Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 123: They Must Be Weak in Close Combat

The two magic spell barriers glowed faintly, their radiance casting an otherworldly shimmer through the dense foliage of the mountain.

Rhodes and Gray were heading toward the closer of the two spell circles, but by the time they arrived—the enchantment had already dissipated.

"First unit, attack! Second unit, prepare to flank!"

The Council's Custody Enforcement Unit, under Deputy Captain's command, raised their staffs and unleashed volleys of magic bullets toward the members of the Dark Guild—Naked Bandage Men.

Having broken free of the binding spell, the dark wizards quickly recovered their composure and morale. Now sandwiched from both sides, the Council's numerical advantage had been all but erased.

"Damn Council scum!"

"We were just lying low! Why come after us?!"

"Take 'em down!"

The dark mages fought fiercely, utilizing a wide range of combat styles.

Some attacked from range with staffs and magic rifles.

Others blasted fire and lightning directly with raw elemental magic.

Still others were magic warriors, weaving between the chaos of magic bullets, closing the gap to strike at close range.

The versatility and aggression of the Dark Guild fighters pushed the Custody Unit into a difficult position. Both sides were taking casualties, the battlefield turning more brutal by the second.

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This was real wizard combat—chaotic, volatile, and deadly.

But things only got worse for the Council when the Zat Brothers—two of the guild's strongest—and a bald, musclebound man joined the fray. Their sheer power tipped the balance sharply.

Deputy Captain grit his teeth, sweat on his brow.

At this rate, not only would his squad be wiped out, but his fellow units scattered across the mountain might be next.

Then—

"Ice-Make: Lancer!"

"Raptors – Feather Storm!"

Dozens of icy spears rained down from above, followed by a barrage of razor-sharp crimson feathers. Several enemies collapsed on the spot.

"It's Fairy Tail!"

"Hold the line! Reinforcements are here!"

Morale surged through the Custody Unit like a jolt of lightning.

Deputy Captain didn't have time to question how the Fairy Tail mages had joined the fight—he welcomed the aid with open arms. Still, Rhode made sure to clarify:

"Captain Kewpie requested support—so here we are!"

Kewpie let out a relieved sigh. "All units, press the attack!"

"OHHHHH!!!"

The white-robed enforcers rallied, turning their desperation into determination.

Meanwhile, the dark wizards recognized the newcomers instantly.

"Regular guild mages?! You're seriously siding with the Council?!"

"Tch... we're fighting in the shadows, but those self-righteous punks get to act all noble?"

The bald man standing beside the Zat Brothers sneered.

"Hmph, it's just two of them. You lot, come with me—we'll wipe them out."

"Yes, Brother, Balka!"

Deputy Captain shouted as he cast support spells. "Watch out! That guy's shotgun is enchanted—it packs a punch!"

"Magic Shotgun!" Balka roared, unleashing a blast of glowing shells. "Eat this!"

"Ice-Make: Shield!"

Gray stepped forward, forming a thick wall of ice just in time. The magic shells struck the shield with explosive force, cracking the surface but failing to break through.

"Whoa... his shaping speed is insane!"

"That ice wall is solid! Strong defense!"

"So that's what Gray's Ice-Make magic is really capable of?"

Rhode raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you're way stronger than I thought."

Gray gave him a sideways glare. "How are you still surprised? You've seen me use Ice-Make plenty of times."

"I just didn't have a proper benchmark," Rhode replied with a shrug.

/

Usually, Rhodes just had a vague idea that Gray was strong. But this time, seeing even Council wizards marvel at the speed and precision of his Ice-Make spells—and hearing the enemy gasp at the durability of his ice shield—finally gave Rhodes a clear sense of Gray's level.

It would've been even better if there were another ice wizard on the enemy's side to compare.

That thought barely crossed his mind when—just as if summoned—an enemy ice mage behind the bald guy formed an ice lance after a few seconds of casting and hurled it toward Gray's shield, cracking a small hole in it.

Rhodes whistled, impressed. "Whoa~ Gray's really built different!"

"Focus on the fight!" Gray snapped, hurling an ice javelin at a gun-wielding enemy mage.

"My awe doesn't affect my combat ability," Rhodes replied coolly, already lifting a hand. "Raptors: Feather Volley!"

Five small raptors spread their wings and fired sharp feathers like throwing knives before diving toward the enemies. Behind them, a large crimson raptor let loose another volley of razor-sharp feathers and then charged straight at one of the Zat brothers.

Several unlucky enemies took direct hits and staggered back, clutching their arms in pain.

"Don't panic!" the bald man called Balka shouted, raising his shotgun and blasting a raptor out of the air. "One's an Ice-Make user and the other's a summoner—neither is strong in close combat! Magic Swordsmen, forward!"

"Understood!"

Four sword-wielding enemies charged in formation. Two of them were knocked down by raptor strikes, but the remaining two broke through and rushed Rhodes and Gray.

Gray met one head-on with an ice blade in hand. With a fluid motion, he parried the sword and followed up with a clean strike that sent the enemy crashing to the ground.

Rhodes, meanwhile, watched as the large crimson raptor was defeated by Zat's magic. Calmly, he summoned a group of Krugs.

One of the Magic Swordsmen slashed a Krug's shell, leaving only a crack. The Krug responded by biting into the attacker's waist and dragging him into the earth until only his head remained aboveground. Another Krug rose and knocked him out cold with a single kick.

"Retreat!" Rhodes ordered.

The Krugs burrowed back underground—only to immediately burst out again beneath Balka. One launched him into the air, and another clamped its jaws around him.

Gray stepped in just as Balka raised his magic shotgun again, slicing through the weapon and delivering a deep slash across the chest. A wave of frost followed, freezing Balka's arm and torso in place.

Down he went, frozen solid.

But Rhodes wasn't paying attention to him. His focus was on the approaching Zat brothers—by far the strongest enemies on the battlefield.

Despite the Council's numbers and coordination, they'd barely held their ground against the Naked Bandage Men.

Deputy Captain had taken a direct hit from Zat brothers, who smashed him in the forehead with a blunt weapon. Lying in a haze, the deputy could only watch helplessly as the Zat brothers closed in on Rhodes and Gray.

"All right, you two bastards," sneered the afro-wearing Zat. "What the hell did you do to my crew, huh?"

His brother Carter, the one with the spiky red hair, grinned stupidly. "Can I break their bones now, brother?"

Rhodes ignored their taunts and leaned slightly toward Gray. "I've been watching them," he said calmly. "Afro guy uses invisible-range attacks, like air cannons. The trigger seems to be when he raises his hand or that glowing ring of his. Keep an eye on his movements."

Gray nodded, fists clenched, taking up a fighter's stance. "And the other one?"

"Carter's more of a melee fighter—uses a short baton. Packs a serious punch, and that armor might be enchanted, like Erza's. High defense."

Gray gave a small smirk. "So, you've been analyzing them this whole time."

"Well, I wasn't just sitting around barking orders at my monsters," Rhodes replied with a shrug. Then he raised a hand. "Krug!"