"Even Chase says that... Is Phantom Lord really that strong...?"
Lucy found it hard to believe.
After everything they had been through, Chase had become an overwhelmingly powerful figure in her eyes—someone who made her feel completely safe.
"Lucy, the world out there is very big, you know." Dark Magician Girl said with a smile.
Having encountered the Flame Dragon God Ignia herself, she knew this well.
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Natsu mumbled from where he lay on the coffee table. "Our master is one of the Ten Wizard Saints too..."
"Natsu, a battle between Ten Wizard Saints would be catastrophic!" Erza warned sternly.
Just as they were talking, Chase suddenly glanced up at the clock on the living room wall.
Then, he slowly stood up, drew his cards, and began drawing a magic circle at his feet to set a trap—right in front of Lucy and the others.
"Chase? What are you doing?" Lucy asked, blinking in confusion.
"A few dangerous characters have shown up at home. Setting a trap will make sleeping tonight a bit safer." Chase smiled.
Lucy's mouth twitched. She pointed innocently at herself. "Dangerous characters... that doesn't include me, right...?"
Gray, less subtle than her, jumped in. "No way! Chase, you're even guarding against your own teammates?!"
"I see... even with comrades you'd trust with your life, you can never let your guard down."
Erza rested her chin on one hand, her beautiful eyes glinting as she nodded earnestly. "I've learned something, Chase."
Lucy internally complained: What is there to learn?! Why are you taking this so seriously?!
Since it was Erza, she only dared to silently complain.
"Whatever. I'm going to sleep."
Gray waved dismissively and headed upstairs.
"Wait up, Gray! I'm sleeping in Chase's room!"
Natsu, who always found a way to cause trouble at times like this, lacked his usual energy tonight thanks to Phantom Lord.
Happy, having finished his fish, followed close behind.
"Hey, at the very least, you two should take a bath. What's this about sleeping all sweaty?" Erza frowned.
Even at Chase's house, she maintained her strict discipline—like a member of the disciplinary committee.
"No. Too tired." Natsu and Gray said in unison.
"Oh? I guess I have no choice then."
Erza sighed helplessly, walked over, and slung her arms around both their shoulders—then dropped a bombshell. "Then I'll bathe with you like we did when we were kids!"
Natsu and Gray immediately stiffened, behaving like model children.
"Huh? B-bathe together?!" Lucy's eyes widened as she exclaimed.
What exactly is the relationship between these three...
"Aye~ That's the strongest team for you." Happy added.
"That's the 'strongest' in a completely different sense!!"
In the end, faced with the choice of bathing with monster Erza or bathing themselves, Natsu and Gray firmly chose the latter.
Chase's house had two bathrooms—unlike Lucy's cramped apartment—so waiting wasn't an issue.
"Chase, your turn."
Lucy, her blonde hair tied up and wearing pink pajamas she'd brought from home, stepped out of the first-floor bathroom and waved to Chase sitting in the living room.
Erza had already finished bathing upstairs and was discussing Phantom Lord with Chase and Dark Magician Girl.
Her strawberry-print pajamas paired with her dashing, heroic face created an adorably endearing contrast.
"Got it."
Chase was just getting up when his expression suddenly shifted. "Looks like I'll have to wait a bit longer on that bath."
Three Kuriboh tokens had been destroyed simultaneously. Which meant...
What was coming had finally arrived!
Hum!
A magic circle's intricate patterns flashed beneath Chase's feet.
He activated the Trap Card he had set earlier: [Swap] !
Before Lucy and Erza's astonished eyes, Chase vanished into thin air.
Before either of them could process what had happened, the now-empty magic circle flickered—and a different figure appeared in his place.
"Oww... Erza? Lucy? Where is this?"
Jet of Team Road Engine sat on the floor, nursing his injuries. "No! Levy! Levy's in danger!!"
A few minutes earlier.
On the silent, empty streets of the town, Levy's trio was walking back to their residence.
"Levy, you should hurry back to the girls' dorm. It's too dangerous out here." Droy, who specializes in plant magic, said worriedly.
"Exactly. Like Mira said, Phantom Lord's people might still be in Magnolia." Jet agreed.
"I know, I know. I'm going back now."
Walking between them, Levy smiled. "Besides, all three of us are here. No matter what happens, we won't lose to anyone!"
"Levy~♡!"
Jet and Droy were immediately charmed by Levy's trusting smile.
Ordinary Phantom Lord grunts wouldn't be a problem for them.
Unfortunately, the one lying in ambush was Phantom Lord's ace—Iron Dragon Gajeel!
"Heheh. So this is the way. Fairy Tail..."
The moment Levy's chatting trio entered his attack range, Gajeel sneered. Ignoring the Sabertooth members accompanying him, he leaped high into the air, raising his right arm—now transformed into steel—and swung down!
"Iron Dragon Club!"
BOOM!!
The sudden steel club caught Team Road Engine completely off guard.
Brutal, heavy force slammed into the ground, leaving a cracked crater in the street.
As the dust cleared, Gajeel's arrogant grin froze.
Levy and her teammates stood there completely unharmed!
Before each of them floated a strange, furry ball—rapidly fading into particles of light.
"You... you're from Phantom Lord?!"
Droy reacted instantly. Without hesitation, he positioned himself in front of Levy, raising his hand to summon vines from the ground beneath Gajeel's feet.
At the same time, Jet pushed his Speed Magic to its limit and charged straight at Gajeel.
He planned to cooperate with Droy's plant magic and land a decisive blow!
Team Road Engine's chemistry was undeniable. But the gap in power was simply too vast.
Gajeel effortlessly sliced through the vines with Iron Dragon Sword and countered with a punch at the charging Jet.
Jet took the hit and went flying, crashing into Droy.
The two were carried by the sheer force and slammed into a shop behind them, sending wood splinters flying!
"Solid Script: Fire!"
With a sharp cry from Levy, flames illuminated the dark street as they roared toward Gajeel.
Gajeel didn't dodge or avoid. His face twisted in a maniacal grin as he walked right through the fire, closing the distance to Levy.
"H-how is he this strong..." Levy was frozen in fear.
Gajeel casually waved his arm, extinguishing the flames on his body.
"Heheh. So this is Fairy Tail? Pretty damn weak!"
Towering over the petite Levy, he raised his right fist—now hard as steel. "Now stay down!"
CLANG!!
The sharp ring of steel against steel echoed, sparks flying.
Levy, who had squeezed her eyes shut in terror, opened them cautiously.
Her eyes widened with excitement at what she saw.
A tall, powerful silhouette stood before her!
"Fairy Tail is that weak?"
Chase smirked, his arm equipped with the Right Arm of the Forbidden One flexing slightly. His fingers tightened, effortlessly crushing Gajeel's iron fist as it began to deform.
"I can't just let that slide, you scrap-metal bastard."
***
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