"Even Big Brother Chase said so… Is the Phantom Guild really that strong?"
Lucy's voice trembled with disbelief.
After everything they'd been through, Chase had already become the most reliable person in her eyes, like a pillar she could always count on.
"The world outside is far more vast than you think," said the Dark Magician Girl with a gentle smile.
Ever since her encounter with the Fire Dragon God Ignia, she had come to deeply understand this truth.
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Natsu muttered from where he lay sprawled on the coffee table, "Isn't our guild master also one of the Ten Wizard Saints?"
"Natsu," Erza cut in sharply, her tone serious, "a battle between Ten Wizard Saint-level wizards could cause massive devastation. If they go all out, the entire continent might shake."
Just as she said that, Chase suddenly looked up at the wall clock in the living room.
Then, without warning, he got up, drew a card from his deck, and activated a magic circle beneath his feet right in front of the others, forming a glowing, intricate trap seal.
"Chase, what are you doing?" Lucy asked, blinking in confusion.
"Seems like some dangerous people might be paying us a visit tonight," Chase said with a grin. "Figured it's better to set a trap. We'll sleep safer."
Lucy stiffened, raising a trembling finger and pointing to herself. "Um… dangerous people doesn't include me, right?"
Gray, less polite, exploded immediately. "What the hell, Chase?! Are you defending yourself from us now?!"
"I get it now…" Erza placed her hand under her chin thoughtfully, her eyes glinting. "Even if it's a comrade you trust with your life, you can never let your guard down. Chase, that's a valuable lesson."
Lucy: What the heck did you even learn?!
She could only whimper silently in her heart. After all, it was Erza.
"Forget it. I'm going to bed," Gray muttered, waving a hand as he headed upstairs.
"Wait for me, Gray! I'm sleeping in Chase's room too!"
As usual, Natsu stirred up chaos at the worst possible time, though his energy seemed dulled, no doubt thanks to the events with Phantom.
Happy flapped after him, stomach full of fish and spirit full of mischief.
"Hey! You two need to bathe first!" Erza scolded with a wrinkle of her brow. "You reek of sweat. There's no point lying down like that."
Even while crashing at Chase's place, she still upheld her usual standards like a true disciplinary officer.
"Nooo, too tired..." Natsu and Gray groaned in unison.
"Oh? There's really nothing I can do with you two."
Erza let out a sigh and walked over to place her arms around Natsu and Gray's shoulders. Then she dropped a bombshell:
"Then let's do what we used to when we were kids. I'll bathe with you."
Natsu and Gray stiffened like stone statues, standing up straighter than ever before.
"Eh?! Bathing together?!" Lucy nearly choked, her eyes going wide with disbelief.
Just what kind of relationship do these three have?!
"Ai~ well, they are the strongest team, after all," Happy commented coolly from the side.
"No, this is a whole different level of strong!!" Lucy cried out.
…
In the end, faced with the option of bathing with the monster known as Erza or washing up on their own, Natsu and Gray bolted for the showers like their lives depended on it.
Thankfully, Chase's house was much better equipped than Lucy's rental. With two shower rooms, it didn't take too long for everyone to take turns.
"Big Brother Chase, it's your turn."
Lucy, now dressed in her pink pajamas and with her long blonde hair tied up, stepped out of the first-floor bathroom, waving toward Chase, who sat casually in the living room.
Erza, already freshened up upstairs, was sitting beside the Dark Magician Girl and chatting with Chase about Phantom's recent movements.
The contrast between her serious expression and her cute strawberry-pattern pajamas somehow made her seem even more charming.
"Alright."
Chase stood up, but the next moment, his expression shifted. He frowned and muttered, "Looks like I'll have to delay my shower."
Three Kuriboh cards had just been destroyed simultaneously. That could only mean one thing.
The attack had begun.
Buzz!
The air trembled as the light flickered. Intricate glowing patterns burst to life beneath Chase's feet.
In that instant, a trap card he had primed earlier activated: [Switch]!
Before Erza or Lucy could react, Chase vanished from where he stood.
The girls gasped, still frozen in place, when a second later, the empty magic circle pulsed again and another figure was transported in.
"Ugh… my head… Erza? Lucy? Where am I…?"
Jet, from the Shadow Gear team, collapsed onto the floor, his face bruised and battered.
"No! Levy! Levy's in danger!!"
A few minutes earlier.
On the quiet, empty streets of Magnolia, the members of Shadow Gear were walking home together.
"Levy, you'd better head straight back to the girls' dorm," Droy said with concern, his hands in his pockets. The vines of his plant magic twitched faintly, ready for any danger.
"Yeah. Mira said those Phantom guys might still be lurking around town," Jet added with a furrowed brow, equally on guard.
"I know, I know. That's what we're doing," Levy said with a reassuring smile, walking between the two. "Besides, you're forgetting something. We're the Shadow Gear team, remember? There's no way we're losing to some low-life thugs!"
"Levy~♡!"
Jet and Droy lit up like love-struck puppies, instantly charmed by her confidence.
If it had just been some average Phantom grunts, they really wouldn't have been in danger.
But unfortunately for them, the one lying in wait wasn't just anyone. It was him… Phantom's ace mage, the Iron Dragon Slayer, Gajeel Redfox.
"Hmph. So this is where Fairy Tail scum passes through, huh…"
As soon as Levy and her team stepped into range, Gajeel's lips curled into a vicious grin. He ignored the other Phantom mages standing nearby and leapt high into the air. His right arm morphed into gleaming steel, and he brought it crashing down like a meteor.
"Iron Dragon's Club!"
BOOM!!
The steel rod slammed into the street with thunderous force, carving a crater into the ground and blasting debris in all directions.
But as the dust cleared… Gajeel's grin faded.
Levy, Jet, and Droy stood perfectly unharmed.Floating in front of each of them was a strange, fluffy ball-like creature with wide eyes Kuribohs. Just as quickly as they appeared, they faded into tiny points of light and vanished.
"You… you're from Phantom, aren't you?!"
Droy reacted instantly. Without missing a beat, he stepped in front of Levy and slammed his hand down, sending vines bursting from the ground to entangle Gajeel's legs.
Jet kicked his speed magic into overdrive and charged forward like a bullet. They had trained to fight in sync, aiming to strike Gajeel from two sides and take him down before he could react.
But the difference in strength was too overwhelming.
"Too slow."
Gajeel swung his arm, now a gleaming blade of iron. He tore through the vines like paper and turned to deliver a brutal backhand punch straight into Jet's gut.
CRACK!
Jet was sent flying like a rag doll, slamming into Droy and knocking them both down.
The two were blown away by the sheer force of the punch, their bodies crashing into the storefront behind them. Wood splinters flew in all directions, raining down in a chaotic mess.
"Solid Script: Fire!"
Levy's voice trembled slightly as she cast her spell. A stream of burning flames surged from her letters, lighting up the dark street and roaring toward Gajeel.
But Gajeel didn't even flinch.
Grinning like a beast, he stepped forward slowly, his body engulfed in flames.
"How… how is he still standing?" Levy froze, her legs trembling as fear locked her in place.
With a flick of his arm, Gajeel dispersed the flames entirely. The fire died off his body like it had never been there.
"Heh. So this is Fairy Tail?" He looked down at the petite girl before him with a mocking sneer. "What a bunch of weaklings!"
He raised his right fist, now hardened into solid steel, and drew it back.
"Just lie down already."
CLANG!
A sharp clang of metal rang out through the air, sending a burst of sparks scattering into the night.
Levy, who had shut her eyes in terror, slowly opened them… and gasped.
In front of her stood a broad, solid back calm, firm, and unwavering.
"Is Fairy Tail weak enough for you?"
Chase smiled faintly, still gripping Gajeel's steel fist with one hand. His right arm glowed faintly with the power of the Bound Right Arm. With the simplest of movements, he twisted Gajeel's iron fist, warping it like soft clay.
"You really think I'd let that line slide, you scrap-metal reject?"
....
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