Laughter echoed throughout the Fairy Tail guild hall that night. The guild members were celebrating the successful return of Natsu's team after defeating the cursed flute demon, Lullaby. Long wooden tables were packed with food and drinks, and the cheerful noise was so loud it seemed to make the floor tremble.
Lucy, sitting beside Natsu, let out a small laugh before speaking.
"Honestly, you guys almost died out there, and you still have the energy to celebrate?"
"Of course!" Natsu replied, raising his mug high. "That's Fairy Tail for you!"
The laughter continued—
until—
Creeeak—
The guild doors slowly opened. A cold night breeze swept inside, and the conversations gradually died down. Every pair of eyes turned toward a small figure wrapped in a worn, tattered cloak as he stepped quietly into the hall.
His face was mostly hidden beneath the hood, but the moment he took his first step inside, a wave of magical pressure spread around him—something unmistakably powerful. The entire guild could feel it.
"…So you've finally come back," Erza said softly, breaking the silence.
The man smiled faintly beneath the hood.
"It's been a while, Erza. You're all as loud as ever."
With just that one sentence, the tension in the air melted away.
A murmur rose from one corner of the room.
"Don't tell me… that's Negi!"
"You're still alive!? I thought you disappeared on that mission!"
Natsu jumped to his feet.
"Hey! Negi! Long time no see! Let's fight!!"
Before anyone could stop him, Natsu launched himself straight at the cloaked figure.
[Fire Dragon's Iron Fist]
Crimson flames wrapped around Natsu's right fist as he charged forward at blinding speed, aiming straight for the red-haired man.
Anyone else would have been sent flying—
But the small man known as Negi didn't move an inch.
In the very next instant—
With a single, fluid motion, Negi gently twisted his wrist. He barely looked like he used any strength at all. Natsu's body lifted into the air, spun once, and dropped flat onto the floor with a dull thud, leaving the entire guild stunned into silence.
"Hm… You're still as reckless as ever, Natsu," Negi said calmly.
"W–WHAT!? Not again!? This always happens!" Natsu shouted from the floor.
"It's called Aikido," Negi replied with a light chuckle. "Perfect for dealing with hotheaded people."
The guild erupted in laughter once more. Some clapped, others shouted teasing remarks, while Erza walked over with a faint smile.
"You really haven't changed, Negi. Not at all."
He pulled back his hood, revealing the face of a young man with light brown hair tinged with red. His sharp eyes held a gentle warmth. His build was small—he was only about shoulder-height compared to Erza.
"And you still haven't grown any taller," Levy said, suddenly appearing beside him and bumping his shoulder with a grin.
"P–Please don't bring that up, Levy!" Negi protested.
"…So this is another S-Class wizard of Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked, wide-eyed.
"That's right," Makarov said with a laugh. "This kid is a legend in our guild. Even if calling him a 'kid' might be a bit rude—ha ha ha!"
Negi turned to Lucy and gave her a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you. You must be the new writer who joined the guild, right?"
"Ah—Y-Yes! I'm Lucy Heartfilia! Y-You knew?" she stammered.
"Well, I shouldn't be completely out of touch with the guild," he replied with a shrug.
Seeing his face clearly, Lucy murmured under her breath,
"I can't believe it… He looks this young and he's already S-Class?"
"Oh come on~ you're still just a kid," Levy teased, elbowing him playfully.
Negi's face turned bright red.
"P-Please don't look at me like that! I may look like this, but I'm twenty-three years old, okay!? Stop teasing me, Levy!"
"Well~ you did disappear for a long time."
"T-Twenty-three!?" Lucy nearly shouted.
"When you carry certain kinds of magic with you for too long, it slows your aging," Negi explained, scratching his head with an awkward smile. "I've been like this since I was ten."
Makarov burst into laughter.
"Ha ha ha! That's true! He hasn't aged a day since that mission!"
Erza spoke quietly, her tone serious.
"He was on an S-Class mission for over two years, Lucy… We barely heard anything from him."
"A mission that lasted three years…?" Lucy whispered. "That must've involved some incredibly powerful demons…"
"Well… there were demons," Negi said casually. "And a few rogue mages too. Nothing special."
From the floor, Natsu yelled,
"Next time, don't think you can sneak off alone! You have to fight me first!"
Negi raised an eyebrow.
"Then come talk to me again after you manage to beat Erza."
Laughter filled the guild hall once more—this time warmer than ever. Fairy Tail was truly alive again.
And in one corner of the room, Lucy couldn't take her eyes off him.
Some instinct told her that this small-bodied wizard wasn't just powerful—
He might be the key to a far greater story than anyone could imagine.