The attack upon the Magic Council was the beginning plan of the dark guild of demons; Tartaros as they had plan to kill every single former council member whose locations are unknown to many. Fairy Tail took arms to avenge their harmed comrades and to protect the Ex-Council members from whatever plan that the dark guild has in plan.

We turn our attention to a local town a few hours away from Magnolia as there is Natsu and his team who have arrived at the house of Michello, the former third seat of the Magic Council.

Natsu and his team came and told the Ex-council member about the whole situation regarding the attack of the Council and the planned assassination of any former council member who are being targeted by Tartaros.

"…And that's why we're here, to protect you." Lucy stated as she had explained the entire situation to the cat man who looks rather unamused.

"That's nice of you to offer…" Michello sardonically began. "But you'll just be in the way."

"is that anyway to treat the people who came just to protect you?" said Charla with a sweatdrop.

"I guess that comes with being a council member." Said Wendy while having an awkward smile.

"Wait!" Michello realized before she pointed at the group with his staff. "I know who you are. You're from that problematic Fairy Tail guild. You're just using me as bait in some destructive scheme, aren't you? Well I'll have no part in it!"

"Whether we are here or not you will be attacked by Tartaros. That is not the same as being bait." Charla told the cat man.

"Bah!" Michello snapped. "What fool waits around when he knows he's going to be attacked?! I'm leaving! Don't try to find me again!"

"Grandfather!" Michello's granddaughter, Michellia came in while holding a tray full of drinks "These nice people have come to visit us and keep you safe, and here you are being rude."

"Michelia." Michello mumbled in guilt.

'this person is with Loke-san!' Wendy blushes as she recalled what Loke had whispered into her ear when she asked regarding how he knew some Council members' addresses.

"Let them help you." Michelia suggested. "Someone murdered the entire magic council. How can you allow that to stand?"

Michello just grumbled in reply

"So…do you know why you would all be targeted like this?" Lucy asked the former councilman

"There's too many possibilities to list." Michello replied curtly. "Dark guilds aren't the only ones with grudges against the council."

"I don't think this is merely a grudge." Charla contended. "With these kind of attacks, I'm certain they are after something that only council members know of."

"Nothing comes to mind…" Michello pondered before his eyes slowly widened in realization. "Wait…" He began to quake in fear at the possibility, a cold sweat dripping down his face. "Could they be after…Face?"

"Face…?" Natsu spoke out as he hardens his gaze in hearing the word before his eyes widen and he turns around while igniting his fists in flames. "everyone get down!"

"Natsu-san?!" Wendy squeaked out in surprise

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked before Natsu slams his flaming fists down on the floor and erupts a dome of fire that surrounds them. "N-Natsu!?"

"it's hot!" Michello shouted before the group hears explosion ringing outside as the dome of fire started to shake and bend a few times then stopped silent.

The group looks surprised and tense from hearing the explosions as the dome of fire slowly dispersed and revealed the home that they were in; completely destroyed.

"M-my house!" Michello exclaimed in shock while Michellia gasped in shock.

"What's going on?" Wendy asked as she has confusion written all over her face.

"Natsu, what just happened?" Lucy asked the salmon haired mage before seeing and hearing Kiara growling while sneering as the Pop Fox's fur stands up angrily. 'Kiara senses a threat?!'

"be ready." Said Natsu as he grabs Chitetsu's handle and draws the sword out of its scabbard. "they're here."

Everyone made a noise as they all look around for the culprit in the destruction of the house.

"That's a surprise." A voice said from above. "I thought that would have blown you all to hell. Just like the council."

"Who are you?!" Lucy demanded as everyone looks up and finds themselves facing Jackal who stood over a nearly broken support pillar.

"so.." said Natsu while hardening his gaze towards Jackal. "you're from Tartaros?"

"huh? Who're you?" said Jackal while sending a sneering down glare back at Natsu.

"I'm Natsu from Fairy Tail" Natsu replied as he grips his hold on Chitetsu's handle while his eyes glows red. "ready to be hunted, demon?"

"Who is this scoundrel?!" Michello shouted, angrily waving his fist in the air. "Look what he did to our house! I knew Fairy Tail was nothing but trouble!"

"Grandfather!" Michelia scolded.

"He must be the one who destroyed the council in Era." Charla warned with a cautious look.

"He's after you!" Lucy shouted to Michello. "We have to get you out of here!"

"You don't think I know that?!" the former councilman snapped back as he started to run away

"it'll be okay if we leave this to Natsu-san." Wendy added as everyone started to back away from the Salamander who keeps on a hard gaze at Jackal.

"running away?" Jackal asked with a grin in seeing their attempt to escape. Suddenly he swiped his arm, setting off a chain of explosions that circled around the city. The people began to run around in a panic.

"What was that?!" "Something just exploded!" "What's happening?!" "The buildings are all falling apart!" "Help~!"

Everyone inside looks in shock and surprise as the explosion caused fire to burn several houses around the town.

"The town has nothing to do with this!" Lucy yelled to the smirking demon. "why did you do that?!"

"because you guys are humans." Said Jackal with a smirk before he suddenly gets a flaming punch to the face by Natsu who was suddenly upon him. "ugh?!"

Natsu growls as he soon pushes his fist forward and sends Jackal flying to the side.

"fast!" Charla exclaimed in seeing how Natsu just closed the distance with his foe.

Jackal flew before he quickly regained his bearings and growls at Natsu who jumped and came straight at him.

"That hurt!" Jackal shouted as he then swung a hand forward. "Explode!"

A burst of explosion came flying towards Natsu who was engulfed in it.

"He got him!" Michellia gasped in shock.

"It's all right!" Lucy assured her while smiling as Natsu came flying out of the explosion unscathed while the fire gets sucked into Chitetsu's blade "Natsu uses Fire Dragon Slayer Magic! Anything based on heat or fire won't hurt him at all!"

"What's the deal with this guy?!" Jackal exclaimed before Natsu slashes Chitetsu upwards and leaves a bleeding upward right vertical cut on the demon's shirt. "ugh?!"

"burn!" Natsu roared as the cut instantly exploded into flames and made Jackal scream in pain before he gets a hard uppercut to the chin by the salmon haired mage.

"go! Natsu-san!" Wendy cheered as everyone else followed in doing so, but Michello merely looked in disbelief.

'This is first time I've seen a Fairy Tail mage like Daimou fight up close!' Michello thought in shock. 'he's the Emperor of Lingyue and he is this powerful!?'

Jackal went flying into the air from a powerful flaming kick to the gut, courtesy of Natsu. The demon flew before he came down and slid on all fours along the broken floor.

"You're pretty fun." Jackal complimented while smirking "But there's one thing I need to tell ya…"

He was about to say something but before he could begin, Natsu's right flaming fist was in his face.

"Wait…" Jackal spoke out only to get an exploding flaming punch from Natsu who sends him flying again.

"Mugetsu Ryu!" Natsu wielded Chitetsu with both hands upon the weapon's handle before he dashes straight for Jackal and soon appears behind him in an instant. "Kazaru Senka!"

Jackal soon screams in pain as he gets engulfed in a storm of cuts upon all over his body.

Lucy and the others look and smiled as Jackal fell defeated while Natsu stood up straight and swung Chitetsu to the side before slowly sheathing the weapon to its scabbard with a loud click.

"Incredible…" Michelia gasped.

"s-so strong!" Michello stated as he had no words to describe the battle had just witnessed first hand. The cat man soon began to sweat. 'this isn't the time to admire a battle! You have to think of more important matters!' he held his walking stick as he holds it in a very tight grasp. 'If Tartaros is truly after Face…then this will only end terribly. Only a handful of council members know about the White Inheritance. How is it that Tartaros were able to find out…? I have to hide myself!' He began to storm off, much to everyone's confusion and suspicion. "I'll leave you wizards to clean this up! I will check on the former council members!"

"Grandpa?" Michelia called with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Come along, Michelia!" Michello ordered and demanded his granddaughter. "Now!"

"you know something, don't you?" said Natsu with a hard gaze at Michello who tensed up. "you said something before this guy attacked."

"i-I said nothing!" Michello exclaimed.

"no, you know something!" Lucy stated out. "what is it that you know and might be what Tartaros is after!?"

"no! I don't know anything!" Michello denied forcefully.

"Is that right?" Jackal spoke out as this caused everyone to be alarmed because the member of Tartaros slowly gets up while grunting in pain. "Are you sure? If you tell me what I wanna know, I may just let you live."

"he's still conscious?!" Charla exclaimed while Kiara sneers and growls with her tail and fur standing up.

"You…" Natsu spoke in a deep voice while glaring down at Jackal.

"I don't know anything!" Michello lied again. "Honest! Ask someone else! Really, I know nothing!"

"really now?" said Jackal as he looked back at the old man, a sadistic grin on his lips. "I get it. I guess that means you gotta die then, right?"

"Hey!" Michello shouted at the Fairy Tail wizards. "What are you lot doing?! He's up again, you know! Take him down, you nitwits! Aren't you supposed to be my bodyguards?!"

"shut up, old cat." Said Natsu harshly at Michello before turning towards Jackal who is pointing a finger at him. "huh?"

"You!" said Jackal with a smirk. "Next time listen when a guy's talking, would ya?!"

"why should i?" Natsu asked while glaring at Jackal before he notices something glowing as he looks down and sees that his hands and legs were glowing with strange markings. "this is?"

"W-what?! what's that!?" Lucy exclaimed in seeing what was happening.

"My curse power." Jackal informed. "Whoever touches me becomes a bomb. The more they do it, the stronger the bomb becomes. Refresh my memory, how many times did you hit me again?"

The strange light began to cover Natsu's body as it glows brighter

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted out who looks at the strange glowing markings before to Jackal.

"pathetic." Said Natsu before he was enveloped in a bright light that instantly dimmed down the next second.

This scene cause everyone and even Jackal to look in shock.

"w-what the!?" said Jackal as Natsu looks completely unharmed. "w-why!? Why won't you explode?!"

"Anti-Ethernano Particles.." Natsu stated as he draws out Chitetsu whose blade was glowing a dark aura. "you said you're from Tartaros and that makes you a demon of Zeref, right?" the salmon haired mage then lifted his weapon up and revealed the dark demonic cackling shadow that appears upon its blade. "let me teach you something about this cursed katana of mine. its blade is made with a very rare and unique ore of Lingyue that absorbs magic or Ethernano Particles; because your power is made with pure Anti-Ethernano Particles that eats the latter particles, meaning that whatever you did to me was just absorbed into this weapon of mine that was of the same property."

"w-what!?" Jackal stated in shock.

"then whatever that glow was, it was absorbed by Chitetsu!?" said Lucy as everyone around the area looks surprised.

"hahahaha, the power of a demon is completely harmless to the one who wields me, lesser demon." Chitetsu cackled out as his dark demonic shadow grows upon the blade's reflection. "if you were to use something that is not of magic, you would've stood a chance against Natsu. But it's too late now."

Jackal stared at Natsu with wide eyes filled with disbelief as he is shocked to know that his powers won't work on him.

'What the hell is with this guy…?' Jackal though as he was shaking in fear while Natsu slowly approaches him with Chitetsu readied at his side. 'How can a human make me shiver?' the animal eared demon couldn't help but sense something of Natsu that felt incredibly demonic. 'Is this guy even human? There's no way he's human! He can't be!'

"since you seem to be an non-cooperative demon, you have no use to us." Said Natsu as his eyes glows demonically red while having black reptilian slits. "die."

"y-you are!?" Jackal shouted before Natsu suddenly pass through him.

Natsu swings Chitetsu around as he takes out the scabbard and slowly sheaths the katana with a loud click.

Jackal turns his head slowly to look at Natsu before he coughs blood and then screams loudly in pain because a burst of blood came out of thousands cuts upon his body.

"y-you human!" Jackal screams while slowly disappearing into black ashes that blows away from a passing by wind. "YOU HUMAN~!"

"if you want to talk about what Tartaros is after, I suggest that you speak it out…." Natsu spoke out in a deep voice as he slowly turns and showed his demonic gaze at Michello who is sweating waterfalls down his face. "NOW."

"y-yes!" Michello cried out while his tail puffs up like crazy

"S-So dark…" Wendy and Charla muttered out in fear while shaking scared.

"but that is so like Natsu….i guess?" said Lucy with a sweatdrop while Kiara squeals.


Meanwhile, at another town where Gray and Juvia had departed to.

"This is horrible," Juvia looks in awful dread as she walked through the destroyed remains of Elder Hogg's home along with Gray. "Do you think whoever did this is still here, Gray-sama?"

"I doubt it." Gray answered. "This looks like this was done days ago. The culprit's long gone by now."

"Who in the world could do such a thing?" said Juvia before she went and silently prayed for Elder Hogg who passed away when they arrived at his home.

"I'll prep the communication lacrima." Said Gray as he hoisted up his bag and takes out the crystal orb that he placed to a table.

Juvia went to Gray after finished praying for Elder Hogg. The crystal orb glows before Makarov's face appears within it.

"Gray, Juvia. Have you arrived at Elder Hogg's Home?!" said Makarov in a haste. "how is he!?"

"No good." Gray reported while shaking his head. "We were too late."

"What?!" Makarov shouted. "What of Elder Hogg?!"

"he's…" Juvia whispered before looking away in shame. "He's already…"

"We heard someone went on a rampage in the town." Gray stated in to change the topic quickly. "The entire area is a mess."

"Yes." Juvia nodded. "It is a horrible sight."

"Is there any trace of the culprit?" Makarov asked.

"none that we can find." Said Gray while shaking his head.

"How is this possible?" The old man questioned.

"What about your group, Gajeel?" Cana asked. "What's going on with Elder Belno?"

The communication switched over to Gajeel's group, but Gray and his group were still able to see what was going on.

"We arrived too late." Said Gajeel before Levy came into sight.

"But there's no signs of anything out of the ordinary," Levy added.

"We suspect it was an assassination," Lily informed

"Dammit!" Gajeel clenched his fist in anger. "We should have got here sooner…"

"Gajeel…" Levy called with concern.

Cana's brow furrowed in frustration while placing a hand on her forehead.

"So they got to both Elder Hogg and Elder Belno before us." Said Cana while rubbing her head a few times before she looks at Makarov and the others. "then that means our only hope now is that Erza and the others were able to make it to their stations in time."

"indeed." Said Makarov with a nod.


somewhere else, there is Elfman and Lisanna who were sent to find Elder Yuri in a remote village as the two had just arrived in his home.

"Elf-niichan…is he?" Lisanna whispered as Elfman held Elder Yuri's body, the hulkish man shakes his head while closing his eyes before gently placing down the body that cause his little sister to gasp with a frown. "oh no!"

"we were too late…" said Elfman with a frustrated face. "Tartaros got to him before us." He sighs before he turns to look at Lisanna. "Get the communication lacrima out. We have to report this to the Master."

"Right." Lisanna reached into the bag hanging from her shoulder, pulling out the crystal orb.

"How was he killed?" Elfman inquired to no one as he looks back at Elder Yuri's lifeless body. "I don't see any signs of an attack on him. Was it poison?"

Suddenly the thought dead councilman opened his eyes and rose up, surprising both Strauss siblings.

"He's alive!" Elfman exclaimed.

Yuri turned his head towards Lisanna and pointed at the lacrima, using his magic to shatter it.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Elfman shouted. "That was our communications lacrima!"

Yuri just looks wide eyes before he fell to his knees then onto his stomach, his eyes still open. Elfman and Lisanna looked on in confusion.

"What just happened?" Elfman asked with a very bewildered look.

"I don't know…" Lisanna answered worriedly.

"Just as I thought." A voice lamented from behind the two. "The Macro of the Mortified does not work well at all."

The Strauss siblings turned the mysterious voice, seeing a girl with long black hair and golden horns sitting in a chair in the was a bored expression on her face.

"Who are you?!" Elfman questioned.

"What did you do to Elder Yuri?!" Lisanna demanded.

Sayla retained her dull face, eyes still on her book.

"I simply aided him in his trip to the underworld." She replied plainly while flipping the pages of the book she holds in her grasp.

"You're from Tartaros?!" Elfman stated while readying himself for a possible fight

Sayla flipped one more page before closing the book and placing it on the table in the library with her eyes closed.

"You humans write such dull stories." Sayla spoke while sighing. "Shall I spin for you my own tale?" she opens one eye and has a dark look at the siblings. "One of demons?"

"Heads up, Lisanna!" Elfman warned. "She's about to attack!"

"Right!" Lisanna nodded.

Suddenly, Elfman gripped his sister by the neck and began choking her. He looked at Lisanna, completely surprised at his actions. "Wha-"

"Elf…" Lisanna gasped out, her hands on his massive fingers that were squeezing her neck together. "w-why are you!?"

"My hand's moving on its own!" Elfman argued to his struggling sister. He tried to loosen up, but his body was not listening to him. He watched in horror as his little sister struggled to breathe. "Lisanna!"

"I…can't…breathe…" Lisanna gasped as she looks like she was going to faint from the lack of air.

Elfman angrily looked to Sayla, who simply stood in front of them.

"What are you doing to me?!" Elfman shouted in anger. "Stop it now!"

"In the story of demons, there is no such thing as the word…'mercy'." Sayla retorted coldly.

"Dammit!" Elfman wailed. "Stop! Stop making me do this!"

"Elf…" Lisanna was beginning to fade.

"Hang in there, Lisanna!" Elfman pleaded. "Please!" He shouted to Sayla. "I'm begging you! Make this stop!"

"Begging?" Sayla's glare narrowed. "Only a human seeks boon from begging. The only way a human can truly benefit from begging a demon, is by selling their soul. Will you sell me yours?"

Elfman felt that he had no choice, he wanted to save Lisanna but he had to pay the price that he didn't know would make him regret it for his entire life.


back to the town where Natsu and his team are at.

Natsu stands by the edge of Michello's broken house while Lucy and the others are guarding Michello and his granddaughter while trying to call on the guild with their communication lacrima.

"Lucy-san, have you done it?" Wendy asked as Lucy was supposed to have gotten in contact with the guild, but she seems to be having trouble with the communication lacrima.

"I'm trying!" Lucy grumbled as she shakes the crystal orb in her hands. "come on! Work!"

As Lucy continue to shake the crystal orb, The picture in the lacrima began to come into view, showing Makarov and the others.

"Master!" Lucy exclaimed as she felt victorious in getting the communication lacrima to work.

"Lucy?!" the old man ran to the table the lacrima sat on in the guild. "How are things with your group?! Did you succeed in finding Elder Michello?!"

"Yeah we found him." said Lucy with a nod. "We also fought the guy who destroyed the magic council and got his rear handed to him by Natsu."

"good!" said Makarov with a proud nod. "Were you able to get anything from Michello?"

"Well…" Lucy trailed off as she turned the lacrima towards the still shaking elder. "he's kinda.."

"White inheritance…" Michello muttered. "Face…I know nothing I swear…I don't know anything."

"Face?" Makarov spoke in hearing what Michello had spoken. "what is that?"

"Face…is one of the weapons belonging to the magic council." Michello explained to the shock of everyone. "a terrifying weapon."

"What's the council doing with something like that?" said Natsu as he turns to glance at Michello who tensed up.

"I imagine that it's to keep some sort of order within the magic world." Charla hypothesized with a perplexed expression. "I have some reservations about this, but please continue with your explanation."

"Depending on how destructive the weapons are, there are special measures in order to keep them safe from misuse." Michello explained. "For example, Etherion is an enormous magical cannon with the power to wipe out an entire kingdom in an instant, but in order to be fired its use needs to be approved by all nine members of the council, as well as use the codes provided by ten of the highest-level wizards within the bureaucracy."

"So since all the council members are dead…" Jet began.

"That means Tartaros can't fire Etherion." Droy finished.

"Removing Etherion might have been one of the enemies' objectives." Lily guessed.

"What kind of weapon is this 'Face'?!" Makarov interrogated the shivering Michello.

The elder bit his lip, hesitating to answer.

"I know you were sworn to secrecy, but billons of lives are at stake! Tell us what we need to know!" Makarov demanded.

Michello's lip quivered more before he finally relented and spoke. "Face is magic pulse bomb. It has the power to eliminate all magic on the continent."

"What?!" Gray shouted.

"All magic on the continent…?" Levy gasped.

"Is such a thing even possible?" Wendy asked in disbelief.

"Why would the council create a weapon like that?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Every wizard in Ishgal would suffer from Magic Deficiency Disease if this Face thing went off!" Cana pointed out.

"That's not all!" Lucy informed. "Tartaros doesn't use magic! They refer to their abilities as curses!"

"An entire continent filled with ailing wizards, all while Tartaros is free to use their abilities without fear of resistance." Lily deduced while looking extremely grim. "This is truly diabolical!"

"What possible purpose could there be to create such a weapon?" Makarov questioned in fear.

"where is Face?" said Natsu as he went and grabs Michello by the collar of his tattered shirt. The salmon haired man has a glowing glare at the cat man. "for you to have such a weapon, you should know where it is hidden, right!?"

"i-I don't know…" Michello whimpered.

"don't you dare lie!" Natsu exclaimed a bit angrily. "where is Face!?"

"I…I really don't know…" Michello cried out. "Face was something created in secret, and I don't know where it is located." He then shakingly held a finger up. "b-but I once heard that it is sealed via organic link magic between three council members, but only the former chairman knows who those individuals were!"

"Organic link magic…" Charla muttered out

"That means that the key to unlocking face is the lives of those three council members." Said Wendy with her eyes wide.

"So that's why they're just killing members of the council without questioning them!" Gray exclaimed in realization

"but they don't know who is connected to Face." Said Cana "But isn't killing them all indiscriminately counterproductive? I mean just because they know how to activate the bomb, that doesn't necessarily mean they know where it's located, right?"

"Who is to say that they don't already know Face's location?" Juvia proposed. "If they already know where the bomb is located, then they don't need to question the members they kill."

"That makes sense." Levy agreed.

Gajeel turned towards the lacrima in his group's location. "If they manage to kill those three council members then Face will fall right into their hands and go off, old man! We gotta hurry and find them!"

"Gajeel's right!" Makarov said to the guild, he then turned back to Michello. "You said the former chairman knows where they are located?!"

"I-it's possible…" Michello stammered.

Makarov turned back to the guild. "What is the status on the other council members?!" he exclaimed out loud. "we need their location and status, pronto!"

"We found sixteen more former councilmen!" Warren reported. "We also got some of the other guilds to help us out in protecting them!"

"Where are Erza and Mira?!" Cana called out. "They were supposed to be heading towards the former chairman's home!"

"They should be arriving there any minute now!" Laki said. "We already informed them of the situation."

"Good! With those two, we're sure to stay ahead of Tartaros!" Makarov exclaimed. "Alright, everyone! We have to hurry!"

"Yes sir!" the guild shouted in unison as they frantically searched through papers and maps.


with Erza and Mira, both S-class Mages are heading straight for the Former Council Chairman's Home as they were walking the path that will lead them to him.

"to think that Tartaros got a hold on one of the Council's most deadly weapon…" said Mira while shaking her head. "the Council was damn stupid to make such a thing."

"indeed." Said Erza with a nod before she frowns a bit.

"what is it?" Mira asked as she looks at Erza and sees her frown that made her think on what is making it. "I see." She then looks to the front and sees the former Chairman's Home. "it's about Jellal, huh?"

"huh?" Erza looks at Mira who crossed her arms under her chest.

"He's a former councilman, isn't he?" said Mira while raising an eyebrow towards Erza. "Tartaros is probably targeting him as well."

"Jellal can take care of himself." Said Erza with a smile. "Besides I have no idea where he is, and the former chairman is more important right now anyway. He has information on which members of the council are linked to Face."

"I suppose you're right." Mira nodded before the two focus ahead as they reached the former Chairman's home.

A few seconds later, Erza and Mira are sitting by a table as they are being served tea by the Council's Former Chairman; Crawford Seam

"please have some." Said Crawford as he gave Erza and Mira a cup of warm tea each.

"Thank you." Said Erza with a grateful head nod.

"Your home is very lovely, Chairman Crawford." Mira complimented.

"Thank you." The old man chuckled while pouring himself his own cup of tea. "Being retired does have its benefits."

"we thank you very much for your quick reply to the situation and hospitality, Chairman." Said Erza as she holds her cup of tea that she smells for a moment. "your tea has a very nice Par- I mean aroma."

Mira smirks a bit in knowing that Erza hates a very specific word from a specific annoying man from Blue Pegasus.

"Many have called it 'earth's apple'." Crawford explained. "I started cultivating these herbs after I retired. There is also chamomile from my garden in there as well." He then coughs and looks at his two guests. "now then. I believe I should ask on why you two are here? And how do you know where I live?"

"We apologize for invading your privacy in this manner…" Mira began, "But this is a serious emergency. We received your location through a network of information exclusive to our guild."

"Then I must praise your network." Crawford sighed with a smile. "My address was to remain top secret."

"We beg your forgiveness." Erza bowed in apology.

"It's fine." Crawford laughed. "I'm retired. So I won't be punishing you."

"we are really sorry." Erza bowed once again.

"There is no need to worry." Crawford laughed again. "That is quite a fond memory of mine. Rumor has it you were frozen on an island for seven years not long after that, correct?"

"Chairman Crawford…" Mira spoke in a serious tone. "The reason we came here…"

"Ah yes. You said my life was in danger, correct?" said Crawford while raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." Erza nodded. "We came to see if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Face."

Hearing Face made the former chairman huffed in exhaustion while looking down at his cup of tea.

"Face…." Crawford sighed. "I heard what has happened to my former colleagues, and it just breaks my heart." He then looks at Erza and Mira with a small smile. "I must say I admire the heroism you all show now that the council is no longer functioning. It makes my old bones smile to know that wizards are stepping up to protect this country."

"We believe that stopping Tartaros starts with destroying Face." Erza informed.

"Would you please provide us with any information that would help us locate it?" Mira asked.

Crawford sighed regretfully. "Sad to say that I don't know where Face is currently being kept."

Both Erza and Mira gave him skeptical looks, prompting the former chairman to explain himself.

"I'm not trying to be secretive or anything." Said Crawford while waving his hands around. "I honestly have no idea where it is." He then scratches his head. "Even though I was once the chairman, there was never a real need for me to know Face's location."

"How could Tartaros possess information that even the former chairman of the council is unaware of?" Erza interrogated as she was getting confused

"I have no earthly idea." Crawford answered while shrugging his shoulders. "That is quite the mystery."

"Well could you at least tell us the identities of the council members protecting Face?" Mira inquired.

"We'll protect them with all the power at our disposal." Erza declared.

"Unfortunately, I was not given that information either." Crawford replied

"How is that possible?" Erza questioned.

"Face itself was…disavowed." The former chairman explained. "It was forbidden to even acknowledge that it existed at all. It was for this reason that the three keys to face, didn't actually know they were keys. This was thought as the best way to keep the weapon protected from enemies."

"The keys don't know themselves?" said Mira with a shocked face

"Then Tartaros must really plan on killing every past council member…" Erza guessed before she and Mira tensed up when they sensed something coming from outside. "something is coming!"

"there are at least 20…no 40!" Mira exclaimed while readying her magic.

"Wh-what's happening?" A startled Crawford asked the two.

"Get to a secure room, chairman!" Erza ordered while summoning two swords into her grasp.

"Who is it?" the frightened man asked. "Is it Tartaros?"

A second later, the wall broke down and a horde of armored soldiers came charging in.

Erza and Mira got ready as their magic flared in power.

BOOM!

An explosion rang out as many of Tartaros' soldiers were blown out by Erza and Mira. The Scarlet Knight dons her Blackwing armor while the Majin had transformed into her Satan Soul form.

Both S-class mages stood in front of the house as they face the other members of Tartaros who have completely surrounded the area.

"You will not lay a hand on the chairman." Erza declared.

"looks like they're not listening at all, redhead. " said Mira before she has a small smirk while glancing at Erza. "now that I think about it. This is the first time we've teamed up, isn't it?"

"yeah." Said Erza with her own smirk before both look at their enemies. "Let's show them who it is they're messing with."

"you're talking my language!" Mira grins.

"charge!" one random Tartaros soldier shouted as the enemies charged in.

Erza and Mira got ready before the two flew straight for their enemies.


back with Natsu and his team, Michello continues to give more information that he knows of Face or the location of other Council members.

Natsu listens to Michello before he tensed up and looks to the side.

His actions got Lucy and the others' attention.

"what's wrong, Natsu?" Lucy asked as he sees Natsu having a hardened gaze at somewhere. "you see something?"

"return to the guild with the others." Said Natsu as he grips his hold on Chitetsu's scabbard. "I'm going to the Former Chairman's home."

"eh? Why?" Wendy asked.

"I just realized something terribly late." Said Natsu before he slaps a hand to the Celestial gem on his metal arm as this caused Draco to arise out with the salmon haired mage riding on the Dragon's head.

"hey!" Charla shouted as he shields her eyes with the others while watching Natsu fly away on Draco. "you're our ride back home, remember!?"

"what was going on?" Michellia asked Lucy who looks confused as the others.

"I don't know." said Lucy while shaking her head. "but I got a bad feeling about something."


back with Erza and Mira, both S-class mages have wiped the floor with Tartaros' henchmen who are all down for the count.

"Was that the last one?" Erza asked while swinging her sword to the side and turns to look at Mira who clapped her hands in satisfaction.

"I believe so." Said Mira as her Satan Soul came undone. The Majin place her hands on her waist before looking at Erza with a smirk. "you still haven't lost your touch, redhead."

"likewise." Erza replied while her armor disappears.

Both then began to walk towards Crawford's home to check on him.

"even if it was for the Chairman. it's odd, isn't it?" said Erza.

"what is?" Mira asked.

"The former chairman should be considered a high-profile target, but these grunts were taken down way too easily." Erza explained with a finger pointed up. "One would think Tartaros would send its stronger members for an assignment like this. Something is definitely wrong here."

"You're right…" Mira trailed off before she started to stagger a bit. "w-what the?"

"What is it, Mira?" Erza looks at Mira as she sees her body swaying around.

"I…I don't…" Mira trailed off before her eyes close and she fell to the ground.

"Mira!" Erza called out but her head started to become dizzy and her eyes became blurry and foggy. "t-this is?"

In a matter of seconds she too was on the ground.

"My, oh my. What do we have here?" Crawford said creepily as he approached the unconscious duo. He picked them both up. "This is no place to be sleeping." He walked back to his home, standing in front of a communications lacrima. "This is Crawford." He reported. "I managed to capture two of them still intact. It seems a change of plans is in order."

The person he was talking to in the lacrima, was none other than Kyoka

"An admirable feat indeed." Said the masked demon. "Befitting of a former chairman. If you would, please make a swift return to the guild hall."

"roger that." Crawford grinned in reply before the communication lacrima was shut off.


An hour later, Draco descends from the sky as he lands upon the ground near the Former Chairman's house that is left abandoned.

Natsu got off as he checks the surroundings and could tell that a battle had happened.

"30-40 of them were Tartaros and Erza with Mira fought them off." Natsu muttered out as he checks the ground and sees some scorch marks. He then walks towards the abandoned house where there is no one to be seen within. "herbs…lots of them."

Natsu kneels as he picks up a teacup that is on the floor and still has some tea inside.

The salmon haired mage smells the tea before vein marks appears all over the man's face as he looks enraged.

"that's why Tartaros knew of Face!" Natsu growled angrily. "that bastard chairman is working with them!"

Natsu throws the teacup away and then punches a fist to the wooden floor that breaks and soon ignites in flames.

The man walks out as he jumps right onto Draco who takes off into the air.

"Genbu, can you hear me?" Natsu spoke out to the Celestial Gem.

"I am here." Genbu spoke. "what can I be of assistance?"

"inform my guild that the former chairman is working with Tartaros." Natsu replied. "I don't know the reason why he would be working with a dark guild, but he is helping them with Face. Tell them to be prepared if Tartaros comes to the guild to attack old man Yajima!"

"understood" Genbu replied.

"and tell Enra and the others to secure my wife and my children to our home" Natsu added in. "protect them no matter what!"

"at once." Said Genbu before his voice disappears.

"what do you plan to do now, Natsu?" Draco spoke as he flies and soars through the clouds. "we do not know where this dark guild is located."

"we don't know where their guild is." Said Natsu before his eyes glows red. "but we know Erza and Mira's scent that could lead us to them."

"understood." Said Draco before he flies faster as he follows Erza and Mira's scent with Natsu.


That's a wrap!

Bye bye