Fairy Tail: Lost One-Chapter 33: Upcoming Match

At a table inside the Fairy Tail guild, members of Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail were gathered, laughter and chatter filling the room like music. After so many years apart, it was like a reunion between old classmates—chaotic, nostalgic, and just a little competitive.

Sherry leaned toward Lucy with a sly grin. "Things have really gone bad while you guys were taking your seven-year siesta."

Lucy blinked. "Siesta? We were trapped on Tenrou Island!"

Sherry shrugged dramatically. "Details, details. The point is, Lamia Scale climbed the ranks to become the second-best guild in Fiore. No hard feelings, right?"

Lucy raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Is Blue Pegasus number one now?"

Before Sherry could answer, Toby slammed his fists on the table. "Oh yeah, real funny! Those lame guys? No way! Sabertooth got cocky, and Blue Pegasus is just... glitter and cologne!"

Yuka Sakazuki, seated nearby, sighed and rubbed his temple. "Here we go, Toby... You're embarrassing yourself again."

Toby blinked, confused. "What? I'm just sayin' the truth! Also, have you seen my sock? It was lucky. Now it's gone."

Lucy stared at him. "You wear one sock?"

"No," Toby replied confidently. "I wear one special sock."

Gray chuckled while shaking his head. Jura, ever the calm presence, smiled and placed a hand on Gray's shoulder. "Regardless of ranking, we're truly glad to have you all back with us. Fiore wasn't the same without Fairy Tail."

"That's right!" Toby added, then leaned in with a wink. "Also, your food is way better than Lamia Scale's. Just sayin'."

Gray smirked and raised his mug. "Well, it's good to know we're useful for something."

Across the table, Lyon was staring at Juvia with a dreamy look in his eyes, his cheeks tinged red. He slowly stood, walked to her, and placed both hands gently on her shoulders.

"Juvia," he began, voice soft and trembling with emotion, "I never believed in true love... until now."

Juvia blinked. "Eh?"

Lucy covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "I don't think he's joking."

Gray rolled his eyes. "He has no idea what he's getting into."

Juvia took a hesitant step back, her eyes darting between Gray and Lyon. "No... the love triangle has become a love maze."

"What a healthy imagination," Lucy muttered.

"It's anything but healthy," Gray sighed.

Nearby, Happy whispered to Carla, "Love triangles. Love mazes. Next it'll be a love octagon."

Carla groaned. "Don't give them ideas."

Wendy giggled from her seat. "At this rate, we'll need a love map just to keep track of who's interested in who."

Chelia chimed in with a grin. "Or a referee! Fairy Tail romance rules: no magic duels unless both parties agree."

Natsu leaned over the table with a grin. "I just punch feelings into people. Works every time."

Erza, sipping tea, gave him a deadpan look. "And that explains so much."

Lucy sighed. "Yeah, like why you still haven't figured out how feelings work."

Natsu puffed out his cheeks. "I know how they work! You feel stuff, and then you punch a dragon about it!"

Levy laughed. "That sounds like the Natsu method."

Gajeel crossed his arms. "It's dumb. But effective."

Laxus, from the other side of the room, smirked. "Only in this guild could a punching strategy count as emotional growth."

Meanwhile, Jura made his way to the bar where Kinana and Mira were cleaning glasses. His tall frame loomed with a calm presence that somehow made the bar feel more like a temple than a tavern.

Mira noticed him and offered a tired but genuine smile. "Is there something you need, Jura?"

He nodded thoughtfully. "Do you know where Rudra is? I haven't seen him since earlier."

Mira's smile faltered. She glanced toward the seat where Rudra had been, only to find it empty. "He was just sitting there a moment ago..."

Kinana chimed in without turning around. "He was with Master Makarov last I saw."

Jura, standing nearby with arms folded, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. I was hoping to have a word with him myself."

At the same time, inside the Fairy Tail guild office, a heavy silence filled the room. Master Makarov sat behind his desk, eyes locked on the young man before him—Rudra.

After a long moment, he sighed deeply, his voice low and laced with guilt.

"I'm sorry... for not being there to protect you, my boy."

Rudra looked up, a faint, almost wistful smile forming on his lips. "It's alright, old man. Don't blame yourself. That was a long time ago. If you'd been there, I know you would've done everything you could."

Makarov's gaze drifted to Rudra's left arm—the one transformed by his Devil Trigger. It was more than just a scar. It was a symbol of pain, of isolation, of battles no one should have fought alone. The boy he once knew had become a hardened warrior—but to Makarov, he was still family.

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A quiet sorrow passed through the old master's eyes... but pride followed close behind.

Then Rudra leaned back in his chair with a smirk, breaking the somber air. "Now you get why Mira flipped out when she saw me?"

Makarov gave a slow nod. "Yeah... I do now."

Stretching with a slight grunt, Rudra stood and rolled his shoulders. "Well, enough of the heavy stuff. How about we lighten the mood a bit?"

Makarov raised a brow, cautious. "What are you plotting now?"

Grinning, Rudra flashed that same cocky expression from his younger days. "I'm saying—it's about time you made me an S-Class wizard, don't you think?"

Makarov groaned, rubbing his temples like it was an old, familiar routine. "You never change..."

"Not when I'm right," Rudra shot back, winking.

The master chuckled, genuine warmth in his voice. "Alright, alright. I'll consider it—after you beat one of our S-Class wizards in a fair fight."

Rudra's grin widened. "Now that's more like it."

The office door creaked open as the two stepped out side by side, laughter fading into the lively hum of the guild hall below. Fairy Tail was its usual whirlwind — loud, warm, and full of life.

Among the crowd, members of Lamia Scale mingled with ease, their presence a sign of deepening ties between the guilds.

Near the bar, Jura looked up from his tea, calm as ever. His gaze found Rudra instantly, and with quiet purpose, he rose to his feet.

"Master Makarov," Jura greeted with a respectful nod. "Always a pleasure."

Makarov smiled warmly. "Jura, my boy! Good to see you're still keeping these kids in check," he said, giving a wink toward the Lamia Scale mages across the hall.

Then Jura turned to Rudra, who simply raised a hand with a lazy grin. "Yo, Jura. Fancy seeing you here."

Jura chuckled. "It's always... eventful when you're involved, Rudra-dono."

Rudra smirked. "Let me guess — here to investigate something again?"

"Not this time," Jura replied calmly. "Actually, I was hoping to speak with you for a moment. There's a matter I'd like to discuss."

"Sure," Rudra said with a shrug. "But it'll have to wait until after I become S-Class." His tone was relaxed, even teasing. "Shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

Jura smiled knowingly. "I figured as much."

By now, the rest of the guild had begun to quiet down, sensing something unusual. Makarov cleared his throat and floated up onto a nearby table, arms raised to gather attention. His voice boomed with that familiar commanding warmth.

"Alright, everyone! Listen up! This man right here—" he pointed down to Rudra, who crossed his arms with a small smirk, "—wants to become one of Fairy Tail's S-Class Wizards. And you all know what that means."

A wave of excited murmurs surged through the guild. Challenges like this were rare, and always thrilling.

"So," Makarov continued, eyes sweeping across the room, "who wants to be the one to test him?"

For a moment, there was silence. Then the sound of a chair scraping echoed through the hall. Erza Scarlet rose to her feet, her red hair gleaming under the warm lights, her expression calm but serious.

"I'll do it," she said. "I always wanted to see what you're really capable of, Rudra."

Rudra cracked his knuckles with a cocky grin. "Let's get this over with. I've got better things to do today."

Erza's expression darkened, a quiet storm building behind her eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Rudra. Overconfidence is the quickest way to defeat."

The two walked side by side toward the back of the guild, tension building with every step. Whispers followed them like a breeze.

Near the doorway, Lisanna leaned closer to Mirajane, her voice hushed with curiosity. "Do you think he actually stands a chance?"

Mira folded her arms, watching the two with a thoughtful look. "Hard to say. Erza doesn't hold back... but Rudra's not exactly ordinary."

"Tch," Elfman muttered, arms crossed. "I hope he gets his cocky butt handed to him. By Erza."

Lisanna rolled her eyes. "Really, Elfman?"

Jura, sipping his tea nearby, let out a quiet sigh. "It'll be over quickly... one way or another. I've seen what Rudra can do."

As the group reached the training grounds behind the guild, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations faded, and a circle of guild members slowly formed around the combatants.

Erza drew one of her blades in a flash of light. "Ready when you are."

Rudra smirked, cracking his neck. "Ladies first."