The Fall of Phantom

Ye called out to everyone.

"Natsu, Gray, Elfman!"

"Here! Here! Here!"

"You three, go rescue Levy!"

"Understood!!!"

"Bisca, Alzack!"

"Here! Here!"

"Provide long-range support for everyone!"

"Understood!!"

"Lucky!"

"I'm here, Brother Ye."

"Keep Phantom's people tied down."

"Got it!"

"Everyone else, crush them! The war has begun—for Fairy Tail!!"

"Yeah! Yeah!!!"

"And me!"

When everyone saw Erza rushing back, their morale soared even higher.

"Erza, you're in charge of rescuing Levy too!"

"Understood."

"Kill!!"

Moments later, Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord began their war.

"Prepare to fire the second Jupiter cannon."

"Yes!"

Jose watched as Phantom's members were steadily driven back.

"A bunch of trash! You can't even defeat a few hundred people!"

"Appear! Phantom Soldiers!"

"Spend your remaining time barely clinging to life, you Fairy Tail trash."

"Levy, I'm here to save you!" Happy flew Natsu straight to Levy's location, and Natsu ran toward her.

"Iron Dragon Staff!" An iron rod slammed directly into Natsu, sending him flying.

"Bastard, what are you doing?! Who the hell are you?!"

"So you're Fairy Tail's Fire Dragon. You're no match for our master. I'm your opponent!"

Natsu looked at Gajeel, who was covered in injuries. "But you're hurt all over. I don't really want to fight you."

Natsu's words reminded Gajeel of how Ye had defeated him in an instant.

"Hmph! I'm more than enough to deal with you!"

"Iron Dragon Staff!"

Natsu crossed his arms, flames winding around them as he blocked the Iron Dragon Staff.

"Those injuries were from Ye, weren't they?!"

"Do I need you to remind me?! If you want to fight, then fight! Why are you talking so much?!"

Natsu and Gajeel began fighting like that.

The others encountered opponents of their own as well.

Gray faced the water elemental Juvia, while Elfman faced the earth elemental Sol.

"I am Sol, Gentleman Sol."

"Get lost! Don't stop me from saving people! Beast Arm: Black Bull!"

"Oh my?" You can do that with just one hand? I know about you. No—I know everything about Fairy Tail."

"Enough chatter! Take this!" Elfman threw a punch at Sol, but Sol easily dodged it.

"You... used to have a younger sister, didn't you?"

Elfman froze when he heard mention of his sister.

"Sand Dance!"

Taking advantage of Elfman's distraction, Sol surrounded him with Sand Dance, using sand to block his vision.

"Where are you?! Come out and fight me if you've got the guts!"

"Rock Concerto."

Chunks of stone struck Elfman.

"Waaahhh!!"

"One minute until Jupiter fires." An emotionless mechanical voice sounded.

"Hahaha, in one minute, Ye from your guild will disappear."

Elfman laughed confidently. "You people have no idea how terrifying my brother-in-law is. Looking at how ignorant you are now, I almost feel sorry for you!"

"What did you say?! No one could come out unscathed from an attack like that."

"Then let's wait and see."

"Ten seconds until Jupiter fires. Nine, eight, seven... Jupiter loading complete."

"Fire!"

"Ye, get out of the way!"

"You can't move, kid! Hahahahaha!"

Mira desperately tried to rush toward Ye, but Lucy held her tightly. "You can't go over there! It's too dangerous!"

"No! I can't watch the person I love die in front of me again! Lucy, let go of me!"

Lucy clung tightly to Mira. "No, absolutely not!"

Then a voice called out, "Mira!"

Mira stopped struggling when she heard it. The voice was far too familiar—it was Ye.

"Mira, trust me! I don't even consider this much of a threat. Lucy, keep an eye on Mira!"

"I understand!"

The Magic Converging Cannon once again gathered immense energy and fired at Ye.

"Full-Body Armament! Ghost Aura!"

Ye's entire body turned black, radiating a black-purple glow.

Jupiter collided with Ghost Aura, but upon closer inspection, Jupiter's energy was being consumed by the Ghost Aura surrounding his armament.

Before long, Jupiter's energy was completely exhausted. As the smoke cleared, Ye appeared before everyone completely unharmed. Seeing that Ye was fine, Fairy Tail's morale rose to another peak!

"Yeah! Yeah!"

Happy said, "Ye is the strongest!"

"Awoo!"

Seeing Ye safe and sound, Mira's worries finally eased.

Jose looked at the unharmed Ye.

"Damn brat! This kid really does have some skill."

"Activate full power. Start the Magic Giant."

The people inside Phantom's guild felt intense tremors.

"What's going on? What happened now?!"

Both Natsu and Gajeel felt nauseous.

"So sickening!"

The people outside saw a mechanical giant appear before them.

"You've got to be kidding me. This is way too outrageous."

Jose looked at the intimidated Fairy Tail members.

"There's something even more exciting coming. Look forward to it!"

The Magic Giant raised its hand, and patterns and words appeared in the air above it.

"That is...? Writing...?"

Cana shouted, "That mechanical giant is a wizard itself!"

Lucy stared thoughtfully at the magic circle. "That's Purgatory Shatter. It's forbidden magic—we have to stop it now!"

Inside the Magic Giant.

The shaking stopped.

"What exactly happened?" Elfman asked in confusion.

"What happened? You don't need to know. All you need to know is that Fairy Tail's defeat is about to arrive."

"Alright! Let's continue. Let's go back to what we were talking about."

"Who wants to talk to you?! Die!"

Sol burrowed underground to avoid the attack, then emerged from the other side. "You once failed to take over the Beast King, didn't you?"

"I said shut up!" Elfman punched the ground again.

Sol dodged and continued, "Your sister tried to stop you, and you killed her, didn't you?"

Elfman's emotions immediately spiraled out of control. "Don't say another word!"

Sol looked at Elfman, consumed by self-blame. "There's an opening!"

Sol burst out of the ground and kicked Elfman hard.

"Waaah!!"

"No, no, no. You're far too weak!"

"You really enjoy rubbing salt in other people's wounds, huh?"

"Of course I do. I love it because it's so entertaining."

"Then I'll punch you into the air! Full-Body Takeover: Beast King's Soul!"

Sol said in terror, "Aren't you afraid you'll lose control and go berserk?!"

"Go berserk? I did lose control every time before. But my brother-in-law is the strongest creature on the surface. The Beast King is nothing in his eyes. I've been able to control the Beast King for a long time now."

"I usually don't use it because I'm afraid my sister would be sad if she saw it. So there's a lot you don't know. Die, you bastard who enjoys playing with people's hearts!"

Elfman defeated Sol with a barrage of attacks.

"Pathetic trash. Hmph!"

The people outside noticed that Purgatory Shatter was being drawn more slowly.

"Everyone, look! It's slowing down!"

Mira thought, "It's very likely that Purgatory Shatter draws its power from Phantom's Four Elements. Since it has slowed down, one of the elements must have been defeated!"

"As long as we defeat the Four Elements, the magic will stop!"

Mira looked toward the distant Magic Giant and thought, You have to do your best!

Macao saw the worry on her face and said, "Mira, don't worry. Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Elfman have one each. They're all very strong."

"Mm! I know."

Lucy thought about what could stop the Magic Giant, and suddenly had an idea!

"Open, Gate of Aquarius! Aquarius!"

"You brat, what did you summon me for this time? You've got some nerve!"

Mira complained, "Lucy, is that really your Celestial Spirit?"

Lucy said helplessly, "Yes..."

"Oh, right, Aquarius. Can you use magic to make a hundred-meter wave and knock that giant down?"

"Huh?! A hundred meters?! What are you thinking? Of course I can't!"

"How lame. You're clearly a water Celestial Spirit."

Aquarius said angrily, "It's not that I can't do it. Your magic power isn't enough!"

Lucy said, "It's fine. Use as much as you want."

Seeing Lucy's serious expression, Aquarius stopped trying to persuade her.

"Die, you big idiot!"

Aquarius swung the water jar in her hand, instantly summoning a massive wave that surged toward the Magic Giant. The Magic Giant was forced back several steps by the wave. Fortunately, the spell's casting speed slowed considerably again.

That single wave drained all of Lucy's magic power, and she collapsed limply to the ground.

Aquarius mocked, "I told you that you couldn't do it. Why push yourself? Remember, there won't be a next time! I'm going back now."

Mira looked at Lucy worriedly. "You didn't have to do this, Lucy."

"No! I want to do something for the guild too!"

Inside the Magic Giant.

Erza found Jose.

Jose looked at Erza. "You're Fairy Tail's Queen, Erza, right? You think you can stop me alone?!"

"Hmph, I'm enough!"

"You overestimate yourself!"

"Requip! Black Wing Armor!"

"Black Wing: Moon Flash!" Erza charged at Jose at high speed, but Jose lightly dodged the attack.

"So Fairy Tail's Queen is only capable of this much? What a disappointment."

Erza kept swinging her sword at Jose, but she could not hit him.

"Dark Arrow."

Several black arrows shot from Jose's hand, striking Erza

"Ahhh!"

"Dark Erosion."

Purple magic restraints wrapped around Erza.

Jose said slowly, "Fairy Tail used to be nothing more than a small guild, but its development has only gotten better in recent years. Whether it's you or the Fire Dragon, your reputations have spread through every street and alley. Especially that monster, Ye—his fame has spread across all of Earth-land."

"Fairy Tail has vaguely shown signs of surpassing Phantom Lord and becoming the number one guild."

"And now you've even recruited the Heartfilia family's young lady. Just how far do you intend to expand Fairy Tail?!"

As he spoke, Jose tightened the restraints.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Why?! Why?! You're nothing but a second-rate guild!"

Erza said disdainfully, "You look truly ugly when you're jealous."

"And that Heartfilia family heiress you mentioned—we don't know anything about that."

"Quit pretending. It's Lucy. Her full name is Lucy Heartfilia."

"What?! How could Lucy be—?!"

"So, the head of the Heartfilia family commissioned us to bring his daughter back. She was the fuse that started this war."

"We don't know the heiress Lucy you're talking about at all. The Lucy we know is just a mage who runs herself ragged every month to pay 7wj in rent, who adventures with us, laughs with us, cries with us, fights alongside us. She is a mage of our guild, a mage of Fairy Tail!!!"

"And yet you call her a fuse. A flower cannot decide what land it grows in, and children have no right to choose their parents. Someone like you could never understand what kind of person Lucy is!"

"I'll understand soon enough. Do you really think I'll obediently send her back? Don't be stupid! I'll raise her properly until I've drained that family of every last coin. All of the Heartfilia family's property will be mine! Hahahahaha!"

"You despicable bastard!" Erza struggled to break free, but she could not escape the restraints.

At that moment, while Jose was lost in his fantasies, Elfman had already rescued Levy.

"Erza! Levy has been rescued! The other two have been rescued as well!"

"Well done, Elfman. Hurry and inform Ye."

"Damn it, when did—?!"

"Just now! Jose, your scheme will not succeed!"

Elfman swiftly exited the Magic Giant and shouted, "Everyone! Levy and the others have been rescued!"

Elfman came before Mira and set down Levy's group of three.

Mira hurriedly said, "Quickly, take them to Granny Porlyusica."

Seeing the three who had been rescued, Ye's Conqueror's Haki surged into the sky once more!

"Jose!!!"

Ye leaped with all his strength, soaring high above the Magic Giant, and shouted for Natsu, Gray, and Erza to leave at once.

Hearing Ye's voice, they understood that Levy had been rescued and hurried to leave the area.

Natsu urgently said, "You need to get out of there too! If you don't leave now, you won't be able to!"

Over at Gray's side.

"Ice-Make: Slide."

"Let's go. If we don't leave now, it'll be too late."

"Aren't we enemies?"

"I can't just stand by and do nothing when a girl is in trouble."

Juvia, her face red, stiffly walked over to Gray and slid down the ice slide with him.

"Heaven-Guard Kick!"

Ye's powerful strike directly shattered Purgatory Shatter. The entire Magic Giant dropped to both knees, sparks crackling from its legs! The Magic Giant was completely paralyzed.

"Jose!!! Get the hell out here!"

"Brat, you destroyed my guild again! I'll crush you! I'll show you the power of a Ten Wizard Saint."

Ye looked toward the voice and saw the battered Erza collapsed on the ground.

Seeing Erza knocked down, Ye's already furious heart was set ablaze even further.

"You truly deserve to die, Jose!!"

"The one who deserves to die is you, brat!"

"Dark Spiral!"

"Just a cheap trick!"

Ye charged into the Dark Spiral, his Armament Haki-covered fist instantly smashing it apart.

"Die, Jose!"

Ye swung his fist at Jose, but missed.

"Teleportation?"

"You're too slow, brat."

"Your makeup and your sense of fashion are as lowly as rats in a filthy gutter, but I have to admit, your abilities are indeed not bad."

"But only not bad!"

"It's time to end this, Jose!"

"You're just a brat who talks big. Hit me first, then talk!"

Ye smiled faintly and appeared before Jose again, throwing a punch. Jose teleported away once more, but the moment he reappeared—

Ye's voice sounded beside Jose's ear. "Yo! We meet again!"

Jose said in shock, "When?!"

Boom!

Jose was smashed straight into the ground.

"Impossible! I don't believe it, I don't believe it!"

Jose teleported again and again. Every time he moved to a new location, Ye would already be standing before him.

Seeing that teleportation was useless, Jose flew into the air and crazily unleashed magic in Ye's direction.

"Dark Stream, Dark Spiral, Despair!..."

After unleashing a barrage of magic, Jose panted heavily. "Did I get him?"

"So this is the power of a Ten Wizard Saint? It's not much, is it?"

Ye's mocking voice came from the ground.

"What?! Brat, you're not dead yet."

"You're still far from being able to kill me."

"Moonwalk!"

Ye ran through the air toward Jose at high speed.

"Armament! Tempest Kick!"

With a sweep of Ye's leg, a black blade of air shot rapidly toward Jose. Jose hurriedly cast magic.

"Dark Spiral!"

Dark Spiral collided with Tempest Kick in midair, but there was no explosion. Tempest Kick sliced straight through Dark Spiral and struck Jose.

"Ahhh!!!"

Jose fell from the sky, but Ye had no intention of letting him go. He continued pursuing Jose through the air.

"Armament! Finger Pistol Barrage!"

"Waaah!!!"

In an instant, bloody holes appeared all over Jose's body.

Ye delivered an inverted kick, speeding up Jose's descent. Jose streaked toward the ground like a meteor.

Boom~!

Jose struggled to his feet, using magic power to seal the bleeding holes. He panted heavily as he watched Ye slowly walk toward him.

As Ye walked forward, he spread his arms. With every step, the Ghost Aura around him grew denser. Conqueror's Haki and Ghost Aura merged, forming the phantom of a vicious demon above Ye's head.

Looking at that phantom, Jose felt as though he were about to be devoured.

Before long, Ye arrived before Jose. Jose snapped back to his senses, looked at Ye standing right before him, and quickly stepped back.

"Dark Erosion!"

Darkness surrounded Ye.

"Hahahaha! I've got you now."

Just as Jose was about to torture Ye with all his might, he discovered that the darkness could not get anywhere near Ye.

"You've used up all your moves, haven't you?!"

"Damn brat, don't get cocky!"

Jose gathered all the magic power in his body. The immense magical fluctuations filled the sky with dark clouds.

In the distance, the members of Fairy Tail felt the oppressive power of the magic and could not help worrying.

"Such powerful magic... Is Ye going to be okay?"

"Don't worry! This level of attack can't bring Ye down."

Everyone turned around and discovered that the voice belonged to Erza.

Mira said, "Erza, are you okay?!"

"I'm fine. These minor injuries are nothing."

Then everyone turned their attention back toward Ye.

Jose finished gathering magic in his hands.

"Death Storm!"

"Die, brat!"

"Armament! Iron Body."

Ye stared coldly at Jose and allowed the magic to strike him.

After casting the spell, Jose stared in shock at the sight before him.

Ye stood before Jose completely unharmed.

Jose could not believe that the magic he had always been proud of had absolutely no effect on the boy before him.

Ye continued walking forward, slowly spreading his arms as he reached Jose.

"According to Fairy Tail custom, I'll give you three seconds to repent."

Jose was completely stunned by what had happened earlier and did not hear Ye at all.

"3~2~1~"

Ye's hands slammed toward Jose's head at incredible speed.

Buzzz~~!

After Ye's strike hit his head, Jose felt ringing in his ears and dizziness. Blood slowly flowed from his seven orifices, and his breath gradually faded away.

Until his death, Jose never understood what had happened. He simply collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! We won!"

When Makarov arrived, he saw everyone cheering. He walked toward Ye, and when he saw Jose's corpse, he sighed.

"You were once a very outstanding mage. You earned the title of Ten Wizard Saint at such a young age. If you had cultivated diligently, I believe you would have achieved great things in the magic world. Unfortunately, your heart was corrupt, and jealousy clouded your mind. That was what led to this tragedy."

Ye looked at Makarov. "Alright, old man. Time to head back."

Makarov watched Ye's retreating figure and said softly, "That little brat from before has grown into a towering tree capable of sheltering the guild from wind and rain."

"Maybe I should retire early."