"Really seems like they didn't want anyone to get in." Adam said.
The wall surrounding the former Phantom Lord headquarters was massive, with no gate able to be seen.
"If people found out you were doing human sacrifices, would you leave your front door open for the guilds to waltz right in?" Seilah asked.
"Yeah... but that presents an issue for us: How do we get in?" Ryan said.
"I believe I can help with that."
The group of four turned to their right and looked at the man leaning on the wall. He wore a simple a long dress coat-suit over a standard black suit with a white shirt underneath, short brown knuckle-less gloves, and brown steel-toed shoes. He also donned a pair of black trousers being held up by two brown belts. He also wore a black fedora over his green hair. His eyes were closed and he had on a smile that unnerved the group.
"You're the man I bumped into. Sorry about that." Seilah said.
"Oh don't worry about that, it was an accident. No harm done." The man said.
"Yeah, great, skip to the part where you tell us how to get it. You said you know right?" Ryan asked impatiently.
"I said I could help. Besides, it's rude to not introduce yourselves if I'm going to help you." He said.
"Adam Lionhardt. Water Dragon Slayer."
"Ryan Archelight. Smoke mage. Don't forget that."
"Juvia Lockser. Water mage."
"Seilah Macneary. Dem-" She paused, then sighed, "Manipulation mage."
"You can call me Hazama." Hazama said.
"Okay Hazama, how do we get in?" Ryan asked, again impatient.
"Simple. Walk right through." The fedora wearing man said.
"What?" Adam asked, confused.
"Walk right through." Hazama repeated.
"But... it's a wall." Juvia said.
"You may think it is, but it is merely an illusion, created to ward off those who try to save the abducted. It creates an illusion that no matter where you go, you will never get in, and thus lose hope of rescue." Hazama explained.
"Oh, so we just..." Adam trailed off, walking up to the wall. He put his hand up to it, and instead of touching rock, there was nothing, as his hand went through. He looked back at his group and motioned with his head to go on through.
Once every member of the group passed through with Hazama following, they looked up at the decrepit remains of the Phantom Lord headquarters. After the Fairy Tail vs Phantom Lord War the headquarters somehow made it back to Oaktown. The giant robot turned back into a headquarters, but the damages were never repaired. The giant hole from Natsu and Gajeel's battle remained as well as the damages done from Elfman.
"From what I've heard, this place really took a beating. How'd it get back?" Adam asked.
"The damages were great, but was still partially functional. We brought it back to Oaktown and transformed it back, but it was too damaged to do so ever again. Shortly after, Master Jose disbanded Phantom Lord, which drove both Juvia and Gajeel to Fairy Tail. Oops, sorry, Juvi- I did it again." Juvia said.
"Again, don't worry about the speech thing. So, we just go on in right?" Ryan said.
"Not so fast. There are traps set inside the place. I'd keep a look out if I were you." Hazama said.
"How do you know-" Ryan trailed off, seeing that Hazama was suddenly no longer there, "-that. Y'know, somethin's off about that guy."
"Yes, I feel the same. But he's not the issue right now. We must continue forward if we're going to stop whatever this is." Seilah said.
"Right, let's go!" Adam said as he began walking to the headquarters. Seilah cast a glance at Ryan who shrugged his shoulders before following.
The entrance hall was big, with two staircases leading up. On the ground floor there were multiple rooms.
"Any of these rooms good enough to start?" Adam asked.
"No. From the few times I've been here, these ground floor rooms are just lounge rooms and kitchens, with one being an infirmary." Juvia said, pointing to a room to the right of the right staircase. All of a sudden, Adam got a strange feeling in his chest.
"Well, if we get injured and need supplies to patch ourselves up, we'd know where to go." Ryan said.
"You will not be alive long enough to use it."
The humans, and demon, turned to the voice on the second floor. There, was a man who had medium length dark grey hair, with the inner hair being black, and wore a black and grey trench coat. He had no top, but wore raggedy and worn black jeans with boots, which were in the same state. He also had piercing red eyes, and rough facial hair.
"I'll be the one to send you to the grave."
"Y'know, I feel like I've seen you befo-" Adam started, but was cut off.
"He's not human."
Everyone turned to look at Seilah. She was a bit pale and had a troubled expression as she looked at the man.
"Oh yeah? To know that, you must not be human yourself. Of course, that's if you don't notice the horns, which, it's kind of hard to." The man said, "But yeah, she's right, I'm not human. I'm not a demon like her either."
"I know what you are." Adam said, after realizing what the feeling in his chest was, "You're a monster."
"We barely know each other, how can you say that?"
"Not that type of monster. The giant kind. The kaiju kind. Who are you?!" Adam demanded.
"Well since you asked so kindly, I'll tell you. I'm known as Monster X. But you can just call me X." X said, leaning on the railing, "And you, must be a monster hunter, a descendant of the Original 6. Can't say I feel like I'm in danger."
"What are you doing here?" Adam asked.
"I'm here because I can get what I want here." X said cryptically.
"And that means?" Ryan asked.
"When the ritual's done, I'll kill the idiot in charge and take the power for myself. To regain my true form. Keizer Ghidorah." X said. Adam broke out in a cold sweat. Ghidorah, the name of the monster that destroyed his village and corrupted his sister. He can't let one of those monsters hurt anyone else ever again.
"...Ghidorah? Tell me... is there a 'King' of the Ghidorah's?" Adam asked slowly. Everyone turned to him, looking nervous.
"Yeah, there is. Strongest out of all of us too. Why? He ruin your life too?" X said. That caught Adam's attention.
"Too?" Adam asked, curious.
"Yeah, back about a hundred years ago. He just up and decided I wasn't good enough to be a Ghidorah, so he drained my powers. He ruined me. I swore I'd kill him one day." X said.
"Then help us. I want to kill him as much a you do. So let's join forces." Adam said, hoping X would accept.
"Sorry kid. Your mission is to stop the ritual here, and I need that ritual, so no deal." X said, jumping from the second floor to the first, "Besides, I wanted to get some practice in."
"It'll be a lot more then practice, buddy." Ryan said, getting ready to fight, but was held back by Adam.
"No, you all go ahead. I'll deal with him." Adam said.
"But, dude-" "Adam!" Ryan and Seilah protested.
"I said no! I'm the one in charge here, so do what I say! Go and stop Phoenix, I'll handle X. Besides, I'm the professional monster hunter here, remember?" Adam said, catching X smirking, but not saying a word.
"Fine, but you come back alright?" Ryan asked.
"Of course. It'll take more than him to end me." Adam said confidently.
"We'll see about that." X muttered before springing into action. Ryan and Seilah went ahead to the right stairwell and were about to be attacked by X, but he was stopped by a bullet of pressurized water sailing past his face. X looked back and saw Adam pointing Blanc at him. He brought out Noir and was about to attack before realizing that someone was still with him.
"Juvia, I said go!" Adam shouted. Juvia did not budge.
"You said I was a descendant of the Original 6 right? I want to see if I'm good enough to be a monster hunter." Juvia said with conviction.
"This dude's a Ghidorah, one of the most powerful monster species out there. You'll be killed." Adam tried to reason.
"Juvia's not moving." Juvia said firmly.
"*sigh* Fine, but be careful, we don't know what this guy can do." Adam relented. He and Juvia stood ready as X got a grin on his face.
"Alright, two monster hunters huh? This'll be fun." X grinned.
Ryan and Seilah came across a hallway with another, but much bigger stairwell at the end of it. They both then noticed Juvia wasn't with them.
"Did she stay behind?" Seilah asked.
"Well, Adam said she was a descendant of one of those Original 6, so maybe she wanted to see if she could actually do it." Ryan reasoned as they reached the stairs.
"Only way to go is up I suppose." Ryan said as he and Seilah ran to the stairway, only to be blocked by a barrier.
"What the hell? Oh come on!" Ryan exclaimed.
"How do we get through?" Seilah questioned.
"By beating the two gatekeepers, of course."
Ryan and Seilah turned around and saw Hazama in the hallway with them.
"What th- How do you know that?! How did you get here?!" Ryan asked, irritated and unnerved by the mere presence of the green haired man.
"That's not important right now, remember?" Seilah said to Ryan, causing him to grumble, before turning to Hazama, "Where are these gatekeepers?"
"Each are in a separate room on both ends of these corridors. Be careful of who you choose, though." Hazama said.
"It'll be faster if we both take a room, 'cause I don't think Smiles over here will help us." Ryan said, pointing to Hazama who wasn't offended by the nickname.
"Yeah, you're right. I'll take left, you go right." Seilah agreed.
"Sound's good, let's go." Ryan said, taking off to the right hallway.
Hazama simply grinned, "Tell me Angelo, do you think you have a chance of winning here?"
In the main office of the building, Sorella Angelo felt a shiver crawl up her armored spine.
"So, you're here too, you insufferable knat. After I reclaim my full power, I will hunt you down, Yuki Terumi."
In the room at the end of the right hallway was a storage room, though most of the stored items were gone, taken by the Phantom Lord guildmembers before the place was abandoned. Ryan looked around to find the room to find the gatekeeper, but couldn't find them.
"Dammit, where are they?" He asked.
"Right above you."
Ryan looked up for a split second before dodging the attack thrown at him. From the ceiling came Slash.
"You're the gatekeeper huh? I guess your big friend is the other one then right?" Ryan asked.
"You got that right. Shame no one will be going to bring him down, cause knowing X, he usually battles two at a time, which leaves just you, and you're mot getting out of here." Slash grinned evilly.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Besides, we do have someone going to take down the big guy right now." Ryan smirked, catching Slash off guard.
"That so? Well, the part about you dying here'll be true." Slash said, getting into a stance.
"I don't think so." Ryan said, taking his guns out.
Seilah entered the room at the end of the left hallway. It appeared to be an armory, though, like the storage room, most of the weapons were taken. The demon girl noticed a man in the middle of the room.
"You weren't a part of the group yesterday." He simply said.
"I'm a recent addition." Seilah said, putting up her guard.
"A demonic one. I recognize you." He said, but before anything else happened.
"Macro!" Seilah tried to use her curse on the man, but nothing happened.
"That's not going to work." He said.
"How?! You're a living being." Seilah said in shock.
"I am Darkness. I am a demon. Curses do not work on demons, unless that demon is themselves. You have shown your curse, now behold mine. Guardian of the Fallen Star." Darkness said, as a dark light enveloped him. When the light vanished, he was three times his previous size. Only his eyes were visible in the hulking armor. "My curse makes me impervious to damage. Some call it a blessing. I consider it a curse as I cannot feel any thrill of pain while in it."
"Then why use it?" Seilah asked.
"Because I have a job to do. And I do not fail." Darkness said as both he and Seilah got ready to battle.
In the library, Phoenix smiled, "Everything has been set into motion. We shall see if you can stop us, Fairy Tail."