"What?!!!"
Everyone in the Fairy Tail guild erupted in disbelief.
The Magic Council wanted to arrest Su Yan? Based on a report from the Phantom Lord guild? It was absurd.
"Are you joking?! Phantom Lord destroyed our guild first! Can't you see that?!"
Behind the Fairy Tail members, their guild stood in disrepair. Though the iron pillars had been removed, the holes remained, patched temporarily with wooden boards. A strong gust of wind could likely bring the building down.
"Yeah! They started it! Why are you arresting Su Yan? If anyone should be arrested, it's Phantom Lord!"
"They've got the nerve to report us to the council after what they did! That's the ultimate act of hypocrisy!"
Rahal, the vice-captain of the Ancient Knights, frowned and said firmly, "We're only taking Su Yan back for investigation. The Magic Council will pass judgment on the matter."
"No way! We're not letting you take Su Yan!"
"We don't trust the Magic Council!!"
"If you want to take Su Yan, you'll have to get through us first!"
The captain of the Ancient Knights, Lester, scowled and shouted, "How dare you defy the Magic Council's law enforcement! Arrest everyone!"
"Yes, sir!"
Suddenly—"Humph!"
A cold snort echoed, followed by an invisible wave of Conqueror's Haki emanating from Su Yan.
"Bang bang bang!"
One by one, the Ancient Knights fell to the ground, unconscious.
Even Captain Lester and Vice-Captain Rahal were brought to their knees, their faces pale and drenched with sweat. They felt an overwhelming mental pressure bearing down on them, leaving them trembling with fear.
Su Yan stepped forward, and Rahal realized with dread that this terrifying pressure came from him.
"You're here to arrest me?" Su Yan said calmly. "Fine, I'll go with you."
"Su Yan!!"
The Fairy Tail members were shocked and alarmed.
Su Yan raised his hand to silence them and smiled. "Don't worry. It's just the Magic Council. They can't do anything to me."
"Uh..."
The guild members exchanged confused looks. The Magic Council is just... the Magic Council?
Su Yan continued, "I'll let them decide this matter. If they're fair, I'll accept the punishment. If they're not..." His voice darkened. "...then I'll ensure their punishment is dealt with accordingly."
He turned to the knights. "Let's go. I've never been to the Magic Council before. Consider this a rare chance to visit."
"Put him in handcuffs!" Lester barked.
Rahal hesitated before pulling out the council's forbidden magic handcuffs, designed to suppress a wizard's abilities much like Seastone handcuffs from another world.
Su Yan took the handcuffs and examined them. With a casual squeeze, they shattered in his hand.
"Y-You!!" Rahal stammered.
"I don't like wearing these things," Su Yan said dismissively. "And they wouldn't work on me anyway."
Lester gritted his teeth, his face turning red with suppressed fury. He had never encountered such blatant defiance. But given Su Yan's strength, he had no choice but to hold his tongue.
"Take him away!" Lester ordered sharply.
As Su Yan left with the Ancient Knights, the Fairy Tail members clenched their fists, their frustration boiling over.
Fairy Tail Guild Basement Level
Time passed, and the mood in the guild remained tense and oppressive.
"Boom!"
Natsu slammed his fist on the table, shattering it.
"No way! We can't just leave Su Yan to fend for himself! I'm going to the Magic Council to save him!"
"Yeah! And Phantom Lord! They need to pay for what they did!"
"We'll kill them all!!"
The guild members shouted in anger, their frustration reaching a breaking point. Only Mira and Makarov seemed calm.
Gray turned to Makarov. "Old man, say something!"
"Huh? What?" Makarov said, looking as though he'd just woken up from a nap.
"We're going to break into the Magic Council to rescue Su Yan!" Gray shouted.
Makarov yawned and stretched. "Relax, kids. Su Yan doesn't need your help, and you're more likely to cause trouble if you try."
"What?!"
"If anyone should be worried in a conflict with Su Yan, it's the Magic Council," Makarov said with a sly grin.
The guild members stared at him in disbelief.
As one of the Ten Wizard Saints, Makarov was well aware of the Magic Council's power. He also knew Su Yan's strength better than most. The battle three years ago still lingered vividly in his memory.
If anything, Su Yan's power had grown even more terrifying since then. Makarov couldn't imagine what level the boy had reached now.
Still, it didn't sit well with him to see one of his guild's children taken away so easily. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
"Jose," Makarov muttered under his breath, "you've gone too far this time."