Gajeel turned and walked away.
"Damn it—!! So frustrating—!!"
Lucy stomped her foot in anger. She had finally found a suitable job that wasn't too dangerous, only for Gajeel to snatch it away at the last moment.
"Lucy! Natsu and I picked a quest to slay a monster! Let's go!" Happy called out, holding the job flyer.
Lucy heaved a resigned sigh. There was no other way. She still had to cover her rent, so she reluctantly decided to team up with Natsu again, hoping this time they'd cause less collateral damage and keep the compensation costs down.
In a secluded park in Magnolia, Gajeel—having just left the guild after taking his job—found a solitary figure waiting for him. That person seemed to have been there for a while.
"You're the one who told me to come here, right? Just say what you have to say. I've got work to do."
"Work? Going off to earn money in a guild that destroyed your old one—don't you have any shame?" The man turned around as he spoke. He had short blond hair, a leopard-print shirt, black pants, headphones, and a lightning-bolt–shaped scar on his face. It was Laxus.
Gajeel's face clouded at the comment. His hands curled into fists, but after a moment, he relaxed, remembering something. He looked at Laxus. "If that's all you want to say, I'm out of here. I've got a job to do."
With that, Gajeel turned to leave.
"Stop!!"
Crack!
Boom!!!
A sudden burst of golden lightning erupted from the ground, zapping Gajeel.
"Arghhhhhhh!!"
"The guild got destroyed because of you, you rotten bastard! You have the nerve to work for Fairy Tail?! The only reason the old man let you in was so you wouldn't cause trouble. And that's exactly why people look down on us now—damn you!! It's all your fault!"
Laxus waved his hand again, releasing another bolt of lightning that slammed into Gajeel.
"Aghhhhhh!"
Gajeel, struck twice by Laxus's magic, lay on the ground, wounded all over.
But Laxus wasn't done.
Snap!!
He transformed into a blur of golden lightning, appearing right in front of Gajeel. He began punching and kicking him without mercy.
"It's all because of you!! Because of you we're humiliated!! Apologize with your life! Anyone who dares stand against Fairy Tail doesn't get to live!!"
With a final kick, Laxus sent Gajeel flying, then mustered a powerful burst of magic between his hands.
"Die!!!"
A lance of searing electricity shot toward Gajeel.
La!
A figure suddenly appeared in front of Gajeel, raising a hand to block the attack.
Boom!!!
The lightning lance dissolved on impact.
Laxus froze at the sight of the newcomer, then his face twisted in annoyance.
Gajeel, startled that he hadn't been hit, looked up. Upon seeing that familiar figure, his heart gave a faint jolt.
Su Tan gazed at Laxus. "What do you think you're doing, Laxus?"
"Su Tan, stay out of my way!"
"Gajeel is a member of Fairy Tail now. Guild rules say we don't kill each other. Don't you know that?"
"He? The one who destroyed Fairy Tail's old hall—how can he possibly be a Fairy Tail mage?! Anyone who lays waste to our guild deserves death!"
Su Tan frowned. "The Master already agreed to let him join Fairy Tail. That means the past is forgotten."
"Forgotten?! He smashed our guild to bits!"
"I said let it go. Gajeel's one of us now, and I won't let anyone harm a guildmate."
Gajeel's expression wavered at those words. A guildmate? Did they really see him as part of Fairy Tail now? It was the first time in his life someone had stepped up to protect him. In Phantom Lord, no one would intervene if a guild member got beaten—they'd just sneer that it was the weakling's fault.
That was why he had never felt attached to Phantom Lord. Most of them were garbage, and he'd come to assume all guilds were basically like that. But living in Fairy Tail for the past few days, he realized how different it was—people actually cared about each other, supported each other, fought, and then drank together like friends. It felt strange, but he didn't hate it.
Laxus's face twisted further with anger. "Oh, so now you're giving me orders? Since when did you start telling me what to do, Su Tan?!"
"If you want to keep fighting, I'm ready."
"You think I can't beat you?! This isn't six years ago, Su Tan! I'm the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail now!!"
Lightning crackled wildly around Laxus's body as he roared.
Om—!
Su Tan's body likewise radiated a fierce aura of Conqueror's Haki—an intense intimidation that flared around him, poised for attack. This wasn't a reckless outburst, but a refined force he could wield at will.
In that tense moment, Laxus truly considered finishing things here and now. He had lost to Su Tan once, but that only drove him to train harder. Over the years, he'd pushed himself relentlessly, vowing not to lose to Su Tan again. At one point last year, he was sure he could beat him, but Su Tan was away the whole time. So Laxus kept training, eventually mastering a frightening new power. Now, he thought, was the best chance to claim victory. He couldn't afford to lose a second time.