Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Gray, and Happy were pushed by Erza until the early hours of the morning before finally earning the right to rest, utterly exhausted.
Since it was so late, naturally no one could be bothered to go home, so they simply bathed and slept at Chase's place.
Because the villa didn't have many rooms, Chase—as the owner—was mercilessly banished to the guest room by Mira and Erza, on the grounds that the girls would be safer sleeping together.
Then, the four Natsu and Gray brothers who had already claimed the guest room were kicked out by Chase to sleep on the living room floor, leaving only the two Happies to serve as pillows.
Nothing else happened through the night.
The next morning, the fiercely competitive Erza dragged a large group into the Card Space and began a new round of brutal training.
Chase, Mira, and Dark Magician Girl, who had come out for some fresh air, went to the Fairy Tail guild on the mountainside as usual.
As they walked through the door, before Dark Magician Girl could even say hello, the two old men at the bar let out terrified wails of despair. They muttered things like "this is the end" and "if anything happens, we'll have to die to atone," so absorbed in their panic that they didn't even notice Chase and the others.
"What's wrong with the masters?" Mira asked Future Kinana, who was clearing dishes nearby.
"They've been like this since they arrived this morning," Kinana said, pausing her work and tilting her head in thought. "Apparently, your master lost the First Master. I don't know the details."
"The First Master?!" Mira was startled.
Only now did she suddenly realize that Mavis, who had left Tenrou Island with them, had indeed vanished upon reaching Magnolia!
No wonder the two masters were so terrified.
"Don't worry. If I'm not mistaken, the First Master is probably hiding somewhere with her counterpart, watching us right now," Chase said calmly, waving his hand as he found a table and sat down. "Breakfast is more important for now."
Future Mavis had left Tenrou Island earlier than they had in their timeline. Following the normal course of events, she would be secretly preparing to join the group to watch the Grand Magic Games. Given her playful and curious nature, upon discovering another version of herself, the two would inevitably meet.
In any case, as spirit entities, only those bearing the Fairy Tail emblem could see them, so there was no need to worry about any consequences.
"That's true."
Seeing Chase so composed, Mira also relaxed. She waved toward Future Mirajane not far away. "Over there, me—three breakfasts, please. Extra fried eggs for Chase~"
For once, she got to play the role of a "customer" at the guild.
"No problem," Future Mirajane said with a smile.
After breakfast, more people trickled in, and Dark Magician Girl quickly hit it off with the future world's members.
"Chase~!"
A crisp voice interrupted Chase's conversation with the two masters.
Turning around, he saw an adorable little girl wearing a cowboy hat with long braids running toward him.
Chase smiled and opened his arms, catching her securely. "Asuka! You're early today!"
Asuka was the six-year-old daughter of Alzack and Bisca.
"Sorry about this, Chase. Asuka's been pestering us to come to the guild to play with you since early morning," Future Alzack said apologetically from behind.
"She's only known you for two days, but she seems really attached to you already," Future Bisca remarked.
Asuka, ignoring her parents entirely, looked up at Chase with sparkling, excited eyes. "Hey, hey, Chase! I want to play that shooting game with the Magical Hats from yesterday!"
"No problem. Let's head outside then~"
After exchanging a few words with Alzack and Bisca, Chase carried Asuka out of the guild.
Future Makarov watched their backs and let out a deep sigh. Asuka used to cling to him the most. He was the one who had been there first!
"Still, I never expected a walking disaster like Chase to have such a gentle side," Makarov said, still finding it hard to believe even though he had seen it just two days ago.
As if struck by a sudden idea, his murky old eyes flashed with light.
With the Heart Magic, the possibility of retiring due to illness or working until death had become almost nonexistent. And Chase, with his love of freedom, clearly wouldn't obediently take over—not even if forced.
But what if that brat had children of his own?
With that thought, Makarov instinctively glanced at Mira nearby.
Mira didn't notice the old man's scheming gaze. She was currently trapped in the middle of her siblings' teasing.
"Chase really does love kids. I wonder if his first child with Mira will be a boy or a girl," Lisanna said, resting her chin on her hand and daydreaming seriously.
"I-I'm going to be an uncle! Th-That's what it means to be a man!!" Elfman was inexplicably worked up.
Even Mira found it hard to withstand this kind of public scrutiny. Her cheeks flushed as she frantically erased the mental images floating above Lisanna and Elfman's heads. "What are you even talking about?! I-It's not going to happen that fast!"
She remembered that during the S-Class trial, she and Erza had openly discussed Elfman and Evergreen's future children and had felt deep concern over the imagined baby's appearance.
She never expected the boomerang to come flying back and hit her right in the forehead.
"Probably just born and already wanting to play cards?" Future Mirajane said with a smile, walking over.
This woman was so cunning she didn't even spare herself!
At those words, Mira couldn't help but picture a little girl holding a milk bottle and shouting, "My turn! Draw!"
Then she covered her face and burst into tears.
While playing the shooting game with Asuka, Future Erza also arrived. She had been busy discussing the details of the Exodia Armor with the weaponsmith in the neighboring town yesterday, so she hadn't shown up at Chase's temporary villa.
Upon learning that Future Natsu and the others were all undergoing intensive training in the Card Space, she joined in as well—just in time to catch the last train for Team Strongest.
With nothing better to do, Chase also took the time to apply Heart Magic to Future Makarov, who had a heart condition. It was effortless for him.
Future Makarov was deeply grateful. His counterpart on their side was thoroughly satisfied that he too had boarded the "no retirement" ship.
Not long after the Heart Magic was successfully applied, Future Laxus, Future Gajeel, and Future Panther Lily finally returned from their training.
After learning from Future Makarov that winning the Grand Magic Games would allow them to order Team A around, they agreed without a second thought.
However—
"Team B just sounds irritating for some reason. And—"
Inside the second-floor master's office, Future Laxus looked at Chase, faint arcs of electricity crackling in his eyes, carrying a clear fighting spirit.
"Don't you think it's a bit reckless to have someone whose strength is completely unknown as my teammate?"
***
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