"Jose Porla, huh?"
"The current master of the Phantom Lord guild? If I remember correctly, he recently earned the title of one of the Ten Wizard Saints..."
"So that's it? He must have come here to make a show after his recent breakthrough."
Makarov stood on the round table in the center of the ballroom where the guild masters' meeting was held. He silently observed the newly arrived guild master, Jose Porla. In that brief moment, Makarov, with his vast experience, had already understood Jose's intentions.
"Heh heh~"
As Jose noticed Makarov's attention, he suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of magic, forcing the crowd around Makarov to step back. It seemed Jose intended to intimidate the top seeds of the Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and Quatro Cerberus guilds—namely, Bacchus, Ichiya, and Jura.
"Ugh..."
As Jose's overwhelming magic fell upon Bacchus, Ichiya, and Jura, the three felt a heavy pressure on their shoulders.
"What immense magic power!"
"This is the power of a Wizard Saint? It's overwhelming..."
Among the three, Bacchus was visibly trembling the most. Under the immense pressure of Jose's magic, his legs felt weak, as if he might kneel before Jose at any moment.
"No wonder he's one of the Ten Wizard Saints. This magic is terrifying!"
"Sniff, sniff~"
"But the smell of this magic... I can't agree with it!"
Ichiya, facing Jose's magical pressure, sat down on the ground, appearing less composed than Bacchus. However, he had cleverly used the ground to dissipate more than ninety percent of Jose's magic pressure. As a result, he felt the least pressure among the three. He even had the leisure to sniff the air, wrinkling his brow in distaste at the nature of Jose's magic.
Ichiya had never encountered such foul-smelling magic before; it almost made him want to vomit.
"This is the magic of a Wizard Saint... I still have a long way to go!"
Jura handled the situation best among the three. With his hands clasped together, he constantly channeled his magic to counter Jose's overwhelming pressure. Unlike Ichiya, who used a trick, or Bacchus, who relied on sheer willpower, Jura used his own magic to withstand Jose's immense pressure directly.
However, this was his limit. The gap between a Wizard Saint and those below that level was enormous. Even Jura, known as the closest to a Wizard Saint in the magical world, could only hold his ground against an actual Wizard Saint.
"Jose! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Jose, stop it now!"
"Jose, if you continue, I'll throw you out of here!"
The guild masters of Quatro Cerberus, Lamia Scale, and Blue Pegasus—Goldmine, Ooba Babasaama, and Bob—shouted angrily at Jose, fearing his actions would mentally scar their top seeds, halting their progress. This would spell disaster for their guilds' futures.
"Haha, you three are nothing compared to a Wizard Saint. You have no right to speak to me!"
Jose Porla smirked, ignoring the three furious guild masters. In his eyes, the only person in all of Fiore worth his attention was Makarov, because he too was a Wizard Saint.
"Jose, you certainly live up to being a newly minted Wizard Saint. Achieving such power at your young age is impressive! Your talent is undeniable." As Jose unleashed his magic, Makarov finally spoke. He praised Jose's power before criticizing the nature of his magic. "But this dark, sticky, nauseating magic feels unpleasant to me! Don't you think there's something wrong with your magic?"
"Young man, don't stray from the right path..."
Makarov clasped his hands behind his back, squinting slightly as he sized up the approaching Jose Porla, pondering silently while offering advice and a warning. After all, as a senior figure in the magical world, Makarov always tried to guide promising individuals, regardless of whether they were from Fairy Tail.
Despite Jose's finely tailored suit and seemingly meticulous appearance, Makarov had a bad impression of him. Jose's repulsive magic and overbearing demeanor were particularly displeasing.
"Your immense magic shouldn't be wasted here. It could be put to better use elsewhere, don't you think?"
Makarov then turned his gaze to the seeds from various guilds, oppressed by Jose's magic.
As Makarov finished speaking, golden magic radiated from him, enveloping Bacchus, Ichiya, and Jura. The warm, sun-like magic dispelled Jose's oppressive magic from them, lightening their burdens.
"Phew!" Bacchus exhaled in relief, turning to Makarov with a smile. "Haha, thank you, Master Makarov. You're just as wild as Master Goldmine said!"
"As expected of Master Makarov, such exquisite control over magic. It's truly fragrant~men!"
Ichiya remained seated on the ground, sniffing the air appreciatively at Makarov's golden magic.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master Makarov! I am deeply grateful."
Jura, the closest to a Wizard Saint among the three, felt he had learned a great deal from Makarov's magic. It not only dispelled Jose's pressure but also taught him many valuable lessons that were beneficial for his pursuit of becoming a Wizard Saint.
"Hmph!"
However, Jose, seeing Bacchus, Ichiya, and Jura relieved of his magic's pressure, showed a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.
"Makarov, were you just talking to me?"
"Are you trying to educate me as a senior?"
"Hahaha..."
Jose Porla stepped up to Makarov, laughing at the idea. "Makarov, don't try to act like my elder. You don't deserve it!"
"Heh heh, maybe others respect you because of your title as a Wizard Saint, but I, Jose Porla, do not!"
"I'm not like those who grovel for your guidance..."
"Those who have trained for decades but can't even pass our guild's S-class mage tests!"
"I am on par with you, Makarov, as one of the Ten Wizard Saints. You have neither the status nor the power to educate me!"
Jose felt no respect for Makarov's words. He found the idea of Makarov teaching him laughable.
At thirty-something years old, Jose had already earned the same title as Makarov, who was over eighty. Why should Makarov have the right to teach someone with as bright a future as himself? Before earning the title, Jose might have avoided Makarov. But now, with the same title, he sought to become the center of attention, just like Makarov.
"Young man, don't be so arrogant! The world is far bigger than you imagine. There are always those stronger than you! The title of Wizard Saint might not be the end of the magical path but just the beginning..."
Makarov squinted at Jose's arrogant demeanor. With his talent, Jose could reach even higher levels if he remained humble and diligent.
"Perhaps, given enough time and luck, with a century or so of dedication, Ishgar might see another figure on par with Precht or other legendary figures."
"Hahaha..."
"Makarov, don't try to deceive me with boring lies just to teach me a lesson!"
"We are among the ten strongest mages on this continent!"
"There's no one stronger than us in this world. Hahaha..."
Jose laughed as he unleashed his overwhelming magic towards Makarov, dismissing his words.
In Jose's view, as one of the Ten Wizard Saints, he was already at the peak of Ishgar. Even globally, he was among the elite. If his current strength were just the beginning, then true power would be like legends, moving mountains and shattering stars with a wave of their hand. Such beings existed only in stories and myths, not in reality.
"Jose, don't be so shortsighted!"
Makarov's eyes narrowed into slits, glimmering with a radiant light. Terrifying magic flowed within him like a golden ocean.
"Heh..."
Jose, unfazed by Makarov's rebuke, unleashed his dark purple magic, creating ripples in the air, and countering Makarov's golden magic.
"Mm?!"
Makarov frowned as his immense magic slowly flowed out.
At that moment, Makarov resembled a recently awakened beast, demanding submission from all weaker beings around him.
"Heh heh..."
"Speaking of, I have some grievances with you and Fairy Tail."
"Why don't we settle them here and now?"
Jose seemed eager for a confrontation with Makarov. He had been provoking Makarov to force a showdown in front of everyone.
Today, Jose aimed to show the world that his two-and-a-half years of intense training had elevated him beyond his previous self.
Who was this 'Giant' Makarov?
Who was 'Ice Witch' Ul?
Who was 'Star Destruction' Evan?
After earning the same title, Jose believed none of them were his match!
With that, Jose unleashed his dark magic, sending ghostly apparitions roaring towards Makarov.
"Boom!!!"
When Makarov's warm, sun-like golden ocean collided with Jose's dark, infernal magic, the entire Blue Pegasus mansion trembled!
Outside the mansion, dark clouds gathered, and lightning roared. The clash of magic between two Wizard Saints caused localized weather changes...
"What terrifying magic! Is this what happens when two Wizard Saints clash? It's like a natural disaster..."
Bacchus, Ichiya, and Jura caught between Makarov and Jose, felt the intensity most acutely.
Before them was Makarov's golden ocean of magic.
Behind them was Jose's dark, infernal magic.
At this moment, they understood why the Magic Council prohibited battles between Wizard Saints. The sheer destructive power of their clash could easily cause catastrophic events, much like the collateral damage Fairy Tail mages often inadvertently caused on their missions. Just imagining it highlighted how terrifying it was...