"At a time like this?!" Delinquent Lucy's face twisted in panic. She whipped around to Levy, who was still hunched over the machine, her voice rapid-fire urgent:
"Levy! How's the teleporter coming along?! Can we fire it up right now?!"
"N-No way!" Levy groaned, feeling like her head was splitting in two. She scrambled to grab a wrench and a pile of tools off the floor, dashing back to the insanely complicated device. Her hands flew in a frantic blur, sweat beading on her forehead.
"I got distracted when Lisanna and those people from the other world showed up! I stopped working for a second!"
"It's still not fully fixed! I need—at least—another fifteen minutes before it'll boot up!!"
"Wha—?! (A′) Fifteen minutes?!" Delinquent Lucy's voice shot up an octave, pure despair dripping from every syllable.
"Didn't you just say it'd only take fifteen more minutes?! How long ago was that?!"
"I told you to hurry the heck up! Over and over! And look where that got us! Fifteen minutes?! The Fairy Hunters could wipe us out two or three times in that window!!"
"Shut it!!" A vein popped on Levy's forehead. Without looking, she snatched some random part from the toolbox and hurled it toward the sound of Lucy's voice.
"If you're so smart, come fix it yourself, you moron Lucy! You don't know squat and just stand there yapping orders like a nagging old hag!!"
"Huh?!" A vein popped on Lucy's forehead too, her anger practically visible in the air. But the dire situation forced her to swallow the urge to keep bickering.
"Idiot Levy! We'll settle this later!"
She spun around, facing the guildmates huddled together with fear in their eyes. Snatching a staff leaning against the wall, she swung it hard and bellowed with every ounce of strength she had:
"Everyone who can still fight—follow me outside! We're holding off the Fairy Hunters together!"
"No matter what, we buy Levy time to finish that teleporter! If we don't, we're all done for today!!"
"No need to go to all that trouble," a calm, steady voice cut in.
Erza stepped forward with a confident smile, the plates of her armor clinking rhythmically with each step. She stopped beside the frantic Delinquent Lucy.
"Leave it to me."
"Besides, I'm curious… just how strong is me from the other world?"
"You?" Lucy blinked, staring at this woman who shared the face of the cold-blooded Fairy Hunter but radiated a completely different aura. Doubt crept across her features.
"You're Erza too, sure, but that Fairy Hunter is insanely powerful!"
"So many of our strongest guildmates have already fallen to her—"
She hesitated, then added, "Going alone might be too risky."
"We'd have better odds if we all charged in together."
"No need," Lisanna chimed in with a cheerful grin.
"My memory of the Fairy Hunter's strength is two years old, but I can promise you this: Erza is way stronger than her!"
Tilting her head, she thought it over and continued, "Heck, Erza might take her down with one casual swing."
Every single Edolas guild member froze, their faces screaming, You're kidding, right?
Gray waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no! Lisanna, you've been in the other world too long and forgotten how terrifying the Fairy Hunter is!"
"She's the monster who chased our entire guild all over the map by herself! No way she goes down in one hit!"
"Relax," Erza said simply, flashing a confident smile. She offered no further explanation.
A flash of white light streaked from her right hand, and a sleek silver longsword materialized in her grip.
She tightened her hold on the hilt, turned, and strode toward the guild doors, her parting words echoing in the air:
"If I do end up outmatched, then you can come back me up."
Watching that crimson figure vanish into the sunlight without a hint of hesitation, Delinquent Lucy's panic still churned in her gut.
Frowning, she paced for a few seconds, then gave in to worry. She hurried to the window, cautiously poking half her head out to scan the situation outside.
High in the sky, a massive dragon-like creature with gleaming blue scales beat its wings, casting an enormous shadow over the ground.
Atop its broad back stood a tall, proud figure—nearly identical to Erza, except her crimson hair was tied in a sharp, high ponytail.
She wore sleek silver-gray light armor and gripped a bizarrely shaped spear, her eyes razor-sharp.
Lucy's heart pounded as she saw Erza below—standing relaxed, no guard up, no evasion. Panicking, Lucy leaned out the window and yelled:
"Watch out above! That's the Kingdom Army's special mount, Region! It's crazy strong—its claws can shatter boulders like toys!!"
"Region? A magical beast mount? Interesting," Erza replied, not the least bit tense. A thrilled grin spread across her face.
She raised her silver longsword, pouring a torrent of magic power into the blade until it hummed like a raging river.
Then, with a casual flick of her wrist, she swung.
A crescent-shaped slash of crimson light tore through the air like lightning, too fast for the eye to track, rocketing straight up at the colossal beast!
Sensing mortal danger, Region let out a nervous roar and instinctively banked to dodge.
But the thought had barely formed when the sword slash was already upon it!
In the nick of time, Nightwalker's eyes narrowed. Gripping her spear with both hands, its tip erupted in blazing red light.
She thrust forward with all her might!
[Explosive Spear]
A crimson energy beam collided head-on with the scarlet sword slash!
The massive explosion Nightwalker expected never came.
The sword slash sliced through the red beam like a hot knife through butter, parting it cleanly down the middle!
Unslowed, the slash kept coming, its terrifying edge aimed straight for its target!
"What?! The explosion—cut in half?!" Nightwalker's pupils shrank to pinpricks, shock and disbelief written all over her face.
With the slash inches from her face, she had no time to think. Her spear flared again, this time with blinding, holy white light!
[Holy Spear: World of Sacred Stone]
The spear tip morphed, crystallizing into something divine.
A far mightier surge of magic exploded from the weapon, forming a thick pillar of pure white light that slammed into the incoming slash!
This time, the slash finally slowed… but it kept pushing forward, inch by inch, like an unrelenting drill boring through the beam.
"Guh—!" Nightwalker gritted her teeth, veins bulging on her forehead as she poured even more magic into the spear, desperate to obliterate the terrifying attack.
BOOM!!!!
The clash unleashed a violent shockwave, visible ripples blasting outward, shaking nearby trees until branches rattled and leaves whipped wildly.
Both Erzas' crimson hair danced frantically in the sudden gale.
Finally, the scarlet slash began to fade, its glow dimming as if running out of steam.
Just as it was about to vanish completely—
Something shifted!
The fading slash suddenly flared back to life with a deeper, blood-red glow!
An overwhelming, soul-shaking pressure crashed down like a mountain!
Nightwalker had no chance to react. Crimson light swallowed her vision, followed by BOOM!!!!!!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the area. An unstoppable force slammed into her body, pain exploding through every limb.
She clearly heard her sturdy armor crack, spiderweb fractures spreading across it!
When the blinding light cleared, Region—along with Nightwalker on its back—was plummeting, trailing black smoke like a broken kite. It crashed into the ground with a thunderous WHAM, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Erza's expression stayed calm. Another flash of white light, and the silver sword vanished, replaced by a black chain etched with strange runes.
She walked over leisurely, crouched beside the unconscious Nightwalker, and deftly bound her wrists and ankles with the chain.
Lucy, still glued to the window, rubbed her eyes hard, convinced she was hallucinating.
She pinched her arm—ow, definitely not a dream—then looked up again. Erza was dragging Nightwalker toward the guild hall by the chain.
"(oA0) N-No way?!"
"One hit?! She really took down the Fairy Hunter in one hit?!"
"Huh?" Levy, still buried in repairs, popped her head up with a giant question mark over it. Curious, she jogged to the window, skepticism thick in her voice.
"Dumb Lucy, did the panic finally fry your brain?"
"Who could possibly beat that monster of a Fairy Hunt—"
Her words died the instant she looked outside.
"∑(°□°) She's… actually down?!"
"That was way too fast!!!!"
Her outburst drew everyone else. Guildmates swarmed the windows and doorway.
Right then, the rhythmic clink of armor and the scrape of something heavy being dragged grew louder.
Erza appeared in the doorway.
Trailing behind her like a limp, gutted fish was the very same Fairy Hunter who'd haunted their nightmares—the one who'd single-handedly driven them into hiding time and again.
Everyone stood frozen, eyes locked on the body being dragged across the floor.
The Fairy Hunter—who'd toyed with them, crushed them, made them cower…
…was now being hauled in like a dead dog?
Erza walked straight to Roger and handed him the odd spear.
"This is Nightwalker's weapon. It seems to change form to unleash different types of attacks."
"Feels similar to Requip magic, but the mechanics are probably different."
"The tech in it might help your research."
"Got it." Roger took the spear, a brief flash of white light flickering in his eyes.
(Not many magic runes inside—looks like the core relies more on unique forging techniques and materials, unlike Anima's pure super-magic structure.)
(Handing it to Daphne might yield some fun reverse-engineered tech.)
(I remember—the King of Edolas has that so-called Dragon Knight armor, right?)
(Perfect chance to test Daphne's latest toy.)
The buzz of excited chatter filled Nightwalker's ears.
She scrunched her brow, eyelids fluttering as she slowly came to.
Feeling the cold, rough floor against her skin, she tried to push herself up—only to realize her arms were bound tightly behind her back.
Memories of the fight flooded in. Her head snapped up, eyes locking instantly on her spear in the stranger's hands.
"Give me back my weapon, you filthy thief!!" she roared, thrashing against the chains.
"Thief?" Roger raised an eyebrow, looking down at her.
"That's my line. You're the ones stealing magic from another world with Anima."
Nightwalker snorted, pride still blazing in her eyes despite being a prisoner.
"We're just securing the resources we need to survive!"
Her gaze swept over the familiar-yet-strange faces around her, voice laced with defiance and accusation:
"Why should only you Aslant people get unlimited magic?!"
"And—" She latched onto what she thought was leverage, her tone hardening again.
"You snuck into Edolas to rescue your friends who've been turned into lacrima, right?"
"Let me tell you—"
"Nope~" Mirajane cut in with a sweet smile, stepping forward and interrupting her threat.
"Looks like you haven't gotten the latest news, Miss Nightwalker."
"That Anima you spent two whole years and countless resources upgrading? It's completely failed."
"Every single one of our guildmates is safe and sound back home, drinking and chatting like always."
"And the reason we came here…" Mira's smile grew even sweeter, but a dangerous glint crept into her eyes.
"…was to clean up you pests for good—and while we're at it, topple that greedy king of yours."
"Impossible?!" Nightwalker's mind reeled. She shouted, "This upgraded plan was airtight! There's no way you could've dismantled it so fast!"
"You're lying! Just wait—your friends will turn into eternal magic and vanish from existence!"
"Ara~" Mira leaned in close, tracing a finger lightly across Nightwalker's dust-streaked cheek before stopping under her chin.
She pinched Nightwalker's jaw between thumb and forefinger, forcing her to meet her gaze.
"Believe it or don't, your stupid plan is dead in the water."
"And—get this straight, Miss Nightwalker."
Mira's voice turned icy. "Right now? You're just a prisoner of war."
Nightwalker jerked her head, breaking free of Mira's grip, glaring like a cornered beast.
"Kill me, torture me—do whatever! You'll get nothing about the Kingdom from me!!"
Seeing Erza's face twisted into such a feral, helpless snarl sent a strange thrill through Mira. The corners of her mouth curled higher.
A flash of violet light—and the gentle barmaid vanished. Demon Mirajane took her place.
Huge golden claws settled under Nightwalker's chin, gripping harder, impossible to resist.
Mira's crimson eyes locked onto Nightwalker's shrinking pupils—shock and fear mingling—and she flashed a wicked grin.
"Sorry to disappoint, but we're not gonna kill you that easily."
"Think about it: the high-and-mighty Fairy Hunter, the terror of the skies… now tied up on the floor of the very guild you tried to wipe out."
"Covered in battle scars, displayed like a trophy for everyone you hunted and looked down on to gawk at."
She leaned in until her lips brushed Nightwalker's ear, whispering so only she could hear:
"How does it feel… being stared down by all the 'prey' you used to hunt?"
"My dear… Fairy Hunter?"
That cold, slimy voice echoed and amplified in Nightwalker's mind.
Instinctively, she glanced around. Every pair of eyes reflected clearly in her pupils:
Open mockery. Long-bottled hatred. Pity for a fallen titan. Sad amusement, like watching a tragic villain.
A tangle of emotions—but none of the bone-deep fear she was used to seeing.
Mira drank in her reaction, lips parting in satisfaction as she whispered more poison:
"Don't you look just like… a stray mutt right now?"
"Pathetic. Helpless. Squirming on the floor, maybe even secretly begging for a quick end?"
"Fairy Hunter… hmm, no. We need a better title."
"How about… Poor Little Worm?"
The words stabbed like steel needles straight into Nightwalker's heart.
Fists clenched, eyes bloodshot with rage and humiliation, she opened her mouth to roar—
But the golden claw snapped shut like a vice, clamping half her face!
The roar choked in her throat, turning into a muffled, pained whimper.
Mira's eyes glinted cold red. She smiled wider, meeting Nightwalker's furious, humiliated, faintly terrified gaze, and spoke clearly, word by word:
"Prisoners… don't get to talk without permission~."
"As for Kingdom intel…" Her tone dripped with mockery.
"You think we need your permission to find out?"
Nightwalker's body shuddered hard.
"You already know we from the other world have the magic you crave, right?"
"And with magic… we've got all kinds of weird spells you can't even dream of."
"For example—we can just peek into your memories and pull out anything we want."
"Troop deployments. Secret weapons. Detailed intel on your teammates… even their weaknesses."
"Anything you know? We'll know it soon enough."
A flash of ruthless resolve crossed Nightwalker's eyes!
In that instant, she moved to bite off her own tongue—better dead than a traitor!
But—
CRACK!
With a sickening pop, the golden claw twisted her jaw at a precise angle and dislocated it!
Agony shot through her; the suicide attempt died instantly.
"Nuh-uh~" Mira chirped, as if she'd just fixed a crooked picture frame.
"Without my say-so, not a single 'part' of you gets damaged."
(The power gap… it's insane!)
Nightwalker had never felt so utterly powerless, so hopeless.
She was an ant beneath a giant's boot—life, death, everything controlled by someone else. Even the right to end herself was stolen.
The thought made her stomach churn.
A wave of dizziness crashed over her. Her eyelids grew impossibly heavy, vision blurring to black.
Seconds later, her head lolled to the side—she was out cold.
Mira released her claws, letting the body slump to the floor. She turned to Erza, whose arm armor had switched at some point, and teased with a light laugh:
"Ara~ Erza, are you scared to see 'your' face making such an amusing expression?"
"Of course not," Erza sighed, arms crossed, a little exasperated.
"We may look the same, but we're completely different people."
She glanced at the Edolas guildmates, who still looked shaken, and added:
"Besides… if you keep 'playing' like this, I'm worried the others will have nightmares about the other Mira for weeks."