"There's no other choice but to wake him up. Oracion Seis can't afford to lose another member," Brain muttered to himself, his voice tense. He glanced at Midnight, who lay sleeping nearby. Waking him was a risk—Midnight's loyalty was questionable, and Brain wasn't sure he could control him if things went south. But with one of Oracion Seis already fallen and their plans in jeopardy, he had no other option.
"Midnight!" Brain called out sharply.
Midnight's eyes slowly opened, his expression calm but unsettling. "Yes, Father?"
"Kill them all," Brain commanded, his voice cold and unyielding.
"As you wish," Midnight replied, rising to his feet. Without another word, he vanished into the shadows, ready to carry out his orders.
Brain turned his attention back to the task at hand. "Nirvana must be nearby. Come out, Nirvana!" he muttered, his eyes scanning the area with desperation.
---
On the Scales of Snake Princess, Leon, Sherria, and Jura stood victorious after defeating the dark guild members who had ambushed them. Jura, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, had proven his strength once again, though the battle had been far from easy.
"An abandoned village to the west?" Leon repeated, his brow furrowed.
"An ancient village?" Sherria added, her tone light but her eyes sharp. "They're digging their own graves, thinking they can defeat us with these weaklings. But now we've found their base."
Jura nodded, his expression serious. "Leon, Sherria, head west. If the enemy is attacking us, they're likely targeting others as well. The rest of the coalition might be gathering there to fight. Go and support them."
"What about you?" Leon asked, concern flickering in his eyes.
Jura's gaze shifted to the side, his senses alert. "A powerful magical presence is approaching. I'll stay here and deal with it."
"Oracion Seis?!" Sherria and Leon exclaimed in unison, their faces pale. They had already faced Oracion Seis once and knew how dangerous they were. These were no ordinary dark guild members—each one was a formidable mage in their own right.
"Be careful, Jura!" Sherria said, her voice trembling slightly.
Leon and Sherria hurried westward, leaving Jura to face the approaching threat.
Jura stood firm, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the enemy's presence. "I know you're there. Show yourself!"
The ground beneath him suddenly softened, shifting like liquid. The trees around him tilted unnaturally, as if the earth itself was bending to the enemy's will.
Jura quickly hardened the ground beneath his feet, stabilizing himself. "Impressive," he muttered.
Hoteye emerged from the shadows, a smirk playing on his lips. "As expected of one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
Jura didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hand, and several stone pillars erupted from the ground, hurtling toward Hoteye.
Hoteye raised a finger, and the pillars dissolved into liquid, splashing harmlessly to the ground. "My magic softens the earth, while yours hardens it. Tell me, whose magic is stronger?"
Jura's expression remained calm. "Magic has no inherent superiority. Victory belongs to those with stronger willpower."
Hoteye chuckled. "We'll see about that."
---
Meanwhile, Erza and Lucy had just finished dealing with a group of dark guild members. Erza's combat prowess was on full display, her movements precise and devastating. Lucy, though less experienced, had held her own, summoning her Celestial Spirits to aid in the fight.
"Finally, it's over," Lucy sighed, wiping sweat from her brow.
Erza nodded, her gaze scanning the area for any remaining threats. "Stay alert. We're not out of the woods yet."
Suddenly, a figure stumbled toward them, covered in wounds. "Erza! Lucy! Help me…"
"Gray?!" Lucy exclaimed, her heart leaping into her throat. She took a step forward, but Erza's hand shot out, stopping her in her tracks.
"Don't move!" Erza barked, her eyes narrowing. In one swift motion, she hurled her sword toward the injured Gray.
"What are you doing?!" Lucy cried, horrified.
Gray—or the figure pretending to be Gray—reacted instantly, raising his hand and freezing the sword mid-air with ice magic.
"What…?!" Lucy gasped, her mind racing.
"He's not Gray," Erza said firmly, her voice cold.
The imposter's face twisted into a sinister grin. "How did you figure it out? My transformation was perfect."
Erza's eyes hardened. "We discussed this before entering the forest. To prevent the enemy from impersonating us, we agreed to report our positions using ancient script magic. If someone approaches without confirmation, they're an enemy."
Lucy's eyes widened as she remembered the plan. She had been so startled by Gray's appearance that she'd forgotten about it entirely. A chill ran down her spine as she realized how close she'd come to falling for the trap.
The imposter chuckled darkly. "Clever. But it won't save you."
Before he could make another move, a girl's voice rang out from the shadows. "Well, well, it seems you're not as foolish as you look."
A woman in white stepped out from behind a tree, her presence radiating malice. Lucy and Erza recognized her immediately—Angel, the only female member of Oracion Seis.
"You!" Erza growled, her grip tightening on her sword.
"It's you who's behind this!" Lucy shouted, her fear giving way to anger.
"Open! Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy summoned her Celestial Spirit, the muscular Taurus appearing in a flash of light.
"Moo! Lucy's body is mine to protect!" Taurus declared, his axe at the ready.
Angel smirked, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Let's see how long you can last."
The battle was far from over.