"Is it alright for Makarov to fight Jose?"
Goodman leaned close and asked in a low voice. Bob also glanced at Noah with concern.
"Based on the strength he's showing right now, there's no problem," Noah replied just as quietly. Then he added, "Grandpa just didn't let me step in. It's only Jose. Taking him down wouldn't be a big deal."
Goodman shook his head. "Your grandfather held you back because he doesn't want you getting hurt. With his status, he can deal with whatever happens afterward far more easily. But if you fought whether you won or lost it would stir up too much trouble."
Noah understood. He let out a small sigh, silently promising himself that he'd find another chance to settle things with Jose later. For now, the most important thing was to watch Makarov closely and not let him come to harm.
Makarov ignored Jose's taunts toward Noah and raised his voice firmly.
"Enough talk. Let's begin."
Jose sneered. "Then, Brother Makarov, please be careful."
The crowd of guild masters and mages quickly stepped back, eyes sharp with anticipation. A duel between two Wizard Saints was a rare sight. Even a single technique could offer valuable insight to those watching.
Jose moved first. He extended his right hand, unleashing a wave of purple energy that tore across the floor toward Makarov.
Makarov raised his own hand, and a golden beam of light surged forth, smashing through Jose's spell and scattering it harmlessly.
He spread his arms, and a flurry of multicolored magic circles appeared around him. Wind, fire, ice, and light erupted in rapid succession, small but precise spells weaving together as they shot toward Jose in dazzling arcs.
Jose's expression hardened. He swept his arms forward, conjuring purple circles of his own. His dark spells met Makarov's barrage midair.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The spells collided in bursts of light and sound, shaking the hall. Yet the two men controlled their strength carefully. The explosions were sharp and loud, but their destructive force barely spilled outward.
Even so, the difference was plain.
Makarov's attacks shone with dazzling variety winds lashing, fire blazing, shards of ice glittering, and beams of pure light streaking across the air. Jose's magic, by contrast, remained a monotonous purple haze, thick and heavy but lacking brilliance.
The contrast drew murmurs from the onlookers. Jose scowled, his face darkening. He clenched his fists and hastened his casting, magic circles flashing faster and faster before him.
But Makarov didn't waver. Calm and steady, he matched Jose's pace spell for spell, neutralizing each attack without strain. Then, with a sudden motion, his counterattack began.
Both of his hands spread wide. From each of his ten fingers, golden beams erupted, curving in arcs like streams of starlight, aiming at Jose from every angle.
Jose let out a cold snort and unleashed ten spells of his own, purple blasts slamming into the beams one by one, scattering them in midair.
Then Jose stomped his foot. A magic circle flared beneath Makarov's feet, while at the same time, several more attacks flew toward him from the front, a layered assault meant to overwhelm.
Makarov's brow furrowed slightly, but he remained unshaken. He stomped down hard, shattering the circle beneath him. At the same time, golden circles bloomed both above Jose's head and beneath his feet. Makarov's hands swept outward, hurling another volley of beams to counter the incoming spells.
Ten radiant shafts of light shot from his fingers once more, streaking toward Jose like meteors.
Jose gritted his teeth, stomping to dispel the circles under and above him. He flung out his arms, conjuring a barrage of purple spells to meet Makarov's beams. They clashed and canceled out, but his speed was noticeably slower now.
Makarov's eyes sharpened. With a heavy stomp, golden magic circles flared into existence all around Jose, locking him in from every direction. At the same instant, beams of brilliant light erupted from each of Makarov's fingers, streaking toward him like arrows of judgment.
Jose's expression twisted. It took all his effort just to break the six golden circles hemming him in, and by the time he managed it, ten beams were already descending. He managed to block nine
But the last one slipped through.
It struck him squarely.
A ripple of purple energy surged across his body, his own defensive barrier absorbing the blast before it could wound him. The crowd exhaled, realizing the fight had ended before it escalated further.
Yet Jose's face was pale and ugly.
He knew he had lost.
He had been slower slower to cast, slower to react, slower to break his opponent's magic. Makarov had simply outpaced him.
In Jose's mind, he was still equal. They were both Wizard Saints, both among the strongest in Fiore. Makarov was only older, only faster in spellcasting, nothing more. If they truly fought without holding back, Jose told himself, the result would be different.
But a loss was still a loss.
Humiliation burned in his chest. The thought of sitting through another regular meeting, with whispers of, "That's Jose, Phantom Lord's master who lost to Makarov", made his blood boil.
His pride couldn't bear it.
Without a word, Jose turned on his heel and stormed out of the mansion. The guild masters standing nearby parted silently, not daring to block his way. They simply watched as the Phantom Lord master vanished through the door.
Makarov did not smile in victory. His face was grim, the weight of what had just happened heavy in his eyes.
Bob and Goodman walked over, bringing Noah with them. Bob's usual playful tone was gone.
"Makarov-chan, be careful of Jose. He won't take this lying down."
Goodman's voice was low, serious. "The venom in his aura when he left… it wasn't just anger. It was pure hatred. He may not only come after you, but after Fairy Tail itself."
Makarov exhaled slowly, his jaw set. "I'll be careful. I'll warn the guild when we return. If it weren't for maintaining the balance of the wizarding world, I'd give that man the lesson he truly deserves."
At that moment, Noah leaned closer to Makarov, his voice quiet but firm.
"Grandpa… do you want me to destroy him?"
Makarov was startled by Noah's words and quickly placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"You must not do that. If anything happened to Jose right now, suspicion would fall squarely on us, and the trouble it would cause… would be endless.
And if you were discovered as the one responsible, it would be even worse. I won't allow it, Noah. Do you understand?
For now, just stay in the guild. Don't go out looking for him. We'll discuss this again later."
Noah gave a small nod. "That's fine. I was planning to go back and work on some research anyway, to strengthen protections for the guild."
"Good. But first, let's finish this meeting."
Even so, Makarov's worry lingered. Quietly, he contacted the members back at Fairy Tail, instructing them to spread word through the guild: everyone was to be careful, especially to keep watch for any Phantom Lord activity.
When the regular meeting ended, Noah and Makarov teleported back to Magnolia. Before leaving, they agreed with Bob and Goodman to remain in close contact, and that Noah would be welcome to visit their guild libraries whenever needed.
For a month afterward, Makarov kept a careful eye on Jose Porla and Phantom Lord, ready for retaliation at any moment.
But no attack came.
Aside from the usual small clashes between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord mages over jobs and commissions, nothing serious occurred.
After discussing it with Noah, Makarov concluded that Jose was restraining himself. Having only just been granted the title of Wizard Saint, he would avoid doing anything reckless that might tarnish his own reputation or that of Phantom Lord. For now, silence was the safer path for him.
Makarov let out a quiet sigh of relief, though he still reminded Fairy Tail's members to stay vigilant on jobs and watch their backs if they crossed paths with Phantom Lord.
As for Noah, his mind was already turning to the future.
If Jose truly intended to bide his time, then Noah would lay a trap, one Phantom Lord could not avoid stepping into and when they did, he would destroy them in one decisive strike.
But for now, Noah turned his attention to something else. His understanding of magic had grown considerably since he last touched it.
It was time to upgrade the guild's emblem.
....
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