"Is Phantom Lord that guild known as the Phantom Ruler?" Lucy asked, trailing close behind with a furrowed brow.
"I remember they're a pretty famous guild in the Fiore Kingdom, really strong too. People often compare them to our Fairy Tail."
"But most folks say Phantom's wizards aren't quite as tough as us," she added.
Roger nodded. "Exactly. They've always been overshadowed by us, which is why they can't stand us."
"There's been no shortage of bad blood between our guilds. A bit of trash-talking when we cross paths is the least of it. Sometimes they'll even sabotage our missions on purpose."
"And lately, with all the praise for the 'Lullaby' incident and the buzz about the 'strongest rookie,' I bet Jose's getting antsy."
Lucy groaned. "Can we not bring up the strongest rookie thing?"
Roger chuckled lightly and went on. "We've always been neck-and-neck rivals, but now we've shot ahead, hailed as the 'strongest.' That's something Jose can't stomach."
"And here's the kicker: six years ago, during a routine meeting, our guild master and Jose got into a drunken brawl. Jose lost, and word is he's been holding a grudge ever since."
"Honestly, I'm surprised they waited this long to make a move."
"Whoa!" Lucy's face lit up with a mix of realization and shock as she processed the tangled history between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. As they spoke, they entered an underground passage, nearing the warehouse door when Natsu's unmistakable bellow echoed from inside, brimming with fury and frustration:
"Master! Are we just gonna let this slide?! We gotta hit back!"
"Take down those Phantom jerks for good! Show 'em what happens when they mess with us!"
Stepping into the cramped underground warehouse, Lucy saw nearly the entire guild gathered there.
Natsu's face was flushed with rage, veins popping on his forehead.
Beside him, Erza stood with her arms crossed, her expression serious but her tone calm. "No, Natsu. The Magic Council strictly forbids large-scale fights between official guilds."
"Phantom's attack on our guildhall was probably meant to provoke us. If we strike first and break the rules, the Council's punishment will be severe."
"What, so we just let them trash our guild like that?!" Natsu's fists were clenched tight, his voice trembling with anger.
Master Makarov, his face red, took a big swig of his drink and slammed the mug down. "Relax, Natsu! Those punks only dared to go this far!"
"Besides, the damage to the guild this time? It's not even half as bad as the chaos you've caused before!"
"The repair shop's an old friend—they'll give us a half-price deal, and it'll be fixed in no time!"
Natsu's face turned even redder as he shouted back, "Master, I'm talking about Phantom's attack! That's not the same as my usual stuff!"
"Hold on, Natsu," Roger stepped forward. "Now's not the time to act."
His gaze swept over the group, landing on Makarov. "But this is the worst provocation we've ever faced. Knowing Jose's narrow-minded, arrogant nature, this probably isn't the end of it."
Makarov set down his mug, the drunken ease vanishing from his face, his eyes sharpening. "Roger, are you saying Jose might pull something even worse?"
"It's possible," Roger replied, glancing toward the guildhall. "Wrecking the guild might just be the start."
"With Jose's personality, now that he's shown his hand, no one can guarantee he won't do something crazier to rile us up."
He looked around at everyone. "I suggest you all head home tonight with someone you trust. Stick together and watch each other's backs."
"What?!" Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean they might actually attack guild members who are alone?"
"And even if they do provoke us, aren't they worried we'll hit back and crush them completely?"
"The situation's in their favor right now," Levy said, approaching with a stack of papers. She handed Lucy a few photos and reports, analyzing calmly:
"Besides Roger and Erza, none of our other S-Class wizards are at the guild right now."
She adjusted her glasses. "To Phantom, this is when we're at our weakest. If they're looking to start a full-on fight, now's the perfect time in their eyes."
Lucy took the photos and documents, flipping through them curiously:
"Jose, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, has magic power equal to our master's and holds the same title. But unlike Master, rumors say his title came from shady deals with the Council."
"Gajeel, the Iron Dragon Slayer, recognized as S-Class, with a ferocious personality and incredible defense. He's a tough one."
"Phantom's Four Elements—Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. They're strong, with Aria of the Sky being the most powerful. It's said he has strange magic that can drain a wizard's magic power instantly."
Lucy's heart raced as her fingers grew cold. "This… this is all intel on Phantom's main members?!"
"Yup," Cana said, strolling over with a bottle of liquor. She took a swig and pointed at Levy. "In the whole guild, Levy's intel-gathering and analysis skills are top-notch. She's got a sharp mind."
She pouted, a bit annoyed. "But sometimes she's too clever for her own good! Last time we played a game, she pulled a fast one and nabbed my rare card that I worked so hard to make!"
"That card took me over a hundred tries to get right!"
"Easy, easy!" Levy winked playfully, sticking out her tongue. "You're so talented, Cana, I'm sure you can make another one. Think of it as practice for your magic control!"
"Easy for you to say. That spell's got a high failure rate, and Dad's not always around," Cana said, shaking her head helplessly.
"You owe me one. Next time you're on a job, bring me back some local specialty liquor."
"Deal!" Levy agreed instantly. "I'll bring you thirty bottles next time."
"That's more like it." Satisfied, Cana moved on, pulling a magic card with a chibi Lucy portrait from her pocket and handing it to her. "Here, a communication card. Special edition—only for those who've got a contract with Roger. Forgot to give it to you earlier."
"Just channel a bit of magic power, and you can talk to anyone else with a card within range."
Lucy took the delicate card in awe. "This is amazing! Did you make this with your magic, Cana?"
"Yup," Cana said, casually flipping her hair, a hint of pride in her smile. "Not a big deal, though. It's got a range of about three kilometers. Beyond that, it's out of signal."
"No way, this is super impressive!" Lucy waved her hands, studying the card closely. "Besides communication magic crystals, I've never heard of a portable communication tool like this. And it's so cute and convenient!"
Levy, hands behind her back, leaned in with a grin. "Hey, Lucy, wanna stay over at my place tonight? We could chat about story plots in my room~"
She flexed her arm playfully. "Plus, if we head home together, I can protect you!"
She smirked proudly. "Don't let my looks fool you—I once held my own against Natsu for half an hour without getting taken down!"
"What?!" Lucy's eyes widened. "Against Natsu?!"
"Does that mean you've got S-Class magic power too, Levy?!"
"Of course!" Levy puffed out her chest, beaming. "My magic power might not be as crazy as Natsu's or Gray's, but I'm an 'old-timer' who signed a contract with Roger six years ago."
"And I haven't slacked off. I even train with Erza and the others sometimes."
She added with a touch of regret, "My magic's attack power is a bit weak, though. Otherwise, I could probably take on Phantom's Iron Dragon."
"Wow!" Lucy clapped enthusiastically, her face full of admiration. "You're amazing, Levy!!"
She paused, then asked curiously, "Oh, your magic is word magic, right? What exactly does it do?"
Levy extended a finger, white magical light gathering at the tip.
Using her finger as a pen, she wrote swiftly in the air, glowing words forming: [Solid Script: Flowers]
The words twisted and transformed, turning into a vibrant bouquet of flowers that gently landed in Lucy's arms. "That's word magic," Levy explained. "I can turn written words into physical objects, but my magic power isn't strong enough to make them permanent."
"I can also write [Noise] to create piercing sound waves or [Shield] to form a barrier in front of me."
"I've been experimenting with layering multiple words together. It won't be long before my power gets a big boost."
"Amazing!" Lucy clapped again, genuinely impressed.
She tilted her head, an idea sparking. "Wait, could you write 'Mirajane' and make a Mirajane appear?"
"No way," Levy laughed, amused by the wild idea. "First, the gap between my magic power and Mirajane's is huge. Plus, word magic's core is 'understanding and giving meaning to words.'"
"Just 'Mirajane' doesn't carry enough information to create a living person out of thin air."
"Okay," Lucy said with an embarrassed smile. "Guess I oversimplified it."
As evening fell, Levy and Lucy walked side by side down the dimming streets, their shadows stretching long under the streetlights.
Lucy glanced at the quiet surroundings and sighed. "I got so caught up reading, I didn't realize it's already dark—"
She clutched her book tightly, her voice tinged with worry. "I really hope we don't run into any Phantom people…"
"Relax, Lucy," Levy said, pulling a fruit candy from her pocket and handing it over. "Even if an enemy shows up, I'll keep you safe!"
"Levy!" Lucy took the candy, feeling a warmth in her chest. She slapped her cheeks to psych herself up.
"Right! And I've been training hard lately too!" She raised her fist with newfound courage. "Together, even if Jose or that Iron Dragon shows up, we might just send them running!"
"That's the spirit!" Levy nodded approvingly. "Let's hurry back—I can't wait to read that novel you wrote!"
They picked up their pace, but as they passed an alley, Levy's eyes sharpened. She grabbed Lucy's wrist and yanked her back.
"Watch out!"
Lucy stumbled, barely registering what was happening when a loud BOOM rang out! A black iron rod slammed into the spot where they'd just stood, shattering the stone pavement into a shocking crater.
"E-Enemy attack!!" Lucy's heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
Levy's gaze traced the iron rod upward to a tall man standing on a low rooftop.
His wild black hair was untamed, with prominent iron studs piercing his ears and nose. A bloodthirsty, cruel grin spread across his face.
"Turning his arm into an iron rod for an attack… You're Phantom's Iron Dragon, Gajeel," Levy said coolly, subtly positioning herself to shield Lucy completely.
Lucy gasped. "What?! (0_0;) No way!!"
"It's really the Iron Dragon?!"
"I was just saying that as a figure of speech—how is he actually here?!"
The iron rod embedded in the ground shrank back, morphing into a muscular human arm.
Gajeel looked down at the two girls, his grin menacing. "Gihee—didn't expect to find both targets together. Perfect. I'll take you both down and bring you back. Jose'll be thrilled with this 'gift'!"
"Targets? Gift?" Levy's brows furrowed tightly. Take us back to Phantom? To use us as hostages against Master and Roger?
She raised her hands, magic power surging to her fingertips as she wrote swiftly in the air.
[Solid Script: Thorn Shield]
The glowing words twisted, forming two green, thorny vines that wrapped around Levy and Lucy like living barriers, creating a flowing protective layer.
'Lucy, stay sharp! Don't let him hit you directly—his strength is insane. We'll attack together!'
"Huh?" Lucy clutched her head in surprise. "Your voice is in my head?!"
'It's Cana's communication card! Channel magic power into it, and we can talk mentally within range. It's stealthy, so the enemy won't know our strategy.'
Lucy quickly pulled out the chibi card, infusing it with a bit of magic. The card glowed faintly, and the chibi Lucy spun around, opening its mouth in an exaggerated, silent roar.
'==Why does this feel so animalistic?'
She twitched, stuffing the card back in her pocket to focus on the enemy.
He's an Iron Dragon Slayer who can eat steel. Taurus and Sagittarius's weapons won't do much—they might even become his snack.
In that case…
Lucy swiftly drew a golden key from her waist and raised it high.
"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"
A golden magic circle flared, and a pink-haired maid spirit appeared before Lucy.
"Shall I be punished, Princess?" Virgo asked.
"No way!" Lucy pointed at Gajeel on the rooftop. "Virgo, use your new ability to manipulate earth and stone to disrupt him!"
"Understood." Virgo's eyes glowed with an earthy yellow magic circle. Instantly, the street's stone tiles cracked, and countless hard clumps of earth shot toward Gajeel like cannonballs!
Gajeel smirked, his right arm hardening into a massive iron rod again. With a swing that cut through the air, he shattered the incoming earth into dust.
"Boom!"
"Is this what they call the 'strongest rookie'? Nothing like the hype!" Gajeel scoffed, shaking his iron arm. "Jose went out of his way to deal with that demon girl, but what a waste of time. You guys are nothing special."
"Deal with the demon girl?" Lucy froze, realization hitting her. She gasped in disbelief. "You mean Mirajane's exclusive job…?"
"Gihee, you got it!" Gajeel's grin turned smug. "That place had no demons—just a bunch of dummies rigged with explosives! That demon girl's probably gonna get blown sky-high any minute now!"
"Hahaha!"