Chapter 35: The Phantom Reveals Itself (2)
Inside the control room of the super–magical giant Phantom Mk II, which had attacked Fairy Tail—
Phantom Lord's master, Jose, dropped to his knees, clutching his left eye with one hand as he groaned in pain. The magical link connecting him to Ciel's puppet had been severed.
"Ghhhaaaaaahhhhhh!"
"Ma… Master!"
"Are you all right?!"
His subordinates called out in alarm, but Jose was in no state to answer. He had poured half his magic into controlling the puppet.
Then, without warning, that magical link was cut. Not only had he suffered extreme mana depletion, but Ciel had seized control of the puppet—and when the puppet's left eye shattered to reveal a crimson eye beneath, a piercing pain shot through Jose's own left eye, making blood–red tears spill down his cheek.
"That… that damned wretch! My eye… daring to resist me… a piece of trash like him!!"
He had been certain of his victory—he had crafted a body using a medium, summoned Ciel's soul into it, and bound him successfully. His necromancy was flawless.
And yet… somehow, Ciel had manifested a tangible illusion to shatter the binding ritual, wresting control of the puppet away. On top of that, he had stolen the massive flow of magic Jose was channeling into it.
Grinding his teeth, Jose clenched his fists in fury.
"Ma… Master! Bad news—because of that fire pillar, the spell array for Chains of Purgatory has been destroyed! And there are strange vines wrapping around the entire guild—we can't move at all!"
"Wh… what did you say…?!"
Hearing that even his offensive magic meant to destroy Fairy Tail had failed, veins bulged on Jose's forehead.
The Element 4 were still active, and yet Ciel had accomplished what even Jose himself could not. If that didn't enrage him, nothing would.
Why was it that unlike his own guild, those damned fairies always drew the public's gaze—and always interfered with his plans?
Magic began to surge out of Jose's body as he prepared to fight, when the iron door swung open. In walked Phantom Lord's strongest wizard, Gajeel, carrying his target—Lucy—slung over one shoulder.
"Huh? Master, what happened to you?"
"Gajeel…"
"Master, here's your present."
With that, Gajeel tossed Lucy unceremoniously to the floor.
Jose wiped away his bloody tears and looked down at her.
"Lucy?! …How?"
"Don't underestimate a Dragon Slayer's nose."
"B–But, Gajeel…"
"Is she even alive?"
"If Lucy dies, we don't get paid, you know."
"Mmm…"
Seeing Lucy covered in wounds, some wizards wondered if she was already dead. Gajeel stroked his chin, then without warning, kicked her in the stomach with full force.
She gasped and coughed violently as she woke, and the wizards quickly tried to stop Gajeel—only for Jose to smile and praise him instead.
"Gghh! Khhak! …Khhk!"
"What are you doing?!"
"Gajeel, enough…!"
"So she is alive."
Looking at Gajeel, Jose's lips curled into a smile, his composure returning.
Yes—he'd lost the Chains of Purgatory magic circle and had his puppet stolen, and that had stung. But now, Lucy—their target—was in his hands.
The Element 4 still stood ready, and he had Phantom Lord's strongest wizard, Gajeel, at his side.
No matter how powerful Fairy Tail's Phantom Wizard might be, breaking through those forces to reach this place would be impossible.
"As expected of our guild's strongest man—Gajeel."
"Kihi… so, when do I get to fight that guy?"
"Just wait a little longer. He's on his way here now."
At Jose's words, Gajeel gave a low laugh, leaned back against the wall, and waited for Ciel to arrive.
...
In front of the Fairy Tail building
"Ughhh…"
"Mira, are you all right?"
"Eh… Erza."
Mirajane woke with a pain in her abdomen, unsure how much time had passed. The first thing she saw was Erza's face.
With Erza's help, she sat up, noticing Cana tending to each fallen guildmate, laying them gently on the ground and administering first aid.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"There's some pain, but nothing's broken… What happened? Where's Ciel…?"
Mirajane recalled what happened before she lost consciousness—how she'd tried to talk Ciel down and failed. If that was the case, the guild should have been in ruins by now… so why was the building still standing?
Puzzled, she asked Erza, who gave a faint smile and pointed toward the Phantom Lord's fortress.
"That is…?!"
"I don't know if I'd call it a miracle, but… Ciel has returned."
"Really?!"
The Phantom Lord's headquarters was now wrapped entirely in lotus vines, beautiful light–pink flowers blooming across its surface. The Chains of Purgatory magic circle had been completely destroyed.
Gesturing toward that sight, Erza told her it was Ciel's doing. Mira's eyes lit up with resolve.
"That… was Ciel's work?"
"You may never have seen it before, but that's Ciel's true power. Strong enough to rival even the Ten Wizard Saints."
"…Erza, where is Ciel now?"
"He went inside the Phantom Lord guild."
Mirajane's heart pounded like a broken machine. He had broken free of his shackles and returned to himself—and she was desperate to see him.
"Erza, I…"
"I can already see what you're thinking. Don't even try it."
Erza gripped Mirajane's arm. Ciel had entrusted Mirajane's safety to her, and she couldn't allow Mirajane to walk into danger.
If she were still the S–Class wizard once called Satan Soul, it might be different—but the current Mirajane was far too weakened. Going inside would only put her in grave danger.
"Still! Ciel's in there! The real Ciel… I have to see him! I want to see him!"
"It's not that I don't understand your feelings. But right now, there's a fierce battle going on in there. And Ciel asked me to protect you."
"Erza!"
"Ciel values you enough to entrust me with your safety. That's why we'll wait here for him and Natsu's team to return. Our job now is to care for the wounded and welcome them back proudly after they destroy Phantom Lord."
"…"
Mirajane's heart was overflowing with the urge to rush inside and see Ciel, but at Erza's words, she glanced around.
Their comrades lay injured and unconscious, many of them battered and still unresponsive. Even those who'd escaped major wounds needed immediate treatment.
With only Cana and Erza to tend to them, there was no way they could care for everyone alone.
After a moment's hesitation, Mirajane let out a long sigh and nodded.
"…All right. If I ran after Ciel now… he wouldn't like it."
"Thank you for understanding."
"But when he comes back… I'm going to scold him. Going off alone into danger again…"
"Right now, focus on treating the injured! And you're hurt too, Erza—lie down! I'll take care of the rest!"
The hesitation she'd shown moments ago vanished.
Mirajane eased Erza onto the ground, then hurried to help Cana. She couldn't see Ciel yet, but she believed—without a doubt—that he would finish everything and come back to them.
And she couldn't just abandon her comrades for her own desires.
So for now, she would wait for him.
With that thought, Mirajane devoted herself to tending the wounded—waiting for the moment when Ciel would return to greet her.
...
While Erza and Mira focused on healing the injured, inside Phantom Lord's guild building Elfman was locked in battle with Sol of the Element 4.
Transforming one arm into a Beast Arm, he fought fiercely, but Sol's lithe movements and mastery of earth and stone magic allowed him to evade Elfman's blows with fluid contortions, striking back through every opening.
Against an opponent like Sol—one who could both dodge and control the terrain—Elfman's one–arm Take Over put him at a disadvantage.
Then—
"Rock Concerto!"
"Gahhh!"
"You once failed a Full–Body Take Over… and went berserk, didn't you?"
"What?!"
"And your sister… she died trying to stop you, right? That trauma's the reason you can't fully transform anymore."
"Y–You… How do you know that…?"
"Non, non, non—three 'no's' won't change the truth."
"Let me go, you—ugh!"
"Monsieur."
Having read Elfman's deepest memories, Sol twisted the knife, striking at his heart. The more Elfman's emotions wavered, the more openings Sol found, landing blows with ease.
Whenever Elfman tried to counter, Sol danced away and spoke of his painful past, stoking his anger until it clouded his focus. A wide, furious swing gave Sol the perfect chance to slip in and toy with him even more.
"Is it over already~?"
Unable to stomach another word, Elfman flooded his body with magic power, activating his Full–Body Take Over. It was a desperate gamble—he knew he couldn't win without it.
But as his body began to transform, Lisanna's image surfaced in his mind, and his magic faltered.
"Kh…!"
"Mmm~ Trying something you can't do will only hurt you. That attempt just now drained your magic quite a bit, didn't it?"
"Ei—!!"
"Aaaagh!!"
With Elfman's magic drained, Sol attacked without hesitation. The massive stone wizard's blows slammed into him, sending the much larger man crashing down helplessly before his smaller foe.
"Mmm~ As a gentleman, my final strike should be my most powerful magic… Plâtre's Death Aria!"
"Gwaaaahhh!!"
A colossal fist of stone smashed into Elfman, hurling him through a wall without giving him a chance to resist.
"This, monsieur, is what the Element 4 is all about~."
"Damn it… my strength… I really can't win, can I…?"
Pain wracked his body. Fear crept in—he couldn't move. Sol's words stabbed deep; he couldn't use his Full–Body Take Over without reliving that day… the day he lost control and Lisanna died. Every attempt brought that memory crashing back, choking the magic out of him.
"Ho ho ho… I've never met a wizard as pathetically weak as you. But as a gentleman, it's only proper to finish what I start. So, allow me to put you out of your misery. Once again—Plâtre's…"
It was then—
"Ghhhkkk!!!"
A black spear suddenly materialized behind Sol and smashed into him. With a cry of pain, the earth wizard was sent flying, crashing through a wall in a cloud of dust.
Elfman's eyes widened in disbelief as the figure of the man who had attacked Sol emerged from the haze. Trembling, he pointed with a shaking hand.
"Th-… That's impossible… This can't be real… How…?"
"Impossible?"
Footsteps clicked steadily through the settling dust—not an illusion, but real, drawing closer with each step.
"I assure you… I am very much here."
Stunned, Elfman stammered as the man approached, tears welling in his eyes. Finally, he cried out the name bursting from his heart.
"C–Ciel…!! Big brother Ciel!!"
"Kufufufu… Elfman, you've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."
"It… it's really you?!"
"Yes. I'm standing before you now."
A miracle—that was the only way Elfman could think of it. Before him stood the man he admired above all others: the hero in his heart, his family…
Ciel.
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