X781, Summer Solstice.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another year had passed. Quite a few things had happened during that time.
First was the incident at Maple Leaf Village, along with the news that Zeref might still be alive.
Makarov stayed up all night, meticulously recording every detail in a letter. The next day, he personally delivered it to the Magic Council, placing it into the hands of his friend there—Councilor Yajima.
As for how the matter was handled, Arlen didn't know. But the very next day after delivering the letter, Makarov and Ur hurried off to the Council for a major meeting.
According to what Makarov later said, it wasn't just Fairy Tail—almost every guild had sent representatives. Even the Ten Wizard Saints were present… except for the top four.
As for what was discussed? No one knew.
Arlen and Ultear had asked, but Makarov simply told them to carry on as usual, just like before.
The second matter was that Mirajane and Kagura had both passed Fairy Tail's new round of S-Class promotion trials, officially becoming the sixth and seventh S-Class mages of the guild.
As for Cana—unfortunately, she had fallen just short once again and failed the exam.
Still, Cana took it well. She wasn't particularly disappointed or resentful. After all, she already had everything she wanted—whether or not she became S-Class didn't really matter to her.
The third matter was that, with Fairy Tail continuously producing young S-Class mages, its reputation had soared even higher. Almost every so often, new mages would come seeking to join the guild.
One in particular left a deep impression on Arlen—a handsome male mage named Loke.
Of course, it wasn't Loke's looks that stood out—Arlen had never considered himself inferior in that regard.
Ahem… getting off track.
What truly caught Arlen's attention was the strange feeling Loke gave him. Something about him felt… off. Almost as if he wasn't human.
As for the final matter, it had nothing to do with Fairy Tail. It concerned Layla Heartfilia.
When Layla relayed the incident to Arlen via communication magic crystal, even someone as composed as him was stunned.
At the Heartfilia Estate, a servant named Zoldeo had stolen the keys to the Twelve Golden Zodiac Gates.
Grammi had discovered it by accident, but Zoldeo, in a fit of madness, stabbed him. Fortunately, Grammi's desperate cries prevented Zoldeo from finishing him off.
By the time Layla and the others arrived, Grammi was already lying in a pool of blood, clutching three Golden Keys tightly in his right hand—
Aquarius, Taurus, and Cancer.
As for Zoldeo, realizing things had gone wrong, he had already fled the estate with the remaining Zodiac keys. His whereabouts were unknown.
After intense treatment, Grammi narrowly survived—at least a small mercy in an otherwise grim situation.
After hearing the full account, Arlen was completely dumbfounded. The whole thing sounded like something straight out of a novel—so bizarre it felt unreal.
If it were written into a story, it would definitely find readers.
What else could he say? He offered a few words of comfort and agreed to Layla's request to keep an eye out for Zoldeo.
—
X782, Spring Equinox.
Inside the Fairy Tail guild hall, Mirajane handed an S-Class request form to Rob, who was in charge of record-keeping.
It was an urgent subjugation mission: eliminate the Beast King that had appeared near Karo Village.
Standing behind her were Lisanna—now grown into a graceful young woman—and the tall, burly Elfman.
"This request is dangerous," Rob said, frowning as he read it. "Are you sure you want to take Lisanna and Elfman with you on your own?"
Mirajane patted her not-quite-fully-developed chest confidently and grinned.
"That's right. Erza's already taking missions on her own—I can't fall behind. Besides, this is an urgent request. There's no time to wait."
"Don't worry, Grandpa Rob. I'll protect Lisanna and Elfman."
Rob let out a helpless sigh but ultimately registered the mission.
"Alright. But you must be careful. If it's too much to handle, abandoning the mission is fine. Your lives are more important than the job."
"Got it! Thanks, Grandpa Rob. Let's go—Lisanna, Elfman!"
After thanking him, Mirajane waved and led the two out of the guild.
Watching their departing figures, worry flickered in Rob's eyes.
It wasn't that he doubted Mirajane's strength—"Demon Mirajane" wasn't just a title for show.
But this Beast King was no ordinary opponent.
If Mirajane were alone, escaping would be easy if things went south. But with Lisanna and Elfman… things became uncertain.
And of all times, Erza, Cana, and Kagura were out on missions. Ur and Mavis were nowhere to be found. Ultear and Arlen hadn't returned yet either.
Rob could only sigh and silently pray.
"I just hope those three kids complete this mission safely…"
—
Three days later, after a long and dusty journey, Mirajane, Lisanna, and Elfman finally arrived near Karo Village.
Even from a distance, they could see it—
A monstrous creature, as large as a small mountain, rampaging wildly, tearing through forest and earth alike.
Not far beyond it lay Karo Village.
Their expressions changed instantly.
"Lisanna, go warn the villagers and evacuate them—get everyone as far away as possible," Mirajane ordered decisively.
"Elfman, we'll stop that thing from reaching the village."
"Got it, Mira-nee! Leave the evacuation to me—you and big brother be careful!"
"Full Body Take Over: Animal Soul—Bird!"
Magic enveloped Lisanna's body, transforming her into a massive, deep-blue bird. With a powerful flap of her wings, she shot toward Karo Village.
"Let's move, Elfman," Mirajane said, her gaze sharpening as she locked onto the Beast King.
"Right! I'll protect you and Lisanna—that's what it means to be a man!"
Elfman clenched his fist, determination blazing in his eyes.
The two rushed forward. The closer they got, the more they could feel the terrifying aura radiating from the Beast King.
Its body was as massive as a hill, covered in thick fur. Two horns jutted from its forehead, its fangs were razor-sharp, and its purple eyes radiated overwhelming pressure.
From its destruction alone, it was clear—
This creature possessed immense strength, explosive power, incredible speed, and an abundance of magical energy.
Mirajane had completed many S-Class missions, but this was the strongest opponent she had ever faced.
No wonder Rob had warned her so seriously.
But now, turning back wasn't an option.
If they didn't stop it, not only Karo Village—but all surrounding villages—would be in danger.
And besides…
Mirajane had confidence in her strength.
At worst, she could still retreat with Elfman and Lisanna safely.
But before that—
They would fight.
—------------------------------
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