, leaving Makarov to head upstairs in distress.

Natsu returned to Fairy Tail with Lucy, who was shocked by the guild’s rowdy members but decided she wanted to join. Makarov confronted the guild over the Council’s complaints, then burned the documents and urged everyone to follow their own path.

• Mira and Rhode discussed the harbor damage Natsu had caused and whether the guild could afford his fine.
• Natsu returned with Lucy, then kicked Niki for giving him false information about the Fire Dragon.
• Natsu, Gray, Niki, Elfman, and other guild members started a brawl, leaving Lucy dismayed by Fairy Tail’s unruly reputation.
• Rhode caught a flying bottle meant for Mira, and Mira introduced him to Lucy as her official boyfriend.
• Loki briefly picked Lucy up, then dropped her after Rhode noticed her Celestial Spirit keys and warned him she was a Celestial Spirit Mage.
• Makarov stopped the fight, burned the Council’s complaint documents, and encouraged the guild to move forward on the path they believed in, convincing Lucy that Fairy Tail was the guild she wanted.

Lucy joined Fairy Tail, while Rhode and Mira received a thank-you letter from Ravendell Village that helped Makarov deflect trouble from the Council. The guild then learned that Macao had not returned from his mission to subjugate Valken, leaving Romeo worried about his father.

• Mira stamped Lucy’s hand with the Fairy Tail mark, officially making Lucy a guild member.
• Makarov showed Rhode and Mira a joint letter from Ravendell Village thanking Fairy Tail for dealing with the rat infestation.
• Makarov said Yajima had used the villagers’ letter to stop Council members from causing trouble, though Rhode and Mira’s commendations had fallen through.
• Rhode used the compensation bill to remind Happy and Natsu that they were broke again, and Natsu went to find a job.
• Romeo told Makarov that Macao had missed his promised return, and Rhode realized Macao was still away on the Valken mission.

After Romeo worried that Macao had not returned, Rhode arranged for Lucy to help Natsu search for him and equipped her with transport, warm clothes, and a powerful magic book. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy reached Mount Hakobe, where Lucy and Happy agreed that Rhode was reliable.

• Romeo punched Makarov and left in tears, so Rhode quietly sent wild monsters to check on Macao.
• Natsu abandoned a job after hearing about Macao, and Mira asked Lucy to help him search.
• Rhode summoned two giant river crabs, gave Lucy a magic book and warm clothes, and sent Shadow Wolves to follow and assist the group.
• Natsu and Happy raced their river crabs toward Mount Hakobe while Lucy clung to Natsu's backpack and screamed.
• At Mount Hakobe, Lucy put on her padded coat, and Natsu and Happy praised Rhode for being reliable.

Rhode worried that his presence might make future dangers worse for Fairy Tail, but Mira and Makarov reassured him that the guild would face anything together. As Natsu and Lucy fought two Valken on the mountain, Rhode wondered why wild monsters had not grown stronger as their adventure progressed.

• Mira questioned Rhode about his concern for Lucy, and Rhode admitted he feared his sudden arrival might affect a major future event.
• Mira and Makarov comforted Rhode, telling him that Fairy Tail was his family and would face any danger together.
• Rhode watched Natsu and Lucy encounter two Valken in the blizzard, and Lucy summoned Taurus while the Rift Scuttler carried her out of danger.
• Three Shadow Wolves attacked one Valken, and Natsu defeated the monsters after returning to the fight.
• Rhode asked Makarov whether Celestial Spirits grew stronger with their users' magic, then wondered why his wild monsters had not grown stronger as the story progressed.

Rhode and Mira discussed saving for a future home while making a promise to build their life together. They reunited Macao with Romeo, who learned that his father had been rescued and was proud of him.

• Natsu and Lucy found the injured Macao in the cave, and Rhode and Mira waited on the road with medicine for his return.
• Mira told Rhode she had savings and explained that Elfman was saving for a house because he thought he might need to move out.
• Rhode and Mira agreed to keep saving together so Elfman could stay in their old home and they could build a future home together.
• Rhode reassured Romeo that Macao had been found and would recover, and Mira comforted Romeo as he tried not to cry.
• Macao arrived with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, hugged Romeo, and encouraged him to tell anyone who mocked him that his father had defeated eighteen monsters.

Rhode and Mira helped Macao and Romeo after Macao fought a group of Valkens, and Lucy stayed with Mira before finding her own place to rent. The next day, Natsu chose a job to retrieve a book from Duke Ibar’s home, and Rhode hinted he had something to show Natsu that evening.

• Macao explained that he had fought eighteen Valkens after Natsu defeated two, and Rhode gave him medicine and arranged a ride home for him and Romeo.
• Mira invited Lucy to stay at her house, and Rhode escorted them there before going home to plan how he and Mira could save for a larger house.
• The next morning, Lucy teased Rhode and Mira about their relationship, then learned that Elfman was Mira’s younger brother.
• Lucy searched for a place to live, rented a canal-side house for seventy thousand J a month, and returned to the guild for her luggage.
• Natsu and Happy picked a job to retrieve a book from Duke Ibar’s home, and Rhode asked when they would leave before promising to show Natsu something that night.

Natsu met Rhode’s Mountain Drake and was beaten in their spar, then teamed up with Happy to trick Lucy into accepting a book-retrieval job. Rhode learned the reward had risen to 2,000,000 Jewels, but Makarov kept him at the guild for an upcoming meeting, and the chapter ended as Levy asked whether the Everlue mansion job had been taken.

• Natsu fought Rhode’s Mountain Drake, lost, and planned to train before challenging it again.
• Natsu and Happy visited Lucy, teased her about Rhode’s magic, and persuaded her to take a job retrieving a book for 200,000 Jewels.
• Makarov told Rhode the job’s reward had risen to 2,000,000 Jewels and asked him to stay at the guild for a regular meeting.
• Rhode and Mira joked about Lucy’s Celestial Spirit keys and pretended to summon the Leo and Sagittarius gates.
• Levy asked Mira whether someone had taken the book-retrieval job at the Duke Everlue mansion.