Master, have you decided? Attacking the Magic Council… from here on, there'll be no turning back. It'll be a fight to the death.
In the middle of a desolate mountain range, a colossal tower pierced the clouds, its silhouette abrupt and unnaturally out of place.
But that was only the surface. The tower was cloaked by specialized concealment arrays—flawless from a distance, almost impossible to detect even with radar-type magic.
Only someone with extraordinary sensory ability could see through it.
Outside the tower stood six figures, each uniquely dressed. Among them, Cobra, his skin dark and serpents coiling around his body, asked in a low voice:
"Master, is this necessary?"
"Cobra," said Brain, voice heavy with conviction, "as long as we secure Jellal and seize Nirvana, this entire world will be reshaped into the one we desire. And when that day comes… what is the Magic Council compared to that?
The Six Demon Generals' wish—the future of the new era. Can't you hear it, Cobra?"
"Heh… of course I can hear it. Loud and clear." Cobra's mouth twisted into a feral grin. He snapped his fingers.
Snap!
The outer walls of the prison tower erupted, stone shattering outward with a thunderous explosion.
Inside, alarms screamed, sharp and grating. In one of the birdcage-like cells, a blue-haired young man slowly opened his eyes, dazed, as guards scrambled in panic.
Step, step, step!
"What's going on!?"
Boom!Wooooo!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!"
"Hurry—call for reinforcements from the Council! Summon the nearest Knight Squads, the enemy is extremely powerful!"
"What about the prison guard unit? Why haven't they—"
"Report! The Six Demons have invaded—the guard unit has been completely wiped out!"
BOOM!
The explosions grew louder.
Snap!
Each guard heard a crisp snap echo in their ears. A strange energy rode the sound, piercing into their skulls, clouding their vision, dragging their minds into heavy drowsiness.
Thud, thud…
One by one, the guards collapsed. The prison floor is filled with bodies.
Only the warden, clutching his head, managed to kneel, barely holding on as six blurry silhouettes emerged through the smoke. Grinding his teeth, he rasped:
"Poison…? Six Demons—you realize what you're doing?"
"Of course we do," Angel purred, stepping close. Her delicate fingers traced across the warden's forehead as she whispered in his ear, "And not only that—we also know the Council is planning to unite the guilds to wipe us out.
So tell me… isn't striking first only natural?"
"You'll pay… for th—" His words cut off as something ruptured inside him. His ears rang. Darkness consumed him, cold and lonely, until he toppled face-first to the ground, lifeless.
"See? Humans are always so fragile." Angel crouched to inspect his body, then gave a careless shrug and kicked him aside.
"Enough playing. The Council's reinforcements will be here soon. We need to find Jellal and get him out—now." Brain's voice cracked like a whip, his skeletal staff tapping against the stone floor.
"Racer—what's your status?"
A streak of wind stopped short, revealing a man with messy blond hair and a biker jacket. "Master, I found the cell. Jellal's inside—and I already broke the lock. But… something's wrong with him."
"What do you mean?" Brain frowned, turning. The others followed, exchanging curious looks.
"Come see for yourselves." Racer didn't bother explaining further. He pointed the way, sprinting ahead, the others on his heels.
They soon reached the cell. Inside sat the blue-haired youth, shackled with anti-magic cuffs, silent and unmoving as he gazed forward.
"Jellal, I've come for you. It's time to leave." Brain brushed off Racer's concern, speaking firmly.
"No. I'm not going anywhere. I belong here." Jellal's voice was unnervingly calm as he shook his head.
Brain's expression darkened. "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to betray our pact?!"
The others looked on in disbelief, muttering to themselves.
"Is this the arrogant Jellal we know? He looks like he's been… broken."
"I don't know who you are," Jellal murmured, shaking his head. "Nor do I know what deal I had with you in the past. But I'm certain of one thing—you're not good people. I won't follow you.
Because of me, so many people have died. I'm nothing but a sinner. I should remain here… to atone." His eyes flicked to the nearby corpses, grief weighing heavily on his voice.
"You… you've lost your memory?" Brain's frown melted into delight. Stroking his chin, his eyes gleamed.
"Amnesia isn't difficult to cure. And I have more than a few ways to do so. I can restore everything you've forgotten.
So… come with me."
"I refuse," Jellal answered flatly.
"This isn't your choice to make. Cobra."
"Understood." Cobra grinned. "Cubellios."
The massive violet serpent slithered into the cell, coiling tightly around Jellal. He struggled—but the serpent's jaws opened wide, releasing a noxious mist directly into his face. Within seconds, Jellal's body went limp.
"For the next three days, he won't be able to cause trouble," Cobra reported.
"Perfect. Three days is all I need. I'll implant new memories into him, and when he wakes… he'll be one of us. Entirely, irreversibly ours." Brain's eyes glowed with rapture.
Not only would they gain Jellal as a key to Nirvana, but also as a top-tier mage and fighter. Two prizes in one—too sweet to resist. Even being hunted by the Council suddenly felt worth it.
"Move out."
The Six Demons withdrew swiftly. From breach to escape, the operation lasted less than ten minutes—clean, efficient, ruthless.
An hour later, the Council's Knight Squads finally arrived—only to be greeted by carnage. Corpses littered the prison grounds, many mutilated beyond recognition. The air reeked of blood and decay.
The captain's face was ashen with fury.
Dereliction. Catastrophic dereliction. If only they had come sooner, moved faster, acted quicker—!
But it was too late for "if."
"Report, Captain!" A scout unit rushed back, grim-faced. "No survivors in the prison. Every inmate has vanished. All monitoring data—deleted."
The news hit like a hammer. To spite the Council further, the Six Demons hadn't just taken Jellal—they had freed every single prisoner.
Even removed their anti-magic shackles.
And before fleeing, the convicts had humiliated the guards further, mocking them before escaping into the wild.
This explained the devastation now before the Knights.
"Send word to the Council headquarters. Request immediate reinforcements."
"Yes, sir!"
And sweep the mountains. Any fugitive prisoner we encounter…" The captain's jaw clenched, fury twisting his voice. "…execute them on sight. I'll take full responsibility!
Yes, sir!!!
Their battle cry shook the skies, scattering the clouds above.