Getting ready to leave the palace, to go for a walk in town, Wendy noticed the absence of a few people.

Seeing Kurome at the entrance to the palace, she questioned him.

"Do you know where Esdeath-san and Tatsumi are?"

" They went to the forest to hunt. " Affirmed Akame's sister, eating cookies. "And Wave left with them."

"Hunting in the forest?"

In the forest

Crushed under the weight of the Grand Chariot, Tatsumi inside Incursio began to roar with pain, while he was at the mercy of Wave.

"Bulat, member of Night Raid, I've got you now." Assured Wave, without understanding that he had Tatsumi in front of him. "Give yourself up."

"Never." Roared Tatsumi, giving a powerful elbow to Wave's throat.

Freeing himself, he managed to escape from the Jaeger's grip. Nevertheless, not having said his last word, the Jaeger immediately began to follow him, determined to stop him.

"You are done! Then stop at once!"

"What must I do?" Tatsumi asked himself. "This guy is much stronger than I thought! And if I keep going like this, I'll find myself in front of the Night Raid base, with him right behind me! In both cases, fighting or running away aren't two good solutions! I have to hide and conceal my presence."

Nevertheless, like a chewing gum stuck to his shoe, Wave continued to chase him, despite the paths in the forest taken by Tatsumi.

"You won't get away." Said the boy, having almost caught up with him.

"He's got me." Frightened Tatsumi.

"Let go of everything." Suddenly shouted a voice.

The two fighters were astonished.

Falling from the sky, Gajeel, still with his mask in front of his face, let his body harden before falling heavily upon Wave's figure. Collapsing under the impact, Wave felt his armor crack here and there, showing the violence of the impact.

"Gajeel!"

"Decidedly, you're more of a chaine at my leg than anything else." Said the wizard, while giving him a little smile behind his mask.

"The boss and the others were worried about you." Lily told him when he arrived. "Natsu was even ready to attack the palace again to help you."

"He would have just..." Tatsumi began.

" YOU ... " Wave roared, as he got up.

Reaching his hand to his head, the boy looked at Gajeel angrily, before declaring.

"I know you! You're the guy wanted for killing the old elite group under Esdeath-sama's orders."

"Oh? It seems I've become popular. "

"Say what you want! In the meantime, you and Bulat are under arrest."

"Bulat?" Gajeel wondered. "So, he doesn't know that Tatsumi is in that armor? In that case, ..."

"Hey, brat!" Shouted the wizard, looking at Tatsumi. "Get out, I'll take care of him."

"What ?"

Striking his fist in the palm, Gajeel said.

"I won't be long! Tell Najenda I'll be back just a little later."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Roared Wave, getting into position. "I'm Wave, a member of the Jaegers! Don't underestimate me."

"Go away!" Gajeel ordered, seeing that Tatsumi was still behind him.

"Okay!" Said the boy. " I trust you. "

Seeing his initial prey leave, Wave growled.

"You're far from being a normal murderer, you! Are you really willing to sacrifice your life to help a friend?"

"Sacrifice my life?" Gajeel wondered. "Don't make me laugh."

As Lily took his warrior form, the wizard said.

"The boss said not to rush headlong into town, so as not to lose our energy foolishly against the army! Nevertheless, a chance like this one, to get rid of an elite soldier like you, won't come again anytime soon."

"Your arrogance will lose you." Wave said, rushing at him.

"Fight like a man and then we'll see." cried Gajeel, imitating him.

Looking outside, Wendy breathed another weary sigh as she stood in the dining room. To tell the truth, the girl was a little bored. Of course, she could go on patrol, but without Seryu's presence, the urge to go wasn't there. She could then go to the church to greet Father Mory and the children. Nevertheless, she could find Seryu there, and she didn't want an argument to break out in front of the children. As for just going for a walk outside, Wendy wasn't in the mood to go outside to solve a problem or just to eat something.

Finally falling down on a chair, Wendy was about to sigh again when someone opened the door to the room she was in. Raising her head, Wendy could only be surprised to see Makoto, the emperor of the empire.

"Highness?"

"Hmm? Oh, you're one of the Jaegers, aren't you?"

"Do you remember me?"

"Of course! After all, you must be the only kid enrolled in the army right now! I hope you enjoy working for Esdeath."

"Not really." Wendy told him. "To tell you the truth, as soon as I can, I'll try to move up."

"What for?"

"To establish my own way of thinking about my soldiers."

"Do you want me to help you to become a captain?" Asked the child, thinking of doing so well.

Wendy looked at him iwith surprise and shook her head, saying.

"I'm not ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To tell you the truth, your highness, I remain under the orders of Esdeath-sama, for I know that, for the time being, I am still unable to control a whole group."

"Why is that? I am indeed the ruler of an empire."

Sighing, wanting to tell her the truth about the state of her kingdom, Wendy ends up asking her.

"Are you really the one who runs the empire?"

"Hmm? Of course, since I'm the emperor."

"In that case, I guess you make all the decisions, all alone."

"Uh..." Makoto said. "To tell the truth, Honest helps me a lot when it comes to making decisions."

"I guess he's the one who instituted a lot of laws in this country." Wendy understood.

"Maybe, but he did it to support me." Makoto said, not understanding what she was getting at. "To help me lead the empire to its peak."

"Emperor...in all honesty, you're not ready to rule a kingdom yet." Wendy confessed, while starting to play a real poker game.

"Huh?" Makoto wondered. "What are you talking about?"

"If you're being helped by someone, that means you're not yet ready to rule a country."

"Nonsense." Makoto said angrily. "Honest always told me that I was a wonderful emperor for my age."

"In that case, take the example of Esdeath! Why do you think she is a good leader? Even though I regret to say this, it is because she knows how to be listened to without having someone to help her! Of course, it is always good to have someone to give you advice, nevertheless, it would be better, Emperor, if you were the one to make your own laws."

"Honest forbade me because he thinks I'm too young."

"The prime minister isn't the emperor! You are the emperor! You're the one who has to make the decisions, all alone! That's the only way you'll gain confidence in life and become a real emperor when you grow up."

"Choosing my own decisions?" Makoto wondered. "But... But... what if they're wrong?"

"What's most important to you? Your happiness or that of your people?"

"My people's, of course."

"In that case, always thinking like that, there is no risk that you will unleash the anger of the people against you." Assured Wendy, with a sweet smile. "By establishing laws, which will allow people to be happy, you will manage to get people to love you!"

Literally drinking her words, Makoto couldn't help but think, already thinking about the laws he wanted to put in place.

"Nevertheless, I don't really know the empire that well. " Confessed Makoto. "I don't know how much wealth we have! The state of the surrounding villages! I don't even know what the people want! It's Honest who's in charge of that!"

"You have other ministers, your highness." Wendy assured him. "Go to all of them, and ask them your questions! They'll be happy to give you information! And that way, you'll know your empire much better."

A form of assurance then won over the boy, eager to know how to go about making people see him as a wonderful emperor. His head then filled with ideas, he greeted Wendy, before leaving the room.

As soon as he left, Wendy said.

"He's so gullible! I understand how Honest managed to manipulate him so easily! Nevertheless, I could also use this defect to try to control him in my turn."

"My goodness! My legs are killing me." Complained Wave, entering the room.

"Small girl." Said Kurome, following him, while eating a biscuit.

"You, I'm holding you back! We'll see if you'll still say that when Esdeath-sama punishes you."

"Hmm? What happened to you, Wave?" Wendy asked him, seeing that he was wearing bandages all over. "Did Esdeath do this to you?"

"Not only that." Kurome assured her. "He was put in misery by a member of Night Raid."

"Nonsense." Wave roared. "We fought and he ran away! That's it!"

"Who was it?"

"One of the guys in the masks! His name was Gajeel."

"Gajeel?"

A few hours before

"IRON DRAGON'S CLUB!"

Turning his arm into a pillar, Gajeel smashed his arm against Wave's fist. Using incredible power, the two opponents created a shock wave, raising dust and small stones around them.

Preferring to watch the scene, Lily noticed:

"At a glance, you can already tell that this man has experience!"

"IRON DRAGON'S SWORD!"

Seeing Gajeel's arm turn into a sword, Wave had the reflex to lower himself, thus saving his head. Then, not wasting a moment, he sent his foot into Gajeel's belly, sending him away.

With difficulty managing not to scream in pain, the magician crashed against the stone floor and got up while putting his hand on his belly and making sure his mask was still in place.

Landing in front of him, Wave cried out.

"Give up right now, you're no match for me."

Smiling nevertheless, Gajeel let out a mocking laughter while appearing astonished.

"Give up? Things are just getting interesting."

Then contracting his arms, he pulled out Daidara's two old half axes.

"That teigu...? " Wave wondered.

"I ate it, and since then it has merged with my body." Gajeel explained to him.

"Eaten a teigu? What are you talking about now?"

"You have to believe me! Nevertheless, you should know that your armor looks very tasty to me! Don't expect to keep it, if you lose our battle!"

"You'll never touch the Grand Chariot." Replied Wave, running at him.

Gajeel spun around and created violent gusts of sharp winds with his forearms.

"IRON DRAGON'S SPIRAL!"

Stopping to dodge the attacks, Wave threw himself to the ground. Over his head, Gajeel's attacks went straight to a rock, and cut it into pieces without the slightest problem.

"Damn, he could cut my armor off with that kind of attack."

"Stay focused!" Advised Gajeel, already rushing at him.

Giving him a powerful punch, the wizard ejected him with force against a rock, which exploded on contact with Wave. Wave disappeared from Gajeel's sight as he was buried under the debris. Yet, simply watching the dust fall back, the wizard stood ready, believing that the fight was one of being over.

And indeed, suddenly removing all the debris from him, Wave broke free, before jumping to the sky.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" asked Gajeel. "Lily!"

Catching him then, his cat allowed him to fly in the air, in pursuit of Wave, who seemed to flee. But just as Gajeel was about to catch up with him, the Jaeger turned towards him and pointed his foot at his face.

"GRAND..."

"Huh?"

"... FALL!"

Hit in the face, Gajeel fell so hard that Lily unintentionally dropped him. Gajeel could only crash, so he blew up the floor, thus ending his dizzying fall.

"Gajeel!"

Falling down, Wave landed not far from his opponent's point of fall, while asserting.

"We're finally going to find out who's hiding under that mask."

"Wanting to face me alone was a big mistake! In the end, your arrogance is the cause of your defeat."

"My arrogance, you say?" He heard.

" What ? " Wave wondered, seeing a figure rising up.

"It's impossible."

Having turned his body into metal at the time of impact, Gajeel was able to reduce the intensity of the impact. However, for him, the real reason he was standing was.

"Compared to the punches of the salamander, you don't have the weight! You hit like a girl! You say you're part of a group that wants to exterminate Night Raid? Idiot! It seems that the guy standing in front of me is holding back his blows for fear of killing me! Kid, if you feel pity for your opponent, during a fight, it's you who will die."

"Grrr! Arrogant guy ! I'll make thee swallow thy words."

Smiling again, when he saw him come upon him, Gajeel put his hands together and whispered.

"DRAGON SLAYER MAGIC !"

"Take that!" Roared Wave, punching him in the jaw.

Groaning in pain, Gajeel felt his feet rasp the ground, while he was forced to step back. But that didn't stop him from going on.

"KARMA DEMON: IRON GOD AXE!"

Gajeel then merged his arm with his teigu and turned the teigu into a huge axe, which was easily bigger than he was.

"What...?" Wave wondered, starting to jump backwards.

"It's over!" cried Gajeel, running straight at him, before throwing his axe at him.

Gajeel's armor was smashed into his chest, and Gajeel's weapon cracked the armor before breaking it.

"NOOOOOOO ! " Wave frightened himself, before Gajeel's attack ripped it open.

Falling to the ground, Wave felt the armor of the Grand Chariot disappear, to become a sword again, while a deep wound had appeared in his abdomen.

"The fight is over." said Gajeel, advancing towards him.

"No ... not yet." Wave assured, standing up.

Leaning on the Grand Chariot to get up, the soldier clenched his teeth, while affirming.

"I have no right to give up! I don't have the right ! The people of the capital count on me to live in peace."

Then staring angrily at Gajeel, he said.

"If I'm here, in front of you, it's to make it possible for all these good people to live in safety! That's why I have to beat Night Raid."

Listening to him, Gajeel saw him walking towards him, in spite of the fact that he was too weak to hope to continue the fight.

"So, for you, Night Raid is evil?"

"Of course, it is."

Then kicking him, Gajeel knocked him back, while saying.

"Finally, you hardly represent a threat to me! Lily, let's go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Let's go!"

Then seeing them take off, Wave cried out.

"Hey, come back, you coward! Our fight isn't..."

Shouting in pain, Wave put his hand on his chest, where his wound was still bleeding.

"Haha!" Sneered Leone, while holding Tatsumi against her. "I'm so happy that Tatsumi came back in one piece!"

"Come on, let's eat to celebrate." Natsu assured, sticking a piece of meat in the boy's mouth.

Almost choking, Tatsumi couldn't help but laugh as his companions were celebrating his return home.

"Really, I'm with a bunch of crazy people."

"Tatsumi, you're a dirty traitor." Lubbock growled, drunk as a skunk. "Why is it that even Emperor Esdeath falls under your spell? It's not fair! I too want a woman to love me."

"You're a fool." Said Mine.

Gajeel sat motionless, scowling, while Spear wiped an alcohol-soaked cotton swab over a wound on his face.

"You're really used to coming home in a bad way." Remarked the young woman, and seemed glad to help him.

"I don't care! This guy at least got the credit for giving me a good workout! Nevertheless, it will take more to defeat me! He's like Tatsumi! He hesitates far too much in a fight."

"In conclusion, Jaegers aren't to be taken lightly." Said Lily. "Even if Gajeel took the advantage in the end, the fight could have been tipped in Wave's favor if, for example, something had enraged him and made him want to kill his opponent! So, imagine how it would have turned out against Esdeath."

"We don't have to worry about that." Leone assured, while slapping Natsu's back. "Facing his flames, what can this woman's ice do?"

"There are elements which fire can't melt." Said Akame, while looking at the glass she was holding. "Unfortunately, Esdeath's ice is one of them!"

"Huh?" Natsu was offended. "I've already managed to destroy it! Don't take the flames of a dragon lightly!"

Suddenly frowning, Natsu started sniffing the air, while staring at a window.

"Is there a problem?" Happy asked him.

Remaining motionless for a few moments, Natsu finally retorted.

"No, nothing! I thought I perceived a strange smell outside."

Waking up at once, Lubbock immediately concentrated on his teigu. Nevertheless, after a few seconds, he said.

"My threads didn't detect anything."

"Ah, I must have been mistaken." Natsu understood, as he returned to his seat.

"Come on, relax and eat more." Leone laughed, still with Tatsumi under her arm. "It's a party!"