**Chapter 22: You Can't See Me**
The next day, Ren arrived at the Magnolia Town train station. A short while later, he saw Erza appear, dragging a massive cart of luggage.
"Sorry, did you wait long?"
Seeing this, Ren couldn't help but smile wryly. "Why is your luggage so exaggerated every time you go out?"
Although he hadn't gone on a mission with Erza before, he had seen her leaving for trips. Every time, it looked like she was moving house.
"Is it exaggerated? I think it's normal. The train is about to leave, let's get on."
Ren and Erza quickly boarded the train. Neither of them noticed two figures sneaking onto the carriage behind them.
"This is my first time going on a mission with you, Erza."
When Ren first joined the guild, Erza was already an S-Class Mage of Fairy Tail.
A year later, Ren also became an S-Class Mage. It was rare for two S-Class Mages to go on a mission together.
Erza was the type to be strong and independent; naturally, she wouldn't ask for help easily. So, this was indeed the first time the two of them were going out on a mission together.
"What? Are you unwilling?"
"Impossible! Of course I'm willing. I'd be willing to go on missions with you for a lifetime." Ren looked at Erza with a burning gaze.
Hearing Ren's words and meeting his eyes, Erza blushed slightly. She looked very cute. Ren stared blankly for a moment, but Erza immediately reverted to her usual calm expression.
"Alright, let's get to the main topic."
Hearing this, Ren was curious. He wondered what kind of matter would make Erza, who usually never asked for help, seek his assistance.
"It's like this..."
Erza began to explain the reason she called him. After finishing her previous job, she had encountered a group of people in a mage bar at the Onibus station.
This group was discussing unsealing something called "Lullaby." At first, she thought it was just an ordinary mission, so she didn't take it to heart.
It was only when she was almost back at the guild and recalled them mentioning the name "Erigor" that she felt something was wrong.
"Erigor?" Ren felt the name sounded familiar.
"The ace of the Mage Guild Eisenwald, 'Grim Reaper' Erigor."
Grim Reaper? Ren raised an eyebrow at this title. Now that he had fused with the Ulquiorra template, he was a being that stood in opposition to Shinigami (Reapers).
"He got that name because he only accepts assassination-type jobs."
Hearing this, Ren roughly understood. According to the Magic Council, legitimate Mage Guilds were not allowed to accept assassination requests. There was only one type of guild that did those missions.
"A Dark Guild?"
Erza nodded. "Yes! Eisenwald was expelled from the Mage Guild League six years ago. They are now a Dark Guild."
"A Dark Guild, huh!"
Ren stroked his chin. Ever since he learned that Soul Consumption could increase his fusion rate, he had actively sought trouble with Dark Guilds. He had wiped out all the heinous Dark Guilds he could find.
He hadn't stopped for four years, which was why his fusion rate had increased so quickly.
This also meant that while Ren's reputation wasn't prominent in the light, in the underworld, Ren was known as a killing god.
At this moment, at the end of a carriage further back, Lucy was sneaking a peek in Ren and Erza's direction.
"It's no good! We're too far away. I can't hear anything. We'll just have to keep following them."
"Lucy, are you a stalker?" Happy asked from beside her.
"No!!" Lucy retorted.
"If you two hadn't insisted on dragging me along, I wouldn't be here."
"But you seem interested."
"I am not interested! I really don't know why we had to bring him along when he gets motion sick?!" Lucy glanced at Natsu beside her.
"Haugh! Haugh! Haaaa~!" Natsu looked incredibly uncomfortable, battling motion sickness, his consciousness fading.
At this time, the train pulled into the Onibus train station and stopped.
Ren and Erza got up to leave.
"Quick! Those two got off. Let's follow them!"
Lucy and Happy hurriedly got off the train to follow.
"I was too careless. If I had paid attention to the name Erigor back then, I could have stopped them all."
"Those guys obtained the magic Lullaby. They are definitely planning something shady. We can't just sit by and watch."
The corners of Ren's mouth curled up slightly. "Then it's simple. Wipe out Eisenwald, right?"
Erza nodded. That was it. Wiping out a Dark Mage Guild alone might be a bit much, but with Ren added to the mix, there would be no problem.
"Do you know where Eisenwald is?"
"I don't. Let's split up and investigate around here to find out."
Ren nodded. "Okay, but there is something I need to deal with first."
Ren said this and turned his head to look behind him.
Lucy and Happy were startled. They immediately hid behind a wooden crate, covered their ears with their hands, and chanted softly:
"You can't see me! You can't see me!"
Immediately after, they looked up to see Ren's face right in front of them.
"Wahhhhh!!" Lucy and Happy hugged each other and screamed.
"...The newcomer from the guild?" Erza had some impression of Lucy, having met her briefly when she returned to the guild yesterday.
Ren asked, "Lucy? Happy? Why are you sneaking around following me?"
Lucy and Happy hurriedly shook their heads.
"No, no, no! It wasn't me! It was Natsu!"
"Natsu?"
Lucy and Happy looked back, but there was no sign of Natsu.
"No... No way! Natsu is missing!!"
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