The Next Morning — Fairy Tail Guild
"Damn it! Let me down, you flaming idiot, Fire Dragon Natsu!"
Gajeel Redfox hung upside down from the rafters of the Fairy Tail guild hall, shouting curses at the top of his lungs. Below him, Natsu twirled a glowing chain of magical light like a whip, clearly proud of his handiwork.
Pinned to Gajeel's chest was a massive white sign scrawled in bold letters:
"He's the culprit — hit him!"
When the guild members had arrived earlier that morning, they'd walked into utter chaos — the walls and floors stripped, huge gouges torn through the wooden panels, and the floorboards cracked into rubble.
And there, dangling from the ceiling, snoring loudly, had been the culprit himself.
So when Natsu stormed in and saw Gajeel hanging there, his blood boiled. No one had to tell him twice who was responsible for wrecking their home.
Lucy, Erza, and Gray stood nearby, watching the commotion unfold. None of them stopped Natsu — they all recognized the Phantom Lord insignia tattooed on Gajeel's arm.
"Natsu," Levy said softly, her voice full of concern as she looked up at the Iron Dragon Slayer swaying in midair, "maybe this isn't the best way to handle it. Let's wait for Kael to get here before we do anything rash."
"Huh?" Natsu froze mid-swing, both he and Gajeel glancing down at her.
"Oh, morning, Levy!"
"Morning, Natsu," she replied with a nervous smile.
"Fine," Natsu grumbled, jumping down from the ceiling. He shot Gajeel a fierce glare. "I'll let you off this time! But next time—"
"Tch," Gajeel spat, clearly unrepentant.
Just then, the doors to the guild creaked open.
"Morning, everyone—ugh, what a night." Kael stifled a yawn as he walked in alongside Cana, both of them looking exhausted.
"Master hasn't arrived yet," Erza said, poking Gajeel's leg with her sword. "Kael, who's this?"
Kael took a sip from the milk Cana had just handed him and replied calmly, "That's the guy who tried to destroy the guild last night. I caught him sneaking around and hung him up to dry."
As he spoke, a glowing crystal orb floated from his palm, projecting shimmering images of what had happened the night before — Gajeel breaking into Fairy Tail, his magic tearing through the floor, and Kael intervening.
The recording was clear and irrefutable — evidence even the Magic Council couldn't deny.
"So, what's your plan?" came Makarov's voice from the doorway.
"Morning, Master!"
"Morning!" echoed the guild in unison.
The old man waved cheerfully as he entered, hopping up onto the bar counter in one fluid motion. Erza's sharp glare stopped him just as he reached for a mug of ale, forcing him to awkwardly grab a glass of milk instead.
Kael set his cup down, his tone calm but icy. "An eye for an eye. If Phantom Lord wants to play dirty, we'll return the favor — right, Mr. Gajeel?"
The words had barely left his mouth before he and Gajeel vanished, leaving the guild hall silent.
"Aw, no fair!" Natsu shouted, stamping his foot. "I wanted to go beat them up too!"
Phantom Lord Headquarters
The guild hall was noisy, filled with laughter and jeering. Phantom Lord's members were in high spirits, boasting about how Gajeel must have humiliated Fairy Tail and would be back soon with good news.
Then, without warning — a golden magic circle burst open in the center of the room.
Kael appeared, standing calmly with Gajeel wrapped tightly in glowing chains beside him, trussed up like a cocoon.
"The hell—who are you?" slurred one of the guild's drunkards, staggering forward. "You just barge into our guild without permission? You're dead, you hear me?!"
He lunged at Kael — and was immediately blasted backward by an unseen force, slamming into the wall with a deafening crash. He slid down unconscious, leaving a deep crack in the stone.
The entire hall fell silent. Even the drunkest among them sobered instantly, staring at Kael in terrified confusion.
From the balcony above, a slow, deliberate clap echoed.
"Well, well," came a cold, mocking voice. "To what do we owe the pleasure, Kael of Fairy Tail?"
Jose Porla stepped into view, the shadows casting long across his face. The confidence in his voice seemed to reignite his guild's courage — they straightened up, glaring at Kael as if he were the intruder, the villain.
Kael's gaze met Jose's without a hint of emotion. "I'll say this once — and it will be the last time I do. You had your warning during the Council's evaluation, Jose. You still haven't learned your lesson. You still don't understand the difference between us."
His aura surged like a storm. Light flared around him — a radiant sword taking form in his hand.
Then, with one sweeping motion, Kael struck downward.
"Crescent Light Slash!"
A crescent-shaped blade of light roared through the air, slicing the entire hall in two.
Jose barely had time to react — his body shimmered, fracturing like glass before vanishing entirely. The walls of the Phantom Lord guild split down the middle, groaning but miraculously staying upright.
Kael lowered his sword, his expression unreadable. "Consider this your last warning. Next time… I won't be so merciful."
His gaze swept across the room. Not a soul dared meet his eyes.
And with that, Kael vanished in a flash of golden light.
For a long moment, the guild was utterly silent. No one spoke. No one moved.
Then, far away, deep in the shadows of Phantom Lord's underground chamber—
"Damn you, Kael… Damn you and your Fairy Tail!" Jose's voice thundered through the darkness, his fury barely contained. "So be it. I'll cast aside the Council's rules. From this day forward, Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord are at war!"
That Night — Fairy Tail Guild
Upon returning, Kael immediately called a meeting.
"No one leaves the guild alone," he said firmly. "For the next few nights, we stay in groups. Phantom Lord won't let this go — and when they move, they'll strike hard. We can't give them an opening."
Levy and her team were invited to stay at Kael's home, much to Cana's delight. She prepared a full dinner, laughing as she set out the dishes.
"Levy-chan, come on, let's take a bath together after we eat," Cana said with a grin. "I found an old spellbook yesterday — I was saving it to show you! Kael distracted me earlier, but since you're here tonight…"
"Really? That sounds amazing!" Levy's eyes sparkled with excitement as the two girls disappeared down the hall.
Kael watched them go, shaking his head with a faint smile — until he caught sight of Droy and Jet staring dumbly after Levy, their faces red as tomatoes. He sighed and handed each of them a bottle of liquor. "Here. Cool off."
Meanwhile, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Lucy decided to stay together at Lucy's apartment — which naturally turned into a night of laughter, noise, and mild chaos. Lucy, however, seemed to be the only one suffering.
Across town, Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna hosted several guildmates for dinner at their home. But Lisanna, sitting quietly by the window, looked troubled.
She'd learned earlier that day that the Gajeel and Juvia of this world were their enemies — a fact that tore at her heart.
"Knock, knock. Lisanna, I'm coming in," Mirajane said softly, stepping into the room when her sister didn't respond. She found Lisanna staring blankly at the floor.
"What's wrong, Lisanna? You're worried about Phantom Lord, aren't you?" Mira sat beside her, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Don't worry. I'll protect you — I'll protect all of us. No one will lay a hand on my family."
Lisanna looked up, her eyes glistening but resolute. "I know, sis. And I'll protect you too. I'm not weak anymore. I've gotten stronger."
The two sisters smiled — quiet, determined, and ready for whatever storm was about to come.