A/N: Episode 282.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE: THE PURIFICATION PLAN

"Undercover mission?" Natsu repeated in confusion.

"Yeah. There's no way I'd seriously join a creepy cult like this." Gray claimed, causing Natsu to widen his eyes.

"We gotta hurry. Gray and I'll explain on the way." Zack added.

Erza and Ezekiel were getting ready to leave. "Half a year ago, Jellal and the others asked Zeke and I to investigate the Avatar Black Magic cult and its connections to Zeref." Erza began to explain.

Gray, Zack, Natsu, Lucy, Akame, and Dusk were riding on the backs of animals, leaving the Avatar base.

"But just when our investigation hit a dead end, we ran into Gray." Erza continued.

"That lacrima is amazing." Happy commented.

"It's a portable communication lacrima." Zack explained.

"After the weird pattern appeared on my body, I regularly visited old lady Porlyusica for help. Now I can control it on my own, as you just saw." Gray explained.

"So, after discussing our current situations, we hatched this plan." Erza continued.

"I agreed in part because Erza and Ezekiel wanted my help, but I was personally interested in the Book of E.N.D. My dad wanted me to destroy it, after all." Gray claimed.

"I only agreed because I heard Avatar was trying to summon my father." Zack added.

"But you didn't tell Juvia any of this? That's messed up!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Zack, I thought you of all people would tell Jim this. Do you know how crazy worried he's been?" Akame questioned as Zack remained silent.

"Nee-chan and I made them both keep quiet." Ezekiel chimes into the conversation, getting on his horse.

Erza got onto her horse as well, her and Ezekiel taking off. "The fewer outsiders who know the truth, the more likely an undercover mission will succeed. Telling others might also place them in danger, too." She added.

"So it was also for Juvia and Jim's sake..." Happy realized as he was on Natsu's head.

"Still...!" Natsu protested.

"I truly feel bad for Juvia. I had no idea the mission would last this long either. The situation changed. Originally, it was supposed to be an internal investigation. But then we learned of their Purification Plan." Erza said.

"Avatar is planning to wipe out an entire city to summon Zeref. They seriously believe he'll appear at a site of concentrated death." Zack explained as Lucy widened her eyes. "We have to stop that from happening."

"You should've wiped 'em out from the start. It would've been easy for you, Erza, Ezekiel, and Gray." Natsu stated.

"That wouldn't work." Zack claimed. "It turns out Avatar is a much bigger organization than we thought."

The group soon rode out of the forest. "Gray and I were only inside one branch. And each branch is kept secret from other branches and HQ itself." Zack finished.

"One false step and we'd be unable to stop the Purification Plan. So we had to wait until today." Erza claimed.

"Yeah." Gray and Zack both agreed.

"We bet everything on today, when all the branches gather. To destroy them and the Purification Plan." Zack added.

Gray turned his head to look at Lucy. "Lucy... Sorry about earlier. I said some terrible things while they were watching." He apologized.

"No, it's okay. I should apologize for slapping you." Lucy blushed in embarrassment.

"Well, being disciplined by a girl in a maid outfit wasn't so bad."

"I-It wasn't like that..."

"I still consider you guys my friends, even now." Gray admitted.

Lucy smiled. "That's good to hear!"

"Then that simplifies things! Let's go wreck this Purification Plan thing together!" Natsu declared.

"Yeah!" Lucy agreed.

"Count me in, too!" Happy added.

"Guys..." Gray muttered.

"We didn't mean to drag you into this..." Erza said.

"Doesn't matter if you drag us or we drag you! We get to fight together again after a whole year!" Natsu raises his fist up. "There's only one thing to say at a time like this!"

"I'm fired up!"

OUTSKIRTS OF MALBA...

The Avatar members were currently looking at the town of Malba. "Where are Gray, Zack, and Gomen, Briar?" Jerome asked.

"Aren't they dealing with the prisoners?" Briar replied.

"I understand why Gomen stayed behind, but why Gray and Zack, too? Do you suppose...?"

"Listen, 'Bottom Lashes.' None of that matters anymore."

"Bottom Lashes?" Jerome repeated.

"Just look at all these followers. Every member of every branch has gathered for the Purification Plan. Even if No-Clothes or the Council do show up now, they won't stand a chance against our monumental faith."

Jerome had his hand under his chin. "Mm, indeed." He nods in agreement before thinking, "'Bottom Lashes' might be acceptable..."

"The Purification Plan is finally happening." Abel said as D-6 grunts in agreement.

"We can finally meet Zeref!" Mary exclaimed as her eyes sparkled.

"We will now enact our Purification Plan upon the city of Malba!" Alok announced as the Avatar members cheered. "This city is completely innocent. It's 30,000 lives are in motion, oblivious to their impending fates. Their pure souls shall bring Him, the black wizard Zeref... to this place!"

The Avatar members cheered once again.

"We now offer these 30,000 souls so that we may walk beside Him. Purify every life in this city! Charge!"

The Avatar members charged forward towards the city of Malba. However, someone was standing at the entrance.

"There's someone in front of the city!"

"Doesn't matter! We'll start with them!"

"Purify them all!"

However, the members got thrown back by flames, shocking the Avatar members. The person grinned as red mist soon appeared. Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Zack, Akame, Dusk, Chii, Bruno, and Happy were revealed to be at the front.

"You're not takin' one step past us!" Akame shouted. "Bring it on!"

The Avatar members fell to the ground. "I'm guessing you've gotten a little stronger?" Natsu asked Gray.

"Wanna find out later?" Gray challenged.

"Don't forget me! Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy called out as Taurus appeared from his gate.

"I'm all beefed up!" Taurus exclaimed as Taurus's gate key shined again.

"And... Star Dress: Taurus Form!" Lucy shouted.

"It's round-up time!" Taurus exclaimed.

"Gray! Zack! Curse you!" Jerome yelled.

"What are you doing? There are only five of them! Thrash them!" Briar ordered.

"Jerome-sama! The enemy is attacking from the rear, too! We're taking enormous damage!"

"What?! The Council's army is already here?!" Jerome questioned.

"A-Actually... It's just two people!"

Erza and Ezekiel were revealed, taking down the Avatar members.

"All right! Let's get started!" Natsu said, igniting his fists on fire.

"Let's make it big and flashy!" Gray claimed.

"This feels just like old times!" Lucy commented.

"Aye!" Happy nodded in agreement.

"You're the ones about to be purified!" Erza exclaimed.

"Hell yeah!" Ezekiel agreed while smirking.

Natsu ignites his fist with flames. "Let's do it!"

Gray places his fists together as frost appeared. "Yeah!"

"Right with you guys!" Zack added.

The Avatar members continued charging forward as Natsu sent a blast of fire their way while Gray froze the others and Akame and Zack blasted more with red mist and blue light.

"They're udderly powerful!" Taurus commented.

"Now it's our turn!" Lucy informed, gripping onto the whip in her hand. "Earth Wave!"

Lucy swung the whip around as she attacks the Avatar members with it.

"Moo!" Taurus attacks more Avatar members with his axe.

"Star Stream!" Dusk called out, casting a beam of starlight from his hands at the Avatar members.

One of the Avatar members gripped onto Lucy's whip.

"Okay! Now! Charge!"

The Avatar members charged forward.

"Lucy!" Gray called out in concern.

"I'm fine!" Lucy reassured. "My Taurus Form... has some serious power!"

Lucy knocked the Avatar members back a bit as they were falling down as Lucy winked.

Another Avatar members appeared behind Lucy. However, Gray froze him in mid-air. He then snaps his fingers as ice spikes appeared, knocking more Avatar members back and Natsu and Zack both ran up it before leaping back down, Natsu sent a blast of fire at the Avatar members.

Zack was still in mid-air. "Azure Dragon's Pillar!" He called out, shooting blue light straight upward and taking out the Avatar members below him.

"What the...?!" Mary spoke in shock. "They're monsters! They're animals! They're... things!"

"Enough with the low-vocabulary quips, Mary. I guess only we can put an end to them." Briar claimed.

"I'll deal with the enemies at the rear. Gray and his friends are all yours." Jerome informed.

Briar walks forward. "It's time we show these sewer rats the true horrors of Black Magic." Briar stated as Alok exhaled through his mask.

"It's clear that these two fighters are both quite experienced. However, my dark sword is forged in forbidden Black Magic. With it, I shall cleave and purify them." Jerome spoke to himself.

Erza and Ezekiel continued taking down the Avatar members in their way.

"Magic! Fight back with Magic!"

The Avatar members fired Magic blasts at the twin siblings who both dodged the blasts. Erza and Ezekiel both leaped into the air.

"Requip!" They called out, both of them being engulfed into a golden light.

Erza requipped into her Ataraxia Armor while Ezekiel requipped into his Zeus Armor, both of them landing on the ground in sync.

"Ataraxia Armor!"

"Zeus Armor!"

"Fly forth!" The siblings shouted.

Erza and Ezekiel's swords flew forward, slashing through the Avatar members.

"Are those their wings?!"

"No, they're swords! They're flying around on their own!"

The Avatar members got knocked down as Erza and Ezekiel's swords returned to their sides.

"Do you still intend to fight?" Erza questioned as the Avatar members looked at the twins with frightened looks.

Jerome was about to strike at Ezekiel when Erza used one of her swords to shield him from the attack.

"What beautiful knights." Jerome complimented.

"Thanks for the save, Nee-chan." Ezekiel thanked her as Erza hummed before her sword shattered.

"It's Jerome!"

"Dark Sword Jerome is here!"

Jerome, Erza, and Ezekiel were staring at one another.

"I won't let you interfere with our plan!" Jerome exclaimed.

Ezekiel and Erza block his oncoming attacks with their swords as they shattered upon Jerome striking at them, leaving the two siblings in shock. Jerome continues attacking as more of Erza and Ezekiel's swords get shattered. Both Erza and Ezekiel leap back.

"My Dark Sword corrodes everything it touches!" Jerome claimed.

Erza and Ezekiel both land on the ground as Ezekiel points his sword at the blonde. "Our swords..." Ezekiel starts to say as him and Erza strike at Jerome in sync. "...cut without being noticed!"

Jerome lands on the ground, knocked out as the Avatar members shiver in terror and Erza and Ezekiel both requip back into their normal armor.

"Do you still intend to fight?" Ezekiel asked them, repeating his sister's question.

Gray froze more Avatar members as Zack was at his side, sending blue light towards the Avatar members. "Gray! Zack!" They heard Briar's voice call out to them as she rushed towards the two.

"Briar!" Gray and Zack both exclaim.

"How dare you both betray us! Or should I say fool us?!" Briar leaps into the air. "Was your time with us a complete lie?!"

Briar lands on the ground as she sends and attack straight at Gray and Zack, who both swiftly moved out of the way. "Of course it was, idiot!" Gray exclaimed.

"Like we'd ever be pals with a pack of murderers like you." Zack added.

"It isn't murder! It's purification!" Briar tries to defend their actions. "We're going to summon Zeref through purification!"

"You think Zeref gives a shit about some murderers? He doesn't even give a shit about his own son." Zack spat out. "What makes you think you guys are special?"

Briar clenches her fist before sending another attack at Zack and Gray once more, the both of them dodging. "So... was all your blather about bringing Zeref's son into the light and the Book of E.N.D. a lie, too?!" She questioned, sending another purple blast.

"I wouldn't have to look very far." Zack responded as him and Gray leaped out of the way and landed on the ground as Zack gives Briar a dark look. "Considering I am his son."

This made Briar get taken aback. "That had some truth to it." Gray added, answering her question that she also aimed at him. "Someday I will destroy E.N.D. But not this way. I'd be a disgrace to my old man."

Taurus continued taking down the Avatar members. "This is udderly great!" He exclaimed, swinging his axe at the oncoming Avatar members. "Moo!"

Taurus then paled, holding his stomach. "M-Miss Lucy..." He stuttered out as Lucy looks back at him.

"What's wrong? You almost sound like you're in tears..." Lucy tells him.

"My stomach, it's suddenly..." Taurus started to say. "I'm not in the moo-d to fight—"

"Wha...?! Now, of all times?!" Lucy said, stunned. Her stomach soon rumbled as she clenched her stomach. "Huh? No way... Not me, too..."

Mary laughed as she walked forward. "My Black Magic Virus spells can eat away at a person's body!" She exclaimed as Lucy, Dusk, and Happy were clenching their stomachs. "By the way, this one messes with people's guts. Yep. If you don't get to a bathroom quick, things'll get messy!"

"Wh... What nasty Magic..." Lucy stuttered out.

"I got it, too..." Happy managed to get out.

"Same here..." Dusk groaned.

"M-Miss Lucy..." Taurus said as he was sweating. "I can't hold on any moo-re..."

Lucy, Dusk, and Happy were clenching their stomaches in pain. "Are you one of Gray and Zack's old friends? Are you from the oh-so-famous Fairy Tail and Twilight Phoenix? It's hilarious how weak you both actually are!" Mary mocked.

"Get real. This is nothing... I can handle this... just fine!" Lucy claimed as she struggled to get up.

"Damn you, woman..." Dusk muttered, hunched over as he was also struggling.

"Just so you know, my Virus Magic can take your life easy-peasy. Like, it could mess up your brain, for example." Mary explained.

Lucy was in pain until she gasped, realizing she was not in pain anymore as did Dusk, Happy, and Taurus.

"Moo!"

Mary looked at them in surprise. "Huh? My stomach doesn't hurt anymore." Lucy realized.

"Mine, either!" Happy exclaimed.

"Neither does mine." Dusk added.

"I feel udderly better!" Taurus stated as Mary was confused.

"Status ailments nullified... and status immunity enchantment activated."

Wendy and Carla soon arrived as Carla was in her human form. "Status ailment spells don't work against Sky Magic!" Wendy informed.

"Wendy!" Lucy exclaimed.

"What is this huge army anyway?" Carla asked.

"Carla! What are you doing here?" Happy questioned.

Carla turns around. "Lucy! Behind you!" She warned.

Mary had rushed forward with an angered expression. "I know." Lucy said as she turned around with her fist raised. "It's stomach payback time! Lucy Punch!"

Lucy punched Mary's stomach, making her stumble back as she clutched onto her stomach. "G... G... G... G... G... G-Grandfather..." She stuttered out before finally collapsing onto the ground, knocked out.

"That was amazing, Lucy-san!" Wendy complimented.

"Lucy Punch? Seriously?" Carla commented with a deadpanned expression.

"Whew! You really saved the day there, Wendy!" Lucy spoke in relief.

"But why are you here, anyway?" Happy asked.

"Well, actually..." Wendy trailed off, having a sheepish look.

Briar raised her hand in the air before swiping it down, releasing a purple blast as Gray and Zack both swiftly move out of the way. "You'll pay dearly for this, you moles!" Briar exclaimed, lifting her leg up and sending another purple blast at Gray and Zack, who both narrowly dodge it. Gray places his palms together before releasing a blast of ice as Briar cloned herself.

"Ah, there's your Split-Image Magic." Gray commented.

Briar soon began to make copies of herself.

"Angry Briar!"

"Smiling Briar."

"Sorrowful Briar."

"Loving Briar."

"I am furious!" Angry Briar shouted.

"I'm amused! You intend to fight us with such measly power?" Smiling Briar taunted.

"I'm sad. Because there's no choice but to kill you now..." Sorrowful Briar was in tears.

"And because I actually... fell a little in love with you." Loving Briar blushed.

Gray had a confused expression. "Huh?"

"Does that make us romantic rivals, then?"

Gray flinched upon hearing Juvia's voice behind him as he stunned expression. "What are you doing here?!" Gray questioned.

Juvia rushed forward. "Water Claw!" She shouted, attacking Loving Briar with a stream of water in anger.

"How dare you hurt Loving Briar!" Angry Briar yelled as Smiling Briar laughed.

"That's mean! So mean!" Sorrowful Briar cried out.

"Tch!" Gray muttered under his breath, placing his fist in his palm. "You're starting to annoy me!"

Gray soon freezes all three Briar's. "Chill out, all of you!" He exclaimed, frightening the nearby Avatar members.

"This can't be!"

"The mighty Briar, taken out just like that?!"

Gray soon freezes the Avatar members. "Gray-sama!" Juvia rushed over with her arms in the air, wrapping her arms around Gray's torso. "I missed you so much!"

Juvia glances up at Gray. "I had a feeling you were in trouble, so I rushed straight here!" She explained.

"I wouldn't actually call this trouble, but..." Gray places his hands on her shoulders. "How did you even find me?"

"Wendy has a strong sense of smell!" Juvia responded as Gray stares at her for a moment before glancing away.

"I'm sorry." Gray apologized. "I'll explain everything later. But for now..."

"I know."

Gray and Juvia both stripped as they stood back to back, activating their Magic.

"We gotta take these guys down!"

"Right, Gray-sama!"

"Oh! It looks like Juvia's all better now!" Lucy smiled brightly.

"All thanks to Wendy." Carla claimed.

"That's not true..." Wendy disagreed, putting her hands up.

"I'm so glad!" Happy exclaimed.

"There are still lots moo-re enemies to deal with!" Taurus informed as the Avatar members were charging behind them. "Stay sharp!"

"Got it!"

"Right!"

Wendy leaps into the air as she activated her Dragon Force. "Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!" She shouted, sending the Avatar members up in a wind tornado.

"Dragon Force?!" Lucy spoke in shock.

"We did some re-training of our own, too!" Carla exclaimed, knocking down some Avatar members.

"So cool!" Happy complimented.

More Avatar members soon charged forward Team Natsu, Juvia, Zack, and Dusk took them down, causing multiple explosions as Alok watched the chaos from above.

"Your Eminence. The rear has been wiped out, and the front can't enter the city!"

"They're just too strong! We're fighting a losing battle!"

A flame explosion soon appeared in front of Alok and the Avatar members that were with him.

"They've reached us!"

Alok breathes loudly as two people were walking through the smoke.

"H-How is this happening?! We have 2,000 on our side!"

"But there's only seven or eight of them!"

"Doesn't matter how many you have. You can't beat us." Natsu stated as him and Akame arrived.

Alok breathes loudly once more. "This is all within expectations. When Ikusatsunagi shakes the earth, the purification will begin." He claimed.

"In that case... we'll go beyond your 'expectations'!" Akame bites back.

A/N: Sorry for the wait! Hope everyone's 2025 is going well!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.