Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master

Elfman looked at his sister in alarm as she activated Satan Soul: "Sis! This looks like the city center, if you use that move here...!"

But Mira didn't hear a word.

With a cold glint in her eyes, she brought her hands together in a clawed stance at her sides. A terrifying swirl of demonic magic gathered between her palms, forming a crackling energy sphere that pulsed with a deep, ominous hue, black laced with streaks of violet.

Her gaze locked on the cluster of soldiers rallying ahead.

Then, she thrust her hands forward.

"Demon Blast!"

The Edolas soldiers immediately raised their defenses. Those in the front row activated their magic shield armguards in sync, projecting overlapping pale blue translucent barriers in a practiced formation.

Behind them, dozens of soldiers took aim with their magic rifles, waiting for the shield line to absorb the impact. It was a battle tactic perfected against Magicians, layered defense followed by a coordinated counterattack.

But this time, their strategy failed instantly.

The surging torrent of dark energy slammed into the shield wall like a tidal wave.

Shatter—!!

The barrier collapsed in a flash, not even lasting a tenth of a second.

The soldiers in front were flung backward like ragdolls. The ones behind had no time to retaliate. The demonic blast tore through their ranks, consuming everything in its path.

Dozens of troops were thrown through the air like debris, crashing violently into the buildings lining the square.

But the destruction didn't end there.

The blast pierced the six or seven-story building behind them, triggering a massive internal explosion. The entire structure trembled, then crumbled, bricks, timber, and glass rained down as the building collapsed into a cloud of rubble.

Even the reserve forces stationed inside were caught in the blast. Among them was Captain Lily, who was blown clear across the plaza.

"Wh-what the hell was that?!"

For a brief moment, silence gripped the street.

Then panic erupted.

If Gajeel's earlier attack had frightened the citizens, Mira's Demon Blast made them think the world was ending.

Screams filled the air as civilians ran in all directions, some dropping bags and trampling others just to escape what they believed was a force of nature.

Mira casually turned her head, placed a hand on Gajeel's shoulder, and said calmly, "There's no one in our way now. Start explaining. Properly."

Gajeel gulped. His mind flashed back to when he was once jointly beaten down by Mira and Erza, and even back then, he swore they hadn't hit that hard.

Was this sweet and smiling woman's gentle personality just a mask... for him?

He cleared his throat. "Right... here's the situation. According to Mystogan, aside from him and Lucy, everyone in Magnolia was turned into magic crystals."

Mira's eyes sharpened. "Everyone?"

"Yeah," Gajeel continued. "The only ones who weren't crystallized were Dragon Slayers... and the two cats."

"And as long as you use Dragon Slayer Magic to strike the magic crystals," Gajeel continued, "everyone inside will return to normal. That's why Mystogan gave me the medicine, to help restore their magic and get them back on their feet."

He crossed his arms and leaned against a broken wall. "After gathering intel, I rushed to the Capital. I heard the King was planning to put one of the crystals on display here during his speech, so I figured it'd be the perfect chance to save whoever's inside. Then I'd go after the other crystals."

His voice dropped into a grimmer tone. "They're going to start extracting magic power today. Once that begins, everyone inside the crystals is in real danger. But before that, they should still be okay… for now."

That last line helped Mira breathe easier. If what Gajeel said was true, then Rhodes may have only been separated when the crystal was divided, he might not be in danger yet.

Still, Mira's expression remained tense. Even Master Makarov and Gildarts had been turned into crystals. This situation was far worse than any of their usual battles.

She looked to Gajeel. "What about Natsu and Wendy? Do you know where they are?"

Gajeel shook his head. "No clue. They came to Edolas ahead of me. But I heard someone stole a big magic crystal yesterday, might've been them."

Elfman clenched his fists. "That sounds like Natsu! He must be trying to save everyone too!"

Mira nodded, hopeful. "Then our next move is clear. We need to locate the rest of the magic crystals."

Gajeel had said that Dragon Slayer magic could shatter the crystals and safely release the people inside. With three Dragon Slayers already in Edolas, the main issue was where those crystals had been taken.

Of course, they could also expect resistance from the enemy.

"I've been trying to track the rest down too," Gajeel added. He glanced at Mira and Elfman. "Just the two of you were turned into a crystal that big? Then the one for the entire town... must be enormous. Way too big to be stored here in the Capital."

Indeed, from the Capital, if someone stood atop the palace's tallest tower or traveled far enough north, they might catch a glimpse of the floating island that now housed the crystallized city of Magnolia.

But where the three were now, they had no vantage point. Even if they could see the island's silhouette on the horizon, they wouldn't be able to spot the crystals from this distance.

Given the chaos Mira had just caused, staying hidden in the Capital was clearly no longer an option. After a quick discussion, the trio agreed they needed to regroup with Natsu and the others as soon as possible.

But just as they turned to leave—

"You won't escape!"

A voice rang out from above.

Panther Lily swooped down with blood streaking across his temple, wings unfurled, and his massive sword already drawn.

Fwoosh—! As it descended, the blade grew with the wind, swelling to a monstrous size, over ten meters long.

The trio split instantly, diving to the sides as the colossal blade slammed into the ground with explosive force, carving a long trench in the stone and kicking up a storm of dust and debris.

When it cleared, Panther Lily stood in their path, his blade resting on his shoulder, eyes blazing with resolve.

"Captain of the Royal Army's First Magic War Division, Panther Lily," he announced. "I will not allow criminals who steal royal crystals, destroy the city, and assault the King's army to escape!"

"Gihi~ That's quite the list of crimes we've racked up," Gajeel chuckled.

Elfman rolled up his sleeves, cracking a grin. "A real man doesn't sweat a few charges! This is just another Tuesday for us!"

Mira, however, kept her eyes locked coldly on Panther Lily. Her voice was calm, but sharp as steel. "So, you're the one assigned to guard the magic crystal? Where is it?"

"Hmph?" Lily's expression turned serious. The moment he met her gaze, he knew, this woman was no ordinary opponent. She might be just as dangerous as Erza.

Before he could react, Mira vanished.

'So fast!'

Lily's instincts screamed as he immediately swung his massive sword upward from his shoulder.

But;

CLANG!

Mira's fist, shrouded in a dark magical aura, collided directly with the greatsword.

It should have split her hand open, should have cut through flesh and bone. But it didn't.

Instead, Lily felt a jarring shock travel up his arms, and he was forced backward, feet skidding against the stone. His grip faltered, and he nearly dropped his weapon.

Then she disappeared again.

'Above!?'

CRACK!

Mira's fist slammed down from above, smashing through Lily's shoulder guard like paper and sending him crashing to the ground. The blow left his vision spinning.

He barely managed to lift his head, and what he saw chilled him.

Those eyes. That expression.

Pure, terrifying fury.

A moment later, pain shot through his chest.

"Ugh—!"

His body slammed into the stone-paved road, shattering several of the bluestone tiles on impact. His sword hit the ground beside him with a metallic clang, shrinking back to its standard meter-long form.

Mira stepped forward, grabbed the hilt with one smooth motion, and planted her left foot firmly on Lily's chest.

She lowered the sword, now in her right hand, until its edge pressed firmly against the fur of Lily's neck.

"I asked you," she said coldly, her voice like the edge of that very blade, "Where. Is. The. Magic Crystal?"

A thin line of blood welled up where the blade touched his throat.

The crimson stain matched the eerie aura that surrounded Mira's Satan Soul form perfectly.

Her expression was serious....deadly serious.

And Panther Lily, no matter how proud or loyal he was, knew in that moment: if he said the wrong thing, or tried to resist again, she would not hesitate.

'She will cut my throat.'

"Cough—!"

Lily coughed violently, spitting up a mouthful of blood. Even the slight movement of trying to struggle earlier had broken at least two of his ribs.

...

Bonus @1200

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