Chapter 98: FTRJ: Chapter 98
"But the exact function of this magic remains unknown."
"However, just the fact that it's a magic capable of ending wars is enough to make one extremely cautious." Jura's expression turned serious.
Ichiya and the others struck poses, their voices oozing with their usual sleazy charm. "That's right! We must defeat Oración Seis!"
"Why do they have to strike poses to talk?!" Lucy muttered, utterly exasperated.
Seeing everyone's displeasure, Ichiya and the others awkwardly chuckled, then quickly switched to a serious demeanor.
"The enemy may only number six, but we absolutely cannot underestimate them. Each of those six possesses incredible power," Ichiya said, giving Hibiki a look.
Hibiki nodded, snapping his fingers. Several projections appeared in mid-air.
"Ancient magic? Quite rare!" Jura exclaimed.
Everyone's gaze was drawn to the images in the projections. Hibiki began his explanation. "These are the members of Oración Seis. This is the information I've managed to gather recently."
"First, Cobra, the master of snake magic; and Racer, the master of speed-type magic." Hibiki then displayed several more images.
"Hoteye, who can accomplish anything with enough money; Angel, who can read minds; Midnight, whose identity is currently unknown; and their leader, Brain!"
"Although they only number six, each possesses the magical power to destroy an entire guild. We must utilize our numerical advantage." Hibiki closed the ancient text, his expression serious.
"Um… please don't include me in that number…" Lucy said nervously, raising her hand.
Wendy clenched her fists, covering her mouth. "I… I'm not very good at fighting…"
"Wendy, don't say such discouraging things," Carla said, exasperated.
Ichiya, seemingly out of habit, struck a pose. "Rest assured, our objective isn't direct combat. We only need to locate their base."
"Base?" Natsu asked, confused.
Ren explained, "To be precise, it's best if we can get them all gathered at their base."
"How?" Gray asked, puzzled.
"Of course, we beat them all there!" Natsu exclaimed excitedly, outlining his plan.
Lucy facepalmed. "So we're still going to have a fight…"
"And what do we do once they're gathered?" Finn asked.
Ichiya, brimming with confidence, pointed towards the sky. "Of course, we use our guild's pride, the Christina, to completely obliterate them and their base!"
At this statement, everyone's eyes widened in shock.
The Christina, a magic bombardment ship, possessed formidable power. Its main cannon was comparable to the large-scale magic beam cannon, Jupiter. If it were deployed within a city, its destructive power could potentially level a small city.
"Do we really need to go to such lengths to deal with just a few people…?" Lucy said incredulously.
Jura's expression turned serious. "They are that powerful of opponents!"
He surveyed the room, speaking slowly and deliberately. "Although we have a concrete plan, our opponents are not ordinary individuals."
"Even when the battle begins, absolutely no one should engage in a one-on-one fight. Against enemies of that caliber, at least two people should work together!"
Everyone nodded slightly in agreement.
"Alright, I'm fired up!" Natsu declared, clapping his hands together, his excitement palpable.
"I'll take on all six of them myself!" With that, he swiftly turned, delivering a powerful punch that shattered the villa's front door, and then charged off into the depths of the forest.
The Blue Pegasus members' eyes widened in disbelief. "T-that… that's our guild building…" Hibiki stammered, pointing at the ruined doorway.
"Does this guy not know how to open a door properly?" Ren muttered, scratching the back of his head in bewilderment.
"This is excessive…" Eve sighed, shaking his head.
Finn facepalmed in exasperation. "What an idiot."
"Carla, watch me bravely send those guys flying!" Happy boasted, before spreading his wings and taking flight towards Natsu.
"Since Natsu's already gone, I can't be left behind!" Seeing Natsu's departure, Gray, seemingly spurred into action, let out a battle cry and charged after him.
Lucy's eyes welled up with tears of frustration. "Did those two even listen to the battle plan?" she lamented.
Erza shook her head, a resigned expression on her face. "There's nothing we can do about it now. Let's go!"
With those words, Erza took off at a run, and Lucy, seeing no other choice, reluctantly followed after her.
"We can't let Fairy Tail outdo us! Let's go, Sherria!" Lyon exclaimed, urging Sherria to follow him as he set off at a brisk pace.
"Let's go as well," the Trimen exchanged a quick glance before setting off in pursuit.
Finn and Jura followed more calmly from behind.
Finn sighed wearily. "Those guys are really impatient."
Turning his gaze towards Wendy, who was trembling slightly in fear, Finn spoke softly. "Since it's just the few of us left, let's pair up. It'll be safer that way."
Jura nodded in agreement at Finn's suggestion. "Then, I'll be taking care of Ms. Wendy. Mr. Ichiya and I will be a team. At my age, I'm not exactly equipped to communicate with young girls," he said with a chuckle.
"Alright, let's get going then," Finn said, starting to walk forward.
Wendy, however, seemed to be overcome with fear, unable to take even a single step forward.
"Wendy, be brave!" Carla urged from beside her, trying to offer encouragement.
"I… but…" Wendy stammered, her words laced with anxiety.
"Wendy, Carla, you two come with me!" a voice called out, causing Wendy to turn her head and break into a relieved smile. "Finn!"
Seeing that Finn was still nearby, Wendy's fear seemed to lessen somewhat.
"Let's go quickly, or those idiots will leave us far behind," Finn said, setting off towards the front, with Wendy and Carla trailing behind him.
As they watched the trio disappear into the distance, Jura turned to Ichiya, who had just emerged from the villa. "Mr. Ichiya, the battle has already commenced. Let's hurry and catch up with them," Jura said.
… … …
Ichiya, ever mindful of maintaining his signature poses, pointed his fingers towards Jura, a faint shimmering light seemingly emanating from his fingertips, causing Jura to roll his eyes in silent exasperation. However, due to his generally good-natured personality, Jura refrained from making any comments.
Ichiya spoke slowly, his voice dripping with his characteristically sleazy charm. "Men~ Before we set off, Mr. Jura, I have a question I'd like to ask you."
Jura showed no sign of displeasure. "A basic understanding of each other's capabilities can greatly enhance our coordination during battle. So, Mr. Ichiya, please feel free to ask whatever you need to know."
Ichiya's oily voice once again filled the air. "You're currently one of the Ten Wizard Saints, correct?"
Jura nodded in confirmation. "Indeed, that is correct."
Ichiya shifted his pose slightly. "Then, would you say your strength is comparable to that of Master Makarov and the Sun God, Finn, both of whom also hold the title of Ten Wizard Saint?"
Jura immediately waved his hands dismissively. "No, absolutely not. The title of Ten Wizard Saint is determined by the council; I am merely an honored guest among such esteemed company."
Jura's tone was exceptionally humble and modest.
"Even though we share the same title, to compare myself to Master Makarov and Mr. Finn would be to compare the earth to the heavens; there is a world of difference between us."
"Oh, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease," Ichiya said, turning his body subtly to the side as he discreetly produced a small vial containing a peculiar gas. With a firm press of his thumb, he effortlessly removed the cork from the vial.
This series of actions caused Jura to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
Ichiya's voice echoed once more, his tone now noticeably darker and more sinister. "I was quite concerned that your strength might be on par with Master Makarov and the Sun God, Finn. What would I have done then?" he mused ominously.
An unusual fragrance suddenly enveloped Jura, causing him to frown deeply. "What's going on… this scent…" he muttered, his voice laced with confusion.
A wave of overwhelming weakness washed over Jura, causing his grip on his cane to falter; the cane slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground with a resounding clang.
"This is a magical fragrance that can induce a state of incapacitation in one's enemies!"
"This… Mr. Ichiya…" Jura fell weakly to his knees, his voice laced with disbelief that a member of their own alliance would resort to such underhanded tactics.
"What in the world is going on here?!" Jura demanded weakly.
Crackle crackle! Ichiya opened another vial, this one containing a red gas.
The fragrance wafted out, causing Jura's eyes to widen in immediate agony as searing pain shot through his entire body.
"Aaah!!" Jura cried out in agony, instinctively clutching his head as the intense pain overwhelmed him.
"This fragrance intensely stimulates all pain receptors, causing the victim to experience excruciating pain throughout their entire body," Ichiya explained, his voice devoid of its usual sleazy undertones.
His voice, in fact, now sounded like two distinct voices speaking in unison.
Even Jura, a seasoned and powerful wizard, was unable to withstand the excruciating torment, collapsing weakly to the ground.
Crackle crackle! A puff of smoke enveloped Ichiya, and he transformed into two tiny, floating figures.
"We're back," one of the figures chirped.
"Ichiya's always thinking about inappropriate things," the other figure commented.
"He never uses his brain," the first figure added.
"Such a useless adult," the second figure concluded.
The two tiny figures continued to bicker amongst themselves.
"Alright… you two, stop complaining," a female voice interrupted their squabbling.
Jura, lying on the ground, used his arm to push himself up, attempting to regain his footing, but the excruciating pain relentlessly assaulted his nerves.
With immense effort, he managed to lift his head and gaze towards a white-haired woman standing before him. Having recently reviewed the files on Oración Seis, Jura instantly recognized her—Angel!
Jura gritted his teeth, his voice strained with barely contained fury. "What… in the world… is going on here?!" he demanded.
Angel shrugged nonchalantly. "You mean that sleazy man? I've already copied him."
With her arms crossed confidently across her chest, Angel spoke with an air of smug satisfaction. "Thanks to him, I now know all of your plans."
"We copied him," one of the tiny figures chimed in.
"We know everything he's thinking!" the other figure added in agreement.
The two tiny figures flew to Angel's side, their words echoing her own.
Jura's eyes were bloodshot with a mixture of disbelief and fury. "What…?" he whispered, his voice laced with utter shock.
"Excellent. Two down, and the plan is ours!" Angel declared triumphantly, her hands planted firmly on her hips, clearly pleased with the outcome of her scheme.
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