By the time Krampus and Laxus reached Rosemary Village, the attack was already underway. Fires licked at rooftops, screams tore through the night, and bands of slavers and hooded cultists stormed through the streets with chains and blades in hand. The smell of smoke and blood was thick, a chaos that demanded immediate judgment. Without hesitation, Laxus leapt ahead, lightning crackling violently across his fists. At a speed few could follow, he blurred through the chaos with Godspeed, striking down slavers before they even realized he was among them. His thunder-charged punches shattered armor and sent bodies crashing through walls, each impact followed by the crack of lightning splitting the night. Villagers gasped as their attackers were torn away in streaks of blue light, saved in the blink of an eye. To the slavers, it was like a storm of fists and thunder had descended upon them, and none could stand against the lightning dragon's fury.
Krampus hung back only long enough to assess. His Revelation Eyes flared open, pupils and sclera glowing red with a thin crimson ring circling in each golden iris. He spotted a captain figure lurking near the rear, barking orders and preparing a teleportation glyph. "Not on my watch," Krampus growled. He slammed his palms together, invoking the Rule of Binding: Bound Prison. Golden chains erupted from the ground and the air alike, weaving together in impossible arcs until a massive cage encircled the entire village and its outskirts. Every path, every skyward escape route was sealed, and the chains even stretched deep underground and high into the heavens. No physical force, no spell, and no teleportation could bypass the prison—short of killing Krampus himself, Bound Prison allowed no escape. The slaver captain's smug expression melted into horror as his glyph fizzled against the chains.
Then Krampus advanced. With a snap of his claws, countless chains tipped with rune-etched daggers burst into existence, blotting out the stars above. Like a storm of serpents they slithered down, each link infused with the Rule of Punishment. Spells and curses hurled back at the chains fizzled on impact, nullified by the sins staining their casters' souls. Krampus grinned wide, lips curling back to bare his sharp fangs, delighting in their terror as he let the intimidation seep deeper into their bones. The chains bound throats, skewered limbs, and crushed weapons to splinters as the slavers shrieked in agony. "Struggle harder," Krampus taunted with sadistic glee, his voice a growl that made the air itself shiver, "your sins only make the bite sharper."
Laxus needed no words. He plowed through another company of cultists at Godspeed, fists wreathed in thunder as he dropped enemies in flashes of blue light before they could even raise their blades. Bodies crumpled to the dirt twitching under arcs of paralyzing electricity, left helpless in his wake. Overhead, Krampus's chains skewered and bound others, the air filled with screams as his sadistic grin widened, fangs gleaming as he loomed over them. The joint assault was merciless; when the dust settled, the village square was littered with broken slavers and cultists. Some had perished outright, others writhed in agony, but neither Krampus nor Laxus spared them pity. All that mattered was that none escaped, and the captain now knelt bound and helpless, eyes wide in terror at his failed teleport, trembling under the Christmas spirit's demonic smile.
When the last of the screams faded, Krampus and Laxus turned to the villagers. Though many bore wounds, miraculously none had been slain. Relief rippled through the battered crowd, sobs of gratitude mingling with exhausted cheers. Krampus's gaze softened as his Revelation Eyes dimmed back to gold, landing on a little girl with dazzling scarlet hair—Erza, without a doubt. A faint smile touched his fanged mouth at the sight of her fiery glare, a will already burning brighter than most adults. Then, with another flash of his eyes, he picked out two more amid the crowd: a dark-haired boy with raw determination etched into his features, shielding a smaller girl who clutched his arm as if she would never let go—Simon and Kagura Mikazuchi. Even bloodied and frightened, their magic potential shimmered in his sight like stars waiting to be born.
Krampus approached slowly, setting down his sabers as he crouched to their level. "You're safe now. Santa's here," he said gently, his gravelly voice low and reassuring. Laxus folded his arms beside him, sparks dimmed, scanning the children. "These kids… they're strong," he muttered.
Krampus's Revelation Eyes flickered briefly, then dimmed again. He leaned slightly closer to Laxus, his voice a quiet rumble. "I saw it too—their potential is undeniable. But let's shelve it for now. We calm the villagers, keep them steady. Recruitment can wait until after order's restored." Laxus tilted his head, eyes narrowing thoughtfully before giving a curt nod, lips twitching into the faintest smirk. "Fair enough. One step at a time. We save the people first, then we talk guild business later."
He invoked the Rule of Binding once more—Guilty Chain—and spectral shackles snapped onto the man's wrists, glowing hotter with every sin dragged to the surface. The captain convulsed, eyes wide in horror. "S-stop! Please!"
"Every lie," Krampus snarled, "will burn you worse." With a flick of his claws he added Sinflame Chain; crimson fire licked along the bindings, searing not flesh but soul. The man howled, body arching against the stone wall. "Tell me about your cells. Every last one."
The captain screamed through the agony. "We—we have dozens! Teams spread all across the mainland!"
"Where do they strike next?" Krampus demanded, yanking the chains so they tightened around his throat.
"Rosemary was today! The next—next villages are marked on maps at our camps!" he choked out.
Krampus leaned closer, eyes glowing like bloodied suns. "And the towers. Speak."
The captain broke, tears streaking his face. "R-System towers… being built again. Construction sites hidden in remote lands. Overseen by Brain—the one who escaped the Bureau—and backed by Grimoire Heart cultists! They… they want Zeref!"
Krampus let the chains flare hotter, savoring his screams before finally releasing the pressure enough for him to breathe. "That's better," he hissed, satisfaction rumbling in his chest. "Keep talking… or the flames return."
After a while, multiple questions and several anguish screams later, Krampus stood slowly, satisfaction rumbling in his chest. "Good," he said. "Now we hunt the rest." He sealed the confession with a Rule of Binding inscription, forging the knowledge into a chain-marked scroll destined for Yajima—Makarov's old friend and trusted ally—so the truth could be acted upon discreetly, without tipping off the spies lurking in the Council's ranks.
Returning to the children, Krampus knelt down again, his tone more casual now, almost playful. "Erza, Simon, Kagura… you three have guts, and I've already appraised your talents with my Revelation Eyes. With proper training, you can become real mages—strong enough to stand tall and protect others. So how about it? Would you consider joining Fairy Tail with me and Laxus? You'll get to learn magic, eat well, and fight alongside family." I was about to go on with a long sales pitch, tell them about all the benefits like I did with Ur and her kids back when I brought them in… but was that really needed here? He trailed off, preparing to launch into the speech he'd practiced in his head.
But before he could even start, the three children exchanged glances and blurted out almost in unison: "Yes!" Erza's voice was fierce, Simon's steady, Kagura's shy but resolute. Krampus froze, then barked a laugh, scratching at his mane. "Seriously? Just like that? I didn't even get to do my sales pitch this time!" He gave the three a playful but serious look, wagging one clawed finger. "Listen, you're supposed to think about an offer first—ask questions, weigh the pros and cons. Don't just jump in without a thought. People out there will try to trick you. Promise me you'll use your heads next time, alright?" The three children nodded earnestly, though their smiles never wavered. Laxus smirked, folding his arms. "Guess kids know a good deal when they see it."
Krampus conjured three Fairy Phones, guild editions, and placed them into their hands. "Through these, my chibi doubles will check up on you, teach you basics, and guide your first steps in magic. I'm busy right now hunting the ones behind this, so use the time to learn some general knowledge and get started with the fundamentals. And more importantly, use these two days to say your goodbyes properly to your village. When I come back, I'll pick you up and bring you to Fairy Tail."
The children nodded eagerly. The villagers wept thanks, some clasping Krampus's clawed hands while others bowed to Laxus with tears of relief. Krampus turned to Laxus, his aura already burning with renewed fury, and bared his fangs in a grim smile. "Tomorrow we sweep the slavers and cultists. Then we tear down their towers. No more chains, no more stolen lives."
Mobilizing their authority as S-Class mages, Krampus and Laxus began reaching out through secure Fairy Phone channels to trusted Rune Knights and Council allies—those few they knew were untainted by spies. Krampus even noted that the scroll sealed for Yajima would soon be in safe hands, giving their allies the intelligence needed to strike without alerting the Council's infiltrators. Quietly, forces began to gather around the hidden tower sites, ready to free slaves the moment the storm of Fairy Tail came crashing down upon the enemy.
The night after the battle at Rosemary was long and merciless. With the captain's information chained and secured for Yajima, Krampus and Laxus launched their counterattack across the continent. There was no rest. There was no hesitation. Krampus opened portal after portal with his Rule of Binding, each one dropping them into another nest of slavers and cultists. At every new site, Laxus would crack his knuckles, sparks dancing across his fists, and mutter, "Let's get this over with fast." Krampus gave a toothy grin and replied in a low tone, "And I'll make sure none of them slip away." The process became a steady rhythm: arrive, strike, subdue, rescue, and move again before word could spread, each camp falling into silence before it could even raise an alarm.
In one camp, Laxus appeared as a streak of blue light, fists sparking as he downed six men before their blades cleared their scabbards. "Too slow," he said, dropping another with a thunder punch that cracked stone. Villagers who had been pinned to the ground by the slavers gasped in shock as their captors fell away in bursts of thunder. Krampus followed, his chains unfurling in a storm above them, eyes glowing faintly as his fangs showed in a grin. "Bound Judgment!" he called, sabers slicing through the air. Each stroke carried Punishment, disabling slavers whose sins nullified their defenses. Magic shields shattered like glass; curses fizzled into sparks. Those who still stood fell groaning as his chains wrapped their limbs and dragged them to the dirt, clawing at the ground in vain as Krampus muttered, "The more you fight, the tighter it gets."
In another hideout, cultists tried to trigger alarm glyphs, hands trembling as they reached for the runes. Krampus's eyes flared crimson, Revelation Eyes dissecting the weave of their magic instantly. He grinned wide, showing fangs. "Not happening," he said, and chains darted like serpents, skewering the glyphs and the stones they were etched into. Sparks burst as the glyphs shattered, the cultists screaming as their wrists were snapped back by binding links. Krampus loomed forward, his aura pressing down like a weight. "No calls for help," he added flatly. "You're stuck here."
Every abductee they found—children, men, and women alike—Krampus immediately sent back through portals to Rosemary, where Rune Knights already waited to receive them. Some cried out in relief, others fell to their knees in gratitude as the golden light enveloped them. Krampus's towering form bent low as he urged them, "Go on, you're safe now." A few of the children whispered, "Santa…" as they disappeared, their voices trembling with awe and hope.
By dawn, the last mainland camp was crushed. Laxus leaned against a splintered tree, his shoulders heaving, sweat running down his jaw. "Damn… we've been at this all night," he muttered, voice rough with fatigue. Krampus stood beside him, chains still hanging loose from his arms, and gave a weary grin. "And half the morning too," he said. "But hey—it's done. Every den's cleared out."
They finally allowed themselves a break, collapsing beside a ruined campfire. Krampus pulled enough food for dozens from his storage magic, laying it out in a heap, and the two dug in with the hunger of men who had been fighting for hours without pause. Laxus tore into a slab of roasted meat and mumbled with his mouth full, "Man… it feels like we eat like kings after this kind of work." Krampus snorted, chuckling as he gnawed on a bone. "Well, you fight like ten men, you get to eat like ten too. No complaints." Laxus smirked tiredly, shaking his head. "Guess that's fair."
When their bellies were full, Krampus stood and drew his saber. "Hold still." With a slash powered by the Rule of Rending, he cut away the exhaustion, the aches, and the sleepless fog clinging to their bodies. Golden chains carried that burden and lashed it into one of the still-bound slavers at their feet. The man shrieked, collapsing under the sudden flood of agony. Laxus exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Better than a nap." Krampus grinned. "No rest for us. The towers are next."
According to the captain's confession, there were seven towers in total, each hidden on small islands off the continent's shores. The Rune Knights spent the day gathering ships, cloaking them with wards, and positioning quietly around each target. By the time night came, their lines were set—hidden camps and magical veils ensuring the towers' defenders remained unaware. All that was left was for Krampus and Laxus to begin the siege.
The first island fell before its guards realized they had been breached. Krampus opened a portal above the surf, stepping through with Laxus at his side. "Bound Prison!" Chains erupted outward, forming a cage that enclosed the entire island, reaching deep into the sea and high into the clouds. The slaver guards panicked, some shouting in fear as their teleportation glyphs sputtered uselessly against the bindings. With Revelation Eyes, Krampus spotted every slave and every cultist, his gaze burning through walls and illusions. "Rule of Rending!" he called, swinging his saber. The blade cut clean through stone and enchantment alike, and the tower cracked apart in massive chunks, collapsing into harmless rubble that somehow never touched a single villager or captive. Slaves gasped in disbelief, while cultists cursed in terror as their stronghold dissolved before their eyes.
Confusion reigned. Slavers screamed, slaves froze in disbelief. Krampus wasted no time, summoning chains to sweep through the rubble and snatch the captives to safety. "You're free now!" he called as the golden links gently set them beyond the fighting. Some of the rescued clutched one another, staring wide-eyed at him in awe. At the same time, Laxus moved up beside him, sparks crackling across his arms. "Time to clear the trash," he muttered, raising both hands as dozens of metal spheres hovered around him. "Railgun barrage!" The air thundered as he launched them in rapid succession, each one a bolt of lightning-infused steel that hit home, dropping slavers where they stood. "Hah, bullseye," Laxus said with a sharp grin as the last one fell. Not a single shot missed.
Rune Knights stormed in moments later, binding survivors and comforting freed slaves. Krampus followed up with Fate Render—his saber sweeping harmlessly through the rescued, their pain and torment drawn out in glowing arcs before condensing into spectral daggers. With a flick of his wrist, the blades launched into the bodies of their captors. Slavers screamed, collapsing in agony while the rescued blinked in wonder, their wounds gone, their strength returning as if they had never been harmed.
And so it went. Island by island, tower by tower, Krampus and Laxus repeated their blitz. At each stronghold, Krampus's chains sealed the island while his saber tore the towers down, and Laxus followed up with lightning that dropped every slaver in sight. Seven times the towers fell, seven times the slaves were freed, seven times the Rune Knights stormed in to take over and console the rescued. By the end of the campaign, the slavers were left broken, the cultists routed, and their once-feared network scattered like chaff in the wind.
Just as Krampus prepared to savor the quiet of victory, a Fairy Phone crystal chimed. A Rune Knight commander's voice came through, grim and hesitant. "There's more… after interrogation, we've learned of an eighth tower. Hidden, reinforced, wrapped in wards. We don't know its exact location, only that it's somewhere off the coast of Caelum Kingdom. The cultists clearly wanted this one kept secret at all costs."
Krampus's eyes narrowed, his expression sour. "An eighth tower, huh… just when we thought we were done." Laxus cracked his knuckles, sparks leaping lazily between his fists. "Figures. There's always one more. Guess we'll smash it too." Krampus sighed, then bared his fangs in a grin. "Fine. One last trip. Let's wrap this up."