The journey back to Magnolia was a somber, careful affair. Erza, with her customary efficiency and strength, had procured a sturdy wagon from a nearby logging camp, padding it thickly with blankets and salvaged sailcloth to create a makeshift ambulance. Natsu and Gray, under her strict supervision, had carefully lifted Katsuki's unconscious form and settled him onto the makeshift bed. He remained deeply asleep, his breathing even, the raw, scorched look of his skin already beginning to fade under the potent residual effects of Wendy and Porlyusica's healing.
They traveled slowly, avoiding the roughest terrain, acutely aware of their fragile cargo. The rising sun cast long shadows as they finally re-entered Magnolia, the usual morning bustle of the town just beginning. Their procession – the grim-faced members of Team Natsu, the battered wagon, and the faint but persistent smell of smoke and ozone clinging to them – drew curious and concerned glances from the townsfolk.
Upon reaching the Fairy Tail guild hall, Makarov was already there, having flown ahead with Happy. He directed them to the guild's infirmary, a surprisingly well-equipped series of rooms at the back of the building, kept meticulously clean by Mirajane when it wasn't being actively used (which, given Fairy Tail's penchant for destructive brawls and dangerous jobs, was less often than one might think).
Porlyusica, who had reluctantly accompanied them back, gave Katsuki one final, critical assessment. "Hmph. He's stable. The Sky brat's magic did most of the heavy lifting on the critical damage. Mine just patched up the rest and knocked some sense into his overcharged system." She sniffed. "He'll sleep for a day, maybe two. Needs it. Let the body finish what the magic started. Don't let these oafs pester him." With that, she turned and promptly left, grumbling about the inherent stupidity of humans and their reckless use of power, though there was a distinct lack of her usual venom.
Wendy, looking pale but relieved, added, "Porlyusica-san is right, Master. His physical injuries have largely subsided. The magical healing has initiated rapid regeneration. Now, his body just needs deep rest to recover from the systemic shock and energy expenditure. Sleep is the best medicine for him at this point."
Makarov nodded, placing a gentle hand on Wendy's head. "You've done well, both of you. Thank you." He looked at Katsuki's sleeping form, now transferred to a clean infirmary bed, his face peaceful for once, though still bearing the faint marks of his ordeal. "Let him rest. Mira, keep an eye on him, if you would."
Mirajane, who had been quietly assisting, smiled softly. "Of course, Master. I'll make sure he's undisturbed."
With Katsuki safely ensconced in the infirmary, the members of Team Natsu, along with Makarov, finally emerged into the main guild hall. It was mid-morning now, and the place was buzzing with the usual activity, though a current of anxious curiosity ran beneath the surface. Many had seen the grim procession arrive. News, or at least rumors, of something significant having occurred at Lake Sciliora had clearly begun to spread.
The moment they appeared, they were surrounded.
"Natsu! Erza! What happened out there?"
"We heard massive explosions all night! Was that Bakugo again?"
"Is he alright? He looked like he'd been through a meat grinder!"
"Someone said the entire lake nearly boiled over! What kind of monster did he fight?"
The questions came thick and fast, a barrage of concern, excitement, and morbid curiosity from their guildmates. Macao, Wakaba, Cana, Levy, Jet, Droy – everyone wanted to know the story.
Natsu, never one for subtlety, was practically vibrating with a mixture of residual shock and a storyteller's eagerness. "You guys would not BELIEVE it! Bakugo, he… he went full-on SUPERNOVA! There was this attack, he called it… uh… 'Oppy-something Smash'?"
"Oppenheimer Smash, Natsu," Lucy corrected gently, still looking a little shell-shocked herself. "And it wasn't a monster, not exactly. It was… him. He did that to himself. To the lake. To everything."
Gray, leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed, elaborated with grim succinctness. "Kid pushed himself way too far. Unleashed some kind of ultimate attack that nearly tore him apart. The destruction… I've never seen anything like it. Lake Sciliora's gonna have a new crater for a landmark."
Erza, her expression serious, addressed the crowd with her usual authority, her voice cutting through the rising clamor. "Bakugo Katsuki undertook a private training session. In the process, he utilized an exceptionally powerful and dangerous technique, far exceeding his body's current limits. The resulting energy release was… considerable, and he sustained critical injuries." She paused, her gaze sweeping over their concerned faces. "Thanks to the swift intervention of Wendy and Porlyusica-sama, his life is no longer in danger. He is currently recovering in the infirmary and requires absolute rest."
Levy McGarden, her brow furrowed with concern, asked, "But why would he do something so reckless? Did something provoke him?"
Makarov stepped forward, his presence instantly commanding attention. "Our new comrade is… wrestling with demons of his own, my children," the Master said, his voice carrying a note of somber authority. "He comes from a place very different from our own, a world he was torn from against his will, a world he believes he can never return to." He recounted, briefly and with sensitivity, what Katsuki had shared about his origins, his Quirk, his hero training, and the profound loss and displacement he was experiencing.
A hush fell over the guild hall as they absorbed this new information. The image of Bakugo as merely an arrogant, overly aggressive powerhouse began to shift, replaced by a more complex, tragic picture of a lost and grieving young man, channeling his pain into destructive fury.
"So… all that anger…" Macao murmured, scratching his chin. "It's not just him being a hothead. He's… lost."
"To have your whole world, your whole future, snatched away…" Cana Alberona said, her usual boisterous demeanor subdued, a thoughtful expression on her face as she looked at her perpetually empty barrel. "That's a heavy load for anyone to carry, let alone someone so young."
The guild members began to talk amongst themselves, their voices softer now, tinged with a newfound understanding and a dawning empathy for their explosive, enigmatic guildmate. The sheer destructive power he'd displayed was still a topic of awed discussion, but now it was contextualized by his tragic backstory. He wasn't just a monster of power; he was a wounded soul.
Mirajane, who had been listening quietly from behind the bar, smiled faintly. The seeds of understanding, perhaps even compassion, were being sown. Katsuki Bakugo's path in Fairy Tail was still uncertain, likely to be filled with more explosions, both literal and metaphorical. But now, at least, his new family had a glimpse of the pain behind the power, the boy behind the barrage. And in Fairy Tail, understanding, however incomplete, was often the first step towards acceptance, and perhaps, eventually, healing.