After casting Fairy Law and failing to defeat a single person, Laxus's loss was already sealed.
It wasn't until the day after the parade that Charles learned Makarov had officially expelled Laxus from Fairy Tail.
Though, perhaps everyone had already sensed it coming—why else would they all strike the Fairy Tail hand gesture in such perfect unison during the parade?
Still, as Freed said, there will always be a day to et again.
Makarov didn't crumble from Laxus's departure—instead, he nearly died on the spot the next day when the bill for the damages ca in.
As for the culprit, Charles claid he had acted entirely under Makarov's orders. Pay for the damages? Absolutely not happening.
So, while Makarov stressed over the financial fallout, Charles quietly hid away in Fairy Tail's library and began diligently studying.
Fairy Tail's library had been curated since the ti of the First Guild Master, Mavis, including materials from the ruins on Tenrou Island and personal collections from the Third Guild Master and other mbers.
Given Mavis's connection with Zeref, Charles suspected there were even relics from the Black Wizard hidden in the archives.
Outside of a few facilities under the Magic Council, there likely wasn't a more extensive archive of magical knowledge in the world.
Aside from studying, Charles also went out on a few jobs from ti to ti.
After all, he didn't have so vast inheritance in this world.
This was the sa Charles who used to toss away enchanted swords like candy, now reduced to the humble life of a working mage.
Having just completed another job, Charles sat at the guild bar and confidently ordered a drink.
Mirajane slid a glass across the counter. "Rough day at work?"
Macao chid in nearby. "We heard about it. You burned down an entire forest just to take care of the Ghoul Spirit guys? Bit excessive, don't you think?"
Charles downed the drink in one gulp and said, "Can't be helped. Those guys turned their entire guild into sothing disgusting—couldn't hold back, so I blew the whole place up."
His last mission had been to investigate the dark guild Ghoul Spirit. But when Charles arrived at their headquarters, he found the entire place decorated with rotting corpses.
Charles didn't have a cleanliness obsession or anything, but he wasn't going anywhere near that ss. So, he simply used Fire Dragon's Roar to obliterate the whole site.
Unfortunately, the forest went with it.
Setting down his glass, Charles remarked, "That said, dark guild activity really is picking up lately."
He wasn't wrong. The rising number of dark guild requests pinned to the job board made that clear.
Just recently, Charles had taken several missions involving dark guilds. The trend was unmistakable.
Mirajane nodded. "There's definitely been more reports of dark guilds lately. But hey—more work opportunities for everyone!"
Charles couldn't help but admire Fairy Tail. When the dark guilds looked like they were about to cause trouble, Fairy Tail just saw more job openings.
That said, unlike the dark factions in DanMachi's world who were constantly in hiding, dark guilds in this world didn't have quite the sa threat level.
After all, most dangerous magical items and ancient weapons were locked down by the Magic Council... though the Council's reliability was questionable at best.
Still, the dark guilds' sches often sounded terrifying in theory but rarely amounted to much in reality.
"We're back!"
Before Charles's food arrived, Natsu and Lucy returned.
During the recent Miss Fairy Tail contest, Erza had claid victory again, taking the grand prize with ease.
Lucy had made it into the top three, but unfortunately, it didn't help her with her rent. So, Natsu had dragged her on a string of jobs lately.
Judging by Lucy's exhausted, lifeless expression, Natsu had clearly run her ragged.
Once they returned, the pair also began complaining about the rise in dark guild activity, prompting Mirajane to give Lucy, still new to the magical world, a rundown on the subject.
She even kindly brought out a chart showing the hierarchy of the dark guilds.
But seriously, was "dark" even the right word if their internal structure was mapped out this clearly?
Charles mocked it under his breath, but still listened—might as well consider it a review.
At the center of the chart was a circle with three nas inside:
[Oración Seis], [Grimoire Heart], and [Tartaros].
These were the core forces of the dark world—the three major dark guilds that ford the Balam Alliance. All other dark guilds were simply their subordinates.
Their nas branched outward from the central circle in a tree-like structure.
There were a few independent guilds like Raven Tail that didn't fall under the Alliance's control, but those were rare.
Fairy Tail had already taken down Iron Forest and Charles had blasted Ghoul Spirit into ash—both of which appeared on the chart as sub-guilds under the sa parent.
Charles noticed that all the dark guilds recently stirring up trouble belonged to Oración Seis. That could only an one thing—sothing had happened with their leader.
That thought matched with what Charles rembered from the story's tiline. Sure enough, Makarov entered right on cue.
"Regarding Oración Seis, the task of defeating them will fall to us!"
With that declaration, chatter erupted through the guild.
After all, Oración Seis was one of the three pillars supporting the dark side of the magical world. The Magic Council wouldn't take their movents lightly.
It had been the main topic during the most recent council eting.
Makarov, as usual, drew the short straw. Thankfully, to avoid dark guild retaliation being aid at a single guild, it was decided that four guilds would unite to take on Oración Seis.
The chosen guilds were: Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and Cait Shelter.
Fairy Tail would be sending its strongest available lineup: Charles, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Lucy.
That team represented the best firepower Fairy Tail could currently field.
After all, Oración Seis was a fearso force—just six mages had claid a third of the dark world. This was not a foe to be underestimated.
And with four guilds working together, everyone would be trying to show their best side—for reputation's sake.
So, Makarov personally appointed the team. Before they left, he grasped Charles's hand, teary-eyed.
Charles understood what he ant and solemnly promised to keep everyone from making a ss of things.
Only then did Makarov wave them off with his handkerchief.
The group boarded a magical airship bound for their rendezvous point: the estate of Blue Pegasus's guild master.
When they saw the mansion—heart-shaped windows and all—Charles felt an overwhelming urge to turn around and leave.
The Blue Pegasus master was a good man, sure. But not everyone could handle his… personality. And the mansion's decor was, to put it kindly, unforgettable.
It reminded Charles of who Blue Pegasus would be sending for this mission—soone even Erza openly admitted she couldn't stand.
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