Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 406: Fairy Tail’s Large-Scale Family Recognition Scene

”Uh...”

At this moment, Neinhart was panicking badly. He had originally planned to summon the person Gildarts loved deeply to threaten Gildarts. After all, he thought that even Gildarts would surely reveal an opening after seeing the woman he loved most, right?

At that time, he could use Cornelia to open a path to victory before this man.

Neinhart had even already thought of the actions and words he would use to threaten Gildarts. At that time, he would hold Cornelia and laugh at Gildarts: ”Kekeke! Gildarts, you wouldnʼt want your wife to die again, would you?!”

However, before Neinhart could carry out his plan, Gildarts, who had originally still been smiling, instantly became furious like a crazed beast after seeing the Cornelia he had summoned! Endless magic power bloomed from Gildartsʼs body. The terrifying pressure made Neinhart feel as though he was suffocating, to the point that Neinhart almost chose to carry out Plan B: kneel and beg for mercy...

However, just as Neinhart was preparing to carry out Plan B and kneel to beg for mercy, the girl he had originally knocked unconscious suddenly woke up. Looking at the Cornelia he had summoned, she called out in a daze.

For a moment, the atmosphere of the entire Fairy Tail Guild slightly froze. In a trance, everyone seemed to feel time stop. Everyone turned their gazes back and forth between Gildarts, Cana, and the beautiful young married woman summoned by Neinhart with expressions of eating melons.

”This...”

At this moment, Laxus, Erza, and Mirajane subconsciously looked toward Makarov, who was sitting at the broken bar counter.

”Donʼt look at me. I only found out today too.”

Makarov shook his head. His gaze revealed astonishment. Honestly speaking, this was also the first time he knew that there was this kind of relationship between Gildarts and Cana.

”Ah?! Eh!!!”

At the same time, Gildarts was holding his head with a panicked expression.

”Um! Cana! What did you call Cornelia just now?”

Gildarts looked at Cana, his eyes wide, and asked in confusion.

”Mo-Mom!”

Cana was also stunned at this moment. She still could not distinguish whether what was before her was a dream or reality. Her mind was a complete mess.

”Oh, you called Cornelia Mom? Hehe, uh, hehehe...”

After hearing this, Gildarts laughed foolishly, and no one knew what exactly he was laughing about.

”Um, Cornelia, long time no see. Congratulations! I really didnʼt expect that you had already become a mother, and your daughter is already this big...”

After laughing foolishly for a while, Gildarts walked before Cornelia, the woman he loved most, and congratulated her.

”Huh? Gildarts, what foolish words are you saying? Cana is your and my child!”

After hearing Gildartsʼs words, Cornelia furrowed her elegant brows. With one hand on her waist, she looked at Gildarts with a somewhat angry expression.

”Oh! Cana is actually your and my child! Haha, thatʼs really interesting...”

”Eh? Wait, Cornelia, what did you just say? You said Cana is whose child with you?”

At this moment, Gildarts was already panicked beyond recognition. He no longer had the appearance of one of the top great mages in Fairy Tail. He was like a jammed robot, his limbs extremely uncoordinated, stiffly twisting as he constantly turned between Cana and Cornelia.

”Cana, donʼt tell me you still havenʼt told Gildarts that you are his daughter?”

”Before I passed away, didnʼt I already clearly tell you to go to Fairy Tail to find your father, Gildarts, and then tell him that you are Gildartsʼs daughter?”

Looking at Gildartsʼs appearance, Cornelia instantly understood something. She immediately looked toward Cana, her brows tightly furrowed.

”Mom, I-I always wanted to say it, but, itʼs just, um...”

Canaʼs pretty face was bright red. Her voice was very thin, like a mosquito flapping its wings, producing buzzing sounds.

”Sigh...”

Looking at Canaʼs appearance, a trace of realization flashed through Corneliaʼs eyes. Now she already understood everything.

Cana was her daughter. No one understood her daughter better than her...

Most likely, when Cana faced Gildarts, she did not dare step forward and was too embarrassed to tell Gildarts that she was his daughter. After all, Gildarts truly was too dazzling.

”In short, this child Cana is your daughter! You must properly take responsibility for her!”

Cornelia did not count on Cana personally speaking anymore, so she spoke Canaʼs identity to Gildarts in Canaʼs place.

”Rest assured! I will definitely take responsibility.”

After hearing Corneliaʼs words, Gildartsʼs eyes revealed a serious color. Protecting his daughter was a responsibility an adult should have.

”No! Have none of you asked for my thoughts?”

”I-I worked very hard. I already worked very hard...”

”I always thought that I could become someone worthy of being Gildartsʼs daughter!”

”I always thought that after I passed Fairy Tail Guildʼs S-Class Mage Promotion Trial, I would confess to Gildarts...”

Seeing that Gildarts immediately accepted his identity as a father and prepared to properly take responsibility just because of Corneliaʼs words, Canaʼs eyes suddenly became blurry, and her eyes gradually moistened.

If it was so simple to make Gildarts take responsibility, then wouldnʼt her efforts over so many years seem very stupid?

”Cana...”

Looking at Cana, Gildarts felt his heart ache. Clearly his daughter had always been right before him. Clearly he had a relative living in this world, but he had been unable to discover it. He truly had wronged Cana and Cornelia, this mother and daughter. He was also unworthy of being a father and a husband.

”But passing Fairy Tailʼs S-Class exam is really too difficult...”

”Wuwuwu...”

”But why? Why does this world have so many monsters every year, from who knows where, joining our Fairy Tail Guild and participating in the guildʼs S-Class Mage Promotion Trial?!”

”Donʼt you all think itʼs strange? This is way too strange, right?”

As Cana spoke, she cried painfully. She gripped the cards in her hand, her expression so powerless. Clearly, this deck of cards of hers had been upgraded who knew how many times, and the many different kinds of magic within it would give even some S-Class Mages from other guilds headaches, or even make them die with hatred. But against the monsters inside the guild, the effects were minimal.

Cana even felt that compared to becoming an S-Class Mage of the Fairy Tail Guild, becoming one of Ishgarʼs Ten Wizard Saints selected by the Magic Council would be a little easier.

”Cana, I understand you!”

Kagura, who had also woken up, gave Cana a thumbs-up after hearing her words. She understood Canaʼs thoughts far too well. Honestly speaking, this was also the problem that had constantly troubled her. She had clearly already been able to defeat Teacher Ikaruga and had even received praise from Teacher Bluenote and Sister Erza. But why, why did a pervert whose strength far surpassed theirs appear in the guild every year? She did not understand...

”This...”

As Cana almost roared and shouted out the unwillingness in her heart, the S-Class Mages in the guild all turned their heads away. Yes, the ones Cana was complaining about were these ”dark horses” of theirs.

”Alright, Cana, donʼt cry, donʼt cry! Stop complaining! Smile. You look best when you smile...”

”Come, this opportunity is rare. Letʼs quickly take a family photo.”

Just as Cana cried and complained to her mother and father, Cornelia walked before Cana. She gently stroked Canaʼs little head and spoke with a smile.

”Mm!”

After hearing this, Cana wiped away her tears and leaned into Corneliaʼs embrace. Then she was sandwiched in the middle by Gildarts, who hurried over.

”Mr. Neinhart, please take a family photo for us.”

Cornelia hugged Cana and looked deeply at Gildarts. Then she smiled slightly toward her summoner, Neinhart.

”Oh! Okay, okay...”

”One, two, three, smile~”

At this moment, Neinhart did not dare say much. He immediately took out a camera and recorded this incomparably happy moment for Cornelia, Cana, and Gildarts.

”Do you think this photo I took is alright?”

Neinhart scratched his cheek. After all, he was not a professional photographer and was not very confident in his photography skills.

”Hahaha, Mr. Neinhartʼs photo is already very good~”

”In short, Iʼll take one copy of this photo~”

”It is about time. I should go reincarnate...”

Cornelia took three photos from Neinhartʼs magic camera, kept one for herself, and gave the other two to Gildarts and Cana respectively. Then she playfully winked at Neinhart.

”You are?!”

Looking at Corneliaʼs actions, Neinhart froze. Cold sweat suddenly appeared on his forehead, and he opened his mouth, about to reveal Corneliaʼs identity.

”Shh~”

Seeing Neinhartʼs appearance, Cornelia gently blew on her finger, signaling Neinhart not to say more.

”How surprising. This is the first time I have summoned the true self...”

At this moment, sweat hung on Neinhartʼs cheeks. He was shocked by this abnormal Cornelia before him. He could sense that although the Cornelia before him was indeed manifesting in the present world with his magic power as support, her essence was different from the other dead people he summoned. The other dead people were merely images in other peopleʼs memories, while the Cornelia before him was a lingering soul who had always been unable to let go of her child, wandering in this world for a long time, unwilling to reincarnate.

”Time is up. I have to go...”

”Gildarts, after I leave, Cana will be left to you. You must properly take responsibility. You canʼt be so fickle anymore, okay~”

Light began to shine from Corneliaʼs body as she slowly dispersed toward the sky. Her wish had already been fulfilled, and at this moment, she was about to return to the place where souls should go.

”Rest assured! Cornelia, Cana will be left to me.”

Gildarts looked at the beautiful face of his deceased wife, Cornelia. His gaze was the same as always, incomparably affectionate.

At this moment, Gildarts was no longer a scumbag. He was also a husband and a father. An incomparably difficult responsibility was on his shoulders. Starting today, he had evolved from a super scumbag whom everyone beat into a scumbag father...

Cough cough...

”Hmph! Who needs you to take care of me? Iʼve long since gotten used to living alone.”

Canaʼs pretty face was tinged with a bit of red. She did not care about what Gildarts said.

However, Canaʼs flushed cheeks and the fingers that kept happily scratching revealed her cheerful heart at this moment.

”Goodbye, Cana. Goodbye, Gildarts...”

Cornelia looked at the similar father and daughter before her and revealed a gratified smile. Her figure turned into points of light that filled the sky and dissipated between heaven and earth.

At this moment, Cornelia was already satisfied...

”Um...”

”Regarding Corneliaʼs matter, I apologize to you. Honestly speaking, I also didnʼt expect something like this to happen.”

After Corneliaʼs figure dissipated, Neinhart arrived before Gildarts. He looked at Gildarts, whose cheeks carried a melancholy smile, and lowered his head slightly to apologize.

”You do not need to apologize for Corneliaʼs matter!”

”On the contrary, I should thank you... It was you who allowed me to see my wife again. It was you who let me know that I actually still had a daughter in this world.”

Gildarts held Cana in his arms, his gaze gentle.

Gildarts looked at Cana in his embrace as though looking at an incomparably precious treasure.

”Uh, since the matter has already been resolved, then the exam?”

Seeing that Gildarts truly did not seem angry, Neinhart scratched his cheek and planned to strike while the iron was hot, asking Gildarts about his assessment.

”Oh! If you hadnʼt said it, I would have forgotten! We are still in the venue of the Fairy Tail Guild S-Class Mage Promotion Trial right now...”

”As for your assessment result...”

After hearing Neinhartʼs words, the corners of Gildartsʼs mouth rose. He crooked his finger toward Neinhart, signaling Neinhart to come closer.

”Mm?”

Looking at Gildartsʼs actions, Neinhart raised his brows. He did not think too much and consciously walked before Gildarts.

”Neinhart, your assessment result is, of course...”

”You passed!!!”

Gildarts looked at the approaching Neinhart and, while Neinhart was caught off guard, instantly swung his fist at him.

”Evil-Slaying Manifestation: Absolute Heaven!!”

Without saying another word, Gildarts directly used his strongest magic.

”Pfft...”

Caught completely off guard, Neinhart was directly sent flying by Gildartsʼs punch.

In the blink of an eye, he smashed through the ceiling of the Fairy Tail Guild and flew into the sky like fireworks.

”Gildarts, I fucking thank you!”

Neinhart soared through the sky. At this moment, his heart was filled only with gratitude toward Gildartsʼs family.

”No need to thank me!”

Gildarts held his daughter with one hand and left Neinhart, who was falling toward the ground, with an unforgettable back view.

”Boom~”

Accompanied by a rumbling sound, Neinhart fell to the ground. Unlike Magic King August, who could still stand after taking Gildartsʼs ultimate move head-on, Neinhart had completely fainted and lost consciousness.

”Guild Master, fortunately, I did not fail the mission! This guy has already been taught a lesson by me.”

After resolving Neinhart, Gildarts looked at Makarov and revealed a smile.

”Well done!”

Feeling Gildartsʼs gaze, Makarov raised his thumb.

At the same time...

Because Larcade did not have the guild mark on his body and was not considered a Fairy Tail Guild member, he did not participate in this Fairy Tail Guild brawl!

From the moment Fairy Tailʼs brawl began, Larcade had stood dazedly in place, silently watching the people beating each other up, until he noticed something important!

At this moment, Larcade was like someone who had discovered treasure. His eyes shone as he quickly ran into the collapsed ruins of the Fairy Tail Guild and searched for a while. Finally, with Larcadeʼs efforts, he found a white scarf that seemed to be sewn from dragon scales.

”Found it!”

The corners of Larcadeʼs mouth rose. He pulled the scarf hard with both hands, then continuously tugged outward.

In the end, through Larcadeʼs efforts, one person and one cat were finally rescued from the ruins...

”You are?!”

Larcade looked at the person and cat before him and felt emotional!

Of course, Larcadeʼs target was not the blue cat carrying a bag of salted fish, but the young man before him, who wore a white scarf around his neck and had short cherry-pink hair. At this moment, Larcade looked at the young man before him, and his eyes flashed with brilliant light. He absolutely would not mistake him. The young man before him was his... biological uncle!

In an instant, emotions such as moved feelings, emotion, gratification, pain, grievance, and others continuously brewed in Larcadeʼs heart.

”Uh, my head hurts!”

At the same time, after the young man with short cherry-pink hair was rescued by Larcade, not long afterward, the young man opened his eyes and slowly woke up from unconsciousness.

”You are?!”

After waking up, the young man with short cherry-pink hair looked at the young man before him, whose scent was somewhat similar to his and even whose appearance was somewhat similar, raised his brows, and could not help asking.

”Uncle! Iʼm Larcade! Donʼt you recognize me?”

Tears hung at the corners of Larcadeʼs eyes. He looked at the young man before him and, without wasting words, directly recognized him as his uncle.

”Eh!?”

At this moment, the young man with short cherry-pink hair who had woken up directly froze in place. He looked at Larcade before him, his eyes widened.

”What, what did you call me?”

The young man with short cherry-pink hair looked at Larcade and asked nervously.

”Uncle!”

Larcade answered the young manʼs question without thinking.

”Natsu, do you have a nephew?”

At this moment, the blue cat who had also woken up looked at the young man with short cherry-pink hair, namely Natsu, and asked in confusion.

”Definitely not! Happy!”

Hearing the words of the blue cat, namely Happy, Natsu had a panicked expression. He was only how old? Just over ten years old. Where did this big nephew come from?

”Uncle, have you lost your memories?”

Larcade froze when he looked at Natsu. His expression carried confusion. Logically speaking, demons created by Zeref like them should all have memories prepared by Zeref in their minds before leaving the factory. Although the earlier models did not know about the later ones, demons created later should all know how many demons Zeref had created before them.

Of course, this might not apply to Natsu. After all, Natsu was Zerefʼs completed form, the existence closest to humans, or rather, completely no different from humans...

”Mm? Did I lose my memories?”

Natsu looked at Larcade foolishly and asked.

Because memory loss was something that could not be discovered at all, Natsu also did not know whether he had lost his memories.

”These are not important...”

Larcade shook his head. Whether END had memories or not was not important in Larcadeʼs eyes.

What was important now was that he had to think of a way to activate END, then use Fire Demon ENDʼs power to take revenge on those dregs who bullied him!

”Uncle, I was bullied. You have to help me!”

Larcade hugged Natsuʼs thigh and shouted painfully.

”You were bullied? Who dared to hit you? Iʼll help you hit them back!”

Although Natsu did not know whether Larcade was truly his nephew, it did not matter. Since Larcade called him uncle, he naturally had to protect Larcade properly.

In fact, this was the first time Natsu had been called uncle, and he was currently excited...

”Hit them back! Hit them back!”

Happy stood behind Natsu and continuously stirred things up, looking eager to try.

”Natsu, you absolutely must not be deceived by this guy...”

Just as Natsu shouted loudly that he would avenge Larcade, an aged voice sounded beside Natsu and Larcadeʼs ears.

”August, I knew all of this was your plan! Those dragons were all found by you...”

Larcade did not need to turn his head and look. Just from hearing the voice, he guessed who had come.

”Larcade...”

The person who came was naturally August. At this moment, August was looking at Larcade with a disgusted expression.

August was already speechless toward Larcade. This guy not only wanted to steal his father, but also wanted to steal his uncle?

If this bastard Larcade knew about the relationship between Mavis and Zeref, would he also try to steal his mother?

”Uncle Natsu, itʼs him! This terrible old man is extremely bad. His true identity is a spy sent by the empire...”

Larcade looked at August and sneered. Unfortunately, his ability had no effect on August, an eighty-something-year-old, desireless old virgin.

Thus, Larcade directly hid behind Natsu and accused August of his evil deeds!

”August is not a bad person~”

It was precisely the instant Larcadeʼs words fell that Mavis stood before August and explained to Natsu.

”Mm! I believe First Guild Master!”

After hearing Mavisʼs words, Natsu nodded.

Although Natsu was mischievous, there was one good thing about him, and that was that he listened to the Guild Master.

”You actually framed a good person. You really are a bad guy!”

”Donʼt call me uncle anymore. I donʼt have an evil relative like you!”

Natsu decided to believe the First Guild Master. Thus, he turned and looked at Larcade, directly rejecting the family recognition.

”Aye!”

Happy flapped his little wings and flew in the sky at this moment, echoing and stirring things up.

”Eh? The uncle I just recognized is gone already?”

Larcade was instantly dumbfounded.