Chapter 89: Fairy Tail Civil War
The Harvest Festival's beauty pageant continued with renewed energy as Fairy Tail's younger members took the stage one by one, each showcasing their unique talents and charm. Even after Erza's intense—and slightly terrifying—performance, the crowd's enthusiasm hadn't diminished. If anything, the atmosphere had grown even more electric.
"And now, let's welcome our next contestant!" the announcer called out. "She's a newcomer to the guild, but you might recognize her as the star of our recent theatrical production—Celestial Spirit Mage Lucy Heartfilia!"
The crowd erupted into cheers. Lucy's role as the Mermaid Princess in the guild's play had left quite an impression on Magnolia's citizens.
Lucy stepped onto the stage, her heart pounding. She'd performed in front of audiences before, but this was different. This was a competition, and all eyes were on her.
"H-Hello, everyone! I'm—"
"The true beauty of Fairy Tail has arrived!"
A woman in an elegant green dress and ornate glasses strode onto the stage, cutting Lucy off mid-sentence. Her fan snapped open with a dramatic flourish.
"The winner is obvious—it's me, Evergreen! This tedious little contest is over!"
"Evergreen?!" multiple voices shouted from the guild section.
"When did you get back?!" Alzack called out in surprise.
Lucy's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Excuse me! I'm in the middle of my introduction here!"
"Oh?" Evergreen's lips curved into a condescending smile as she tilted her glasses down slightly. "And what exactly are you going to do about it, little girl?"
"Lucy! Don't look at her eyes!" Gray shouted from the crowd, ice already forming around his hands.
But the warning came a split second too late.
Lucy's body seized up, her skin transforming into cold, lifeless stone. The statue that had been Lucy Heartfilia stood frozen mid-gesture on the stage.
The crowd gasped in shock and confusion.
"What just happened?!"
"Is this part of the show?"
"That looked like real magic!"
Max immediately jumped up, waving his arms. "Everyone, please evacuate the area! This is dangerous!"
Panic rippled through the audience as people scrambled for the exits.
Dino stood up from his seat, his easy-going demeanor evaporating. "Evergreen. If this is your idea of a joke, it's not funny. Release her. Now."
CRACK!
A bolt of golden lightning split the air, striking the stage with enough force to make everyone shield their eyes. When the light faded, three more figures stood alongside Evergreen.
Laxus Dreyar towered over them all, arms crossed and a cocky grin on his face. Beside him stood Freed and Bickslow, completing the Thunder God Tribe.
"Well, well," Laxus drawled, his grin widening as he looked directly at Dino. "Listen to you, giving orders like you run the place. What happened, Dino? Becoming one of the Ten Wizard Saints go to your head? You think you can boss around MY team now?"
Makarov slammed his staff against the ground, his expression grave. "Laxus! What is the meaning of this?! You're ruining the festival!"
Laxus laughed, a harsh sound that echoed across the square. "Festival? You mean this pathetic little party?" With a casual wave of his hand, lightning crackled across the curtains behind the stage.
The fabric burned away, revealing a projection lacrima that displayed the backstage area. Every single female contestant who'd been waiting for their turn—Erza, Mirajane, Cana, Levy, Bisca, and the others—stood frozen as stone statues.
"What?!"
"All of them?!"
"You bastards!" Makarov roared. "Turn them back this instant!"
The guild members erupted in outrage, voices overlapping in anger and disbelief.
VMMM.
White spherical auras materialized around Dino's clenched fists—the telltale signs of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power. The air itself seemed to vibrate with barely restrained force.
Laxus's grin turned sharp and dangerous. "Oh, getting angry already? That's cute. But you might want to be careful with those earthquake fists of yours, Dino. One wrong move and all those pretty stone statues might just… shatter. You wouldn't want to become a murderer, would you?"
Dino forced himself to take a slow, deliberate breath. The white auras around his fists dissipated, though his jaw remained tight. "Laxus. If you've got a problem with me, then let's settle it—you and me, one-on-one, anytime, anywhere. But using the girls as hostages? That's low, even for you."
"Don't you dare lecture me about being a man!" Laxus's voice cracked like thunder. "And yeah, I've got a problem—not just with you, but with this entire pathetic guild!"
He swept his arm toward the gathered Fairy Tail members, his eyes blazing with contempt.
"You're all worthless! Laughing and partying every day, dragging Fairy Tail's name through the mud with your weakness! This guild is filled with deadweight that makes us the laughingstock of other guilds. If I were Master, I'd have kicked every last one of you out years ago!"
The guild members' shock turned to fury.
"The hell did you just say?!"
"Say that again, I dare you!"
"Who're you calling deadweight, you arrogant—!"
Laxus's grin widened, feral and challenging. "Want to prove you're not worthless trash? Fine. I'm giving you a chance. We're going to have ourselves a little tournament—the Battle for Fairy Tail. Last one standing wins. Simple enough even for you idiots to understand."
Natsu flipped a table in excitement, flames already dancing around his fists. "Now you're talking! I've been wanting to fight you for ages!"
Freed adjusted his glasses, his expression calm and calculated. "The rules are straightforward. The battle will take place throughout all of Magnolia. Find us, and you can fight us."
Evergreen's fan snapped shut as she smirked. "And these lovely ladies will remain as our insurance policy. You have three hours. If you don't defeat us by then…" Her eyes glinted maliciously behind her glasses. "Well, let's just say stone is rather fragile. It would be a shame if they crumbled to dust."
"Four of us against all of you," Bickslow cackled, his floating dolls echoing his laughter. "Doesn't seem fair, does it? For you, I mean!"
"The game starts now!" Laxus declared.
Brilliant light exploded from his body—lightning so intense that everyone had to throw their hands up to protect their eyes. When their vision cleared moments later, Laxus and the Thunder God Tribe had vanished completely, leaving only the petrified girls standing silent vigil on the stage.
"We have to save them!"
"Damn it! I'll make Laxus eat those words!"
"Split up and search the city! When you find them, don't hold back!"
The guild members surged toward the exits in a wave of righteous fury, magic already crackling around their hands.
Makarov moved to follow, his body already beginning to expand with Giant magic—only to slam face-first into an invisible barrier.
THUNK.
"What the—?!" The Master stumbled back, rubbing his nose.
Glowing purple runes materialized in the air, forming words: "Those over 80 years old and petrified individuals cannot pass through this barrier."
"Freed's Jutsu Shiki!" Makarov's eyes widened in realization before narrowing in anger. "That crafty little—! He planned this from the start!"
Dino stepped forward, rolling his shoulders as white energy began to gather around his hands once more. His usual laid-back expression had been replaced by something cold and dangerous.
"Don't worry, old man," he said, his voice carrying absolute certainty. "I'll have this wrapped up in ten minutes. These punks are about to learn what happens when they mess with our family."