Chapter 83.2 : Anxious John!!

Sahan was left lying on the ground, dazed and defeated, his guildmates dropping one by one as Fairy Tail's strength crushed them thoroughly.

Laxus also moved toward the enemy, his expression grim and determined.

Everit, however, didn't rush into action. He turned his attention to Ikaruga, who was squatting on the ground, visibly weakened. 

He carefully examined her and nodded, confirming that she wasn't in immediate danger of death.

"Good, it looks like you'll pull through," he said with a hint of relief in his voice.

"Thank you, Mr. Everit," Ikaruga replied with gratitude, her voice barely a whisper.

"Don't thank me," Everit responded, holding up his left hand to reveal the Fairy Tail guild emblem. "It's Fairy Tail that's working hard to save you."

"Thank you, Fairy Tail," Ikaruga said quickly, her heart warming at the thought of such a dedicated guild. It was a place people dreamed of joining.

Everit then pulled out a small bottle of potion and carefully poured it into Ikaruga's mouth. She felt a surge of strength and her cheeks gained a faint blush, the color returning to her face.

"Don't worry, Emily and the others are still alive," Everit reassured her.

"How do you know?" Ikaruga asked, her eyes widening with surprise.

"Emily has awakened her magic," Everit explained. "It's a rare kind. I can sense it."

Emily was a young girl suffering from a serious illness, without the means for treatment. She was on the brink of death when she was captured and subjected to experiments. 

But in a twist of fate, those experiments expanded her magical power. Though she hadn't officially trained as a mage, her potential was remarkable.

Everit had a unique ability to sense magical energy with distinct characteristics. He had been feeling Emily's magic for a while, as if she were shyly reaching out to him, seeking his presence.

"Let's go," Everit said, picking up Ikaruga in his arms. Then, in a blink, they vanished, reappearing in a secluded corner nearby.

Ikaruga's cheeks flushed a deep red as Everit gently held her.

"Close your eyes," Everit instructed softly.

"Okay," Ikaruga nodded and closed her eyes, but soon fell asleep. Her injuries were severe, and without the aid of anesthesia, her body had taken all it could.

As she slept, Everit knew their journey wasn't over. But for now, Ikaruga was safe, and they had a chance to regroup and plan their next move.

Outside the town, a convoy came to a halt just outside the barrier.

"Sir, Ahhanita Town has been sealed off," the butler said, sounding surprised.

The man in the vehicle leaned out of the window, eyeing the massive barrier that descended from the sky. His brow furrowed slightly as he spoke. 

"Looks like something's going on. Let's find a place to set up camp for now."

The butler nodded, but his voice carried a note of concern. "What about Ryder and those kids? I hope they're safe."

The man remained silent, though a flicker of worry crossed his eyes.

---

At the mayor's estate, a battle was underway.

"Laxus," Everit called out as he appeared suddenly.

Laxus sidestepped, his expression showing irritation. "Don't get too close. You reek of blood," he said.

"It's not mine," Everit replied, a hint of exasperation in his tone.

"What's the matter?" Laxus asked, clearly not impressed.

"I need your help to rescue some people," Everit explained.

"Hmph," Laxus snorted, but his grunt indicated he'd help. Everit then shouted, "Erza, I'll leave these guys to you!"

Just then, a mage, seeing an opportunity, turned his arm into a long blade and swung it at Everit. But in an instant, the scene shifted—the blade struck down on his own comrade instead.

"What the—?!" The mage's confusion was short-lived as he was quickly frozen in a block of ice before he could react.

The sound of two pairs of footsteps echoed through the quiet halls as Everit and Laxus entered the building. The atmosphere was tense and heavy with the aftermath of battle.

The house was in complete disarray: bookshelves were overturned, books scattered across the floor, broken porcelain and antiques everywhere, shattered glass with even a few spots of blood, and discarded shoes, clothes, even underwear. 

It seemed like the staff had been dismissed in a hurry, and the members of the Ahhanita family fled in chaos.

Ikaruga was undoubtedly powerful, but Everit suspected that there was more to this chaos than just her involvement. The Death's Head Caucus Guild had previously halted her, after all.

John, the head of the family, had the instincts of a successful businessman. 

His acute sense of danger allowed him to evacuate in advance, judging that the strong mages Edward had hired might pose a threat. 

This proved to be correct, but the situation was far more complicated than he'd anticipated.

John's quick escape plan had been impressive, almost as if he'd predicted this outcome. 

If not for the unfortunate presence of a "ghost" providing information to their enemies, things might have turned out differently. 

Adding to their misfortune, Everit's magic could precisely locate their hiding place.

"Did the Ahhanita family flee?" Laxus asked.

"They didn't just flee," Everit replied with a smile, "that old man is heading straight into danger."

Meanwhile, in the underground lab, the entire Ahhanita family had gathered. John, sitting in his wheelchair, slammed his hand on the armrest and shouted angrily, "They're here already! We don't have much time!"

The old man's eyes were bloodshot. The arrival of Ikaruga at the manor had signaled that something was wrong. 

Old man Edward seemed old and sick, but he was not to be underestimated. Despite his ironclad reputation as an honorable official who stood up for the people, his stay in power couldn't be solely attributed to an incorruptible spirit.

John knew that the attack from the previous night was no ordinary event. The Death's Head Caucus Guild had stood no chance against this new powerful force. 

To contain the threat, he immediately had the city sealed off, suspecting that Edward hadn't left the area.

If the crazed woman hadn't burst into his manor, John might have had a chance to get away. But now, everything was spiraling toward the worst possible outcome.

Even if Edward is calm and won't cause commotion, he knew that a thief brazen enough to break into his private study and steal from him was not only bold but likely to cause more trouble.

And he was right to be cautious.

The Death's Head Caucus Guild was being attacked by a group of mages and couldn't mount a defense. It was only a matter of time before the entire guild of over a hundred members was taken down.

There were only two options left.

One was to run away immediately.

But John refused to yield. He knew his time as mayor was running out, and if he fled, all his family's assets would be frozen after this incident. 

So John chose the second option—he would fight back, no matter what.

John's eyes were bloodshot with rage as he faced Frank, his voice laced with desperation. "What do you mean the experiment isn't ready yet? We don't have time!"

Frank felt uneasy as he replied, "Sir, the experiment is not complete yet. We're almost there, but it's not quite ready."

"What's missing?" John demanded, his patience wearing thin.

Frank sighed. "We've had success with animal tests, but we haven't completed human trials."

John's expression darkened. "We just need someone to test it on. How about the prisoners?"

Frank shook his head. "Prisoners won't work. Their bodies are too weak. The blood we're using is originally extracted from their bodies, and we don't know what effect it would have if we injected it back."

"It has to be someone who hasn't had their blood drawn before," he continued.

John was not pleased with that answer. He needed a solution, and he needed it now.

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