The chaos inside the Fairy Tail Guild Hall was abruptly and completely extinguished.
A sudden, terrifying wave of pure, disciplined magical power swept through the room, cutting short every brawl, every burst of fire, and every thrown chair.
Even Milim, who was happily trading blows with a massive, hairy mage, instantly stopped and looked toward the entrance.
"Someone strong is coming!"
She stood framed in the doorway, clad in her formidable armor, radiating an aura of absolute authority that brooked no argument.
Her piercing gaze swept over the damage, landing squarely on Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster, who were frozen mid-fight.
Natsu, who had been roaring fire just moments before, became instantly rigid.
Gray, mid-insult, went silent and instinctively pulled his shirt back
onto his body.
"Natsu. Gray,"
Erza's voice rang out, clear and sharp.
"I have returned from my mission. And I have urgent business."
The entire hall listened as she announced,
"The dark guild Eisenwald is acting suspiciously. They are mobilizing and the Magic Council's investigation is moving far too slowly. Immediate action is needed to prevent a disaster."
To the shock of the guild—and certainly the two rivals themselves—Erza looked directly at them.
"You two are coming with me."
Gray, ever pragmatic when faced with Erza, immediately and loudly agreed.
Natsu, though grumbling and clearly hating the idea of cooperating with Gray, knew better than to refuse the Titania and reluctantly followed. Lucy Heartfilia and Happy (who were given a knowing nod by the white-haired barmaid, Mirajane Strauss) quickly gathered their things and tagged along, thus officially forming the volatile, legendary team.
Just as the powerful group was about to exit, Erza stopped.
Her focus, honed by years of combat and a vast pool of magic, was now completely fixed on Arthur's table.
She wasn't looking at him with fear, but with a sudden, overwhelming sense of intimidation and conceptual dread.
She felt the air around Arthur was too stable, the energy too dense, and his presence was vast enough to encompass the entire guild hall, yet entirely concealed until her focus fell upon it.
Her armor felt suddenly thin, and her own magic felt like candle wax next to a star.
Natsu, whose senses were acutely tuned to dragons, also froze.
He instinctively whirled around, sniffing the air, his eyes wide and uncertain.
He had been raised by a dragon and knew the raw, immense power of Igneel, but what he felt from the handsome, casually dressed man at the bar was fundamentally different.
It was the presence of a true primordial, a being whose existence redefined power itself.
They both had history with dragons, but never a Dragon God.
Erza took a protective step toward Natsu, then stopped herself.
She couldn't protect anyone from this being.
Arthur simply raised his cup of ordered ale to the formidable knight, offering a polite, almost amused nod.
He was curious to see how the legendary team would react.
…
Putting aside the immense weight of the unknown, Erza Scarlet maintained her formidable composure.
She couldn't ignore the presence at the bar; her survival instincts screamed that the mission against Eisenwald was secondary to understanding the being seated across the hall.
She dismissed her team with a clipped order.
"Wait outside."
Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy, recognizing the gravity in her voice, reluctantly retreated toward the doors.
Erza walked directly to Arthur's table, her armor clanking slightly, stopping a respectful distance away.
"Hello,"
She stated, her voice steady but laced with caution.
"My name is Erza Scarlet, an S rank mage of Fairy Tail. Your magic... is overwhelming. Who are you, and what is your purpose in our town?"
Arthur offered her a relaxed, genuine smile, putting down his ale.
"Pleasure to meet the famous Titania,"
He replied easily.
"My name is Arthur Leywin Stark. These are my partners, Rimuru and Milim, and my aides, Shion and Shuna."
Rimuru gave a polite nod, while Milim, still buzzing from the short brawl, simply grinned.
"We are mages from a very far-away land, and we are here to create a guild in Magnolia Town,"
Arthur explained, keeping the details vague.
"I know the mission you are about to embark on against Eisenwald,"
Arthur continued, leaning forward.
"And I would like to join you. Since we're trying to integrate into this town's magical society, what better way than to assist one of the premier guilds?"
....ADVANCED CHAPTERS...
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