High above the clouds, Blue Pegasus's signature magical weapon, Christina, broke through the mist and raced toward their destination, the Wise Woods.
The scenery below receded rapidly. The sound of rushing wind howled around the "Pegasus," but inside, it was surprisingly quiet and comfortable.
"I never expected that five members of Oración Seis had the same experience as Erza. They were all victims of the Tower of Heaven."
Lucy sat on the sofa inside the magical airship, her gaze flickering as she stared at the cup of tea before her.
Through Chase's magic card Brain Control, she had learned from Sorano all the information and backgrounds of every Oración Seis member. She also discovered why these people, who had lost hope in the world, were so desperate to activate Nirvana, the ancient super magic capable of converting good and evil.
"Suddenly, I feel kind of sorry for them," Lucy murmured softly.
With the company of her guildmates, Erza had been able to stay true to her path. Even Simon and the others, who had been deeply influenced by Jellal, had returned to the right path and started their own journeys.
But Sorano and her comrades were still clinging to an overly idealistic dream fabricated by their leader, Brain.
"Even so, the crimes they've committed still deserve corresponding punishment," Chase said as he slowly set down his teacup across from her.
In terms of his understanding of Oración Seis, he probably knew even more than Sorano did.
Still, having her confess everything face to face was necessary. It would save a lot of trouble and unnecessary explanation for the battles ahead.
As for Sorano, who had slipped back into unconsciousness, she had been sealed away inside a card.
"Mr. Chase is right. No matter the reason, it is not an excuse for evil deeds."
Jura, seated to the side, spoke gravely. "We must stop Nirvana's revival at all costs."
"A magic that can turn good people into bad people and vice versa... just the thought of it sounds incredibly dangerous. No wonder the Councilors are so concerned," Lucy remarked.
"That's exactly how dangerous it is!" Ichiya, piloting Christina, turned his head back.
Blue Pegasus had clearly known about the power of this ancient magic, Nirvana. But before they could inform everyone, Natsu, who always had fighting on his mind, had charged ahead, forcing the operation to start prematurely.
Ichiya's rare serious tone made Lucy pause to think. She couldn't understand why anyone would want to create something so terrifying.
Chase looked down at the forest-covered Wise Woods below. His thoughts were completely the opposite of Lucy's.
Nirvana? That's a good thing...
Christina raced ahead at full speed, searching for any sign of Natsu and the others, as well as the members of Oración Seis.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the Wise Woods, a vast, barren wasteland.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Dazzling magic circles appeared one after another, followed by explosions mixing firelight and smoke.
Natsu and the others, who had rushed here first, had encountered the proactive members of Oración Seis.
Due to a lack of information, the battle was almost overwhelmingly in the enemy's favor. Just Cobra, Hoteye, and Racer were enough to push back the allied forces, leaving them with little ability to fight back.
The only somewhat evenly matched fight on the entire battlefield was between Ur and Brain (the leader), two bitter enemies who could not stand the sight of each other.
In terms of raw magic power, Ur was stronger than Brain under normal conditions. Their magic types also had no particular advantage over one another.
The main reason the fight remained locked in a stalemate was that Ur had to stay aware of her comrades, who had been struck down by unfamiliar abilities. She couldn't focus all her energy on Brain.
To be more precise, This stalemate was a result of Ur's deliberate strategy.
She did not know the personalities of Jura or Ichiya very well. But she knew Chase, having interacted with him on several occasions. She understood that the battle-loving young man would not disappear without good reason.
Especially not at such a tense and critical moment.
There had to be something more important he needed to deal with, or perhaps someone had blocked their path.
So, all she needed to do now was stabilize the battle and wait for Chase and the others to arrive.
A truly experienced senior mage. Far from being blinded by hatred, Ur had calmly analyzed the situation in an instant and chose the safest and most effective course of action.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been the right call. But when Midnight, woken from his sleep by the violent sounds of battle, joined the fight, the delicate balance was completely shattered.
"Ice-Make: White Rose Garden! "
"Spatial Tear! "
"Darkness Rondo! "
Midnight's Bend Magic twisted the ice roses covering the ground, and Brain's dark magic followed closely behind, easily piercing through the White Rose Garden.
Though Ur managed to raise an ice shield in time to defend herself, she was still sent stumbling backward from the explosive shockwave, carving two deep trenches into the dirt ground.
A pale hand reached out and landed on her shoulder, steadying her.
"Thanks," Ur said, looking back at Erza, who was wearing her Flight Armor.
"These guys... are even more troublesome than I imagined," Erza said, her expression serious as she looked at the Oración Seis members gathered on the opposite side.
After several rounds of combat, it was clear that every member of Oración Seis was no pushover. The one with slanted eyes could read movements, the other was incredibly fast, and the large man could reshape the landscape with a single gesture.
That much was obvious from the sorry state of Natsu and the others.
Brain's expression was equally troubled. He spoke in a low voice to Midnight and the others standing beside him. "The presence of 'Angel' just disappeared."
The four of them looked back in surprise. Indeed, they saw that one of the six black markings on Brain's face had vanished.
Those markings were the seals for his excessively violent inner personality, Zero. They were part of a Living Linking Magic that bound the members of Oración Seis together.
The disappearance of a marking meant that Sorano had been utterly defeated. This sudden turn of events made Brain feel somewhat uneasy.
According to their initial plan, with Gemini's special abilities, Sorano should have succeeded by now.
"We can't keep playing around. We need to deal with these pests quickly!"
Showing a ruthless expression, Brain decisively gave the order. No one would stop him from obtaining Nirvana.
"A quick fight? That's my specialty!"
"Hehe, I can hear it. The scene of the light guilds completely crushed."
"Anyone who dares wake me up will be buried!"
"We could sell them to the black market. That should fetch a nice price~"
The four simultaneously unleashed their magic power. The shockwave shook the surrounding ground, sending dust and rocks flying everywhere. The oppressive presence was overwhelming.
"Everyone, be careful!"
Ur raised her hand, about to warn the others, when her expression suddenly changed. She had sensed a familiar magic power.
"It seems we've won."
Erza, who had also noticed, smiled. Her tense nerves instantly relaxed.
The rest of the allied forces did not understand. They followed the gaze of the two women into the sky.
There, a familiar dark shadow dropped down. A majestic Pegasus blotted out the sun.
It was Blue Pegasus's magical weapon, arriving at the battlefield at last. Christina had arrived.
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