Chapter 423: Let the Battle Begin!
Natsu suddenly froze, staring blankly at the rough stone wall. His abrupt halt startled Lucy.
"What is it, Natsu?! Is something there?" she asked, her voice tight with panic.
"Lucy! Hold this for a second!" Natsu thrust the torch into her hands.
"W-What are you..." Lucy took the torch, thoroughly bewildered.
"Don't move a muscle!" Natsu commanded. He stepped closer to the wall, positioned his hands between the torchlight and the stone, and began contorting his fingers.
"Mwahahaha... Raaargh... This is my territory!" Natsu provided his own sound effects as he expertly manipulated his hands to cast a shadow puppet of a roaring monster's head on the wall.
WHACK!
"IS THIS REALLY THE TIME TO BE PLAYING AROUND?!" Lucy shrieked, swinging the blunt end of the torch and smacking Natsu upside the head.
Natsu's head snapped to the side, his masterpiece ruined.
"Idiot," Gray sighed, rubbing his temples.
From their invisible vantage point in the rearguard, Noah and the others watched the scene unfold with a mix of exasperation and amusement. Was Natsu incredibly calm under pressure, or was he just genuinely that dense? To pull a prank while sneaking into a hostile royal stronghold was certainly a choice.
However, Noah had to admit, the brief moment of absolute absurdity had effectively dispelled the thick tension that had settled over the vanguard group.
With the prank over, they resumed their trek.
"This way."
"Over there, to the left."
"Next turn is right here."
"We need to hook around that corner... ah, and then take a sharp left."
Guided by Carla, the group navigated the labyrinthine tunnels, twisting and turning deeper into the earth.
"Whoa!"
"It really opened up here!"
"Uwaah!"
After walking for a considerable distance, they emerged from the cramped tunnels into a massive, cavernous grotto filled with towering stalactites and stalagmites.
"It looks like this cavern connects directly to the foundation of the castle," Carla let out a sigh of relief. Her visions hadn't led them astray.
"You're amazing, Carla!" Wendy cheered, praising her partner.
"I'm just glad I could help."
"If you can learn to control its activation, that magic will be an incredible asset," Mirajane noted. "It's highly useful even now, but its unpredictability is a major drawback. Once we get back, you should definitely focus on training to control it. We'll all help you."
Being able to glean information from the future at will was a terrifyingly powerful ability.
"Mhm. I will," Carla nodded firmly. She had already decided to ask Noah for help once they returned. Since he was the one who diagnosed her condition, his vast magical knowledge would undoubtedly be the key to helping her master it.
This magic had already proven invaluable to the group. She had to learn how to control it.
"Let's keep moving," Earth Land Lucy said.
The group proceeded across the cavern.
Suddenly, Mirajane's eyes narrowed. "DODGE!" she yelled.
Without hesitation, she threw herself to the side, narrowly avoiding a massive glob of sticky white substance that shot out from the shadows behind them.
Natsu and Gray, reacting purely on combat instinct, leaped out of the way instantly.
Earth Land Lucy, Wendy, Meredy, and Yukino, however, were a split second too slow. The sticky white mass slammed into them, instantly binding them tightly together.
"Kyaaah!"
"What... what is this stuff?!" Earth Land Lucy struggled frantically, but the adhesive was incredibly strong.
"I... I can't move..." Meredy grunted, trying to pry herself loose to no avail. She attempted to channel her magic, but found her internal flow sluggish and unresponsive. Despite exerting significant effort, she only managed to produce a faint, pathetic glow from her fingertips.
"My magic... I can't use it?" Wendy and Yukino realized the same terrifying fact; the sticky substance was actively suppressing their magic power.
STOMP. STOMP. STOMP. STOMP.
The synchronized rhythm of heavy boots echoed through the cavern. From the shadows and behind the massive stalagmites, dozens of soldiers clad in identical Royal Army armor materialized, their long spears leveled directly at Mirajane, Natsu, and Gray.
The three Mages immediately dropped into combat stances, glaring at the sudden ambush.
"The Royal Army?" Gray frowned, assessing the sheer number of troops surrounding them.
"How are there so many soldiers hiding down here...?" Earth Land Lucy asked, still struggling against her sticky bonds.
"I didn't detect them at all. They must have used some specialized method or magical tool to conceal their presence," Mirajane analyzed, her expression grave.
"Since they found us, let's just bust our way through!" Natsu grinned fiercely, igniting both fists.
"Damn straight!" Gray agreed. In a single, fluid motion, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside, dropping into a half-crouch and crossing his arms in his signature Ice-Make stance.
"But how did they know we were coming?" Happy wondered aloud.
Carla stood frozen, her eyes wide with absolute horror. She stared at the trapped girls and the surrounding army in sheer disbelief.
"So these are the Mages of Earth Land?" a familiar, yet chillingly cold voice echoed from the tunnel they had yet to enter.
Mirajane and the boys turned their attention forward. A figure with flowing scarlet hair stepped out from the shadows. It was Erza Knightwalker, the Fairy Hunter.
"They look exactly like our targets. Natsu Dragion, Lucy Ashley... and the others. Are you absolutely certain they are different people?" Erza (Edolas) asked, stepping to the forefront of her troops and eyeing Mirajane's group critically.
"Mmm~ The facts are standing right in front of us. They are undeniably different individuals." Another figure stepped forward—a tall man wearing flamboyant pink armor. It was Sugarboy, Captain of the 4th Magic Warfare Unit.
"Hahaha! This is amazing! They really do look exactly the same! These lower-realm dwellers are fascinating!" A third figure joined them. He had a frivolous demeanor and wore a flashy outfit, his purple hair streaked with a single streak of white. This was Hughes, Captain of the 3rd Magic Warfare Unit.
Hughes took his position alongside the other two captains, completing a three-pronged encirclement around the Earth Land Mages.
The soldiers effectively plugged any remaining gaps. The Earth Land vanguard was completely surrounded.
"It seems you knew we were coming," Mirajane noted calmly, showing no signs of panic.
"They really are different people. Our Mirajane would never speak to me with such composure," Erza (Edolas) observed, studying Mirajane intently.
"Are you kidding? Our Mirajane would be screaming and running in the opposite direction the moment she saw you! Hahaha!" Hughes laughed obnoxiously, completely dismissing the threat posed by this alternate Mirajane.
"Mmm~ The look in their eyes is entirely different as well. There isn't a shred of fear in them," Sugarboy analyzed, noting the eager, battle-hungry glares Natsu and Gray were directing at them.
Even the captured girls—Lucy, Meredy, Wendy, and Yukino—weren't cowering. Despite being bound and magic-suppressed, their eyes blazed with defiance and anger.
"It makes no difference. They will all be captured regardless. Earth Land or Edolas, all Fairy Tail members will fall before me," Erza (Edolas) declared, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"Haha! That's right! You are the Fairy Hunter, after all! Fairies exist solely to be hunted by you!" Hughes cackled.
"This is weird... How did they know we'd be here?" Meredy muttered, finally giving up her futile struggles to escape the sticky trap. She decided to just wait for the others to break her out.
She was genuinely confused. Why lay an ambush here? This tunnel was ancient and practically abandoned. They had been incredibly careful with their movements. There was no logical way they should have been discovered.
"Her Majesty informed us that intruders would attempt to infiltrate the castle via the underground tunnels. Exceeds, we thank you for your service in delivering these intruders directly into our hands. As we are currently in the process of detaining criminals, please excuse us if we cannot offer you the full customary respects," Erza (Edolas) said, turning to Happy and Carla and offering a slight, formal bow.
Hearing her words, Sugarboy and Hughes also offered polite, deferential bows to the two cats. The surrounding soldiers immediately followed suit, bowing deeply in reverence to the Exceeds.
Carla stood perfectly still, her face a mask of utter shock and horror. Her mind spun wildly. Her 'information'... the visions that led them here... had she led her friends directly into a trap?! An unbearable wave of guilt crashed over her.
"Don't spout such nonsense! We didn't lead anyone into a trap!" Happy yelled back furiously, stepping protectively in front of Carla, noticing her devastating expression.
"Carla, don't listen to her! We believe in you!" Wendy called out from her sticky prison. "They obviously used some other method to find out we were coming and set an ambush. This isn't your fault!"
"Exceeds, please step aside. We must commence the apprehension of the intruders," Erza (Edolas) requested formally.
"Yeah, Happy! Take Carla and get back! The fight is about to start!" Natsu ordered, cracking his knuckles.
Happy knew that in a full-scale battle, he and Carla would only be a liability right now. Seeing Carla still frozen in shock, he grabbed her paw and forcefully dragged her out of the immediate combat zone.
"Three Captains of the Magic Warfare Unit... It seems you've prepared quite the welcoming party for us," Mirajane smiled serenely at Erza (Edolas) and the two men.
"Mmm~ Once we were informed of the intruders, we decided to show you the utmost respect. Despite our incredibly busy schedules, we specifically mobilized three Captains and a significant number of troops just for you. You should feel honored," Sugarboy replied smoothly.
"It's a shame. You didn't respect us nearly enough. You should have brought more people. It's truly regrettable that we can't dismantle your entire military force in one go," Mirajane shook her head mockingly.
Erza (Edolas) and the Captains frowned in confusion. Weren't they the ones surrounding the intruders? Why was this woman talking as if she had them surrounded?
Suddenly, Erza (Edolas) felt a terrifying spike of energy from behind. She whipped her head around and screamed at her troops, "WATCH OUT! DODGE!"
Sugarboy and Hughes also snapped their heads around, intending to order their subordinates to scatter, but it was already far too late.
A colossal, raging thunderstorm erupted from the tunnel behind them, swallowing the Royal Army soldiers in a tidal wave of crackling electricity.
The soldiers didn't even have time to scream before the overwhelming voltage struck them, instantly rendering them unconscious as they collapsed to the cavern floor en masse.
Only the three Captains possessed the reflexes to evade the devastating strike.
Erza (Edolas) materialized a spear and vaulted out of the blast radius with blinding speed.
Sugarboy thrust his sword into a nearby stalagmite, instantly softening the stone into a fluid barrier that absorbed the brunt of the lightning while he lunged to safety.
Hughes frantically waved his conductor's baton, manipulating the surrounding rocks to form a makeshift shield that blocked the attack.
"Tch. Too bad. Trying to hit that many targets at once dispersed the power too much. Allowed the big fish to slip the net," Laxus complained, stepping out from the shadows of the tunnel they had just traversed. He looked at the field of unconscious soldiers and the three unscathed Captains with mild disappointment.
"That wasn't bad at all. You took out the majority of the cannon fodder. Now we can let loose without worrying about them getting in the way," Noah's voice chimed in as he materialized from thin air beside Laxus.
"You had people hidden in reserve?! How is that possible?!" Hughes demanded, his face twisting in shock. He hadn't sensed them at all.
"Is it really that surprising? You guys hid in the shadows to ambush us; why couldn't we hide in the shadows to ambush you? Seems my preparations paid off quite nicely. Thanks to that, we just wiped out a significant chunk of your forces," Noah grinned at the three Captains.
"Yukino! Are you okay?!" a frantic voice called out from behind Erza (Edolas) and her group.
They whipped around to see that two new women had appeared beside the captured Earth Land girls.
Ultear and Sorano had silently bypassed the Captains and swiftly dissolved the sticky bindings trapping Meredy, Lucy, Wendy, and Yukino.
Sorano was frantically checking Yukino for any injuries, her face etched with deep concern.
"I'm fine, Sis! Really!" Yukino reassured her quickly.
Confirming her sister was unharmed, Sorano stood up and turned her gaze toward Erza (Edolas). Her expression was deadly serious. "You dared to harm my little sister. I absolutely will not let you get away with this."
"Her opponent is me. I will be the one to deal with her," Earth Land Erza stepped forward from the shadows, her eyes locked intensely on Erza (Edolas).
"The 'me' from the other world..." Erza (Edolas) narrowed her eyes, her expression turning icy cold as she stared at her doppelganger.
"Alright. She's all yours. Make sure you beat some sense into her," Sorano nodded, stepping back. This had been agreed upon beforehand; she wouldn't steal Erza's destined opponent.
"We're fighting too! They ambushed us, and we're getting payback!" Meredy declared, cracking her knuckles. Wendy and Yukino nodded firmly beside her.
Meredy raised her hands, and a soft, pink light pulsed outward from her body, bathing the Fairy Tail members in its glow.
Instantly, everyone felt a significant surge in their physical and magical capabilities.
"Mmm~ This is problematic. We need to prepare for a strategic retreat," Sugarboy analyzed, clearly sensing the sudden, massive power boost the Earth Land Mages had just received. His expression grew incredibly serious.
"Huh?! They're just a bunch of lower-realm dwellers! How strong can they possibly be?! Why the hell should we retreat?!" Hughes protested indignantly.
"Mmm~ I have zero confidence in our ability to hold off this many powerhouses simultaneously. Furthermore, we cannot risk jeopardizing His Majesty's grand plan. If a battle of this scale breaks out here, the resulting cave-in could severely damage the castle foundations above. The consequences would be disastrous," Sugarboy explained rationally.
Hearing that His Majesty's plan could be endangered, Hughes fell silent. That was the one thing he absolutely could not risk.
"Think you can just run away?! Think again!" Natsu roared furiously. He and Gray stepped forward simultaneously, blocking the Captains' path of retreat.
"I'm actually quite curious to see how exactly you plan on escaping," Noah smiled, watching the three Captains with intense interest, eager to see what tricks they had up their sleeves.
~~~
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