Before dawn the next day, Ankh arrived at the guild right on time.
For Mages in this profession, the guild was essentially their second home.
For some, it was their first home.
With friends, cheap meals, alcohol, and work available here, everyone was naturally happy to spend time at the guild hall.
Though it was technically a workplace, Fairy Tail held a position in Mages' hearts somewhat similar to "the school of a lifetime."
It was a place where you never really graduated.
The atmosphere was cheerful, offering opportunities to learn magic, gain experience, and get into brawls that fostered bonding.
Moreover, the time spent here daily definitely exceeded the time spent in their own beds.
After entering the silent, empty hall, Ankh found a secluded table in the corner.
He sat down, crossed his arms on the wooden surface, and buried his face in them.
Within seconds, he was asleep.
This was just like break time at school—no matter how comfortable the feather bed at home might be, there was something uniquely satisfying about sleeping at a desk.
The smell of old wood, spilled ale, and faint magic was a lullaby better than any silence.
...
As daylight began to break, filtering through the high windows, guild members started trickling in sporadically.
The morning crew was predictable.
Some hurried to check the mission board while there were still plenty of high-paying commissions available, hoping to snag the easy ones before the rowdy crowd arrived.
Others, as if by unspoken agreement, also dozed off at their tables to nurse hangovers or simply to delay the start of the workday.
Then, the doors opened to a bright, cheerful presence.
Mirajane Strauss walked in, carrying a fashionable shoulder bag.
Behind her, Elfman hauled a crate of supplies, and Lisanna skipped along, acting as their unofficial bodyguard.
With sharp intuition honed from years of managing this chaotic zoo, Mirajane immediately spotted the dark-robed figure napping not far away.
'A good day starts with seeing him,' she thought, a soft smile gracing her lips.
She tossed her bag to the simple-minded Elfman, shooed away her two clingy siblings toward the bar, and then quietly approached Ankh with her hands clasped behind her back.
She moved silently, her steps light as a feather.
Mirajane gently brushed aside a lock of her silver-white hair with her slender hand.
Her lovely face revealed a sweet tenderness that made her crescent eyebrows and starry blue eyes even more captivating as they sparkled with life.
She leaned in, her soft pink lips approaching Ankh's ear.
"Lazybones," she whispered gently, her voice carrying a playful laugh. "Time to wake up..."
The warm breath tickled Ankh's sensitive ear, making him instinctively shrink his neck slightly.
Ankh lifted his head, his eyes barely cracking open through the heaviness of drowsiness.
When his sleepy, unfocused gaze recognized the silver hair and blue eyes, an unconscious, genuine smile spread across his face.
"Mira..." he murmured softly, his voice raspy. "I stayed up too late last night... dealing with pests. Can't get up..."
"Why didn't you sleep earlier? You always push your body too hard." Mirajane chided gently.
She reached out and rubbed Ankh's messy black hair with her delicate, jade-like hand, smoothing it down.
Ankh leaned into the touch for a second before straightening up. His expression shifted, the sleepiness replaced by a sharp clarity.
"It's fine. By the way, Mira... there's something I want to discuss with you."
Mirajane looked at Ankh with surprise.
"What is it?"
Ankh glanced around to ensure no one was listening.
He moved closer to Mirajane's ear, lowering his voice to a barely audible whisper.
"The defenses..." Ankh whispered. "If... and I mean if... something happens to the guild hall while I am gone today... do not intervene aggressively. Focus solely on protecting the members."
Mirajane's eyes widened.
She pulled back slightly, looking at him with confusion and concern.
"What? But if someone attacks..."
"Let them break the wood and stone," Ankh interrupted softly. "We can rebuild a hall. We cannot rebuild people. I need a reason... a spark."
After hearing Ankh out, Mirajane hesitated slightly.
She bit her lip. "It's possible... but shouldn't this matter be reported to the Master first? the old man would want to know."
Ankh waved his hand dismissively, laughing lightly to mask the seriousness of the conversation from onlookers.
"No need to bother the Master with such trivial matters while he's at his meeting. He trusts us."
"Let's handle the troublesome part first—the bait—then discuss it with everyone later. Same difference."
Mirajane studied his crimson eyes.
She saw the calculation there, but also the protective intent.
She nodded gently.
"Since you put it that way... alright then. I will trust you."
"Thanks." Ankh nodded with a cheerful grin, as if they had just discussed the lunch menu.
After chatting briefly, Mirajane went to work behind the bar.
As the sun rose higher, the guild hall filled with noise.
Finally, the doors burst open.
The "Strongest Team" had arrived.
Having enjoyed a lavish meal at Ankh's place last night, Erza, Natsu, and Gray were in high spirits, arguing loudly about who ate the most.
However, one member of the party was dragging her feet.
Lucy Heartfilia looked like a ghost. Her soul seemed to be leaking out of her mouth.
"Rent..." she muttered. "Rent is due in three days... I only have 200 Jewels to my name..."
Her wallet was running on empty.
She planned to take on a simple mission today—perhaps finding a lost cat or helping a baker—just to scrape by.
"I'll help!" Natsu shouted, slapping her back hard enough to dislodge her soul further. "We're a team, right?!"
"I'll come too," Gray offered, stripping off his shirt. "I'm bored anyway."
"It is settled then," Erza declared, donning her armor. "We shall accompany Lucy to ensure her success!"
Thus, Lucy—who originally intended to complete a humble 500J reward mission alone—found herself trembling as she looked at the excited mages surrounding her.
'Such a grand lineup just to earn 500J?' Lucy thought, despairing.
'The train tickets alone will cost more than the reward! This is pathetic!'
Ankh, watching the comedy unfold, stood up.
He walked over to the request board, his eyes scanning the parchments with purpose.
'I need to get them out of town,' Ankh thought.
'Far enough that they can't return instantly, but close enough that I can signal them.'
"Here," Ankh said, pulling a flyer off the board.
He walked over and slapped it onto the table in front of Lucy.
"Subjugation mission," Ankh announced. "A pack of Vulcan beasts terrorizing a village near the Web Valley. The reward is 350,000 Jewels."
Lucy's eyes turned into jewel symbols. "350,000?!"
"This level of mission is a piece of cake for Natsu and Erza," Ankh explained calmly. "But the volume of enemies means they need support. Lucy, your spirits are perfect for crowd control. You won't be sidelined."
He pulled out a pen and did the math on a napkin.
"Excluding the cat..."
"Hey!" Happy protested.
"...If we split it five ways, that's 70,000 Jewels each."
Lucy gasped, clutching her cheeks. "70,000... That's exactly my rent! Ankh, you're a genius! You're an angel!"
The naive Lucy was profusely thanking the team members, tears of joy streaming down her face.
Only the rational Ankh was looking at her with sympathetic eyes.
'The reward is indeed 350,000', Ankh thought.
'But knowing Natsu and Erza... the compensation fees for the destroyed village, the burning forest, and the inevitable collateral damage will likely be around 300,000.'
'But...' Ankh smirked internally.
'That's a problem for Future Lucy. Right now, I need to clear the board.'
"I'll join you," Ankh stated loud enough for the spies near the window to hear. "I haven't stretched my legs in a while."
"Yeah!" Natsu cheered. "Ankh's coming too! Let's go wreck some monkeys!"
Amidst the peaceful morning atmosphere, the "Strongest Team"—now bolstered by Ankh—departed from Magnolia to undertake their mission.
They made a scene of leaving, marching out the main gate with Natsu spitting fire and Erza dragging her luggage cart.
Not long after they disappeared over the horizon, several suspicious individuals lurking in the alleyways and rooftops lowered their binoculars.
They observed this crucial intelligence—the departure of the "Grim Reaper" and "Titania"—and immediately retreated to report.
...
Oak Town.
In another city not far from Magnolia lay the headquarters of the renowned second guild of Fiore: Phantom Lord.
Compared to Magnolia's tranquil, riverside beauty and vibrant atmosphere, Oak Town resembled a graveyard of industry.
Smog choked the sky, and the buildings were twisted spires of dark stone and rusted metal.
It was desolate, as if the joy had been sucked out of the very air.
In the center of this gloom stood the Phantom Lord guild hall—a fortress of intimidation.
Inside the main hall, not a single ray of sunlight penetrated. Torches burned with a sickly green fire.
At the far end, sitting on a throne of twisted iron, was a man dressed in formal, nobleman attire with a tall top hat and a flowing cape.
His face was gaunt, his mustache thin, and his eyes filled with a petty, malicious darkness.
Jose Porla. One of the Ten Wizard Saints.
He held a communication lacrima in his hand.
"Just received news," Jose's voice echoed in the silent hall. "Fairy Tail's Grim Reaper... Ankh... and Titania, Erza Scarlet... have both left Magnolia for a mission. Makarov is also absent."
He crushed the lacrima in his hand, smiling sinisterly.
"Gajeel..."
Jose turned his gaze toward a massive, chaotic pile of scrap metal in the center of the room.
"I think it's time. The main hitters are away. It is time to teach those fairies a lesson they will never forget."
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
From behind the scrap pile, a chilling sound echoed. It was the sound of steel being sheared by teeth.
Gulp.
Half a day later, the pile shifted.
A burly figure emerged from the iron heap, wiping metal shavings from his mouth.
He was a nightmare of a man.
Long, wild black hair, piercings studding his face and arms, and a gaze that promised nothing but violence.
He wore a dark tunic and gloves studded with iron.
Gajeel Redfox. The Iron Dragon Slayer.
He stood up, hunched over with broad shoulders, and chuckled darkly.
The sound was like grinding gears.
"Gihihi..."
"Master Jose," Gajeel rumbled, his voice rough. "Attacking while they're away is fine strategy, I guess. But what about when they return? That Ankh guy... rumors say he's a monster."
Jose lowered the brim of his top hat, his eyes glowing. "Don't worry. I have a plan to deal with them later... Once the guild is broken, their morale will shatter. Without a home, those fairies are just bugs."
Jose pointed a gloved finger toward the general direction of Magnolia.
"Gajeel, your task is simple. Go to Magnolia. Smash that place they arrogantly call home. Leave nothing standing."
"Let's see how much longer Makarov can tolerate this!"
Gajeel grinned.
His muscles, hard as steel, flexed as he swung his arms. His skin seemed to shimmer with a metallic sheen.
"No problem," Gajeel spat. "And while I'm at it... I'll snap a few fairy wings for fun! Maybe hang them on the wall."
Jose smirked, enjoying his subordinate's bloodlust.
But then, remembering a specific piece of intel, he quickly added a warning.
"Be careful, Gajeel. Even with the S-Class away, Fairy Tail still has one S-Class Mage left in the hall... the Demon, Mirajane."
"Huh?"
Gajeel stopped stretching.
He looked at Jose with genuine confusion, then burst into raucous laughter.
"Fuck the Demon!"
Gajeel's battle-hungry face twisted with disdain. He spat a piece of a bolt onto the floor.
"You mean that model girl? The one who smiles on magazine covers and serves drinks?"
Gajeel cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing like gunshots.
"That flashy woman who lingers in fashion circles has probably long abandoned her magic! She's soft! She's weak!"
"Rest assured, Master Jose," Gajeel declared, his eyes burning with arrogance.
"I could crush a fraud like her with one hand while eating dinner with the other! She won't even slow me down!"
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