"The Master... the Guild Master only told me to monitor Lucy Heartfilia's daily movements and track her whereabouts... He didn't say when they'd act! I swear!"
Despite being in unbearable pain from his shattered leg, the man trembled violently.
His lips had turned a hypoxic blue, yet he dared not cry out too loudly, fearing it would only invite more agony.
He obediently confessed everything, spilling secrets like water from a broken jar.
Before Fairy Tail's "Grim Reaper," an insignificant lackey like him couldn't withstand the crushing psychological pressure.
Ankh stood over him, his expression unreadable.
He sneered and muttered darkly, "That old coot Jose is truly tired of living..."
The situation was exactly as Ankh had calculated.
The Magic Council had long established strict agreements prohibiting official guilds from attacking one another.
This was the primary reason Master Makarov had turned a blind eye to Phantom Lord's petty schemes and minor provocations over the years.
It wasn't that the old man was cowardly or rigid. Rather, Fairy Tail's reputation was simply too immense, and their destructive tendencies too well-known.
Any aggressive action they took would be scrutinized under a microscope.
If Fairy Tail attacked first, the Council would have no choice but to disband them to set an example.
Even with Council members like his alter ego, Yajima, and Ultear openly or covertly supporting the guild, they couldn't override the unanimous stance of the other seven members—especially the rigid traditionalists.
At best, Ankh could discreetly eliminate a few Phantom Lord spies—as long as it was done cleanly, in the dark, without leaving evidence.
And Ankh had indeed done just that.
Over the years, every person who secretly extended their reach toward Fairy Tail had been assassinated by Ankh without exception.
They simply vanished, becoming unsolved cold cases.
The results were evident: Jose Porla and his followers had always been like clowns, engaging in trivial provocations that, at worst, only tarnished Fairy Tail's reputation slightly in the press.
"To dominate the magic guild industry, relying solely on individual prowess is practically useless," Ankh mused aloud, looking down at the sobbing spy.
"People might respect you personally, but that doesn't extend to your guild. Until a guild can transcend the rules, it has to play by the established game of the circle."
And playing by those rules... honestly, destroying Phantom Lord wouldn't be difficult.
Just consider the guild's combat strength from the original timeline.
With only Erza as the sole S-Class mage holding the fort, supported by Mystogan handling the periphery, they had won.
Natsu, Gray, and Elfman—who wielded the Beast King's soul—had managed to crush the Element 4 and Gajeel.
Not to mention, the current Fairy Tail was in its most perfect state.
Ankh was here. Laxus was stronger. Mirajane was active.
Getting rid of this annoying mosquito was simple, but Ankh needed to wait for the right moment—a moment with just cause.
"We need a Casus Belli," Ankh whispered. "That way, we can rightfully eliminate Jose and thoroughly remove this stupid ass guild of Fiore from the map."
While Ankh was deep in thought, plotting the downfall of a Wizard Saint, the man lying on the floor trembled.
He supported himself on his good thigh, forcing a pained, flattering smile.
"Sir... I've told you everything I know. I'm just a messenger. Can you... can you let me go now?"
Ankh snapped out of his reverie.
He glanced at the man, snorted coldly, and said with a dismissive wave.
"Don't be afraid. You won't die. Go."
The man was instantly overjoyed.
Tears of relief mingled with the snot on his face.
Ignoring the excruciating pain shooting through his mind, he hurriedly dragged his broken body toward the door, clawing at the carpet.
'Freedom. I just need to get out of here.'
'Ding...'
Before the man could reach the handle, a crisp, light chime suddenly echoed in his ears.
It sounded like a bell tolling in a graveyard.
'What is this...?'
The air grew heavy. The sound of a Magic circle forming hummed in the room.
The man's face turned ashen as he looked up.
Above him, a majestic, dark golden Magic circle loomed like a calamity.
It rotated slowly, the runes inscribed upon it speaking of time and decay.
"No! How could you... You said..."
The man turned back to Ankh, his eyes filled with betrayal and venom.
"Withering Curse."
Ankh didn't even look at him.
Under the man's venomous glare, his skin began to gray and tighten.
His hair fell out in clumps. His muscles atrophied in seconds.
In the span of three heartbeats, his body gradually withered into a desiccated corpse, moisture evaporating into nothingness.
He died with his mouth open in a silent scream, his eyes still wide, fixed on Ankh in death.
Ankh looked at the husk and sneered:
"I told you, don't be afraid, and you wouldn't die. You just... ceased to be."
He stepped over the body and sat back at his desk.
"Besides, why didn't you listen to my advice? I said go. You were too slow."
Ultear stood beside the fireplace, her arms crossed.
She felt a complicated mix of emotions.
'He is ruthless', she thought.
'Though he comes from a righteous guild like Fairy Tail, his methods in handling enemies resemble those from the dark guild—quite similar to Master Hades. Perhaps even colder.'
Fortunately, Ultear was no stranger to such scenes.
She had spent her life in the darknesss.
"Allow me," she said softy.
She extended her delicate hand.
A sphere of gray-silver Magic Power—the essence of the Arc of Time—enveloped the corpse on the floor.
"Restore."
The Arc of Time is ineffective on living beings, but it can naturally handle a lifeless corpse.
It is, after all, just an object.
The corpse disintegrated, reversing its state until it was nothing but dust, and then, simply nothing.
Even the bloodstains on the carpet vanished as the fabric was returned to its state from an hour prior.
After cleaning up, Ultear asked softly, "Master, what's the next step?"
Ankh rubbed his temples, his deep red eyes exuding indifference.
He replied calmly, "Jose has started investigating Lucy, but he is cautious. Unless the guild shows a weakness, or unless he feels provoked, that old fox won't make a move."
Ultear tilted her head thoughtfully. "You mean to bait him?"
"In the coming days, keep a covert watch on them," Ankh instructed. "Specifically, Lucy Heartfilia. But also..."
Ankh paused, his eyes narrowing as he recalled the events of the original timeline.
The catalyst for the war wasn't just Lucy's capture; it was the brutal assault on Shadow Gear.
"Levy McGarden," Ankh said clearly. "She has a small team called Shadow Gear. Keep an eye on her too. If the Phantom Lord members make a move against them... let it happen, but ensure they survive. Gather evidence of the attack."
"Levy?" Ultear was confused. Lucy was the heiress, the target.
Why did this small, blue-haired girl need protection?
"I understand Lucy, but why her?"
"Because she is the trigger," Ankh said enigmatically. "Just do it."
"Understood."
Having learned from past mistakes, she nodded without questioning Ankh's intentions further.
With a bow, Ultear dissolved into the shadows, leaving the study.
Ankh was left alone in the silence of his study.
After a long while, Ankh silently lowered his head.
He opened the locked cabinet beside the desk and took out two specific communication lacrimas.
These were not the standard guild models; they were high-frequency, encrypted crystals.
He placed them on his desk. Gently stroking the two transparent spheres, he infused a specific wavelength of Magic Power into them.
Hummm.
The clear surfaces of the balls began to emit a faint glow—one crackling with yellow static, the other swirling with dark mist.
After a few flickers, images appeared.
"Ankh?"
The face displayed on the left crystal ball was unmistakably that of a rebellious young man with spiky blond hair, wearing headphones and a fur-collared coat.
His expression was a mix of annoyance and surprise.
"Contacting me at this hour? What's up? I'm in the middle of a hunt."
It was Laxus Dreyar, the Thunder Dragon Slayer mage.
"What's going on?"
The image displayed on the right crystal ball was pitch black.
The screen flickered occasionally, resembling a grainy horror movie, but a calm, muffled voice came through.
Laxus pressed his face closer to his crystal ball, peering at the other screen.
"Is that voice... Mystogan?"
"..."
"Not bad, Ankh," Laxus scoffed, a smirk appearing. "You can still get in touch with this mysterious guy. I haven't seen his face in two years."
Ankh smiled faintly. "We're in the same guild, Laxus. And unlike you, I've seen Mystogan's true face. He trusts me."
Hearing this, Laxus immediately fell silent and a vein throbbing on his forehead.
'That hit hard...' Laxus thought.
'Even after being in the same guild for so many years, the only person I can talk to is Ankh? Is this the difference between being socially anxious and socially adept?'
Ankh didn't engage in further small talk.
His expression hardened.
"Listen closely. I didn't call for a reunion. Someone is targeting the guild."
The atmosphere in the call shifted instantly.
"Targeting us?" Laxus's eyes narrowed, electricity crackling around him. "Who has a death wish?"
"Phantom Lord," Ankh said.
"Jose..." Mystogan's voice came through the static. "That guild has been provocative lately. But... Ankh, surely you can handle them? Why call us? Do you need support?"
It was the first time Mystogan had spoken so many words in one go.
He sounded genuinely confused.
To him, Ankh was a monster on par with, or perhaps exceeding, the Wizard Saints.
Ankh leaned back in his chair.
"Of course I can handle it," Ankh explained patiently, his voice carrying a terrifying arrogance. "I could wipe them off the map tonight if I chose to."
"Then why?" Laxus asked.
"Because I don't just want to win," Ankh declared, his crimson eyes glowing.
"I want to make an example of them."
He stood up, his shadow stretching across the room.
"I want to completely crush them. I want a festival of destruction. I want the world to see that when you touch Fairy Tail, you don't just lose... you get obliterated by the combined might of our S-Class wizards."
"I want to prevent petty individuals from ever thinking they can provoke us again."
There was a moment of silence on the other end.
Then, Mystogan spoke with a serious voice.
"I understand. I will return immediately. I am currently in the East, but I can be back in two days."
With Mystogan having stated his position, Laxus naturally wouldn't question or resist.
His competitive spirit was ignited!
"Tch." Laxus massaged his forehead, though a feral grin was creeping onto his face. "My mission location is too far away... but fine. This sounds like fun. I'll leave the Thunder God Tribe here to finish the cleanup."
"I'll use my Lightning Body to travel back. I'll be there before the masked freak."
Ankh smiled, a genuine, dangerous smile.
"Thank you. See you soon."
The connections cut. The crystal balls dimmed.
Ankh walked to the window, looking out at the sleeping town of Magnolia.
Lightning flashed in the distance, followed by the rumble of thunder.
"Ten Wizard Saints member Jose? The Four Elements?"
Ankh laughed softly, a sound that would have made the ghosts shiver.
"Ridiculous."
"When it comes to gathering monsters... do you really think you can outmatch us, Fairy Tail?"
---------
Guys i forgot, has the others, especially Natsu see laxus use dragon slayer magic ?