The sheer killing intent radiating from Kael bore down on Evergreen. She felt a crushing, terrifying pressure stabilize around her, and beads of cold sweat began to saturate her forehead.
Though Kael lacked the decades of experience some veterans possessed, the forms he Took Over were all warriors who had carved their way through thousands of battlefields. Their collective bloodlust was not something an ordinary mage could withstand.
"Whoa! That's the first time I've seen you so worked up. I didn't think you were capable of making a face like that!" Laxus said, stepping in front of Evergreen. His presence acted as a lightning rod, significantly dulling the pressure and allowing Evergreen to catch her breath.
"Laxus..."
Kael clenched his fists. If his previous intention had merely been to teach the man a lesson, he now had a genuine urge to beat him into a pulp.
"You bastard! Turn them back to normal, right now!" Makarov shouted, his voice trembling with rage as he glared at his grandson.
"Don't be in such a hurry! I told you, this is just a bit of entertainment," Laxus replied casually.
"Stop this nonsense! We have the Fantasia Parade to prepare for. Change them back immediately!"
"The parade isn't until tonight; we have plenty of time. These women will serve as my hostages. If you break the rules, I'll shatter them one by one. Today, we're going to settle once and for all who the strongest in Fairy Tail really is."
Laxus spread his arms wide, a wild grin on his face. "The rules are simple: the last one standing is the winner. It's a Fairy Tail Battle Royale!"
"If you want to save these girls, try and take us down. You have three hours. If we aren't defeated within the time limit, these statues will turn into piles of sand."
"The battlefield is the entire city of Magnolia. The moment you find us, the fight begins."
The mages in the guild felt their faces pale as the weight of the situation hit them.
"What?!" "Is he serious?!" "This is going way too far..."
Makarov's body began to swell, growing to a massive size. "You dare continue this mockery?!"
Laxus merely raised a finger, a blinding light beginning to emanate from his hand. "Let the Battle of Fairy Tail... begin!!"
With a flash of light, Laxus and the Thunder God Tribe vanished into thin air.
"They... they disappeared!" "Is he playing hide-and-seek with the whole city? Laxus, you coward!" "Find him! Capture him!" "Forget capturing—let's tear him apart! How dare he look down on us!"
The members of Fairy Tail surged out of the building in a massive wave. They had already been frustrated by Laxus's arrogance, but petrifying the women of the guild was a line that couldn't be uncrossed.
"I'll... I'll go settle this myself! Those damn brats!" Makarov snapped, attempting to run out with the others.
However, the moment he reached the threshold, he slammed into an invisible wall. Shimmering letters began to float in the air across the entrance.
"Is this... Fried's Runes?!"
Rule: Those over the age of 80 and stone statues are forbidden from entering or leaving.
Makarov knew Fried was a master of Jutsu Shiki, but he hadn't expected the boy to have mastered dual-restriction runes—limiting both age and physical state. The age limit was a surgical strike designed specifically to trap the Master inside while the rest of the guild was forced into the fray.
Kael looked at the girls who had been turned to stone, his face unnervingly calm. The Thunder God Tribe hadn't appeared much in his memories of the original story, and during his time in the guild, he had rarely crossed paths with them. He had almost forgotten they existed.
Because he hadn't anticipated them, he hadn't accounted for this specific plotline. Or perhaps, as his strength grew, his reliance on knowing the future had dwindled, leading to this oversight.
Beep! Beep!
The runes at the door shifted again, displaying new information.
Battle of Fairy Tail - Status Update: Jet VS Droy VS Alzack... Winner: Alzack. Remaining Fairy Tail members: 82.
Makarov's eyes widened in horror. "This... what is this? Why are they fighting each other?"
As the minutes passed, more and more battle reports appeared on the shimmering wall.
"Stop it! Stop this at once, you fools!" Makarov screamed, throwing himself against the barrier, but it wouldn't budge.
"Kael!"
Makarov turned around, relieved to see Kael was still there. If Kael was here, he could stop the madness.
"Master... this time... I'm actually a little pissed off."
"Kael, don't worry. Mira and the others will be fine, we just need to—"
"Worry? Why would I be worried? The ones who should be worried are Laxus and his little gang."
Makarov felt a shiver run down his spine. He could sense that Kael had reached a boiling point. "Kael, listen. Laxus is just acting out. He wouldn't actually hurt his comrades."
"Don't worry, Master. I won't kill them. But I'm going to give them a lesson they'll remember for the rest of their lives."
"Take Over."
Kael transformed into the mage, his hair turning snow-white and his magic power shifting into something boundless and untouchable. This was a form Makarov had never seen before.
Swish!
In a blur of speed, Kael vanished, reappearing on the roof of the guild. Using his magic sensing, he scanned the city. He could see the guild members trapped in runes, forced to fight one another, but he didn't have time for that. His priority was finding Evergreen to undo the petrification.
"Found you."
Magnolia Streets
Elfman was sprinting through the city, his heart heavy with the need to save his sisters. Because of the Harvest Festival, the streets were packed with tourists, making his search nearly impossible.
"Evergreen!!"
Spotting her figure ahead, Elfman let out a shout and charged. "You coward! Using hostages isn't what a real man does! Turn my sisters back to normal!"
Evergreen merely smirked and tilted her glasses. Elfman, anticipating the move, immediately squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head, refusing to look her in the face.
Thud! "Gah!"
Evergreen used the opening to fly toward him, delivering a strike that sent Elfman crashing into a nearby flower shop.
"I simply adore flowers," she mused, adjusting her glasses. "They suit me perfectly, don't they?"
Elfman activated his Beast Soul transformation, tearing his clothes to use as a blindfold over his eyes. "Turn them back... now!"
"You really think you can defeat me while blindfolded?"
"Raaaaagh!!" Elfman lunged at her, swinging his fists wildly.
"I see. Relying on a beast's sense of smell? How tragic. You've already been surrounded by my fairy dust."
"Fairy Bomb: Gremlins!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Aaaargh!!" Elfman let out a cry of pain as the explosions rocked his massive frame, sending him collapsing to the pavement.
"I also have a fondness for statues," Evergreen said, hovering over him. "Even an ugly beast like you might receive some praise for 'beauty' once you're turned to stone. Come, look at me. Let me turn you into a masterpiece."
She prepared to petrify him. Suddenly, a voice rang out from directly behind her.
"Since you love statues so much, why don't you turn yourself into one?"
Evergreen's heart skipped a beat. Someone had appeared behind her without making a sound. She spun around instantly, waving her fan to release a cloud of explosive dust.
"Fairy Bomb: Gremlins!!"
BOOM!
"Did I get him?" she muttered, peering through the smoke.
"Mhm. Unfortunately for you, no."
As the smoke cleared, a handsome man with white hair and a dark uniform stood there, completely untouched.
"So handsome... No! Who are you?!" Evergreen demanded, her guard up. To remain unscathed by her magic meant this man was no ordinary mage.
"What's wrong? Did you forget me so quickly?" Kael asked, his voice cold. "I warned you before. If you didn't want to die, you should have turned them back immediately."
Evergreen's pupils contracted as the realization hit her. "Kael?!"
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Pokémon Fans — Recommendation
If you're into Pokémon stories, I highly recommend checking out:
Pokémon: The Absolute Trainer
It's honestly one of the best Pokémon novels I've read.
It follows Damian, the protagonist, who leads Team Rocket.
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