Headquarters of Oración Seis
In the dimly lit chamber, the leader of Oración Seis held a strange staff topped with a skull. With a voice like velvet and venom, he addressed the white-haired woman who entered the room.
"How goes it, Angel?"
Angel gave a slight bow. "’Our affiliates found the area. The land and forest nearby are starting to wither."
The leader’s lips curled into a pleased grin. "Excellent. That confirms the thod to break the seal is authentic."
Angel tilted her head. "But why would that ex-Councilor, Ultear, hand over the information?"
"Because..." The leader twirled his staff lazily. "I once saved her life." His smile turned wicked. "She’s with Grimoire Heart now, so perhaps she has her own agenda. But that’s irrelevant. Once we obtain Nirvana, all six of our desires will be fulfilled!"
Every mber in the room, five powerful mages and the eerie skull atop the staff, wore expressions of longing, madness, or fanatic devotion.
They were itching to awaken Nirvana and begin the chaos.
"But it seems the legal guilds have dispatched so nuisances to interfere," the leader mused.
He issued a command: "Send word to Red Hood, White-Tailed Eagle, and every branch of the New Eisenwald. Have them pinpoint Nirvana’s exact location. Once that’s done, we’ll greet our ’guests’ ourselves."
Though their subordinate dark guilds weren’t suited for battle, they excelled at gathering funds, and numbers. That made them useful for wide-scale scouting.
"Leader!" called out Racer, a grin tugging at his lips. "Erigor sent a hefty sum, asking to join our main force."
"Erigor?" The leader sneered. "The sa man defeated by Fairy Tail?"
"He did offer a lot of money," Racer said, licking his lips. "Slled real good~"
The leader tapped his staff once, then said coldly, "Tell him this: ’I hear you lost to Fairy Tail. If you want in, bring back a few of their heads first.’"
"Got it~" Racer nodded eagerly. "I’ll see if I can squeeze a bit more money out of him too."
The leader didn’t object. Until their plans ca to fruition, toying with these pitiful failures could pass the ti.
...
Cait Shelter Guild
"Sis Mira! Brother Rhode!"
As soon as Rhodes and Mira arrived at Cait Shelter, Wendy ca running like a burst of wind, practically flying into Mira’s arms.
The little Dragon Slayer was all smiles, her eyes bright with joy. For a mont, the shadows that had been lingering in her heart seed to disappear.
"Long ti no see, Wendy." Mira hugged her warmly, gently brushing back Wendy’s long hair.
Rhodes looked between Wendy and Carla, who stood just behind. He grinned. "So... should I hold my arms out for you too?"
Carla sniffed and looked away. "Not interested."
Rhodes put on an exaggerated look of disappointnt. He’d hugged Happy before, but never any other talking cats. He was hoping to get a chance to squish so paw pads.
Carla turned back with a sigh. "Still, welco back—even if it’s not the first ti."
"Thank you," Rhodes said sincerely.
Carla quickly changed the subject. "Co on, don’t just stand there. You haven’t eaten yet, right? Wendy and I prepared a feast."
Wendy nodded eagerly. "Today we’ve got roast pheasant and mushroom stew! Pepel and Magna brought it all back from the forest!"
Rhodes rembered those nas, two of the village’s best hunters. He smiled. "Then we’ll gladly dig in."
The ntion of food reminded him: "Oh, right, have you warned the others about the danger nearby?"
"I told Master Roubaul yesterday," Wendy said softly. "He’s inford everyone to stay alert. Actually, Pepel and Magna even tried to help look for clues, but they didn’t find anything..."
Rhodes’s face grew serious. "I appreciate the help, but please ask them not to get involved. The man we’re tracking is a cold-blooded murderer. He’s truly dangerous."
Wendy nodded. "Understood."
As Rhodes and Mira strolled toward Wendy’s cottage, they glanced around the village. The last ti they’d been here was three months ago, and not much had changed.
The small, tranquil village still gave off that ancient, peaceful charm. The villagers greeted Wendy with the sa warmth as ever.
It felt like ti stood still in Cait Shelter.
Back at the house, Wendy and Carla served up the delicious food. With no need for formality, the four of them chatted over lunch, discussing everything from mundane errands to recent news.
Even though so topics had been covered during their last call through the communication crystal, they couldn’t help rehashing them now that they were together.
After a lull in conversation, Wendy hesitated before asking, "I heard that Jellal did sothing really bad and got arrested. Is that... true?"
Rhodes paused mid-bite and glanced at Mira. He wasn’t sure if they should tell her the whole truth.
Mira also looked conflicted. Mystogan’s identity was still a secret, and he clearly didn’t want it spread around. But for Wendy... he was very special.
Then Carla suddenly narrowed her eyes. "You know his real identity, don’t you? Mystogan is Jellal, just from another world."
Both Rhodes and Mira blinked in surprise. "You already knew?"
Wendy nodded sheepishly. "After we got back from the Council, Jellal ca to see . He told everything, but he made promise not to tell anyone..."
Mira smiled, relieved. "That makes things easier. Don’t worry—your Mystogan, that Jellal, is doing just fine."
Rhodes leaned back in his chair with a sigh of realization. "So it was master behind that reunion."
Ti slipped by as the group laughed and chatted. Carla suddenly interrupted, arms folded.
"Didn’t you say you were here on a mission? Is it really okay to just sit around talking?"
Wendy perked up, rembering as well. "Right! Do you need our help?"
"We’re already working," Rhodes replied coolly, flashing a confident smile. "My adorable summoned beasts are scouring the entire forest range. If our target’s anywhere near, we’ll hear sothing soon."
Carla scoffed. "I doubt your summons think you’re ’adorable.’"
...
anwhile, far away at a luxurious villa owned by Blue Pegasus Guild Master Bob, the coalition of three official guilds had gathered.
Fairy Tail had sent its elite team: Erza, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy.
From Blue Pegasus ca the popular Trins unit led by Ichiya.
And from Lamia Scale ca Jura Neekis, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, along with Lyon Vastia and Sherry Blendy.
Altogether, eleven mages and one cat had assembled. Though united by mission, camaraderie was lacking.
Erza, as expected, had difficulty tolerating Ichiya’s advances.
Lucy was visibly uncomfortable around Sherry, still uneasy from their confrontation during the Galuna Island incident.
The Trins, ever gallant, laid on the charm toward Lucy, much to the annoyance of Natsu and Gray, who were glaring daggers by the minute.
With everyone hailing from different guilds and backgrounds, tensions naturally flared. Most of the group were strong-willed and unique in personality, leading to friction.
Fortunately, Jura’s quiet authority and overwhelming strength helped calm the atmosphere before tempers exploded.
When Ichiya stood up to propose a plan, Erza held up a hand to stop him.
"Wait. We’ve received intelligence that one of the won in Oración Seis possesses magic capable of both perfectly mimicking soone’s appearance and reading their thoughts."
"If such magic exists, it’s not impossible soone has already infiltrated our group."
Lyon folded his arms. "But if she can read thoughts, then even a secret password wouldn’t prove anything."
"If it were just a transformation spell," Jura mused, "we could confirm identities with shared mories. But with mind-reading in play..."
Sherry pressed one hand over her heart, dramatically turning toward Lyon. "No need to worry! I can confirm Lord Lyon’s identity through the power of love!"
Lucy whispered, deadpan, "She’s like a fusion of Juvia and Happy."
"Aye~" chirped Happy beside her.
Blue Pegasus’s Eve Tearm offered a suggestion. "How about using magic to confirm identities? Everyone could cast a spell."
Erza shook her head. "That won’t work. The spirit in question is Gemini, Celestial Spirits capable of perfectly copying their target’s magic and mories."
"Such a Spirit exists?" Jura asked, surprised. As a master of Earth Magic and a Wizard Saint, he knew a lot, but evidently not about Celestial Spirits.
Erza glanced at Lucy.
Lucy had summoned Loke earlier during the journey, but even he couldn’t tell who Gemini’s current master was, or reveal much about their abilities and limitations.
Sherry turned to Lucy pointedly. "You’re a Celestial Wizard, aren’t you? Surely you can tell whether soone’s a real person or a Spirit?"
"I’m sorry," Lucy said, clearly frustrated. "I haven’t noticed anything strange about anyone. Either the spy isn’t here yet... or Gemini’s transformation is flawless."
Sherry huffed dramatically. "Then it must be because your love isn’t strong enough!"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes... totally."
"If this keeps up, there’s no way we’ll be able to fight properly. Our opponents are powerful enough as it is... and we have to stay on guard around our own allies?"
Lyon nodded, finishing his thought. "Then we’ve already lost before the battle even begins."
"I’ve got a plan!" Natsu declared, completely unfazed. "Nobody move, I’ll just go punch out all the Oración Seis guys first. Then I’ll co back and knock out all of you. That way, the enemy will have no choice but to show herself!"
Imdiately, the three Blue Pegasus mbers and Jura raised their hands to cast spells at him. It wasn’t just that Natsu’s idea was reckless, it sounded way too much like sothing a double agent would say. But then again, no spy could be that dumb.
Gray casually threw an arm around Natsu’s shoulders.
"Don’t worry. He really is that dumb. We’ve been together since we left the guild. No way he could’ve been swapped."
Lucy raised her hand too. "Yup. He’s too dense to fake."
Lyon nodded as well. "I’ve fought him before. I can confirm, he’s an absolute idiot."
"WHO are you calling an idiot?!" Natsu shouted, flas flaring around his fists.
Everyone else simply nodded. He was, in fact, an idiot.
Jura cleared his throat. "Now that we’re on the topic, the three of us from Lamia Scale have always been in full view. There’s no way we could’ve been switched out."
All eyes slowly turned toward the four mages from Blue Pegasus.
Hibiki replied absentmindedly, "Of course, the four of us have always—"
But Eve interrupted, "Wait, no. Master Ichiya did leave by himself. He said he had to go to the bathroom."
Ren looked over, startled. "Master Ichiya?"
Hibiki’s head snapped up. "Brother Ichiya?!"
Suddenly, Ichiya struck a dramatic pose. "N...! Could it be... the enemy has even copied my fragrance?"
Lucy squatted down beside Happy, whispering, "No matter how many tis I hear him talk, it still creeps out. Why is his voice so weirdly sultry?"
"Aye," Happy replied, equally disturbed.
Erza stared at Ichiya with suspicion. "In any case... you’re currently our most suspicious mber."
"If even Miss Erza suspects ..." Ichiya cast a soulful glance her way, "Then, my honey, I shall prove my innocence for you."
"Captain Ichiya!" the three Blue Pegasus boys said tearfully, deeply moved by his selfless dedication.
Ichiya produced a small vial filled with pink liquid. "This is my exclusive perfu. I never share it. Its scent is unique. One whiff, and you’ll know it’s really !"
As he dramatically held out the vial, Erza hesitated, perhaps from nausea rather than doubt.
But before she could move, Jura quickly stepped in front of her."Wait! Don’t do anything rash!"
However, Ichiya didn’t listen to Jura’s warning at all. With a flick of his thumb, he popped open the stopper of the test tube.
The liquid inside instantly vaporized into a thick, pink mist that spread out in all directions.
"Everyone, back away! Hold your breath!" Jura shouted, slamming his staff to the ground.
The earth around Ichiya suddenly rose up, forming a rocky bowl-shaped wall to contain the strange fus.
But Ichiya’s "special fragrance" spread too quickly. The wall only trapped part of it. The rest slipped through the gaps and spilled into the room.
The others reacted fast and avoided the mist, but Hibiki, Ren, and Eve, who had been standing closest, were hit by the cloud. They dropped to their knees, coughing and gasping, their strength rapidly fading.
"Ice-Make: Giant Ape!"
Lyon slamd his right fist into his left palm. A huge ice gorilla burst forth from his magic, and it imdiately sprinted over, gently scooping up Hibiki and Eve in its large icy hands.
"Doll Magic: Carpet Puppet!"
Sherry activated her puppet magic, causing the rug beneath them to transform into a living puppet. It swiftly slithered forward and carried Ren away from the fog.
The three of them gave weak but sincere thanks.
Hibiki, still dizzy, gasped, "It’s Master Ichiya’s perfu... Just breathing it in saps your strength and disables your ability to fight."
Eve, looking toward the rocky do that sealed Ichiya inside, clenched his fists. "Even Ichiya’s unique magic is being copied... What did they do to Master Ichiya?!"
Only Ren wasn’t showing much gratitude. After glancing at Sherry for a mont, he turned his head and muttered awkwardly, "I... I didn’t ask you to save or anything... But, uh, thanks. No, I wasn’t saying that to you directly or anything..."
Sherry blinked, then blushed a little.
For the first ti, this handso, tan-skinned guy didn’t seem so annoying. His words were kind of charming, in a way...
But no, she already had Lord Lyon! Her feelings for Lord Lyon were strong... deep... and... and...
...
Bonus @2800 PS
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