Bridge District, Welbor Island.
A group of four recently entered the area like all others, their pace a bit quicker compared to the rest. But if you'd look closely at the atmosphere between them, there was a kind of subtle tension that couldn't be described.
"No funny business, ya got that?" A pink-haired young man said sluggishly. "Or else you gettin' another knuckle sandwich from me!" He annoyingly stared at the gray-haired man near him, who raised his arm in surrender.
"I'm not someone who would break their word, Salamander." The gray-haired man shook his head. "In fact, even you three understand that traveling through the town to get to the island while carrying my unconscious body is a bad idea." Shrugging as he replied.
"Aye!" A blue cat floating beside them joined. "Don't be so smug about it, Mr. Fake Ghost. It's quite obvious that you're trying to lead us into a trap, but Natsu and Kagura can easily flip that upside down." The feline sagely reminded him, as if he was scolding a child.
"You truly believe in their strength, my furry friend…" The gray-haired man mildly tittered. "Even strong wizards can be overwhelmed by weaker ones if they're not careful, and Welbor Island is a great example for that."
"We don't mind the challenge, pal." Natsu grinned in excitement as his slowly complexion returned to normal. "So your threats don't really mean much." He discreetly scanned their surroundings, spotting a few individuals that looked their way.
"I think your punches made him stupid, Natsu." Happy came to his own brilliant conclusion instantly. "Poor thing, what we should even do with you?" Letting out a sigh of mock pity.
"Well, if that's the case…" The dragon slayer flexed his right arm, rolling it as he seemingly prepared for a knockout. "Maybe doing it again would fix him?"
Such a nonchalant suggestion prompted the mist wizard to flinch instinctively, not wanting his head to be potentially dented due to the consistent hits that rained downed mercilessly.
Bonk! Bonk!
A white scabbard interrupted the pink-blue duo's antics, sparing their now moving captive from them.
"Focus on the task at hand, you two." Kagura chided them as she shook her head, then glanced at Rale coldly. "I hope you will hold up your end of the bargain, considering it benefits all of us."
"Don't be so stuck up, madam." Rale said. "This… investigation that all three of you are doing will resume once we reach headquarters, then I'll leave without complaint afterwards."
When he regained consciousness within the carriage, he hastily offered a temporary truce before Natsu could grant him the usual nap into darkness. The fairy trio rejected the notion at first, but accepted it hesitantly because of his status as a core member.
Rale explained that he has access to various areas in the headquarters, where only the most trusted individuals of Vandis can enter with leisure. Each area stored critical information that would deem Paramount Tide as criminals ten times over.
However, as expected, there was a catch for this type of offer. In exchange, they must escort him to the headquarters while giving some freedom under the guise of their supervision.
Like Rale said, it was too conspicuous to carry his unconscious body into the island, which would definitely raise eyebrows of suspicion.
It was basically a dangling bait in front of them, yet Fairy Tail's Ace never feared obstacles, so he accepted on behalf of his companions, who smirked helplessly at his straightforward way of doing things.
But Kagura and Happy didn't fault him for such a decision, since the situation already delved into chaos. Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale are currently busy with their own battles and avoiding pursuit.
Even if Rale escaped from them and reported what he found, it wouldn't matter too much. What's the problem with adding more into the chaos, anyway? Maybe it could lessen the numbers of dark wizards chasing the others.
They also believed in their allies' strength. Ichiya and the rest would never yield no matter the cost.
One could call it a direct clash at this point, meaning the reveal of Mack's survival would take less priority due to everyone being occupied in the first place.
The pink-blue duo narrowed their eyes at the same time, understandably not believing on whatever he's saying.
"He's already admitted it, Kagura. We're definitely gonna be greeted with fightin', so we might as well expect it!" Natsu deviously chuckled, his magical power flickering in response to his eagerness for some action.
Just a brief showcase of his might intimidated the ones who observed them from the crowds or shadows.
"Yeah! If all else fails, direct, relentless beatdowns is Fairy Tail's motto." Happy raised his chin up as he boasted. "The council even took a step back for us, so where does that place you, Mr. Fake Ghost?"
"Who knows?" Rale ignored the Exceed's taunt. "Is there any official guild that still genuinely respects them? They use laughable theatrics if they fail due to their incompetence, making sure the public eye could see their 'iron-clad' authority and control over all guilds." His expression was one of disdain.
He glanced at the trio. "I'm pretty sure Fairy Tail's wizards understand it the most, considering their reputation as a rowdy bunch."
Natsu fell silent for a moment, clicking his tongue afterwards. "Well, you ain't wrong about that."
"Hey, Natsu! Don't let him steer the conversation to his favor!" Happy complained. "Although I also feel the same." Then comically switched his tune in the next moment.
"It's best to not speak with him any longer." Kagura interjected, a bit speechless at their provocation attempts. "Us being aware of his intentions is enough." She tightly gripped her weapon, sensing the peculiar gazes that felt like vigilance for the most part.
"Aye! Kagura has a point, I think we should stop." Happy sheepishly glanced at Natsu.
"Fine… He just has a slimy tone that sounds irritating, you know?" Natsu grumbled.
Kagura simply pinched his cheek in response, and the dragon slayer let it be. The Exceed wanted to tease her, but one threatening look ceased his impending transgressions.
Rale quietly looked back at trio that didn't display a hint of worry while being in enemy territory.
As much as I hate to admit it, nobody could match them equally except for Hana and Master Vandis. He thought. And from how they acted during the carriage up until arriving here, they're definitely not alone in this investigation.
Picking winnable conflicts was something he did throughout his entire life, and when the situation isn't in his favor, he would find alternative methods to overcome them.
Given the nature of his magic, every solution that he came up with worked, since it was versatile and unpredictable to normal wizards.
Unfortunately, Rale's luck ran out against two strong fairies. He knew that only beating them directly in a fight was the answer, and he lacked the capability to do it on his own.
"Look! It's Sir Rale!"
"I also saw Gilrid, Noah and Hana roaming about."
"Is there a guild meeting that's gonna happen on the island?"
"Oh, who are the ones walking with him? There's even a cat with wings!"
Rale slightly frowned in confusion at their comments, while still greeting the remaining locals who were still working within the peaceful evening.
Some even figured out Natsu's identity thanks to his famous physical description. The dragon slayer did not want to take pictures with Sorcerer Magazine for a long time, so the most common of facts about him became the forefront of his reputation.
Rale gently urged them to return to their businesses, explaining that these are guests that he must accommodate for the guild master, both him and the residents were not aware of the ongoing battles that were currently happening at different spots on the island.
It was a quiet, yet quick walk. The Fairy Trio in particular, were getting a bit restless because of their understanding of the situation. They needed a slight opening to update the others on what they're doing now.
Although they could have done it in the carriage, traveling with a conscious enemy captive prompted caution.
Once the group walked for a certain period of time, they've arrived at an area where the residents were being cordially guided out of the premises. Compared to the previous half they went through, the closer they got to the headquarters, it seems that only wizards remained to look after these places.
"Wait a moment." Rale said to the trio as he called out to his supposed subordinates, going towards them for clarification about the scene he witnessed.
"That's our cue." Kagura swiftly urged. "He'll be informed about everything, so let's activate the Telepathic Link before they finish."
Natsu and Happy nodded seriously, reaching for the connection that was applied into their mental space.
[Guys! We're already inside the island! Are you all still okay?] Natsu started.
[Men~! We're fine on our end, Natsu-kun! It's only a couple of dark wizards chasing us, but we can handle them no problem.] Ichiya sounded flamboyant like usual.
[The paths are really random… A patrol spotted us the moment it intersected, then they immediately reported it to the nearby patrols within the vicinity.] Eve explained.
[I've managed to protect Waynir and the injured from the crossfire, but I needed to separate from Boss and Eve to fully focus on them.] Ren added. [Don't worry about me, I can do this.]
[It's good that all of you escaped smoothly! We shall continue our fight here!] Ichiya responded with vigor.
[Just don't overdo, Ren. Boss' Healing Perfumes are limited, it's practically a lucky coincidence that he brought three vials.] Eve remarked in concern.
[I know. A small whiff alone can have great effects, I'll make sure to use it wisely.] Ren assured him.
[That's good! Try not to get surrounded, those bastards will definitely swarm like flies.] Natsu had his own unique form of encouragement.
[Haha! Duty noted, Natsu-kun!] Ichiya laughed uproariously
[Roger that, Natsu.] Eve acknowledged with amusement.
[Hpmh! Well, your concern is also appreciated somewhat…] Ren's voice lowered into a mumble.
[Stop acting like a bashful girl, Ren.] Eve teased.
[Shut up!]
The banter lightened up the tension a little bit, which reinvigorated their energy to overcome their pursuers.
[Lyon, Sherry, Warren, how are things on your side?] After Blue Pegasus confirmed their situation, Kagura was the one who asked this time.
[I hear ya loud and clear, Kagura.] Warren's voice rang out. [I've hidden myself in a safe spot to hold onto the link for all of us.]
[Yep, as long as he's okay, communication will be stable for the most part.] Lyon joined in. [Me and Sherry fought against one of their S-Classes, Noah, and we managed to win, fortunately.]
[You're really trying to downplay it?] Sherry followed up with a laugh. [If it wasn't for your sharp thinking, we would've been riddled with deep wounds.]
[Yeah, yeah.] Lyon changed the topic. [Right now, we're in the same situation as Ichiya and the rest. We had to separate to spread their forces thin, making it easier to deal with them.]
[Good job, both of you! That's another one out of the picture.] Ichiya remarked.
[They're responding fast… it seems like Paramount Tide is going full throttle.] Eve sighed.
[And we lack information regarding Raven Tail.] Ren groaned in complaint. [There was no time to pick up the guy Hibiki and Max defeated, since we had to consider the possibility of that Hana tracking us down.]
[Honestly, I'm glad that everyone is alright for the most part.] Kagura said. [But we need to inform you guys that things have turned complicated here.]
She shared the contents of their temporary truce with Rale, which was the reason for their changed destination: Devala Headquarters.
[I see.] Ichiya understood their current predicament. [That man is quite cunning to leverage on that logic of reasoning.]
[He also isn't wrong about it, so you can't really retort unless it makes sense.] Lyon clicked his tongue.
[Hehe! That's why we're going along with it by using the good ol' Fairy Tail way!] The excitement could be heard in Natsu's tone. [You can't say fight without us included!]
[Aye! Everybody is doing their best.] Happy added. [So it would be an embarrassment if Fairy Tail isn't the most chaotic of the bunch!]
Chuckles followed afterwards since he was genuinely right.
[Then it's only proper to adapt to the circumstances.] Lyon stated.
[Indeed, our objective is not to investigate anymore...] Ichiya declared their very new, yet obvious strategy. [Natsu-kun's decision is our next approach, let them come, and we'll take the fight to them!]
[The hunter becoming the hunted, huh?] Lyon said. [Well, that's what we've been doing this whole time, and I'm ready for more!]
[Alright, I'm fired up!] Natsu roared with eagerness.
[The central district will be swarmed with dark wizards, so me and Natsu-san will be occupied for a while.] Kagura smiled at hearing the dragon slayer's excitement. [All of us are not sure how they'll divide their manpower around the island, excluding Rale who is under supervision.]
[With Noah out of commission, maybe they'll panic for a moment.] Lyon replied. [But hey, the more grunts appearing, the better, no?]
[Lyon-kun is correct! Aside from those S-Classes, dwindling their numbers will be one of our priorities.] Ichiya agreed.
[Certainly.] Kagura said. [Now that it's come to this… Wait, Rale has currently concluded his discussion with his subordinates.]
The Fairy Trio quickly gave their goodbyes and left the link, cautiously observing Rale who had an unreadable expression.
He stopped in front of them. "Let's continue on, shall we?" Rale smiled, as if he figured out something. "We're almost at the headquarters."
The dark wizards that he talked to dispersed into various directions. They either helped with guiding the locals that were still here, while some went on top of rooftops, alleyways, or simply beside the buildings.
It was already too obvious as Natsu and Kagura sensed the hostile intent being sent their way.
"There is no need for small talk." Kagura narrowed her eyes. "Move." Her demeanor changed, emitting magical pressure that could be felt across the area.
Most of the dark wizards who waited in ambush sweatdropped, yet not one retreated from such a display.
"You heard her, pal!" Natsu cracked his knuckles, doing the same thing. "I wouldn't delay it any further if I were you." The temperature slightly increased after his remarks, giving the illusion of a raging fire that was ready to burst.
Happy floated close between the two. "Keep on going, Mr. Fake Ghost."
Rale raised his hands as he backed off, prompting him to turn towards their destination and resume this so-called 'supervision.'
The group now had a completely different atmosphere, although both sides expected each other to take the initiative. They went through crowds of confused residents, still wondering on why they were being escorted out of their active businesses.
Frankly speaking, it wasn't for their safety. Paramount Tide had many approaches to make them seem and operate like an official guild to the locals, this is simply one of them.
Only the lights from lacrima-powered lamp posts and buildings that illuminated the path remained after the number of residents decreased, showcasing a textbook environment of a peaceful evening.
Yet it there was a stark contrast due to the dark wizards trailing the group discreetly with their magic from various angles, making it an odd sight for any normal person.
However, the supposedly cornered 'prey' did not look afraid in the slightest. Natsu simply adorned his signature smile, which looked frighteningly manic to them.
His renowned fame within the Baram Alliance was nothing to scoff at, one could even say that he is a living nightmare ever since Tenrou Island's disappearance.
A lone official wizard who took down dark guilds on his own during that timeframe elevated his already established reputation to new heights.
Although Kagura was still putting her name out there, her presence and demeanor was enough to have them rethink their decision for following Rale's plan.
Who would want to fight these two monsters anyway?
As soon as the headquarters was within sight, Rale halted his steps a distance away from the entrance. Unlike the previous sections they've passed through, this area had no signs of activity at all.
It was glaringly suspicious, as if it was expected that battles would take place right here.
"We have arrived…" Rale suddenly spoke. "This counts as completing my part of the deal, right?"
WHOOOSH!
Familiar bundles of Mist immediately engulfed the Fairy Trio, along with the spikes of countless magical signatures that were coming from their surroundings.
"Happy, fly away!" Natsu urged his partner to find safety in the air.
"Aye Sir!" The Exceed already understood how Rale's magic worked, so he aimed for the top in a swift manner, fully boosting his Aera Magic to its limits.
Two dark wizards entered the mist by leaping from different sides of the upper portion, as if they were guided into it. They attempted to intercept the blue feline, but Happy seamlessly evaded their attempts, only grabbing nothing afterwards.
They circulated their magic to catch up---!
BOOM!
Then heard an explosion right below them.
Grab! Grab!
Only the sensation of searing heat and being grabbed followed, their sights blurring as they felt themselves getting tugged by the face.
"You ain't targetin' him on my watch!" Natsu growled in anger.
BAM!
The dragon slayer bumped their heads together with his infused fists of fire, producing small blasts as they got knocked out cold. He descended along with the unconscious bodies, landing on the ground while still holding them.
The moment he did, figures of mist formed around him, charging towards his location relentlessly. Natsu noticed that this these figures had even more physical substance than last time, making him raise his eyebrows in slight surprise.
BAM!
He released the bodies and blocked a figures' punch with his left arm, giving the others time to catch him off-guard. Natsu swiftly dispersed the mist figure by pulling it to him and punching it.
Then, he followed up with a sweeping right kick.
"Fire Dragon's Talons!"
Flames trailed across horizontally, covering all paths as they split all the mist figures in half. It circled around him like a ring, reaching towards the boundaries of the mist, hitting more dark wizards and structures in the process.
BOOOM!
"ARGHHH!"
"What kind of fire is this!? It's so damn hot!"
"Damn you, Salamander!"
Groans of pain were heard afterwards, echoing within the mist like a symphony. The mist immediately reformed in the next second, not giving him the time to breathe.
An opening was created at a distance behind him, making way for a dark wizard who aimed a staff towards him with an invoked spell.
Whoosh!
But before he could even launch it, he instinctively glanced at the sudden interruption.
Shing!
Only the feeling being sliced filled his nerves, his reaction a step too slow. Blood spurted from his wound, his clothes torn in the middle.
Fast! That was his remaining thought after getting smacked at the back of his head.
Kagura observed the shifts of the mist, seeing dozens manifest under the control of Rale. She released more of her magical power in response, emitting higher outputs of her gravity in one go.
POOOF!
The mist got pushed back under the might of her gravity, even the dark wizards that she saw as a result were affected.
However, she obviously won't let this opportunity go to waste.
She chased.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
"GUGHK!"
"Somebody stop her!"
"That sword is crazy!"
Kagura weaved through the net, taking out more in the process. One tried to counter from her side, swinging a magic axe filled with Ethernano at her. She guarded against it with her scabbard, then lowered her stance after strongly tilting the weapon towards the side, piercing him with the end of her sheathed weapon.
"Augh!" The poor fellow got sent flying into the mist, hitting a few of his guild mates in the process.
Another emerged and charged towards Kagura, arriving near her back as the dual-wielding woman swung one of her swords. Unfortunately, the woman sensed an incoming wave of heat afterwards, prompting her to try and block by cross-guarding with her weapons.
BAM!
CRRK! FSSSH!
Natsu's punch actually seared the weapons a little bit, raising the temperature even further. The dark wizard's eyes widened in shock for a split second, then got overpowered as she was launched through the mist, sharing the same fate.
"Stand back, you weaklings!" A man shouted in boundless confidence as he came from the top, holding a huge magical imbued morning star.
He swung down the weapon at them with immense force, the spikes gleaming with radiating sharpness.
BOOOOM!
The fairy duo avoided the attack by leaping towards opposite directions, getting ready to counter afterwards.
"Hm?" Natsu frowned as he noticed the mist coiling around his arms, attempting to bind him in place.
A dark wizard instantly appeared behind him, putting him in a choke hold. Two more exited from mist openings at each side, doing a standard pincer formation.
"Not bad." The dragon slayer just grinned in amusement. "But this ain't enough to hold me down!"
He lifted his left foot.
BAM!
Then stomped hard on the ground, cracking it with sheer force as his flames spread out within his vicinity, engulfing the three trying to pin him down. Others were also affected as they cursed, distancing themselves within the mist.
"AGGGHHH! IT HURTS!"
"Stay away from his fire! Let's focus on ranged spells for now!"
"How long do we need to stall for time!? Rale's mist ring still has a limit, you know!?"
"Don't ask me! He's already told us that Hana is on the way, but the guild master rejected his request for help because of other matters!"
"What could be more important than our current situation!?"
"How should I know!?"
Many panicked at the impossible task while Natsu broke free from the stunned and burned dark wizard, doing a reverse headbutt to deal with him. He looked at the other two who immensely slowed down thanks to his burst of flames.
Natsu ducked the right one's strike, elbowing him on the stomach. Then he backhanded the other one on the cheek with an infused fist.
Kagura on the other hand, was occupied by the dark wizard wielding the huge morning star.
He twisted his body in the air, surprisingly swinging the weapon towards her in an instant.
The swordswoman raised an eyebrow at the man's strength, although she charged fearlessly at it. She easily destroyed the mist figures that appeared to disrupt her focus and lightened herself with gravity.
As soon as she sidestepped the morning star, she cleaved the chains like butter.
"What!? This isn't a normal chain!" The confident dark wizard's bravado fizzled out pretty quickly, staring in horror as Kagura gripped the chain afterwards.
While sprinting, she yanked it with great force, pulling the man towards her. Kagura readied another strike, hitting the man on the torso as she smashed him into the ground.
More dark wizards and mist figures emerged from various angles, trying to overwhelm the fairy duo that couldn't be stopped. They moved alongside the path with Rale as the focal point of the mist.
When Natsu and Kagura ran forward towards the headquarters' direction, he had to follow them to keep them entrapped within his spell, determined to fulfill his role.
Destroyed buildings and unconscious bodies filled the vacant space once the mist didn't cover them anymore.
"He seems intent on delaying us by using his mist to coordinate ambushes…" Kagura remarked as she stood back-to-back with Natsu.
"Well, it's just easier to beat 'em up." Natsu replied. "We already know how his annoying magic works, so there's no point in leavin' this thing until we get all of 'em." The dragon slayer made a point, but that eager look on his face looked more menacing than their enemies.
Kagura softly giggled, her stoic expression adorning a small smile. "You're not wrong." She looked at the quiet scene before her, aware that the dark wizards were afraid to resume their offensive.
Even Rale turned passive, as if he didn't mind this current standoff. All of them were now closer to the headquarters, but his expected reinforcement was nowhere to be seen.
Where the heck are you, Hana!?
The mist wizard could only grit his teeth in silence.
…
Eastern Side, Welbor Island.
BAM!
A dark wizard was punched by an above, averaged sized hand. Getting flung across the air until he reached a tree.
CRASH!
"Ugh!"
"MEN~! It would take more than that to take me down!" Ichiya flamboyantly flexed his muscles, ignoring the knocked-out people sprawled on the ground.
The area around him was devastated, courtesy of numerous magic spells being sent towards him in relentless fashion.
After separating from Ren and the others, Him and Eve did their best to lead on their pursuers on random paths, leveraging the terrain's covers to conserve their reserves while also efficiently dealing with the patrols.
Luckily, it was still doable since most of these dark wizards were around B to A-Class in personal strength. Unless it was Paramount Tide's S-Classes, nobody could stop them in their tracks.
Whoosh!
He felt a chilling breeze that came from a specific location, prompting him to look towards it.
BOOM!
A beam of snow appeared with a dark wizard in tow, rendering him unconscious once he hit the surface of a boulder.
"Was that all of them, Maestro?" Eve showed himself afterwards, walking towards Ichiya as he asked.
"A few unfortunately slipped away while we were fighting." Ichiya sighed. "They will definitely inform the others who are at farther distances… We must continue moving." Steam shot out from his nostrils.
Eve nodded seriously, following Ichiya as they both sprinted across the uneven landscapes. Most of the paths that they were currently on were filled with rock formations, making it the perfect section for them to be bait.
Ren's group decided to use the bottom paths to avoid detection. The greenery above will mask their trek, considering that there was a normal blacksmith alongside recovering wizards with him.
It was a consensus they agreed upon in mere moments after encountering dark wizards who were patrolling.
After a period of time, Ichiya and Eve took a break. They simply leaned on the rocks for support, soaking in the tranquil atmosphere before chaos resumes.
"Boss, should we contact the council?" Eve spoke first. "Gathering evidence is the least of our worries now."
"... Indeed, my junior." Ichiya said. "But calling them while all of this is ongoing will just add confusion." Humming in thought.
"Remember, only a few of their higher-ups are aware of the investigation. The remaining are still in the dark, so bringing this to light is not a good idea." He explained.
"That's a bummer." Eve scratched his head. "I think that---!"
He was interrupted by a bright set of sigils that unknowingly manifested on his body. Each one looked like a target, their lines intersecting in tandem, matching the basic outline of his arms and legs.
Eve and Ichiya immediately became alert, their posture quickly transitioned into battle stances.
Then, they sensed another form of magical energy traveling towards their way in a swift manner, making them glance at the source.
It was five blue shaped spheres that went through countless obstacles by destroying bits and pieces, indicating their decent penetrating power.
They leaped backwards to gain some distance to guard against the attack, circulating their magic in the process.
However, to their surprise, the spheres titled their trajectory towards Eve like a magnet.
Eve dashed for another boulder, using it as protection to slow them down. Once he noticed the struggle of these spheres trying to go through the solid substance, he jumped to a safe distance, then waved his hands to cast his spell.
"Snow Wall!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
He quietly exhaled a breath, observing the sigils that's peacefully dispersing after the attack was stopped.
"Eve, are you okay!?" Ichiya regrouped with him, vigilantly scanning his surroundings.
"Yeah." Eve frowned as he rested his hand on his chest. "They were gone once I blocked it."
"Men~! Looks like we have a dark wizard with peculiar, ranged magic." Ichiya narrowed his eyes as he looked at the direction where the shots appeared.
One-hundred meters away from the Blue Pegasus duo…
A man could be seen hiding within an inconspicuous spot, his goggles reflecting his glimmering eyes that were shaped like crosshairs, along with an expression of uncanny focus.
He wore a simple, brown hunter outfit with a hood, holding what seems to be a sniper rifle that's currently filled with Ethernano.
"Successfully stopped, huh…?" Gilrid muttered, his mouth curving upwards. "I don't the mind the challenge." He reloaded his weapon.
"Bring it on, light wizards."
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AN: I might as well compensate the slow updates with longer chapters. Most of you are lurking readers like me :D! So I just know you guys have the patience, haha.