Jehfrit flicked another card into the air, which transformed into a long, curved object—
A cat tail.
Macao and Wakaba couldn't bear to watch anymore.
"Let's go," Macao muttered resignedly.
"Yeah, let's get out of here," Wakaba agreed, turning away without looking back.
Rescue Gray?
Defeat Jehfrit?
Don't be ridiculous!
How could they even be sure that Jehfrit was truly standing where they saw him? Even if he appeared right in front of them, the image Gray perceived wouldn't match what they saw. And for that matter, how could they know whether the Jehfrit they were seeing was real or just another illusion?
Earlier, someone had tried sneaking up on Jehfrit only to find themselves forced into performing an embarrassing pole dance—in full view of everyone else.
One humiliating experience per day was more than enough.
But then again...
Hadn't everyone ended up humiliated this time around?
Thinking about it that way provided some small comfort.
So—
With a collective sigh, Macao and Wakaba tore off their maid outfits and left the scene as quickly as possible.
---
Meanwhile, Gray continued dodging bullets, his breathing growing heavier with each passing moment.
Finally, after observing carefully, he figured out the firing pattern of Jehfrit's new gun—its attack speed.
He noticed the brief pause between each burst, a subtle rhythm Jehfrit hadn't bothered to conceal.
The Teal, though powerful, had a rhythm no machine could hide, and Gray was already moving to exploit it.
He understood it now.
Now, he could close the distance between them and win the fight!
Gray weaved through the hail of bullets, gradually advancing toward Jehfrit while charging his Ice-Make Magic. Once he was close enough, he calculated that Jehfrit wouldn't have time to react before being struck.
"I love Natsu the most!" read the text tattoo imprinted by the bullet heading straight for him.
"Ice-Make: Giant Hammer!"
Gray braced himself, taking the hit directly. He planned to disguise his injury later by wrapping bandages around the affected area. His massive ice hammer descended upon Jehfrit with tremendous force.
*BANG!*
The ground shattered beneath the impact, and the illusion dissipated.
"Huh?" Gray felt something amiss and glanced down. What he saw nearly made him faint on the spot.
"JEHFRRRIIIITTTT!!!"
Gray's roar echoed so loudly that even Macao and Wakaba, who had fled far away, heard it clearly. However, neither man laughed at his misfortune—they remembered all too well their own similar experiences earlier. After all, they were grown men with wives and children! Dancing provocatively in maid outfits was not something they cared to relive anytime soon.
Suddenly, a barrier rose around the four sides of the battlefield.
Macao and Wakaba exchanged worried glances as they read the inscription glowing ominously on the barrier:
["Only when there is one victor will the spell dissolve."]
They'd barely escaped one trap, only to stumble into another.
Unlike Jehfrit's playful pranks, Fried's runes were far more binding and impossible to break through brute force. There was no choice now but to fight seriously.
*BAM! BOOM! CRASH!*
Fierce battles erupted throughout Magnolia as guild members clashed against Laxus, the Thunder Legion, and other opponents trapped within the magical barriers.
---
Back inside Fairy Tail's guild hall, Natsu and the others remained confined due to the age-restrictive barrier placed over the building. Updates periodically appeared on the walls, displaying information about ongoing fights and fallen combatants.
"Damn it!" Natsu growled, slamming his fists against the invisible wall. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from the barrier.
The entire guild was sealed shut by Fried's barrier, leaving no loopholes.
"This is worse than I expected," Makarov muttered grimly, his expression troubled.
Natsu, however, spoke up unexpectedly. "Don't worry too much, Gramps."
"N-Natsu?" Makarov stared at him in surprise.
Natsu crossed his arms confidently. "Laxus may act tough, but deep down, he's still part of the guild. I don't believe he'd actually kill any of us. He just wants to use this chance to prove himself."
"You've got brains?!" Gajeel blurted out incredulously, eyes wide with shock.'Did Natsu acquire one more brain cell ?
"And you trust Laxus that much?" Makarov added, equally stunned.
"Not just Laxus," Natsu clarified. "Even Jehfrit. Sure, he loves pulling pranks, and sometimes he lets enemies hurt us because he doesn't interfere in our battles—but he'd never let anyone die. Still..."
Natsu clenched his teeth, his tone shifting to anger. "Using our friends as hostages to force us into fighting each other? That's low—even for those jerks!"
"This whole thing has 'Jehfrit' written all over it!" Natsu accused.
"Laxus and the Thunder Legion are just carrying out his twisted plan!"
"This prank has gone too far!"
"I'm gonna beat them all senseless once this is over!"
Makarov fell silent, regarding Natsu with newfound respect. This boy always seemed to grasp key truths at critical moments.
"Natsu," came a sudden voice.
Everyone turned to see Laxus standing nearby—only for Natsu to charge at him furiously...and pass right through his body. Caught off guard, Natsu stumbled and tumbled comically across the floor.
It was merely a Thought Projection.
Laxus chuckled smugly. "You think this is just a prank?"
"Even if I can't fully trust you," Natsu shot back fiercely, "I do trust Jehfrit. But Laxus, the guild members—Lucy, Erza—they're not tools for you to manipulate and threaten us with!"
"You're pissing me off," Laxus retorted coolly.
"So what?" Laxus shrugged indifferently. "Everything is unfolding exactly as I predicted."
Makarov observed his grandson silently, recalling Jehfrit's words earlier. Perhaps he hadn't truly understood Laxus until now. As Master of the guild, he wasn't perfect—he made mistakes too.
"Laxus," Makarov said softly, his voice filled with resignation. "I surrender. Tell me: what do you really want?"
On the surface, this game appeared to involve four parties:
- Laxus
- Mystogan
- Jehfrit
- The rest of the guild
But in reality, there was a fifth player:
- Makarov
Through Jehfrit's mediation, everyone except the guild members understood the deeper purpose behind the chaos. Each side sought to express their intentions:
- Laxus wanted to prove himself, clarify his identity, gain recognition—and perhaps something more.
- Mystogan had his own goals.
- Jehfrit? Well...maybe he simply enjoyed mischief—or maybe he genuinely sought to create an opportunity for communication between Laxus and Makarov.
As for Makarov, he had agreed to this chaotic game because, like Jehfrit suggested, it presented a rare chance to connect with Laxus. To understand the grandson he cherished yet struggled to relate to. To see who Laxus truly was and who he aspired to become.
Was this the moment Jehfrit had hinted at?
Makarov wasn't sure. Perhaps he was growing senile. But he desperately hoped Laxus would open up to him since a long time.
However, Laxus showed no sign of wavering.
"I didn't expect you to give up so easily," Laxus said dismissively.
He paused dramatically before continuing. "But fine—if you insist on surrendering..."
"Then hand over the position of Master of Fairy Tail to me."
"That title belongs to me already," Laxus declared arrogantly. "You should've given it to me ages ago!"
"No," Makarov replied firmly, shaking his head in disappointment.
Laxus, is this really all you have to say?