Chapter 673: Erza and Kagura
Chapter 673: Erza and Kagura
Feng Ye had joined the Fairy Tail guild a year ago.
After leaving the Phoenix Temple, he had made his way to the vicinity of the Fairy Tail guild and observed it for several days before deciding to join. That way, he could better witness and experience the 'First Magic' when it appeared.
As he wasn't one to court attention, Feng Ye didn't take on many quests after joining the guild. However, participating in and passing the S-class trial was a basic requirement that he didn't need to worry about.
"Be careful."
Makarov, the guild master, watched as Feng Ye descended the stairs and nodded at him.
He truly despised the actions of the Black Magic Cult, but without a request or order, he couldn't forcibly command the mages of the guild to deal with them. Thus, he was pleased that Feng Ye was taking the initiative to handle the situation.
Moreover, with Feng Ye's strength, there shouldn't be any unexpected problems as long as he was cautious.
"Rest assured."
"I'll be back soon."
Feng Ye responded calmly and then strode out of the guild.
Gray watched as Feng Ye left by himself, and after a brief moment of silence, he turned to Makarov and asked, "Master, are you just going to let him go alone?"
The Black Magic Cult seemed like a formidable organization, and he wondered if Feng Ye would be too outnumbered on his own.
"Don't worry."
Makarov looked at Gray, offering him a reassuring expression. His gaze then turned toward the direction Feng Ye had disappeared, and he said, "He's the strongest mage we have."
Hearing this assessment again, Gray couldn't help but glance toward the door, a hint of bewilderment flashing in his eyes.
The strongest...
Just how powerful was he that these mages held him in such high regard?
...
Rosemary Village.
This small village was located in the southern region of the Fiore Kingdom. Its inhabitants were kind-hearted, and it had become a gathering place for many orphans who supported each other and struggled to survive.
Not far from the village, in the darkness, a large group of figures quietly gathered, all bearing a unified mark—the symbol of the evil organization known as the 'Black Magic Cult'.
"Is everyone here?"
A priest of the Black Magic Cult, his hand clutching a staff, scanned the assembled cultists, his voice hoarse.
A small boss among the cultists knelt on one knee and replied, "Everyone is present, Priest. We can act now."
"Good!"
The priest nodded and raised his staff, pointing it toward the nearby Rosemary Village. "Then let's begin. Kill all the adults and capture the children!"
"Yes!"
The members of the Black Magic Cult responded in unison and then brandished their swords, rushing toward the village under the cover of darkness. They charged straight into the village from the front.
Shrieks of terror and agonized screams instantly shattered the village's tranquility.
In a dilapidated cottage, a red-haired girl who had been about to rest on a pile of straw was startled by the cries. Her eyes widened in surprise as she peered out the window.
"What's going on...?"
Erza scrambled to her feet, pressing against the broken window to get a better view. She could see that the village was already ablaze, and in the flickering light, she could make out villagers fleeing in terror while members of the Dark Guild pursued them mercilessly with blades in hand.
Witnessing this scene, she immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Even though she was not yet twelve years old, she had survived on her own since she was very young and had endured many hardships. Her first instinct told her that the situation was dire, and after a moment of realization, she pushed open the door and ran out.
"Kill all the adults! Capture the children!"
"Hurry up!"
"Don't let anyone get away!"
The shouts of the Black Magic Cult members mingled with the terrified screams, echoing throughout the village.
Erza ran down the alley for a few steps but pulled back when she spotted members of the Black Magic Cult ahead. Thanks to her quick reaction, she avoided being noticed.
Huff... Huff...
She watched as the cultists moved away, her chest heaving as she struggled to maintain her composure in such a dire situation.
After hiding for about half a minute, she poked her head out to assess the situation before continuing her escape, intending to find a suitable hiding place.
Just then.
She spotted a girl even younger than herself emerge from a nearby corner, her eyes brimming with tears as she called out anxiously.
"Brother... Where are you?"
Erza took a breath, forcing herself to stay calm, and then dashed out from the shadows. She grabbed Kagura's wrist and pulled her into the narrow alley, saying, "If you stay here, they'll find you!"
"But... my brother..."
Kagura's voice quivered with a mix of fear and trembling as she was dragged along the burning streets by Erza. She was clearly overwhelmed and at a loss for what to do.
As Erza ran, she said, "Your brother will take care of himself. First, we need to find a way to survive and then we can look for your brother!"
Although Erza was only slightly older than Kagura, she was undoubtedly much more mature and level-headed. Even among adults, few could remain calm in such a situation.
However.
Just as Erza was pulling Kagura along, their figures happened to catch the attention of a Black Magic Cult member who was looking down the alley.
"I've found some children!"
"There are two of them!"
"Get them!"
The cultist immediately raised the alarm, and his nearby companions rushed over.
Erza's heart skipped a beat, and she, too, became flustered. Holding onto Kagura, she sprinted away, so hurried that she even lost a shoe along the way, but she didn't have time to worry about it.
Even with their frantic escape, it was clear that they, being just children, couldn't outrun the cult members. They were soon surrounded and captured.
Erza gritted her teeth as she looked at the Black Magic Cult members surrounding them from all sides. She picked up a wooden stick from the ground and gripped it tightly, preparing for a final stand.
But just then—
BOOM!!!
As if something had rushed towards them, the few Black Magic Cult members approaching Erza simultaneously cried out in pain before being flung sideways, crashing into the burning buildings.
Erza paused briefly, a hint of surprise flashing across her face.
Looking towards the end of the alley, she saw a figure standing there, walking calmly towards them.
"Who are you?!"
The other Black Magic Cult members were also startled, their eyes widening as they turned towards the new arrival. After a moment, one of them revealed a sinister smile and said, "Take him out!"
The group rushed towards the figure, weapons drawn.
BOOM! BOOM!!
Feng Ye nonchalantly watched as the Black Magic Cult members charged at him. He lifted his left hand and pointed his index finger to the left, casually flicking it. The cultists were then struck by an invisible force and sent flying sideways, crashing into the alley wall.
After dealing with the cultists, Feng Ye continued walking forward until he reached Erza and Kagura. He glanced at the two girls.
Little Kagura trembled as she hid behind Erza, her body curling up in fear.
Erza gripped the wooden stick tightly, sensing that Feng Ye was not affiliated with the Black Magic Cult. However, witnessing his display of power, she couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. "You... who are you...?" she asked, her voice laced with caution.
"I'm here to deal with the Black Magic Cult. It looks like you two are fine, so just stay here and don't move. I'll take care of the enemies first." Feng Ye replied calmly to Erza before walking past them.
Although Erza and Kagura were still very young at the moment, Feng Ye instantly recognized their identities when he first laid eyes on them. Images of their grown-up selves flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but sigh that they were much cuter as children.
Erza stared blankly at Feng Ye as he walked by. Although she couldn't discern his identity yet, one thing was clear to her—Feng Ye had come to save them and deal with the villains wreaking havoc in the village.
"Was that... magic...?"
She recalled the scene of Feng Ye casually flicking his finger and sending the Black Magic Cult members flying. The memory made her whisper to herself in awe.
Just then, Kagura, who was hiding behind her and tugging at her clothes, suddenly spoke up, pointing towards the sky with a trembling finger. "Sis... Sister, look!"
Erza's head snapped up.
There, she saw Feng Ye floating in the sky. With a casual reach of his hand, he had gathered the flames that had been raging throughout the village, pulling them towards him.
All the flames converged and concentrated in his hand, forming a massive fireball that illuminated the entire village in the night.
Feng Ye held the fireball in his left hand while his right hand casually reached out and gestured upwards. Suddenly, all the Black Magic Cult members in the village, no matter their location, were enveloped by his power and lifted into the air against their will.
"Ahhhh!"
The cultists screamed in terror, struggling desperately but unable to control their bodies.
Among them was a skinny priest, his face contorted with fear as he glared at Feng Ye. He waved his magic staff frantically, launching a magic bullet towards Feng Ye.
BOOM!
Before the magic bullet could reach Feng Ye, it was devoured by the fireball in his left hand.
"Mage, how dare you oppose the Black Magic Cult..." The priest's voice was hoarse with rage. "Stop this instant! The Black Magic Cult will not let you off!"
Feng Ye's expression remained indifferent as he ignored the priest's threats. Without even a glance, he lifted the priest and the rest of the cultists into the sky and waved his right hand upwards.
WHOOSH!!!
All the Black Magic Cult members were suddenly released from the force holding them, causing them to scream in terror as they flew uncontrollably into the night sky, their ultimate fate unknown.
After sending the cultists on an unexpected spacewalk and moon-viewing trip, Feng Ye brought his left and right hands together, lightly clapping them. The fireball immediately vanished without a trace.
Then, Feng Ye began to descend, stepping down from the sky towards the ground.
Erza and Kagura watched this display, their eyes filled with awe.
"Thank you, Mage!"
The surviving villagers, still shaken by the events, slowly regained their senses. They expressed their gratitude, kneeling towards Feng Ye in the sky.
Feng Ye didn't respond and instead continued his descent, landing back on the ground.
Seeing that Feng Ye was about to leave the village, Erza snapped out of her daze and called out to his retreating back, "Thank... thank you..."
"You're welcome."
Feng Ye turned his head to glance at her, his tone casual. "I arrived a little late, otherwise, things wouldn't have gotten this bad."
Erza shook her head. "No... it's not your fault..."
Finding Feng Ye more amicable than expected, she hesitated briefly before asking, "Um, can I ask your name?"
A faint smile appeared on Feng Ye's face.
"Feng Ye."
"A mage from Fairy Tail."
Leaving those two sentences hanging in the air, Feng Ye strode forward and disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only an Erza quietly murmuring the names 'Feng Ye' and 'Fairy Tail' to herself, and a dazed little Kagura still standing in place.
(End of Chapter)
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