Watching Singer's disappearing figure, Ur suddenly fell silent.
Clearly, between the two of them, he was the one who represented justice. Yet for some reason, at this moment, an inexplicable sense of guilt rose in Ur's heart.
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Outside the castle.
Five figures darted relentlessly through the dense forest, while all manner of magic exploded like artillery shells, shaking the mountains and woods alike. Trees, shrubs, and even massive boulders were pulverized into dust, vanishing without a trace.
Without question, Mirajane was very strong. Stronger than any single member of the four Beast Apostles.
But her strength had not reached the level of absolute suppression.
She could defeat any of them individually with ease, yet once all four joined forces, she was clearly outmatched. If not for the incredible durability of her body in Satan Soul form—exceptionally durable—Mirajane would have already been defeated.
Even so, she was currently being beaten rather badly.
She never once thought of asking Gildarts for help, because she had already roughly guessed the purpose of this mission. Her longtime rival Erza had already advanced to S-Class Mage, and she had to seize this opportunity to catch up. Therefore, the only thing Mirajane could do now was endure the beating while praying in her heart that Ur would rescue the hostages as soon as possible.
Though, to be honest, what she wanted to do even more right now was curse someone out.
Despair Swamp!
One of the Beast Apostles suddenly cast a spell. A gray magic circle infused with faint black mist spread out, instantly turning the ground beneath Mirajane's feet into a muddy swamp that devoured everything.
Mirajane's expression changed. The demonic wings on her back flapped rapidly, pulling her clear of the swamp.
But at that moment, a figure dropped from the sky. Powerful magic gathered in both palms, and with a deafening bang, the attacker slammed a blow into Mirajane's back. She let out a muffled groan as her body was sent flying, smashing through several trees before finally coming to a stop.
Mirajane coughed painfully as she crawled out of the dust, her body covered in wounds. Her gaze was grave.
The coordination between the four enemies was extremely tight—especially the one who had just ambushed her. That man specialized in close combat, using a very primitive form of magic by coating his body with magic power and relying on overwhelming physical techniques to attack.
To her, this opponent was particularly troublesome.
With such an opponent constantly tying her down, it was almost impossible for her to free her hands to attack the other three.
Not far away, Gildarts' expression was equally dark. To him, guild members were practically his own children. And when your kid is getting beaten senseless, how could a parent not be furious?
If not for the guildmaster's orders, Gildarts would have already rushed out and punched those four bastards into particles.
Mmm…
Literally into particles.
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Mind Manipulation!
Just as Mirajane stood back up, the Beast Apostles launched another attack. The blond, middle-aged man who seemed to be their leader raised a hand coldly. In an instant, invisible waves rippled outward. Trees and massive stones around Mirajane were wrenched from the ground and hurled toward her at terrifying speed.
Her figure flickered as she dodged rapidly. But at that moment, a figure suddenly burst forth. It was the Beast Apostle who specialized in physical combat.
The moment he appeared, he locked Mirajane into close combat. Seizing this opportunity, the remaining two Beast Apostles immediately began gathering power. Powerful waves of magic spread outward. Sensing this energy, both Mirajane and Gildarts couldn't help but change expressions.
Especially Gildarts, he was already prepared to step in. But just as Gildarts was about to act—
Suddenly, the four Beast Apostles seemed to sense something. At the same time, all four of their expressions changed. Without hesitation, they disengaged from Mirajane and rapidly retreated toward the castle.
Mirajane: "???"
The sudden change left both Mirajane and Gildarts momentarily stunned.
But then, the same thought struck them both at once.
"Something's wrong. Ur is in danger."
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Singer truly had been terrified by Ur.
He fled through a hidden passage inside the castle, escaping all the way out through a pitch-black gate. When he spotted the four Beast Apostles, excitement immediately surged into his eyes.
"Quick, help me! Stop the guy chasing me!" Seeing them was like seeing saviors to Singer, and his expression overflowed with relief.
What he failed to notice, however, was that when the Beast Apostles saw his current state, the excitement in their eyes was even stronger than his own.
"You… you succeeded? You really merged with the demon jellyfish?" The blond middle-aged man's voice trembled as he spoke.
"That's right. I've succeeded. Hurry and stop that bastard behind me. Name your price, whatever you want!"
"Don't worry. Leave it to us. I'll definitely take care of him for you."
"Good… good… that's great…" Hearing the blond man's assurance, Singer finally let out a breath of relief. But before he could say another word, a sharp pain exploded in his chest.
Pchk!
A sudden, searing pain erupted in his chest. Singer stared down in disbelief. A blood-soaked hand had pierced straight through his torso—from back to front.
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Next Chapter: The Beast Apostles' Past
Next Next Chapter: Counterkill
Next Next Next Chapter: Five Hundred