Morning.
Magnolia's southern park.
A crowd had gathered, encircling the park, whispering among themselves.
Because Noel's laboratory was right next to the park, the noise had woken him up early. In frustration, he smashed yet another alarm clock.
"Seriously… can't those people outside keep quiet? I didn't even get to sleep until I woke up naturally today. Writing this down in the notebook." Noel muttered as he scribbled in a little book.
Not waking up naturally could only mean something bad was going to happen today.
After recording it, Noel washed up and changed into normal summer clothes. He'd considered wearing his alchemist's summer robe, but decided it wasn't necessary.
Once he'd tidied himself up, he headed to the park entrance. Erza and the others were there as well.
"What's going on? Why is everyone here?" Noel yawned as he spoke.
The group pushed their way through the crowd. Whatever was in there had clearly shaken everyone—faces had gone pale. What could possibly be so shocking?
Noel squeezed through the press of people and froze at the sight before him. His mouth fell open, words failing him.
Levy, Jet, and Droy were nailed to the park's central tree. Their bodies were covered in visible cuts and wounds.
Noel instantly remembered what Gajeel had said the night before. So this is the "gift"? If it was meant as a joke, it was far too cruel.
"Levy…" Lucy's voice trembled, cold sweat running down her face, eyes brimming with tears.
"Jet! Droy!" Natsu and Happy shouted from the other side.
Noel said nothing. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened, veins bulging on his forehead. His hair bristled. Fury coursed through him.
Calm down. Calm down. He kept repeating it in his heart—but how could he stay calm? His family had been brutalized.
First, they destroyed the guild. Now Levy, Jet, and Droy. Was Phantom Lord a dark guild after all? Why commit such atrocities?
The crowd parted. Slowly, Makarov walked forward, leaning heavily on his staff. Each step seemed unbearably heavy.
He raised a withered hand to cover his face, unwilling to let anyone see his expression.
After a long breath to steady himself, he spoke in a low, solemn tone:
"If it were only the guild's destruction, I could endure it. But to lay hands on my children… that, I will never forgive."
"Time to settle the score!" Makarov roared. His fury shook the entire park.
Phantom Lord Guild.
At that very moment, the guild was hosting a lavish party, mocking Fairy Tail openly as they drank and laughed.
Suddenly—the great doors of Phantom's hall burst apart. Panic swept through their members.
"It's Fairy Tail!" someone shouted.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
With a battle cry, Natsu charged in, his blazing fist sending a Phantom mage flying.
"You bastards! Come at me! I'll smash every last one of you!" Natsu snarled, rage burning in his eyes.
"Damn you—!" a Phantom mage cursed.
"Everyone, attack!" one of them yelled.
Dozens of Phantom mages rushed at Makarov.
In the blink of an eye, the old Master's body expanded gigantically, and with a single sweep, he sent the mob flying.
"You dared to harm my children! Don't even dream of being shielded by human laws now!" Makarov thundered.
Yes. They had struck at his children. Human law no longer applied.
I had always restrained myself with rules and boundaries. But truthfully, it was exhausting.
Rules applied to alchemy—but forcing those rules upon myself had only been a burden.
Whenever I saw the guild bickering and playing around, deep down, I had been envious. Why could they laugh and quarrel together, while I always stood apart, an outsider to their joy?
Why could they take on jobs with such cheer, while I was always calculating the most logical way forward?
Of course, it wasn't wrong. It was simply the most uninteresting way to live. But now… now I wanted to change. I wanted to vent. To let loose. To cause chaos.
"Alchemy: Earth Spikes!"
The ground trembled, then erupted. Massive spikes of stone speared upward, cutting down a swath of Phantom mages instantly.
"What the hell is that!?"
"Wha—aaahhh!"
Noel ignored their cries. His eyes scanned the battlefield.
The Iron Dragon and the Element Four weren't among these rabble. For enemies of their caliber, dodging such attacks would be trivial. Which meant—where were Phantom's Four Elemental and their Master?
"Manly…!" Elfman bellowed as he charged. His arm suddenly transformed, swelling into a demonic limb.
"What's with that guy!?"
"His arm—what the hell!?"
"That's Take Over Magic!"
"They actually have something like that!?" Phantom's mages gasped in shock.
"Jose will be on the top floor. I'll handle him. Erza, I'm leaving this battlefield to you." Makarov said firmly.
"Master, I want to smash Jose myself!" Noel shouted.
"This is between adults. I'll take care of it. Trust me." Makarov murmured.
"…Understood. Be careful." Noel called after him, before turning his focus back on the fight.
From the rafters above, Gajeel crouched silently, watching the battle unfold—his gaze locked on Makarov.
"Alchemy: Decompose."
The beam Gajeel perched on disintegrated instantly. Caught off guard, he fell and crashed into the floor, leaving a crater.
"What the hell!? Why did the beam vanish!? Who did this!?" Gajeel roared in anger.
"Did Gajeel just fall!?"
"Looks like someone ambushed him!" Phantom's mages shouted.
"Iron Dragon Club!"
Gajeel's arm morphed into a massive iron club, and with a single swing, he sent two of the bystanders flying.
"Don't you dare badmouth me." he snarled.
"How was my little return gift?" Noel taunted.
"So it was you… Hah. Still holding a grudge, huh?" Gajeel sneered.
"But with that soft little magic of yours, you can't even scratch me. You think you're strong? Don't make me laugh." His laughter was cruel and wild.
"You're the Iron Dragon?" Noel asked.
"I am." Gajeel replied coldly.
"Good." Noel's lips curled into a faint smile. "Wind Step."
His body became a blur of green wind, instantly appearing at Gajeel's side.
"Do you know the first lesson of alchemy?" Noel whispered.
"I'll tell you clearly—it's iron smelting. I've refined iron countless times. To me… you're nothing but raw material."
"Alchemy: Decompose."
The moment Noel's hand touched him, Gajeel's body convulsed. A hole ripped open in his flesh, blood spraying.
"Iron Dragon Club!"
With a roar, Gajeel's iron weapon smashed Noel away, slamming him into the ground.
"…Impossible!" Phantom's mages gasped. Gajeel collapsed, blood pouring from the wound.
In Noel's hand gleamed a solid iron sphere—the fragment he had just extracted from Gajeel's body.
Please drop some power stones support me at my
PS: Access the complete chapters/series at