Recaps

Gildarts returned to Magnolia, where the town cleared a path for him and Cana confronted him about a newspaper story claiming he had gone to prison. After the Tower of Heaven incident, the guild continued rebuilding, and Blanc found a sleep-deprived member struggling to shape lumber to the blueprints.

• Lucy learned from Lisanna that Gildarts was Cana's father and that he followed Cana around whenever he returned to the guild.
• The town rang its warning bells and shifted buildings aside to clear a straight road for Gildarts, whose Crush Magic often destroyed whatever he touched.
• Gildarts arrived with Blanc and Makarov and rushed to greet Cana, who asked him to explain the newspaper's claim that he was going to prison.
• Several days later, guild members returned to their usual jobs and routines as construction on the guild building continued.
• Blanc found a short-haired girl with glasses shaping lumber while exhausted and muttering resentfully about the blueprints.

Blanc took over Laki’s lumber work and discovered that the new guildhall blueprint was Mira’s wildly impractical drawing, then tried to comfort Mira after revealing what he thought of it. Meanwhile, Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna began life outside their former world at Fairy Tail, where Millianna’s excitement over Happy led to a chaotic tug-of-war.

• Laki handed Blanc responsibility for producing lumber and gave him the drawings for the new guildhall.
• Blanc criticized the blueprint’s vague measurements, then realized Mira had drawn it and hurried to comfort her.
• Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna officially began life in the outside world at Fairy Tail after Wally and Millianna reconciled with Erza.
• Millianna grabbed Happy and cuddled him, while Wally wondered whether he counted as a cat.
• Natsu and Millianna pulled Happy from opposite ends until Happy begged them to let go, and Lucy admitted she could not help.

Wally and Elfman bonded over their ideas of what made a tough guy, while Hughes struggled to adjust to life outside the Tower of Heaven. The chapter ended with Gray explaining money to Hughes and ominously claiming that clothes kept disappearing.

• Wally and Elfman traded declarations about tough men until their handshake became an arm-wrestle and they broke Laki's newly made table.
• Mira noticed Hughes's anxiety and sent him to the market to buy lemons and clear his head.
• Hughes gave the fruit stand owner the entire pouch of money, so the owner chased him back to return the excess.
• Hughes admitted he had never used money in the Tower of Heaven, and Gray sat down to explain how it worked.
• Gray told Hughes that clothes cost a lot and mysteriously disappeared, leaving Hughes confused.

Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna decided to leave Magnolia and travel the outside world on their own rather than depend on Erza and Fairy Tail. Erza accepted their choice and directed them to the eastern riverbank, where they arrived to find the guild gathered to see them off.

• Hughes watched Gray panic over his missing clothes, then thanked him and studied a coin as he considered what he needed to learn about the outside world.
• Hughes told Simon he wanted to see the world for himself and stop being a burden to Erza, and Simon agreed they should leave after a little while.
• Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna told Erza they planned to leave Magnolia and live for themselves, and Erza praised their resolve.
• Erza told the four to meet her at the eastern riverbank that night, where they found nearly the whole guild gathered and Erza waiting in ceremonial armor.

Erza and Fairy Tail held a farewell party for Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna, who left to find their own paths. Erza watched them disappear into the night, believing they would find true freedom.

• Erza told the four departing friends Fairy Tail’s rules and declared the farewell party had begun.
• Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Blanc filled the sky with fireworks, ice, and cherry blossoms as Magnolia’s residents watched.
• Erza told Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna she wished they could stay together but wanted them to move forward without her holding them back.
• The four friends exchanged tearful farewells with Erza and the guild; Simon asked Blanc to look after Erza, and Blanc agreed.
• Hughes, Simon, Wally, and Millianna left along the riverbank, and Erza watched until they vanished, trusting they would find freedom.

Blanc told Lucy that a sixth Zodiac key was hidden in the guild and assigned her to find it, revealing that Loke was her only clue. Lucy struggled to approach Loke, who fled whenever she asked about the key, while Juvia watched Gray at the construction site.

• Blanc told Lucy that a sixth Zodiac key was hidden in the guild and asked her to find it.
• Lucy accepted the mission after Blanc said only a Celestial Spirit Mage could handle it, and he named Loke as her only clue.
• Lucy tried to question Loke, but he repeatedly ran from her, and she chased him around the guild.
• Lucy complained to Happy that Loke seemed to be afraid of her, while Juvia watched Gray work at the construction site.
• Lucy spotted Juvia lurking near the construction-site entrance as she turned to head back inside.

Lucy pushed Gray to greet Juvia, who mistook their closeness for romantic rivalry, while Mira and Blanc watched the scene. Makarov revealed that Juvia was joining Fairy Tail, and she introduced herself to the guild.

• Lucy noticed Juvia watching Gray and pushed him toward the entrance to greet her.
• Juvia saw Lucy touching Gray and decided Lucy was her rival in love.
• Mira and Blanc noticed Juvia's jealousy and stopped discussing the guild's renovation to watch.
• Makarov arrived, told Juvia to come inside, and called the guild members together.
• Makarov announced that Fairy Tail had a new member, and Juvia Lockser nervously introduced herself.

Juvia joined Fairy Tail and happily imagined a future with Gray, while Lucy denied being her love rival. The Guild Master then introduced Gajeel as a new member, provoking anger from the guild and an immediate clash with Natsu.

• Mira welcomed Juvia into Fairy Tail and stamped an aqua-blue Guild Mark on her left thigh.
• Juvia called Lucy her love rival and interpreted Gray's awkward response as accepting her marriage proposal.
• The Guild Master announced that another new member was joining and called Gajeel into the construction site.
• Fairy Tail members objected to Gajeel's arrival because he had destroyed their guild, while the Guild Master argued that he deserved another chance.
• Natsu challenged Gajeel's place in the guild, and Gajeel replied that he had no intention of becoming friendly with Natsu.

Gajeel joined Fairy Tail after Natsu challenged him and Gajeel refused to fight back. Blanc then took him to help rebuild the guildhall, leaving Gajeel protesting while Natsu and Gray argued over being called underwear guys.

• Natsu challenged Gajeel to a fight, but Gajeel took his punch without resisting and told him to move on.
• Makarov announced that Gajeel Redfox had become a member of Fairy Tail, and Gajeel privately reflected on losing Phantom Lord and needing work.
• Blanc startled Gajeel by touching his shoulder, then said he would help rebuild the guildhall as payment for destroying the old one.
• Blanc dragged the protesting Gajeel into the construction site, where Macao teased him as an underwear guy.
• Natsu compared Gajeel to Gray, and Gray angrily shouted back as Gajeel's distant protest echoed across the site.

Lucy identified Loke as the Zodiac celestial spirit Leo and learned that his former contract holder, Karen of Blue Pegasus, had died three years earlier. She feared Loke had remained in the human world ever since and would die if he did not return to the Celestial Spirit World.

• Gajeel complained about being overworked rebuilding the guild while Blanc, Natsu, and Gray supervised and teased him.
• Lucy rushed to Blanc and revealed that she believed Loke was the Sixth Key and Leo the Lion.
• Blanc confirmed Lucy’s discovery, leaving her distressed that she had failed to recognize Loke’s identity.
• Lucy explained that Karen, Loke’s former contract holder, had died three years earlier and warned that Loke could die if he stayed in the human world.

Lucy and the others abducted Loke so she could ask why he could not return to the Celestial Spirit World. Loke revealed that he was Leo, had been banished for killing Karen, and began explaining how he had tried to protect Aries from Karen's cruelty.

• Blanc told Lucy that she was the one who could help Loke, while Gray suggested tying him up and Natsu volunteered to capture him.
• Gray lured Loke away, and Natsu knocked him unconscious before Blanc, Gray, and Natsu bound him to a tree.
• Lucy confronted Loke with his identity as Leo, and he admitted she was right.
• Loke said he had been banished for killing Karen and accepted that he would die in the human world rather than seek help.
• Loke recalled that Karen mistreated her spirits, especially the meek Aries, and explained that he had taken Aries's place in the human world to stop Karen from summoning her.
• Loke said he had demanded Karen end both contracts, but she refused to give in during their month-long standoff.

Loke revealed that his exile and dwindling life stemmed from his role in Karen’s death, and Lucy tried to open the Leo Gate to save him with Blanc’s magic. Though she summoned the gate, it remained sealed, and the Celestial Spirit King appeared before them.

• Loke confessed that Karen had died after secretly taking a job and trying to open two gates, and that the Celestial Spirit World had exiled him for causing her death.
• Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Blanc rejected Loke’s claim that he alone was to blame, while Loke revealed that his body was fading and he had only days left.
• Lucy attempted to open the Leo Gate, but Loke warned that the rules barred him from returning and that she was beginning to assimilate with celestial spirits.
• Blanc fed his magic power to Lucy through a vine, restoring her strength and helping her summon the Leo Gate.
• An invisible force kept the gate shut, and the Celestial Spirit King emerged in a towering form as Loke trembled in fear.

Lucy defended Loke before the Celestial Spirit King, arguing that the rule barring his return was wrong. The King absolved Loke, who returned to the Celestial Spirit World after promising to protect Lucy.

• The Celestial Spirit King explained that Loke could not return because Karen had died as a result of his actions.
• Lucy argued that Loke had acted to protect Aries and refused to accept that he deserved to remain banished.
• Lucy summoned all her contracted Celestial Spirits, who stood with her before the King.
• Moved by their bond, the Celestial Spirit King declared that the rule was wrong, opened the Leo Gate, and absolved Loke.
• Loke thanked Lucy, promised to protect her, and returned through the gate, leaving a golden key in her hand.

Lucy recovered from summoning all her Celestial Spirits and watched Loke return to town to end his relationships before becoming her protector. His first two breakups turned into tearful and violent scenes, while Lucy and her friends secretly watched.

• Lucy woke up aching after summoning all her Celestial Spirits and admired the new Zodiac Key she had received.
• Loke arrived without being summoned and told Lucy he would break up with his girlfriends before officially protecting her.
• Loke arranged to meet his girlfriends in the park, while Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Blanc, and Happy hid nearby to watch.
• Loke ended things with his first girlfriend, who slapped him and ran away crying after a long argument.
• Loke told his second girlfriend he came from another world, but she called the story ridiculous, beat him with her handbag, and kicked him to the ground.

Loke publicly ended his relationships with his girlfriends, then revealed to Fairy Tail that he was the Celestial Spirit Leo and explained his three-year struggle to Makarov. After receiving the guild's acceptance, he thanked Blanc and gave him a vacation voucher before returning to the Celestial Spirit World to recover.

• Loke broke up with his girlfriends one by one at South Gate Park, enduring their anger and grief while Lucy, Blanc, Natsu, and Gray watched.
• The next day, Lucy told the guild that Loke was the Celestial Spirit Leo, and Loke asked everyone to keep calling him Loke.
• Loke explained his past three years to Makarov, who reassured him that he was a member of Fairy Tail regardless of being a Celestial Spirit.
• Loke thanked Blanc for helping him and gave him a luxury hotel vacation voucher at Arakani Beach.
• Loke vanished in a wisp of golden light and returned to the Celestial Spirit World to recover from his injuries.

Blanc declined the vacation so he could oversee construction of the new guildhall, then gave his voucher to Juvia so she could join the trip with Gray and the others. The group set off to pack, while Blanc stayed behind with Gajeel and privately admitted he also wanted to hide that he could not swim.

• Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy urged Blanc to join their vacation after Loke gave them vouchers.
• Erza arrived dressed for the beach with an enormous cart of luggage and demanded that everyone hurry up.
• Blanc said he had to stay and finish the new guildhall, and Erza accepted his decision while insisting the guildhall be perfect when they returned.
• Blanc gave his unused voucher to Juvia, who eagerly accepted it and prepared to go with Gray, while Gray protested.
• Gajeel asked to join the trip, but Blanc told him to stay and keep working on the guildhall.
• Blanc watched Erza take the others to pack and privately noted that he was also staying because he could not swim.

Fairy Tail’s beach outing turned into a chaotic volleyball match that ended with the group damaging the beach and fleeing the lifeguards. Gray accidentally lost his swimming trunks again, while Lucy hid underground with Virgo.

• Natsu rushed into the sea and splashed Happy and Gray while Lucy relaxed on a beach chair.
• Gray discovered his swimming trunks were missing and ran from the lifeguards as Juvia admired him and Natsu laughed.
• Erza organized a beach volleyball game, and her team faced Gray and Juvia in a fierce match that left Lucy dodging attacks.
• At match point, Lucy summoned Virgo to dig a hiding hole as the others’ magic destroyed the ball and blasted a huge pit into the beach.
• The lifeguards returned, Gray realized he was naked again, and the group scattered while Lucy told Virgo to dig deeper.

While Natsu and the others enjoyed the end of their vacation, Gajeel and Blanc endured Mira’s demanding supervision at the new guild construction site. The group returned to Magnolia and found the new Fairy Tail guild finished, with Blanc exhausted from several all-nighters.

• Lucy joined Erza at the hotel casino, won at first, then gambled away her chips and rent money.
• Mira pushed Gajeel and Blanc through repeated revisions at the construction site while Blanc tried to recreate the guild from memory.
• Gajeel complained about his workload and asked Blanc whether he would receive overtime pay, but Mira gave him iron bars for dinner and promised extra nails for breakfast.
• A few days later, Natsu, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Lucy, and Happy returned to Magnolia by train, with Lucy still lamenting her lost rent.
• The group arrived at the completed new Fairy Tail guild, where Mira welcomed them and Blanc greeted them after several all-nighters.

Mira showed the guild members around Fairy Tail’s rebuilt guildhall, which now included a café, merchandise shop, larger tavern, swimming pool, and game room. As everyone settled in, Natsu sensed that something still felt off.

• Mira led the returning guild members past the outdoor café and merchandise shop, where Lucy’s fragile figurine lost its clothes and Blanc discovered his badge was the shop’s bestseller.
• Mira showed the group the enlarged main hall, its uniformed greeters, and the indoor swimming pool behind the stage.
• Mira explained that the basement had become a game room and that members could now access the second floor, though S-Class job rules remained unchanged.
• Lucy marveled at the guildhall’s new attractions, while Erza enjoyed her strawberry cake and declared it perfect.
• Natsu stood in the middle of the hall, repeatedly scratching his head because something felt wrong to him.

Natsu and Gajeel's fight wrecked the newly rebuilt Fairy Tail guild hall and drew the whole guild into a brawl. The Guild Master revealed that reporters were due to interview them the next day, while Lucy realized that the day's unusual formality had been for their visit.

• Gajeel confronted Natsu over his complaints about the guild hall, and they started fighting.
• A table crashed onto Erza's strawberry cake, prompting her to join the fight and pull others into the brawl.
• Gray and Juvia joined the chaos as Lucy and Blanc watched the guild hall being wrecked again.
• Natsu celebrated the familiar mayhem as the Guild Master cried out that reporters were coming for interviews the next day.
• Lucy realized the guild had been formal because of the reporters' scheduled visit.

Makarov tried to make Fairy Tail look respectable for a Sorcerer Weekly interview, but the guild descended into its usual chaos. As the reporter arrived, Blanc slipped away after Gajeel signaled him, while Lucy prepared to compete for the magazine’s cover.

• Makarov dressed up and told Blanc to help present Fairy Tail as respectable for the interview.
• Blanc watched the guild members dance on tables, start fights, and nearly fall over the railing while Makarov tried to ignore the disorder.
• Gajeel signaled Blanc from behind the stage, and Blanc excused himself and hurried away before the reporter arrived.
• The Sorcerer Weekly reporter reached the guild entrance and enthusiastically admired the commotion inside.
• Lucy, dressed up for the interview, resolved to win the cover, while Erza allowed the guild to celebrate and Lucy remarked that the party had gone too far.

Jason, a Sorcerer Weekly reporter, visited Fairy Tail and enthusiastically interviewed its members while Makarov tried to present the guild as disciplined and respectable. When Makarov offered Forest Blanc as an exemplary S-Class Mage, he discovered Blanc was missing.

• Jason ignored Lucy and interviewed Erza, who demonstrated her Requip Magic by changing armor.
• Jason interviewed Happy and Gray, then excitedly confronted Natsu about the articles he had written about him.
• Natsu tried to punch Jason, but Makarov struck Natsu away and invited the reporter to talk.
• Makarov praised Fairy Tail's love, justice, discipline, and social responsibility while chaotic scenes unfolded behind him.
• Makarov offered Forest Blanc as an example of the guild's fine image, but could not find him in the hall.

Lucy tried to get Jason’s attention by taking the stage in a bunny outfit, but Gajeel and Blanc launched a chaotic heavy metal performance that stole the show. Jason chose the band for his cover story, while Mira remained bound behind the curtain.

• Lucy put on a bunny outfit and took the microphone, hoping to draw the guild’s attention before Mira’s performance.
• Gajeel and Blanc opened the curtain and began playing heavy metal, forcing Lucy to become their tambourine-playing backup dancer.
• The guild members jeered, cheered, headbanged, and fled from the band’s noisy performance.
• Jason rushed to the stage and declared that Gajeel and Blanc’s band would appear on the cover of his special feature.
• The Guild Master realized Mira’s planned performance had been derailed, while Mira struggled against the vines binding her behind the stage.

After Fairy Tail’s Sorcerer Weekly special worsened the guild’s reputation, Laxus confronted people mocking it and defeated Zat, an officer of the dark guild Phantom Soul. He left the tavern owner money to repair the damage, then walked away furious at Makarov and Blanc for allowing Fairy Tail to be disrespected.

• Sorcerer Weekly’s Fairy Tail special sold out across Fiore and further damaged the guild’s reputation.
• Drunken Wizards mocked Fairy Tail and Gajeel at a tavern until Laxus arrived and frightened them into fleeing.
• Zat mocked Laxus and Fairy Tail, then attacked Laxus and blasted him through the tavern wall.
• Laxus struck Zat with a lightning bolt, defeating him and leaving the tavern crowd stunned.
• The tavern owner warned Laxus that Zat belonged to Phantom Soul, but Laxus gave him money for repairs and walked away, blaming Makarov and Blanc for Fairy Tail’s humiliation.

Laxus ordered the Thunder God Tribe to destroy Phantom Soul and return to Magnolia, declaring that Fairy Tail’s infighting had begun. Evergreen and Bickslow crushed the Dark Guild while Freed worried that Laxus had chosen the worst possible time to challenge the guild.

• Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow waited for Laxus after receiving his urgent summons and speculated that he planned to seize control of Fairy Tail.
• Laxus arrived in a fury, ordered the Thunder God Tribe to wipe out Phantom Soul, and told them to meet him in Magnolia afterward.
• Freed questioned whether they should act while Blanc and Gildarts were at the guild, but Laxus insisted he would take over Fairy Tail and eliminate anyone who resisted.
• Evergreen and Bickslow defeated Phantom Soul’s members while Freed stayed out of the fighting.
• Freed blamed Phantom Soul for provoking Laxus and worried as he looked toward Magnolia, hoping the takeover would go smoothly.