Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 400: If You Really Want to Destroy the World, You Still Have to Look at Fairy Tail!Chapter 401: Fairy Tail Guild Civil War

”Hehe...”

August looked at the irritable Makarov and merely smiled lightly without saying much.

The reason August had schemed against Makarov and made Makarov serve together with him as Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild was because August knew clearly in his heart that this guild could lack anyone, but it absolutely could not lack this little old man before him!

Makarov was the soul of the Fairy Tail Guild...

August knew clearly in his heart that in this life, perhaps he would never be able to do what Makarov had done, dedicating everything he had to the Fairy Tail Guild...

To put it plainly, what August loved was his mother, the First Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild, Mavis. He did not love Fairy Tail. The reason he cared for Fairy Tail was because he loved the house and its crow...

But Makarov was different. Makarov deeply loved every part of the guild before him. This was the place where Makarov was born, the place where Makarov grew up, and also the place where Makarov grew old. If nothing unexpected happened, Makarov would also die here, then be buried here...

This was the Mage Guild Fairy Tail, Makarovʼs everything!

”You damn brats! Donʼt think that just because you used such despicable tricks to scheme against me, I will be grateful to you! I wonʼt be grateful to you~”

Tears the size of beans rolled down from Makarovʼs eyes. He had been moved into a complete mess by the brats in the guild, but his mouth still stubbornly shouted.

”We know~ We know~”

The mages in the guild seemed to have long known Makarovʼs personality.

They looked at Makarov one by one and grinned, looking cheerful. It seemed that these children of Fairy Tail had not taken Makarovʼs words to heart at all, because the children all knew that at this moment, it was merely a father trying to act tough...

”Bastards! What do you know?!”

”Cut the nonsense. In the name of Acting Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild, I now declare to all mages of the entire Mage Guild Fairy Tail! Fairy Tail Guildʼs 24-Hour Endurance Race begins now!”

”For this yearʼs competition, I require everyone to participate. No one is allowed to slack off! Also, this yearʼs supplementary rule is that not only the last person to return will receive punishment, the last ten people to return will all receive punishment, and it will be the cruelest punishment in the history of the Fairy Tail Guild!!”

Makarov wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

Then, facing the members of the Fairy Tail Guild before him, he angrily announced the beginning of the Fairy Tail Guildʼs 24-Hour Endurance Race...

”Eh?!”

As Makarovʼs words fell, all the members inside the entire Fairy Tail Guild had their expressions change.

”I report! Makarov is abusing his functions!!”

”This is too much! This is using power for personal gain!”

”Step down! Step down! Step down!!”

The mages in the guild immediately roared at Makarov. They demanded that Makarov immediately resign from the position of Guild Master.

”Bleh bleh bleh~”

”This old man already didnʼt want to be it anymore. It was you who made this old man serve as Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild~”

”Since you made me become the Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild, then accept my revenge properly~”

Makarov crossed his arms in front of his chest. At this moment, Makarov was incomparably proud.

Yes, he was using public office for private revenge and using power for personal gain. So what?!

”Ahya~”

”I didnʼt expect Guild Master to actually force everyone to participate in the competition. Then there really is no other way~”

After hearing Makarovʼs words, Evan helplessly sighed and revealed an extremely helpless expression.

”Hey! Evan, just what kind of bad idea are you planning in that stomach of yours again?”

Looking at Evanʼs actions, Makarovʼs expression suddenly changed. Countless cold sweat appeared on his forehead as he looked at Evan and asked.

”Guild Master Makarov, you just said it was mandatory participation for all members, right?”

”Then there is no other way~”

Evan sighed helplessly, then took out a long-distance communication lacrima.

”Hey, hey, hey, Evan, donʼt tell me you are going to...”

Makarovʼs expression suddenly changed as he watched Evan take out the long-distance communication lacrima. Although today was the handover ceremony for the Fairy Tail Guild Master, not all members of the Fairy Tail Guild were present. Some members had not come, such as Irene, and even more so Selene...

”Irene, and Senior Selene~”

”Please trouble yourselves to come to the guild. The Guild Master requires all members of the guild to participate in the activity later!”

Evan held the long-distance communication lacrima and spoke with a smile.

”Uh...”

As Evanʼs words fell, Makarovʼs face changed.

The mandatory participation for all members he had spoken of had not included Irene and Selene!

If Irene and Selene both came to participate in the competition, would that still be a competition? That would be the end of the world, right?

”Evan, this old man is begging you. Quickly withdraw your divine ability! Tell Irene and Selene not to come. This old manʼs guild cannot fit them!”

Makarov looked at Evan in panic. His lips trembled slightly as he spoke with fear and trepidation.

”Buzz...”

Unfortunately, Makarovʼs words were still one step too late...

The instant Makarovʼs words fell, a spatial gate suddenly opened inside the guild!

Immediately afterward, two beautiful figures appeared in the guild just like that. They were Irene and Selene.

And whether it was a coincidence or not, when Irene and Selene appeared inside the Fairy Tail Guild, each of them was holding a chain used to leash dogs.

The two ends of those chains were respectively tied to two mages who, in Makarovʼs eyes, were unfathomable...

”Come! Larcade~”

”Neinhart~”

”Greet everyone~”

The instant Selene and Irene appeared in the guild, the two goddess-level existences looked back and glared at each other, then pulled out their respective ”pets,” displaying the results of their training of their pets.

”Hello, everyone~”

”I am the loyal dog of Her Majesty Queen Irene, your Lord Neinhart~”

Neinhart stood respectfully beside Irene. His eyes were filled with reverence toward Irene and disdain toward the group of mages inside the Fairy Tail Guild, who, in his eyes, were ordinary and unremarkable.

”This dog is so arrogant?!”

After Natsu sized Neinhart up and down, the corner of his eye twitched, and his expression carried a bit of scrutiny.

”Idiot! This isnʼt a dog, heʼs a human!”

Gray looked at Natsu speechlessly.

Of course, he knew the difference between Natsu and normal people. Natsu judged whether the thing before him was a dog or not, not by the other partyʼs appearance, but by whether the other party was wearing a collar...

”Ah? This guy is human? Why would a human wear a collar?”

Natsuʼs expression was shocked. He had not had any intention of insulting Neinhart just now. He had truly treated Neinhart as a dog! After Grayʼs reminder, Natsu finally realized that he had misunderstood. Immediately, his gaze toward Neinhart carried a bit of apology...

”This is individuality. I advise you to mind your own business...”

After hearing Natsuʼs words, Neinhart was also angered quite badly. He had not expected that this weakling before him would dare to mock him. However, Lord Neinhart had good self-cultivation, so he controlled his emotions in time. He... was not angry!

”Individuality?!”

Natsu froze for a moment, but he did not ask more. Some words were best stopped at the right point.

After all, everyoneʼs hobbies were different, and he was someone who respected other peopleʼs hobbies.

Speaking of which, Quatro Cerberus also seemed to like wearing collars around their necks, though Quatro Cerberusʼs collars were more like decorations and were clearly different from the one around Neinhartʼs neck...

”...”

Compared with Neinhart, who was like a chatterbox, Larcade looked listlessly at everyone at this moment. His entire body seemed as though it had collapsed from exhaustion, as if he had been completely drained dry, his eyes hazy.

”Gone, gone. There really isnʼt even a little magic power left...”

Larcadeʼs lips were dry, his face pale, and his eyes sunken. He seemed to have stayed up all night for who knew how many days and nights.

Compared to Larcade, whose hair was withered, Selene was especially beautiful today. Her beautiful hair carried a faint luster, and her naturally seductive, fox-like cheeks released endless charm. It was just that today, Selene did not put on the appearance of a lustful dragon filled with unsatisfied desire. Today, her eyes were pure, as if her entire person had ascended, like an angel.

When purity and charm appeared on one woman at the same time, the pack of hungry wolves inside the guild had already started howling...

”I feel like I can do it again...”

Gildarts was eager to try. He had already felt his lower abdomen slightly swell.

Now that Gildarts thought about it, perhaps prostrating himself beneath Seleneʼs pomegranate skirt might not be anything bad...

”Someone quickly drag this damn scum out and kill him!”

Gildartsʼs good daughter, Cana, who had long brown hair, casually placed the wine barrel beside her, then looked at Gildarts while gnashing her teeth. Although Gildarts was her father, that still did not hinder her determination to beat Gildarts up. Scum must die!

”Hahaha, our Fairy Tail Guild hasnʼt been this lively in a long time, right?”

Silver wore the armor printed with the word ZERO and looked at the guild members gathered happily together with a smile.

”Speaking of which, uncle, when do you plan to go attain Buddhahood?”

Ultear looked at the laughing Silver and asked.

After all, Ultear had studied together with Precht for a long time and knew that a wandering spirit like Silver who lingered in the world would actually cause a certain amount of harm to the world, so she asked.

”Hey, hey, hey! The way you said that makes it sound like I died a long time ago...”

After hearing Ultearʼs words, Silver spoke unhappily.

”But you yourself have been dead for a very long time~”

”You are now only using demonic power to extend your life...”

Ultear looked at Silver somewhat speechlessly and spoke.

”Ultear, you must first understand one thing. If not for Deliora, I should still be alive and well now! It was because a demon invaded the town that I died. Right now, I am merely using demonic power to take back the time that Deliora stole from me! Relax! When the time comes for me to leave, I will naturally attain Buddhahood...”

After hearing Ultearʼs question, Silver spoke with a smile.

”Oh? Then when exactly is the time you should leave?”

The corner of Ultearʼs eye twitched. She truly did not know how Silver could still laugh.

”Mm...”

”At the very least, I have to wait until this idiot son of mine finds a girlfriend, right?”

After hearing Ultearʼs question, Silver looked toward Gray, who was constantly shaking in front of Silver and Ultear.

”Then you should live forever! Itʼs still quite difficult to find a woman who likes perverts...”

Ultear followed Silverʼs gaze and looked over. Seeing Gray running around the guild wearing only a pair of underwear, she felt her head grow big. Beside Gray was Lyon, who was completely naked. This one was even more heavyweight...

Ever since Seilah forbade everyone from taking off their clothes inside the guild, Gray and Lyon had already skillfully mastered the technique of taking off their clothes outside the guild before coming in...

”Your Majesty...”

”Master!”

At the same time, following Evanʼs call, Sonya, Animus, and Kurnugi had all arrived behind Evan. Fairy Tailʼs Dragon Group had assembled...

”Theyʼre here, theyʼre all here, all of them are here...”

”My heart has already started hurting...”

Makarov looked at Irene, Selene, the two very distinctive little pets raised by the two of them, as well as dragons like Animus and Kurnugi who had arrived at the guild. His heart could not help aching. Right now, there was only one thought in his mind: could his guild, the town he loved, still be protected?!

In Makarovʼs view, this was an incomparably serious problem...

”But fortunately, this year is different from before. This year, I am not fighting alone!”

Makarov adjusted his breathing, then looked at Magic King August beside him and revealed a gratified smile.

”Hehe...”

August naturally sensed Makarovʼs gaze. Regarding this, he gently nodded toward Makarov while revealing a brilliant smile.

”Uh...”

Seeing Augustʼs smile, Makarovʼs expression trembled. A bad premonition suddenly arose in his heart.

”Ara~ Since this is an order issued by the Acting Guild Master, then as the Guild Master, I can only participate as well~”

Just as Makarov thought things were not good, his premonition suddenly came true. August first nodded very gentlemanly toward Makarov, then spoke with a smile.

”No way! Youʼre coming too?!”

For a moment, Makarovʼs heart began to ache even more painfully.

”Speaking of which, what are the rules of this yearʼs Fairy Tail Guild 24-Hour Endurance Race?”

Evan looked at Makarov and asked.

”There are no rules. Just donʼt cause any deaths...”

Makarov swallowed. Facing this lineup, what else could he say? As long as no one died, anything was fine...

”The Guild Master said there are no rules~”

After hearing Makarovʼs words, Evan looked toward the mages inside the guild and spoke with a smile.

”Understood...”

Erza gently nodded, then drew an incomparably sharp katana from her waist.

”What did you understand?!”

The mages in the guild who saw Erza draw her blade all retreated half a step. They always felt that Erza had misunderstood something.

”Hehe, the rules are already very clear now...”

”The Guild Master said that this yearʼs rule is that as long as no one dies, it is fine...”

”So everyone, do you still not understand?”

Erza sneered. Her gaze swept across everyoneʼs cheeks as she spoke coldly.

”I see...”

”In other words, the Guild Master means that we should start a great battle royale here, and whoever survives is the winner, right?”

Mirajane, wearing a floral dress, with her bangs combed into a little brush reaching toward the sky, cute, sunny, and gentle, suddenly understood after Erzaʼs reminder and spoke to everyone in the guild with a giggle.

”What did you two understand?!”

”Mirajane, is there something wrong with your ears?! This old man never said anything about letting you have a chaotic battle!”

After hearing Mirajaneʼs words, Makarov was completely stunned. What did he say?! He had not said anything at all!!

”I understand! Iʼm already fired up...”

Flames wrapped around Natsuʼs body. His fierce eyes glared angrily at everyone inside the guild. At this moment, in Natsuʼs eyes, no one inside the guild looked like a good person...

”Zzzzt, zzzzt...”

”As long as I defeat everyone, thatʼs fine, right?”

Golden lightning flashed around Laxus as he grew eager to fight.

”Gray...”

”Understood!”

Lyon gave Gray a look. Gray immediately nodded lightly. Endless cold air instantly burst from the two of them, living up to the name of Fairy Tailʼs pervert duo!

”Animus, I have always wanted to fight you! Today, let me decide victory and defeat...”

Kurnugi looked at Animus, his eyes flickering with the desire to fight.

”In the name of being His Majestyʼs right and left hand! I, Animus, will absolutely not lose to a mere young dragon.”

Animus accepted Kurnugiʼs provocation. He was confident that no matter how weak he was, he would absolutely not lose to Kurnugi, this young dragon.

”Guild Master, can the competition begin?”

As the mages of the entire Fairy Tail Guild finished preparing...

Evan looked at Makarov and asked softly.

”Hehe...”

Makarov smiled disdainfully. He looked at the living Buddhas inside the guild and deeply bowed.

”Go easy!”

This was Makarovʼs final request...

He only begged that these people before him would go a little easier. As for holding the activity, it was an activity he himself had organized, so even while crying, he had to finish holding it!

”Boom!!”

The instant Makarovʼs words fell, enormous magic power shot into the sky from the Fairy Tail Guild. That terrifying magic power shattered the entire floor of the Fairy Tail Guild right at the start.

”Moonfall...”

”Extreme Enchantment Magic...”

”Crush!”

”Crystal Dragonʼs Roar...”

”Cheap Saint Dragonʼs Roar!”

”Your magic is quite good. Itʼs mine now...”

Along with a burst of rumbling sounds, countless magic circles were released from within the Fairy Tail Guild!

Just from the instant the magic power collided, the entire Fairy Tail Guild was erased...

”Boom!!”

The sky of Magnolia Town darkened again, and the moon shone high!

Outside Magnolia Town, the scorching air burned, and the sun hung high in the sky!

What a beautiful prosperous scene of the sun and moon shining together...

Before this prosperous scenery could appear for long, a huge meteorite burning with scarlet flames rapidly fell toward Magnolia Town from the sky...

”Ah, ah, ah...”

On the streets of the town, countless tourists widened their eyes at the strange sight before them. They had never seen such a scene of the sun and moon shining together in their entire lives...

However, this was not what shocked them the most. What shocked them the most was the scarlet meteorite falling toward everyone!

”M-Meteorite! Look at the meteorite! Run, run!!”

A passerby who had come to Magnolia Town for the first time looked up at the sky at this moment. Seeing the meteorite falling toward him, he roared crazily. He was nervous, anxious, uneasy, and afraid!

”Phew~”

However, mature Magnolia residents calmly held their pipes and puffed smoke.

”It really is a meteorite~”

”This is a rare opportunity. Make a wish~”

Just as these passersby visiting the town were incomparably panicked, kindhearted Magnolia residents had already walked forward. While comforting the tourists beside them, they spoke with smiles.

”Are all the residents of this town insane?”

After hearing this, the tourist widened his eyes. He stared blankly at the Magnolia resident telling him to make a wish, his eyes filled with doubt.

He could not understand why these residents did not run. That was a meteorite!!

”Youʼll get used to it...”

”Just treat it as a dream. After you wake up, everything will disappear~”

The kindhearted resident patted the touristʼs shoulder and spoke with a smile.

”No, that meteorite is about to fall...”

The tourist nervously pointed at the meteorite in the sky.

”Itʼs fine~”

The residentʼs expression was calm. Of course, they knew that a shield had been enchanted onto the town. In a while, it would at most shake a little and tremble a little, then it would be over. It was nothing serious. Shaking made things healthier~

”But...”

Just as this tourist still intended to say something, along with the sound of something breaking through the air, that meteorite descended from the sky.

”Boom!!”

Accompanied by a rumbling sound, the entire Magnolia Town, together with the shield, flew into the sky.

At this moment, from outside the world of Earth-land, a mushroom cloud that could be clearly seen even from outside the atmosphere was rising in the Kingdom of Fiore on the continent of Ishgar in the world of Earth-land!

What Black Dragon Acnologia of the Apocalypse? If one truly wanted to destroy the world, one still had to look at Fairy Tail members!

A place where talents emerge endlessly—Fairy Tail.

A place plagued by endless disasters—Magnolia...

The Kingdom of Fiore Special Expeditionary Corps had a total strength of about three thousand men. They were stationed atop the highest mountain near Magnolia Town. From there, they could clearly observe the entire town of Magnolia and even the situation within the Mage Guild Fairy Tail!

However, if one did not witness it personally, it would be hard to believe that in a kingdom whose total military strength, including reserves, did not even reach one hundred thousand, there would be an elite force of three thousand permanently stationed beside an insignificant little town.

Throughout the vast Kingdom of Fiore, there were no fewer than dozens of towns similar to Magnolia, each with populations exceeding ten thousand.

Given the Kingdom of Fioreʼs current military strength, it was completely impossible to assign a three-thousand-man mage corps to every town. In other words, Magnolia Townʼs situation was extraordinarily special within the entire Kingdom of Fiore...

Of course, that was not the most terrifying part. The truly terrifying thing was that this three-thousand-man force was considered elite even among the armies of Fiore. Every soldier within the unit was a master among masters!

Every seemingly ordinary soldier, sporting the exact same hairstyle, possessed remarkable strength. Even in an average mage guild, they could easily hold a middle-management position...

Using the strength evaluation system established by Evan, these ordinary soldiers averaged around Level Three magic power. Soldiers of this caliber were already comparable to regular soldiers of the Alvarez Empire on the Western Continent!

Although in the Alvarez Empire—which had united the strength of the entire Western Continent—soldiers of this level were not considered elite at all, merely regular troops numbering in the millions, even exceeding the total population of the Kingdom of Fiore...

Even so, such a large force composed entirely of Level Three soldiers could absolutely be called an advanced and powerful ace unit on Ishgar, which lagged behind the Western Continent in virtually every aspect. Against armies of equal size, this Fiore Kingdom unit was practically invincible across the continent...

Yet despite being such an invincible army, King Thomas of Fiore neither stationed them beside strategically important cities nor assigned them to economically significant towns.

Nor did he recall this powerful force to reinforce the royal capital or send them to the borders where Fiore met hostile nations.

Instead, he placed them beside this remote little town where hardly any enemy nationals would ever appear.

That was certainly worth pondering...

In fact, many rumors circulated throughout Fiore regarding this army.

The most widespread version claimed that the Fairy Tail Guildʼs behavior was simply too outrageous. They were constantly tearing down one wall to patch another. Although they always managed to properly eliminate dark mages, demons, magical beasts, and other threats troubling local residents...

The fairies themselves were often a far greater threat to the local populace...

As a result, even the great King himself could no longer tolerate it! Yes, these reckless fairies had finally angered King Thomas E. Fiore! The reason Thomas stationed this army beside Magnolia Town, home of the Fairy Tail Guild, was supposedly to keep Fairy Tail under strict supervision and prevent these lunatic fairies from harming others...

Unfortunately, that was not the truth.

Old Thomas was not angry at Fairy Tail at all.

After all, Old Thomas himself was also a Fairy Tail mage.

The real reason was...

This ace unit of Fiore was specifically stationed here by Old Thomas to ensure Fairy Tailʼs logistical support!

Their primary duty was to provide an endless supply of alcohol to the Fairy Tail Guild.

”Commander, something terrible has happened~”

”Fairy Tail exploded again! Magnolia Town has gone flying into the sky too!”

Just as the commander of this ace force stood alone atop the mountain, cigarette dangling from his lips while counting the inventory of alcohol and daily supplies in the warehouse, a voice suddenly called out from behind him.

”What are you panicking for? What day does Fairy Tail not explode?”

”Come report to me when Fairy Tail stops exploding and Magnolia Town stops flying into the sky!”

”Compared to Fairy Tail exploding and Magnolia Town flying into the sky, it would be much more terrifying if one day they stopped causing trouble in Magnolia...”

The commander, puffing away at his cigarette, immediately frowned and began scolding the rookie.

”Uh...”

”Commander, I donʼt understand!”

”Why do you say Fairy Tail not exploding would be worse than their guild exploding?”

The rookie looked confused.

Since he could not figure it out himself, he asked the commander directly.

”Idiot! It doesnʼt matter how much Fairy Tail explodes!”

”Not only is it not bad, itʼs actually a good thing! It means those lunatics from Fairy Tail arenʼt running around causing trouble in other towns across Fiore.”

”As for whether their own guild explodes or not, thatʼs their own territory. Let them do whatever they want! Even the royal authority canʼt interfere...”

”But the day you see Fairy Tail completely peaceful and Magnolia Town unusually quiet, thatʼs when things become serious...”

”Heh, you should know by now that those lunatics from Fairy Tail can never settle down. If they arenʼt causing trouble in their own guild, where do you think theyʼll be causing trouble?”

”Who knows where on Fioreʼs land—or across the entire continent of Ishgar—theyʼll create a massive explosion next~”

”Rather than letting those lunatics run around demolishing things everywhere, itʼs better to let them make trouble in one place! Let them wreak havoc to their heartsʼ content!”

The commander frowned after hearing the soldierʼs question.

He was utterly speechless at the kidʼs intelligence.

Everyone knew Fairy Tailʼs members were disasters. Every one of them was at least a little crazy, with something seriously wrong in their heads!

Fairy Tail and Magnolia Town were essentially an asylum built to contain Fairy Tailʼs members.

As long as they stayed inside this asylum, it didnʼt matter how much chaos they caused.

After all, the townspeople had lived there for years without moving away. That probably meant they werenʼt entirely normal either...

However, once Fairy Tail members left Magnolia Town, the victims would no longer be limited to a single town.

It would become a problem for the entire Kingdom of Fiore, perhaps even the entire continent of Ishgar.

To exaggerate slightly, calling it a world-threatening crisis would not be inaccurate!

In the commanderʼs opinion, the Magic Council ERA should have long ago recorded Fairy Tail in the Apocalypse Records, listing them alongside Black Dragon Acnologia as a world-ending threat...

”I-I see...”

The soldier nodded vigorously in understanding before turning and leaving.

”Running around in such a panic...”

Watching the soldier rush away, the commander helplessly shook his head.

Not long afterward, he walked over to several barrels of fragrant liquor.

”Before those devils from Fairy Tail get to taste this wine, Iʼll taste it for them first...”

Thinking this, he opened a barrel.

The rich aroma of alcohol immediately spread through the air.

Without question, it was top-quality wine.

”What a fragrance! This is probably from the same cellar as the wine His Majesty drinks...”

”Tsk, tsk, tsk. Fairy Tail really has it good. Theyʼre all a bunch of lunatics, yet they get to drink wine like this! What a waste! I might as well drink it for them. Anyway, those Fairy Tail drunkards donʼt care whether wine is good or bad. As long as thereʼs enough, theyʼre happy...”

Grinning, the commander hoisted the barrel and began drinking heavily.

”Gulp, gulp, gulp...”

The refreshing liquor flowed into his stomach, making his eyes gradually blur.

”Commander! Something terrible has happened! Something terrible!”

Just as he was drinking heartily, the same soldier came running back again.

”What is it this time?”

The commander reluctantly lowered the barrel, wiped his mouth, and looked toward the soldier.

Sniff sniff~

”What a strong smell of alcohol! Commander, youʼve been secretly drinking the wine His Majesty allocated to Fairy Tail again, havenʼt you?”

”Youʼd better be careful someone doesnʼt catch you. Otherwise youʼll be punished again! Do you remember why the other commanders pushed you into managing logistics here? Wasnʼt it because they caught you drinking on the battlefield...?”

The soldier frowned.

Normally he was as dumb as a brick.

Yet somehow he was incredibly sharp in situations like this.

”You focus on the important matter! Whether Iʼve been drinking isnʼt important...”

The commanderʼs face immediately changed.

Yes, while criticizing Fairy Tailʼs mages for being drunkards, he himself was hardly any better...

Trying to hide his guilt by pretending to be angry, he hurriedly urged the soldier to continue.

”Oh! Right, right! The important matter!”

”Commander, I have an urgent report!”

The soldier nodded repeatedly.

”You have another report?”

”Didnʼt I tell you not to bother me unless itʼs something major?”

The commander frowned.

A bad feeling suddenly arose in his heart.

After specifically telling this soldier not to come unless something serious happened, the soldier had returned anyway.

That probably meant something truly disastrous had occurred...

The soldier took a deep breath and calmed himself.

”Commander, itʼs bad. Magnolia Town has disappeared.”

”Huh?!”

”Are you drunk, or am I drunk? How could an entire town disappear?”

The commander froze.

He never imagined Fairy Tail would go this far.

They had actually made an entire town vanish.

”Come see for yourself...”

The soldier scratched his cheek awkwardly.

He truly had no idea how to explain what he had seen.

”...”

The commander stared at the soldier for a long moment before saying nothing more and sprinting out of the warehouse.

He rushed directly to the observation platform overlooking Magnolia Town.

Looking toward where Magnolia Town should have been, he fell silent.

What entered his sight was not the familiar town trembling from constant explosions.

Instead, there was only a flat, clean, completely deserted wasteland...

”Whereʼs my giant town?! Where did it go?”

The commander stood there dumbfounded.

At that moment, his heart turned ice-cold.

Although Fairy Tailʼs antics technically had nothing to do with him, considering how unpopular he was among the kingdomʼs commanders, someone would probably find a way to pin the blame on him.

”Sigh...”

Thinking this, the commander sighed helplessly.

Yet his eyes remained fearless.

No matter what punishment awaited him, it surely couldnʼt be worse than his current situation.

He had long since grown tired of being neighbors with Fairy Tail.

He wanted to return to the frontier.

At least on the frontier, meteorites didnʼt randomly fall from the sky every other day.

Meanwhile...

As Selene unleashed her magic power, enormous water wings stretched between heaven and earth, swallowing Magnolia Town whole!

In an instant, space shifted.

The entire town departed from the Kingdom of Fiore, from Ishgar, and even from Earth-land itself, arriving in the magic-rich world of Elentear.

Somewhere unseen, Earth-landʼs World Spirit quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

If anyone panicked the most whenever Fairy Tail had a ”civil war,” it was undoubtedly Earth-landʼs World Spirit.

All those Apocalypse Records predicting world destruction were nonsense.

Fairy Tail was genuinely destroying the world!

At the same time, within Elentear...

”Welcome to my world~”

Within endless darkness, a golden full moon hung overhead.

Moonlight draped Magnolia Town in a veil of silver.

Beneath the moon, Selene resembled a goddess descended from the Moon Palace, smiling brilliantly.

Only within the eternal night of the Black Night Mountains could Selene unleash her full strength.

”What a nostalgic world~”

Magic King August narrowed his eyes.

Feeling the abundant magic power in the air, far surpassing that of Earth-land, he revealed a comfortable expression.

Because Elentear possessed such abundant magic power, the strength of magic used here far exceeded its power in Earth-land.

Moreover, this enhancement was proportional.

The stronger a mage was in Earth-land, the stronger they became in Elentear.

In other words, Magic King August—who already overwhelmed others through absolute magical power—became even more terrifying after arriving in Elentear.

”Hey! Everyone! Donʼt you think weʼve got the wrong competition?”

”I clearly remember saying this was Fairy Tailʼs Twenty-Four Hour Endurance Race!”

”Not Magnolia Townʼs Twenty-Four Hour Endurance Race!!”

”You couldʼve run around yourselves! Why did you move the entire town around?!”

”My heart... my heart is starting to hurt again...”

Feeling the overwhelming magic power in the air, tears welled up in Makarovʼs eyes.

At his level, he was extremely sensitive to spatial changes.

The moment Selene activated her magic, he immediately realized the world itself had changed.

”Huh? Fairy Tailʼs Twenty-Four Hour Endurance Race?”

”Iʼve never heard of such a thing...”

”Arenʼt we holding Fairy Tailʼs annual Fighting Tournament?”

Surrounded by flames, Natsu looked at Makarov and grinned.

”Aye! Fighting Tournament!”

Happy, flapping his white wings in the sky, echoed Natsuʼs words.

”No, no, no! No matter how bad your hearing is, you shouldnʼt mishear what I said that badly!”

Makarovʼs eye twitched.

”But Guild Master Grandpa, why donʼt you ask everyone whether theyʼd rather hold Fairy Tailʼs Twenty-Four Hour Endurance Race or Fairy Tailʼs Fighting Tournament?”

Natsu expressionlessly pointed toward the guild members around him.

”Is there even a choice?”

”We Fairy Tail members love combat more than exercise!”

”So we choose the Fighting Tournament!”

”Fight! Fight! Fight!”

As Natsuʼs words fell, the entire guild erupted into chants.

They still remembered swearing before Makarov on their first day in Fairy Tail:

If you can fight, donʼt waste time talking...

Makarov: ”You absolutely did not!”

”You little brats...”

Makarov took a step backward and looked toward Evan.

”Evan, please! Make these little brats stop!”

”With Fairy Tailʼs current strength, if everyone fights seriously, weʼll become sinners who destroy the world!”

Makarov spoke solemnly.

At this point, all his hopes rested on Evan.

”Donʼt worry, Guild Master. Iʼll stop them...”

Evan smiled gently at Makarov.

[Emergency Mission: Participate in this yearʼs Fairy Tail Guild Annual Fighting Tournament. Reward: One SS-Class Mission Medal.]

”Hm?!”

Evan suddenly froze.

He hadnʼt expected to receive such a mission.

Although an SS-Class Medal wasnʼt particularly useful to him anymore, even a mosquitoʼs meat was still meat.

So...

”You little brats! Since you chose the Fighting Tournament yourselves, I wonʼt hold back!”

The words of restraint that had already reached Evanʼs lips abruptly changed.

His eyes flashed like lightning as he coldly addressed the guild members.

”Who cares?!”

”If itʼs a fight, then letʼs fight!”

”If you donʼt accept it, then throw hands!”

As Evanʼs words fell, an enormous uproar erupted throughout Fairy Tail.

The guild members all knew they probably couldnʼt defeat Evan.

But what did that matter?

Losing was one thing.

Admitting defeat before the fight even started was another.

The first rule of being a Fairy Tail mage was never to chicken out.

”EVAN!!”

Makarov was speechless.

He truly didnʼt know what to say anymore.

Hadnʼt Evan promised to stop the Fighting Tournament?

Why had he joined the lunatics himself?

”August...”

After a moment of despair, Makarov turned toward August.

As one of Fairy Tailʼs only two remaining consciences, Evan was hopeless.

Now he could only rely on August.

”Donʼt worry, Makarov!”

”As the Fourth Guild Master of Fairy Tail, I will definitely help you stop the tournament!”

August smiled peacefully.

”August, at a critical moment, it really has to be you!”

Makarovʼs heart warmed.

Evan, Fairy Tailʼs last conscience?

Nonsense.

If there truly was a final conscience in Fairy Tail, it had to be August.

The more Makarov looked at August, the more pleasing he seemed.

August truly was the successor he had personally chosen.

”I have a few words. Please listen carefully...”

Accepting Makarovʼs request, August prepared to stop the noisy mages.

”Fighting Tournament~ Fighting Tournament~”

However, just as August was about to speak, he noticed a cute ghost girl sitting at the guild counter.

With long pale-golden hair and bare feet, she was murmuring excitedly to herself.

She seemed extremely interested in Fairy Tailʼs Fighting Tournament.

”...Everyone present, listen carefully! Come! Let us slaughter one another to our heartsʼ content!”

The moment August saw the girl, he immediately changed what he was about to say.

”This is completely hopeless now...”

Hearing Augustʼs declaration, Makarov instantly petrified.

Would someone please save him?

Life was simply too difficult.