Onibus Arena.
The atmosphere at the Onibus Arena was electric. Over the past three days, countless spectators from every corner of the Kingdom of Fiore had flooded into the city, all desperate to witness this clash of titans.
"Whoa! Look, it's Fairy Tail!"
"Fairy Tail has arrived!"
Makarov led the members of his guild toward the arena entrance, the crowd parting like a sea before them.
"That's Mirajane! She's even more stunning in person than in her photos!"
"Is that 'Titania' Erza? She looks so cool in that armor!"
"Where's 'Salamander'? Which one is the famous Natsu Dragneel?"
"Look! It's Loke! He's so handsome!"
Cheers erupted, especially from the younger girls. While wizards like Erza and Natsu were famous for their power, Loke—who frequently appeared as a romantic lead in magazines and movies—was a massive celebrity in his own right.
As for Kael, though his recent exploits had made waves in the wizarding world, very few people actually knew what he looked like. He walked among his friends, calm and unnoticed amid the shouting fans.
Suddenly, the mood shifted. A different kind of roar rose from the crowd.
"They're here! Phantom Lord is here!"
At the mention of that name, every face in Fairy Tail darkened. A heavy silence fell over the group as they turned to see their rivals.
A few moments later, Jose Porla, the Master of Phantom Lord, approached with his elite members in tow. When the two groups met, the tension became palpable. It felt as if the very air was charged with lightning.
The two guilds had never been on good terms, but the recent attack on Fairy Tail's headquarters had pushed things past the point of no return. Seeing the people who had gutted their home and treated it like a joke made the Fairy Tail wizards want to draw their weapons on the spot.
"Jose…"
Makarov's eyes narrowed.
Makarov's love for the guild ran deeper than anyone's. That building had sheltered his "children" as they grew, and seeing it pierced by those iron pillars had cut him to the core. He wanted to tear Jose apart.
"My, my… it's been a long time, 'Brother' Makarov,"
Jose said with a thin, oily smile. "The last time we spoke was at the conference six years ago, wasn't it? Ah, I think I had a bit too much to drink that night…"
"Cut the act, Jose,"
Makarov growled. "You know exactly why we're here. What was the meaning of that stunt at my guild?"
Jose feigned innocence, tapping his chin.
"Stunt? Oh! You mean the building! My apologies, Brother! One of my boys was chasing a dangerous criminal, and the rascal happened to flee into your… guild hall. Things got a little out of hand during the pursuit."
Jose gestured behind him.
"Gajeel! Come over here and apologize to the nice people."
The Phantom Lord members parted, and Gajeel Redfox stepped forward. He was tall, dressed in black, and had long, spiky hair that matched his arrogant expression.
"My bad,"
Gajeel said, though his voice dripped with sarcasm. "I really didn't mean it. I had no idea that run-down shack was actually the famous Fairy Tail headquarters. If I'd known it was so fragile, I would have tried to be more… thorough. Heh."
"You bastard!!"
Natsu screamed, his hands erupting in flames.
The rest of Fairy Tail surged forward, their faces twisted with rage. They wanted Gajeel's head. Erza and Kael quickly stepped in, physically holding their guildmates back.
"Don't let him get to you!"
Erza commanded. "He's trying to provoke us into a fight before the match. Wait until we're in the arena. We'll show him exactly what happens when you mess with Fairy Tail."
"Oh? You're going to show me? I'm terrified!"
Gajeel mocked, leaning back and laughing.
The rest of Phantom Lord joined in, their jeering laughter echoing through the plaza. The Fairy Tail members held their ground, expressions grim.
Jose chuckled behind his hand.
"Terribly sorry about that, Makarov. My children can be a bit… spirited. I'll be sure to teach them some manners once we get home. We'll see you inside."
With a dismissive wave, Jose led his guild into the arena. As they passed, the Phantom Lord members went out of their way to pull faces and shoulder-check the Fairy Tail wizards, pushing them to the edge of their patience.
"I'm going to kill them! I'm going to kill every last one of them!"
Natsu roared, struggling against Elfman and Gray's grip.
Makarov's face was shadowed, his voice low and dangerous.
"Listen to me. Once you get in that ring… I want you to crush them. Beat them so badly they regret ever being born. Show no mercy."
"YES, MASTER!!"
The guild shouted in unison.
It was rare to see the old man this genuinely furious. It lit a fire in everyone's chest.
The group filed into the arena, and even Lucy was stunned by the sheer scale of the place. The stands were packed to capacity—nearly a hundred thousand people had gathered to watch.
"Look at the other side,"
Gray muttered, pointing across the stadium.
In the section directly opposite them, a massive sea of people waved Phantom Lord flags and shouted insults.
"Are those their cheerleaders?"
Lucy asked, confused.
Mira shook her head.
"No, Lucy. Those are members of the Phantom Lord guild."
"What?! There must be over a thousand people there! Does Phantom Lord really have that many members?"
"They're aggressive,"
Erza explained. "Most towns only have one guild, but Phantom Lord opens branches everywhere. They use underhanded tactics and malicious competition to bankrupt smaller guilds and monopolize entire cities. Six years ago, they tried to open a branch in Magnolia. The Master personally stopped them at the regional meeting, which is why they've hated us ever since."
Lucy's eyes widened.
"That's horrible! They're just bullies!"
"That is exactly why we're going to win,"
Makarov said. He looked at the massive crowd on the other side and felt a twinge of regret. I should've invited some of our allies to cheer… we look a bit outnumbered.
Suddenly, a loud voice boomed over the magical loudspeakers.
[Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Onibus Arena! I am your commentator, Chapati Lola!]
[The moment you've all been waiting for is finally here! The battle of the century: Fairy Tail vs. Phantom Lord!]
[These are the two titans of the Ishgar continent! Both led by members of the Ten Wizard Saints! Both boasting incredible S-Class talent! People have argued for years about which guild is truly the strongest in Fiore. Today, we finally settle the score!]
[WHO IS THE NUMBER ONE GUILD?! LET'S FIND OUT!!]
"OOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!"
The stadium erupted in a deafening roar.