Chapter 145: Battle Begins!

"Lucy, don't be afraid! We're the strongest guild. Soon, we'll smash Phantom Lord into bits!"

"Protecting a lady is what a man should do!"

"Lucy, I'm still waiting to be the first to read your novel. Don't you dare give up now!"

"You're part of our strongest team. You've got to take charge of your own life!"

Not a single member of Fairy Tail harbored resentment toward Lucy, despite being the catalyst for the conflict. Instead, everyone consoled her in their own way.

Finally, Makarov waved his hand with commanding authority and declared: "Lucy, since you've joined our guild, you're one of us. You're my child. And no one—absolutely no one—bullies a child of Makarov! Let's go! We're taking the fight to Phantom Lord!"

Hearing everyone's heartfelt encouragement, Lucy couldn't help but burst into tears, moved beyond words.

"Master, how are we getting there?"

At this point, George raised a crucial question. Magnolia was quite a distance from Phantom Lord's city. Most of the guild members couldn't fly. Running all the way there would leave them too exhausted to fight.

"I heard the Council has spatial magic tools for teleporting large groups of mages between cities. Don't we have something like that?"

"What are you talking about, George? Fairy Tail doesn't have money for such expensive magic tools. We'll take the train!"

Makarov scratched his head awkwardly.

"I've got a good relationship with the mayor. He'll arrange a special train just for us, so everyone can rest up on the way."

Given Fairy Tail's frequent financial troubles—largely due to the younger generation's penchant for destruction—the guild had only recently started recovering financially, thanks to George's efforts. They simply couldn't afford luxuries like spatial magic tools.

"Fine, the train works too," George replied, blinking. He decided not to push the issue further. However, a thought crossed his mind:

'Once I master alchemy, creating a method for transportation is going to be my first project.'

"Move out!"

Makarov waved his hand again, and the guild members charged toward the train station. Even Mirajane, who usually refrained from battle, joined them this time—just in case staying back alone proved dangerous.

As for the unconscious Gajeel, who had been physically knocked out by Makarov, they brought him along as evidence of Phantom Lord's assault.

The train roared to life, and as expected, Natsu immediately succumbed to motion sickness. George, feeling a bit sorry for him, used a Levitation Charm to keep him floating in midair, easing his discomfort.

What George didn't expect was that, once Gajeel regained consciousness, he too joined the ranks of the motion-sick.

"Something doesn't seem right," George muttered, his suspicions growing. He turned to Mirajane.
"Mirajane, does Laxus get motion sickness too?"

"I'm not sure," Mirajane replied after some thought. "I've never seen him take transportation. He usually travels by transforming into lightning, so he's always fast."

At this point, Makarov beckoned George over and explained quietly: "Laxus gets motion sickness too. I've asked some old friends, and apparently, it's a quirk of Dragon Slayer Mages—they all get sick on vehicles.

"So, if you ever plan to become a Dragon Slayer Mage, keep this in mind."

"All Dragon Slayers get motion sickness? What a bizarre weakness," George couldn't help but complain.

After giving it some thought, though, he realized it wouldn't be much of an issue for him. First, he could already fly, so he didn't need vehicles. Second, once he mastered Apparition, he'd be able to teleport anywhere instantly. Lastly, he was confident that, with enough exploration into the magical world, he could eventually find a way to cure such a weakness.

As the train sped toward Oak City, Phantom Lord's base, excitement filled the air. Meanwhile, inside Phantom Lord's massive headquarters—the largest building in the kingdom's northeast—guild master Jose was holding a meeting with his Four Elemental Mages.

"When Gajeel returns and everything is in place, our next step will be…"

Jose had sent Gajeel to attack Fairy Tail's mages, knowing that Makarov's temper would compel him to retaliate the following day with most of the guild.

At that point, Jose planned to send two Elemental Mages to abduct their target during the chaos while another, the Air Mage, would sap Makarov's magic power by surprise.

With Makarov weakened, Fairy Tail would collapse.

As for the Magic Council, Jose intended to feign innocence, claiming Fairy Tail had attacked first and that Phantom Lord was merely defending itself.

Once Fairy Tail was destroyed and Jose acquired the Heartfilia fortune, he could smooth things over with the Council. They wouldn't dare punish Phantom Lord severely once Jose was in control of vast resources and influence.

"Don't worry, Master," Aria, the leader of the Four Elemental Mages, reassured him through tears. "With Gajeel's strength, as long as he avoids their S-Class mages, everything should proceed smoothly."

Jose nodded. "Gajeel may be arrogant, but he knows his limits. He won't take unnecessary risks."

"BOOM!"

Just as they were finalizing their plans, a thunderous voice echoed from outside.

"Fairy Tail is here! Jose, get down here and prepare to die!"

"It's Makarov! How is he here so soon? What the hell is Gajeel doing?"

Jose shot to his feet, enraged.

"Change of plans! I'll handle Makarov myself. Aria, stay hidden and wait for the right moment to strike. The rest of you, focus on taking down the other Fairy Tail members!"

In the grand hall of Phantom Lord's guild—so massive it dwarfed Fairy Tail's tenfold—Phantom Lord mages who had been drinking sprang to their feet as Fairy Tail mages burst through the doors.

The battle erupted in an instant.

"Fire Magic: Purple Sky Net!"

"Pipe Magic: Phantom Iron Fist!"

"Bullet Magic: Thunder Cannon!"

"Painting Magic: Rampage of Ambition!"

"Wood-Make: Shy Love Dam!"

For the first time, George saw the magic of Fairy Tail's lesser-known members. While not overwhelmingly powerful, each mage had their own unique style and flair.

What struck George the most was how effortlessly Fairy Tail mages dominated the fight. Each could take on ten or more Phantom Lord mages.

And then there were Erza and Natsu—unstoppable forces plowing through their enemies as if they were nothing.

George now fully understood why Fairy Tail, despite its smaller numbers, was hailed as one of the most formidable mage guilds. They were the very definition of quality over quantity.