Avatar arc

The Avatar arc (Avatāru Hen) is the sixteenth story arc of the Fairy Tail series. One year after Fairy Tail's dissolution and subsequent disappearance of Makarov Dreyar, Natsu and Lucy embark on a long journey, in order to track down their comrades and reunite the guild once more. On the way, they encounter allies and enemies, both new and old. Meanwhile, in the shadows, a sinister organization plots to fill the power vacuum left by the defeats and collapse of the Balam Alliance, and to pave the way for a new world belonging to Zeref. A year passes since the events of the battle with Tartaros and Fairy Tail's disbandment. Lucy has become an editor-in-training at Sorcerer Magazine thanks to Jason—though not before ironically being one of its models. She covers the recent Grand Magic Games, though cannot help but wonder where her friends went off to since then and has been using her job to find any leads on them. However she admits to herself that even if she could find them and bring them all together again, she would not know what to do afterward. On the last day of the Grand Magic Games, she covers the match between the finalists: Team Dullahan Head and Team Scarmiglione. Despite Jason predicting Dullahan Head will win, Lucy sees through Scarmiglione's attempt to conceal their abilities during the previous matches. Sure enough, Scarmiglione comes out victorious, to Lucy's disgust as she figures all they really care about is money.

 Just as the tournament is about to come to a close, a cloaked figure suddenly enters the stadium. Lucy senses a strong Magic presence as it challenges the winners to a match. The figure suddenly releases a blast of hot air that resonates through the stadium, which easily beats the guild and at the same time melts the clothes of the spectators. The hood comes off; Natsu announcing his arrival. Happy manages to find Lucy in the stands and states that Natsu wanted to see the strength of the current number one guild in Fiore. Several other competitors try to ambush him, proving futile as he quickly defeats them. He then notices Lucy and greets her to which she smiles and greets him back. Lucy subsequently thinks to herself that Fairy Tail may not be gone after all. Afterwards, Natsu's destruction of Domus Flau is forgiven by Toma E. Fiore, so he and Happy head out of the castle, just to meet up with Lucy. His curiosity about the rest of the Fairy Tail members is answered as Lucy reveals that the guild has been dissolved, much to the duo's shock. Natsu tries to take his anger out on Makarov, as well as the rest of the former members, wondering whether they were fine with such decision. He is taken aback when Lucy notes that Natsu was also gone for an entire year, not caring about the guild at all. However, knowing that both Natsu and Happy had a lot on their mind, Lucy apologizes and brings them to her apartment. Natsu takes care of his appearance and then ends up telling Lucy stories about his travels until it's late, with Natsu lying down on a couch. Both he and Happy continue thinking about the guild's fate, however, it's not long before they decide to sneak into Lucy's room. That is when they witness all the information about the former guild members that Lucy has gathered. In the morning, Lucy wakes up just to find her place surrounded by the royal soldiers. It is revealed that Natsu went and put up a message on the royal castle using his flames, signalizing the revival of Fairy Tail. The three run out of the apartment and even though Lucy is initially reluctant, she accepts the offer and together, they flee from the army. Natsu and Lucy arrive at Tuly Village, where Natsu immediately recongizes the clock tower he destroyed during his earlier job. He ponders destroying it again, only to be slapped by Lucy in order to detract him from it. Natsu is visibly stirred from the lack of challengers, especially that his beloved guild was dissolved, leaving him without anyone to fight. He decides to duel with Lucy, which seems to be confident about her newly acquired abilities, only for Natsu to launch his pinpointed breath towards a group of thieves a certain distance away, precisely landing his attack and allowing the victim to reclaim his carriage.

Later, Natsu and Lucy rest in Kotoko Inn, in order to plan their next stop in Margaret Town, which is the home town of Lamia Scale, which also is the new guild of their former guildmate, Wendy Marvell. At the time when Natsu and Lucy arrive in Margaret Town, Lamia Scale's Thanksgiving Day is taking place. Observing the celebrations, they spot Wendy alongside Sherria Blendy, known as "Sky Sisters" duo, performing a song, much to the joy of the celebrating people of Margaret Town. Natsu is set on taking Wendy back from Lamia Scale, only to be met by Carla, now using a human form, thanks to the Transformation Magic. Meanwhile, members of the rival guild of Lamia Scale, Orochi's Fin observe the event, planning their attack soon after the celebrations are over. Soon after, Natsu, Lucy and Happy go to meet with Wendy and Carla, alongside other members of Lamia Scale. Natsu openly declares that he wantes Wendy back in order to have her bolster the ranks of the rebuilding guild, only to be refused by her. During the talks, it is noted that Jura Neekis left Lamia Scale in order to become a member of reformed Magic Council, and that Makarov Dreyar received a similar invitation, but did not show up, leaving his whereabouts unknown since the disbanding of Fairy Tail. Natsu and Lucy head to rest in the Viper Inn, both pondering about Wendy's decision. Meanwhile, Wendy and Sherria have their conversation about their friendship. Soon after, Lamia Scale Guild is bombarded, and Margaret Town is attacked by monsters summoned by Orochi's Fin. Natsu, Lucy and Happy arrive at the scene and rendezvous with Lyon, who explains the situation. It is revealed that this is only a small fraction of the attacking force, as the entire force is composed of at least 100,000 attackers. Ooba Babasaama deduces that Orochi's Fin has a Monster Tamer in their ranks, so Natsu decides to attack their forces from the air using Happy, alongside Wendy and Carla. Suddenly, Sherria hijacks Happy from Natsu and decides to take care of the problem alongside her Sky Slayer counterpart. Wendy and Sherria launch a counterattack upon the invading Orochi's Fin members, with their main goal to take down the summoner Mage responsible for taming the massive amounts of monsters invading the city, with Wendy noting a smell belonging to a familiar figure nearby. Meanwhile, back in Margaret Town, Lucy, Lyon and Natsu are poised to defend the town and its inhabitants. Natsu, mad at Sherria for hijacking Happy rushes at the invading monster army and decimates them as he moves towards the Sky Sisters' location. Lucy, at the same time summons Loke and utilizes her newfound Star Dress, entering Leo Form in order to defeat the monsters invading the town. Wendy and Sherria approach the location of the Orochi Fin's Monster Tamer, but are ultimately pinned down by the former Dark Mage of Grimoire Heart, now an affiliate of Orochi's Fin: Bluenote Stinger. As Bluenote prepares to finish off Sherria, Natsu arrives and grabs her, oblivious of the situation, yet seemingly unaffected by Bluenote's Gravity Magic. Natsu, still mad at Sherria, does not realize that the enemy standing in front of him is the same man that once fought them at Tenrou Island. Bluenote seems to have some recollection of Natsu and engages him, but Natsu dodges the attack by using his flames to lift himself up. Proclaiming that Fairy Tail is not yet a thing of the past, Bluenote remembers the guild's name, as well as the man who defeated him, and once more engages Natsu only to be obliterated by Natsu's roar, which became considerably more powerful, greatly surprising both Orochi's Fin members, as well as Carla and Wendy, who are baffled by the amount of power Natsu gathered through the year. After that, Natsu lectures Sherria that stealing is bad, but is reminded by Happy that Orochi's Fin are still on the scene, but the guild surrenders unconditionally in fear of Natsu. Back in Margaret Town, Lamia Scale rejoices over their victory and thank Fairy Tail Mages for the help. Elsewhere, Wendy and Sherria talk about the battle and how Sherria wanted to protect everyone, only for Natsu to take all the glory. Sherria also tells Wendy that her place is in Fairy Tail, noting that both Wendy and Natsu love their guild and comrades, and that's why he wants to bring it back, and she reassures Wendy that they are and will be friends, even if they are under a different guild's banner. Wendy and Carla leave Lamia Scale in order to depart with Natsu, Happy and Lucy in their search for other members, with their next destination being Amefurashi Village.