With the Hatchlings having disappeared [332] (a direct result of Natsu having destroyed the Eclipse Gate), [333] Gray sits down on the ground and breathes a sigh of relief. [334]

Lyon hears his words and tells him not to say such a thing, adding that he now knows Juvia won’t come after him

Gray arrives and instantly starts an argument with Gajeel, criticizing his choice of clothing only to be criticized in turn for not wearing any. [335] During the party, Gray is approached by Juvia, who recently had a makeover and now calls herself “Juvia 2.0.” As she reaches out to him confessing her love, Gray rejects the confession and walks away, leaving her to fall, stating that he is also changing and will firmly say “No” to that which he does not like. Hearing this, Juvia grows even more affectionate towards Gray, something which he states is even creepier. Hearing this, Gray starts to wonder where Natsu is. [336] Soon after, various guilds attempt to get Yukino Agria to join their ranks, among which is Fairy Tail, alongside the members of which Gray stands, proclaiming their desire. As a result, a fight breaks out amongst the guilds, during which Gray tangles with Rufus. However, the fight is stopped by Arcadios, who states that the King will arrive to greet them. Rather than the king, it is Natsu who greets them, wearing the crown and stating he is the king. While the other Mages are shocked, Gray simply shows embarrassment alongside his comrades before cracking a smile. [337]

After the party, Gray, along with Natsu, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Happy and Carla, return back to Magnolia riding on a carriage, and Gray complains about Natsu’s motion sickness. [338] Somewhere along the way, Gray notices and old woman standing and looking up at the sky, and, when she turns and smiles to him, Gray immediately asks his guild mates to stop the carriage. After she smiles at him and shakes her head, he changes his mind. As Gray looks back at his memory of being shot through the chest and killed, he finds out that Ultear, like her mother, chose to sacrifice her own life to save him, before bursting into tears. [339]

With everyone returning to Magnolia afterwards, Fairy Tail is welcomed by many as the winner of the Grand Magic Games. However, as Juvia notices, Gray doesn’t share everyone’s happy mood. She tells him that it’s not nice to have that kind of expression while everyone else is celebrating. Acknowledging this, Gray notes to himself that he needs to keep smiling for “her” sake as well and gives his thanks to Juvia, much to her delight. He then watches as Magnolia’s Mayor reveals the reconstructed guild building. [340]

Eclipse Celestial Spirits arc

With strange natural disasters and weather phenomena occurring around the world, jobs flood into the Fairy Tail Guild, and Gray, together with Juvia, takes a job that deals with the excessive heat in a village, and together they complete it rather quickly. Later, they return to the guild only to witness Yukino stumble in and explain to them all that her Gold Keys don’t work, the reason is unclear, and that she is worried that Lucy’s don’t work either. [341] Gray frees Natsu from Virgo’s whip. He, along with the other Fairy Tail Mages, arrives as a reinforcement to help the main group through the use of Warren’s Telepathy. This causes the Celestial Spirits to return to their gates due to being outnumbered. After taking one of Hisui’s Celestial Spirit Banishment Keys, Gray tracks down Cancer, who awaits him at the dance floor. [342]