Tap, tap, tap…
When Erza found Makarov, he was locked in a fierce battle with Jose. According to Fairy Tail's combat rules, it was Jose's turn to act. Even though his thought projection only carried about 40% of his true strength, Jose wasn't intimidated by Makarov, and their clash was intense and evenly matched.
To be precise, Jose's strategy was to make his thought projection fight with everything it had to buy time for his plan, while Makarov, clouded by anger and worried about the guild's safety, wasn't at his sharpest. The result? A deadlock.
"Death Storm!"
Jose's death magic fell under the dark attribute, while Makarov, beyond his giant magic, wielded light-based magic like a beacon of hope. Their powers were naturally at odds, countering each other perfectly.
The situation was this: Jose wanted to stall, so he kept Makarov tied up without fully committing to the fight. Makarov, on the other hand, was desperate to return to the guild to protect it, but every time he tried to leave, Jose's projection would entangle him. Trying to outlast Jose's magic? The cunning old fox kept dodging, frustrating Makarov to no end.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Aria—one of Phantom Lord's Four Elements—had secretly removed his chains at some point. As a mage who wielded air magic, Aria had an uncanny sensitivity to air currents. This allowed him to deliberately position himself to be "hit" by stray magical attacks from Makarov and Jose's clash, using the impacts to break his chains after several calculated moves.
He hadn't forgotten the plan: drain Makarov's magic power completely.
With his blindfold off, Aria hid in the shadows, waiting for his moment. Finally, spotting a flaw in Makarov's defense, he leaped out, unleashing his magic again.
"Airspace: Extinguish—"
Boom!
Erza arrived just in time, sending Aria flying with a single punch!
"Master! Are you okay?"
"Erza? Why are you here? Never mind! Kira must've told you—the guild's in danger. Get back there now!"
"I understand! Everyone's already preparing to retreat, but Master, what about you…?"
"I'm fine! You go ahead—I'll catch up soon!"
Their casual exchange, as if Jose wasn't even there, infuriated him. "You're way too cocky!"
They were completely ignoring him!
Aria, standing beside Jose, his large, round eyes glinting like a starry sea, roared, "Airspace: Absolute!"
A barrage of invisible, ferocious air attacks pummeled Makarov and Erza. They could only block as best they could, retreating under the relentless, unseen assault.
At this point, Fairy Tail's members were fighting purely for revenge. Phantom Lord's Jupiter cannon hadn't yet destroyed their guild, and their family hadn't suffered serious injuries, so their anger wasn't at its peak, leaving their attacks without a boost. The fight was grueling.
Erza spoke up, "This Aria… he's no pushover!"
Makarov's voice was grim. "They say he's the strongest of the Four Elements, second only to Jose in seniority. In terms of strength, he's third in Phantom Lord!"
"Not bad for the 'Fairy Queen,'" Aria taunted. "Let's see just how strong you really are!"
Makarov stepped in front of Erza. "If you want to harm my family, you'll have to get through me first!"
"Dark Spiral!"
Jose's dark magic surged, overwhelming Makarov and leaving him no room to focus elsewhere.
"You dare get distracted while fighting me? That's a bit too arrogant, don't you think?" Jose sneered.
"Jose, you bastard…" Makarov growled.
Aria thrust both palms forward. "This is my strongest technique—a magic that devours all life in its domain! Can you block this?"
Erza donned her armor, her sword gleaming as she faced an opponent whose strength rivaled her own. Her expression was resolute, her silver armor bristling with countless blades, ready to break through.
"Come on! For my family, I'll cut through any magic you throw at me!"
"Airspace of Death: Zero!"
"Heaven's Wheel: Circle Sword!"
Clang, clang, clang!
The clash of titans echoed relentlessly, shockwaves rippling outward as sword energy stretched for meters. Suddenly, a piercing screech in the air fell silent. In a blink, Erza's sword sliced through the airspace, shattering the barrier. As they passed each other, the victor was decided.
Slash!
Her twin blades carved across Aria's chest, blood spraying in a cross pattern!
---
Guild Showdown: Fairy Tail vs. Phantom Lord
Location: Phantom Lord Base
Combatants: Erza vs. Aria
Victor: Erza
---
"Huff… ha…"
Erza panted heavily. The duel looked effortless—just one move—but only those in the thick of it could understand how perilous it had been. Aria was a seasoned S-Class mage, and his reputation was well-earned!
"Damn it! Aria, get up!" Jose shouted, his composure crumbling. Why?! Why was every part of his meticulously crafted plan falling apart?!
With no other choice, Jose decided to hold nothing back, pouring all his remaining magic into his strongest attack. "Death Storm!"
A wave of endless darkness swept across the battlefield, condensing into a devastating strike. It moved at blinding speed—not toward Makarov, but Erza!
"Erza, watch out!"
Too late to dodge, Erza knew she couldn't block it head-on. She raised her sword to brace herself, but the sheer force of the attack nearly tore it from her grip.
At the critical moment, Makarov spread his arms wide, stepping in front of her, his eyes blazing with resolve. "As long as I'm here, I won't let you lay a finger on my family!"
"Fool! You think you can block my full-power attack? How pathetic!" Jose sneered.
"You'll never understand what it means to be a parent!!" Makarov roared.
The vile, suffocating dark magic slammed into Makarov's massive form.
"Arghhh!!"
"Master!!!" Erza cried.
Moments later, the magic dissipated, and the dust settled. Makarov still stood tall, his gaze unwavering and strong.
Jose's thought projection, drained of magic, vanished, no longer able to hinder Makarov's return to the guild.
"That old bastard!" Jose's voice echoed faintly as he faded.
Makarov, though powerful, was no longer in his prime. His body couldn't keep up with Jose at his peak. A sharp crack sounded, and his face paled. "Oof! My back…"
"Master! Are you okay?" Erza rushed to his side.
With the guild in crisis, Makarov couldn't afford to be sidelined now!
Clutching his waist, Makarov gritted his teeth. "That Jose… I didn't expect him to get so strong after all these years. Don't worry about me—get back to the guild!"
Fairy Tail was everyone's home, and Makarov was its heart. Losing either would be devastating.
Erza decisively hoisted Makarov onto her back and headed downstairs to find Kira.
Kira, sharp as ever, spotted them first and approached. "What happened?"
Erza quickly recounted the events, and Kira listened, shaking his head with a sigh. "I told you to take better care of yourself, old man. Sneaking peeks at young girls all the time, and now look at you—busted."
"N-Nonsense!" Makarov's face turned red, stammering as he tried to defend himself, but his lack of confidence was obvious.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Kira said, waving him off like he was soothing a child. He patted Makarov's raised, accusing hand. "I get it! You're the third guild master, an old guy—it's normal!"
"That has nothing to do with being the third master!" Makarov snapped.
"So you're admitting it then…" Kira teased.
Makarov froze, coughing awkwardly as his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Alright, alright," Kira said, cutting it short. "Don't worry, Master, we'll get you back right away. There'll be plenty of pretty ladies to take care of you!"
"The guild… hurry…" Makarov wheezed.
"I got it! As soon as we're back, I'll make sure they look after you. Don't worry, we'll keep it quiet—even from Porlyusica!"
Makarov: "…"
"Master! Master, what's wrong? Oh no! Master, your hair follicles… they're beyond saving!" Kira shouted dramatically, casting a [Heal] spell on Makarov. "Don't worry, I'll fix you up!!"
Erza stayed silent, pretending she hadn't seen or heard a thing. After all, they were family—she'd put up with this kind of thing for years.
Watching Makarov's frown ease and his face regain color, Kira thought to himself, Looks like the old man was destined for this. Probably got banned for cheating too much when he was younger. Gotta be careful not to overdo it myself.
Thankfully, Makarov's injuries weren't severe. A bit of rest back at the guild, and he'd be fine.
---