Inside the grand meeting hall, the tension that had once filled the air had gradually faded. The oppressive aura from Chase and Germain's clash had dissipated, but the stir it caused still lingered.
The guild masters couldn't help themselves they whispered and speculated, gossiping in hushed voices over the confrontation that had just taken place.
"Alright, Chase, tell me the truth what was that all about?" Makarov pulled Chase aside and asked in a low, serious tone.
"From the moment I walked in, I felt that guy's hostility. He didn't even try to hide it," Chase replied calmly. "But as for the exact reason, I'm still not sure."
"Could it be that he's just a petty man who can't stand to see others in the spotlight and gets jealous?" Makarov muttered, recalling Bob's earlier, exaggerated theory.
The Magic Council hadn't told him anything about the person who awakened the Magic of the Eighteen Battle Gods of Evil. So he had no idea that it had been the young miss of Saber Tooth.
Germain, huh? You've made it onto my list.
Even though Chase had clearly come out on top in the encounter, Makarov wasn't the kind of person to let things go lightly. He might have appeared carefree most of the time, but when it came to the safety of his children, he was fiercely protective.
That said, he still made a show of giving Chase a symbolic warning on the surface.
"Remember, he's a guild master too. Next time something like this happens, let me know first before charging in, understood?"
"Hahaha, but isn't this outcome even better?"
Chase casually scanned the room, eyes gleaming.
"Master, haven't you noticed? After Germain stormed off, all those other guilds that were gearing up to stir trouble suddenly calmed down and started behaving?"
Makarov's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So that's why you confronted Germain?" he asked, raising a brow.
Chase smiled. "Didn't you bring me here to do exactly that to intimidate those restless guilds into falling in line?"
Fairy Tail had long stood at the top of Fiore's guilds, and fame like that always came with a price. It was only natural that some of their peers would feel resentful. Jealousy. Rivalry. It wasn't always about alliances sometimes, it was war.
If that weren't the case, Jose the infamous master of Phantom Lord wouldn't later raise an army under the guise of a crusade to wipe Fairy Tail out.
Makarov blinked, a little caught off guard by how quickly Chase had grasped the situation.
"...I mean, yes, I did consider that. But I was going to approach it more delicately. Like... letting the press handle it. You know, have the newspapers quietly spread word about our strength."
"But now it's even better, right?" Chase said, raising his hands as if shrugging off the complexity. "We got the message across loud and clear and we didn't need to waste time on fluff."
"You little brat!" Makarov muttered with a helpless smile, shaking his head.
As the two chatted, the thin and elderly figure of Roubaul slowly approached them.
"Brother Chase," he said gently, "thank you for showing mercy and not embarrassing an old man like me."
Before Chase could reply, Makarov stood up and responded with a chuckle, "Ah, don't worry about him. This kid's just young and hot-blooded. I'm sorry you had to worry about him, Master Roubaul."
Makarov had long heard whispers of the secret behind Cait Shelter, the so-called "one-man guild." He knew this kindly old man standing before him was far from ordinary his magical depth and endurance were unfathomable.
"Young and full of spirit," Roubaul nodded, "but not everyone with power remembers to use it to protect others. It's rare to see someone like Brother Chase, who holds such great strength yet hasn't lost his original heart."
Makarov burst out laughing.
"Ahahaha! Don't give him too much credit. This kid's just a wrecking ball with limbs. He doesn't deserve such high praise!"
The words were humble, but the grin on Makarov's face gave him away. That loud laughter, echoing across the hall? It wasn't just polite courtesy he was absolutely delighted.
This was exactly the scene he had dreamed of when he suited up yesterday in that black tie.
An old man, beaming with pride.
Seeing Makarov's smug expression practically glowing on his wrinkled face, Chase gave him a deadpan stare.⚆_⚆
Roubaul hadn't expected such an exaggerated reaction from the Fairy Tail Master and could only smile as he tried to steer the conversation back.
"By the way," Roubaul added thoughtfully, "there's a rather headstrong little girl in my guild. If you or President Makarov ever come across her in the future… I hope you'll look after her."
"No problem, no problem at all!" Makarov puffed out his chest and thumped it proudly. "You can leave that to Fairy Tail!"
"Of course, Master Roubaul. I'll make sure of it," Chase said with a warm smile.
After all… who could possibly resist someone as silly and adorable as Wendy~
After a bit more light conversation, Roubaul gave them a thankful nod and turned to leave.
Soon after, several more guild masters made their way over to speak with Chase.
Some came to praise his strength and skill.Some came to shamelessly try to poach him right in front of Makarov.And one particularly bold president even declared with a serious face that he wanted to introduce his daughter to Chase!
These were all guilds that had a friendly rapport with Fairy Tail. Banter like this was expected between old allies.
Of course, not everyone was pleased.
In the shadows at the edges of the room, several figures stood silently, their eyes filled with scorn. They watched Chase and Makarov with thinly veiled contempt, their sneers barely hidden behind teacups and folded arms.
Because at the end of the day, the so-called "Guild Alliance" was still a battlefield of hidden rivalries and delicate politics. Everyone had their own agenda.
Eventually, a group of staff from the Magic Council arrived, signaling the official start of the regular meeting. With the mood shifting back to formality, the gathered presidents returned to their seats and fell silent.
Chase, however, did not stay for the proceedings.
After exchanging a few quiet words with Makarov, he turned and casually strolled out of the venue.
He had no interest in these stuffy, political discussions and more importantly, he had his own plans to take care of.
Standing at the edge of the forest path just beyond the manor, Chase noticed the faint tracks of a magic vehicle imprinted in the soil.
He narrowed his eyes, then slipped a card from his deck.
Buzz.
A vibrant magic circle lit up beneath his feet. The moment it flashed, Chase vanished without a trace, leaving nothing behind but a whisper of golden light on the wind.
The next morning Magnolia Station.
Under Erza's commanding presence, the group Mira once called Fairy Tail's "strongest team" had fully assembled.
Natsu, Lucy, and the others followed her lead, setting off on a new mission headed toward the suspected location of the cursed Death Flute, Lullaby.
And so, the sinister plot of the dark guild Iron Forest quietly began to take shape…
Meanwhile, back in Kulubara Town.
Since the regular meeting was scheduled to span two full days, most of the guild masters except those from local or nearby guilds chose to spend the night at the designated residence.
By sunrise, those who had woken early were already seated in the courtyard, sipping warm morning tea in small groups of three or four, casually chatting as they prepared for the second day of the council gathering.
A strange rumor that had just started making rounds had quickly become the hot topic among the guild masters gathered for morning tea:
Yesterday afternoon, during the first session of the regular meeting, there had apparently been an unknown explosion on a nearby hill powerful enough to completely level it!
In a quiet corner of the garden, Makarov and Chase sat across from each other at a small wooden table, sipping tea.
"That explosion they're all whispering about... That was your doing, wasn't it, you little rascal?"
Makarov fixed a sharp gaze on him over the rim of his cup, lowering his voice to keep the conversation between them.
He knew Chase far too well.
There was no way the boy would let something like Germain's sneak attack slide without payback. Chase was not the type to swallow his anger and pretend nothing happened.
"Hahaha, you really can't hide anything from you, huh, Master…"
Chase chuckled and scratched his head sheepishly, clearly caught in the act.
Makarov, having confirmed his suspicions, didn't get angry. He didn't sigh or scold either.
Instead, he calmly brought the cup to his lips and took another sip of tea.
"So... are you sure your identity wasn't exposed?"
As protective as ever, Makarov couldn't bring himself to actually reprimand Chase not for something like this. Truthfully, he didn't mind the revenge at all. But Germain was still the guild master of an official, registered guild. If Chase had been reckless, it could stir up political trouble.
"Nope," Chase said with a grin. "Nobody saw a thing."
Makarov nodded.
"Well done. That puts my mind at ease."
A pause.
"I wasn't even trying to hide."
"PFFFFT!!!"
Makarov spat out a full mouthful of tea, nearly choking.
Makarov spat out the tea he hadn't yet swallowed, his eyes bulging in disbelief.
"Don't worry, Master. The problem you're worried about won't happen," Chase said casually.
As he spoke, he calmly took out a handkerchief and wiped the tea from his face completely unfazed by the mess.
"If it were you, would you go around telling people that you got your butt kicked by some kid from another guild?"
If it had been someone else, Chase might not have been so confident. But Germain?
That guy was all about strength. He constantly shouted that power was absolute, and that weaklings had no place in a guild.
You think he'd let anyone find out he'd been floored by someone younger?
Not a chance.
Chase could already picture it: Germain doing everything in his power to cover up the humiliation. There was no way he'd admit it to the Council or anyone else for that matter.
He'd bury it so deep, no one would even know it happened.
Makarov imagined the scenario himself and couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Right? Like hell he'd admit that. "Oh yeah, I got beaten black and blue by some rookie from Fairy Tail" you think he'd survive the embarrassment?
Not even Germain was that shameless.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Saber Tooth Guild.
In a sunlit corner of the guildhall, three young children sat around a low table, accompanied by two chubby kittens.
Spread across the table was a freshly printed newspaper.
The headline?
A detailed report on the battle at Demon Ruins Island!
"That's incredible, Miss! Did he really summon a giant lightsaber to pin down that monster?" asked young Sting, his eyes sparkling.
He leaned in closer to the photo, licking his lips like he was wondering whether the sword was edible.
"As expected from a guild like Natsu's…" whispered little Rogue beside him, eyes half-shaded as he stared at the article in awe.
"Fairy Tail really does have powerful mages."
"And it wasn't just the lightsaber!" another child piped up. "There was also that giant hexagram magic circle!"
Young Minerva, her hair still short and bobbed at that age, stared intently at the figure in the newspaper. Her big eyes sparkled with admiration.
"One day, I want to become a wizard as powerful as Mr. Chase!"
"Before that, Miss… could you please get me out of this weird dimension first...?"
The crimson-colored kitten, Lecter, was frantically running in circles inside a green, chaotic magical space that looked like a mix between a forest fog and cotton candy.
"Ah?! Sorry, sorry! I'm still not used to this spell!"
Little Minerva quickly dispelled the accidental magic she had cast.
Thump!
Lecter was instantly released and crashed onto the wooden floor with a dull thud.
"Hahahaha!"
The children around the table burst into uncontrollable laughter at the sight of the dizzy kitten sprawled out like a pancake.
But
Boom!
A loud crash echoed through the hall as the heavy main door slammed open, cutting through the cheerful atmosphere like a blade.
Shadows blocked the golden sunlight streaming in from outside.
Guild Master Germain stepped into the room slowly his face swollen, his nose bruised, his expression stiff.
The three children instinctively took two steps back.
Even Minerva, who was usually so composed, felt her body tense up.
Despite their youth, all of them were deeply afraid of the short-tempered and domineering president.
"President, what happened to your face?!" a concerned guild member hurried over and asked upon noticing the glaring bruise on his jaw.
"…It's nothing," Germain muttered, brushing past them.
"I… I tripped on the way back."
Just as Chase had predicted, Germain didn't dare tell anyone the truth.
After muttering his excuse, he brushed off the worried guild members and headed straight toward the children his expression dark and thunderous.
The moment his eyes landed on the newspaper spread across the table, his rage erupted.
Without warning, Germain slammed his fist down.
Boom!
The newspaper and the wooden table shattered instantly reduced to nothing but scattered paper and splinters.
"Minerva," he growled, his voice as cold as steel. "It seems you didn't listen to a word I said."
His tone was terrifying. Every syllable dripped with suppressed fury.
Minerva flinched at the sudden explosion of paper and debris, fear gripping her tiny frame.
But as she looked up at the spot where Chase's image had been just moments ago, something stirred inside her.
That memory of being protected, of seeing true strength used with kindness ignited a spark of courage.
"F-Father," she stammered, forcing herself to speak despite her trembling voice, "I… I think even if I don't give up my compassion… I can still become strong. Just like Mr. Chase…"
Bang!
Before she could finish, a brutal kick struck her in the stomach.
Her small body flew backward like a ragdoll, smashing through chairs and tables before crashing into the guild's bar counter with a sickening crack.
Blood spilled from her lips.
"Remember this," Germain said, his voice flat and emotionless. "From now on, your only goal is to surpass Chase and grind him beneath your heel."
"Get ready. Your special training starts soon."
He didn't spare her so much as a glance.
Without looking back at the girl lying broken among the ruins coughing up blood he turned and walked away, leaving only the echo of his cruel words behind.