Iron Dragon Slayer

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Around 4-10 chapters are available if you want to read them ahead. Chapter 57 should be available by the time this chapter was uploaded.

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...

[X784, Random forest near Magnolia]

— Gajeel Redfox —

With a flash of light and a gut-wrenching pull, Gajeel found himself hurtling through space. The moment his feet hit solid ground, he stumbled slightly, huffing a breath in frustration. He looked around and found himself in the middle of a forest.

The girl's teleportation magic wasn't exactly precise. He could tell that much. It wasn't designed to control where he landed, just to get rid of him. 

"Tch. That damn script mage…" he muttered, rolling his shoulders as he tried to shake off the residual disorientation.

He certainly hadn't expected that. She didn't look like a front-line fighter, not like Titania or Salamander. She was some kind of support mage, he was sure. But she had outmaneuvered him. Him. He clenched his fists. That last move had drained her dry. He felt the drop just before he got teleported. But that didn't change the fact that she won the exchange.

His frustration simmered as he stomped forward, making his way out of the forest back towards Oak Town, hands buried in his pockets.

Levy Mcgarden. 

She was strong. Smarter than he'd given her credit for. He had underestimated her, and she had made him pay for it. 

He hated losing, but he respected a good fight.

'Next time…' he thought. 'Next time, I'll crush you properly.'

…

The heavy iron doors groaned as he pushed them open. The Phantom Lord guild building was massive, easily five stories tall. 

A handful of Phantom Lord mages were lounging about, drinking, sharpening weapons, or whispering amongst themselves There were plenty of them, easily over a hundred in this building alone. But that didn't say much considering they were all weaklings. 

At the far end of the hall, high on a throne-like seat, sat Jose Porla, their guild master.

Jose's eyes locked onto Gajeel the moment he entered.

A suffocating wave of magic flooded the room. Jose's sheer presence pressed down on everyone in the hall like an invisible weight. Gajeel gritted his teeth against it, forcing himself to walk forward despite the creeping sensation of drowning.

"So," Jose began, "I take it from your unexpected return that your task was a failure."

The hall fell into complete silence.

Gajeel scoffed. "I jumped four of 'em, took down two of the small fry, but the only one that mattered was the blue-haired chick. She was a letter mage, calls herself Levy."

Jose's fingers twitched slightly, but his expression didn't change.

"Oh hohoho…" A refined, yet mocking laugh echoed through the hall. Sol. Gajeel fought the urge to growl at the sleazy man.

"Mon dieu!" Sol exclaimed, dramatically placing a hand on his forehead. "I recognize that name, a mere B-rank mage bested the Black Steel? Our mighty dragon, defeated by a mere child? How utterly humiliating!"

Gajeel's eye twitched as Sol paced forward, his lanky form swaying like a dancer.

"You think I don't know that?!" Gajeel snapped, eyes narrowing. "I ain't here makin' excuses. That girl's magic was stronger than I thought. It ain't just some parlor trick. She's got brains."

Sol clicked his tongue. "Brains? Oh, dear me, how horrifying! If only our esteemed Iron Dragon Slayer had thought to use his own!"

A deep sigh came from the side. A large, hunched man, his face obscured by a thick cloth mask, sat cross-legged near the master's throne. Aria. Unlike Sol, he did not move. He did not mock. He simply exhaled deeply, releasing a chilling "Fuuuuu…" that sent a shiver through the air.

"The sky… weeps for your failure, Black Steel Gajeel…" he muttered, shaking his head in disappointment. "Such misfortune… such sorrow…"

Gajeel clenched his jaw. He was used to the Elemental Four looking down on him, but something about Aria's melodramatic pity made his blood boil. He pushed the feeling down.

"That's quite enough." A soft, yet firm voice interrupted. Gajeel turned his head towards the speaker. 

Juvia.

Unlike the others, she wasn't sneering or belittling him. In this entire god-forsaken guild, she was the only one he could actually call a friend.

"Gajeel-kun is strong. He has never failed before," she said simply. "If he lost this battle, then his opponent must have been truly powerful."

"Hmph." Sol smirked, clearly amused by Juvia's actions. "The rain woman defends her dear friend. How touching."

Juvia met his gaze without wavering. "You've fought Gajeel-kun once before Sol, and it ended in a tie. If he got outmaneuvered by this Levy, then do you truly think you could've done any better?"

Sol twitched at the remark as Gajeel rolled his eyes. He appreciated Juvia defending him, but it really wasn't needed. He learned a long time ago to never be bothered by mere words, he's got thicker skin than that.

Besides, Gajeel never really considered that whole 'fight' he had with Sol to really count as anything, since he knew neither of them really fought with their true strength.

Jose, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, finally stood up. His very movement sent another ripple of magic through the room.

"Enough."

The room tensed.

"It does not matter that Gajeel failed. It only matters that our next move does not."

He stepped forward, his shadow stretching across the hall like a black tide. Gajeel could swear he saw it move.

"We do not have the luxury of another mistake. The time for warnings is over. The next step must be executed perfectly." His eyes sharpened. "Juvia. Sol. Totomaru."

A small man with spiky hair, dressed in a traditional martial artist's gi, straightened at his name.

"Yes, Master?" Sol asked, his usual smirk turning into a more serious expression.

"You three will do your duty tomorrow. Bring me Lucy Heartfilia. It does not matter if she is injured in the process." Jose ordered. "She is the key to breaking Fairy Tail. Once we have her in custody, we will bleed her father of the Heartfilia fortune. That amount of money will serve our interests quite well."

Sol bowed dramatically. "But of course, Master Jose. She will be brought to you here by tomorrow. That much, I guarantee."

Totomaru cracked his knuckles. "Heh, if she tries anything funny, I'll just burn that attitude right outta her."

Jose waved a hand dismissively. "Do what you must. Just bring her here, alive."

Then his gaze shifted to Aria.

"Aria."

The masked man slowly turned his head, exhaling another long, drawn-out breath of air.

"Yes, Master…"

"Summon every branch office we have. I want every Phantom Lord mage within striking distance here in Oak Town within the next two days. We are preparing for our final offensive."

Aria nodded slowly.

"As you command… the winds shall carry your will…"

Jose's smirk grew to a menacing grin. "Soon, Fairy Tail shall fall under the might of Phantom Lord. It is guaranteed."

Everyone in the room hollered with their master, all eager to show Fairy Tail their might. The only ones that didn't were Gajeel and Juvia. Call it instinct, but he can't help but think Jose's making a huge mistake.

…

AN: Shorter chapter, but sets the stage for the next arc. Phantom Lord vs Fairy Tail coming up!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter

Cheers lads.