Suddenly, a hoarse, eerie laugh echoed through the air.
"Jie Jie Jie! Pathetic fools, you're all useless. Looks like I'll have to take matters into my own hands."
"What?!"
Everyone shuddered at the sound, feeling an uncomfortable chill.
"The sound… it's coming from Erigor," Happy said, pointing at Erigor's limp form.
Lucy squinted, realizing the source. "It's the flute! The flute's… talking?!"
Green smoke billowed out of the skull flute on Erigor's body, twisting and shaping until it became a massive, three-eyed monster towering over them all.
"A monster!!!"
Everyone gasped.
"What… what is that thing?!"
"Why's there a monster inside a flute?"
Kageyama, who had released the seal on the cursed song, trembled in horror. If he'd known there was a creature like this inside the flute, he never would have dared break the seal.
Su Yan rolled his eyes. *This feels like a third-rate fantasy plot,* he thought.
Karacka, still shaken from recognizing Su Yan and Erza earlier, now froze in terror. "It's over… this time, it's really over. That's a demon from the Book of Zeref… we're all going to die."
"Zeref? You mean *the* Black Mage Zeref?" Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Who?" Natsu looked lost.
Lucy explained, "Zeref is the most powerful, vicious, and feared dark magician in the history of the magic world. He's said to have created countless demons, which have caused devastation everywhere. The demons from the Book of Zeref are his creations."
Erza's expression darkened, her face betraying a rare hint of fear. Thoughts of her past resurfaced; as a child, she'd been captured by a cult that worshiped Zeref. That time in her life was her darkest memory.
"Erza?" Lucy whispered, shocked to see Erza visibly unsettled.
The monster grinned. "I'm starving! Let me taste your souls!"
"What?! It eats… souls? Is that even possible?" Natsu turned to Lucy with a curious, drooling expression. "Hey, Lucy, are souls tasty?"
Lucy pulled back in horror. "How would I know? And stop looking at me like that!"
The creature chuckled darkly. "I'd hoped these fools would play my 'Curse Song,' but they were too useless, beaten by a handful of wizards. So, I'll take it from here."
"Tremble in fear! I will devour every one of your souls!"
He threw his head back in laughter—only to suddenly choke, his laughter turning into pained coughs.
*Thud!* A black, heavy object fell from his mouth, cracking the ground. It was Su Yan's pitch-black mace.
Everyone stared, stunned.
"Isn't that… Su Yan's weapon?"
They looked at Su Yan, noticing his empty hand.
"Oops!" Su Yan walked over, smiling innocently. "My hand slipped."
*Thud!* Eisenwald's members and Lucy dropped to the ground in disbelief. He'd "accidentally" thrown his mace into the monster's mouth?
"You wretched human!" the monster snarled, enraged. "How dare you mock me! Die!"
*Boom!*
The demon struck with a powerful impact, shattering the ground around Su Yan. But Su Yan stood unmoved, his feet rooted in place as he casually raised one hand, blocking the attack with ease.
Su Yan raised an eyebrow. "Is that all? If Zeref's demons are as weak as you, then you're nothing but cannon fodder."
The monster seethed. "You dare call me fodder?! I am no mere human's equal!"
*Snap!*
Su Yan grabbed the creature's thick, clawed fingers, hurling it behind him.
*Boom!*
The monster crashed to the ground.
"What?!"
Everyone, including the Eisenwald members and Lucy, gawked in disbelief. Su Yan had tossed a towering demon around like it weighed nothing.
"This guy… he's definitely not human!"