"Why does he hide his appearance like that?" Lucy asked, turning to Ankh with wide eyes. "Is he a famous idol like you? Or is he wanted by the Council?"
Ankh chuckled, shaking his head.
"No, he's not an idol, nor is he a criminal. He simply doesn't want people to see his face. He values his privacy to an obsessive degree."
Ankh leaned back, a mysterious glint in his eye.
"Strictly speaking, aside from myself and the Master, there is actually one other person in this guild who has seen his true face..."
"That's right," a deep, arrogant voice thundered from above, cutting Ankh off before he could finish.
"I've seen it too. And frankly, it's nothing special."
The sound of the voice seemed to carry a static charge, causing the hair on everyone's arms to stand on end.
The guild fell silent, freezing for a moment, before everyone turned their heads in disbelief toward the second floor—the sacred ground reserved for S-Class Mages.
Leaning casually against the wooden railing was a tall, muscular young man.
He wore a luxurious black overcoat draped over his shoulders like a cape, revealing a purple shirt with a yellow lightning-bolt pattern underneath.
Spiked headphones covered his ears, and a jagged, lightning-shaped scar marred his right eye.
He propped his chin up with one hand, a wild, mocking grin stretching across his face as he looked down at the "weaklings" below.
Gray looked up, his expression tightening.
"Laxus... so you're back too?"
Lucy tilted her head, her mind flashing back to the whispered explanations she had received from Mirajane about the true hierarchy of Fairy Tail.
She knew that Natsu and Gray were strong—monsters in their own right who far surpassed the average mage.
But within the ecosystem of Fairy Tail, they were still just 'promising rookies.'
They did not yet belong to the elite circle, the "Candidates for the Strongest."
Among the women, the hierarchy was clear.
There was Erza Scarlet, the Knight, whom Lucy had already seen in action.
But when she later learned that Mirajane was also a reknown mage and held power equal to Erza's, her jaw had nearly hit the floor.
As for the men, the competition was even fiercer.
Ankh, the enigmatic Wizard Saint.
Mystogan, the masked wanderer.
And the man standing before her now—Laxus Dreyar.
These three were the titans of the guild, the ones who stood at the absolute pinnacle.
Laxus radiated an immense, suffocating pressure.
He looked down on the guild members with an overbearing attitude that seemed to disregard their very existence.
"Mystogan is quite introverted, and a bit of a coward regarding his face," Laxus spoke indifferently, his electric gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"You lot had better not disturb him. He gets cranky."
Ankh sat below, listening to the Lightning Dragon Slayer and couldn't help but curl the corner of his mouth into a knowing smirk.
'Look at him,' Ankh thought. 'Acting all high and mighty, but he's actually covering for Mystogan.'
Even though Laxus often clashed with the others, he was subtly helping conceal Mystogan's identity—specifically, the fact that Mystogan shared the exact same face as Jellal.
In the end, despite his prickly exterior, Laxus was just an awkward guy who didn't know how to express camaraderie properly.
However, not everyone read between the lines.
Upon seeing the lightning mage, Natsu's fighting spirit ignited instantly.
He leaped onto a table, pointing a finger at the balcony.
"Laxus!" Natsu shouted, fire leaking from his mouth. "Come down here and fight me! I've been waiting for this!"
Everyone's eyelids twitched nervously.
'You really have no fear of death', Lucy thought, shrinking back. 'Laxus's temperament is nothing like Ankh's. He looks like he might actually kill someone.'
"I heard you just challenged Ankh and got instantly defeated with a single punch," Laxus drawled, glancing at the leisurely Ankh beside Erza.
He curled his lips in disdain. "Well, consider yourself lucky to be alive. Ankh has a soft spot for weaklings."
Hearing this, the veteran members found it normal—Laxus was always abrasive.
But Lucy was momentarily stunned.
'His tone...' she realized. 'It's different when he mentions Ankh. It seems Laxus and Ankh actually have a good relationship, or at least a mutual respect.'
"However," Laxus shifted his gaze.
He looked at Erza, who was leaning comfortably against Ankh, and his expression hardened.
He stared back at Natsu and mocked him, "You can't even beat Erza, and you still want to challenge me? Know your place, small fry."
Erza's face instantly darkened.
The relaxing atmosphere around her vanished, replaced by a sharp, metallic aura.
She stood up, her armor clanking.
"Laxus!" she growled in a low, dangerous voice. "What do you mean by that?"
Laxus didn't back down.
He suddenly raised both hands to the sky, electricity crackling between his fingers.
His smile grew increasingly arrogant, bordering on manic, as he declared loudly to the entire hall.
"What I mean is simple! In this guild, I am the strongest!"
Laxus's voice echoed through the hall like a great bell, the sound waves vibrating in everyone's chests.
Instinctively, many eyes darted toward Ankh, the other contender for that title.
Ankh remained calmly seated, sipping a drink he had swiped from the counter.
He said nothing.
'What was there to say?' Ankh thought amusingly. 'What's the point of arguing with a rebellious kid going through his emo phase? Let him have his moment.'
Unwilling to listen to Laxus's arrogant words, Natsu couldn't take it anymore.
"You jerk! Get down here and fight me right now!"
Laxus sneered, looking down with a "what are you gonna do about it" expression.
"If you have what it takes, come up here yourself! Or are you too scared of the stairs?"
"Perfect! I'm all fired up!"
The single-minded Natsu didn't hesitate.
He took three steps in two, leaping onto the bar counter to use it as a launchpad.
He bent his knees, preparing to rocket up to the second floor.
But before he could exert force, the light above him was blocked out.
A massive shadow suddenly descended from the ceiling.
"BOOM!"
The entire guild hall shook as a giant fist, the size of a carriage, crashed down from above.
Everyone gulped nervously, staring in panic as Natsu was flattened like a pancake into the wooden floorboards.
Makarov, who had expanded his arm using his Titan magic, retracted his giant fist and glared.
"You fool! You are not allowed on the second floor yet! S-Class only!"
"HAHAHAHA!!"
Seeing Natsu smashed into the floor by Makarov, Laxus threw his head back and laughed recklessly.
The sound was grating, filled with superiority.
When his laughter subsided, his deafening voice rang out again, silencing the room.
"I will never relinquish the title of strongest in Fairy Tail! Whether it's Ankh or Mystogan, it makes no difference! I will surpass them all!"
With a swirl of his coat, Laxus turned and walked away into the shadows of the second floor.
Ankh glanced expressionlessly at the retreating figure, unable to suppress a chill of foresight in his heart.
As time passed, Laxus's outward personality had become increasingly distorted.
His obsession with strength was consuming him.
Even with Ankh's subtle interventions over the years, Laxus's rebellious mindset wouldn't completely disappear—it could only be somewhat suppressed.
Ankh knew what was coming.
The Battle of Fairy Tail.
The civil war that Laxus would instigate to purge the "weak" members was likely inevitable.
'I can't stop the war entirely,' Ankh mused, tapping his finger on the table. 'But I have to manage the fallout.'
In the original storyline, the civil war ended with Laxus being expelled.
Then, Mystogan would eventually leave to return to Edolas.
This left Fairy Tail's top combat power at an unprecedented low right before their most critical battles.
Just imagine—if during the upcoming war against Grimoire Heart on Tenrou Island, Laxus had been present from the start? If Mystogan hadn't left? With Ankh, Gildarts, Laxus, and Mystogan all present... the "Seven Kin of Purgatory" would have been a joke.
'I need to secure our assets,' Ankh decided. 'The civil war can happen—Laxus needs the reality check to mature—but I cannot allow him to use the Stone Eyes magic to take the guild hostage. That crosses the line. I'll need to prepare countermeasures.'
Ignoring Laxus's arrogant remarks, Ankh stood up and dusted off his clothes.
He walked over to the bar to greet the Master.
"I'm heading out, Old Man. Don't drink too much," Ankh said, patting Makarov on the shoulder.
Before leaving, Ankh turned to the redhead adjusting her armor nearby.
"Erza. When you finish with your reports and guild matters, come to my place. I have something to ask you regarding the layout of the guild's defenses."
Erza blinked, then nodded seriously. "Understood. I'll be there shortly."
As Ankh walked out, he glanced back one last time.
Laxus was still on the balcony, now shouting insults at the flattened Natsu.
It was a chaotic, comical scene.
At his core, Ankh knew Laxus wasn't a villain.
He wasn't cruel.
His emotional investment in the guild was perhaps deeper than anyone's; he just loved it in a twisted, perfectionist way.
This young man was actually quite gentle, though his kindness was clumsy and buried under layers of insecurity and pride.
Only those attentive to life's details—like Ankh—could perceive the subtle warmth.
Laxus warned them about Mystogan not to be mean, but to protect Mystogan's secret.
'That's why I'll help you, you stubborn lightning bolt,' Ankh thought as he stepped into the evening air.
'I'll fix your mistakes before they become permanent.'
...
Twenty minutes later, Ankh arrived at the gates of his personal estate.
It was a sprawling manor located on the outskirts of Magnolia, a testament to the wealth he had accumulated through years of S-Class quests.
Returning to his home, he was immediately greeted by the warmth of the interior lights.
As he opened the heavy oak door, a plump, middle-aged maid with a kind face hurried over, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Master!" she beamed, bowing respectfully. "You're back early today. What would you like for the main course at dinner?"
Ankh handed her his coat and thought for a moment.
"Steak," he said decisively. "And a rich seafood soup. Make sure to prepare extra portions. Erza will be coming over later."
He paused, a small smile touching his lips. "Oh, and tell the chef to prepare a strawberry cake. Make it a large one."
The plump maid nodded repeatedly, her eyes narrowing into happy slits.
"Of course, sir! Miss Erza always has such a healthy appetite. We'll make sure everything is perfect."
She bustled away toward the kitchen, humming a tune.
The servants adored Ankh; the master of this house was generous, paid well, and treated them with respect, unlike many other noble mages.
Furthermore, they all held a special fondness for the frequent guest, Erza Scarlet.
From their observations, Erza was the person they should serve most attentively.
Although she was the master's sister...
The plump maid glanced back at Ankh, then shook her head with a knowing smile.
She had looked them over repeatedly, but frankly, she couldn't see any family resemblance between them at all.
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