To transform Laxus, the troublesome troublemaker, into Fairy Tail's most reliable man, Ankh had exerted tremendous effort over the years.
As one of the few S-Class Mages in the guild, Laxus would play crucial roles in numerous future battles.
Ankh knew this from his previous life's memories.
For instance: What if Laxus had joined the campaign against the Oración Seis?
The coalition of guilds might have had a much easier time.
Or if he had participated from the beginning during the Tenrou Island battle against Grimoire Heart?
'The original storyline wouldn't have needed the "Strongest Team" to struggle so desperately.
That arrogant tsundere Laxus would probably have stolen all the spotlight by himself with his lightning magic.
Therefore, for this upcoming internal conflict—the so-called "Battle of Fairy Tail"—Ankh decided to assist Laxus in initiating it, while personally taking control of the battlefield tempo from the shadows.
Just as Ankh said to Laxus earlier, companions who've never fought together can't truly develop deep bonds.
A little conflict clears the air.
The only difference was that with Ankh overseeing things, dangerous incidents—like Evergreen turning Fairy Tail's female members into stone statues as hostages—would definitely not succeed.
Ankh would ensure it remained a "game" and not a tragedy.
Speaking of which, the three members of the Thunder God Tribe were just like Laxus, existing on the fringes of the guild's social circle.
However, their reasons for limited social interaction were much simpler than Laxus's complex social anxiety and daddy issues.
Bickslow's unique Seith Magic involved possessing dolls with souls, making his personality particularly flamboyant and eccentric.
His constant chatter with his "babies" caused him to become disconnected from other members during his childhood.
Evergreen, the petty drama queen, was different.
She had loved stories about fairies since childhood, which was why she joined the guild in the first place.
But beyond that fantasy, she seemed uninterested in anything else, lacking social coordination and becoming isolated in her own world of beauty.
Freed Justine's reason for loneliness was even simpler—just two words!
For love! (Or extreme admiration for Laxus).
Led by Freed, the three held the equally lonely Laxus in extremely high regard, thus forming the Thunder God Tribe.
This could be considered a sort of social anxiety support group for powerful misfits.
However, this four-member squad led by Laxus possessed formidable combat strength, ranking only below Ankh's "Strongest Team" within the guild hierarchy.
To integrate the Thunder God Tribe into the guild properly, this internal conflict could perfectly serve as a pre-festival activity for the Fairy Tail celebration.
A bonding exercise via combat.
'After all,' Ankh thought with a grin, 'the guild members were all thick-skinned and rugged—definitely not going to be die by a little lightning. Who knows, maybe a few romantic pairs would even emerge from the fights...'
No sooner had Ankh stirred up Laxus's emotions in the garden than he went straight to the Master's office to report to Makarov.
Whether this guild internal showdown would be meaningful still depended on the Guild Master's approval.
Ankh wasn't going to start a mutiny without permission.
But the outcome, of course, unfolded exactly as Ankh anticipated.
Although Old Man Makarov's face during Ankh's explanation had looked about as pleasant as a cockroach...
"You want me to let him attack the guild?!" Makarov had shouted, slamming his desk.
But after Ankh's thorough analysis and chest-thumping guarantees that no one would be permanently harmed, the Guild Master ultimately approved the plan with a heavy sigh.
The Guild Master... when it came down to it, was just a protective old man who acted emotionally while maintaining some rationality.
According to Makarov, he wasn't doing this out of concern for Laxus's feelings, but purely because he worried Laxus might cause trouble for Ankh and the guild's development if left unchecked.
When Ankh heard Makarov's explanation, he nearly burst out laughing.
'Birds of a feather flock together,' Ankh thought.
Laxus and Makarov, this grandfather-grandson pair... even their tsundere attitudes and stubborn denials were so similar!
Neither can admit they care.
With this matter settled, Fairy Tail returned to its usual lively daily routine.
Except during this period, both Magnolia and the Fairy Tail guildhall at the town center saw far greater foot traffic and business prosperity than usual.
This is mainly because Fairy Tail is about to hold a grand Magical Parade for the Harvest Festival in a few days!
This event appears to be a traditional activity established when the First Guild Master settled in Magnolia.
The splendor of this magical parade—called the Fantasia—can be said to be unparalleled across the entire continent!
Therefore, during this time of year, the town of Magnolia becomes exceptionally lively, filled with Fairy Tail guild's entertainment stalls everywhere.
These stalls mainly sell souvenirs related to Fairy Tail's star members, such as figurines, costumes, props, and the like.
For example, the "Happy Outfit Set," which is deeply loved by children.
And the newly released, VIP-exclusive "Detachable Lucy Figurine", featuring a one-button transformation into a bikini function...
This made some refined gentlemen sigh with slight regret while feeling excited as they opened their wallets.
This year, because Ankh has an agent and no longer needs to hide his identity, life-sized Ankh Figurines have started appearing in the commercial district.
These figurines sold out immediately upon display, completely unable to meet the demand.
Moreover, it's said that some of Ankh's fervent fans, with their substantial wealth, bought figurines of Ankh in every possible pose!
'Who knows what they plan to do with them...' Ankh shuddered slightly at the thought.
Fortunately, this bustling scene in the city hasn't negatively impacted the guild's operations.
Everyone is just actively preparing for the grand parade.
When Ankh first arrived in this world, he didn't have much feeling for this grand parade and Harvest Festival.
But after trying it once or twice, he started developing an interest.
Makarov may be old in age but young at heart.
To maintain the vitality of the guild members, he organizes dozens of entertainment and team-building activities throughout the year.
This is exactly why Ankh loves Fairy Tail—every day here feels like a celebration.
Ankh had previously gone with Laxus on a ten-year mission, missing several years of the grand parade.
Now that he's finally able to attend this time, he's taking it quite seriously.
...
Inside the guild hall, the preparations were in full swing.
At one table, Lisanna was holding a slice of watermelon, munching away with gusto.
Beside her, Cana was hugging a large barrel of alcohol, her eyes shining brightly with amusement.
Both women's enthusiastic, gossipy gazes were fixed on a man and woman not far away in the practice area.
At that moment, Ankh was holding Mirajane's slender waist with one arm, his other hand resting on her leg.
They were somewhat clumsily attempting various dance positions for the parade performance.
This face-to-face close contact made Mirajane's delicate face flush pink.
Her breathing was becoming slightly uneven.
Under the influence of the man's hormones before her, her eyes even began to look somewhat dazed...
"Ah!"
Mirajane couldn't help but cry out in pain, instantly dissipating much of the intimate atmosphere.
She hopped on one leg, wincing.
She then looked at Ankh with slight resentment, saying weakly.
"Ankh... we're dancing, not practicing martial arts moves... Could you please stop stepping on my feet? I need those to walk."
Ankh very awkwardly moved his foot away, laughing dryly. "Sorry, sorry. It's been many years since I last danced. My coordination is off."
[Hah!] Seram's voice echoed in his head. [Ankh..... this is really embarrassing for gods. Your footwork is atrocious.]
'Shut up! If you're so good, you try it!' Ankh retorted to Seram with full resentment in his heart, and the fellow immediately fell silent.
Mirajane rubbed her foot, looking helplessly at the dirty boot print on her shoe.
She said softly, "If you dance like this during the grand parade, it would look really awful. The fans will be disappointed."
Ankh smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "No problem, Mira. I'm talented. I'll learn it quickly. Just give me five more minutes."
After practicing dancing for a while longer, the two sat on a bench to rest and hydrate.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared before them.
Erza stood radiantly in front of Ankh.
She was holding up a colorful poster with a determined smile.
"Brother! Help me pick out clothes!"
Ankh raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of water. "What clothes? The clothes in your Requip Magic space could already circle Magnolia once. You have an outfit for literally every occasion, including 'picnic during a tornado'."
The Requip Magic space could not only store armor and weapons—Erza kept most of her jewelry, casual wear, and beautiful dresses in there too.
She was a walking wardrobe.
Erza shook her head, pointing at the poster with intensity. "No! I want to buy an outfit that will help me win this competition! It has to be perfect!"
Ankh and Mirajane were momentarily stunned.
They leaned in to look at the poster in Erza's hand.
"Miss Fairy Tail Contest – The Fairest Fairy Selection."
'So it's this competition...' Ankh realized.
Truly fitting for Erza with her queenly heart—she's always so enthusiastic about competitions, even beauty pageants.
She treated everything like a battle to be won!
Ankh deliberately wanted to tease Erza.
He put on an earnest, persuasive expression, leaning forward with a serious frown.
"Little sister," Ankh advised gravely. "That's a contest for girls."
Erza blinked.
"Let's not crash the party, alright? You might scare the judges if you summon a sword."
Erza: ???
A vein popped on Erza's forehead.
"I am a girl, you idiot!"