THUD!
A crisp sound rang out.
Just as Natsu was about to launch another attack, Chase struck first—lightning-fast, his Friendship Ruining Fist connected directly with Natsu's face.
Letting out a pained "Waaah!", Natsu flew backward like a cannonball, crashing straight into a table behind him.
Though Chase's primary offensive means relied on cards, as an S-Class mage of Fairy Tail, his magical power was abundant and refined, and his physical conditioning naturally wasn't weak either.
Wood chips flew and dust rose everywhere. Several people drinking at the table were caught in the chaos, knocked sprawling by Natsu's impact.
"You idiot whose flames are only good for birthday candles—you looking to die?!"
Gray quickly got up, walking over with a face full of displeasure. He grabbed Natsu's collar and yanked him up to eye level.
Forehead to forehead, Natsu got sprayed with spittle.
"You perverted bastard! You dare say that to me too?! You want to fight?!"
Facing Gray's malicious taunting, Natsu naturally couldn't show a pleasant expression. He thrust his neck forward, aggressively butting heads with him.
"If you're that weak, don't go out there embarrassing yourself. With your half-baked level, you want to challenge Chase?"
"I'll throw those words right back at you! If you weren't in the way, I'd have knocked Chase flying already!"
"What did you say?! Reckless flame bastard!"
"I said you're a coward who doesn't even dare challenge Chase—just hides and trembles in the corner!"
"I can't just let that slide..."
After some enjoyable exchanging of blows, Gray voluntarily withdrew from his daily brawl with Natsu. Clenching his right fist, he walked confidently up to Chase.
"Now open your eyes wide and watch carefully—watch me beat Ch—"
Midway through his cool-guy speech, Gray suddenly felt a chill run through his body.
He looked down abruptly, only to see that his clothes and pants, which should have been on him, had somehow—inexplicably—ended up on the floor not far away!
"Without me noticing at all, you took out my clothes?! Damn it! When did you—"
Gray's face was filled with disbelief. Completely unconcerned about his blatantly exposed body, he stared at Chase across from him and exclaimed, "Hey! Chase! Just how much stronger have you gotten while you were away from the guild?!!"
Seeing such a perverted scene, rookie Lucy's face turned bright red. She quickly and bashfully covered her face.
"My, my."
Standing before the bar counter, Mirajane wore a smile. Slightly tilted on her head sat a single sandal.
That was equipment Natsu had dropped after being knocked flying.
She was long used to this sort of thing, calmly observing Gray's chiseled posterior, unlike Lucy's shy reaction.
The others in the guild were the same—all putting hands to foreheads in speechless exasperation.
"Gray, while it's true I've gotten a lot stronger and could strip you clean in an instant, unfortunately, I don't have that kind of perverted hobby."
Chase rubbed his chin, gave Gray an appraising look, then reminded him, "You took those off yourself."
"Huh?! I-I took them off myself?!"
Gray was greatly shaken, displaying a confused expression of complete unawareness.
"Hey, perverted bastard. Suddenly I've got a pretty good idea."
Natsu walked slowly to his side, the corner of his mouth curling into his signature bright grin. "How about us join forces and take on Chase together?"
"Join forces with a dumb flame like you? The very thought makes me sick."
Gray spat disdainfully, then looked up at Chase, who stood with arms crossed, and suddenly grinned.
"But... if the opponent is someone as monstrously strong as Chase, that's not a bad idea!"
And just like that, the two incompatible individuals reached an agreement. Shoulder to shoulder, grinning, they advanced on Chase.
Their alliance gave hope to Macao, Cana, and the other members who'd been mocked and criticized earlier. They all jumped out in a rush.
"Hahaha! Don't blame us for ganging up on you—it's your fault for being too strong, Chase!"
"This time, I'm leaving my sandal print on your face!"
"Manly!"
...
Everyone wore malicious grins as various magic circles lit up in their hands. Surrounding him, they closed in step by step on Chase.
After being oppressed for so long, they'd long wanted to beat this bastard black and blue!
"Oh? Quite an impressive display of spirit. Then... me getting a little serious should be acceptable, right?"
Facing the aggressively advancing Fairy Tail members, Chase's lips curled upward. Instead of retreating, he took a heavy step forward.
"My turn, DRAW!"
His hand reached into empty space, making a sharp, stylish drawing motion.
A shimmering card arced gracefully through the air.
BOOM!!
Along with the card came an aura of pressure so terrifying it defied description!
Red and black light suddenly flooded the entire guild. The lights intertwined to form an ancient and mysterious magic circle.
The phantom image of a mage, draped in a black-purple
magician's robe and clutching a staff, slowly materialized beside Chase.
Lucy's pupils contracted sharply. Lifting her gaze, she sensed from that barely visible figure a magical power far beyond anything she'd ever known!
The inexperienced Fairy Tail newcomer was frightened on the spot, and the cat hid in the corner and shivered.
Just as the Seven-Star Card [Dark Magician] was about to manifest completely, a low shout interrupted the tense, tense atmosphere.
"Stop, Chase. This guild building of ours can't withstand the toss of your magic."
The diminutive Makarov, wearing his tall hat, stood on the second-floor railing, casually glazing at Chase.
"Huh? Chairman, you're here too?" Chase put on a look of exaggerated surprise.
"Don't play dumb with me! You bastard just want to tear this home apart, don't you?!" Makarov angrily scolded.
No one knew Chase's modus operandi better than he did—he was the one who dealt with the Magic Council complained year-round.
"Hahaha, you misunderstand. How could I ever have such dangerous thoughts?" Chase laughed dryly, scratching his head.
Meanwhile, the not-yet-fully-manifested Dark Magician rapidly dissipated, and the terrifying magical pressure surrounding them lifted.
Makarov didn't respond. He cast a deterrent glance at Natsu and the others, their fighting spirit still surging.
Only after they'd all behaved did he look back at Chase, his face solemn as he asked in a low voice:
"That Ten-Year Quest—the one no challenger has been able to complete in a decade—how did it go?"
Hearing this, Chase let out a long sigh. Passing by Natsu and the others, he walked slowly to Mirajane standing at the counter.
Mirajane understood immediately. Wearing her signature sweet smile, she turned and mixed a cup of coffee with sugar.
Chase accepted the coffee and took a light sip. The sweetness mingled with a hint of bitterness spread through his body.
Mm, as expected, Mira-chan knows me~
After tasting that familiar flavor, Chase slowly set down the coffee. Looking up, he smiled and scratched his hair.
"Sorry, Chairman. That Ten-Year Quest..."
"I failed."