Just as Irene was strolling along with a sweet expression, her arm linked with Acnologia's, they were suddenly approached by several menacing-looking men.
A burly man said coldly, "You two are from the Fairy Tail Guild, aren't you!"
Acnologia replied indifferently, "What if we are? What if we aren't?"
If they were here to cause trouble, he wouldn't mind sending these few to hell; they really picked the wrong time to look for trouble.
The lead man pulled out a two-meter-long bill, and behind him were the captured Natsu and Happy.
"Your guild's Natsu and Happy ate 200,000 Jewel worth of food at our restaurant. They said someone with the Fairy Tail emblem could pay for them. Are you going to pay?"
"If you don't pay for them, we'll have to hand them over to the Kingdom."
Acnologia and Irene looked at the fawning Natsu and Happy and were instantly speechless. Those two gluttons, eating so much without any money.
He casually tossed a bag of money and said impatiently, "I'll pay for them. Take it!"
"Good!"
The man weighed the money bag, ordered his men to release Natsu, and then led his group away.
Natsu and Happy were overjoyed. "Thanks! Thank you!"
Just as Acnologia was about to mock them, another group of people arrived escorting Gray. He was instantly speechless. "What happened to you now?"
The leading soldier said, "This guy was naked in public, which seriously affects the city's image. The fine is 200,000 Jewel."
Acnologia's face darkened. Does this guy not look at where he is before taking off his clothes?
He took out another money bag and handed it over. "Release him!"
Soon, Erza was also brought over by another group, which shocked the four of them. Even the mature and steady Erza had been caught?
Irene asked curiously, "What did you do?"
Erza looked innocent. "I was just buying some clothes."
The leading soldier exposed her immediately. "You weren't just buying clothes; you smashed the man's shop!"
It turned out Erza had taken a liking to a dress, but she tore it while trying it on. When the owner asked for compensation, she smashed the shop in a fit of rage.
Acnologia said coldly, "That's because the dress was of poor quality. Why should we pay?"
He was getting a bit annoyed; he wasn't a sucker, and ultimately, this wasn't Erza's fault.
The soldier handed over the dress and said, "It's already been checked. There's nothing wrong with the quality; it's just that this young lady is quite strong."
Acnologia took the torn dress and gave it a tug, his face full of helplessness. "How much!"
"For the merchandise plus the shop, ten million Jewel!"
"Release her!"
There really was nothing wrong with the dress. He didn't know how much strength Erza had used. Did she think this was armor? Stretching it like that, you know.
Seeing the three people and one cat looking like they knew they were wrong, Acnologia didn't bother scolding them.
"Wendy is still the well-behaved one..."
Before he could finish, a group of people arrived carrying Wendy and Carla.
Acnologia looked at Wendy's tearful face and didn't even bother asking. He simply said, "How much?"
"One million Jewel!"
"Release them!"
After it was over, Wendy confessed that while playing a shooting game, she accidentally blew the stall away with Sky Dragon's Roar.
"Can't you guys just settle down for a bit?"
Acnologia looked at the dejected four people and two cats. If he had known, he wouldn't have come; he should have just let them fend for themselves.
Irene asked, "Where did Lucy and that Eclair go?"
Erza said, "They should have gone to the inn already. Let's head straight there!"
They had already registered at the inn when they first arrived, so they could check in directly now.
The group headed to the inn. After a night of commotion, they were all a bit tired.
Just as they arrived at the inn's entrance, Eclair and Momon ran out nervously.
Gray asked in confusion, "Eclair, what happened?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the inn's roof was instantly blown off by an explosion. Flames shot into the sky, and dust filled the air. Lucy had already summoned Taurus to fight the enemy.
"Lucy!"
Natsu's face changed color in shock. He rushed up instantly, throwing a punch with terrifying flames that forced the enemy back.
Lucy looked surprised. "Natsu!"
Gray stood in front of Lucy, his gaze sharp as he looked at the enemy. "And us!"
Erza had already made her move, lunging with her dual swords, but the masked man dodged and disappeared like a shadow.
"He disappeared?"
Irene was just about to strike, but that guy disappeared a bit too fast. That ability was somewhat like a Shadow Dragon diving into shadows, yet different.
Following the explosion, the city's soldiers arrived. After some questioning, they began searching for the enemy.
"Let's find another inn. This place is completely wrecked."
"Let's go. Since it's like this, we have no choice but to change."
The group moved to a new inn. After being rescued, Eclair slightly lowered her guard and shared her remaining memories.
"I need to go to Boundary Forest to find the Mage Kalard and give him this stone."
Eclair took out half of a black stone and said softly, "The fact that I'm being targeted should be related to this stone."
She had been running with this stone all along. Although she didn't know its specific use, her remaining memories told her it was very important.
"The stone..."
Natsu picked up the stone and squeezed it, saying in surprise, "It's so hard!"
Carla looked uneasy. "It truly does make one feel a mysterious power."
"Do you know what this is?"
Everyone remembered something and turned to look at Acnologia. He had mentioned something about a phoenix before.
Eclair looked up in confusion. "Do you recognize it?"
Acnologia picked up the half-stone with two fingers and explained, "This is the phoenix stone. Combined with the other half, it can awaken the phoenix."
He vaguely remembered the plot of that arc; it was mainly about awakening the phoenix to fight monsters.
In fact, he really did want to see how powerful a fully resurrected phoenix would be.
"So this is the phoenix stone? It sounds very powerful just from the name."
"Eclair, is your goal to awaken the phoenix?"
Everyone was a bit puzzled. Could it be that Eclair had the same kind of relationship with the phoenix as Natsu did with Igneel?
Eclair shook her head. "I don't know, but as long as I find Kalard, I'll surely recover my memories. Then I'll understand everything."
She knew that with her own strength, she might not be able to get there. She looked at the group. "Fairy Tail Mages, can I ask for your help?"
She held up the phoenix stone. "This stone is my most precious possession. I hope it can serve as payment."
Lucy smiled gently. "Since it's your most precious thing, keep it for yourself. We're friends; we'll do this for free!"
Everyone instantly perked up and said with full motivation, "Let's go together!"
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