Master!!
When the Fairy Tail mages steadied themselves and prepared to strike again, the sight before them nearly tore their eyes apart with rage.
Makarov lay collapsed on the ground, his face twisted in pain, clutching his chest. At the same time, the density of magic power in the area spiked exponentially.
"Aria's magic draws the magic out of the human body—it's a spell that can reduce a mage's power to zero. Fairy Tail, you've already lost."
Joseph stroked his beard as he spoke, putting on the act of a gentleman.
"You bastard!!" Flames erupted from Natsu's joints, engulfing him in a blaze that sharpened into a fiery horn. He lunged straight at Joseph, the scorching heatwaves rolling out in waves—only to be snuffed out into a gentle breeze as they neared Joseph's body.
Joseph rolled aside along the line of Natsu's charge, dodging the strike with ease. His palm glowed with dark magic, and with a sudden burst, he slammed Natsu into the ground. The crushing weight gouged a crater into the earth, shattering bricks into shards that scattered in all directions.
Joseph slowly approached, his raspy voice filled with disdain.
"Fairy Tail's Salamander, Natsu Dragneel. You don't possess power anywhere near the level of a Wizard Saint. I'm very curious—how exactly did you manage to defeat Gajeel?"
He narrowed his eyes, recalling the clash just now. He had prepared to unleash one of his strongest attacks, but the outcome surprised him—Natsu had been crushed with a single casual strike. This boy didn't have Wizard Saint–level power.
Yet Aria had no reason to lie, and the traces of destruction left at Fairy Tail's guildhall backed up Aria's account. If his people weren't the problem, then the issue must lie with Natsu himself.
What method could allow a mage weaker than S-class to temporarily leap to Wizard Saint–tier? And judging by Natsu's unscathed condition, there didn't even seem to be side effects.
But Natsu wasn't listening. Struggling furiously, he roared through clenched teeth,
"Damn bastard—I'll knock you flying!!"
The magic within him erupted into blazing dragon fire. Fueled by rage, the flames grew hotter and wilder, scorching even Joseph's dark energy, burning away parts of it.
"You don't understand your situation." Dark magic chains bound Natsu's arms and legs, holding him immobile. Joseph lifted him by the head like a dead dog, forcing his eyes toward the ruined Fairy Tail guild.
"Look. This is your guild. Your comrades. And if I decide to destroy it all, it won't even take me three minutes."
"I could even take my time and slaughter every member of Fairy Tail—slowly, painfully. Your only chance to save them lies in your hands. Give me your secret technique, and I might consider sparing you."
Natsu's rage only intensified. His eyes were bloodshot, crimson flames sparked with streaks of black. Dragon scales began crawling across his skin.
"Bastard!! I'll kill you!! I'll kill you no matter what!!!"
"Joseph!!!" Erza's fury ignited as well. Summoning the Fairy Armor, her pink-plated gear magnified her power. Magic energy wrapped her spear, condensing into a deadly edge. She lunged, the cutting force sharp enough to make even Joseph feel a flicker of danger.
"Useless." In an instant, Joseph appeared behind her, slipping past her strike. Five bolts of dark energy shot from his fingertips, slamming into her.
The others of Fairy Tail unleashed their magic in unison—lightning, script magic, ice blades, fists, sandstorms—hundreds of attacks rained down in a storm aimed at Joseph and Aria.
The air roared, the ground trembled, and smoke billowed up to the skies.
But none of it lessened Joseph's hatred. Why? Why was it that some nobody guild like Fairy Tail could gather so many talented youths and keep growing stronger? While his Phantom Lord remained stagnant?
He would rip it apart. Rip apart everything that dared stand in Phantom Lord's way.
"Arise, my soldiers!!"
A surge of dark energy exploded outward. From the air, from the ground—countless ghostly soldiers emerged, cloaked in rags. Beneath their hoods glowed only abyssal blackness, with crimson eyes gleaming like the gaze of hell.
The instant they appeared, they tore into Fairy Tail with devastating effect. The spectral soldiers leeched away magic power and even fragments of souls, devouring them as fuel to grow stronger. Even ordinary civilians were not spared.
In a flash, countless people collapsed.
Erza's spear shattered one phantom soldier, and with a furious roar, she charged Joseph once more. Her power surged to its absolute peak.
"JOSEPH!!!"
"AAHHHH!!!"
Before her strike could land, a scream pierced the skies. The sound froze every Fairy Tail mage mid-swing, their anger turning to horror.
Makarov—who had been lying unconscious—was now in Aria's grasp. Razor-sharp wind blades slashed into his arms and legs, blood streaming down his body, dripping to the ground.
Not far away, Gray and Elfman—who had tried to save him—lay battered and bloodied.
"How dare you—HOW DARE YOU DO THIS!!" Erza was consumed by fury. Shadows thickened around her, her entire form sharpened into a terrifyingly lifelike presence. Her spear gleamed with her wrath, red hair whipping wildly as if about to tear the weapon apart.
"You bastard!! You damn bastard!! I'll knock you flying!! I'll never forgive you!! NEVER!!!" Natsu roared as well, his dragon fire now laced heavily with black flames. Dragon scales covered more and more of his body.
Even Joseph didn't want to hold him anymore. He tightened the bindings and tossed Natsu aside, then glanced at Aria. The wind mage shook his head, indicating that Natsu wasn't using the same power as before.
Joseph understood. He turned back to admire Fairy Tail's members, their faces twisted in impotent rage. He sneered, his words slow and mocking:
"Ooh, what's wrong? Can't keep fighting anymore? Come on, Fairy Tail! Weren't you so mighty before? Why stop now? Hahahaha!! You pathetic little fairies think you can oppose Phantom Lord? Today, I'll show you the price!!"
His voice rose higher and higher, sharp and shrill, tearing through the air.
"How can this be…?" Lucy crumpled to her knees, staring blankly. The Fairy Tail she thought was invincible—their smiles, their laughter, the family that had just been teasing each other moments ago—how had everything turned into this nightmare so suddenly?
"Somebody… somebody save us…"
Her unfocused eyes darted around—until a glint of black caught her gaze. It was a device that had slipped from Makarov's body—the communication tool for contacting Paipai.
"There's hope… If I can reach Paipai, then there's still hope!!"
Her heart pounded. Inch by inch, Lucy crawled toward the black tablet.
Joseph's eyes immediately narrowed. Lucy was one of his primary targets—both for the Heartfilia family fortune and for leverage. And that black device intrigued him as well. Though it emitted no obvious magical signature, anything carried by a Wizard Saint and prized by a noble heiress was unlikely to be ordinary.
"Aria."
"Understood, Master."
"Don't hurt her."
"Got it." Aria nodded. A giant hand of wind formed, reaching straight for Lucy.
The crushing pressure closed in on her. Lucy's face went pale with terror, and she screamed,
"ERZA!!"
Erza instantly understood. With a mighty thrust, she shattered the wind spell.
"This is Fairy Tail! You will not lay a finger on my comrades!!"
Lucy seized the chance. She lunged for the black tablet, sliding across the ground, leaving a long scrape in the dirt. Grabbing it, she frantically tapped the screen in the way Paipai had once shown her.
"Grandpa!! Please, help us!!!" she cried.
…I'm coming. A deep, resonant voice rumbled from the device.