Chapter 75 : Don't! ! !

There was an awkward silence.

Everyone's faces froze as they turned to look at Wakaba. Not a single person laughed, nor did anyone find amusement in the situation. 

They just stared at the projection and began to think about what they had seen, each recalling moments they would rather forget. It sent a chill down their spines and left them feeling like they had a lump in their throats that wouldn't go away. 

The whole room fell silent, almost like they were holding their breath, unable to speak.

On the stage, Everit smiled faintly as he pointed to the large screen. "Yes, a special thanks to one of our guild members for providing this... remarkable display," he said, drawing out the words for dramatic effect. 

"And here's the twist: he's among you. He's one of you." He paused, letting his words sink in.

"Now, do you want to see the picture more clearly?" he asked with a mischievous grin. "I bet you know the answer in your heart." 

Then he gestured to the screen, as if inviting the audience to brace themselves for what was coming next.

Suddenly, there was a loud *crack*, and the projection behind Everit exploded into pieces. It shattered into hundreds of fragments, scattering like shards of glass in an explosion. 

The broken pieces filled the air above the crowd, shimmering like stars in the night sky. Everyone looked up, their eyes wide, searching among the pieces for a glimpse of something—or someone—they recognized.

The images in each fragment became sharper and clearer with each passing second. The crowd tried to shout "No!" but their voices were lost in the din. 

The projections revealed embarrassing moments from within the guild, including people in ridiculous costumes, bunny suits, and even some dancing in women's swimsuits. It was both embarrassing and socially catastrophic.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. She had spotted Gray on one of the shards. There he was, dressed in a maid outfit, complete with cat ears and a cat tail, strutting down a makeshift runway with exaggerated cat-like movements. 

He swayed his hips and occasionally struck poses, all while maintaining a confident smile—because he was walking towards Everit at that moment.

The scene had everyone feeling uncomfortable, and yet they couldn't look away from the spectacle that had unfolded before them.

"Gray-sama, you are just...so adorable!" Juvia's eyes began to glisten with tears.

"Ugh—" Gray groaned, feeling completely overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, there was a crackling sound as Natsu and Gajeel turned to look at the shattered pieces of something. Their eyes were full of excitement and curiosity. 

They'd been stuck inside the guild for a while, so this sudden commotion was a welcome change.

"Everit!"

"Hey, you!"

"Everit, come here, I've got something for you."

"You're going down!"

Everyone in the room erupted in chaos. As they swarmed toward Everit, he simply smiled and said, "A friendly reminder: don't try to attack magicians. They're a sensitive bunch, and if their hands start shaking, who knows what might accidentally get unleashed?"

The crowd, who had been shouting and charging, suddenly fell silent.

Was Everit controlling more than one thing here?

They remembered being trapped inside a barrier and having to answer tricky questions. Sure, the embarrassing dance videos were bad, but the answers to some of those questions? They were killer.

"Hahaha—!" Laughter erupted from Cana, who had just taken a swig of her drink. Everyone turned to see her giggling heartily. "Gray, that move you just made was priceless!"

"Wooo..." Gray sank to the floor, mortified.

"It's okay, Juvia still thinks Gray-sama is cute!" Juvia quickly interjected.

"Juvia, don't make it worse," Lucy said, rolling her eyes.

"Macao's really got a great hip swivel for an old guy," someone commented.

"Wakaba's dancing doesn't compare to Macao's," another added.

"Ha-ha-ha! Alzack, I never knew you could dance so well!" 

When Cana stood up, everyone accepted the reality— 

Who cares!

Everyone started dancing anyway!

We'll all go down together!

Just think of it as a Natsu thing!

You can't be the only one in the spotlight!

Everyone had better laugh at themselves first! Otherwise, you'd be the target of everyone else! Better to be the one laughing than the one being laughed at. Get it out of the way and have some fun!

The guild was in chaos.

Everyone was laughing and making jokes—all at each other's expense.

If you make someone else the center of attention, you won't be noticed!

If everyone's laughed at themselves, no one will bring it up again later!

"Natsu, Gajeel, Lucy, Juvia, Levy." Everit suddenly appeared at Natsu's table and said with a grin: "Don't worry, if you didn't make the cut this time, there's always next time."

Lucy froze for a moment—she was still watching the fun, because she thought she was off the hook this time.

"Nooooooo!" Natsu and Gajeel quickly shook their heads, but winced in pain from their bruises.

"Natsu, don't move." Lucy quickly rubbed Natsu's sore neck.

Across the room,

Erza stood with her arms crossed and smiled. She seemed to be enjoying it all.

"Erza." Everit appeared beside her.

"Is this your magic trick?" Erza asked.

"Yes, but the show isn't over yet. I still need your help." Everit replied.

"What do you want me to do?" Erza asked.

"Follow me." Everit quietly led Erza out of the guild hall.

Cana, Bisca, and the other women were also "visited" by Everit one by one, their surprised reactions turning into adorable squeals.

After a quick round, they returned to the stage.

Thump, Thump

Everit tapped his cane on the ground. Even the slightest movement at this crucial moment made everyone tense up.

The room fell silent.

"The magic isn't over yet," Everit announced.

Everyone stiffened in their seats.

Continue? 

No way! 

Everit continued, "The next step is the third and final part of the magic trick."

"Do you remember what I said?"

"This trick is called mind reading. I have two pieces of paper. The first one holds the thoughts of everyone in the room."

"So, I need you all to stay silent," Everit instructed, pausing for a moment. Then he asked, "Do you want more to be shown on the screen?"

No!

That was everyone's first reaction, but nobody spoke. Everit had told them to keep quiet.

At that moment, they realized what he meant by "mind reading."

Magic? 

No, this was a setup to make fun of everyone!

Using video footage to trick them into believing it was magic!

This wasn't a magic trick; it was Everit playing a practical joke on everyone!

The lengths he went to for his "magic trick"!

It was astonishing.

"Laxus." Everit took the first piece of paper from Laxus and unfolded it.

It read in large letters - DON'T.

"So, was my mind reading correct?" Everit asked, tilting his head with a mischievous grin.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Eventually, Macao spoke up, "Looks like it."

"Yeah, seems right," others agreed.

"That's not what I meant," Laxus grumbled, rolling his eyes.

****

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