Fairy Tail: Strongest Creature

"Brother Su Yan!" Wendy ran over tearfully.

Su Yan gently patted her head. "Alright, no more worries. It's all finished now."

A clamor followed behind them:

"What was that just now?!"

"He actually turned into a dragon!"

"That attack was terrifying!"

"Was it a real dragon?!"

Only then did many of the others fully register what they had witnessed. A human had transformed into the legendary dragon—an almost inconceivable sight.

Roubaul, the Cat Shelter Guild Master, murmured, "I never imagined I'd see a dragon again in this era…"

"Huh?" Carla stood near Roubaul, catching his quiet comment. She found it strange and different from his usual tone.

Off to the side, Natsu—despite being covered in cuts and bruises—still bristled with excitement. "Su Yan! Let's fight right now!" As a Dragon Slayer, how could he pass up the chance to challenge a living dragon?

Erza shot Natsu a warning glare. "Don't start chaos. Besides, Nirvana's been completely destroyed."

Nearby, Leon and Sherria from Lamia Scale exchanged glances. They had suspected Jura might be on par with Su Yan, but after seeing his transformation, they conceded Su Yan was truly monstrous in power. Other guild members felt similarly, some rattled, some fascinated.

Finally, the uproar settled down. Even though Oración Seis had been defeated, Erza still felt puzzled. "Why did Oración Seis specifically target the Cat Shelter Guild so obsessively?"

"Who knows?" Natsu interjected, "They're beaten, so time to celebrate!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy cheered.

Erza allowed a slight smile. "That's correct."

Indeed, the victory over Oración Seis—and the destruction of so many allied dark guild members—was a momentous triumph worth celebrating.

"One night!"

"Show off your skill!"

"Huhuuaaah!"

The Blue Pegasus trio had already begun dancing around, evidently used to hosting raucous banquets.

They turned to invite the Cat Shelter members, but everyone from that guild remained quiet, a somberness lingering in the air.

After a pause, Cat Shelter's Master Roubaul spoke gravely, "I'm truly grateful to all of you. Yet there is something I must clarify… and the time is short. First and foremost, I must offer my sincerest apology."

"Apology?" the allied guild members echoed, not understanding.

Roubaul sighed. "Yes. Four hundred years ago, it was I who created 'Nirvana.'"

"W-what?!"

The coalition was stunned once again. They had just discovered real dragons existed; now a man was admitting he'd lived four centuries, bearing the guilt of inventing Nirvana.

Roubaul continued quietly, "Four hundred years ago, in order to prevent widespread war, I developed the magic of good and evil—Nirvana—intending it to be a symbol of peace for our land. But with such a grand force came an opposing force. Nirvana's conversion of darkness to light eventually distorted those who used it. Darkness that humankind cast off gathered around my tribe, driving us to cannibalize each other… Only I survived.

"My physical body perished long ago. I exist now in an ephemeral state… And I've waited four centuries, hoping for someone capable of destroying Nirvana."

The old man then closed his eyes in relief. "At last, my mission is done."

Everyone stood silent, absorbing his words. They hardly imagined a man could linger this way for centuries, guarding that which he had originally made.

Wendy trembled. "This…this can't be…"

Right then, the various Cat Shelter members standing around began to vanish one by one, their figures dissolving like illusions.

"No—!!" Wendy cried, aghast. "Why are they disappearing?!"

Erza looked around anxiously. "What's happening?! They're vanishing into thin air!"

Wendy's voice broke in desperation: "Maguna! Naoki! Don't go—!"

Roubaul, too, began to fade. "I'm sorry, Wendy. Everyone you saw in this guild…they were but phantoms I created."

"Wh-what?!" Lucy gasped, struggling to comprehend.

"To care for you," Roubaul went on, "I stayed in this abandoned village, conjuring illusions to form a 'guild' so you wouldn't be alone. You see, seven years ago, a wandering youth brought you here and begged me to look after you… You believed he was taking you to a real guild. Not wanting to crush your hopes, I lied, fashioning these phantom companions."

The coalition members were awestruck. Juvia, Leon, and Gray alike found it stunning that so many real-seeming individuals were illusions… all for one little girl.

Wendy's breath came in ragged sobs. "Don't go—everyone, don't leave me—please…!" She reached out, but each phantom melted away like mist.

Roubaul offered a gentle smile, transparent as he was. "You no longer need illusory friends, Wendy. Look around you." He gestured to the allied guilds, battered from war but steadfast in solidarity. "You have true companions now."

With that, the last flicker of Roubaul vanished into the air.

"Guild Master—!" Wendy collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at the empty square.

Then a warm, broad hand rested on her head. Wendy sniffled, looking up to see Su Yan.

"In life, losing precious ones hurts deeply," Su Yan said softly, "but you can also be glad that Roubaul's burden is lifted. He's finally free after four hundred years of waiting. And you, Wendy—you're free as well. Come to Fairy Tail. Let your new friends help fill the emptiness."

Fresh tears welled in Wendy's eyes, though a small spark of hope glimmered too, as if, somehow, she'd already found where she truly belonged.