"What?!"
Everyone in the guild was stunned by Kaien's words.
"Kaien… even you…"
Makarov hadn't expected Kaien to want revenge on Phantom Lord too.
"Master, I know you want to settle things peacefully. But how can you be sure this was their last attack? What if they strike again?"
"What if they attack right after we finish rebuilding the guild?"
"Are you going to stand guard at the guild every single night?"
"..."
Makarov had been just about to say that, but Kaien beat him to it.
"There's a saying: 'A thief only has to get lucky once. The guard has to be lucky every time.' You might think you're keeping the peace by enduring and stepping back, but to them? You just look like you're scared."
"What?! You think I'm afraid of that idiot Jose?!"
Makarov's voice rose immediately. He wasn't afraid of anyone, let alone a fool like Jose.
"Maybe you're not scared, but that's not how others will see it. And I'm sure there are guild members who are starting to think the same thing."
Makarov swept his gaze across the guild. Everyone quickly averted their eyes—except for Natsu, who was nodding vigorously, completely oblivious.
"And it's not just that. If you don't respond this time, the news will spread like wildfire. Soon, the entire Kingdom of Fiore will know. You're not just representing yourself anymore. You represent all of Fairy Tail."
"Next time we walk through the streets, people will point and say: 'Look, that's Fairy Tail—the guild that got smashed by Phantom Lord and didn't even dare retaliate.'"
Makarov's eyes widened. "They wouldn't dare!"
"Oh, they'd dare. Because to them, it's the truth. They don't care about your intentions, only the outcome."
"..."
"Let's think about what else might happen. Clients will start losing trust in Fairy Tail. Job requests will drop sharply. Members won't even dare reveal they're from the guild, hiding their guild crests whenever they go out. With no choice, people will start finding their own way to make a living, and then we'll lose members rapidly. Within months, we'll be down to a couple dozen people—"
"Enough! It's just letting one thing slide! No need to exaggerate so much! If they attack again, I'll definitely deal with them!"
Makarov looked completely exasperated.
"Master, to you it might seem like a small matter. But to us, it's huge. If even you won't take a stand, what do we do if our members get bullied by Phantom Lord?"
"What do you mean what? Of course we beat the crap out of them!"
"Maybe. But I think most ordinary wizards will just stay silent. After all, if the Master won't fight back, who are they to resist?"
"..."
"Sometimes, sneak attacks are like cheating—there's no such thing as just once. It's either zero or countless times. If we tolerate it once, it only makes us easier targets. They wrecked our guild this time. Who knows what they'll wreck next?"
Makarov's eyes widened again. "He wouldn't dare!"
"Why wouldn't he?"
"..."
"Master, sometimes blocking the path isn't as good as clearing it. Endurance won't bring peace. True dignity is found at the edge of a blade."
"..."
"Hahh~~ Brat. Fine, then tell me what you want to do."
Makarov exhaled deeply. This brat sure knew how to rile people up. He felt like he was about to explode, and all of Fairy Tail was now staring at Kaien, eager to hear his idea.
Seeing that Makarov had relented, Kaien smiled slightly and said, "It's simple. Since the Magic Council forbids guilds from fighting… we'll call it a spar."
"A… spar?!"
Everyone froze at Kaien's words.
"Fighting is against Council rules. But sparring isn't. We just say it's for mutual growth and friendship. A warm, friendly exchange."
"We'll hold it in a big arena. A six-on-six match. That number isn't enough for the Council to consider it a conflict."
"And we can sell tickets too. As long as we crush them in front of everyone, no matter what little stunts Phantom Lord tries afterward—even if the Master stays silent—everyone will just think Phantom Lord is petty. No one will call Fairy Tail cowards."
Everyone's eyes lit up at once.
"Yeah! That way, the Council can't say a word!"
"And we get to stomp Phantom Lord right in front of everyone. They'll never lift their heads again!"
"Exactly! Those guys think they're Fiore's top guild? Let's show them who's really number one!"
"Wait… will Phantom Lord even agree?"
Kaien said calmly, "We can challenge them through the newspaper. If they don't accept—"
"Then everyone will call them cowards!"
"Master, the choice is yours!"
"Yeah, Master! I don't want to be laughed at every time I step outside—especially not by those Phantom bastards!"
"If they mock me, I swear I'll cut them down!"
...
The guild broke out in a chorus of voices. Makarov knew all too well what would happen if they just endured this quietly. The guild members would lose face, lose morale, and perhaps even lose faith in Fairy Tail.
He had chosen patience for the sake of the guild's safety. But if Phantom Lord pushed further… he would regret it. And honestly, he still couldn't understand why they'd gone so far as to destroy the guild in the first place.
Standing tall, Makarov raised a clenched fist and shouted:
"Alright! We'll do as Kaien says! We declare war on Phantom Lord!!"
"OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The entire guild erupted in cheers.
After all, how many people in a wizard guild were the type to just take a beating and do nothing? That wasn't Fairy Tail's way.
Mirajane smiled and said, "I'll contact the reporters."
Having once been a cover girl for Sorcerer Weekly, Mira had plenty of journalist contacts. As a semi-commercial organization, wizard guilds needed exposure to attract job requests. The more coverage, the more missions.
And when the reporters heard the news? They were ecstatic. A showdown between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail—this was front-page gold. The kind of story that would explode across the kingdom.
The news agency immediately halted all other stories to rush the scoop.
In less than two hours, a fresh headline was printed and ready to go.