Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 125: Rescue

Was he talking too much?

No—magic is the power of the heart. Saying a few extra words to bolster your will and shake your opponent's morale was a valid battle tactic.

Actually, if you looked at it dialectically, maybe the fight itself was part of strengthening your heart.

While Rhodes was pondering all of this, Gray had already put his shirt back on.

He glanced at the badly beaten Carter lying nearby. "You're seriously strong. Why are you so overly cautious with that kind of power?"

"Strength and caution aren't mutually exclusive," Rhodes replied. "Besides, I don't think it takes much strength to beat someone who's brainless, hot-headed, and just charges forward without thinking."

Gray nodded in agreement... then paused. "Wait—are you implying something?!"

"Nope. Just stating the obvious." Rhodes motioned for the Scuttle Crabs to stay alert and then added, "Come on, let's go check on the wounded."

The two of them walked over to the injured members of the Custody Enforcement Unit. Those with minor wounds were left alone, while those with more serious injuries received urgent field treatment.

Not long after, Kewpie arrived with a few battered subordinates. Reinforcements were also arriving from the other encounter site.

They looked around at the wrecked battlefield—feathers, shards of ice, shattered trees, scattered stones—and at the defeated Zat brothers and their equally bruised subordinates.

"What the heck kind of battle happened here?"

"Hey! We need a healer here—some of these injuries are serious!" Rhodes called out urgently.

"We've got first-aid kits!"

"Hurry! Triage the wounded!" Kewpie barked orders. "The rest of you, arrest the criminals!"

Everyone snapped into action. Rhodes and Gray stepped aside and finally allowed themselves to rest.

Kewpie watched silently as his team cuffed the unconscious members of the Naked Bandage Men one by one. But the more he looked at the wounds, the more something felt off.

Wait a minute... these injuries—burns, feather strikes, frozen limbs—weren't caused by his people.

With dawning realization, Kewpie muttered, "Did the two of you... take out the entire Dark Guild on your own?"

Rhodes shrugged. "We didn't take out everyone. Your team fought hard—we were just here to help."

"You've done more than enough," Kewpie said, though inwardly he was reeling. No matter how hard his people had fought, they couldn't summon birds that shot razor-sharp feathers, or freeze people solid with elegant flourishes.

Just from inspecting the defeated enemies, it was clear—at least half were taken down by these two Fairy Tail mages.

Two people. Against a full guild.

One of them didn't even have dirt on his clothes. The other? Just needed laundry.

How strong were the mages from Fairy Tail?

He'd heard rumors... like how the Titania—Erza Scarlet—once stormed a Dark Guild solo, because she didn't feel like waiting for Council reinforcements.

Was that just standard behavior in this guild of monsters?

"Captain! Captain Kewpie—!"

"What's wrong?!"

"It's Deputy! He's in critical condition!"

"What?! Quick, get a medic!"

"We've already applied emergency aid, but he's bleeding heavily! He needs a full operating room and a professional surgeon!"

"An... operating room..." Kewpie's face went pale. Their unit was built for rapid strike and containment—not long-term medical support.

Their field medics had basic training at best. They could stop bleeding and stabilize limbs, but performing real surgery? Not a chance.

And they were deep in the mountains. There was no way they could get Deputy to a hospital in time.

Could he even survive the trip?

Gray clenched his fists and turned to Rhodes.

"Rhodes?"

Rod nodded firmly. "Let's take a gamble. We can't just sit here and watch him die."

He raised his hand and summoned the Scuttle Crab. "I can get him to the Cait Shelter Inn as fast as possible. Whether he survives... will be up to him."

"Yes! The inn's not too far! They might—"

"But, Captain... if the terrain gets rough, his wounds could tear open. If he loses too much blood—"

"You talk too much," Gray interrupted. He stepped forward and pressed his palm gently against Deput's chest. A cool frost spread from his hand, sealing several of the worst wounds. "You got a better plan?"

"No."

"Then let's do it!" Kewpie made the call. He and Gray carefully lifted Deputy onto the back of the crab. "Deputy, hang in there!"

Rhodes and Gray jumped on either side, steadying Deputy between them as the crab shot forward.

The ride was cramped and uncomfortable, but that didn't matter now. They moved swiftly through the dark forest, trees whipping past. Deputy's breathing had become ragged, alternating between shallow gasps and labored wheezing.

"Rhodes, he's fading fast."

"I know. Hold him. I need a moment to focus."

"Focus?"

Rhodes straightened up and sank into a meditative state, attempting to accelerate his mana recovery.

"Answer the call—Brambleback!"

From the earth, a massive tree-like creature surged upward, its roots spreading and leaves crackling with ember-like light. The sudden strain nearly knocked Rhodes off the crab's back.

"Red buff," he commanded, voice barely steady.

Three glowing red sigils rotated around Deputy's body, each seeping into his wounds and drawing out dark energy as the injuries slowly began to stabilize.

Moments later, the Brambleback vanished in a swirl of light.

Deputy's breathing steadied slightly, but now Rhodes was pale and swaying.

"I'm... so tired."

"You were hiding that kind of magic this whole time?" Gray looked impressed.

"It's not that I was hiding it. Look at me. You think I can use this in combat?" Rhodes gestured weakly at himself.

"Well... when you're not already running on fumes, maybe," Gray muttered, though he understood. With Rhodes' usual caution, he wouldn't risk using high-consumption magic recklessly.

"Don't let me fall off if I pass out. And more importantly, don't let the crab disappear."

Rhodes paused, reconsidering. "Actually, make sure you catch him first," he nodded toward Deputy.

Rhodes normally wouldn't go this far. But watching someone's life slip away right in front of him—it didn't sit right.

They pressed on.

By the time they reached the Inn, night had fallen.

At one point, Rhodes ran out of magic again, and Gray had to fashion an ice cart on the fly. He loaded both his companions onto it, then stacked some branches on top to keep Deputy from freezing.

It wasn't comfortable, but it worked.

Once Rhodes recovered enough mana, he resummoned the crab and resumed their journey.

By now, Wendy and Carla had already changed into their cozy pajamas and were heading to bed.

"Why is it always at this hour..." Carla began to grumble but froze when she saw the wounded man in the lantern light.

"That's someone from the Council!"

"He's gravely injured," Gray said quickly. "We barely got him here in time. Can you help him?"

Carla hesitated for a second, then turned to Wendy. "Wendy?"

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Wendy nodded, eyes firm. "I'll do my best."

In the guest room—Rhodes' former bed—Deputy was gently laid down. Wendy sat beside him, her hands glowing with a soft green light as healing magic enveloped the room.

Rhodes and Gray collapsed into a corner, completely drained.

Beads of sweat gathered on Wendy's brow.

"I'll heal him," she said with quiet determination.

Carla hovered beside her. "Just don't push yourself too hard."

But they both knew there was no stopping her now.

...

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