Chapter 81 : Ryder’s Request For Help!!!

Natsu let out a loud snore as he drifted back to sleep, his head tilting to one side.

Erza glanced at Everit, raising an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

Everit pointed toward Natsu, his voice low. "It's best to avoid any trouble, especially because of Natsu. Otherwise," he chuckled, "this picturesque little town could disappear without a trace."

Lucy shivered at the thought. Everit had a point. 

If Natsu and the rest of their guild got into a fight here, this town—barely half the size of Magnolia—would be completely flattened. 

Unless she could call in her father for help, she wouldn't be able to afford the compensation to rebuild.

Gray paused, then sighed. "Let's just go to sleep."

"Agreed," said Erza, casting a look at Everit to make sure they were on the same page—no trouble unless absolutely necessary, but stay on alert.

"Yeah, let's sleep," Everit replied, understanding her meaning perfectly.

Meanwhile, at the Ahhanita Family Manor, the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was lined up along the sides of a long red carpet, heads bowed, expressions a mix of anxiety and fear.

At the end of the carpet sat an old man in a wheelchair, his face dark with anger. This was John Ahhanita, the head of the Ahhanita family and the mayor of the town.

Suddenly, an elderly servant dropped to his knees before John, pleading for mercy. "Master, please! The account books and other information were stolen. It wasn't my fault—the thieves were too powerful! The mages couldn't stop them!"

John's expression grew colder. "That's the mages' problem. But you—you're responsible for this failure. Take him away and feed him to the dogs!"

The servant cried out, begging for forgiveness, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as he was dragged away.

The old man was dragged away, still begging as he was taken outside. John, watching this unfold, muttered angrily, "Fortunately, we've locked down the city. That little thief won't be able to escape! When I catch him, I'll tear him apart!"

A young man stepped forward and said, "Grandpa, do you think this could be Edward's doing? You're about to step down, and he's about to take over. That old guy's clever, and he's worried he won't be able to control Ahhanita Town, so maybe he's trying to take us out first?"

John nodded grimly. "It's entirely possible," he replied.

Then he turned to a middle-aged man with a bald head, wearing a white lab coat. "Frank, how much longer until the immortality experiment with blood exchange is complete?"

Frank hesitated. "Mr. John, it might take a bit more time."

"How much time?" John demanded, his voice sharp.

"About twenty days, maybe."

"Do you think we have twenty days?" John snapped, his temper flaring. "You have a week!"

"Mr. John, one week, one week isn't nearly enough!" Frank replied quickly, his voice laced with panic.

"Get out!" John roared.

The following morning, everyone noticed a strict lockdown outside. The streets were empty, shops remained closed, and there were no tourists in sight.

It seemed that despite the efforts overnight, the thief hadn't been caught yet.

The once-bustling commercial street now felt eerily desolate, sending a shiver down anyone's spine.

People were hiding inside their houses, crouching beneath windows, with only their eyes peeking out to watch the scene outside in nervous silence.

A steady rhythm echoed in the distance—**thud thud thud**. Occasionally, soldiers would rush past, their armor clanking as they moved to take up positions along the town's perimeter.

Erza looked up at the sky, her expression grim. "They've put up a barrier." 

Not only had the town been sealed off, but a massive barrier now surrounded Ahhanita Town, falling like a heavy curtain from above, completely blocking any way in or out. It must've cost a fortune to maintain.

"The thief stole money? Hard to believe," she mused. "Whatever it was, it's definitely not your average loot." 

Gray Fullbuster nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it seems like they've taken something special." 

Erza turned to Everit, one of their newer allies. "Everit, can you scout around and see what's going on?"

"Sure thing," Everit replied, nodding. Just as he was about to leave, his pocket started vibrating.

He reached in and pulled out a card—one he had given to Ikaruga. This card was unique, containing a communication crystal for instant messaging. 

Everit flicked the card, and it transformed into a small, glowing crystal. It connected, but to his surprise, it wasn't Ikaruga on the other end.

It was a young boy named Ryder.

"Brother Everit!" Ryder exclaimed, his eyes red from crying. He tried to hold back his tears, but it was clear something was terribly wrong. "Please help us!"

Everit's expression shifted to one of concern. "What happened? Are you okay?" 

Ryder opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden noise interrupted him—a shout from another child. "Ryder, hurry! They're coming back!" 

The communication crystal went dead. Everit called out, "Ryder? Are you there?" but there was no response. The link was cut.

Erza stepped closer, her urgency showing. "What happened? Are those kids in trouble?"

Everit explained to Erza and Gray about the situation in Ahhanita Town—the division between East Town and West Town, and how he knew Ryder and the other children. Now, it seemed, those kids were in immediate danger.

Erza and the others decided to check on Ryder and his group to see if they needed help. They wanted to lend a hand.

But before they could leave, they received news that something had gone wrong.

"Yes, it's true," Everit confirmed with a nod.

"We have to go and check it out," Erza said without hesitation.

The members of Fairy Tail are compassionate; they won't stand idly by if there's a danger, especially when it involves children.

"I'll go ahead and scout the area. It's best to avoid drawing too much attention. My magic allows me to investigate discreetly," Everit suggested.

"Agreed," Erza replied, and Everit set off.

The border between East Town and West Town was already heavily fortified, but now security was even tighter. Soldiers clad in shiny silver armor, armed with sharp weapons, stood guard. They faced towards East Town, as if preparing for an attack.

Everit slipped across the border unnoticed. 

East Town was eerily quiet, everyone on edge because of the sudden tension.

As Everit navigated through a narrow alley, he stumbled upon a grim scene.

There were signs of battle ahead.

A dozen bodies lay in a gruesome state, all mages.

The aftermath of the fight was apparent—gashes in the ground and buildings that looked as if they were sliced open.

Based on the distinctive battle marks and the location, Everit could think of only one person—Ikaruga.

And this wasn't the only place that bore these signs.

It seemed like Ikaruga had fought her way through a siege, cutting down anyone who stood in her way.

Occasionally, you can spot signs of a struggle, leading to a small courtyard where children used to play.

This place, along with the surrounding buildings and even half of the street, had been devastated by magic.

There were also signs of Ikaruga's fight.

However, Everit couldn't find any of the children or Ikaruga's body.

He began to assess the situation: Ikaruga and the children had run into trouble and got separated, leaving both sides vulnerable to being hunted.

His communication crystal had been unable to connect with Ryder and the others.

Just as he was thinking this, the communication crystal reconnected.

It appeared that Ryder and the others had gotten to safety, at least for the moment.

As soon as the crystal connected, Ryder didn't waste time with pleasantries and said urgently, "Brother Everit, we're hiding from pursuers in the East Town sewers. The passages are a maze, but we can hold out for another two days. Please, come save us!"

Luckily, this time, the connection held, allowing Ryder to explain what had happened.

It turned out that—

After Ikaruga left, Ryder and the others had been kidnapped by a group of mages. A young girl named Ana had been fortunate enough not to be home at the time, so she wasn't taken.

Ryder and the others were held captive in an underground prison.

They had to endure intense torture daily.

First, a strange magical device infused them with magic power, then their blood was drained.

It was pitch black, and they had no idea how long they'd been confined.

Until the day before yesterday, when Ikaruga broke in and freed them.

But she was immediately overwhelmed by a large group of mages.

Ikaruga protected the children and led them to the sewers to hide.

However, the pursuers were relentless. After numerous battles, Ikaruga couldn't keep up, and many of the children were captured.

If the fighting continued like this, the end result would be the children's capture and Ikaruga's death.

Ikaruga analyzed the situation: Her injuries and fluctuating magic power made it easier for the pursuers to track her.

So, she decided to give Ryder her communication crystal—a device she never thought she'd use in her life—to lure the pursuers away and buy them time.

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