บท 29: Chapter 29 : Guild Destroyed!
"Huh? What's happening?" Lucy still couldn't grasp the situation.
"Fairy Tail, you're a renowned guild. How could you betray peace like this?" the elderly man lamented sorrowfully.
'Hmm.'
Erza sheathed her sword, her expression icy as she declared, "No one here stands for your version of peace!"
With those words, she returned to her seat, observing Natsu and Gray still locked in confrontation. "Natsu, Gray, enough," she commanded.
"Yes," the two of them grumbled as they reluctantly retreated to their seats.
"It's truly disheartening. How could Fairy Tail, of all guilds, betray the ideals of peace? You've disappointed me greatly," the elderly man sighed before departing.
"He seemed rather... off. Who is he?" Lucy asked, perplexed.
"A lunatic," Gray remarked bluntly.
"I feel like punching him," Natsu grumbled, his discontent evident.
"The so-called peace-loving magician, Patrick, is nothing but a hypocrite," Erza asserted.
"His words sounded like a threat to our guild," Lucy fretted.
"Don't worry, no one can harm our guild," Natsu reassured with a grin.
The presence of hypocrites soured the atmosphere for everyone.
Thus, they hastened to finish their meal and returned to the guild.
But what awaited them was a guild vandalized, pierced with numerous iron rods, reduced to a dilapidated state!
'Boom'
Natsu's flames erupted instantly!
"Natsu, calm yourself!" Erza swiftly delivered a punch to Natsu's abdomen.
The seemingly invincible blow faltered.
Natsu rose to his feet, clutching Erza's fist. Instead of abating, the flames surged fiercer than before. The ambient temperature soared, surpassing even the hottest summer day!
"The guild's been wrecked, how can I stay calm?" Natsu gritted out.
"Natsu, it's alright. Everyone's safe. It's just the building that's been damaged," Mirajane reassured, appearing with a large bag of supplies.
She came to Everit's side.
Everit extended his hand, retrieving the item she held out to him.
Mirajane addressed the group, "I can't explain right now. Let's head to the basement first."
"Natsu, douse your flames and refrain from stirring up trouble with the others," Everit reminded.
"You're not alone in your concern for the guild. We're all frustrated, but we need to understand the situation first," Gray advised.
"Natsu," Lucy glanced at him with concern.
Natsu extinguished his flames, his cheek twitching as if he wanted to snarl but suppressed the urge.
"Natsu, let's just hope everyone's safe," Lucy quickly reached out, grasping Natsu's arm in reassurance.
"Let's go," Mirajane suggested.
Then, she turned to Everit, surprise evident in her voice, "Everit, you've changed your clothes. Did you encounter a formidable enemy?"
"Thank you for noticing," Everit responded, slightly puzzled. The suit he now wore bore similarities to his previous one, with only minor differences.
"It's a rare occurrence, after all," Mirajane replied with a smile.
"It wasn't overly dangerous," Everit recalled. It posed a bit of a challenge, but it wasn't exceptionally hazardous.
"If that's dangerous for you, I'd be afraid of being a S-class mage," Mirajane expressed her surprise.
"Is that a form of acknowledgment?"
"Absolutely."
"Thank you for your acknowledgement," Everit said, retrieving a card. With a flick of his wrist, a square box adorned with exquisite packaging materialized in his hand. "Kind Miss, you always prompt me to offer small tokens of appreciation."
"Thank you. May I open it now?" Mirajane accepted the gift with a smile.
"Of course."
Mirajane lifted the lid of the box, revealing a vibrant red-orange fruit nestled inside.
"It appears to be a rather pricey variety," Mirajane observed with a smile.
"Yes, it's quite delectable," Everit affirmed with a nod.
"Then I'll taste it," he said, as the conversation continued.
Everyone had gathered in the underground basement.
Despite the guild's destruction,
The mood among the group remained unaffected, with everyone still indulging in food and drink with gusto.
However, Everit noticed something peculiar.
Everyone was present!
In reality, letting go wasn't so easy.
But ultimately, it depended on the guild master's decision.
Guild Master Makarov was indulging in heavy drinking.
Spotting the return of the members, he greeted them jovially, "How's it going, Lucy? Are things going smoothly?"
"Eh? Yes," Lucy replied, slightly puzzled.
"Guild Master, what's happening?" Erza inquired with a somber tone.
"The guild was attacked!" Natsu exclaimed furiously.
"Alright, alright, calm down, don't get worked up," the Guild Master said with a gentle smile. "It's not worth making a fuss over. No one was harmed. The idea of the Phantom Lord Guild attacking our empty guild is quite laughable."
"The attack happened during the night," Mirajane chimed in. "Fortunately, no one was present at the time."
"We don't need to concern ourselves with such petty individuals," added Makarov, looking down upon the Phantom Lord.
"What do you mean, old man? Our home was destroyed!" Natsu protested angrily.
"Ah? Home?" Makarov, struggling to widen his drunken eyes, responded, "Natsu, everyone's here and safe. Isn't this place our home? As for the building above, it's just wood and nails. Besides, I've been thinking about remodeling the guild, so..."
With a resounding 'boom,' Natsu punched the nearby pillar, venting his frustration. "I can't just let this slide! I'm gonna take them all down! I'll beat them to a pulp!"
"Let's put this matter to rest," Makarov declared solemnly. "Consider it the Guild Master's order."
With those words uttered, the tension in the room eased, though unresolved emotions lingered beneath the surface.
Everyone in the guild who had been listening to the conversation couldn't help but reach for their wine glasses and take a hearty gulp.
"Damn it!" Natsu grumbled, clearly unwilling to accept the situation.
"Alright, that's enough! I need to use the restroom, ah, urgently! Can't hold it any longer!" Makarov slipped away, clutching the bottle tightly.
"Old man, you..." Natsu attempted to stop him, but was interrupted.
"Forget it, Natsu," Mirajane interjected, her tone resigned. "This is the guild master's decision. We're bound by the rules of the council, and inter-guild conflicts are strictly prohibited."
"But they started it first!" Natsu protested angrily.
"But..." Erza's expression darkened as she spoke, "Since it's the guild master's decision, we have to abide by it."
"I..."
"Natsu."
Natsu wanted to argue further, but Everit placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.
Turning to face Everit, Natsu noticed the other man raising his left hand to adjust his glasses with his ring finger, half of his face obscured by his palm.
Suddenly, Natsu understood. He decided against causing any more trouble, knowing that Everit would guide him.
"Oh, by the way, Everit."
Just as Natsu was about to address Everit, Cana's voice interrupted from behind Natsu.
"What's the matter, Ca."
Before Everit could respond, something was shoved into his mouth.
Yes.
A wine bottle?
The world spun.
With a soft "Plop!", Everit collapsed backwards, but Mirajane, who was prepared, caught him before he hit the ground.
Everyone looked at Cana, confusion evident on their faces.
Cana sighed and said, "It's the guild master's orders."
****
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