A New Life in Fairy Tail

"It's not as bad as I thought. We can easily recover from this," Makarov declared, casually tossing the financial reports back onto the counter after a quick review.

He had taken the reins of Fairy Tail 48 years ago. Back then, while the guild had a decent local reputation, it was nowhere near the top-tier powerhouse it was today.

It was only in the last decade, with the arrival of Gildarts and Ur, followed by the rapid, explosive growth of Laxus, Noah, Ultear, Erza, and the rest of the younger generation, that the guild had truly skyrocketed. Their combined strength and high-profile exploits had solidified Fairy Tail's absolute dominance in Fiore.

A four-month dip in revenue merely set them back to their operational capacity from two or three years ago. It was a minor hiccup, not a crisis.

Once the news broke that the Tenrou group had safely returned, the high-end commissions would immediately flood back in. In fact, given the unprecedented, apocalyptic scale of Noah's battle with Acnologia, their reputation was about to explode exponentially.

The sheer, country-spanning magnitude of the tidal waves and shockwaves generated by their clash was something the average citizen—and even most seasoned mages—found utterly incomprehensible. When the Magic Council officially confirmed that the catastrophe was merely the collateral damage of Noah engaging the legendary Black Dragon, the entire continent had been thrown into an uproar.

The existence of Acnologia was terrifying enough, but the fact that a Fairy Tail mage possessed the sheer, apocalyptic firepower to fight it head-on over the open ocean was awe-inspiring.

That level of absolute, god-like infamy guaranteed that Fairy Tail would be drowning in elite, high-paying commissions for the foreseeable future. The four-month drought was irrelevant; they were about to make significantly more money than ever before.

"As long as you guys are confident, that's all that matters. Now, officially take back control so Wakaba and I can finally rest!" Macao urged, eager to relinquish the stressful mantle of acting Guild Master.

Macao wasn't an idiot. He had been with the guild for decades and knew perfectly well that Noah and the others were the true engines of Fairy Tail's modern success. He had only stressed over the declining numbers because he cared deeply about the guild and its junior members. Now that the heavy hitters were back, his job was done.

He desperately needed a stiff drink and a long, uninterrupted nap.

"No problem. Let's do the formal handover right now," Noah smiled, seeing the thick, dark bags under Macao and Wakaba's eyes. The two seniors had clearly been losing sleep trying to keep the guild afloat during the crisis.

Noah and Makarov quickly reviewed the remaining administrative details, allowing Macao and Wakaba to officially step down.

The moment the handover was complete, Macao practically sprinted away from the bar, grabbed a stool, ordered a massive pint of ale, and downed half of it in a single gulp. He let out a long, shuddering sigh, his entire body slumping as the immense stress finally melted away. Wakaba quickly joined him, clinking his own glass against Macao's with a relieved chuckle.

With the administrative duties temporarily shifted onto Noah and Laxus—who had been forcefully conscripted by Noah to help with the paperwork—the rest of the Tenrou group dispersed to catch up with their friends.

Gildarts, Ur, and the other veteran S-Class mages found a quiet table to drink and swap stories. Ultear, Mirajane, and the girls happily reunited with Bisca, Laki, and the other stay-behind female members, eagerly recounting their adventures in the Celestial Spirit World.

While processing the paperwork, Noah also sent out telepathic and magical missives to Layla, Yajima, Bob, Goldmine, Jura, and the others who had offered their support during the crisis, officially confirming their safe return.

"Alright, everyone! To celebrate our safe return, and to properly welcome ourselves home... IT'S TIME FOR A BANQUET!" Makarov suddenly yelled, leaping onto the bar counter.

"YEAAAAAAAAAH!"

The entire guild erupted into deafening cheers.

The joyous, chaotic roar echoed out of the guildhall and drifted across the streets of Magnolia. In a matter of minutes, the guildhall was transformed into a massive, rowdy party. Mages drank, sang, danced on tables, and brawled happily, releasing months of pent-up stress and tension.

The celebration raged well into the early hours of the morning. Eventually, exhaustion overtook them, and the mages simply collapsed wherever they were, sleeping in messy piles across the guildhall floor. Thanks to the guild's environmental runes, the temperature remained perfectly comfortable, so no one had to worry about catching a cold.

The next morning, while the vast majority of the guild was still sound asleep on the floor, the heavy oak doors gently creaked open. A sharply dressed man and woman quietly stepped inside.

"Sister Layla, Uncle Jude. You're here early," Noah whispered, stepping out from behind the bar. He had woken up early to finish organizing the last of the backlog paperwork.

"We received your message last night, but it was already quite late, so we decided to wait until this morning to visit," Jude replied quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping mages.

"It's so wonderful to see that you're all safe. Where is Lucy?" Layla asked softly, quickly inspecting Noah to ensure he wasn't injured.

"She's over there," Noah pointed toward a quiet corner. Lucy was sound asleep, leaning comfortably against Meredy and Wendy, who were also snoring softly.

Layla nodded. She and Jude carefully stepped over the snoring bodies of Natsu, Gray, and the others, making their way to their daughter. Seeing that Lucy was perfectly healthy and sleeping peacefully, the couple smiled warmly. They found two empty chairs nearby, sat down, and quietly watched over her.

An hour later, the guild slowly began to stir. The mages groaned, stretching their stiff limbs and lazily starting to clean up the massive mess they had made the night before.

"Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?" Lucy mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Finding her parents sitting right next to her was a pleasant, albeit confusing, surprise.

"Good morning, Uncle Jude, Aunt Layla!" Meredy and Wendy chorused cheerfully, having also just woken up.

"Good morning, girls. We're just here to see our daughter, of course," Layla smiled, reaching out to gently pinch Lucy's cheek before pulling her in for a tight hug, carefully inspecting her.

"Mom, I'm fine, really," Lucy laughed, returning the hug.

"I know, but a mother always has to check for herself to be absolutely certain," Layla replied warmly.

"Layla! It's been a while," Ur called out, having just woken up herself.

"It certainly has, Ur. It's wonderful to see you all safe," Layla smiled, standing up and walking over to chat with her old friend. Given the terrifying nature of the crisis, the mothers definitely had plenty to discuss.

Jude also stood up and wandered over to the bar, striking up a conversation with Gildarts and Makarov.

With her parents catching up with the older generation, Lucy quickly joined Meredy, Wendy, and the rest of the guild in cleaning up the hall.

It took them a while, but eventually, the guildhall was relatively spotless.

Just as they finished, the main doors opened again. Noah's Thought Projection walked in, accompanied by a petite, barefoot girl with incredibly long, wavy blonde hair.

"Whoa, Noah, who's the cute girl?" Warren asked, blinking in surprise.

"Yeah, I've never seen her before!"

"It's been a while since Noah brought a girl back to the guild!"

Several of the stay-behind members chimed in curiously, not recognizing the newcomer.

However, every single member who had been to Tenrou Island instantly snapped their mouths shut. They desperately clamped their hands over their mouths, trying to stifle their laughter as they waited for the inevitable realization to hit.

"Watch your mouth. This is the First Master of Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermillion," Noah's Thought Projection deadpanned, glaring at Warren.

"WHAT?! THE FIRST MASTER?!"

Warren and the stay-behind members instantly shrieked, their eyes bugging out in absolute horror.

Hearing their terrified shouts, the Tenrou group could no longer hold it in and burst into roaring laughter.

"Wait... is someone there? I don't see anyone," Layla asked, squinting at the empty space beside Noah's projection.

Jude also looked incredibly confused, staring blankly at the same spot. To them, Noah was talking to thin air.

"Ah, right. The First Master exists in a unique spectral state. Only those who bear the Fairy Tail guild mark can actually perceive her," Ur quickly explained to the Heartfilias, while Gildarts did the same for Jude.

Realizing they had just accidentally hit on the legendary, deceased founder of their guild, Warren and the others frantically bowed and apologized, greeting Mavis with the utmost respect.

Mavis merely giggled, her bright, innocent smile instantly winning them over. She cheerfully greeted everyone before walking over to the bar with Noah's projection.

"Did everything go smoothly?" Makarov asked Noah's true body, who had just dispelled the projection.

"Perfectly. Her spectral state is completely stable. There were absolutely no negative side effects from leaving Tenrou Island. We actually arrived in Magnolia late last night, but I ran several comprehensive diagnostics on her spectral matrix just to be absolutely certain before bringing her in," Noah confirmed.

"Excellent," Makarov nodded, immensely relieved.

"The guild has truly grown into a wonderful place," Mavis smiled, looking around the bustling, cheerful hall.

This was her first time stepping foot in the modern Fairy Tail guildhall. While the physical building was vastly larger and more extravagant than the tiny tavern she had founded centuries ago, the underlying atmosphere—the chaotic, joyous warmth of a true family—remained exactly the same.

This was undeniably her guild.

Hearing her heartfelt praise, Makarov beamed with pride. He had dedicated his entire life to nurturing this guild. Receiving validation from the founder herself was the ultimate honor.

"Since it's perfectly safe for you to be here, you shouldn't go back. You should stay here in the guild permanently," Noah suggested gently. "Tenrou Island is completely isolated. Now that you're awake, there's no reason for you to stay completely alone on an empty island."

"I think I will," Mavis nodded immediately. She had already considered the prospect during the flight back.

Returning to an empty island sounded incredibly boring. She wanted to stay and watch her 'children' grow. Besides, Noah had mentioned that the guild's library possessed a massive collection of modern magical texts and literature. As an avid reader, she was incredibly eager to dive in.

"If the First Master is staying, we need to set up a room for her!" Mirajane announced happily, walking over with Ultear and the girls.

"Ooh! Let's go buy some daily necessities!" Sorano suggested excitedly.

"I'm a ghost, remember? I can't actually use physical objects like beds or toothbrushes," Mavis reminded her gently.

"That doesn't matter! We can still buy decorations and make the room look super pretty and cozy!" Sorano insisted.

"That's a fantastic idea! Let's go shopping right now!" Erza nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling at the prospect of decorating.

"I want to come too! We've been gone for months, I definitely need to buy some new things," Levy chimed in eagerly.

Cana, Kagura, and the rest of the girls who had gone to Tenrou Island also nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright, let's make a day of it," Ultear smiled.

"Thank you, everyone!" Mavis beamed, deeply touched by their enthusiasm.

And so, Mavis, Ultear, and over a dozen of the guild's strongest female mages happily marched out of the guildhall, embarking on a massive, chaotic shopping spree.

~~~

Get early access to 50+ advanced chapters on Patreon!

https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn