The next day at noon, the guild's main gate was pushed open from the outside.
The first thing to rush in wasn't the wind, but a burst of crackling golden lightning.
Several people near the door stopped talking at the same time. Laxus, carrying a travel bag, walked into the hall, his coat draped over his shoulders, and the soles of his boots still covered in mud from his journey.
" Laxus?" Macao put down his glass. "Weren't you going up north for two months this time?"
The commission has ended early.
Laxus tossed the certificate of completion onto the bar. Makarov picked it up, glanced at it, and, confirming the stamp was correct, was about to speak when he suddenly heard the sound of a chair overturning beside him.
A young member stood up, using the edge of the table for support. His left arm was wrapped in bandages, and the two people with him quickly helped him up.
"Sit down," Mira said, pushing her water glass towards her. "The wound was only stitched up yesterday. We'll discuss the payment after the chairman and the client have finished talking."
"But we abandoned the mission..."
"The number of beasts doesn't match the order, so the retreat is fine," Makarov said. "You've done the most important thing by bringing the wounded back."
Laxus stood at the bar, and after listening, he scoffed.
"Three people couldn't handle a group of mountain beasts, and you had to escape back and the guild master to demand compensation for you. Is Fairy Tail now so capable of leaving even these kinds of creatures behind?"
The talking in the hall suddenly stopped.
The injured young man lowered his head, while his two companions, who were supporting him, glared at Laxus.
" Laxus," Makarov said, his face darkening. "They misjudged the intelligence, retreated with their companions in time, and did not violate any guild rules."
That's why I say the rules are getting more and more ridiculous.
Laxus scanned the young faces in the hall.
"The guild is not a shelter. Those who lack strength will only drag their companions down during missions, and in the end, only the truly capable will be able to rescue them. Rather than waiting until they kill others, it's better to remove the crest sooner rather than later."
The chair legs scraped violently against the floor.
Natsu stood up from the table. While the others in the hall were still angry about Laxus's words, he seemed not to have heard the argument at all, his eyes fixed on the lightning flickering on Laxus's shoulder.
"You're back just in time!" Flames erupted from Natsu's fist. " Laxus, fight me!"
"Not interested."
"Fight first, then talk!"
Natsu stepped onto the table, leaping over several glasses to lunge at Laxus. Makarov had barely called his name when Laxus had already raised his right hand.
A flash of golden lightning streaked across the sky.
Natsu didn't even have time to throw a punch before he froze in mid-air. The next moment, he crashed to the floor in a cloud of black smoke, sliding several meters and knocking over the chair behind Gray.
"Damn it, which way are you flying?!" Gray jumped up.
"Stop babbling..." Natsu propped himself up, but his arm trembled involuntarily, and he fell back down.
Laxus didn't even move.
"Still as overconfident as ever."
Erza had already gripped the sword hilt. Dark magical energy emanated from around Mira, but someone else reached Natsu's side first.
Lin Yuan crouched down to examine Natsu for a moment, confirming that Natsu was only temporarily paralyzed by lightning, and then stood up.
"Teasing your comrade after you've attacked him won't make you seem stronger."
Laxus then looked at him seriously.
Two years had passed, and Lin Yuan's figure had completely shed its youthful appearance. The sword at his waist showed no signs of magic, and he didn't actively release any aura as he stood there, yet Laxus could still sense that the surrounding space was undergoing extremely subtle changes with his breathing.
"It seems you didn't waste your time in that world." Laxus's lips slowly curled into a smile. "You are indeed much stronger now than before you left."
"Since you came back, you've become even more adept at saying things that make people uncomfortable."
A few barely suppressed laughs escaped from the crowd, then quickly disappeared as Laxus looked over.
Laxus tossed his travel bag against the wall, and the lightning crackling on his shoulder gradually brightened.
"Perfect timing. The S-Class Exam two years ago didn't determine a winner directly."
" Laxus!" Makarov had already guessed what he was going to say.
" Lin Yuan, fight me."
"It's just a friendly spar," Lin Yuan said, looking at Makarov. "I'll keep the fight outside the city; it won't affect the guild or the residents."
"I'm not just worried about you!" Makarov glared at Laxus. "He's not in the mood for a spar right now."
Mira stepped forward. "Why would he go crazy with you?"
I didn't ask you.
You can fight me first if you want.
Black magic and golden lightning rose simultaneously at both ends of the hall. Makarov's fist suddenly grew larger and slammed heavily onto the bar, causing all the glasses to jump.
"Take all your magic back!"
Mira snorted and dispersed to Take Over the magic power. Laxus stared at Lin Yuan, ignoring the guild leader's anger.
Lin Yuan straightened Nameless's waist.
"This place is too small."
"Then let's go outside."
Laxus turned and walked towards the door.
"No one is allowed to go!" Makarov jumped down from the bar. "I, an old man, do not agree to this duel!"
Laxus did not stop.
Lin Yuan glanced at Natsu lying on the ground, then walked towards the door. Mira grabbed her coat from the back of the chair, and Erza followed after him, sword in hand.
Makarov's temples throbbed with veins as he grabbed his cane and chased after them.
"Did you two even hear what I said?!"