Makarov saw Gaal ask about the matter, put down his wine cup, and sighed. "I said it, but I still can't accept it."
"Now he's training in the forest every day. I don't know whether he's targeting me or someone else."
Makarov gave a bitter smile, and Gaal consoled him, "It's just that you can't accept it."
"Look, it's not exactly about you. He's not completely clueless, find an opportunity to talk it over properly."
Makarov nodded and took a sip of his drink. "It can only be this way. And what about you? What are your plans next?"
Gaal replied, "I'll be training for a while longer. Hades really taught me a lesson."
"Magic Power is everything," Gaal added.
Makarov nodded in agreement. "That's true. It's good to take some time to settle down; if you use too many techniques, even if you know a bit of everything, you won't master any."
After saying this, Makarov looked up and turned toward the doorway. "By the way, what are you doing with these tables?"
At the doorway, a group of energetic kids was moving all the tables until they reached the designated spot.
Gaal said, "Didn't I mention it? Snowy days go perfectly with hotpot."
Makarov looked puzzled, "Hotpot?"
Lisanna and Cana, standing nearby, watched Gaal with curious expressions.
Gaal laughed, "Just watch."
He then looked toward the doorway at Gray, who had nearly finished arranging the tables. "All done?"
Gray nodded heavily, "All done, Gaal bro!"
Gaal nodded and said, "Everyone, disperse."
At once, the onlookers quickly moved away from the tables and focused on what Gaal would do next.
Seated at the bar, Gaal snapped his fingers. With a sharp snap, eighteen metal squares appeared neatly on the tables, evenly arranged on both sides.
Gaal snapped his fingers again. Beneath the eighteen metal squares, an Arc of Embodiment Magic Circle manifested.
As the Arc of Embodiment Magic Circle activated, the metal squares began to emit light, then melted and scattered. Soon, brand-new tableware and hotpot cauldrons appeared on every table.
Gray and Lyon's eyes widened as they stared at one of the hotpot cauldrons.
"Ah! It's that one!"
"Back when we were at Great Snowy Mountain, Gaal bro made this!"
Curious, the others asked, "What?"
Gray and Lyon scratched their heads and mumbled, "It's just… it tastes great, that's all."
As soon as Gray finished speaking, flames erupted beneath the hotpot cauldron, and water materialized to fill it.
Gaal raised his hands, and with the sound of snapping fingers, platters of sliced meat and vegetables appeared out of thin air onto the long table in an orderly fashion.
Gaal stood up and said, "Gray, you and Lyon show them how to eat. I'll go gather the others. And… you two, get your clothes on."
Just as Gray was about to explain the eating method to everyone, he lowered his head and exclaimed, "Ah! Where are my clothes?!"
On the edge of town, near a small house by the Eastern Forest, Rob sat in his cotton jacket at the doorway, watching Erza Scarlet's training and occasionally imparting battle advice. Not far away in the river, Dratini played and swam merrily.
Whoosh!
Gaal suddenly appeared in the courtyard. He looked at Rob, nodded, and said, "Old man Rob."
Rob laughed, "It's Gaal, huh."
Erza Scarlet stopped her sword swings and smiled, "You're back, Mr. Gaal."
Gaal returned the smile and said, "There's a gathering at the Guild."
"All together then," he added.
Erza's face showed some reluctance, "But… today's training isn't over."
Gaal was insistent, "Everyone's here; we can't do without you."
Rob laughed, "Erza, balancing work with rest is also part of growing up."
Seeing this, Erza sighed, "Alright then."
Gaal stepped forward and rested a hand on both Erza and Rob's shoulders. "Then let's go."
Whoosh!
The three disappeared into the courtyard.
Not far away in the river, Dratini looked up in confusion. "Hmm? Where'd everyone go?"
Whoosh!
Gaal appeared by the riverbank. Startled at first, Dratini soon broke into a delighted smile as Gaal gently patted its head and said, "Hurry up and grow, okay?"
Gaal then sealed pure Essence energy within Dratini's body. When Dratini evolves, it will absorb even more energy and grow stronger.
After finishing this, Gaal vanished from that spot. His figure flickered and reappeared throughout Magnolia Town.
"Yo, Mirajane."
"Gaal? You're back, huh."
"Yeah, come back to the Guild first."
"Hey! Wait!"
Whoosh!
"Ur."
"Hmm? Gaal, when did you get back?"
"Just now."
"Don't train for now—the Guild's having a gathering! Let's go eat hotpot."
"Eh?! Hotpot?!"
"The one from Great Snowy Mountain? Come on, come on! Let's go now!"
"No need to be so troublesome."
"Wait! My clothes…"
"Nobody's watching."
Whoosh!
In Magnolia Town, within the western region of the forest and atop a cliff, one could glimpse the Fairy Tail Guild through a huge floor-to-ceiling window. Even though it was far away, people gathered in front of the enormous window in clusters.
There were also the ever-steaming chimneys, and even Laxus couldn't avoid paying attention.
Thump!
A fist slammed into the ground, and not a speck of snow clung to Laxus. The snowflakes hadn't even started falling before the searing heat melted them away.
Gaal's voice suddenly rang out, "Your training like this is useless."
Laxus turned his head and looked, his face softening slightly, "Gaal."
Gaal stroked his chin and asked, "What? Not even calling me 'big brother' anymore,"
Laxus muttered.
He snorted and said in a low voice, "You're not much older than me."
That was the truth. Although Gaal was five, six, or seven years older than the other Guild kids, he was only a little over a year older than Laxus.
Gaal shook his head and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Are you trying to move or numb yourself with this self-indulgent training?" Laxus asked.
"Huh… the whole world has abandoned me, I won't show a 'smile' anymore. I'll train hard—I want them to regret it!" Gaal retorted.
Laxus's eyes turned cold as he looked at Gaal, "What did you say?"
Gaal met Laxus's gaze and said, "I said, you're trying to move…"
Enraged, Laxus roared, "Thunder Dragon's…!"
Boom—!!!
A huge explosion echoed as a large pit formed at the cliff's edge; the ground cracked and the cliff began to teeter.
Gaal stood before the deep pit, watching Laxus—muscles bulging and veins straining as he struggled to rise—and said: "I say… Are you trying to move or numb yourself with this self-indulgent training? What's wrong with that?"