Chapter 71: The Reassembled Strongest Alliance of Fiore (5)
"Angel… no, Sorano. Did I ever give you permission to speak?"
"Th-That's…"
Angel of Oración Seis fumbled with her words, unable to answer.
Even as Erza, the rest of the alliance, and the Oración Seis members erupted into shouting, I didn't care.
"You're too noisy."
"Khuk?!"
"E… Angel?!"
"Ciel?!"
Their racket was unbearable—no way to proceed with battle like this. So I made the decision: I knocked Sorano unconscious.
"Now then. Let us continue this fight."
"You bastard… what did you do to Angel?!"
"That's right, Ciel! Even if it's you, what did you do to her?!"
"Nothing much. I merely heightened her sense of touch a thousand times beyond that of a normal human."
"…What…?"
Exactly as I said. This was the Color ability I had taken from the Hell of Lust.
A power far beyond simple charm—an absolute form of mind control. A technique capable of amplifying any living being's senses tenfold, a thousandfold, even tens of millions of times. Next only to the depraved ability of the Human Path, it was one of the most dangerous forces I possessed.
All I did was raise her tactile sensitivity to the brink of unbearable. With just the brush of my fingers, she experienced sensations indescribable. That alone was enough to enslave someone, to break them into obedience.
Used carelessly, it could overwhelm a person with pleasure until death. Which was why I rarely invoked it. But since she provoked me first… I obliged her.
"Of course, pain from others or ordinary touch remains the same. Only when my hand meets her does she lose herself to overwhelming sensitivity. She resisted for a time… but in the end, she succumbed."
"You filthy… monster!"
"H-Hiiiik!"
"…Hm? And you are… Wendy. The Sky Maiden…"
Seeing Wendy, Brain's lips curled into a smile. He raised his staff, gathering the power of souls.
It was the same type of sorcery as José's and Jellal's necromancy, but far more potent.
Then, unleashing his might, Brain roared:
"Looks like I caught the biggest fish of all. I have no more use for you—begone! Dark Rondo!"
"You think I'll allow it?! Phantom Dragon's Wing Strike!"
"Iron Rock Wall!"
Together, Jura and I intercepted Brain's spell.
Spectral souls crashed into Jura's stone pillars, dust exploding outward, while my misty wings lashed forth, thick smoke veiling the battlefield in an impenetrable haze.
"Tch…?!"
"Kyaaaah!"
"Wendy!"
Her scream rang out from within the smoke.
I dispersed the mist in haste—only to see that Wendy had already been swallowed by Brain's summoned souls, vanishing without a trace.
"Wendy!"
"Ciel, it's dangerous! Khuk…!!"
"Erza?!"
In the instant the mist cleared, venomous fangs struck.
Cobra's serpent had sunk its teeth deep into Erza's chest.
I caught her as she collapsed, only for the earth beneath us to surge like waves, sweeping us away.
"Ghh…?!"
"Lord Ciel! This way!"
"Right…!!"
"We've no more business with you. Begone!"
Another salvo of Brain's necromantic barrage bore down—but this time, the Christina's main cannon fired from above, blasting the assault away.
By the time the smoke cleared, Oración Seis had retreated entirely—taking Wendy with them.
"She's gone!"
"Damn it! They ran!"
"Those bastards… Wendy and Happy—where did they take them?!"
"Natsu!"
"Ghhk?!"
"W-Wings?!"
"…A flying cat?"
"This is Wings magic. Well… I suppose it's only natural to be surprised."
"Ah, a fake Happy."
"What was that?!"
"Everyone, calm down. Let's regroup."
Thankfully, we managed to prevent the worst-case scenario of being wiped out by Oración Seis.
We even succeeded in stealing away one of their members. But Wendy had been kidnapped, and Erza had fallen victim to Cobra's venom.
With Carla keeping Natsu from going berserk over Happy's capture, we managed to regain our composure and reorganize.
Following my orders, the members split up into pursuit teams:
—The Tri-men, minus Hibiki.
—Natsu's team.
—Jura's team.
Meanwhile, non-combatants Lucy and Hibiki would remain here as support, establishing a temporary base while the others scouted the forest.
As for me, I had to deal with the venom spreading inside Erza's body. All I could do was summon Mukuro and Chrome to join the scouting, while I stayed behind.
"Haa… haa…"
"This venom… it's spreading fast."
"C-Ciel?! What are you doing?!"
Even clad in her emergency armor, Erza had been unable to fend off Cobra's serpent's bite.
Time was short. I had no choice. Drawing upon the Eye of Poison, I bit into the wound and began extracting the toxin.
Lucy's face flushed crimson as she watched, startled, but saving Erza's life was my priority.
"There's no time to hesitate! Hibiki, locate a water source nearby and transmit the path to Lucy!"
"On it!"
"Lucy, once Hibiki transmits the route, run and fetch water immediately. I'm extracting the poison, but it's already seeped too deep. Even if I pull it all out, the fever will consume her. We need treatment at once."
"R-right!"
Hibiki quickly traced the path, transmitting it to Lucy, who dashed off at full speed.
Meanwhile, I hurried to continue the extraction, providing makeshift emergency treatment.
Wendy still needed rescuing. But before that, I had to save this foolish girl who had thrown herself into harm's way for me.
"You fool… why did you throw yourself in the way?"
"Hhhnnngh…"
"Don't worry. No matter what, I will save you."
....
Deep within the western reaches of the forest lay an ancient village. The weathered ruins looked ready to crumble at any moment, save for one newly repaired wooden door.
Through it entered Brain and the Oración Seis, dragging Wendy and Happy into a cavern before tossing them inside.
"Kyaah!"
"Ghhk! Don't be so rough! She's a fragile girl! …Mmf?!"
"Happy!"
The little cat's protests were cut short as Brain clamped his hand over Happy's mouth, knocking him out.
Inside the cavern, Cobra and Racer voiced their irritation at Brain.
"Damn it… Angel got taken down… the whole plan's off."
"There's no helping it. If… if that happened to her, then it's too late. There's no turning back now."
"Cobra, what exactly happened to Angel? You could hear everything, couldn't you?"
"...I can't say it. Even if I know… I won't. That… tch…!"
"Fine~, forget that. But Brain, why did you bring the girl? Who is this Sky Maiden?"
"What's her connection to Nirvana?"
"Oh, I get it! We can sell her for money…!"
Talk of Angel soon faded, the Oración Seis having already cast aside any lingering attachment to their fallen comrade. Their focus shifted entirely onto Wendy.
Brain chuckled darkly as he answered the questions of his allies.
"This girl wields Sky Magic… in other words, Healing Magic."
"Healing Magic?!"
"One of the Lost Magics… and in the hands of a child like this…?"
"This reeks of money, yes it does."
The revelation sent shock through them all. Healing Magic—one of the legendary Lost Magics, recorded only in the annals of history with no methods or theories preserved—was said to be impossible to learn in the modern age.
A magic that could heal wounds using pure ethernano alone. A magic no living soul truly understood.
And yet, this tiny girl could wield it.
Cobra stiffened, as if realizing something, then turned sharply toward Brain.
"…No… it can't be?!"
"Yes. With her, we will bring him back."
"I… I won't! I don't help bad people!" Wendy clutched Happy tightly and shook her head, but Brain only sneered, his voice oozing menace.
"You'll help… oh yes, you will."
Brain gave Racer his order.
"You will resurrect him."
"…"
"Racer, bring him here."
"He's far. It'll take at least an hour."
"I don't care."
At that, Cobra bared his teeth in a sinister grin.
"With him revived… Nirvana is as good as ours."
"Cobra, Hoteye—you two will continue searching for Nirvana."
"But if he comes back, won't that make the search pointless?"
"We can't afford to take chances. Midnight and I will remain here."
"Midnight doesn't seem to plan on moving anyway…"
Cobra grumbled, wanting nothing more than to rest inside the cave, but Brain was right—too many unforeseen variables had already disrupted their plan. A single lapse could be fatal.
"…Fine. Let's get it over with."
"Cobra, let's make a bet. Whoever finds Nirvana first wins 1,000,000 Jewels!"
"That's steep…"
Despite the easygoing chatter, Oración Seis radiated an oppressive, suffocating pressure.
Wendy searched desperately for a chance to escape. But beneath their seemingly casual behavior, she could find no gaps, no weakness to exploit.
She could only huddle close to Happy, pressing herself against the cavern wall under the weight of their unspoken threat.
Before long, Cobra, Racer, and Hoteye departed from the cave.
"…What kind of magic is it…? This 'Nirvana'…?"
"You mean Nirvana?"
Wendy's whispered question drew Brain's half-lidded gaze. His smile stretched wide, cruel and unsettling.
"A magic that reverses 'light' and 'darkness.'"
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