Fairy Tail: I Stole the Ryujin Jakka in My Sleepwalking

He had previously found those images utterly repulsive, dismissing them as childish games played by the weak.

But now, those images flashed repeatedly through his mind, revealing feelings he'd long suppressed.

"This feeling…is envy…" He'd simply never dared to admit it before.

He finally understood the gravity of his actions, and a profound sense of regret washed over him.

Laxus covered his eyes, unable to meet Finn's gaze. His voice trembled slightly. "I didn't want to take anyone's home. I just…wanted the guild…to be stronger."

"Laxus…you lost!" Fried declared, looking at the fallen Laxus. However, despite witnessing Laxus's defeat, Fried felt a sense of relief, grateful that Finn had intervened at the last moment. He couldn't bear to imagine the consequences if Laxus had succeeded.

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you even know how old your grandfather is?" Finn sat beside Laxus. "The Master is eighty-eight years old. Do you know that?" Finn stared at him intently.

"Do you know he has a serious heart condition and needs medication to survive? You didn't know. You only cared about 'stronger, stronger,' those meaningless things."

"I…" Laxus choked back a sob, unable to articulate a response.

"Laxus, you need to go back. The Master…he's critically ill. Please, go see him!" Levy arrived, breathless and anxious.

"The Master…" Finn's eyes widened in shock.

Laxus's tear-streaked face mirrored Finn's disbelief.

"How…how could this be?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. In his mind, his grandfather was still the strong, energetic man who always sat at the bar, drinking and engaging in good-natured banter with the guild members.

How could he be critically ill?

Suddenly, Laxus recalled Finn's earlier words about his grandfather relying on medication to survive.

Finn asked urgently, "Who told you?"

"Ms. Porlyusica told me. You need to go see the Master! Please!" Tears welled up in Levy's eyes as she urged them to return to the guild.

Finn forced himself to remain calm, lowering his gaze to meet Laxus's. "If you still care, let's go see your grandfather."

Finn extended his hand, just as he had done years ago.

Laxus stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, then slowly extended his own, grasping Finn's firmly.

Finn pulled him to his feet. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Fried smiled, his gaze filled with gratitude towards Finn. Perhaps only Finn could bring the lost Laxus back.

…

Inside the Fairy Tail guild, most members had returned, crowding around the infirmary door, craning their necks to try and see inside.

"How's Grandpa?!" Natsu paced back and forth, his anxiety palpable.

"Natsu, pacing won't help. Just wait," Erza said, her face grim, clearly irritated by Natsu's restless movements.

Gajeel, his body swathed in bandages, sat directly opposite the infirmary door, his eyes fixed intently on the closed door, his worry evident.

The old man who had reached out to him in his darkest hour, the man he felt immense gratitude towards, was lying behind that door, possibly never to rise again.

"The flames at the cathedral are out. I wonder if Finn brought Laxus back," Mirajane said, her voice laced with concern.

"He has to be. The Master is Laxus's grandfather, and with his grandfather critically ill, there's no way he wouldn't come back," Gray stated confidently.

Just then, the tightly closed infirmary door creaked open, and Porlyusica emerged, quietly closing the door behind her.

The anxious crowd outside immediately surged forward, their curiosity and concern overwhelming them.

"Ms. Porlyusica, why can't we see him? How is the Master?!" Natsu, his impatience getting the better of him, pushed his way to the front of the crowd.

"Yeah, yeah, how is the Master?!"

"Ms. Porlyusica, please, let us see the Master!"

A cacophony of voices filled the air.

Porlyusica, whose intense dislike for humanity was well known, silently marked several 'well' characters on her forehead. However, understanding their genuine concern, she managed to suppress her usual aversion.

"Makarov needs rest. You shouldn't disturb him right now."

She closed her eyes, continuing in a low voice, "It's only thanks to Makarov's incredible luck that he's still alive."

"So, the Master is going to be alright?" Erza asked, her eyes filled with hopeful anticipation.

Porlyusica nodded slowly.

Upon receiving this confirmation, a wave of joyous cheers erupted from the crowd, the previously heavy atmosphere instantly lightening.

"It's wonderful that the Master is going to be okay! I was so worried about what would have happened if something had gone wrong," Lucy breathed a sigh of relief, her earlier anxiety completely dissipating.

"Our Master isn't one to fall so easily!" Gray declared, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

Witnessing the guild members' jubilant celebration, even Porlyusica couldn't help but crack a small smile, although she quickly composed herself, resuming her stern demeanor. "You lot, you really should show a little more respect for your Master."

"If you cause him any more stress, he might not be so lucky next time," she warned.

At Porlyusica's stern words, everyone lowered their heads in silent acknowledgement.

"Everyone," Erza stepped forward, her voice carrying a note of seriousness, "The Master is quite elderly now, so let's try our best not to cause him any more unnecessary worry. Let's all keep that in mind."

"Understood!" the guild members responded in unison.

Just then, Levy burst into the guild hall, her voice filled with excitement. "Everyone, Finn brought Laxus back!"

As soon as Levy's words left her lips, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the entrance.

Laxus, his body bearing the marks of a fierce battle, entered the guild hall alongside Finn.

"Finn, are you alright?" Mirajane approached Finn, her concern evident as she carefully examined him from head to toe. She visibly relaxed when she saw that he had escaped without any significant injuries.

"I'm fine. How's the Master? How is he doing?" Finn shook his head, indicating that he was unharmed, before immediately turning his attention to the Master's condition, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Makarov's alive," Porlyusica stated, her gaze fixed intently on Laxus, her eyes assessing him with a mixture of scrutiny and concern. The words weren't spoken by Mirajane, but by Porlyusica, who stood at the entrance to the infirmary.

Laxus lowered his head, a palpable sense of relief washing over him.

"I…can I see the old man?" he asked softly, his voice barely a whisper.

"You have the nerve to see the Master after what you did?!"

"Yeah, you do!"

A chorus of angry shouts erupted from the guild members.

"Quiet!" Erza's sharp command silenced the crowd, and she turned to Porlyusica, her voice measured. "Ms. Porlyusica, can he see the Master now? We'll wait outside."

"Makarov is awake, but he needs to rest. Laxus and Finn can go in; everyone else should wait outside," Porlyusica sighed, stepping aside to allow them access to the infirmary.

"He requested this himself," she added quietly.

"Let's go," Finn said, leading the way into the infirmary.

Laxus, his gaze cast down at the angry faces surrounding him, followed slowly.

As he passed Porlyusica, the elderly woman let out a long, weary sigh. "Child," she began, her voice laced with a mixture of sadness and understanding, "You should show a little more consideration for your family. Because if you don't…"

"…one day, you may find that there's no one left in the world who will accept you," she finished, her words hanging heavy in the air.

Laxus's eyes flickered, a tremor running through his body. "I know," he whispered, his voice barely audible, yet carrying an immense weight of remorse. "I'm sorry…"

Laxus followed Finn into the infirmary, and Porlyusica closed the door behind them. She let out another sigh, turning to leave the Fairy Tail guild hall. "Mira," she said quietly, her voice barely a murmur, "Makarov is in your care."

"Yes, Ms. Porlyusica," Mirajane replied softly.

Only after Porlyusica had left the immediate vicinity did the guild members begin to whisper amongst themselves.

"Laxus…he actually apologized?" Macao exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. As one of Fairy Tail's oldest members, he had witnessed Laxus's growth from a young boy to the powerful mage he was today.

The sight of the usually proud and defiant Laxus offering a sincere apology was truly unprecedented.

"Yeah, it's unbelievable. I never thought I'd see the day Laxus would apologize," another member chimed in.

"He probably got a good beating. Laxus was really taken down a peg by Finn back at the cathedral," Levy remarked, recalling the intense battle she had witnessed.

"Finn, huh? If it was him, then it's no surprise," another member commented.

"Yeah, Finn's always so dependable!"

"Finn's amazing! Such a true man!"

Mirajane let out a long, relieved sigh. "Well, that's the end of the guild's internal conflict, for now at least."

Erza clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone, let's start preparing for tomorrow night's Magic Parade."

Lucy, noticing the numerous bandaged and injured guild members, voiced her concern. "But…are we really supposed to go ahead with the Magic Parade in this condition?"

"It's precisely because of this situation that we should go ahead with it," Mirajane explained, her voice firm.

"Juvia is really looking forward to the Magic Parade," Juvia chirped, her chin resting on her hands, her face beaming with anticipation.

"You're supposed to be participating in it, you know," Cana reminded her, raising her beer mug in a playful gesture.

"Yeah, yeah!" Wakaba and Macao chimed in enthusiastically.

"But…Juvia only just joined," Juvia mumbled shyly, retreating to the side of the room, her index finger tracing circles on the wall in a nervous gesture.

"Is she feeling troubled or happy?" Wakaba asked his close friend, his brow furrowed in a mixture of amusement and concern.

"She's so cute," Cana sighed contentedly.

"Because so many people are injured, everyone who can still move has to participate in the parade," Happy explained to Lucy, cradling a fish in his arms.

"So, that means I have to participate too?" Lucy asked, her voice laced with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"Of course, those who can't participate, well, they can't," Gray stated matter-of-factly, gesturing towards Gajeel, who was seated nearby, his body heavily bandaged and propped up by a cane.

Despite his numerous injuries, Gajeel's expression remained serious and resolute. "What do you mean by 'those who can't'?" he asked, his voice firm.

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