Makarov's body returned to its original size. He held his chest, a pained expression on his face.
One after another, brief reports made him feel as if he were watching his children collapse one by one, cutting his heart like a knife.
"President?"
"President!"
Rhode quickly supported Makarov: "Mira, quick, under the counter!"
"I know!" Mira swiftly ran to the counter, took out a medicine bottle, and poured three pills into the President's mouth.
Ever since learning about the President's heart condition, Rhode had persistently begged Granny Porlyusica to prepare several extra bottles of pills.
One bottle was kept in the infirmary, another under the counter, and yet another in the President's writing room on the second floor.
Of course, one bottle was also given to the President himself, but he seemed to have casually left it at home, not carrying it around.
After taking the three pills, Makarov's complexion improved somewhat.
Rhode gently patted the President's back: "Don't worry, don't worry at all, it's just a fight, at most it'll be a bit rough, there's no danger, don't worry, we can resolve this, we can resolve this very soon! Take deep breaths, breathe slowly..."
"Huff... huff..." Makarov's lips were pale, but there was finally less of a pained expression.
"Mira, take the President to rest first."
"Alright."
As Mira carried the President away, Rhode immediately asked, "Wolian, can you confirm their location?"
"Yes, they didn't deliberately hide. Laxus is in the cathedral, the other three are moving continuously, currently headed towards..."
"Alright, there are two most urgent tasks right now: first, to lift the petrification and get them out of danger, and second, to dismantle the technique and stop the internal conflict.
I'm not interested in playing the strongest battle with Laxus, but I wouldn't mind breaking his legs after completing these two tasks and dragging him back for everyone to deal with."
Rhode's speech was rapid, naturally carrying anger in his words.
Everyone present turned serious; what Rhode spoke of were things they also wanted to do.
"Start the action immediately. Lidas, Bigda, you two head southeast and northeast respectively, detouring to the Eastern Forest to seek Granny Porlyusica. Keep your distance from others, and be careful of Fried. If you can't leave the city, notify Wolian immediately."
Fried had said that the battle range was the whole city. Being someone who always harped on the rules, he wouldn't say empty words; it's highly likely that he had written 'Mages prohibited from entry and exit' techniques at the city's edge.
But we have to give it a try.
Although Wolian's Telepathy Magic can cover the whole city, Porlyusica's treehouse is really far away.
"Understood." Lidas and Bigda set out immediately, avoiding stepping into battle traps, leaving one after the other.
"Gray, Elfman, you two also split up to act. One goes to find Fried, the other to find Ibarglin. Likewise, keep your distance from others. Mira and I will follow you shortly, solving them at the fastest speed."
Whether it's lifting the technique or the petrification, defeating the caster is worth trying.
Gray said, "Fried and Ibarglin are left to Elfman and me. You and Mira can deal with Biguslo and Laxus."
Rhode shook his head: "I've told you not to be led by the nose by Laxus. Rushing to deal with those two doesn't make any sense; Fried and Ibarglin are the key.
Once the technique and petrification issues are resolved, they will face the entire Fairy Tail... Currently, Fairy Tail is almost like a scattered sand pile. If we move too slowly, there might not even be half of it left."
The current primary issue is to ensure the safety of the girls turned to stone and to resolve the internal conflict.
Dealing with the problem children is a secondary issue.
Besides, once Erza, Jubia, Kana, and the others revive, and Natsu and Gajeel step out of the guild, the secondary issue will soon no longer be an issue.
Gajeel stood aside, feeling awkward; this person's thought process was too clear, hardly influenced by the enemy's actions.
Is this how this person and his companions played Ghost out of existence?
He now suspected that if those who ran out of the guild earlier had listened a bit more, had been less impulsive, this farce might have ended from the very beginning.