Chapter 103: FTRJ: Chapter 103

“Erigor?” Erza, landing beside Finn, seemed to recognize the man.

“We received your meticulous care recently, you flies!” Erigor landed on a branch, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.

“He’s the one from Iron Forest, the one called… what was it again?” Finn scratched his head, struggling to recall the man’s nickname.

I am the “Grim Reaper”!!” Erigor bellowed, his displeasure evident. His gaze fell upon the guild mark on Finn’s shoulder, a flicker of hatred in his eyes.

“Fairy Tail, we still have unfinished business!” he seethed, his voice laced with menace.

“Oh? You’re here to settle a score?” Finn said calmly.

“Then be prepared to pay the price!”

…

Jura stood alone deep within the forest, his eyes closed, seemingly awaiting something.

Several figures lay scattered on the ground—the entirety of the Red Hood dark guild. After he, Lyon, and Sherria had dispatched them, he sensed a powerful surge of magical energy rapidly approaching.

The power was comparable to his own. Considering the potential for collateral damage to others during the ensuing battle, Jura had instructed Lyon and Sherria to leave the area.

Jura suddenly opened his eyes. “I know you’re hiding here. Come out,” he said, his voice calm and steady.

The moment his words left his lips, the surrounding earth began to churn violently, undulating like a restless sea, as if attempting to completely engulf Jura.

“Earth Magic: Iron Rock Wall!” Jura assumed a semi-crouching stance, his hand making contact with the softening earth. A magic circle flashed into existence, and the earth that had been rendered malleable instantly solidified into a rigid, unyielding surface.

“Truly worthy of being a Ten Wizard Saint, wouldn’t you say?” A figure emerged, revealing a man with brown hair, a book held delicately in his right hand. His physique was broad-shouldered and narrow-hipped, his facial features sharply defined.

He was clad in a black priest’s robe, prayer beads adorning his neck.

His appearance was deceptively harmless, that of an innocuous priest.

However, Jura dared not underestimate his opponent.

” Earth Magic: Iron Rock Fist!” Jura extended two fingers, his magical energy spreading outwards. From the earth behind him, several sturdy stone pillars shot forth, hurtling towards Hoteye.

Hoteye calmly raised his palm, and a protective shield of shimmering golden magical energy materialized around him, effortlessly deflecting the incoming stone pillars.

Jura frowned slightly, noticing that the solidified rock formations at the front were rapidly disintegrating into a cloud of dust under the influence of Hoteye’s magic.

“My specialty is softening earth magic, while yours is hardening earth magic, correct?” Hoteye declared, spreading his arms wide, his confidence radiating outwards.

“So… tell me, who do you think is stronger?” he challenged.

Jura assumed a combat stance, his determination unwavering. “That has nothing to do with the strength of our magic. Only those with unwavering conviction can prevail.”

Hoteye chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re mistaken. In every era, the victors are always… the wealthy, wouldn’t you agree?”

…

Meanwhile, Finn stood with his foot planted firmly on Erigor’s chest. “I thought you’d be much stronger, coming here to settle a score. This is all you’ve got?” he sneered.

Erigor’s mouth hung open, his expression of terror frozen on his face.

“Alright, let’s leave him be and hurry to find the rest of Oración Seis,” Erza said, beginning to move.

“Mr. Jura just sent a message; he’s encountered Hoteye,” she added.

Finn, having been preoccupied with the recent battle, hadn’t been paying attention to the telepathic communications. He gave Erigor one final, dismissive kick, sending him flying. “Does he need our help?”

Erza waved her hand dismissively. “Mr. Jura said he can handle it; we should focus on finding the others.” Her expression turned grave. “And if Hoteye has shown himself, then it’s likely that the rest of Oración Seis is already in motion.”

Finn nodded in agreement. “Then let’s go.”

Just as the two were about to depart, Finn suddenly turned, his gaze fixed on a specific direction.

“An immensely powerful surge of magical energy!” Erza also sensed the disturbance, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon.

“Even the very ground is trembling…” Finn remarked, his expression serious as he carefully assessed the situation.

BOOM————

A deafening roar echoed through the forest, followed by the sudden eruption of a colossal beam of light that pierced the sky.

The blinding white light caused the surrounding sky to darken in comparison, and terrifying shockwaves emanated from the center of the beam, obliterating trees and rocks in its path.

From the earth around them, dark magical energy surged upwards, drawn irresistibly towards the massive white beam of light. As the dark energy merged with the beam, its color began to shift dramatically.

It was as if the pure, holy light was being gradually tainted and consumed by a profound, encroaching darkness!

“That… could it be…?” Erza’s eyes widened in disbelief and horror.

“Nirvana!” Finn uttered the name, his voice grim.

“Looks like those guys really did find Nirvana. This is going to be far more troublesome than we initially anticipated,” Finn muttered under his breath, before mentally contacting Hibiki.

After a short while, he received a response.

“Hibiki, can you open the full telepathic channel?” Finn asked.

Hibiki replied, his voice calm and steady. “Yes, I can. Just give me a moment.” His hands moved swiftly across the control panel.

Within moments, a full telepathic channel was established, connecting everyone’s minds.

“Everyone, what’s the situation on your end?” Finn asked, his voice carrying a note of urgency.

“I’ve encountered Hoteye and am currently engaged in combat. However… there’s something rather peculiar about Hoteye’s behavior,” Jura’s voice was the first to respond.

“He’s launched another attack; I need to focus all my attention on him. That’s the update from my position. I’ll have to leave the rest to you, Mr. Finn,” Jura’s voice trailed off as he became fully engrossed in the battle.

“Ichiya-sama, Ren, and I are currently engaged in combat with a sizable force from a dark guild,” Eve reported.

“Do you require assistance?” Erza inquired.

“Man, no need! A mere handful of individuals is hardly a challenge for the mighty Ichiya!” Ichiya’s voice echoed through the channel, dripping with his characteristically oily charm.

“Finn! Is that towering beam of light Nirvana?” Natsu’s voice rang out through the telepathic channel.

“With that kind of immense magical energy, it’s almost certainly Nirvana,” Finn confirmed.

“Then, it seems Oración Seis has succeeded in their objective,” Lyon’s voice carried a note of dejection.

“Not quite. Nirvana is still in the process of being unsealed; the true form of Nirvana has yet to manifest,” Hibiki’s voice interjected.

“Huh? What do you mean by that?” Gray asked, clearly confused.

Hibiki’s voice resonated once more. “Nirvana is, in fact, a massive ancient city. What we’re witnessing now is merely the initial release of its magical energy. Oración Seis hasn’t gained control of Nirvana yet.”

“The unsealing process will require some time, so this could actually work in our favor,” Hibiki added.

“What are you all talking about?! Why can’t I understand anything you’re saying?!” Natsu’s voice echoed through everyone’s minds, filled with a mixture of frustration and confusion. Even without seeing him, everyone could vividly imagine Natsu’s exasperated expression.

Finn sighed wearily. “To put it simply, just head towards the center of that light beam, and you’re guaranteed to run into Oración Seis. Got it?”

Upon hearing Finn’s simplified explanation, Natsu’s face broke into a wide grin. “Haha! I understand perfectly! Happy, Gray, let’s go!”

“Aye!” Happy chirped enthusiastically.

“Typical Natsu; you have to communicate with him using the same straightforward approach,” Lucy muttered under her breath, her voice laced with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

“Alright, everyone, we’ll meet at the center of the light beam,” Finn announced, ending the telepathic communication. He turned to look at Erza, and without exchanging any further words, the two of them set off at a run towards the center of the towering beam of light.

Meanwhile, Hibiki deactivated the control panel and turned to address the remaining members of the alliance. “Since that’s the case, let’s head over there and lend a hand.”

Wendy’s voice carried a note of uncertainty. “We’re not staying here?”

Hibiki shook his head. “The reason we remained here previously was simply because we lacked certainty regarding Oración Seis’s location. We were essentially acting like headless flies, searching blindly.

Therefore, we required a temporary command center to utilize my ancient magic to confirm everyone’s movements,” Hibiki explained.

He then turned his gaze towards the direction of the light beam. “However, now that everyone has a clear destination, there’s no longer any need for us to remain here. We should make every effort to provide assistance wherever we can.”

“But I feel like I’m not going to be of much use,” Lucy confessed, reflecting on her past contributions to the mission, feeling that her relatively weaker capabilities might hinder her ability to contribute meaningfully.

Hibiki smiled reassuringly and shook his head. “Don’t be so modest. I’ve heard quite a few tales about your impressive accomplishments. For example, you single-handedly defeated nineteen three-meter-tall gorillas.”

He continued, ticking off the points on his fingers. “You also defeated a local ruler, and during the battle against a dark guild, you single-handedly challenged a thousand opponents…”

“Wow, Lucy-san is so amazing!” Wendy exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

“Is this woman really that strong?” Carla questioned skeptically, her expression one of doubt.

Lucy facepalmed, a vein throbbing in her forehead. “That’s a massive exaggeration…”

Having ended the telepathic communication, Natsu, Gray, and Happy set off at a full sprint towards the center of the light beam.

“We need to hurry! Otherwise, Finn will take care of everything before we even get there!” Natsu exclaimed excitedly, his voice filled with a mixture of anticipation and a touch of competitive spirit.

“That’s right. We still need to get our revenge for that earlier beating!” Gray agreed, his voice equally enthusiastic. The two rivals, for once, found themselves united in their shared objective.

“Hey, what’s that?” Happy, flying at a higher altitude, possessed a wider field of vision than Natsu and Gray, and he noticed something in the distance.

Hearing Happy’s words, Natsu paused, his brow furrowed in curiosity. “Happy, did you spot something?”

Gray also halted his run, his gaze fixed on Happy, a similar expression of curiosity etched across his face.

Happy narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the two figures leisurely strolling towards them. The two figures looked vaguely familiar.

“That’s… Oración Seis!” Happy finally managed to discern their identities as the two figures drew nearer.

Racer, clad in his distinctive racing attire, his sharp nose and sunglasses clearly visible, and Cobra, his body entwined with a massive serpent, were approaching them.

“Perfect!” Natsu exclaimed, his fists clenched together, fiery magical energy already beginning to accumulate within his palms.

“Ah, a chance for revenge!” Gray’s clothes vanished once more, his body ready for battle.

The two members of Oración Seis had arrived before Natsu and Gray, the tension in the air palpable as the battle was about to commence.

…

Lucy and her group found their advance blocked.

Angel, and…

“Gray?” Lucy’s voice echoed with a mixture of surprise and apprehension as she spotted Gray standing alongside Angel.

“Gray, what are you doing with Oración Seis?!” Lucy shouted, her voice filled with alarm.

Gray remained silent, his head bowed low. “Ice Make—Lance!” Countless ice lances shot towards Lucy.

“Watch out!” Hibiki cried out, rushing towards Lucy. His ancient magic manifested, and several data screens materialized before Lucy, deflecting the barrage of ice lances with a series of loud crackling sounds.

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