Unlike when they had charged toward the enemy Phantom Lord's guild branch with such fierce determination, the members of Fairy Tail had slunk back home in disgrace. They had even returned under cover of night, apparently not daring to let the people of Magnolia know that Fairy Tail had suffered a crushing defeat—or that their guild master, Makarov, had been gravely wounded.
However...
Though they had been forced to retreat because their guild master was badly injured, the members of Fairy Tail weren't discouraged by their temporary defeat.
At that very moment, they were still busy preparing things in the guild hall. They were getting ready to haul out some kind of powerful magic cannon, magic bombs, and even a few army-killing spellbooks hidden away in the guild storeroom, which they had never intended to use because of their devastating power.
Those things were either forbidden by the Kingdom because of their power or nature, or would violate the Kingdom's laws. Guild Master Makarov had always forbidden their use, too, but... now that he was gravely injured and his fate was unknown, with no one in charge and no one holding them back, they couldn't worry about that anymore.
"Hmm..."
(っ?-?)
"Ah!"
!(;?o?)o
So, after waking up in the guild room belonging to Big Sis Mira—where she had slept the previous night because she hadn't felt like going back to her own house—a little girl stepped outside and saw the people busily working away, apparently getting ready to charge into battle once more.
"Hey! Why are you all working so early? Don't tell me you stayed up all night?"
(??ヮ??)?
Annie thought she had gotten up very, very early today. Yet all these people were already here, and they looked like they had started working long ago. Surprised, she couldn't