The Forest
The Oración Seis had gathered in the shadows of the dense canopy.
"I can hear it. Nirvana is waking up."
Cobra looked down at the forest, where black miasma rolled through the trees. An excited, predatory grin twisted his face.
"You're impatient, Cobra," Racer said coldly. "Though moving fast isn't a bad thing."
"Of course I'm impatient, Racer! This is where 'that magic' is hidden. Just thinking about it makes my heart race!"
Hoteye's eyes gleamed with greed. "Turning 'light' into 'dark'... it sounds incredibly profitable!"
Angel, the only woman among them, scoffed. "Stop measuring everything by its price tag. Nirvana isn't such a shallow tool."
"The legendary magic is finally within our reach," Brain, their leader, said as he threw his arms wide. "You can feel it already. Nirvana is close."
Angel snorted. "The legal guilds won't just sit there and watch."
"It doesn't matter," Brain laughed. "At this point, no one can stop us. Once we control Nirvana, Fiore will be in our hands."
On the Carriage
"I didn't think we'd be out on a mission together again so soon."
Erza allowed herself a rare, subtle smile. She was used to working alone, but the feeling of having reliable comrades at her back was a change she had grown to appreciate.
Lucy clapped her hands, looking thrilled. "Yeah! It's like fate. Why don't we just make this a permanent team?"
"Not a chance!!"
Gray didn't even hesitate before shutting her down. He had no intention of being permanently tethered to an idiot like Natsu.
"I... also... uugh..."
Natsu was slumped in his seat, losing his battle with motion sickness. He didn't have the strength to argue; he just let out a desperate groan.
Erza looked intrigued. She liked the idea of a lively group that could work and vent together.
Kael watched them, but his mind was elsewhere. He enjoyed the company, but he knew the reality. The missions he usually took were death traps for mages at their level. Dragging them along would just get them killed, and frankly, he wasn't interested in any job that paid less than an S-Class reward.
"You just want to leech off Kael's S-Class payouts," Happy noted, cutting Lucy down with a single sentence.
"Shut up! I am not that kind of person!" Lucy shouted, her face turning red.
"By the way, Lucy," Gray added. "Your name wasn't even on the list for this mission."
"I... I was just worried about everyone! And Natsu is my teammate. Since he's going, I have to be there to help!"
Happy didn't let up. "You just want to raise your status in the guild by riding his coattails."
Lucy yelled at the cat, grabbing his face. "You aren't on the list either! Why the hell did a cat follow us here?"
"I'm Natsu's partner! Besides, I'm a cat."
"You're a thieving, betraying cat!"
"And you're a coward with a giant ego and a big—"
"I'll kill you!"
As they brawled, the carriage came to a jarring halt.
"We're here," the driver called out.
The group stepped out to find a massive, garish villa covered in pink heart decorations.
"This is hideous," Gray muttered.
"This is the villa of Bob, the Master of Blue Pegasus," Erza explained as she pushed the doors open.
FLASH!
A spotlight suddenly hit the center of the hall. Three men stood in a choreographed pose.
"Members of Fairy Tail, we've been expecting you. We are the elites of Blue Pegasus—the Trimens!"
"Hundred Night Hibiki!"
"Holy Night Eve!"
"Silent Night Ren!"
The three men—a sunny boy, a blonde kid, and a dark-skinned charmer—looked like they walked straight out of a host club. They immediately began blasting the group with forced charm.
Kael scanned them. He recognized these clowns.
The trio moved instantly to Erza's side, layering on the flattery.
"You are as beautiful as the legends say."
"A pleasure to meet you, Titania."
"Please, allow us to escort you."
Hibiki offered a hot towel. "It was a long journey. Please, relax."
Ren turned to Lucy, looking away with a forced pout. "This... this wasn't made specifically for you or anything."
"A tsundere type?!" Lucy was baffled.
"What the hell is wrong with these guys..." Gray muttered, looking disgusted.
Kael scoffed. "Forget it. Everyone in Blue Pegasus is like this."
Erza turned to Eve, her expression stern. "I look forward to working with you. We need to focus and—"
"So cute!! That expression is perfect! I've always admired you!" Eve shouted, his face turning bright red.
Erza froze. Was this a war meeting or a dating service?
Suddenly, a thick, nauseatingly sweet voice cut through the air.
"That's enough, boys."
"Ichiya!" the trio said respectfully.
A short, square-faced man in a bizarre outfit descended the stairs, striking a "cool" pose for Erza.
"It's been a long time, Erza."
Erza shivered, a flash of genuine dread crossing her eyes. "Ichiya... you're actually here..."
"I wanted to see you, my honey. I am Ichiya, at your service. MEN!"
"Honey?!" Lucy and Happy looked like they wanted to vomit.
Kael looked Ichiya over. The guy looked like a defect, but Kael knew he had some spine when things got ugly.
"This is a coalition. As the strongest in my guild, I had to come! Now, clean this mess up! We aren't here to play!" Ichiya took a deep, disturbing sniff of the air.
"Yes, Boss!" The trio cleared the room instantly.
Ichiya leaned toward Erza, sniffing again. "Such a perfect fragrance."
"Disgusting..." Lucy felt a physical wave of revulsion.
Erza couldn't take it anymore. She swung a fist and sent Ichiya flying. "Stay the hell away from me!!"
Just then, a hand reached out from the entrance, catching Ichiya by the head and instantly encasing his skull in a block of ice.
"That's quite the greeting. Do you have a problem with Lamia Scale?"
"Lyon?!" Gray stood up.
Lyon tossed the frozen Ichiya aside like trash. "You guys started it, didn't you?"
"What the hell did you do to our boss?!"
"Get lost, you bastards!"
The Blue Pegasus trio turned on Lyon, their faces filled with rage.
"Oh? There are women here too," Sherry said, appearing at Lyon's side with a provocative smirk.
The atmosphere in the hall turned lethal. The tension was high enough to draw blood.
"Stop it! We are here to form a coalition to crush the Oración Seis, not to fight among ourselves."
A massive man dressed like a tribal warrior stepped into the room. His presence was like a mountain.
"Jura!"
"That's the ace of Lamia Scale? 'Iron Rock' Jura?"
Natsu looked confused. "Who?"
"He's one of the Ten Wizard Saints!" Happy shouted.
Natsu's eyes ignited. "A Wizard Saint?! Now I really want to fight!!"
He started to lung forward, but a heavy hand slammed onto his shoulder, pinning him to the spot.
Kael looked at the crowd with cold eyes. "Enough. Knock it off. Blue Pegasus, I took your little show as a joke. But if any of you keep acting out, I'll personally throw you out of this villa."
The pressure of Kael's magic power flooded the room, instantly silencing the bickering mages.
"It's you!!" Lyon's eyes widened as he recognized Kael.
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