Chapter 36: The Phantom Reveals Itself (3)
Ciel Illusian… someone I thought I would never meet again, the one I had admired all my life… the brother that my sister once loved—he was standing right before my eyes.
His long black hair was tied back, crimson eyes gleamed beneath that mischievous smile, and around his neck hung a black tie that looked utterly out of place with his plain white shirt. It was the same figure I remembered burned into my memories: my brother Ciel.
"Am I… hallucinating? Why am I seeing him?"
Maybe it was because of all the blows I had taken from that Sol bastard. Maybe I was just seeing things. I rubbed my eyes, pinched my cheek—yet no, this was undeniably real.
Then… could this man before me be a ghost?
"Uwaaaahhh! Brother Ciel's ghost! A ghost has appeared!!"
"Non, non, non~ that was quite the painful strike, monsieur."
"Ku… fufufufu…"
As I stood frozen in shock, the short, pudgy mage dusted himself off and emerged from the rubble, sneering. With a wicked grin, he pointed at Ciel.
"Well, well~. For a puppet, that was quite the blow."
"Puppet…?!"
Ciel only scoffed and replied, his tone calm yet edged with pride.
"Yes. As he says, I am but a doll, revived and possessed by a soul through Master Jose's magic. I was shackled for a time… but I am not so weak as to be bound forever by such cheap tricks."
"What…?! Brother… you're not a ghost—you've been brought back?!"
"Elfman, I see you've still been neglecting your studies."
"M–Manliness isn't about studying—it's about action!"
I spat out the words, but inside my chest, rage boiled. Phantom Lord had defiled my brother's grave, stolen his remains, and even disturbed the peace of his soul. As a man, that was something I could never forgive.
"Ku… fufufufu… I could scold you further, but that fiery spirit of yours… I'll let it pass this time."
"Non, non, non~. To slip free of Master's necromancy… as expected of Fairy Tail's 'Phantom Illusion.'"
"Brother Ciel… that man… let's fight him together!"
"No, Elfman. He is yours to defeat."
"Wha…?!"
I froze. Ciel wasn't going to fight?
Leaning against the wall with that sly grin of his, he glanced at the suited wizard and spoke lightly.
"I had no intention of interfering from the start. I only wished to announce my return."
"What…?"
"It's bad manners for a gentleman to intrude on another's duel."
"Non, non, non~. A man of true chivalry, I see~."
This can't be real. I couldn't possibly defeat him… not without using my Full–Body Take Over. But I… I couldn't do it. Not without reliving that day. Why would Brother say such a thing now?
Then, as if reading my fear, Ciel's expression shifted. His sly grin vanished, replaced by eyes cold and sharp as steel.
"B–Brother…?"
"Elfman. To defeat Sol of the Earth… you already know what must be done."
"You… you mean Full–Body Take Over…? But… I can't… it's impossible! I…"
"Do you wish to remain a fool? Shackled by the past, unable to protect what stands before you?"
"Wh… what's right in front of me…?"
Ciel extended his hand. From his fingertips, a pale violet mist unfurled, coiling around me. And then—I saw her.
Mirajane. My sister, kneeling before Lisanna's grave, sobbing, her shoulders trembling. The sight stabbed deep into my chest. The guilt of not protecting my only sister… of being the one who caused her death—it suffocated me.
But then, within the mist, Ciel's voice echoed.
[The only family you have left… will you let her weep? If you fall here, Fairy Tail, Mira—everything—will be lost. This is no time to be chained by the past.]
"But…!"
[Turn your fear into strength. I once knew a boy who cowered from his fate, who always ran away. He was frail, powerless—an utterly incapable child. But he cast aside his weakness. He became strong… strong enough to protect the people he loved.]
"To… protect the ones I love…"
[Now is the time to overcome your fear. Make the resolve to protect those precious to you, with your own hands.]
"Resolve…"
Sis Mira's smile filled my mind. The faces of my guildmates, laughing, crying, fighting, living alongside me day after day—precious, irreplaceable memories.
I wanted to protect that.
I would not be trapped in the past any longer.
I would not remain weak.
"No more! I won't stay weak any longer! I won't lose the people I love again—ever!! I'll become a man strong enough to protect my sister… to protect everyone!!"
And as the mist lifted, the enemy I had to defeat stood waiting before me.
"Alright… I can do it now. I can!"
Beast Soul!!
"Wha—?! A Full Take Over?!"
I can feel it.
The raging force of the beast surging through me… this boiling willpower wrapping around my body, making me stronger.
"Yes… that's it, Elfman."
I planted my feet firmly on the ground and charged straight at the so-called gentleman.
Sol—or whatever his name is—wiped cold sweat from his brow and frantically swung his hands, but it didn't matter. I gathered all my strength into my right arm and drove my fist forward.
"Non, non, non, non, non!!!"
"It's not over yet!!!"
"Kyaaaaaah!!"
My fists flew without hesitation, smashing into Sol over and over.
He couldn't resist. Each strike sent him reeling, and I kept pounding him until his body went limp and unmoving.
My body felt as light as a feather.
The beast's voice that once tried to control me had vanished completely.
I had mastered Beast Soul at last.
"N–non… noooon…"
I stood over Sol, panting, watching as his unconscious body no longer stirred.
I had done it. I had won.
Turning, I looked toward where my brother stood.
"Big brother, I… I beat him…! Ciel—?!"
"Kufufufu… Elfman, that's enough."
"Huh? W-wait, where are you going?!"
Ciel's body began to dissolve before my eyes, breaking apart into mist.
Just like the fog he often commanded, he was vanishing.
I reached out in panic, but he only left me with parting words.
"There's no time to worry about me. Go. Go to where Gray is."
"W-wait, Ciel-nii! Don't go…!!"
And just like that, my brother—who had returned to me only for a fleeting moment—disappeared into the mist once more, leaving me with his teaching.
...
Meanwhile, outside the fortress walls, Gray was locked in fierce battle against one of the Element 4: Juvia of the Great Sea.
But during the fight, Gray's hand brushed against Juvia's chest, halting their clash in the most awkward way possible.
Gray tried to shake it off, ready to resume the battle, but Juvia… for some reason, her face flushed crimson, and instead of attacking, she stammered in conversation.
"Th-that was… I-I'm sorry! Let's just forget it and keep fighting!"
"No."
"What?!"
"Juvia can't hurt you."
"You can't hurt me? …So you're admitting you can't win?"
Gray frowned at her refusal to fight, but Juvia shook her head.
"Juvia is stronger than Lucy. Juvia can protect you."
"Protect me? Why would you—"
"B-because… Juvia… l-l-l…"
From the very first moment she saw him, Juvia had been drawn to Gray.
She hadn't truly wanted to fight him.
Her earlier frenzy had only come from the misunderstanding that he and Lucy shared some strange, intimate relationship.
But her feelings shattered in an instant—broken by one careless line from Gray.
"Is it just me, or is the rain getting heavier?"
"Juvia's heart is breaking…!"
"Man… I'm so sick of this rain."
Those words cut her deeply.
Gray was no different from the others.
To him, she was just the rain woman—her very existence an annoyance, her downpour a burden.
It hurt. It always hurt.
She didn't need love. Not anymore.
"Just the same… you're all the same!!!"
"Wha—?! Bring it on, then!"
Her body boiled, transforming into scalding torrents of water, surging toward Gray.
At first, he had easily frozen her waves, but this time the searing heat of her boiling current overwhelmed his magic.
His ice shattered.
Forced to leap from the water in a desperate escape, Gray barely caught his breath before Juvia hurled herself at him again, her molten body crashing down.
Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Gray poured every last drop of his magic into his hands.
"Shhhheeeeet…!"
"I won't lose!! Not to Phantom Lord… I WON'T LOSE!!!"
Gray braced himself with both hands, receiving Juvia's full-bodied assault head-on.
Because of the boiling water, his hands were badly burned, and to anyone watching, it looked like he was at a severe disadvantage.
But as the battle dragged on, it became clear that appearances were deceiving.
"Even Juvia's body... even the raindrops themselves are freezing...! What terrifying magic!"
"Ice Make – Glacier Fountain!"
"Uwaaaaaaaah!!"
Juvia's body, unstoppable until now, was frozen solid along with the rain. Moments later, the ice shattered, sending her plummeting to the ground, completely defeated.
For the first time in her life, she had lost.
Juvia, the strongest wizard of the Element 4, realized that everything she believed defined her strength was gone—and the weight of that truth crushed her.
But then, Gray walked toward her with his usual cool composure.
"Juvia... really lost...?"
"How do you feel? Cooled down a little?"
"Huh...?"
Flat on her back, Juvia saw Gray standing above her—beyond him, the sky, wide open and blue.
"The rain... stopped..."
"Oh! So the weather finally cleared."
For the first time in her life, Juvia was seeing a sky without rain. Clear, blue, dazzling. Tears welled in her eyes at the sheer beauty of it.
To someone who had only ever lived under a curtain of endless rain, this was a gift far too precious. She had thought she would never see such a sky.
Her heart swelled, overcome with emotion.
As she slowly sat up, Gray flashed her a grin.
"So... want to keep going?"
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaa~~!!"
"H-Hey?!"
At the sight of Gray's smile, Juvia's heart thumped so violently she thought it might explode. Blood rushed to her head, and she fainted on the spot.
Gray, bewildered, shook her gently, realizing he had somehow secured a very awkward victory.
From the shadows of the fortress wall, Ciel smirked as he faded away.
"Kufufufu... So even in enemy territory, love can bloom, it seems. Perhaps I didn't need to intervene after all. Gray—there are victories like this too."
...
Meanwhile, in Phantom Lord's grand hall—
Natsu was struggling desperately against Aria of the Great Sky, one of the Element 4.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
"You've held on this long? Impressive, boy."
"Damn it...!"
"But against my Sky Territory Magic, you won't last much longer."
Flames erupted from Natsu's fists as he charged, but Aria extended a hand.
An invisible blast of wind struck Natsu's jaw, sending him flying.
Watching in horror, Happy clenched his paws. There was no solution—Aria's attacks were invisible, without scent or form.
It was the worst possible matchup for Natsu.
"Still standing, Salamander?"
"I can't go down... I'm a Fairy Tail wizard... I'll burn you to ashes, bastard!!"
"Sky Territory—Fracture!"
"Gwaaaah!!"
Blow after invisible blow pummeled Natsu, but he refused to yield.
A Fairy Tail wizard never falls mid-battle. Falling means admitting defeat.
And Natsu would not—could not—accept losing to Aria.
"Damn it!!"
"There is always someone stronger, young dragon."
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
A torrent of flames erupted from Natsu's mouth, but Aria slipped past it like a whisper of wind, landing gracefully behind him.
"It ends here, Salamander. I'll give you the same pain as Makarov."
"Wha—?!"
"Sky Territory – Erasure! All your magic... becomes nothing."
"Ugh...!"
"Natsu!!"
The same spell that nearly killed Makarov struck Natsu. His magic drained away, agony coursing through his body. He staggered, strength fading.
The gap in power was too vast.
"Am I... going to lose here...?"
His consciousness began to fade. But then—
"Phantom Dragon's Wing Slash!"
"Gyaaaahhh!!"
Aria screamed. Natsu blinked—something cold and firm wrapped around his waist, holding him upright.
That hard, icy touch—when he lifted his head, he saw Happy trembling, pointing upward.
"H-Happy...?"
"Kufufufufu..."
"—?!!"
The laughter above made Natsu realize Happy wasn't pointing at himself. Slowly, Natsu tilted his gaze upward—
And froze. Eyes wide, teeth chattering in disbelief.
"Rushing in headfirst without a plan... not wise, Natsu."
"Ci-CIIIEEELLLLL?!!"
The one who appeared, saving him at the brink of defeat, was none other than Ciel—his mentor and guardian in Fairy Tail, much like Igneel had once been.
For the first time in his life, Natsu was too stunned to even move, his face locked in shock.
"G-Ghost!!"
"Kufufufu... Yes. That's the reaction I'd expect from you, Natsu."
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