after dawn

Under the dazzling dawn, a magic-powered airship hastily departed from the Tenrou Island. Its emblem unmistakably belonged to the heart of demons.

Throughout the night, Hades waited for the rest of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, but except for Rustyrose and Kain, no one else managed to board the airship.

Realizing no one else would return, Hades understood they either perished or betrayed. He commanded to take off, fleeing Tenrou Island.

But with Hades' nature, he wouldn't let Fairy Tail off the hook. Once his injuries healed, no matter how many years it took, he would gather a new Seven Kin of Purgatory and declare war on Fairy Tail again.

Moreover, he'd be more cautious, especially facing off against Kāruvin.

Inside the airship, in a room, Hades and the remaining two members of the Seven Kin of Purgatory awaited. Their expressions were grim, filled with disbelief.

Only the seasoned Hades managed to stay calm, but wrapped in bandages, he lacked persuasiveness, appearing more like a feeble old man.

Suddenly, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the depths of the room, accompanied by a strong dark magic.

The owner of the magic and footsteps emerged from the shadows—a man with jet-black short hair and a handsome face exuding charm, yet his cold expression sent chills down Rustyrose and Kain's spines.

"It's beings like you that shaped me this way."

"It's your wicked thoughts that summoned Acnologia."

"This era is coming to an end, and no one can stop it."

His chilling voice echoed, his demeanor, expression, and magic instilling fear, rendering Rustyrose and Kain completely motionless.

Hades exclaimed his name in excitement: "Jellal..."

Their ensuing conversation was bound to be unpleasant. The magic airship suddenly exploded, and the dark guild of the heart of demons vanished without a trace.

On Tenrou Island, a small boat just departed, carrying only two people, both appearing delicate.

One was a young girl, while the other was a stunning, graceful woman with a captivating figure.

It was Ultear and Meredy.

Ultear removed her heavy makeup and changed into ordinary clothes, completely altering her demeanor, devoid of her previous ruthlessness.

She and Meredy exchanged words. Suddenly, Ultear took out a knife and pierced her own heart, falling into the sea.

Meredy hurriedly jumped in to rescue Ultear, using her sensory link to alleviate Ultear's injuries, crying and speaking words that couldn't be discerned.

The bond between them was inexplicable. Ultear committing suicide in front of Meredy was surely due to something she had done to betray Meredy. However, from the current situation, it seemed Meredy had forgiven her.

They embraced in the sea, exchanging warmth, wiping away past regrets, embracing a new life and newfound happiness.

Equally happy were the people on Tenrou Island.

After a sweet sleep, everyone felt refreshed. Joy was contagious, and their injuries seemed to lighten.

Makarov had just announced the cancellation of the S-Class advancement exam when Natsu, Gray, and others started causing a ruckus. Laxus seemed puzzled by the return of Lisanna and was pinching her cheeks to confirm her identity.

Not far away, Wendy was hiding behind a tree, seemingly wanting to greet Laxus but appearing a bit hesitant.

Next to Laxus, Calvin, sipping on his drink, gestured to Wendy, signaling her to come over.

Wendy hesitated for a moment but gathered her courage, taking careful steps forward. She bowed to Laxus and softly spoke, trembling slightly.

"Hello, I'm Wendy, a new member of Fairy Tail. I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer!"

Wendy's words trembled slightly, and she couldn't dare look into Laxus's eyes. Beads of sweat formed on her neck.

"Hahaha! Your face is indeed too scary, Pikachu!" A terribly timed laugh came from the side. Only Calvin would call Laxus "Pikachu."

At that moment, Calvin seemed to revel in the spectacle, blatantly observing Laxus's incredibly animated expressions.

Laxus's face was showing veins, his eyes filled with hostility, and occasional sparks of lightning crackled around him, looking like he was about to explode any moment.

Calvin quickly interjected, "Hey hey, the juniors are greeting you, hurry up and respond!"

Laxus glared fiercely at Calvin once more, then turned to Wendy and said, "Hello, I'm Laxus. Though I wasn't taught by a dragon, I'm also a Dragon Slayer." While Laxus's tone remained harsh, it was much gentler compared to how he treated Calvin.

"Wendy, be careful, this guy loves to tease newcomers. Gajeel got a beating from him when he first joined," Calvin again chimed in inappropriately, trying to sow discord.

"No way... is that true? Will... will I get beaten too?" Wendy was suddenly startled by Calvin's words, instinctively showing a defensive posture, crossing her arms over her chest.

Laxus stiffly turned his head, gritting his teeth, and snapped, "Idiot, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

"What's wrong, did I hit the nail on the head, making you so angry?" Calvin spoke provocatively.

Laxus leaned in close to Calvin, ominously saying, "What, do you want to fight?"

"That's exactly what I want, you jerk! I haven't settled the score from last time! Do you think I'm that forgiving?" Calvin retorted with a menacing expression and a chilling tone, matching Laxus's intensity.

The sudden change in these two frightened Wendy, who didn't know how to react. However, nearby, Chelia could see through everything—these guys were just fooling around.

Sure enough, two swift karate chops landed on their heads. Only Makarov and Erza, besides Alzack, would dare reprimand these two within the guild.

"Don't scare Wendy. You two, stop fooling around!"

Erza's authority within Fairy Tail extended even to the likes of Laxus and Calvin. Despite their strength, they dared not disobey Erza, begrudgingly lowering their heads.

"Sorry, Wendy. Forgive these two idiots this time," Erza said to Wendy.

"Uh... it's no big deal, Miss Erza," Wendy replied, feeling unsure of what expression to make, awkwardly smiling in response.