"Alright, alright." Jehfrit nodded repeatedly, gritting his teeth. "You forced me to do this!"
He pulled out a stack of photos and held them high. "Who wants to see Cana's wedding dress photos?"
"You jerk!" Cana, who always walked around in a swimsuit, blushed like an innocent girl whose first kiss had been stolen. She shouted loudly, "Don't use magic to trick people!"
"Trick?" Jehfrit grinned. "Let me remind you—23rd."
"Ugh," Cana was immediately at a loss for words.
"Cana, what's this about taking wedding photos? Are you getting married?" Erza looked at Cana with wide eyes full of shock.
"N-no, nothing like that!" Cana quickly moved to Jehfrit, grabbing his collar, and pulled out a bottle of alcohol from behind her back, shoving it into his mouth.
"Gulp gulp."
The person drank it, but it wasn't Jehfrit.
Cana suddenly realized she was pouring alcohol down Gray's throat.
"Damn it!" Cana turned around to look for Jehfrit.
"Cana, you should know that if I were on guard, you wouldn't be able to touch me," Jehfrit said, sitting at the counter, his hand pressing down on the photos.
"You..." Cana clenched her teeth, then bent over decisively in front of Jehfrit. "I'm sorry for using sleeping pills on you!"
"Very good," Jehfrit nodded in satisfaction.
"Give me the photos back, and explain this mess!" Cana growled.
"Here you go." Jehfrit pushed the photos towards her.
Cana quickly grabbed them, but upon inspection, she realized they weren't from her wedding dress shoot but were instead from a town drinking contest victory.
"You..." Cana was speechless.
"Ah, actually, I only saw from afar and didn't have time to take any pictures," Jehfrit laughed.
He had been far away at the time, thinking he was mistaken, even doubting it wasn't the same person. By the time he got close enough to confirm it was Cana, she had already finished trying on the dress and gone into the changing room.
"..."
"Cana, what's going on?" Erza's curiosity had reached its peak, and everyone else was curious too. Even Lucy, who had been crying earlier, stopped to listen intently.
Cana explained helplessly, "It was a job request. That store wanted me to endorse their swimsuits, so I had to try them on to decide."
Endorsement for Cana?
Everyone thought about Cana's usual attire and nodded understandingly.
That made sense.
"Then someone from the nearby bridal shop saw me and thought I'd suit their clothes too, so they asked me to endorse them," Cana pouted. "I tried them on but felt it wasn't right, so I declined."
"Why hasn't anyone asked me to endorse anything?" Erza looked somewhat disappointed.
Because you always wear armor; maybe an armor shop should approach you.
This is what everyone thought.
"So, Cana, you're not getting married after all," one girl said in disappointment.
"Well," Cana smiled. "Not planning on it anytime soon."
"Laxus, why won't you come back to the guild?!" At this moment, Mirajane's angry voice came through.
Everyone looked toward the counter.
Mirajane was using a communication crystal to talk to Laxus.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Laxus replied from the other side."Is the signal that bad?"
Mirajane angrily said, "Lucy, our comrade is in danger, Phantom Lord is eyeing us hungrily, and the next battle could happen at any moment!"
"Hah," Laxus yawned. "So... What does that have to do with me? Lucy? Ah, that pretty girl—if she spends a night with me, maybe I'll consider saving her life…"
"Laxus!"
Natsu's furious voice thundered.
He erupted in terrifying flames, resembling an enraged dragon.
"Natsu?" Laxus frowned, seeing Natsu's anger. He remained silent for three seconds before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha, Natsu, are you looking to chain yourself up?"
"Natsu, don't be rash, he's not even here!" Gray restrained Natsu.
"Laxus, how can you say such outrageous things!" Mirajane said angrily.
"So what? Are you challenging me?" Laxus replied nonchalantly.
"Forget it, talking to him is useless," Cana said angrily. "We can handle it ourselves!"
"Haha, well then, you guys handle it yourselves," Laxus laughed.
"Are you waiting for us and Phantom Lord to beat each other to a pulp before you return to take over the guild, Laxus?" Jehfrit gently pushed Mirajane aside, stepping forward to face Laxus.
"What do you mean?!" Laxus' expression turned serious as he saw Jehfrit.
"Nothing much, Laxus." Unlike everyone else, Jehfrit showed no sign of anger, remaining calm. "Just wait until we're all heavily injured and Phantom Lord is too weak to fight anymore. Then you can make your grand entrance like a god descending."
"Laxus... As expected of you, what a great plan."
Jehfrit tilted his head, his smile full of mockery.
"I've never thought of such a thing; I disdain taking advantage of others' weaknesses!" Laxus angrily retorted. "I'll claim the master's seat properly!"
"Jehfrit, if the old man can no longer serve as master and you know you can't hold the fort, then I might consider returning. But..."
Laxus also tilted his head, sneering. "You'll have to beg me!"
"Hmph." Jehfrit chuckled softly, picked up his cane, and drew out his long sword, Hani.
He lightly stroked the blade and calmly said, "I'm going to defeat Phantom Lord's master—Jose Porla."
After saying that.
"Jehfrit!!!"
Laxus became enraged.
'Crash'
The communication crystal shattered with a crisp crack—cleaved cleanly by Jehfrit's sword.
"Jehfrit?!" Gasps rippled through the room.
Slowly, Jehfrit sheathed his blade, the echo of steel sliding against leather lingering in the tense silence. He smiled—calm, composed.
"A taunt," he said coolly. "Of course Laxus understands it... but still—"
Ragebait always worked on Laxus.
"He'll fall for it."
"Whew—"A collective shiver ran down their spines at the sight of Jehfrit's smile.
Adjusting his glasses with a practiced flick, he wore that same serene expression—gentle, harmless... almost saintly.
But everyone knew better.
Laxus was pride incarnate. Whatever his plans for the guild's future, he would never—ever—allow Jose to be taken down by someone like Jehfrit.
Through the dimly lit underground passage—lit by candles every five meters.
At the end of the passage, in an underground temple, several shadows gathered.
"Waaaah." The sobbing broke the temple's silence.
Someone asked in surprise, "Merciful Knight, you're injured?"
Pudden cried, "Waaah, an evil demon who disrupts peace wounded me. I must judge him, but his magic is very troublesome."
"Who?"
"Fairy Tail's elegant magician."
"Let me check... Found it. Deception Magic, deceiving the five senses, controlling emotions—a truly terrifying magic."
"Honorable Knight, can you create magical tools strong enough to deal with him?"
"Of course. I've killed forty-six geniuses like him!"
"Thank you."
"Alright, it's time. Let's end these trivial matters here," someone reminded.
"Ah—great Ansa, please bless us and maintain peace in this world..."
"Great Ansa—"
Everyone knelt around a statue.
The candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows.
In the dim light, a three-meter-tall statue appeared lifelike.
With wings on his back, resembling an angel.
With eight arms, holding eight weapons.
His face exuded compassion and mercy.
"Great Ansa—"
Everyone bowed again.