The winter dawn is exceptionally cold.
There is no custom of staying up all night in this world, so even in the early hours of New Year's Day, most people are still in slumber.
However, a fire has been lit in a desolate village at the border of Fiore and the Bosco Kingdom.
One by one, people in black hooded robes light torches and gather in the village square.
Although these people are weary, their expressions are incredibly excited because, according to the Divine officer, if the plan goes well, they will see the legendary Zeref today!
Inside the small chapel at the center of the village, candle lights are lined up on both sides of the prayer room.
An elderly man with a white beard, wearing clergy robes and an iron mask, is praying inside:
"Great Zeref, may all souls belong to you, may you stand at the pinnacle of the Great Magic Realm and purify this filthy world…"
He is Yaloke, the leader of the Black Magic Sect, known as the Divine officer.
In front of him are several broken stone tablets inscribed with incomprehensible ancient texts.
If Rhode were present, he might recognize that these stone tablets all come from the Gate of the Underworld.
No one knows when the Black Magic Sect dug up these things from the ruins.
Once the prayer stops, a simple black leather white-haired beauty and a burly fully armed man enter the prayer room.
These two are the last remaining cadres at the headquarters of the Black Magic Sect, Blair and D-6.
"Lord Yaloke, it is time." Due to the iron mask, D-6's voice is somewhat strange.
Blair waved the Communication Magic Crystal in her hand, reporting:
"Our personnel arranged inside the city have lost contact, I'm afraid the Council is already prepared. Should the purification plan... be changed?"
"No need." Yaloke turned around, picked up the Magic Staff, and let out a sinister laugh.
Rather than fearing the Council's preparation, he is instead waiting for the Council to come.
Because what he originally intended to offer to Zeref was not only the souls of thirty thousand citizens but also the entire Black Magic Sect!
However, it was precisely because of the Council's attacks that led to a shortage of followers of the Black Magic Sect, naturally leading to a shortage of 'quality souls'.
This is intolerable to Yaloke.
Therefore, he recently ordered his subordinates to expand massively and secretly passed down the purification plan.
Doing so was to lure the Council.
He wanted to offer the Council's quality souls to Zeref to make up for the recent losses!
The two cadres who did not know of Yaloke's plan, seeing his demeanor, temporarily had no doubts.
Although the Council might be troublesome, their force has at least a thousand people, and there's also the Divine officer Yaloke's trump card; executing the purification plan will definitely not be a problem.
The two stood by the door to allow Yaloke to pass, then followed him out of the chapel.
Outside the chapel, the slightly noisy mages quieted down, looking at Yaloke expectantly.
Yaloke slightly raised his Magic Staff: "The day of purification has arrived, immediately summon all branches, fight for Zeref!"
"Oh oh oh!!!"
The mages cheered, while the two cadres sent a gathering message to the branches hidden nearby using the Communication Magic Crystal.
They really liked this new type of communication tool, greatly enhancing communication efficiency between headquarters and branches.
...
"Oh ho, got it. They really used this communication huh."
Outside the suburbs of Malba City, the screen of the Communication Magic Crystal in Rhode's hand displayed a radar map.
Twenty kilometers away from him, there appeared glowing small red dots.
Gray asked: "If you can find their location, can they find you?"
Wolian answered for Rhode: "Of course not, Rhode uses the law enforcement edition exclusive to the Council, while the Black Magic Sect can only buy the civilian version."
Lucy sighed: "How convenient."
Rhode patted her shoulder: "Don't just watch the fun, your mission has come."
Lucy asked curiously: "Mission?"
Rhode nodded: "Yes, Lucy, you go and take down the Black Magic Sect."
"Me?"
...
Ten kilometers from Malba City, the Black Magic Sect is marching in a rather untidy formation.
Though gathered for the same 'faith', the discipline of these people is obviously lacking.
Leading the way is the chief of a branch, who is using the so-called 'doctrine' to motivate the team members walking behind him.
Someone in the team suddenly shouted:
"Chief, someone is coming toward us!"
"Seems like a woman?"
"Hmm?" The branch chief looked at the young girl sprinting towards them, rapidly closing in.
Seems a bit familiar.
Short purple hair, black cat ear hair accessory… The branch chief observed carefully: "Is it… Lady Mary?"
Seeing Mary rushing anxiously, stopping not far in front of the team, the branch chief asked in astonishment: "I heard you were captured, why…"
"I escaped… don't worry about that now…" Mary panted, saying, "The Council has an ambush… where is Grandpa?"
The branch chief knew Mary is the Divine officer's granddaughter, quickly replied: "Well… Lord Yaloke is at the back, with the headquarters' team."
Mary didn't say more, rushing toward the back of the team quickly.
The branch chief opened his mouth, pondering whether to stop, but Mary had already run far.
This made him uncomfortable; he couldn't just straightforwardly march forward knowing the Council has an ambush, could he?
Many in the group who had recently joined the Black Magic Sect didn't recognize Mary, but several veterans watched her curiously as she ran past.
Some tried to stop her but were blocked by the veterans, so Mary smoothly reached Yaloke, who was holding the Magic Wand.
She called out urgently: "Grandpa! It's me, Mary!"
Before Yaloke could respond, Blair was surprised: "Is it you? Why are you here?"
"I escaped while they weren't paying attention, after a hard search I found here, listen, the people from the Council want to…"
While speaking, Mary continued to run towards the Divine officer, seemingly wanting to give her grandfather a hug.
However, Yaloke glanced at her, decisively raised the Magic Wand, and pointed it at her.
A thumb-thick beam of light shot from the eye-like decoration on the Magic Wand and hit Mary squarely in the chest.
Blair and D-6 were both shocked: "Lord Yaloke?!"
"Grandpa…" Mary wanted to say something but seemed unable to stand, her body falling forward.
But her body transformed into two beams of light before hitting the ground, turning into two blue little figures.
"We seemed to have failed, Jamie!"
"Yes Minnie, such a pity!"
The two little figures complained with disappointment and disappeared from everyone's sight.
Blair uncertainly said: "That was… Star Spirit?"
D-6 praised: "Indeed, Lord Yaloke recognized it instantly."
"No, I didn't recognize it." Yaloke said coldly, "But Mary was captured for so long, she can't be trusted anymore."
The people around showed shocked expressions, meaning… Lord Yaloke truly intended to kill his own granddaughter just now?