Chapter 211

Temptations in Night

"CHEERS!"

The Bar Sun had cheers filling its entire building as everyone celebrated our recent victories, save Wendy's draw with Sherria. Everyone couldn't be happier and partied their hardest. I also couldn't help but proudly raise a glass as I drank heartily with them.

"Look out, world! Fairy Tail's back in business, baby!" roared Natsu.

"Aye, sir!" concurred Happy.

Cana was bragging to the others about her win. "Yup, after what I just did, it's pretty safe to say I take after my old man," she said smugly. "Bet you boys are impressed with my power, huh?"

"Oh, give it a rest already," huffed Wakaba. "Besides, it wasn't even your power, to begin with."

"Oh, come on, let her have her moment," I told Wakaba with a chuckle. "Technically, Cana used quite a bit of control to use that spell, so you could say it was her power that helped her win."

"Thanks for that, Willy!" Cana winked. "You're the best! And by the way, way to get revenge for me! You gave Bacchus a beating back there!"

"I'll say you did," Macao said as he nudged me. "Honestly, I was worried that those last attacks he nailed you with would've finished you. Not to mention, I thought you were crazy taking all that damage from that guy."

"You want to talk about being reckless?" I deadpanned. "I wasn't the one who took on one hundred monsters like Erza did." I looked back towards the redhead as she sat across from me. "If anything, I'm impressed that she's still moving around."

"Good point," said Lucy. "She always does recover quickly, but even I can't help but notice that. So what's your secret, Erza?"

"I owe it to Wendy and Ms. Porlyusica," Erza smiled. "If not for their healing prowesses, I'd probably still be in bed."

"Too bad the same can't be said for Elfman," chuckled Mira. "Their healing magic seems to do the opposite for him."

"Yeah, our brother's a pretty sad case," Lisasnna sighed while face-palming.

"Perhaps it's because he's a real man," I couldn't help but joke. "As Elfman would say: "A real man's recovery is a long and winding road, and I'm a real man!"

"Oh, please, Willy. Don't do that!" groaned Lisanna. "We don't need two Elfmans."

Everyone laughed, even Lisanna.

I then took a swig of water from my mug, and as I did, I looked around the bar. My eyes then fell upon Wendy, who seemed a bit crestfallen rather than excited compared to the rest of us as she stared at the table. Carla was talking to her to try and cheer her up, but the little girl didn't seem to pay attention to her.

Wondering what was wrong, Mira, Lisanna, and I approached her table.

"Hey, Wendy. Is something wrong?" asked Lisanna. "You look sad."

"I was just thinking about how great everyone was in their matches today," Wendy spoke quietly. "Erza made those monsters look easy, Cana won using Fairy Glitter, and Willy even won his match against Bacchus. Meanwhile, I barely managed to get a draw."

"Come now, child. I told you not to be so hard on yourself," soothed Carla.

"Indeed. You surprised everyone, as a matter of fact," said Pantherlily as he posed while Reedus sketched him.

"Yeah, you were something out there, kiddo," agreed Levy. "So try to be a bit more proud of yourself."

Wendy still didn't seem so sure. I then went over to her side.

"Wendy, listen. Do you remember when we first met each other back with Nirvana?" I asked her. "And when I first taught you how to use a breath attack?"

Wendy glanced over at me while nodding.

"Let me tell you something. When I first started learning how to use that spell, it took me almost two weeks to master it when I was your age," I told her. "Meanwhile, you used it after being taught only the basics once. Since then, and while I've only known you, Natsu, and Gajeel as my fellow dragon slayers, I've always believed that you have talent and potential."

Wendy's eyes seemed to brighten. "Wait, seriously?"

I smiled at her. "Of course. And you may not believe this, but you've also come a long way, too," I continued. "Y'know, when we first met, you were so shy, timid, and not the type to get into fights. But over time, we all watched you grow in strength and confidence. You were a significant factor in our victory against Faust back in Edolas, and you even had to guts to go up against Hades back on Tenrou Island. And even today, you went toe-to-toe against Sherria, a god slayer, something neither Gajeel nor I had ever heard of or gone against. You've shown all of us that you can hold your own, and despite your age, you're an incredible and powerful wizard."

Wendy stared at me with a surprised look.

"He's right, and we all believe that," added Mira. "So you should be more confident with yourself, Wendy."

"Yeah. You didn't win your match, but it's not as if you lost either," Lisanna said with a kind smile. "If anything, you won in your match our books."

Wendy then smiled, appearing to feel much better. "Thanks, you guys," she said gratefully. "You're all the best." She then looked across toward me. "And Willy, I think you changed a lot, too."

"I have?" I puzzled. "In what way?"

"Well, now that you mention it, when I first met you, you seemed... unapproachable," Wendy explained. "For some reason, I couldn't help but feel like you were a wall with us, keeping your guard up at all times and keeping everything hidden behind a mask. I couldn't help but wonder what you could be hiding and what I could do to help you open up and trust us. But then, there was what happened with the Infinity Clock, and when you told us about what happened to you, I was shocked. But at the same time, I also felt relieved because you were finally opening up to us, and you've been open since then. So, I suppose I'm saying you've grown, too, Willy."

I felt my cheeks grow a bit warm as I lightly chuckled. "I... guess I have when you put it that way."

Lisanna chuckled. "Careful, Wendy. You'll make Mira jealous if you keep complimenting him," she teased.

Wendy couldn't help but blush.

"Lisanna, you know I'm not that covetous," said Mira with a light frown. "Please don't tease Wendy."

Then, a loud yell from Natsu interrupted us. "Booze barrel surfers, coming through!"

I looked up and couldn't help but gawk in shock and horror. Natsu had taken a wooden board and, while putting it on top of barrels, was lying on top of it along with Happy, riding it like a surfboard.

"Hey! Watch it, Natsu! It's dangerous!" yelled Jet.

"You're going to break your neck, you idiot!" snapped Droy.

"Hey! Hit the deck, guys!"

Noticing that they were heading straight toward us, I shouted in warning, and everyone scattered as Natsu crashed into our table.

Gajeel, asleep throughout this time, was thrown off the table and quickly grabbed Natsu by the collar, very cranky. "Hey! You looking for a knuckle sandwich?!" he barked.

Natsu's face then turned pale, the motion sickness immediately catching up to him. "Sorry. You can ride it," he groaned sickly while covering his mouth.

"You're missing the point!" Gajeel snapped crossly.

"In that case, let me have a crack at it!" Gray shouted with a smirk.

He then hopped on the board and barrels and started barrel surfing. He was doing good for a few seconds until he crashed and burned in front of the bar, his clothes exploding off of him in the process.

Erza then stomped up. At first, I believed she would stop all the craziness until she got on top of the board and barrels and started surfing herself.

"Now, watch!" she spoke proudly. "This is how you barrel surf!"

Everyone then continued to laugh while having the time of their lives despite all the insanity. I couldn't help but laugh as I looked on from afar.

"You know, Wendy was right," said Mira. "It's been a while since I've seen you smile and laugh like this."

"Y-You think so?" I responded while glancing at her. "Well, a lot has happened, so this is the first time in a while I've been able to relax. Times like this make me feel lucky to be here."

"Then, enjoy it while you can," smiled Mira. "By the way, I didn't have a chance to say this to you, but you were incredible today, Willy. And I mean that. I was worried how you would fare against Bacchus, but it seems as though I was worried over nothing."

"Well, I'll be honest, Bacchus was something else," I said while looking up at the ceiling. "His speed and strength were off the charts. It's no wonder Elfman ended up the way that he did. I would've ended up like him if I didn't have my healing magic. Plus, I wouldn't stand a chance against him."

I started thinking about Orga, which lit a flame of determination in me.

"I have to be at the top of my game tomorrow because there's a strong chance that Orga could be stronger than Bacchus. And that could make things a bit difficult for me."

"Willy, it's important to keep your eyes on the prize, but you honestly take this time to relax before that happens," said Mira. "You just took a beating from a wizard on Erza's and my caliber, so you can stand to treat yourself and take it easy."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Sorry about that," I apologized. "I guess I still can't help but keep my guard up."

Then, I heard someone speak up from behind me.

"In that case, how about we go somewhere to get our minds off things?"

Mira and I turned around to find Levy standing behind us.

"Well, that does sound like a good idea," I said thoughtfully. "But where would we even go?"

"I've got the perfect place in mind!" winked Levy. "Some guild members have been talking, and we decided to go to a pool!"

Immediately, Lucy, Erza, and Wendy appeared from nowhere, all looking interested. I also couldn't help but blink as my curiosity was piqued.

"A pool?" Erza inquired.

"Is there one close by in Crocus?" wondered Lucy.

"Yes, it's called Ryuuzetsu Land," explained Levy. "It's a summer park pretty well known throughout Fiore and was built while we were sealed at Tenrou Island. It's one of Crocus's biggest attractions."

"Oh, heck yeah!" rumbled Natsu. "That means we have to go!"

"We could use the chance to cool off," agreed Gray.

I also couldn't help but feel excited. "A pool?! I would love to go!" I said eagerly. "It's been so long since I've had a good swim!"

"But shouldn't we tell the master where we're going?" Wendy asked.

"It should be no problem," said Erza. "Last I checked, he and Laxus were talking to someone from the Magic Council, most likely about Ivan and Raven Tail."

"Is that so?" said Lucy. "I'll say this much. It's pretty rare for those two to be together."

The guild then walked out of Bar Sun and was about to head out when Mira and I noticed something. Laxus stood beside a tree from the corner of my eye, arms crossed with a stoic look. I started wondering why he was there, but then our eyes made contact, and the blonde gestured with his head, signaling me to come over to him.

"Looks like Laxus wants to chat with you," said Mira. "You want me to wait for you?"

"No, you can go on without me," I told her. "I'll meet you guys over there in a bit."

I then separated from the group and strolled over to Laxus.

"Hey there, Laxus," I greeted him. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing too crazy," replied Laxus. "I just need you to come with me for a sec. I need to talk to you about something."

"What about?" I wondered.

"You'll see," said Laxus. "Just come with me. I'd rather tell you somewhere private."

We both walked away from Bar Sun until we came to a secluded plaza and went under a multiple-arched bridge. As we arrived, Laxus stood by the wall leaning back and returning to the same posture he was in before.

"So, are we waiting for someone?" I asked.

Laxus nodded. "Don't worry. The old man should be here in a bit."

Sure enough, Makarov then stepped out into the moonlight and approached us.

"All right then. Since you're both here, I got some questions to ask you both," said Laxus. "First things first. Willy, do you recognize this?"

He dug into his pocket and took out a familiar object that made me instinctively gasp and recoil slightly.

It was a small vial containing a tiny bit of black substance left inside it.

"T-Toxin?! Where did you get that?!"

"My old man had it," replied Laxus. "During my match, he used it to boost his magic, but it didn't help him much, considering I practically took him along with his lackeys down by myself." He glanced over at Makarov. "And speaking of which, there's something I wanted to ask you about, too, geezer." He paused briefly. "What exactly is the Lumen Histoire?"

"Lumen Histoire?" I couldn't help but repeat. "What's that?"

Makarov sighed. "Lemme guess. Ivan mentioned it?"

"Over and over again," said Laxus. "Seems he really wants to get his hands on it. He also tried to tell me that it's Fairy Tail's darkest secret."

"That good for nothing, kid," grumped Makarov.

"Wait, darkest secret?" I once again parroted. "What do you mean by that? And... should this be something I should hear about?"

Makarov remained silent. Then, a voice quietly cut the silence.

"Don't worry, Willy. You're fine."

The voice came from Mavis, who had mysteriously appeared as she approached us.

"First Master," murmured Makarov.

"The Lumen Histoire isn't dark at all," continued Mavis. "If anything, it's what brings light to our guild."

"Remember, you mustn't tell them!" warned Makarov.

Mavis smiled. "I know. Don't worry," she reassured him. "It's top secret information shared with only those who served as guild master. I'm sorry, boys. I hope you both can understand."

"Hey, as long as it ain't anything weird, I got no reason to pry," said Laxus.

I still felt a bit curious, but I also agreed with him. "Same with me," I said. "You guys have always trusted me despite everything that's happened, so I'll trust you, too, Master Mavis."

Mavis smiled. "Thank you both," she said. "You're both the best."

"But I do wonder how Ivan had come to obtain such classified information," puzzled Makarov worriedly.

Mavis frowned. "Most likely, he heard about it from the second master, Precht," she said.

Makarov hummed. "Yes, he does seem the likely source."

"Pardon me, but what does Fairy Tail's second master have to do with this?" I asked.

Makarov and Mavis looked at each other before Mavis gave Makarov a nod.

"You may not be aware of this, Willy, but there's a reason why Fairy Tail's rules are strict regarding personal information," said Makarov. "The reason is that the second master, known as Precht, is the one you know as Hades."

Immediately, memories of our big battle with the man in question came into my mind as I tensed up. "Wait, him?!" I couldn't help but exclaim. "You're telling me that he was not only the master of Grimoire Heart but also was Fairy Tail's second master?!"

Makarov solemnly nodded.

"It does explain why he knew about the location of Tenrou Island," said Laxus. "And I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who told my old man about the Lumen Histoire, too. Even the part about it being Fairy Tail's darkest secret."

"And he must have been desperate enough to get his hands on some toxin in case you would resist during your match with him," I said while crossing my arms. "Which means he must have met Satoshi at some point."

"I would never have imagined Precht falling to the dark side," Mavis spoke sadly. "It would seem that choosing him was a terrible decision."

"You mustn't blame yourself, First Master," said Makarov.

"But I'm the one who chose him, so it's my fault," insisted Mavis. "Because of my decision, everyone in the guild had to suffer."

Then, to the surprise of everyone, Mavis's lip trembled as her eyes welled up with tears, as she began to sniffle and cry. Makarov and Laxus were quick to get flustered.

"No, First Master! Please don't cry!" Makarov squawked flusteredly.

"Oh, man! What'll we do now?" Laxus gulped.

"I'm just fine! I'm not crying!" sniffed Mavis. "I'm not. Crying."

But no matter how much she tried to keep a stiff lip, she couldn't help but cry.

"Laxus! Go on and comfort her!" Makarov cried. "Hurry!"

"Wait, why do I have to do it?!" Laxus objected. "Can't you do it?!"

I then went over to Mavis, bending down as I spoke kindly. "Come on, Master Mavis. There's no reason to blame yourself. You couldn't have known that Precht would do what he did, much less become Hades. You may have appointed him as guild master, but you had no control over what he would do in his position. Trust me, I can understand what it feels like to take responsibility for something beyond your control and want to atone for your mistake, but there's no reason for you to cry or worry about it. All you can do is learn from your mistake and move forward. OK?"

Mavis wiped her tears as she grew determined. "Y-Yeah. You're right," she sniffled. "No need to worry. No sense in worrying about something that happened. Thank you, Willy."

I smiled. "You're quite welcome, Master Mavis," I told her. "Say, I was about to go with everyone to Ryuzetsu Land. I'm told that it's got a pool, and it's a major staple in Crocus. You wanna come along?"

The First Master's eyes sparkled. "No way! Did you say a water park?!" she squealed eagerly. "I'd love to go!"

"A pool, huh? That actually sounds good. We could use some time to unwind," said Laxus. "And it'll be a good distraction from all this gloominess."

"Yes! I agree!" concurred Makarov. "Why don't we all go then?"

"Yeah! Let's go!" said Mavis.

The four of us then set off. As we did, Makarov spoke quietly enough for me to hear him.

"Nicely done, Willy," he said.

I answered with a wink. "No problem, master," I said. "Anytime."

NO POV

Over at Sabertooth's hotel, most of the guild had fallen fast asleep. However, Orga remained wide awake as he stood outside the front, leaning over the railing and gazing towards the city below, brooding in his thoughts and replaying the fight between Willy and Bacchus on repeat. He couldn't stop thinking about how Willy called him out after he had won and was naturally a bit peeved.

Minerva then approached him. "Something on your mind, Orga?" she asked. "You seem deep in thought. That's not very like you."

"Lady Minerva," said Orga. "Yeah. I guess you could say that. I can't sleep, that's all."

"I take it you're thinking about your match tomorrow?" asked Minerva. "You are facing quite an interesting opponent."

Orga clicked his tongue. "With all due respect, my lady, nothing is interesting about him," Orga spoke gruffly. "After beating that lousy drunk, that Fairy Tail punk has the nerve to get cocky?! He's nothing compared to me. I'll make sure he knows that as I beat him."

"I'm sure you will," said Minevera. "I'll admit they've put on quite a show today, but tomorrow will be when their curtain falls as we take the stage."

Then, a voice came.

"You might want to be careful with words like that."

Orga and Minerva flinched as they looked around. Then, a cloaked figure suddenly leaped up from below and landed on the railing next to them.

"Who are you?!" demanded Orga as he instinctively put his fists up.

"Calm down. I come in peace," the cloaked person said. "Besides, I'm not stupid enough to start picking a fight with someone of your status, Orga Nanagear. And it's a pleasure to meet you, too, Minerva Orland."

"You seem to know who we both are, stranger," Minerva spoke with a frown. "However, you have yet to introduce yourself, yet I get the feeling you're not the kind for introductions, are you?"

"You're very astute," the cloaked person said. "But don't worry. I only came here to talk. I take it that you're both familiar with Willy Falconer?"

"Well, duh," said Orga. "Of course, we know the guy. What about him?"

"Let me make this clear. That boy isn't someone to be trifled with," the cloaked stranger warned. "He's a dragon slayer and is quite powerful. As much as I hate to tell you this, you won't stand a chance against him."

Orga scowled. "Say what?! What do you mean by that?!" he barked.

"You may not know this, but Willy Falconer isn't your typical mage," the cloaked stranger continued. "He's the result of an experiment that has granted him incredible strength and magic, and he's also the disciple of a Ten Wizard Saint. If you're not careful, he'll take away everything you value. Your status, your reputation, and respect, everything. All of it will disappear in an instant. And it's not just him. His guild is a threat as well."

Orga then laughed. "You got to be kidding! Is that supposed to scare me or something?" he mocked. "That little runt's nothing more but a lowly fairy! What makes you so sure I can't beat him? Wait, I get it. Are you another Fairy Tail punk sent from their guild to scare me?"

"No, I am not," said the cloaked stranger. "Let's say we all share a common enemy and want nothing more than to put Fairy Tail in their place for their impudence."

The cloaked figure then took out two vials and tossed them to Orga and Minevera as they caught them.

"What are these?" Minerva wondered with a curious look.

"A gift. It'll boost your magic power and strength," replied the cloaked figure. "Boost them high enough to defeat Fairy Tail in seconds. In addition, I can tell you a little tip that might interest you. A tip about a crucial weakness your opponent has."

But then Orga tossed the vial back at the stranger, causing him to catch it.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he said huffily. "I ain't the kind of guy to trust a stranger giving out gifts and spouting nonsense. Besides, I don't need your help to beat that punk. I'll crush Willy Falconer and turn him into black chili. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

He then promptly walked away, leaving Minerva and the cloaked stranger alone.

"I must apologize about him," said Minerva. "He's the kind that has a sense of pride. It comes with being a champion."

"And I take it that you feel the same as him?" asked the cloaked stranger.

"As much as I would love to accept it, I'm afraid that told must decline," said Minerva as she returned her vial. "Not that I don't appreciate your concern for us, but I believe we can handle Fairy Tail ourselves. We are Sabertooth, the mightiest guild in Fiore, and we'll crush anyone who stands against us with our overwhelming power. And that includes Fairy Tail. However, I am interested in that tip you mentioned. After all, intelligence is a powerful weapon."

"Very well," said the cloaked stranger. "I'll tell you since you're so interested."

He then told Minerva his little tip. When he finished, a sly smile crossed Minerva's face.

"That is quite a tip," she said. "That will be quite useful."

"I'm glad that you approve," the cloaked figure said. "But now, I must take my leave. And while I'm disappointed that your champion turned me down, something tells me he'll change your minds soon enough. And when that happens, I'll come back."

And with that, the cloaked figure leaped off the railing and disappeared into the night as Minerva watched him leave.

"Something tells me that tomorrow will be quite interesting," she said with a malicious glint in her eye.

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As always, thank you very much for reading, and I hope to see you in the next chapter!

Dragomaster, signing off!