Chapter Summaries

Hughes gave Makarov a magic pendant to conceal his lack of magic, then revealed that he had made Makarov the debtor for Porlyusica’s 23-million-J bill. Before leaving the bar, Hughes hinted at a matter involving Gildarts and his daughter, invited Erza to dinner, and punished Wakaba by burning off his pompadour.

• Makarov gave Hughes a pendant that could hide his lack of magic, and Gildarts confirmed it made Hughes seem like a mage.
• Gildarts asked Hughes why he had wanted to kill Crawford Seam and the others, but Hughes refused to explain, and Makarov lectured him about proper mage conduct.
• Hughes showed Makarov Porlyusica’s bill and revealed he had signed Makarov’s name as the debtor, leaving Makarov responsible for the 23-million-J balance.
• Hughes hinted to Gildarts that he had good news to share in a few days and asked him to prepare a big red envelope.
• Hughes invited Mira to shop for ingredients and asked Erza to join them for dinner, then spoke privately with Mira and approached Erza about a small matter.
• Hughes burned Wakaba’s pompadour while he was trapped in ice, and Wakaba later hid at home for over half a month.

Hughes led Mira and Erza in a vice raid on Kailinfu’s Emerald Spring tavern, using official authorization to disrupt its business and turn its customers against her. After searching nearly every room, they approached the last one, unaware that it would give them a terrible fright.

• Hughes arrived at the Emerald Spring with Mira and Erza and had them knock out the two women at the entrance.
• Hughes showed the mayor’s official raid document and led Mira and Erza through the tavern, recording customers and ordering them to cooperate with the investigation.
• A male customer offered Hughes money to destroy the Recording Magic Crystal, but Hughes refused and implied that Kailinfu had known about the raid in advance.
• Hughes completed the customer’s information form and told him and his companion to report to the official office.
• Mira asked what they would do if Kailinfu did not emerge, and Hughes said they would search the other taverns and return every day.
• Hughes, Mira, and Erza headed for the final room, where they were about to face an enormous fright.

Hughes continued his crackdown on Kailinfu’s hot spring businesses until she came out to confront him. He sent Erza and Mira to fight her, leaving the battle underway outside the tavern.

• Hughes caught Gildarts at Emerald Spring, secretly recorded him, and let him go after deciding not to expose him.
• Hughes told Mira and Erza what had happened, then took them to another of Kailinfu’s hot spring taverns to pressure her into showing herself.
• Kailinfu appeared outside the tavern and asked Hughes to talk, but he pushed Erza and Mira forward instead.
• Hughes promised Erza strawberry cakes and protection from interruptions if she defeated Kailinfu, prompting Erza to attack with her Purgatory Armor.
• Kailinfu dodged Erza’s blow, and Hughes sent Mira to join the fight, warning her that Kailinfu could use Sleep Magic.

Mira and Erza fought Kailinfu while Hughes watched, but Kailinfu's accusation that Hughes had touched her left Mira unwilling to continue. Hughes urged Erza to resume the fight, and Erza's sword attack destroyed the hot spring tavern as Kailinfu prepared to defend herself.

• Mira restrained Kailinfu while Erza attacked her, then Erza summoned dozens of swords with Heaven's Wheel: Circle Sword.
• Kailinfu tried to stop the fight by saying she was friends with Hughes's master and offering compensation, but Hughes rejected her appeal.
• Kailinfu accused Hughes of touching her breasts, and Hughes admitted he had touched them while claiming she had exaggerated what happened.
• Mira dropped her demon form and withdrew, while Hughes told Erza to keep fighting and promised to buy her strawberry cake.
• Erza unleashed her swords at Kailinfu, shattering the tavern and sending its occupants fleeing as Kailinfu formed deep-blue magic circles to defend herself.

Erza defeated Kailinfu, and Makarov gathered her and Hughes to settle the trouble they had caused in town. Kailinfu agreed to clear Hughes's name, then revealed why she had come to Ishgar: Alvarez had destroyed her guild, and the Western Continent's Magic Council headquarters had also been annihilated.

• Erza pierced Kailinfu's defenses and knocked her unconscious without injuring her.
• Makarov took Erza, Kailinfu, and Hughes to his nearby house, where Hughes teased Kailinfu before Makarov repeatedly struck him.
• Makarov reprimanded Kailinfu and Hughes for alarming the town, and Kailinfu promised to publicly correct her claims the next morning.
• Kailinfu explained that Alvarez had destroyed her guild and killed her parents after they refused to join the empire, and that Bloodman was the demon responsible.
• Kailinfu recalled arriving at the Western Continent's Magic Council headquarters to find it and the surrounding town destroyed, with no survivors.

Kailinfu recounted how the Alvarez Empire conquered Alakitasia and how the Wizard Saints and Makarov refused to help her free her parents’ souls from Bloodman. She vowed to keep seeking help, while Hughes offered to assist only after he became much stronger.

• Kailinfu explained that she had left Alakitasia after Bloodman imprisoned her parents’ souls and that she had spent three years in Magnolia Town seeking help.
• Makarov said he could not risk killing an important Alvarez Empire figure and revealed that the Magic Council had not agreed to intervene despite his requests.
• Kailinfu described how Draculos Hyberion, Wolfheim, and Warrod Sequen had rejected her pleas, leaving her distraught before she resolved to continue searching for help.
• Mira comforted Kailinfu as she cried, and Kailinfu declared that she would travel to other continents if necessary to save her parents’ souls.
• Hughes offered to help Kailinfu once his strength had increased several times, but Makarov struck him before he could finish explaining.

Hughes argued with Makarov about helping Kailinfu defeat Bloodman, then revealed what he knew about the Alvarez Empire and claimed he alone could save her parents’ souls. He left Kailinfu to decide whether to trust him, now intent on obtaining the divine treasure she possessed.

• Kailinfu warned Hughes that Bloodman was powerful, prompting Makarov to stop pounding Hughes and Hughes to complain about Fairy Tail’s S-Class standards.
• Hughes and Makarov argued over whether to accept Kailinfu’s request, and Makarov ultimately overpowered Hughes; Gildarts watched and took notes on Hughes’s arguments.
• Hughes privately told Makarov about the First guild master, Zeref, and the Alvarez Empire, leaving Makarov shocked.
• Hughes told Kailinfu that Bloodman was one of Zeref’s strongest demons and that the Alvarez Empire was far more powerful than she imagined.
• Hughes claimed he could save Kailinfu’s parents’ souls and promised his name would soon be known across the continent, then left with Mira and Erza, seeking the divine treasure Kailinfu had offered Makarov.

Hughes planned to seek the divine treasure held by Kailinfu, which could store magic and help him travel between worlds, but decided he needed to build a reputation first. After celebrating Laxus’s promotion to S-Class with Mira and Erza, Hughes set out to recruit Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman for a mission.

• Hughes explained that Kailinfu’s divine treasure could store magic and make travel between worlds safer, then found Laxus waiting outside his door.
• Hughes invited Laxus to celebrate his S-Class promotion and brought Mira and Erza to Laxus’s home for food and drinks.
• Hughes and Laxus traded insults about their recent beatings while Mira and Erza ate strawberry cake; the four stayed overnight at Laxus’s residence.
• Hughes arrived at the guild with Laxus, Mira, and Erza the next day, but Kailinfu was not there.
• Hughes decided to build a reliable reputation before approaching Kailinfu and invited Lisanna and Elfman to join Mira on a system mission.

Hughes brought Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna into the Heartfilia estate to find Little Lucy and confirmed that the system identified her Celestial Spirit Aquarius as the Lord of the Coast. The group remained hidden as Hughes considered how to handle the quest and the story left them watching Lucy and Aquarius.

• Hughes led Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna past the estate patrols and into Little Lucy's residence.
• Hughes and Mira covered their faces, while Lisanna protested that she had not been given anything to hide hers with.
• Little Lucy summoned Aquarius with a golden key, and Aquarius scolded her for being summoned into a small glass.
• Mira worried that Hughes might want them to fight Lucy or Aquarius, since neither seemed evil to her.
• The system identified Aquarius as the Lord of the Coast and activated the first subtask of the Pirate Journey quest chain, prompting Hughes to confirm his suspicion.

Hughes set Lisanna up to appear as an intruder in Lucy's room, where Aquarius mistook her for a dangerous dark mage and attacked. After Hughes defeated Aquarius and left with Lisanna, Lucy and Aquarius tried to work out what had happened, while Lucy remembered Lisanna's name.

• Hughes pushed Lisanna forward, and Aquarius mistook her for the leader of the masked intruders.
• Aquarius attacked Lisanna with Water Blast, but Hughes defeated her, completing a subtask and bringing him closer to unlocking another Devil Fruit Slot.
• Hughes reassured Lucy, advised her to collect more keys, blamed Lisanna for the intrusion, and left with her.
• Aquarius returned to Lucy's room and questioned her about the intruders, but insisted Lisanna had been the one who attacked her.
• Lucy corrected Aquarius and repeated Lisanna's name to herself.

Hughes changed his plan to use Dojigiri to wear down Jose before defeating the Guild Master and winning Kailinfu’s trust. As Jose and Dojigiri faced off outside Ogre Town, Hughes watched from the shadows, ready to act.

• Lisanna complained that Lucy might seek revenge, and Hughes scolded her for trying to corrupt Mira before they continued toward Ogre Town.
• Hughes explained that he planned to defeat Jose to gain Kailinfu’s trust and would let Dojigiri weaken him first.
• Laxus told Hughes that Dojigiri had arrived in Ogre Town and was confronting Jose, so Hughes hurried ahead and left the Strauss kids behind for safety.
• Jose insisted that someone else had impersonated him in Thunder Valley, but Dojigiri rejected his explanation and threatened Ogre Town.
• Dojigiri powered up his four greatswords, and Jose recognized that the demon was stronger than he had expected.
• Hughes watched Jose and Dojigiri from the shadows as they prepared to fight.

Dojigiri and Jose fought fiercely outside Ogre Town, with Jose defending the town while countering Dojigiri’s attacks. As their strongest spells clashed, Hughes seized the opening and struck them both with a massive fireball, leaving Jose to take most of the damage.

• Dojigiri launched a four-sword attack at Jose and Ogre Town, and Jose used Dark Rondo before following with Dark Stream to stop the remaining slashes.
• Jose’s Super Magic Giant fired Jupiter to protect Ogre Town from Dojigiri’s attack.
• Dojigiri unleashed Demon Sword: Mikazuki, and Jose met it with his ultimate move, Death Storm, creating a destructive deadlock.
• Hughes emerged from hiding and formed a huge fireball above the two fighters.
• Hughes sent the blazing fireball crashing down, and Jose took at least three-quarters of the damage.

Hughes defeated the demon’s advance over Ogre Town, then disguised himself as Jose to ambush Dojigiri and absorb his Devil Factors. As Dojigiri unleashed a blinding light and threatened to die with him, Hughes was still holding him in place.

• Hughes’s Great Sun Traversing the Sky sent Jose and Dojigiri flying and blasted a crater outside Ogre Town.
• Hughes claimed credit for defeating the demon and persuaded the mayor to send a fruit basket and two sacks of local specialties to Fairy Tail.
• Hughes disguised himself as Jose and tracked down Dojigiri, who had survived the blast but was badly burned.
• Hughes grabbed Dojigiri from behind and painfully pulled his arm from the demon’s body, while the system absorbed Devil Factors and increased Flame-Flame Fruit Awakening.
• Dojigiri tried to move away, but Hughes pinned him in place and taunted him about their previous fight.
• Dojigiri’s body burst with blinding white light as he vowed to die with Hughes.

Hughes subdued Dojigiri and brought him to Mira and Elfman so they could try absorbing his powers. Mira quickly took over Dojigiri’s Demon Blade Curse, while Elfman prepared to attempt taking over his weakened body.

• Hughes knocked Dojigiri unconscious and carried him to a secluded valley to meet Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna.
• Hughes explained that he wanted Mira to take over Dojigiri’s Demon Blade Curse and Elfman to try taking over Dojigiri’s body after Hughes weakened him further.
• Elfman insisted he wanted to try despite Mira’s concern, and Hughes reassured them that he would intervene if anything went wrong.
• Hughes sent Lisanna and Elfman out of the valley, then Mira touched Dojigiri and quickly learned to take over his Demon Blade Curse.

Mira successfully took over Dojigiri’s Demon Blade Curse, while Hughes tortured Dojigiri to absorb devil factor and raise his Flame-Flame Fruit awakening. Dojigiri died after Elfman took over two of his arms, leaving Hughes wondering what he would look like if he returned to life.

• Mira tested her Demon Blade Curse by splitting a boulder, and Hughes told her to keep practicing.
• Hughes repeatedly wounded Dojigiri to absorb devil factor, while Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman watched.
• Dojigiri threatened Jose and Phantom Lord, and Hughes continued torturing him while disguised as Jose.
• After Dojigiri died, Elfman emerged with two of Dojigiri’s arms and apologized to Hughes for failing to take over more of him.

Hughes and the others returned to Magnolia after testing Elfman’s new form, while Jose’s fury destroyed Phantom Lord’s headquarters and worsened his reputation. Hughes arrived back at Fairy Tail and boasted that he would help with major problems, only to discover that Makarov and Magnolia’s mayor had overheard him.

• Mira, Elfman, and Hughes discovered that Elfman’s new form only gave him two extra arms, and Hughes explained how he had impersonated Jose.
• Jose raged over Hughes’s intervention and demands, destroyed Phantom Lord’s headquarters, and vowed to rebuild the guild with Element 4 and demonstrate Purgatory Shatter.
• Mages in Ogre Town mocked Jose and Phantom Lord, while Hughes, Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna traveled back toward Magnolia with Lisanna’s newly acquired animal pets.
• Hughes returned to Fairy Tail, beat down Macao, and bragged that he only helped with major matters such as beating the mayor or enraging the guild master.
• Natsu and the others gathered around Hughes as Makarov and Magnolia’s mayor stood outside the guild doors, having heard his boast.

Hughes returned to Fairy Tail as rumors of his victories spread, then stopped Natsu from recklessly seeking out a demon and Gray from reliving his past mistake. The mayor of Magnolia delivered a banner Jose had written, which insulted the guilds that had turned against Phantom Lord.

• Hughes realized guild masters had fueled the rumors about his victories to undermine Jose and Phantom Lord.
• Natsu asked Hughes where he could find a demon so he could defeat it and attract Igneel’s attention, while Gray prepared to stop him.
• Hughes punched Natsu and Gray, warning them that demons and the Ten Wizard Saints were too dangerous to challenge.
• The mayor of Magnolia gave Hughes a banner from the mayor of Ogre Town and hurried away.
• Hughes and Makarov read Jose’s message on the banner: “Filthy rats, ashamed to be associated with them.”

Hughes received a divine treasure ring from Kailinfu through Makarov, while his antics and rumors about his reputation continued to cause trouble. He planned to test the ring with Mira and was warned to keep his promise to Kailinfu and beware of Bloodman.

• Hughes dismissed Jose’s insulting banner and told Makarov he had concealed his identity when dealing with Jose and Dojigiri.
• Makarov gave Hughes a ring from Kailinfu, and Hughes mistook it for a romantic gift before learning it was the divine treasure.
• Makarov explained that Kailinfu had cleared the ring’s stored magic so Hughes could place a spell inside and release it with his mental power.
• Hughes decided to test the ring with Mira in the forest east of town, and Makarov told him Kailinfu expected him to fulfill his promise before she died.
• Makarov warned Hughes not to underestimate Bloodman, but Hughes said he would not risk his life for Kailinfu.

Makarov told Hughes that Sabertooth had secretly helped spread a false rumor about him, and Hughes prepared to confront the guild. Before leaving, he discovered Natsu and the others trying to imitate Phantom Lord’s Super Magic Giant, inspiring Erza to propose building one with Mira, Cana, Lisanna, and Levy.

• Makarov warned Hughes to keep the Alvarez Empire’s connection to Fairy Tail and the secret in the guild basement from Gildarts and Laxus.
• Makarov revealed that Bob had traced the false rumor about Hughes defeating Jose to Sabertooth, and he urged Hughes to make an example of the guild.
• Hughes learned that Sabertooth was behind the rumor and told Makarov he would set out to confront them the next day.
• Hughes went behind the guild with Mira and Lisanna and found Natsu, Gray, Elfman, Wakaba, and Macao struggling to form a giant.
• Hughes told the group to cover their Fairy Tail marks and pretend to be Phantom Lord’s Super Magic Giant, and Erza proposed forming one with Mira, Cana, Lisanna, and Levy.

Hughes’s casual explanation that Kailinfu had given him a ring made Mira furious, and Lisanna warned him that he needed to clear up the misunderstanding. The chapter ended with Lisanna sent to comfort Mira while Hughes waited anxiously outside her closed room.

• Hughes and Lisanna regretted losing the vote on the Super Magic Giant, while Elfman used Take Over Magic to clean the villa efficiently.
• Hughes and the Strauss siblings enjoyed Mira’s dinner, and Mira noticed the ring on Hughes’s finger.
• Hughes said Kailinfu had given him the ring, prompting Mira to break her plate and storm into her room.
• Lisanna questioned Hughes about Kailinfu, and he explained that she was his creditor because he had accepted her divine treasure in advance.
• Hughes forced Lisanna to go comfort Mira, then waited by her closed door while Elfman asked whether Hughes had done something wrong.