The Big Gamble Begins

Looking at the empty meeting room, Makarov scratched his head and muttered to himself, "This... this is it?"

"Yes, (Old Suo)!"

"Heh! Space Magic is really convenient!" (Makarov)

"Guild leader, the other guild leaders probably won't arrive until tomorrow morning. Let's leave here and go explore the town!"

"Hmm! I'm thirsty, let's go to town and have some fun!"

"Yeah!"

HAPPY made a peace sign, and then Suo excitedly ran out.

Gazing at the ever-moving plumes of dust in the distance, Makarov shook his head and said, "Sigh! He's too impatient. It seems he needs to be tempered a bit more!"

After saying this, he walked out of the venue with his hands behind his back and headed towards the most famous bar in town.

"President!"

"President!"

"President, wake up! We're going to be late!"

"President!"

Hearing the noise around him, Makarov covered his head with a pillow, then turned over and continued to sleep soundly.

Seeing that physical calls were no longer working, Old Suo had no choice but to turn on the radio and initiate a secret telegram call.

"President, the regular meeting is about to start! If you don't get up now, you'll be late!"

"Ha! Seriously, what's all the noise about so early in the morning!"

After his murmured words ended, Makarov suddenly opened his eyes and said softly, "Is the meeting about to begin?"

"If you can finish washing up in ten minutes, we should still be able to make it!"

Hearing the sound coming from the foot of the bed, Makarov sprang out of bed and yelled at Sordil, who was standing there, "You brat, why are you only waking me up now?!"

He blinked, looking completely bewildered, and then said, Old Suo aggrieved, "President, I came to wake you up two hours ago, but you haven't responded at all. What can I do?"

"It's over! It's over! This is huge trouble!"

"It's over! It's over!"

Watching Makarov pace back and forth on the bed in his bathrobe, muttering to himself, Sordil offered another well-intentioned reminder.

"President, if you hurry up and wash up now, we can still make it!"

Makarov, who had just caught a glimpse of those words, instantly recalled the speed of his journey yesterday. He immediately stopped and vanished from Old Suo's sight like a bolt of lightning.

"Bang!"

Three minutes later, the closed bathroom door reopened, and Makarov, dressed and fresh-faced, made a dazzling entrance.

"Alright! Stop dawdling and let's get going, or we'll be too late!"

"Oh oh!"

Upon hearing the president's words, Mengbi Suo nodded slowly, then quickly walked to the president's side and placed a circle of silvery-white light under their feet.

When the two arrived at the venue, all the other guild leaders had already arrived. Judging from the situation, if they had been even a second later, they would probably have been declared absent.

"Ha! Some people have finally deigned to show themselves! (Jose)"

"Little Ma, you're so late! You're really mean!" (Bob)

"Looks like you need to spin around a few times to clear your head! (Ouba)"

"Makarov, who is this not-at-all-wild boy next to you? (Goldman)"

Upon hearing the other party mention Sordil, Makarov puffed out his chest and said smugly, "His name is Sordil, the one who perfectly resolved the Tower of Paradise incident, giving all of you time to have tea and relax."

As soon as Makarov finished speaking, Bob clung to Old Suo's arm as if they were old friends.

"Handsome young man, would you be interested in joining our Blue Pegasus?"

"Okay! If you can teach me all the magic like Chairman Makarov did, then I will leave Fairy Tail and join Blue Pegasus."

Seeing the sly look on someone's face, Bob immediately covered his mouth and laughed.

"Wow! Little brother, you're really something!"

"Hmph! Since that's the case, then you can join our Phantom Lord!"

Old Suo glanced at Jose, who had interrupted him abruptly, and then said disdainfully, "Tch! You can't even beat me, and you want to teach me magic? Dream on!"

"Heh! Kid, do you know who I am? How dare you spout such nonsense? Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue!"

Looking at Jose's sneer, Sordil said calmly, "Aren't you Jose Bora, the Grimoire Heart and one of the Ten Wizard Saints?"

"Hmph! You know that much!"

"But it's also a fact that you can't beat me!"

Upon hearing Old Suo's words, Jose was instantly enraged.

"Good lad, I didn't want to lower myself to your level, but since you're being so rude, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of Makarov!"

"Hehe! They've taken the bait!" (Old Suo's inner monologue)

Sensing the air around him beginning to rage, Old Suo quickly stopped him.

"Etc!"

"What? Scared?"

"Afraid of you? Don't be ridiculous! I just don't want to waste my energy and precious time."

"Hmph! Fear is fear, why make so many excuses!"

"Fine! Since you insist on fighting, I'll play along! However, if you lose, your title as one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and Jupiter of your Phantom Lord, will both belong to me!"

"Okay! We'll do it your way!"

Seeing Jose with a cold smile as he assumed the starting stance, Old Suo called for a halt again.

"Wait! I still have something to say to the other presidents, what's the rush!"

"Alright! I'll give you a few more minutes so you can write your last words, so you don't have any regrets when you go on your way!"

Having said that, Jose forcibly suppressed his anger and sullenly stepped aside.

"Little brother, although Jose is ugly and speaks rudely, he's quite strong. You'd better apologize and cancel the duel!"

Looking at Bob and the others who were staring at him with worried eyes, Sordil laughed and said, "Guild leaders, do you also think I can't beat Jose?"

Upon hearing Old Suo's words, Bob and the others nodded in unison.

"Alright! In that case, let's make a bet. If I win, each of you will teach me a powerful spell. If I lose, I'll give each of you a Dragon-Slaying Magic Crystal."

"Heh! So Sordil's got his eye on Bob and his group's magic!" (Makarov's inner thoughts)

"Hmm... I'm a little embarrassed, but I have no reason not to accept a free Dragon-Slaying Magic Crystal... Alright! I accept the bet! (Bob)"

"We accept it too!" (Goldman et al.)

Upon seeing this scene, Makarov first sighed, then shook his head vigorously.

"Heh! Makarov, it's too late to sigh now. Who told you not to stop the little guy in time? (Goldman)"

"Sigh! I'm sighing for you guys, not for some hidden big shot! (Makarov's inner thoughts)"

Thus, the bet involving multiple guild leaders was concluded.

"Alright! I've finished what I needed to do, let's begin the duel!"

Upon hearing Old Suo's words, Jose remained silent and flew directly out of the venue.

"You brat, come out and get a beating!"

After Jose's words reached the hall, Old Suo smiled and then walked outside.

"Let's go take a look!" (Goldman)

Once the rhythm was set in motion, everyone else followed the two and left the venue without a second thought.

"Phantom Soldier"

Seeing the black-clad soldiers charging towards him, Old Suo's smile vanished, and he unleashed a white orb of light.

"Radiance & Purification"

"Buzz!"

Bathed in milky white light, the black-clad soldiers vanished instantly, like snowflakes meeting the blazing sun.

"That's interesting!" (Jose)

"The Death Aura"

"Ghost Arrow"

"Whoosh"

After sliding backward for a distance, Sordil calmly condensed two larger orbs of light.

"Angel Wings - Light Strike"

The audience erupted in heated discussion as they watched the two locked in a fierce battle.

"No wonder little brother Sordil was so confident; he was using light magic!" (Bob)

"Although their attributes are mutually exclusive, there is still a significant difference in their magic power levels, so Jose should ultimately emerge victorious. (Goldman)"

"After all, Jose is Ten Wizard Saints! (Ouba)"

"Ha! Isn't it a bit too early to draw conclusions now? (Makarov)"

"Makarov, you don't actually think your little guy will win, do you? (Sabertooth)" (Sabertooth is a nickname for the guild leader, and will be used similarly throughout.)

"Hmph! Since you all think Jose will win, why don't you join the betting?" (Makarov)

"I'm afraid Fairy Tail won't be able to produce that many Dragon-Slaying Magic Crystal! (Mermaid Heel)"

"Heh! If you don't have Dragon-Slaying Magic Crystal, we can give you other items, such as Fairy Law. (Makarov)"

"Hey! It's just about saving face, do you have to go to such lengths?!" (Goldman)

"Heh heh! You tell me, are you brave enough to bet?" (Makarov)

"Let's gamble!"

"Let's gamble!"

"Hmph! Not bad. In that case, I'll go all out and send you on your way!" (Jose)

"Death Storm"

Looking at the black energy wave rushing towards him, Old Suo took a step forward and then assumed the posture of launching a Kamehameha.

"Light Magic - Holy Light Shine"

"Buzz!"

The next second, a Milky White Light Beam shot out from between Old Suo's palms.

"Whoosh!"

Just before contact with the black energy wave, a milky white beam of light suddenly spread out, forming a milky white barrier that kept the black energy out.

"Light Magic: Lion King's Consecutive Flashes"

"Roar"

As Old Suo's voice faded, a lion's roar echoed across the battlefield, followed by a gleaming white lion charging toward Jose like lightning.

"Hmph! Well done!"

"Dark Erosion"

Dark Stream

"Roar"

With a lion's roar, the surrounding darkness instantly receded, but the white lion was also struck by the black beam of light that followed.

"Boom!"

The collision between the two sides triggered a violent explosion, leaving the audience in a state of shock.