Meliodas exited the Anima chamber, leaping across the tops of the buildings as he went towards the courtyard exit. The courtyard was empty, compared to before when it was swarming with soldiers, with the exception of a few dozen unconscious bodies of soldiers that still remained.
A few moments later, Meliodas arrived at where Natsu and Gajeel were left with Dorma Anim and Faust. Erza, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy were all standing around Faust, who was tied up and heavily bruised.
"Meliodas! Where did you run off to?!" Natsu asked as he saw Meliodas approaching them.
"I went to go speak to Mystogan. And now I'll need all of your help." Meliodas said with a large grin. "How would all of you like to join the Seven Deadly Sins?"
"Seven Deadly Sins?" Erza questioned. She remembered Meliodas bringing the term up briefly when he was talking to Lahar during Jellal's arrest.
The rest of the group looked at each other, puzzled by Meliodas' question. Meliodas quickly explained what Mystogan had been talking about in regards to being the villain and needing a "hero" to stop him.
"So he really wants to do something like that…" Gray said.
"I see. So if we play the villains, then we take that burden off of Mystogan...but I can't believe he was going to go so far as to get himself executed…" Lucy said.
"Well we won't let that happen!" Wendy said with a determined look on her face. "Not after everything he's done for us!"
"Then we'll just have to do what Fairy Tail's best at!" Natsu shouted. He cracked his knuckles as his hands lit ablaze and a large grin formed on his face.
---
"That's nonsense! There's no way I can kill you! You're the prince!" Lily shouted, with a visibly angered expression on his face. Mystogan remained calm as he faced the large exceed.
"I believe you can do it...you are the only one who can." Mystogan replied.
"Like hell I am!" Lily retorted. "What makes you think I'm the one that can do this?!"
"Despite the fact that you are an Exceed, you saved my life when I was an infant. You displayed to me that you recognized the preciousness of life without being bound by the ways of your people." Mystogan explained.
"No! You're the one who needs to lead the people of Edolas out of this crisis! You're doing this all for the world's sake! Show the people that will and devotion you have towards Edolas, that you put your own life on the line for theirs!" Lily yelled.
"The chaos...it won't be settled that way…" Mystogan said somberly.
"Then leave it to Meliodas!" Lily shouted. "Isn't that what he said he'd do earlier?! Let him play the role of villain and you be the hero!"
"Meliodas is not from this world, he should not be the one who-" Mystogan's words were cut off as a castle soldier ran into the room.
"Sir Pantherlily!" The soldier called out as he ran towards them. Pantherlily turned his head to face him as the soldier continued speaking.
"I have terrible news! There's a group of people outside, tearing up the town! They call themselves the "Seven Deadly Sins."
Mystogan and Pantherlily both looked at each other, realizing what was going on. Without another word, they immediately ran past the guard into the hallway right past the guard.
---
Mystogan and Pantherlily ran out of the castle, into the town. The surrounding buildings were up in flames, with some even collapsing to the ground. Many of the townsfolk ran through the streets stricken with panic.
Between the destroyed buildings in front of them, one of them remained standing. Atop that building several stories up on the roof, were the silhouettes of seven figures covered in smoke. The figure in the front swiped his hand, clearing the smoke and revealing all of them. Mystogan and Pantherlily's eyes widened as they saw the person standing there.
"Hey that's-" Pantherlily looked at Meliodas' appearance. He had a cold look on his face and his eyes were pitch black with a black spiral shaped henna over his right eyebrow. Cloaked over his shoulders, was a cape, made with darkness. He looked down scornfully at the people below.
Standing to his right, was Natsu wearing a rugged black cloak over his back with a pair of fake red demon horns protruding from his head. Standing to Meliodas' left, was Gajeel, also wearing a rugged black cloak over his shoulders. Behind them, stood Gray, Lucy, and Wendy, all donning similar cloaks. Erza stepped forward, wearing her Purgatory Armor. She placed Faust's body on the roof just in front of Meliodas.
"H-hey they have the King!" One of the onlookers exclaimed. The surrounding people momentarily stopped their frenzied panicking and looked up at the building. Meliodas placed his foot on top of Faust's head and looked down at the citizens below. An evil smirk formed on Meliodas' face.
"I am Meliodas, the son of the demon king, and next in line for the throne!" Meliodas shouted. "I have assembled my group of demons, the Seven Deadly Sins, to destroy this world, and rebuild it for the demon race! As you can see, I've already captured your feeble king!"
Mystogan and Pantherlily stared at Meliodas in awe. They didn't realize he would go this far to put on an act as a villain. Meliodas raised his hand up in the air.
"Seven Deadly Sins! Destroy this city!" Meliodas ordered. The rest of the group behind Meliodas jumped off the sides of the building. The crowd below immediately burst into an even louder panic as they scattered and began to run around frantically again. Meliodas grabbed onto the body of Faust and jumped down onto the ground below.
Mystogan approached Meliodas and the two of them stared at each other. In the background, explosions went off as more buildings collapsed, with the Fairy Tail members continuing to cause mass destruction to the town.
"Meliodas...I know what you're trying to do...but this is going too far…" Mystogan said. Meliodas smirked and threw Faust's body behind him onto the ground. He walked slowly up to Mystogan and narrowed his eyes. The citizens in the area stopped their screaming as they saw Mystogan confronting Meliodas.
"Hey that's...Jellal!" One of them shouted.
"It's the King's son! Is he really going to try to stop the leader of the Seven Deadly Sins on his own?" Another person commented.
"Meliodas. This is enough. You don't have to-" Mystogan was interrupted as Meliodas kicked him in the chest, sending him tumbling across the ground. Mystogan remained on the ground as he wiped a small trickle of blood coming from his mouth. He looked up at Meliodas who was standing above him.
"Hey what's wrong, Prince Jellal?" Meliodas said with a smirk on his face. He walked closer to Mystogan, and grabbed onto his robes, lifting him up off the ground back onto his feet. He looked into Mystogan's eyes as Mystogan remained silent.
"Why don't you say something Jellal? Seeing that face of yours go into despair…" Meliodas said as his smirk slowly transitioned into an evil grin.
"Well there's nothing that could make me happier!"
"Meliodas…" Mystogan grunted. "I know what you're trying to do, but something like this won't-"
Mystogan's words were cut short as Meliodas leaned forward, slamming his head into Mystogan's face. Blood gushed out from his nose as he was sent flying backwards into the group of people.
Mystogan regained his composure and stood back up. With his arm, he wiped the blood dripping down his face and looked at Meliodas. He reached over onto his back, grabbing one of his staves and pointed it at Meliodas.
"Magic won't work on me here." Meliodas said as he slowly walked closer. "As I'm draining the magical power from this world, those weapons of yours are now useless! Although...it's not like magic power of that level could have done anything to me in the first place." Meliodas said with a cocky smile.
Meliodas raised his left hand up at a nearby building. Black flames began to swirl around his left hand. From his hand, he fired the flames out in a ball, launching it towards the building. A great explosion of black flames engulfed the building, incinerating it down to the foundations it stood on. The crowd behind Mystogan watched, completely dumbfounded at the display of power.
"Meliodas…" Mystogan said as he clenched his fists. "Something like this won't work!"
Mystogan lunged forward at Meliodas. He wound his right fist back at Meliodas and threw a punch to his face. Meliodas' head turned as he took a step back from the punch. As he looked back up at Mystogan, he wiped his mouth.
"So I guess you have some fight left in you after all, human!" Meliodas said with a grin. He sent a quick jab at Mystogan's gut, causing Mystogan's eyes to widen from the pain. Mystogan quickly recovered as he planted his feet in the ground firmly again. He wound his left hand back, before delivering a heavy punch to Meliodas' face again, this time sending the blond demon tumbling backwards.
Meliodas slowly stood back up. He spit to his side, splattering a mouthful of blood onto the ground.
"Impudent human." Meliodas said with a smirk. "Learn your place."
"Why...are you trying so hard for this! This is all fake isn't it?!" Mystogan questioned as he ran towards Meliodas. He threw a punch with his left hand towards Meliodas's face. Meliodas blocked with his palm. Mystogan quickly ducked downwards and spun around, delivering a fierce back kick to Meliodas' chin. Meliodas stumbled back a few steps and glared at Mystogan. He began to slowly walk towards Mystogan.
"I was told these words on the spot, but I think I got the gist of it. I learned these words as they may get said to me one day as well!" Meliodas said as he charged in at Mystogan. He leaped forward and delivered a punch to Mystogan's gut, making sure to lean in close to his face.
"The first law, you must never for the rest of your life reveal any tactics that could be a handicap to Fairy Tail!"
Mystogan took a couple steps back from the punch, feeling somewhat winded from the blow. He charged back towards Meliodas, winding his right foot back as he delivered a sidekick to Meliodas' torso. Meliodas tumbled backwards from the kick a good distance, slamming into a stone wall.
Meliodas quickly jumped back up and charged forward again at Mystogan, ramming into Mystogan's torso with his head. Mystogan grit his teeth as he took the impact straight on. He held on tight onto Meliodas as he tried to maintain his balance, with his feet sliding across the hard ground.
"The second law, you must never contact past clients for personal gain!" Meliodas grunted as Mystogan stopped his charge. Mystogan crouched down just underneath Meliodas. Meliodas watched as Mystogan twisted his body as he prepared for a kick.
"And-"
"Third!" Mystogan interrupted, kicking Meliodas high into the air. Mystogan jumped up after Meliodas, appearing right above him. He raised his right leg up, his heel above his head. A smile formed on Meliodas' face as Mystogan kicked downwards with his heel onto Meliodas' head, sending him crashing into the ground.
Meliodas collided with the ground, his body bouncing back up and turning over. Meliodas lay on the ground, his demonic features having reverted and the cape of darkness on his back having dispersed. Mystogan stood over Meliodas' body and looked into his emerald green eyes, ignoring the cheers of the citizens in the back.
"Though our paths may have diverged, you must continue to live out your life with all your might...You must never consider your life to be of little value...and you must never forget about your friends who loved you…" Mystogan finished as he looked down at Meliodas. Meliodas smiled back at Mystogan as he lay on the ground.
"He did it!" One of the citizens cheered.
"The prince defeated the leader of the demons!" Another one of the citizens exclaimed. Loud cheering roared through the area as the destruction in other areas began to die down, the other of the "Seven Deadly Sins" stopping their attacks as they realized Meliodas was defeated.
Suddenly, Meliodas' body began to glow. Mystogan looked down at Meliodas, with a saddened expression on his face.
"Well...it looks like it's time!" Meliodas said with a friendly smile. Mystogan's saddened expression faded as he smiled softly at Meliodas.
"Meliodas. I know that I won't ever be able to go back to Earthland again. You've shown me your strength time and time again. Make sure you take good care of the guild while you're still on Earthland. Good luck on returning to your own world." Mystogan said.
Meliodas' body, now fully engulfed in light, began to rise into the air, high above the city. In the distance, the other members of Fairy Tail rose into the sky. Meliodas looked down at Mystogan and grinned. Despite his smile, Meliodas could not shake an uneasy feeling. Though he only knew them for a short time, one day, just like Mystogan, he would be leaving the friends he's made at Fairy Tail behind.