Chapter 354

Kyôka is the 354th chapter of Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail.
With the village saved, the team celebrates with the giants. While discussing the warning regarding the opening of the gates, Flare is welcomed back by the giants and told that the village will always be her home, much to her happiness. Meanwhile, Minerva returns to her base and is confronted by Tartaros member Kyôka.
==Summary==
With the village saved, Natsu and the giants laugh merrily with one another over their new freedom. Expressing their surprise that such small people saved them, the giants are asked by Erza what happened to them, with Lucy remembering what Atlas Flame said about an Ice Devil Slayer. The giants recall attempting to fight, but being frozen before they were able to. Lucy theorizes that the Devil Slayer believed Atlas Flame to be a devil and thus attacked him, which makes Erza theorize a mistake on his part. However, Gray is unconvinced, stating that they don't know his real intentions and recalling Doriate's warning about the gates to the netherworld opening up. Hearing this, Erza recalls the Dark Guild Tartaros, to which Gray adds that the criminal is likely from Tartaros and hired Succubus Eye to guard the village. Not knowing what his other possible intentions were, Natsu shrugs the issue aside, claiming that they still completed their job.
Suddenly, Lucy looks around and notices that Flare is missing. Finding her behind a tree, Lucy asks why she is hiding just as the giants come looking for her. Lucy attempts to get her to greet them but Flare is sullen, feeling she should not since she abandoned the village. Lucy claims they won't care until the giants show their faces. Commenting on how she has grown up, they ask how the outside world was, to which Flare replies that she enjoyed it but found it difficult. Stating that such is the case wherever one may go, the giants tell her that the Sun Village is her home and that she always has a place with them as they welcome her back. Looking at them, Flare tearfully exclaims that she is now home as everyone smiles on before celebrating all through the night with the giants.
Back in Succubus Eye's headquarters, Minerva returns to find the place turned upside-down. Looking around and unsure what happened, Minerva picks up a small paper-like item. As she wonders aloud what it is, a voice behind her tells her that it is a person who was unable to grow stronger when their strength-increasing Magic was used on them. Minerva demands to know who the person is, to which she introduces herself as Kyôka, one of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros. Wondering if this means that they know they weren't able to protect the village, Minerva asks why they would go so far as to harm their members. Kyôka replies that she doesn't know about any protection job and simply came to make Succubus Eye stronger. Minerva chides her for eliminating her own soldiers but Kyôka tells her that soldiers who cannot grow stronger are useless and asks about her own strength while approaching her, causing Minerva to tell her not to do so.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
==Battles & Events==
*None
==Magic, Curses, Spells, and Abilities used==
===Magic used===
*None
===Curses used===
*
===Spells used===
*None
===Abilities used===
*None
===Armors used===
*
==Trivia==
*When this chapter was released in its weekly format, its name was Ephialtes (エフィアルティス Efiarutisu), who was a Greek man that betrayed his allies at Thermopylae. Ephialtes also means "nightmare" in Greek.
==Navigation==