Kael stepping in only seemed to amuse Laxus.
A smug, dismissive curl spread across Laxus's mouth as he looked Kael up and down. "I'll do whatever I feel like, Kael. I don't remember asking for your permission. And I definitely don't remember it being your turn to play teacher."
Then his eyes slid back to Gajeel, and whatever humor had been there twisted into something ugly.
"This is what we are now?" Laxus snarled. "You tear through my guild, go on a rampage, and the old man just welcomes you in as a 'comrade' so we can all pretend to get along? This is exactly why people laugh at us. It's pathetic."
"Enough," Kael said. His voice remained firm, but the atmosphere around him grew tense. "The war with Phantom Lord is over. Gajeel is now part of Fairy Tail."
Laxus's lip curled. "Over? Who decided that? Did you ask me? Because I never agreed to let it slide."
"Whether you agree or not doesn't change reality," Kael replied, nodding toward Gajeel. "He has our mark. And guild members don't fight each other. That's the rule—non-negotiable."
"Heh." Laxus stepped forward, sparks flashing in his eyes. "Hiding behind rules, are we? What if I decide to blast him anyway?"
Kael's gaze narrowed by a fraction. "Then I won't mind putting you in the infirmary for a few days. Maybe you'll cool off and think about what kind of stunt you're pulling."
Kael shifted his stance, shoulders squaring—subtle, but deliberate. Take Over magic sat right under his skin, ready to ignite at a moment's notice. As an S-Class mage, he wasn't going to stand there while Laxus bullied a fellow guildmate and spat on the guild's foundation.
Crackle. Zap.
Violent golden arcs flared around Laxus's head, snapping like hungry insects. A predatory grin spread across his face.
"Ha! So that's how it is." His voice rose, sharp with excitement. "Everyone keeps saying you're the strongest in the guild now, Kael. I've been waiting for a chance to find out who's really on top. Let's settle it right here—let everyone see who is really the strongest!"
"What?!"
"Kael and Laxus are going to fight?!"
"The guild just got rebuilt! Are they going to level it again?!"
Panic rippled through the hall. The pressure of two S-Class magic signatures stacking in the same room made the air feel thick—like it had turned into water and everyone was suddenly trying to breathe through it.
Then a thunderous voice detonated through the guild.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!! BOTH OF YOU TROUBLESOME BRATS!!"
Makarov marched into the room. His face was serious, and the crowd went quiet right away. He did not care how much the Magic Council yelled at him, but he would not allow his children to fight each other.
"Laxus!" Makarov's eyes burned. "Apologize to Gajeel. Right now."
"Hmph."
Laxus didn't even bother turning around properly. The moment he saw the Master, he knew the fight was over before it started. He clicked his tongue in contempt and started to walk away.
"Laxus! I'm talking to you!"
Laxus ignored him like the words hadn't even been spoken. His body dissolved into a bolt of golden lightning, vanishing from the guild in a flash.
Makarov watched the spot where his grandson had been, shaking his head helplessly. He couldn't understand when or how Laxus had become so cold and resentful.
"Gajeel... I am sorry," Makarov said, turning to the Iron Dragon Slayer. "I failed to teach that boy proper respect."
"Please, don't," Gajeel muttered, looking away. "Just see it as making up for what I did to this place before."
Gajeel was truly shocked. This man was the Guild Master of Fairy Tail, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and yet he was lowering his head to apologize to him? Gajeel felt he did not deserve such kindness.
Makarov shook his head. "I promise you, it won't happen again. If he lays a finger on you or any other member, I will see to it that he is punished severely."
Gajeel felt a strange warmth in his chest. In Phantom Lord, life was simple: the strong beat the weak. He grew up in a place where getting beaten only meant you were not good enough. He never expected anyone to protect him.
But Kael stood in front of him. Master Makarov defended his name. For the first time in his life, Gajeel felt like he was not just a weapon. He was a person.
"Phew! Thank goodness the Master showed up! I really thought those two were going to tear the roof off."
"Yeah, no kidding! I thought we were going to need a new building again."
The guild members all let out a long sigh of relief. Kael's power was famous after the battle with Jose. Laxus was also a monster, and he had the Master's blood. If they fought, it would have been a disaster.
Kael went back to the bar and breathed out slowly. Mira put a cold drink in front of him. "You were a bit too quick to act there, Kael."
Kael took a sip. His eyes were still on the door. "Maybe. But Laxus attacked a guild mate in front of everyone. What does that tell people? That guy is going too far. If he does it again, I'm not waiting for the Master to step in. I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget."
Mira smiled a little. She knew Kael was right. Earlier, she had also been upset when she saw Laxus ignore Natsu and Happy's dangerous S-Class stunt. She did not mind Kael putting Laxus in his place. She was only worried about the Master being stuck in the middle of a fight inside his own family.
-----------------------------
Shirotsume Town
Dark Guild: Ghoul Spirit
BOOM!!
The front doors of the dark guild were blown off their hinges. Three people stood in the doorway.
"You have a lot of nerve to make fun of us," a voice said.
The three intruders were the Thunder God Tribe.
"You bastards dare attack us?!"
"Don't let them leave this room alive!"
The members of Ghoul Spirit rushed forward with weapons in their hands.
"How annoying," Evergreen said. She adjusted her glasses and looked calm and proud. "A low-level dark guild thinks it can challenge the strongest guild? What is this world coming to?"
The first three men who reached her froze at once. Their skin turned grey. It became hard. It turned into stone.
Stone Eyes. Evergreen's special magic. One look was enough to turn enemies into statues.
"Damn it! Kill them!!"
The dark mages became desperate when they saw their friends turned to stone.
Suddenly, five wooden dolls flew through the air. Their mechanical mouths opened, and glowing muzzles showed inside.
Zap! Boom! Bang!
The dolls fired many magic blasts. They hit the guild hall again and again.
"Aaargh!"
"Gwaaaah!!"
Under the nonstop attack from Bickslow's "babies," the members of Ghoul Spirit fell fast.
After a few minutes of chaos, Fried finally spoke. "That's enough, Bickslow."
The hall became quiet, except for the groans of the defeated.
"Already? I was just starting to have fun!" Bickslow laughed. His dolls made noise too. "These guys are way too weak! My babies wanted more fun!"
"It's because they're weak that they have to hide in the shadows," Evergreen said.
Fried looked at his teammates. "I have news. It's about Laxus."
Evergreen and Bickslow lifted their heads right away. They had been waiting for this.
"Is it finally time?"
"I've been ready for ages! And so have my babies!"
"It's time to go home," Fried said. He turned toward the exit. "Back to Fairy Tail."
As they left, the few Ghoul Spirit members who were still awake watched them in fear.
"Three people... they beat our whole guild with just three people..."
"And the one with long hair didn't even lift a finger."
"Is that Laxus's personal guard? The Thunder God Tribe?"
The dark mages shook. A few days ago, they mocked Fairy Tail. Now they finally understood the scary gap in power. If the "bodyguards" were this strong, then what could the S-Class mages do?
At the same time, Laxus got the signal that his loyal followers were coming back.
A dark, fierce smile spread across his face. "The Thunder God Tribe is back. Finally. I've had enough of this soft, pathetic guild. The culling of Fairy Tail is about to begin."
He looked toward the horizon. His eyes glowed with hate. "Old man... your time is over."
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