Fairy Tail: My Magic is a Yu-Gi-Oh! Deck — Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Give Me Some Face

“Laxus?”

The murmur rippled through the guild hall, instantly freezing the lively atmosphere.

“Hey! You heartless bastard, how do you even have the nerve to show your face here?”

“After pulling a stunt like that, don’t think we’re just going to forgive you! Get out!”

The moment the guild members recognized the towering blonde Mage, their smiles vanished. Chairs scraped against the floorboards as mages stood up, their expressions hardening into walls of absolute vigilance.

Even though the failure of Fairy Law proved Laxus harbored no true killing intent toward his guildmates, the sheer scale of his rebellion remained unforgivable. If Chase hadn’t intervened and crushed the uprising, no one dared to imagine how the Battle of Fairy Tail would have ended.

Yet, Laxus seemed to have aged a decade overnight. Facing the open hostility, the disdain, and the harsh curses from the very weaklings he used to look down upon, he didn’t summon his lightning. He didn’t roar in anger. He didn’t even offer a single word of defense. He simply walked forward in heavy silence, his jaw locked tight.

Natsu watched from a nearby table. He noticed the hollow dimness deep in the Lightning Dragon Slayer’s eyes. His throat bobbed, and his fists clenched against his thighs, forcing down the burning urge to run over and demand a fight.

Thanks to his conversation with Chase last night, Natsu already knew Laxus’s impending fate. He understood that what was about to happen on the second floor was the only viable option left for both the guild and Laxus himself.

For a long moment, the fire mage stood rooted to the spot, torn. Part of him wanted to hurl harsh words and issue a fiery challenge; another part wanted to grab Laxus by the coat and force him to stay.

Ignoring the daggers glared into his back, Laxus reached the bar. He cast a brief, wary glance at Chase—who was leaning against the counter with an infuriatingly relaxed posture—before turning his attention to the white-haired barmaid.

“Where’s the old man?” Laxus asked, his voice a low, raspy rumble.

The question only agitated the crowd further. Angry shouts erupted from the back, rebuking him for having the sheer audacity to seek out the Guild Master after nearly destroying the town. A few of the more hot-tempered members began channeling magic into their palms, ready to subdue the rogue S-Class Mage by force.

Erza stepped forward, raising a single, gauntleted hand. Her stern gaze swept over the room, instantly suppressing the brewing riot. She could see it clearly—the arrogant ferocity that used to burn in Laxus’s eyes was completely extinguished. It was safe for him to meet Makarov alone.

Besides, some things simply had to be resolved behind closed doors.

Mira, usually the picture of gentle hospitality, didn’t offer him a single drop of warmth. She wiped a glass with methodical slowness, her blue eyes icy. “He’s on the second floor.”

She shared Erza’s judgment, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

Laxus accepted the cold dismissal without complaint. He turned and began his silent march toward the staircase.

Just as his heavy boot hit the first wooden step, Chase casually called out.

“Hey, you damn blondie.”

Laxus froze.

Chase took a sip from his cup, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. “The fight yesterday was pretty satisfying. Let’s go another round when we get the chance.”

Laxus stood motionless for a second. Then, without turning around, he raised his right hand in a half-hearted, dismissive wave. In the shadow of the stairwell, where none of the glaring guild members could see, the tense corners of his mouth twitched upward into a faint, fleeting smile.

Just as I wanted, damn card guy.

He didn’t linger. His broad shoulders disappeared around the bend of the stairs, leaving the heavy atmosphere of the first floor behind.

Amidst the lingering murmurs and dissatisfied grumbles of the crowd, another heavily bandaged figure descended from the second floor.

Gajeel Redfox.

He had just finished a private report to Makarov regarding the current movements of the Dark Guild, Raven Tail—the very guild run by Laxus’s biological father, Ivan. Out of a desire to atone for his sins against Fairy Tail, and to repay Makarov’s unexpected kindness in taking him in, the Iron Dragon Slayer had voluntarily walked into the viper’s nest. He was now operating as a double agent, secretly collecting intelligence and monitoring Ivan’s every move from the shadows.

“Gajeel! I have wonderful news!”

Juvia bounded over, her gloomy Phantom Lord demeanor entirely replaced by a bubbly aura. She was incredibly considerate of her former guildmate. “We’re allowed to participate in tonight’s Fantasia Parade!”

Before Gajeel could even grunt a response, she pressed her hands to her cheeks, her eyes turning into hearts. “Of course, Juvia will be riding a float with Gray-sama, so I absolutely cannot team up with you!”

“I’m not interested in that kind of crap,” Gajeel muttered, waving her off. He trudged past her and slumped into a quiet corner, crossing his arms.

He wasn’t as simple-minded as Juvia. She had just fought as a soldier for Phantom Lord, but Gajeel had been the tip of the spear. He was the one who had physically reduced the Fairy Tail guildhall to rubble. He was the one who had pinned Levy and her team to a tree.

That heavy weight of guilt gnawed at him. He didn’t feel qualified to stand on a brightly lit float and represent the guild in a grand performance. Worse, his face was infamous. Parading a former Phantom Lord terror through the streets of Magnolia would only drag Fairy Tail’s public image through the mud.

“Don’t you actually like that awful singing and roaring of yours?” Natsu asked, walking over with a tilted head.

Having experienced the fusion with Gajeel during the battle, Natsu understood the iron-muncher’s heart better than anyone else in the room. He knew that beneath the spikes and the scowls, this stubborn lump of metal desperately wanted to integrate into the guild and be accepted as a true companion.

“If it’s awful to listen to, then plug your damn ears!” Gajeel snapped, his face twisting into a scowl.

“Who the hell wants to listen anyway? When the parade starts, I’m staying ten miles away from you, you piece of scrap metal!”

“I already told you I’m not participating, you Fire Dragon bastard! You looking for a fight?!”

“Bring it on, iron breath!”

Foreheads clashed, and sparks literally flew between the two Dragon Slayers as they immediately devolved into a shouting match.

“They start throwing hands at the drop of a hat. Truly two childish brats,” Gray muttered from the next table, shaking his head in sheer disdain.

“And where exactly do you get the confidence to say something like that?” Lucy deadpanned, dragging a hand down her face.

Despite the noise, the tension in the guild hall finally began to melt. Erza, who had kept a strict, watchful eye on Gajeel since his arrival, allowed a soft, exasperated smile to touch her lips. The other members watched the bickering duo with relaxed postures, the earlier hostility completely washed away.

During the battle, Gajeel had thrown his own body into the path of Laxus’s lightning to shield Levy. That single, brutal moment had proven his determination to protect his new home. From that second onward, the guild had silently, officially accepted him as one of their own.

“Alright, knock it off. How about this, Gajeel—give me some face.”

Chase suddenly appeared between the two glaring Dragon Slayers. He casually slung an arm around Gajeel’s spiked shoulder, completely ignoring the murderous aura rolling off the iron mage.

“Stop messing around with your crappy singing,” Chase said smoothly. “Come play some background music for me tonight.”

“I already told you, I’m not interested in the damn Fantasia Parade!” Gajeel roared, blinded by his argument with Natsu. He violently shoved Chase’s arm off. “And who the hell are you anyway?! Why should I play accompaniment for—”

“Oh?” Chase smiled faintly.

The entire guild hall plunged into absolute, terrifying silence.

Even Natsu clamped his mouth shut, taking a very deliberate step backward. Everyone stared at Gajeel with a mixture of awe and pity. The Iron Dragon is feeling awfully suicidal today.

Gajeel blinked. The red haze of anger cleared from his vision, and he finally registered the face of the man standing next to him.

“Ah?! Ch-Ch-Ch-Chase?! Wait, wait, hold on, what I meant was—” Gajeel’s face drained of all color.

He never finished the sentence.

Suddenly, the floor vanished. Gajeel realized with a jolt of horror that all of his guildmates were standing upside down on the ceiling.

With a casual, devastatingly fast Rising Dragon Fist, Chase launched Gajeel into the air. The Iron Dragon Slayer flipped a full 180 degrees, tracing a beautifully violent arc across the guild hall before crashing headfirst into the far stone wall.

A web of cracks spiderwebbed across the masonry. Dust and loose pebbles rained down onto the floorboards.

“Since you’ve decided to become a member of Fairy Tail, drop the boring baggage,” Chase said, casually dusting off his knuckles. He strolled over to where Gajeel was slumped in the rubble, planting his hands on his hips and leaning down with a bright smile. “Nobody in this guild gives a damn about a clean reputation.”

Gajeel groaned, peeling his face out of the cracked stone. He froze, staring up at the S-Class Mage for several long seconds.

A brief internal struggle flashed across his bruised face. Finally, he clicked his tongue, turning his head away to hide the faint, embarrassed flush creeping up his neck.

“Let me say this right now,” Gajeel grumbled, rubbing his jaw. “I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to keep up with your rhythm.”

Even when giving in, the Iron Dragon had to maintain his stubborn pride.

“Don’t worry about it. Just play according to the sheet music I give you.” Chase nodded, his smile widening in pure satisfaction. He reached into his coat and pulled out a rolled-up sheaf of papers, tapping it mysteriously against his chin. “This is a brand new song. Even Natsu and the others haven’t heard it yet. It’s not something just anyone can play, so you better look forward to it.”