"The guild... our guild!!"
Natsu's expression instantly changed. His eyes blazed with barely suppressed fury.
"What happened?! Who did this?!" Gray clenched his fists in rage.
Lucy and Happy stared blankly at the wreckage of the three-story building, unable to accept such a devastating scene.
Chase, who had anticipated this, remained much calmer—though deep down, anger still simmered.
Having mental preparation was one thing, but seeing his home reduced to this by outsiders was something else entirely.
An overwhelming surge of magic power uncontrollably radiated from him, swirling like a storm.
"It was Phantom Lord."
Erza and Mira walked up from behind.
They had been waiting outside specifically because they feared that Chase and the others returning from Galuna Island might recklessly attack Phantom Lord upon learning what had happened.
And indeed—
Not to mention Natsu, if Chase hadn't already known the situation, he would probably have already ridden Guardian of the Fortress to settle the score with Phantom Lord!
Erza sensed the magic power filling the air. Her gaze dimmed as she lowered her head apologetically. "I'm sorry. I was at the guild, and yet I let this happen..."
"This isn't Erza's fault. They attacked late at night when no one was around." Mira explained.
Even she, usually gentle and easygoing, wore a somber expression after what had happened.
Under their guidance, Chase and the others entered the guild's basement.
Originally a storage room for sundries, it was now being used as a temporary bar and workspace.
In the cramped space, most of their guildmates were present. But unlike the usual noisy atmosphere, a heavy gloom permeated everywhere.
Cana no longer drank boisterously. Macao and Wakaba weren't cracking their usual dirty jokes. Team Road Engine wasn't striking poses...
Even Elfman, the "manly man," looked utterly dejected.
"Yo! Welcome home!"
Sitting on a simple barrel by the request board, Makarov smiled and waved at Chase and the others.
His cheeks were slightly flushed, and judging by the wooden cup beside him, he had been drinking quite a bit.
"I'm back—no, wait! Master, what are we going to do about this?! Let's go fight Phantom Lord right now!!"
Natsu was the first to speak, his anger flaring.
Makarov took a slow sip of his drink. "Natsu, calm down. Phantom Lord and we have never gotten along. There's no need to make a big deal out of such a small matter."
"Our guild was destroyed like that!"
Seeing the master so non-chalant, Natsu punched a nearby pillar in fury, splitting it apart.
Wood chips flew as his angry voice echoed through the cramped space.
The other guild members were infected by his intensity, but they had to obey the master's orders. They could only grit their teeth and clench their fists hidden under the tables.
"Old man, they've gone too far this time!" Gray said coldly.
Even Lucy, who usually shied away from conflict, felt indignant. "To come to another guild's town and do something like this..."
Though Erza remained silent, her eyes held a glimmer of hope as she looked at Makarov.
She, too, couldn't accept their guild home being reduced to that state.
Yet, even so, Makarov remained unmoved.
"Those Phantom Lord bastards only know how to play such dirty tricks. There's no need to indulge them. Let them be. We'll just focus on our own work and requests."
Seeing Natsu and the others persist, his tone grew more serious. "This matter is settled."
With that, he cast a slightly surprised glance at Chase, who remained relatively calm, then dropped his serious demeanor. Like a crafty old fox, he hopped off the barrel and cheerfully scampered off to the restroom.
He left behind Natsu and the others, their faces twisted with frustration.
"Don't blame the master. He's hurting too."
Mira frowned, watching the direction Makarov had gone. "Guilds aren't allowed to wage war against each other. It would cause the magical world's order to collapse."
Especially between powerful guilds like Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord.
"But they struck first!" Natsu shouted.
"That's not the issue..." Mira sighed helplessly.
Phantom Lord had only destroyed their guild building. It wasn't considered an act of war in the true sense.
While they could do the same in retaliation, Phantom Lord had dozens or even hundreds of branches—they could never destroy them all.
More importantly, doing so would put their guildmates in unpredictable danger, not to mention the risk of a full-scale war if the conflict escalated!
Makarov wasn't being patient because he was weak or afraid. He simply cared about his children's safety above all else.
"Man, I'm exhausted after that request. Mira, how about an iced cola?"
Chase spoke up, breaking the tension as he casually sat at a table.
"Sure. Just a moment."
A hint of a smile returned to Mira's weary face.
Truth be told, Chase was the one she had been most worried about from the start.
No matter how impulsive Natsu and Gray were, either she or Erza could stop them. But if Chase lost his temper, it would probably take the master himself to intervene.
That was the last thing she wanted to see.
"Damn it! Lucy I can understand, but Chase too?!" Natsu roared.
A certain rookie complained internally: Should I be flattered that even now, I'm the first person you think of...
In the end—
Whether because he finally understood the reasons or simply because he listened to Makarov—
Natsu calmed down and sulked alone in a corner.
Gray and Lucy also sat down, their spirits low.
Perhaps the only good news for them was that they had escaped punishment for taking that S-Class request without authorization?
Meanwhile.
Chase told Mira and Erza about what had happened on Galuna Island—about Gray's master Ur, and about Magic Council councilor Ultear.
Both found it hard to believe. They never imagined Gray had such a story.
And so, time quietly passed in the somewhat oppressive atmosphere.
As the sun set and the guild members were about to head home—
Makarov, who had been keeping a particularly close eye on Chase, finally saw him slowly rise to his feet. A faint glimmer of a card flickered at his fingertips.
"Chase! What are you going to do?!" Makarov instantly tensed up.
"Relax, Master. I'm just worried those Phantom Lord bastards won't leave things at this."
Chase revealed the cards between his fingers—Kuriboh and Multiply.
As a stylish magic circle lit up, adorable Kuriboh flew out one by one, transforming into temporary cards that landed in the hands of every guild member.
Although he knew Gajeel's target was Levy's team, considering the chain effects his presence might have caused, Chase played it safe and gave cards to everyone.
Since he knew the plot, he wasn't about to let his own people get strung up in a tree and humiliated, right?
The cost was just a little extra magic power.
Those who received the cards understood his meaning and gave him relieved looks.
Even Makarov, who had been tense, nodded with a pleased smile.
***
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