The Black Magic Order member nodded frantically, like a chicken pecking rice. He had no idea how this golden-haired man got into the heart of the Troll Kingdom, but everything about him screamed danger. Loyalty? Who cared—he wasn't dying over loyalty.
"Why are you abducting the giant children?"
"We're planning to tame them… then lease them out to nations in need."
"Lease?" Kaien frowned. He didn't quite understand what that meant.
"Yes! Many countries are at war. Even though these are just children, giant kids still have massive strength. Equip them with armor, send them into battle—and each one is like an army. Once they make a name for themselves, nations will throw money at us to rent them as super soldiers."
The cultist's voice even sounded excited as he described it.
Kaien's hands clenched.
'You're planning to throw children into war?'
His heart filled with disgust.
'Black Magic Order… bunch of inhuman monsters. Every single one of them deserves to die.'
Suppressing his fury, he continued, voice cold:
"Where are the kidnapped children being held?"
"Yes—yes! All of them are in that dungeon. There are 120 in total so far. Our goal is to capture 300 giant children before leaving."
Kaien's eyes narrowed.
"How exactly are you luring them away? I followed them here and didn't see anyone."
"That's…"
The man hesitated.
Shlick!
Kaien stabbed the kunai into the man's other leg.
"AAAGHHHHH!!"
"Who?! Who is it?!"
"Sir Virel! It was Sir Virel!!"
"Sir Virel?" Kaien echoed.
"Yes! Sir Virel is one of the high priests of our Order. He carries a magical item called the Hamil Flute. He once disguised himself as a bard and visited the Giant Kingdom. Anyone who's heard the flute's tune can be affected. Once he plays it again, even from afar, they'll fall under his control."
"A flute again, huh?"
Kaien's eyes narrowed.
He remembered something similar—Curse Song from earlier. Another magical artifact that messed with minds.
'Zeref… is this your doing too?'
That man always claimed to have a good heart, yet the things he created had plunged the world into chaos for centuries.
"That flute must have limits," Kaien said. "If not, you'd control full-grown giants, not just kids."
"Yes! Yes! Sir Virel said… the Hamil Flute can only control children under twelve. It has no effect on anyone older."
Kaien scoffed.
That explains it. Only children could be controlled—because they were still strong enough to fight, yet mentally vulnerable.
"Who is Sir Virel? What does he look like?"
"We don't know his real face. He wears a black hat and a demon mask covering the lower half of his face."
"How many of you are here?"
"There were 800 originally… but now there's only about 300 left."
"Please don't kill me! I told you everything! I swear—"
Shlick!
The kunai slid into the man's neck.
He stared at Kaien in shock, eyes full of disbelief.
'But I told you everything… why—?'
"That's why, genius. You gave me the info. So I gave you a quick death. A thank-you gift."
Kaien's hatred for the Black Magic Order had already reached the bone.
Back when he watched Fairy Tail, he had been furious when they kidnapped young Erza. But now? Living it firsthand, seeing what they were doing to these kids?
'Death was too kind.'
Kaien formed a seal.
Poof!!
In a flash of smoke, his body transformed—his face, height, clothes—all shifted to match the cultist he had just killed.
Transformation Jutsu.
A basic ninja technique from Naruto. On paper, it seemed unimpressive. But for infiltration and recon?
It was a god-tier skill.
WHOOSH!
Kaien returned to the dungeon—silently, seamlessly. No one noticed the switch.
The prison was massive. Black Magic Order personnel were scattered throughout. Trying to take them all down in one go would be nearly impossible.
And if even one of them reacted fast enough… those explosive collars could go off. The kids would die.
No, the best strategy was to get the kids out first—then unleash hell.
Kaien made a seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof!
A perfect copy of himself stood where he was, continuing the disguise.
Kaien's real body reappeared inside Brie's pocket—he had already left a Flying Thunder God seal there.
"Brie."
Brie lit up. "Brother Kaien!"
"Did you tell the others?"
"Yes, all of them!"
"Good. Take these kunai and give one to each kid. Tell them to stick it near their collars. Then, gather everyone together, holding hands. I'll get you all out at once."
Brie nodded hard.
He and a few of his new friends quietly passed the marked kunai around.
The guards remained lazy—no one expected an escape in the heart of the Troll Capital, least of all from children. No one was watching too closely.
Soon, the preparations were complete.
Kaien's clone moved first.
"Hey! It's not time to switch shifts yet!" a guard barked.
Shlick!
The clone drove a kunai straight into the man's back.
"AAAGHHHHH!!"
The guard stared at him in shock—this was his comrade, his buddy—and he had just stabbed him.
"Glory to Lord Zeref!!"
The scream, followed by the cry, echoed through the dungeon.
"Someone stop him! Slack's gone crazy!!"
Dozens of cultists began rushing over to the scene.
As the clone created chaos, Kaien's real self prepared to act.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"