Fairy Tail: My Magic is a Yu-Gi-Oh! Deck — Chapter 152

Chapter 152: Sabertooth’s New Guild Master: Ur!

In a bustling town nestled in the eastern reaches of the Fiore Kingdom, the morning tranquility shattered.

A deafening explosion ripped through the streets, sending a plume of thick, choking dust into the sky. Debris rained down across the cobblestones. The grand entrance of the Sabertooth guildhall—once a symbol of absolute power—had been reduced to a crumbling, blackened mess. Passersby froze, gathering at a safe distance to watch the spectacle unfold.

“Move all the valuable things out! Don’t even leave the food behind!”

A man in a sharp black suit lounged on a pile of rubble near the entrance, his legs crossed arrogantly. He barked orders at a crew of rough-looking subordinates, who were busy hauling furniture, lacrima crystals, and anything that gleamed out of the guildhall and loading it onto a magic four-wheeler parked outside.

Deep in the shadows of the ruined hall, Minerva, Rogue, Sting, and a handful of remaining Sabertooth members watched. Their eyes were bloodshot, their breathing ragged. Dust and dried blood clung to their skin and clothes, the lingering evidence of a desperate, losing battle.

Ever since Jiemma and the core elites had been arrested by the Magic Council, the guild had plummeted to rock bottom. Anyone with decent strength or a shred of self-preservation had already abandoned ship for other guilds. Only the young, the injured, and the fiercely loyal remained.

To make matters worse, Jiemma’s tyrannical legacy meant that no legitimate guild—and certainly not the Magic Council—had an ounce of sympathy for Sabertooth’s plight. No one was coming to save a guild infamous for its cruelty. The Council’s silence was a message in itself: We spared you from forced disbandment, but if you rot away, that is your own problem.

“Miss Minerva! Let’s fight these bastards!”

Little Sting bared his canines, his small fists trembling. Despite the bruises painting his arms, his eyes burned with an unyielding fighting spirit. Beside him, Rogue gripped his katana tightly, while their Exceed partners, Lector and Frosch, huddled nervously behind their legs. The few remaining members shared that same desperate defiance. They loved Sabertooth, flaws and all.

Minerva kept her head bowed. Her teeth dug into her lower lip as she fought to suppress the raging impulse to strike.

Jiemma’s brutal, unforgiving methods had been monstrous, but they had forced Minerva to mature far beyond her years. She knew the reality of their situation. Even though she possessed the formidable Yakuma Eighteen War Gods Magic, her magical reserves were currently too low to take on a crew of adult, fully-trained mages. The same went for Sting and Rogue. Throwing their Dragon Slayer Magic at these thugs right now would be nothing short of suicide.

Blood oozed from Minerva’s tightly clenched palms, dripping onto the shattered floorboards. Hot, unwilling tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

She forced her voice to remain steady, swallowing her pride to comfort the others. “Let them take what they want. As long as the guildhall stands, Sabertooth survives.”

“But—” Sting choked on his words, stepping forward.

“The guildhall stands?”

The suited man at the entrance possessed sharp ears. He threw his head back and barked out a cruel laugh. “Hahaha! Kid, don’t be so naive. The junk my boys are hauling out right now? That only covers the interest. If you brats can’t pay the principal, I’m taking the deed to this entire building to settle the debt!”

“You bastard!”

That single threat snapped the last thread of Sting’s restraint. Letting out a furious roar, the young Light Dragon Slayer charged blindly toward the entrance.

“Heh. A whelp who doesn’t know his place.”

The suited man didn’t even stand up. He lazily raised a hand. A jagged magic circle flared to life in his palm, and a torrent of scorching purple flames erupted forward. The fire twisted into the shape of a massive python, baring its blazing fangs as it scorched a black trench into the floorboards, lunging straight for Sting with lethal intent.

Sting froze. The sheer, suffocating pressure of the adult mage’s magic locked his muscles in place. The purple inferno reflected in his wide, desperate pupils.

“Sting!” Minerva and Rogue screamed in unison.

It was too fast. They couldn’t cast their magic in time.

“Ice-Make: White Rose!”

A biting, absolute chill swept through the hall from the side.

In a fraction of a second, the temperature plummeted. The purple flame python collided with a wave of freezing magic and stopped dead in its tracks. The roaring fire was instantly encased in thick, glittering frost, transforming into a magnificent ice sculpture suspended mere inches from Sting’s face.

“Th-this is…”

Sting fell backward onto the floor, his eyes wide with shock as delicate, crystalline ice roses slowly bloomed across the surface of the frozen fire.

“I didn’t expect that in this peaceful era, someone would still dare to openly assault a legitimate guild.”

Ur stepped out from the crowd of stunned onlookers. She wore a heavy gray jacket, her dark hair shifting in the cold breeze she had just generated. She fixed the suited man with a piercing, icy glare. “Tell me, aren’t you afraid of the Guild Alliance bringing down the hammer?”

Seeing a stranger step in to defend Sabertooth, the suited man blinked in surprise before a sneer curled his lips. “The Guild Alliance? Hahahaha! Who gives a damn about a broken, disgraced guild that everyone in Fiore wants dead?”

As a mage from a legitimate local guild himself, he knew exactly how isolated Sabertooth was.

“You must be from out of town. I’ll forgive your ignorance of the local politics.” The man recognized the high-tier Ice-Make magic she had just displayed and suppressed his temper, speaking in a low, warning tone. “I advise you to walk away. Don’t meddle in other people’s business.”

“Sorry, but I’m making this my business.” Ur smiled, stepping over the threshold without a shred of hesitation.

Even if she hadn’t come here specifically to take over Sabertooth, she would never turn a blind eye to someone bullying children.

“Heh. Are you sure about that?” The suited man slowly rose to his feet, his expression darkening into a scowl.

“Absolutely.”

“Alright then. Pay back the one million Jewel this guild owes me, and my men and I will walk away.”

“Just one million? I’ll—”

Ur froze mid-sentence. The overwhelming, heroic aura radiating from her vanished like a popped balloon.

“Wait, you’re here to collect a debt?” Her eyes widened in horror.

She was more than ready to beat them to a pulp, but when it came to actual currency? She didn’t have a single Jewel to her name! The beautiful, powerful ice mage who had just made a flawless entrance stood completely paralyzed, shooting desperate, pleading glances toward a cloaked figure standing in the crowd.

“Naturally. Debts must be paid. We are law-abiding citizens, after all!” The suited man spread his arms, feigning innocence.

“What one million?!” Minerva shouted from the back, her voice cracking with indignation. “We only borrowed one hundred thousand from you a month ago!”

When Jiemma fell, the Magic Council had slapped Sabertooth with crippling fines. Minerva had scraped together everything she could but fell just short. That was when this loan shark had conveniently appeared with a ‘helping hand.’

“You said it yourself, that was a month ago! You think interest doesn’t compound?!” the man snapped back viciously.

Usury…

Listening to the exchange, Ur quickly pieced together the extortion scheme. Her expression hardened, the temperature in the room dropping another few degrees.

Sensing the targeted hostility, the suited man gathered magic power in the hand hidden behind his back. “Listen, woman. If you want to play the hero so badly, cough up the cash. Otherwise, get the hell out of my sight!”

Ur frowned, hesitating.

If she were back in the Northern Continent, she wouldn’t tolerate such blatant extortion; she would have simply buried the man in a glacier. But this was Ishgar. She was unfamiliar with the political landscape, and acting recklessly might bring the Magic Council down on Sabertooth’s remaining members, making their situation even worse.

As she struggled with her options, a dark blue cloak fluttered past her shoulder.

“Isn’t it just a matter of money? What’s the big deal?” Chase strolled forward, his hands resting casually in his pockets as he looked at the loan shark.

In the shadows, Minerva’s breath hitched. She rubbed her dirt-stained eyes, staring in disbelief.

Is that… Lord Chase?!

“Heh. Another idiot trying to play the hero.” The suited man didn’t recognize Chase beneath the hood, keeping his chin tilted arrogantly. “It doesn’t matter who steps up. If you don’t have the cash, stop wasting my time!”

Beside him, one of the thugs squinted, his face paling slightly. “Wait, boss… this guy… I think I’ve seen him somewhere before!”

“You’ve seen a lot of people, you moron! Shut up!” The boss smacked the thug across the back of the head.

“One million is a bit steep to carry on hand. Could you give me some time?” Chase smiled easily, raising his hand and spreading his five fingers.

“Five days? I suppose that’s acceptable.” The suited man grinned greedily.

He held all the cards. If this fool actually produced one million Jewel in five days, he would just slap another exorbitant interest fee on top of it. If not, he would claim the Sabertooth guildhall anyway. It was a win-win.

Just as the loan shark was lost in his greedy fantasies, Chase’s calm voice cut through the air.

“Five. Four. Three…”

Chase began counting down, his hands moving to the clasp of his dark blue cloak.

“Bastard, are you messing with me?!”

The suited man’s face twisted in rage. Magic power flared around him, outlining a volatile magic circle beneath his boots as he stomped toward Chase with killing intent. He was a feared mage in this district; he wouldn’t tolerate being mocked!

“Two. One.”

As Chase hit the final number, he pulled the heavy cloak off his shoulders, revealing his well-proportioned, muscular torso.

And there, branded proudly on his right arm, was a dark gold emblem.

“Ah! Ahhh! Fairy Tail! That’s the Fairy Tail mark!”

“Boss! I remember now! Th-th-that’s him! That’s Fairy Tail’s S-Class Mage, Chase!”

The terrified shrieks of his subordinates echoed through the ruined hall. The suited man, who had been radiating murderous arrogance a second prior, felt his soul attempt to leave his body. His legs turned to jelly.

The sheer weight of the name ‘Chase’ hit him like a physical blow. Driven by the momentum of his own aggressive charge, his knees buckled. He hit the floorboards and literally slid across the room, coming to a halt right at Chase’s boots, his head bowed in a frantic, desperate kowtow.

The instantaneous transition from bloodthirsty thug to groveling coward caught Chase off guard. He paused, his fist hovering halfway through a punch.

“O-Oh! L-Lord Chase! What an absolute honor to have you grace our humble town! I am so, so sorry, I was speaking a bit too loudly just now! Please, I beg your forgiveness!”

The man was nothing if not adaptable. He kept his face pressed against the floor, sweating profusely.

Chase sighed, massaging his temples. Ur had come here to take over Sabertooth and establish a life in this town. Beating the local thugs into a bloody pulp right in front of the townsfolk might set a bad precedent for her new tenure.

He lowered his fist. “Hey. How much did you say Sabertooth owed you?”

“A-A million… No! T-Ten! Ten Jewel!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. One hundred thousand is one hundred thousand. Debts must be paid. We are law-abiding citizens, after all.”

With a flick of his wrist, Chase accessed his extra-dimensional card space, pulling out a thick stack of Jewel notes. He tossed the bundle onto the floor in front of the trembling man. “Can you get lost now?”

“Yes! Yes! Getting lost immediately, my lord!”

The suited man scrambled to gather the cash, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. He hauled himself up, spun around, and prepared to sprint for his life.

“Wait a minute,” Chase called out.

“L-Lord Chase? Is there… is there something else?” The man froze, his spine rigid with terror.

“Aren’t you going to count the money? I don’t want you coming back later claiming the amount was short.”

“No need! Absolutely no need! I trust you completely!” The man was too busy trying not to soil himself to care about counting bills.

“Then get lost. Oh, right.” Chase raised a hand, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the battered interior of the Sabertooth guildhall. “Remember this. From today onward, this guild is an official ally of Fairy Tail.”

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd of onlookers outside.

Fairy Tail and Sabertooth were publicly known to be bitter rivals. They had clashed violently not too long ago. How had the relationship between the two guilds suddenly shifted into an alliance?

This was exactly the reaction Chase wanted. Announcing the alliance publicly would shield Sabertooth from opportunistic vultures and give Ur the breathing room she needed to rebuild. It was the quiet directive Makarov had given him before Ur had dragged him along on this trip.

“Understood! Crystal clear!”

The suited man didn’t care about guild politics; he just wanted to survive the morning. “Then… Lord Chase, may I please get lost now?”

Chase waved a hand dismissively.

Taking that as absolute amnesty, the thugs scrambled over each other, vanishing down the street in the blink of an eye.

“Not bad, little Chase! Bringing you along was definitely the right call!” Ur grinned, flashing him a bright thumbs-up.

“You can flatter me all you want, but you’re still paying back that one hundred thousand Jewel,” Chase replied dryly.

“Oh dear, and here I was thinking of packing up my daughter and sending her to you as payment. Talking about money makes it feel so transactional, doesn’t it?” Ur teased, though she silently committed the debt—and the favor—to memory.

“Now then, moving on…”

She turned her attention back to the shadows of the hall, walking over the debris until she stood before the bewildered Sabertooth members.

“You must be Minerva. I’ve been briefed on your situation.” Ur crouched down slightly, ensuring her eyes were level with the young girl’s. She offered a warm, gentle smile. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Ur. I’m an Ice-Make Mage from the Northern Continent, and I’ve got a fair bit of strength to my name. If you’ll have me… I’d like to be the Master of this guild.”

Her straightforward nature left no room for beating around the bush.

Sting, predictably, was the first to bristle. “Be the Guild Master?! How is that possible? We don’t even know who you are—!”

“Yes. Please help Sabertooth.” Minerva cut him off instantly.

Her face, streaked with dirt and dried blood, was dead serious. Naturally, she would never hand the remnants of her home over to a complete stranger. But this woman had been brought here by Chase. Ever since the incident at the Erma Ruins Island, Minerva had placed Chase on an untouchable pedestal of respect and admiration. If he trusted this woman, Minerva trusted her implicitly.

Sting blinked, thoroughly confused, until Rogue elbowed him in the ribs and subtly nodded toward Chase. Realization finally dawned on the blonde Dragon Slayer, and he snapped his mouth shut.

“If no one else has any objections, then it’s decided!” Ur clapped her hands together.

The remaining Sabertooth members nodded in unison. A spark of genuine hope ignited in their tired eyes. Not only did they have a powerful new mage willing to lead them, but they now had the absolute backing of Fiore’s strongest guild. Sabertooth was going to survive.

“Excellent! Then, as your new Guild Master, I am issuing your very first task!”

Ur grabbed the zipper of her jacket. With a dramatic flourish, she yanked it down and shrugged the heavy garment off, tossing it aside. “Let’s kick off our special training by cleaning up this mess!”

Minerva: “…”

Sting and Rogue: “…”

Lector and Frosch: “…”

We’re starting work already? Can we at least get proper introductions first?!

And how does sweeping the floor count as special training?!

More… why did she just take her clothes off?!

Watching Ur happily begin hauling broken timber while the battered Sabertooth kids were strong-armed into sweeping, Chase let out a long, exhausted sigh. On the train ride here, he had actually been worried about how Ur would integrate into a dark, traumatized guild like Sabertooth. Clearly, his worries had been entirely misplaced.

“Hey! You, the card player over there! What are you standing around for? Get over here and help!” Ur barked, pointing a broom at him.

“Don’t push your luck. I’m not even in this guild!” Chase shot back.

“And you kids!” Ur spun on Sting and Rogue. “Since this is special training, you need to strip off those useless layers! Let your skin make direct contact with the cold air and the magic ethernano in the atmosphere! It’s the only way to truly understand the secrets of magic!”

“EHHHH?!” the entire guild shrieked in unison.

“Wait a minute… isn’t that just the training method for Ice-Make magic?!”