Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master

Laxus's body slammed into a stone pillar and finally came to a stop. The pain didn't seem to faze him though, he wore a victorious smirk.

"So you do recognize this face after all..."

He hated to admit it, but fighting four powerful mages at once was proving difficult. Unless he used that technique, he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. His best option was to get Mystogan to withdraw early.

And judging by everyone's stunned reactions, things were going according to plan.

"What... is this?" Erza murmured.

Mystogan turned his back to them. "I never wanted anyone to see this face... I may look like him, but I'm not the Jellal you know."

Rhodes recalled the Council's earlier meeting. "Wait, are you the Jellal that Wendy was looking for?"

"It's complicated... but I'll leave things to you here. Sorry."

Mystogan didn't deny it, but clearly wasn't willing to elaborate. As he spoke, his body shimmered into green smoke and vanished, along with all of his staffs.

"He probably has his reasons. I'll ask him later," Mira said.

"Stubborn guy," Rhodes muttered, turning his attention to Laxus, who now wore a smug, satisfied grin.

"Heh. Mysterious fellow," Laxus said, casually rolling his shoulders and wiping blood from his arm. "Now then... let's get started with Round Two!"

Mira and Rhodes stood ready, but Erza still looked distracted.

Laxus noticed and sneered. He flung a bolt of golden lightning at her. "That expression doesn't suit you, Erza!"

Just before the lightning struck, Rhodes jumped in front of her, his fist erupting with lava as it clashed against the bolt.

So that's why Laxus had kept chasing Mystogan, he was trying to remove one of them from the field. Four enemies were too many. Take out one, and it would be a three-on-one.

Even if Laxus was reckless, he clearly knew how to think on his feet.

Rhodes narrowed his eyes. Compared to the enemies he'd fought before, Laxus was a serious challenge. He might even be tougher than Jose.

Mira placed a hand on Erza's shoulder. "Focus on the battle, Erza."

Erza nodded, snapping out of it. "You're right. I'm ready."

Just then, the church doors slammed open, and a pink-haired boy stormed inside, followed closely by a tall, grumbling man with long black hair.

"Laxus!" Natsu shouted.

"So loud... can't you shut up, fire lizard?" Gajeel groaned. But he paused once he saw the destruction around them.

The floor was torn up, pillars shattered, windows blasted open. Flames and molten rock littered the scene.

"Looks like a herd of monsters ran through here... and all this happened in just a few minutes?"

Natsu's eyes scanned the room. Rhodes, Mira, and Erza looked roughed up, but none of them were badly hurt.

Laxus, though his shirt was gone, his face and arms covered in cuts and bruises, and his shoulder clearly swollen. From the side, it looked like there were even deeper wounds across his back.

Realizing what had happened, Natsu's eyes flared with anger. He stomped his foot. "What?! You guys already beat up Laxus this badly? I was supposed to be the one to fight him!"

Laxus twitched, veins popping on his forehead. Who was he calling beaten up?

"Natsu, don't cause trouble," Erza snapped. "Our mission is to bring him back to the guild to face Master Makarov."

"Then let me be the one to bring him back!"

"Are you an idiot?" Gajeel scoffed. "It took three S-Class mages just to push him back. You think you're going to solo him now?"

He was starting to realize Laxus was even stronger than he had imagined.

"What did you say?!" Natsu growled, pressing his forehead against Gajeel's. "Fine then! I'll fight you first, then take down Laxus... then Erza, then Mira, then Rhodes!"

"You..." Gajeel was about to fire back, but suddenly shoved Natsu aside with his elbow as his forearm morphed into an iron rod.

A lightning-forged halberd came hurling toward Natsu, launched at high speed by Laxus. "I'm sick of your attitude, Natsu!"

The weapon was aimed directly at Natsu, but instead clashed against Gajeel's iron arm.

"Gah!" Gajeel was sent flying, crashing near the church doors.

Natsu hurried over. "Gajeel! You okay?"

"Move it, Fire Dragon... You're in my way. Let me handle this guy!" Gajeel grunted through the pain. "I don't want to owe you anything, I'll pay you back for just now!"

Natsu gave him a wide grin. Maybe he really had accepted Gajeel. He took a long stride forward and dashed at Laxus.

"Don't go hogging all the fun! Of course I'm settling this score myself!" Gajeel shouted as he leapt back into the fray.

The two ran side by side, then abruptly halted and inhaled deeply.

"Iron Dragon's... Roar!"

"Fire Dragon's... Roar!"

A whirlwind of iron blades and a tornado of fire surged toward Laxus.

But the Thunder Dragon Slayer stood firm, raising his arm and countering with a roar of his own. "Roar of the Thunder Dragon!"

The blast of lightning completely neutralized the twin attacks and surged forward, swallowing Natsu and Gajeel in its dazzling glow.

"Huh?!"

"Whoa!"

Neither had expected that Laxus was also a Dragon Slayer, let alone one with such overwhelming power.

The wave of lightning launched them both back. They slammed into opposite walls flanking the church entrance, arcs of electricity dancing over their bodies as they slumped, dazed.

"Natsu, Gajeel!" cried Happy, who had been largely ignored until now. He tugged on Natsu's scarf, trying to pull him free.

Laxus couldn't resist mocking them. "Pathetic. You two call yourselves Dragon Slayers? I've seen fakes with more bite."

Before he could finish, the so-called "fake" he mentioned, Rhodes shot toward him and punched him in the face, magma glowing on his fist.

Laxus, prideful as ever, didn't dodge. He leaned back just slightly and met Rhodes with a lightning-charged punch to the face.

Fists collided, lava and lightning exploding on contact.

Both fighters were sent flying in opposite directions.

Rhodes flared his wings midair and steadied himself, soaring upward once more.

But Laxus had no time to recover, Erza and Mira were already on him.

Sword and fist, the two stormed him from both sides, trading rapid blows in a heated exchange.

Suddenly, Laxus felt something latch onto his ankle. He glanced down just in time to realize it was one of Rhodes's summoned stone monster.

The brief hesitation cost him. Erza's blade sliced across his chest, leaving a gash of crimson, followed by a brutal strike from Mira.

Laxus coughed up blood, flying backward.

As he tumbled, his eyes caught the monster slipping back into the ground.

Again with this thing?!

He remembered how Rhodes had used those same creatures to trick him earlier. The memory stoked his fury.

From above, Rhodes dove at him and delivered another blazing punch straight to the face.

This time, Laxus only managed to raise one hand before being smashed into the ground. A deep crater formed beneath him, and magma and fire surged over his body.

Rhodes hovered above, fist clenched, ready to punch again. Dragon Slayers were tough, after all, but Laxus wasn't going down that easily.

With a sharp burst of motion, Laxus burst out of the crater and slammed his head into Rhodes abdomen, sending him flying backward.

A crackle of electricity surged through Rhodes body. He couldn't tell how much voltage Laxus had used, but other than his stomach, every part of him screamed with stinging pain. The numbing jolt of lightning left him unable to move for a moment.

Erza and Mira immediately closed in.

Erza brought her sword down in a slash, but Laxus's punch connected with her spine before she could fully land the blow. Her sword nearly slipped from her hands.

Mira followed up with a blazing punch wreathed in hellfire, slamming into Laxus's gut and knocking him away from Rhodes.

As soon as they hit the ground, Natsu and Gajeel rushed forward again. They managed a flurry of exchanges, one punch, one kick, before both were struck and sent tumbling aside again.

Rhodes, Mira, and Erza quickly regrouped and encircled Laxus, launching into a blisteringly fast rhythm of offense and defense.

Laxus tried to fend them off, countering where he could, but with each parried strike, someone else would land a clean hit.

Their teamwork had become nearly seamless, and even Laxus began to falter under the relentless pressure.

Worse for him, he had no way to replenish the magic power he was burning through at a rapid pace.

Meanwhile, the blue buff was continuously restoring Rhodes, Mira, and Erza's magic energy.

And the red buff worked in tandem, gradually healing their surface wounds while wearing down Laxus's defenses.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more lopsided it became.

From the sidelines, Natsu and Gajeel watched, itching to jump back in. But with the pace of the fight so intense, they realized it would be hard to step in without accidentally disrupting their guildmates' flow.

Several minutes passed. By then, Laxus's face was swollen, and his body was covered in wounds.

Burns from fire, gashes from blades, bruises from heavy blows, it was all there.

One pant leg had been torn off entirely, making his pants look mismatched. One of his shoes had flown off somewhere during the chaos.

Erza's Black Feather Armor was damaged, Rhodes forearm had lost some of its protective scales, his cheek was bruised, and his clothes were ripped in places. Mira's cape was torn down the center, her sleeves shredded, and her arms carried dark bruises.

All three shared one unfortunate trait, their hair had clearly been singed.

Yet none of them were backing down.

Erza had switched to her Flying Armor. Her movements became faster and more precise, making it even harder for Laxus to predict her next strike.

Then, in a single synchronized moment, the three saw their opening.

Erza's blade flashed, Mira's fist flared with fire, and Rhodes tail swept forward like a hammer.

The sword sliced Laxus's arm. The punch cracked two ribs. The tail struck his leg with a resounding blow.

"Uwaa!" Laxus cried out as he was flung into a nearby stone pillar. Cracks webbed across its surface from the impact, and then he collapsed to the ground.

Laxus braced himself against a cracked pillar and slowly staggered to his feet, head lowered and shoulders heaving. "I didn't think... you'd push me this far..."

Mira's expression softened. "That's enough, Laxus. If you come back with us now..."

Suddenly, Laxus snapped his head up. His face twisted into something wild, his eyes burning. "Cut the pity! I haven't lost! You think this means you've won?!"

'Still not enough, huh?' Rhodes narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly, ready to strike again, ready to knock him out cold and drag him home.

But just then, a voice called out, calm, firm, aged, yet filled with strength.

"That's enough, Laxus."

Everyone turned.

"Master?" Mira gasped.

At the entrance stood Makarov, looking worn but steady, followed by Gray, Juvia, Cana, and Lucy. His presence seemed to cut through the tension like a blade. Erza and Mira let out quiet sighs of relief. Even Rhodes relaxed slightly, though his eyes stayed fixed on the old man's face, searching for signs of weakness.

Makarov's expression was tired, his gaze full of pain and sorrow. "Let it end here. No matter how strong you are, you can't take on the entire guild alone. And I won't let you go any further."

"Tch... Nag, nag, nag... If only you'd shown up sooner, old man!" Laxus's voice cracked as he yelled, trembling with fury. "Then I'd get to defeat you too, take over Fairy Tail, and throw out all the weaklings! I'll build the strongest guild in the world, a guild no one dares challenge!"

"The strength of a guild," Makarov said firmly, "doesn't come from brute force. It comes from bonds. From our hearts being united. That is what makes Fairy Tail strong!"

His voice wavered with grief. "Your comrades are everything. Why can't you understand that?"

"That kind of childish nonsense might fool kids," Laxus spat. "But I'm the strongest. Only I can shape Fairy Tail into what it's meant to be!"

Laxus dropped into a low stance, legs wide and steady. He leaned forward, fingers spread, palms together. Magic surged around him like a storm.

The ground cracked beneath him. The church trembled violently. Gales of wind howled through the broken windows, shaking even the strongest mages nearby.

Throughout Magnolia, every wizard could feel it, an overwhelming pressure, a pulse of fearsome magic that made their hearts skip.

Back at the Fairy Tail guild, Warren's eyes flew open. Through telepathy, he tried to contact the others, but the response was silence. No one could find the words.

"None of you can stop me!"

"No... it can't be—" Makarov's eyes widened. He knew that stance, that power. He immediately activated his Titan magic, his body growing to colossal size as he took two thunderous steps forward, but he was still too late.

"I've surpassed you, old man!" Laxus roared. Blinding golden light burst from his palms as he unleashed his trump card.

"Fairy Law... activate!"

Bzzzzzz...

It was like a second sun had descended into the heart of the church. A radiant sphere of golden energy engulfed everything, stretching outward in a dome of pure magical light. All across Magnolia, shadows twisted and vanished, converging toward the church. For a moment, buildings had no shadows at all, everything bathed in brilliance.

A massive shockwave followed. Dust and debris exploded into the air. Inside the church, visibility dropped to zero. People coughed, eyes stung, stumbling blindly in the thick cloud.

Lucy and Cana held onto each other for support, their voices shaky. "What... what was that?"

Juvia stood firmly in front of Gray, but he had already formed a protective ice barrier around them. She glanced at him, her heart fluttering with happiness despite the chaos.

Rhodes wasn't even concerned about himself, his first thought was the Master. He hadn't expected Laxus to actually use one of Fairy Tail's forbidden super magics. Erza and Mira had tried to stop him, but it had been too late. Now, all of them surrounded Laxus once more.

But something was off.

Laxus's triumphant grin faltered when he heard a cough echo through the settling dust. His eyes widened in disbelief as familiar figures emerged from the golden mist, every one of them still standing.

"Why... Why didn't it work?!" he gasped. "I poured everything into that spell, my entire magic power! Why are you all okay?!"

Makarov stepped forward slowly, his voice calm but filled with quiet sorrow. "Fairy Law... one of the Three Great Fairy Magics. It bathes everything in sacred light, striking down only those the caster sees as true enemies."

His tired eyes softened. "Warren just confirmed it. Everyone in the guild is safe. The people of Magnolia are unharmed. Laxus... the spell didn't hurt a single soul."

"That's impossible!" Laxus shouted, voice breaking. "Everyone who stands in my way is my enemy!"

"No," Makarov said firmly. "No one's standing in your way. Not Gray. Not Erza. Not Rhodes or Mira. Not even me. We've argued, clashed, even fought, but it was never to stop you. Everyone's just been hoping... that you'd open your eyes."

Laxus's breath caught. He staggered a step backward, fists trembling. "Tch... Don't say that kind of thing..." he muttered hoarsely.

But it was too late.

If he admitted that, if he truly believed no one was against him, then what did that make everything he'd done? The fights, the plans, the hurt he caused? If none of them were enemies… was he the only one who had been wrong?

Makarov's expression hardened. "Even so, you crossed a line. You broke the guild's trust. You hurt your comrades! And that... is something I cannot forgive."

The Master, still towering as a giant, raised his hand, his palm alone large enough to blot out the ceiling.

The pressure in the air changed.

The wind whipped violently around them, just from the movement of his arm. Laxus stumbled under the crushing force of it.

...

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