Laxus wore a smug grin the moment he saw Kaien Blaze.
"I'll do whatever I damn well please. Since when is it your job to tell me otherwise?"
His gaze shifted to Gajeel, face twisting into a sneer.
"And it's all because of you—wreaking havoc in my guild. So the old man brings you in like a stray mutt, hoping it'll stop the trouble? No wonder everyone looks down on us now. Damn it!"
"That's in the past," Kaien replied, his voice calm but firm. "Gajeel is part of the guild now."
"The past?" Laxus scoffed, his mouth curling into something feral. "When did that happen? You ask me if I've let it go? I haven't. Not even close."
"Whether you like it or not, he's a member of Fairy Tail. And members don't fight each other—that's the rule of the guild."
"Heh. So now you care about rules. What if I don't give a damn and take a swing at him anyway?"
Kaien's eyes narrowed. "Then I won't mind putting you in the infirmary for a few days. Might cool that head of yours."
He began channeling Take Over Magic, ready to step in. As one of the guild's S-Class Mages, there was no way he'd stand by while someone attacked their own.
Crackle! Crackle!
Golden arcs of lightning sparked to life around Laxus's head, his grin stretching even wider.
"Hah! Kaien, I've been hearing it everywhere—'he's the strongest in Fairy Tail now.' I've been dying to test that out. Today's the day we settle it. Let's show everyone who the real strongest is!"
"What?!"
"Kaien and Laxus… are gonna fight?!"
"The guild just got rebuilt… Are we seriously going to trash it again?!"
Panic rippled through the guild members watching nearby.
Suddenly—
"Stop it!! You damn brats!!"
Makarov's voice thundered through the hall.
He stormed in from the entrance, expression grim. He could stomach being chewed out by the Magic Council—but he would not tolerate infighting in his guild.
"Laxus! Apologize to Gajeel!"
"Tch."
Laxus glared at Makarov, knowing the fight was over before it started. He let out a snort, turned around, and walked off.
"Laxus!!"
But he ignored the shout. In a flash of golden lightning, his figure vanished.
Makarov stared after him and sighed, helpless. He didn't understand how Laxus had turned out like this.
"Gajeel, I'm sorry. This is all because I failed to raise that brat properly."
"Please don't say that, Master. If anything, this is punishment for what I did to the guild before."
Gajeel had never imagined that Makarov—Guild Master of Fairy Tail, one of the Ten Wizard Saints—would apologize to him. He didn't feel worthy of it.
Makarov shook his head. "I promise you, it won't happen again. If he dares lay a hand on you, I'll make sure he pays for it."
Those words struck a chord in Gajeel. He had grown up in Phantom Lord, a guild where power ruled and the weak were meat for the strong. Laxus's aggression hadn't surprised him—it was familiar. Expected.
But Kaien had stepped forward to defend him.
That shook something in him.
He'd never had anyone stand in front of him like that. Not once.
And now Makarov—a man he once fought against—was defending him too.
"Yeah, I was scared outta my mind!" someone laughed nervously. "I really thought the guild was gonna be wrecked again."
The rest of the members let out collective sighs of relief.
Kaien's strength was beyond question—his battle record spoke for itself.
But so was Laxus's. He'd inherited monstrous magical power from the Guild Master himself. Even Natsu, for all his firepower, never lasted more than a few seconds against him.
If those two had really gone all out… the place would've been leveled.
Kaien returned to his seat.
Mirajane placed a drink in front of him. "You lost your cool a little back there."
Kaien took a sip. "Maybe. But Laxus attacking another guild member in front of everyone? What would that say to the rest of them? And besides… that guy really pisses me off. If he tries anything like that again, I will beat some sense into him. I'll show him why the rose is red."
Kaien was still young and hot-blooded. Laxus's behavior grated on him—and lately, it had gotten worse. Attacking fellow guild members in front of everyone? That crossed the line.
Mirajane gave a small smile. She couldn't really disagree. Last time, Laxus had just stood there when Happy tried to steal an S-Class request—like it was none of his business. That had infuriated her too.
She had no objection to Kaien knocking him down a peg. Her only worry was for Makarov—Laxus was his grandson, after all. That made things complicated.
Xilotsu Market District
Dark Guild: Soul of the Dead
BOOM!
The guild doors exploded inward.
Three figures stood in the entrance, cloaked in lightning and contempt.
"You dared to mock us. You bastards."
It was the Thunder God Tribe.
"They just barged into the guild?! Those bastards!!"
"Don't let them leave alive!"
Members of Soul of the Dead charged forward in fury.
"What a drag. A shady guild like yours dares to oppose an official one? What kind of world are we living in…" Evergreen muttered, adjusting her glasses.
Three enemies rushed her.
They met her gaze.
And froze.
Solid stone.
Petrified in an instant.
Petrification Eyes—the Eye Magic Evergreen mastered. All it took was a glance, and her targets turned to stone.
"Damn it—!!"
"Kill them!!"
The rest of the guild rushed in, but they didn't get far.
Five wooden puppets soared through the air, unleashing a barrage of laser fire.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
"GAHHHHHHH!!"
"WHAAAHHH!!"...
Screams rang out as the guild was scorched under the puppet assault.
Moments later, Freed declared, "That's enough, Bixlow."
Every member of Soul of the Dead lay crumpled on the floor.
"Aww, what? That's it? But my babies were just getting started!" Bixlow pouted as his puppets twirled in the air.
"They're too weak. That's why they're not a legal guild," Freed said coolly.
"I've got news for you two. It's about Laxus."
Evergreen and Bixlow exchanged knowing looks.
"It's finally happening?"
"I've been waiting for this day. So have my babies!"
"It's time to go back—to Fairy Tail."
The three of them turned and walked out of the ruined guild.
"Just three of them… wiped out our entire guild?"
"The long-haired one didn't even do anything—it was really just two!"
"So these are the Thunder God Tribe… Laxus's personal guard?"
"Y-y-y-yikes!!"...
They'd mocked Fairy Tail not long ago.
But now, they understood.
The strength they had scorned was terrifying.
The Thunder God Tribe alone had crushed them.
And the guild's S-Class Mages were even stronger.
They were lucky to be alive.
Back in town, Laxus received word that his guards were returning.
A cruel smile curled on his face.
"The Thunder God Tribe is coming back… Finally. I've had enough of this weak excuse for a guild. The self-destruction of Fairy Tail is about to begin. Old man… your era is over."