Chapter 65 : Mirajane Magic Unleashed!!

When Happy returned to the guild, he was feeling both upset and wronged. But instead of getting sympathy from his friends, Natsu burst out laughing, which only made Happy even angrier. 

He swung a cat punch at Natsu, who quickly apologized and promised to give Everit a piece of his mind.

However, Natsu couldn't leave the guild yet, which frustrated both him and Gajeel.

Natsu wasn't worried about the guild members' safety—he trusted Laxus and knew that despite Everit's pranks, he wasn't actually harmful. 

After all, even though Happy had been teased, he wasn't physically hurt. It showed that Everit had limits, even if they were low, and he wouldn't cross them by hurting his friends.

Natsu's frustration came from a different place—Laxus. He didn't want to see Laxus continue making poor choices, especially during a guild celebration. 

For someone like Natsu, who was always restless, standing by and watching his friends get into trouble was unbearable.

Gajeel's concern, on the other hand, was for the petrified members, particularly Levy. He felt guilty about what happened to her, which weighed heavily on his mind. 

Although his feelings for her were not as intense, it was still a sign. Particularly among Erza, Mira, Lucy, or Cana, there was something special about Levy that made him more protective of her.

He didn't know much about Everit and Laxus and didn't trust them fully, which added to his anxiety.

Suddenly, new information about the ongoing battles appeared on the guild's board:

"[Elfman vs. Freed]"

Both Makarov and Natsu were startled by this update, and a sense of worry settled in.

"Freed isn't someone to take lightly!" Natsu muttered.

Meanwhile, in the east side of town, Gray and Mirajane received a message through Warren's telepathy magic.

"Elfman is fighting Freed, and the guild master wants you to back him up!" Warren said urgently.

Mirajane felt a surge of anxiety. She and Gray quickly raced towards the location where Elfman was battling.

Just as they reached the area, a magical trap triggered under Gray's feet.

"No!" he shouted, realizing too late as he pushed Mirajane out of harm's way.

The trap activated, creating a barrier that imprisoned Gray inside.

"Gray!" Mirajane shouted urgently.

"Mirajane, you go on ahead. I'll find my way out!" Gray replied, his voice steady despite the chaos around him.

"Be careful!" Mirajane nodded, not wasting any time as she continued through the narrow alleyways of the city.

Outside the city walls, a different battle was taking place.

Freed, Laxus's most trusted henchman, was casting powerful magic. His bright red outfit stood out against his long, green hair, and his eye had transformed, with the sclera turning black and the iris a deep purple. In his hand, he held a long sword.

With a swift motion, he slashed across Elfman's chest, but instead of a wound, a strange text appeared on Elfman's skin. The magic was powerful and binding.

"What is this?" Elfman said, confused and frustrated.

"Elfman, don't get up again. You've already lost," Freed replied calmly.

"But I can still fight!" Elfman grunted, though he was panting heavily. He had been fighting tirelessly, but he hadn't been able to land a single hit on Freed. Not even a scrape.

Freed had knocked him down several times, but Elfman kept getting back up, his strong will and physical stamina refusing to give in.

"Enough, Elfman. If you keep pushing yourself, it'll be worse than death." Freed said, glancing away, unable to look at Elfman's scarred and beaten body.

Memories from last year's Harvest Festival came to his mind, when he and Elfman had shared drinks. But his loyalty to Laxus was unwavering. No one could change his allegiance.

"Laxus is wrong!" Elfman shouted, lifting his fists in defiance.

Freed sighed and, with a flick of his wrist, struck with the flat of his blade. "Pain!"

"Ahhh!" Elfman screamed in agony, the spell taking hold.

"Fear!"

"Elfman, just stay down. When you wake up, this will be over." Freed's voice softened, trying to avoid further suffering.

"Ahhh!" Elfman's cries grew louder, his face a mask of pain and despair. His body began to tremble from the intensity.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar silhouette approaching. It was Mirajane, running toward him. Her presence triggered a cascade of emotions within him.

"Sister!" he cried, reaching out with trembling hands.

"Elfman!" Mirajane shouted, tears welling up as she saw her brother in agony. His outstretched hand mirrored a moment from the past, reminding her of the tragic loss of their sister, Lisanna.

"Ahhh!!!"

Mirajane's mental defenses crumbled, and she let out a piercing scream.

*Boom*

An overwhelming surge of magic suddenly swept over the town, sending shivers down everyone's spines. Fear crept into the hearts of the townsfolk, as if a demon had descended upon them.

Inside the guild, news spread quickly—

[Mirajane vs. Freed]

"That's Mirajane's magic power, but it's off the charts!" Natsu exclaimed.

"But it feels kind of like Everit's?" Happy noted, tilting his head.

"Maybe because Mirajane took on the form of a demon, and Everit is basically a demon," Natsu suggested.

"Yeah, makes sense," Gajeel and Happy nodded in agreement.

Makarov's expression turned serious.

Moments later—

[Mirajane - Wins]

"Does that mean she won?" Natsu blinked in surprise.

The magical barrier surrounding the guild shattered.

*Boom*

A column of fire shot into the sky.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted.

Gajeel leaned over to whisper to Levy, then dashed outside.

Outside the city, Mirajane had transformed into her Demon Queen form. She loomed over the defeated Freed, her posture radiating arrogance and power.

Sweat trickled down Freed's forehead as he realized he had underestimated her. This was S-Class mage Mirajane, the same level as Laxus—the Demon Mirajane.

Her power was overwhelming!

*Buzz*

The distant magic circle began to fade, and the petrification spell was undone.

Standing at the center was Erza.

Thud.

Erza took a step forward, her eyes icy. But when she saw Mirajane's condition, her expression shifted to surprise.

"Mira. You okay?"

"You go save everyone. I've got some unfinished business to take care of," Mirajane replied with a cold tone to her voice.

"Got it." Erza nodded, quietly feeling sorry for whoever was about to face Mirajane's wrath.

"I'll leave Elfman with you, Alzack," Mirajane said, glancing at Alzack, who had previously been defeated by Freed.

"Sure thing," Alzack nodded. Although he'd lost to Fried and was still recovering, he wasn't severely hurt. He was more than capable of looking after Elfman.

Boom.

Mirajane spread her wings and took off into the sky.

Meanwhile, in another part of the battlefield...

The timeline shifted back a bit.

Gray was trapped in a magical barrier, trying to find a way out.

"Hey, isn't that Gray?"

Everit strolled by with a drink in one hand and some snacks in the other.

"Everit..." Gray sighed, a bit annoyed to bump into this guy again. He'd rather get pummeled by Laxus than deal with Everit and his antics.

With a quick swipe, the barrier was cut open, and Gray was free.

"Don't mention it," Everit said, taking a sip of his drink.

"You were guarding one of the magic circles, right?" Gray asked.

"Yup," Everit replied.

"Who was inside?" Gray inquired.

"Juvia and..." Everit and Gray both looked in the same direction, "...Lucy."

"EVERIT!!!"

A voice roared, and a wave of searing heat surged toward them.

****

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