"Ahahaha! There really are still a lot of good people in the world! Now the old man can build a dragon's lair~!"
Natsu suddenly burst into the conversation, shattering Lucy's tangled thoughts.
Lucy gaped at him. "We're a legitimate wizard guild! What kind of twisted idea is building something like that in the middle of town?!"
With a deep sigh, she shoved aside her speculation and leapt in to tear apart the horrifically ugly image of the "dragon's lair" forming in Natsu's mind.
"Forget it, Natsu. The design for the new guild is already decided."
Surprisingly, Happy didn't back Natsu up this time. He shook his head, his little face unusually serious.
It was so rare for him to act normal that Lucy almost praised him until he added, in all seriousness, "Since it's a brand-new guild, we have to buy a super-sized fish tank for decoration."
"When everyone's tired from work, they can just sit and watch. It's relaxing!"
Lucy narrowed her eyes. "That's… actually a good idea. But are you sure you mean it?"
"Love~!" Happy lifted his paws in triumph.
"Love, my foot !" Lucy jabbed a finger at the drool leaking from the corner of his mouth. "Before you talk about relaxing, wipe your saliva! You just want a free all-you-can-eat buffet!"
"I get it, Lucy!" Happy suddenly accused. "You just want to wipe out the competition and use the billion from that kind-hearted person to buy revealing outfits for yourself!"
"That's right! The dragon's lair is obviously more important!" Natsu crossed his arms and sided with him without hesitation.
"W–What revealing outfits?!"
Lucy's face flared red as she shot forward, clamping her hands over Happy's mouth like lightning. "And for the record, that billion is guild public funds!"
"Oho~ I think I just overheard something very interesting."
Mira, smiling sweetly from behind the bar, tilted her head. "No wonder you're so popular around here, Lucy~"
Lucy's entire face turned crimson. The secondhand embarrassment was suffocating.
"They're hopeless," Gray muttered, walking over with a look of disdain. "Two idiots who still haven't figured out who donated the money."
"Pervert! Who are you calling an idiot?!" Natsu snapped.
"If the shoe fits… Yeah, I'm talking about you, Natsu."
"You little ! Say that again and I'll flatten you right now!"
"Bring it on! I still haven't paid you back for yesterday's Fusion incident!"
Foreheads slammed together as their usual shouting match flared to life, sparks practically flying between them.
But this time, they didn't get the chance to start their usual brawl
A heavy wine barrel suddenly came flying from the side and crashed into both of them, sending them sprawling and reeling with dizziness.
"Say that again, you bastard!"
The voice was sharp and furious.
Lucy and Mira instantly stopped joking, their expressions tightening as they turned toward the source.
Erza stood there, face dark and stormy, fists clenched so hard her gauntlets creaked. She was clearly struggling to keep her temper in check.
Across from her, Laxus lounged with his legs crossed, a smug, rebellious grin plastered on his face.
"I've already said it this guild doesn't need weaklings."
He gave a mocking laugh. "I heard there were a few pathetic fools who almost got taken out by Phantom. Who were they again? Ah, doesn't matter. They were such an embarrassment to Fairy Tail that I can't even be bothered to remember their names."
The three members he meant Jet, Droy, and Levy lowered their heads in shame.
"And you, Miss Celestial Mage over there " Laxus' gaze slid toward Lucy. "It's thanks to you the guild got wrecked so badly. A useless mage like you is nothing but dead weight."
"Laxus!"
Mira's voice cut through the air, firm and unflinching. She set her hands flat on the makeshift bar and met his eyes. "This wasn't anyone's fault. You, who ignored the recall order, have no right to point fingers. Those are the master's words, not mine."
"Tch. Of course it's got nothing to do with me. If I'd joined the fight, I wouldn't be sitting around waiting for Phantom to come knocking!"
His arrogance only grew sharper.
"You bastard!"
Natsu had recovered from the earlier blow, his fist bursting into flame as he lunged at Laxus. But Laxus moved like lightning literally vanishing in a flash and reappearing a few paces away.
"You coward! If you've got guts, fight me one-on-one right now!" Natsu roared.
"Hahahaha! You can't even lay a finger on me!"
Laxus spread his arms wide, his grin radiating pure provocation.
"If I were master, I'd throw out every weakling in this guild and anyone who dared resist. I'd build the strongest guild in Ishgar, one that no one would ever dare attack, a name that would make every enemy tremble in fear!"
His words hit like a slap. Around him, guild members lowered their heads not because they agreed, but because they knew they weren't as strong as he was.
Erza's patience frayed to the breaking point, and even the usually gentle Mira began radiating dark purple magic.
"Oh? I was wondering what that foul stench at the construction site was today."
The voice came from the entrance to the fenced-off area, light and teasing.
Every head turned.
Under the relieved gazes of his guildmates, Chase walked in with the Dark Magician Girl at his side, a faint smile on his lips.
The tense, oppressive air shifted the moment he arrived.
"You sure know how to make an entrance, Chase "
Laxus's grin faded, his eyes narrowing as the muscles beneath his shirt tightened ever so slightly.
He wasn't worried about Erza or Mira not here. The space was too cramped for them to fight seriously, and they both knew it. They were posturing at best.
But Chase… Chase was different.
He didn't care about "venue limitations."
If he decided to attack, he would go all out without hesitation.
Laxus subtly braced himself before speaking again.
"I heard about your fight with Jose."
His voice shifted less mocking now, more calculating.
"You're not like the weaklings in this guild. Why not join me?"
A smirk tugged at his lips as he leaned forward.
"If we teamed up, we could make Fairy Tail the strongest guild in Fiore… no in all of Ishgar!"
Chase's response was icy.
"…Are you finished?"
Whoosh.
A flash of light shimmered at his fingertips, several Duel Monsters cards appearing between them.
The message was unmistakable.
"You !" Laxus's jaw tightened, but he forced a sharp laugh. "Hmph. One day, you'll realize how foolish it is to waste your strength on weaklings."
His tone lost some of its bite.
He knew exactly what kind of punishment awaited if he struck a guildmate without cause and for now, he wasn't ready to burn his bridge with the old man.
With that, Laxus dissolved into a streak of golden lightning and vanished.
The tension evaporated the moment he was gone.
"What a spoiled, rebellious brat," Chase muttered, sliding the cards back into his pocket with a shake of his head.
Truthfully, with both Fusion and God-Slaying magic at his disposal, he was confident he could crush Laxus in a fight right now. But that wouldn't solve the real problem.
Laxus's defiance was ingrained in his nature. Only when he pushed himself into a civil war when he fought to the bitter end and vented every ounce of his rage would he finally remember what his comrades meant to him.
Still… for just a moment there, Chase had been this close to throwing the first punch.
At times like this, Laxus really was begging for a beating.
In a way, their battle had already begun not with fists, but with patience.
"Ahhh… amazing how the air clears up once the pests are gone."
Chase took a slow, satisfied breath, his expression easing as he walked toward the makeshift bar.
Before he could even sit, Mira was already sliding a warm breakfast across the counter to him, her smile as bright as the morning sun.
....
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