Disclaimer I do not own Bleach or Fairy Tail

Regular Speech: "Hi"

Thoughts: 'Hi'

Spells/Techniques: "Getsuga Tenshou"

Zanpaku-to/Spirit: 'Hi'

Ultear Milkovich sat on a low-hanging branch, her sharp eyes scanning the building below where the resistance team had gathered to prepare against the Oración Seis. The area was bustling with activity, but there was one notable absence—Ichigo Kurosaki.

She'd seen the little girl, Wendy, who traveled with him to Crocus, arrive a few minutes ago. Ultear's lips curled into a faint smirk as she muttered under her breath, "I think her name was Wendy, wasn't it? He shouldn't be far behind."

She leaned forward slightly, narrowing her eyes as she fixed her gaze on the path Wendy had taken. Moments later, two figures came into view. Ultear's eyes flicked to the taller of the two, a familiar face—Ichigo. "Took you long enough, Ichigo," she muttered, her arms crossed tightly against her chest.

But it was the second figure that piqued her interest. The man walking alongside Ichigo had an unmistakable aura about him. She quickly identified him as Grimmjow.. His gait was stiff, his face twisted into an unpleasant scowl, and his pace quickened as he moved past Ichigo, clearly agitated.

Ultear's eyes followed the two of them as they entered the building, her view obstructed once they passed out of sight. But then, something strange happened. A sudden pressure filled the air, a sensation that made her skin prickle. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was distinct—a shift, as though the weight of the world itself had briefly increased. She tilted her head slightly, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"What the hell was that?" Ultear muttered under her breath. "Was that the pressure Dante mentioned in his report? Could it have been Ichigo?" She paused, considering. "No, it must've been Grimmjow."

Ultear's mind raced as she stood to her full height, her eyes darting around the area with a practiced vigilance. 'So, this is how it's going to be, huh?' She thought, her lips twisting into a barely-there smile. 'This could turn out to be more interesting than I expected. But that doesn't mean I'm thrilled about this mission.'

Just then, two small figures zipped across the sky, their blue humanoid shapes clearly visible against the dimming light. Ultear's gaze sharpened, and she followed their erratic flight as they disappeared toward the back of the building.

"Looks like the Oración Seis are making their move," she mused, her thoughts swirling.

Her grip on the branch tightened as she made her decision—this wasn't just a routine observation. Something was unfolding here, and Ultear wasn't about to let it slip past her unnoticed

Ichigo ran alongside the others as they pressed forward, eager to locate the Oración Seis and their hideout. As he moved, he caught a glimpse of Jura and Ichiya staying behind. He briefly considered asking why but dismissed it, assuming they had their reasons.

"Hey, Ichigo, right?"

A familiar voice called out to him. Turning his head, he saw Erza Scarlet picking up her pace to match his stride.

"Yeah?" he responded, glancing at her.

"I wanted to apologize," she said, her tone steady but sincere. "For the accusation against you and your brother earlier."

Ichigo blinked, then shook his head. "You don't need to apologize."

Erza, however, was firm. "No, I do. I shouldn't have made assumptions without evidence, especially about a comrade. We're here to work together—just like you said." A small smile formed on her lips, though a trace of hesitation remained. "That said… I won't lie. The power Grimmjow displayed left a strong impression. And not exactly a good one."

Ichigo chuckled knowingly. "Yeah, not surprising. He tends to have that effect on people. When we first met, we weren't exactly on friendly terms either." He glanced at her, his expression softening. "But lately, he's been… different. More in control. As long as the Oración Seis are the only ones in his sights, there's nothing to worry about."

Erza studied him for a moment before nodding. "I already understood that much. You gave me the impression of someone with a strong sense of honor, but I let my doubts get the better of me. Thank you for your patience."

"Like I said, no problem," Ichigo replied, offering a small smirk. He then glanced ahead, his expression shifting to something amused. "Besides… I think Grimmjow's already found someone to get along with."

Erza followed his gaze and, to her surprise, let out a quiet chuckle. "It seems he has."

Natsu sprinted forward, a confident smirk plastered across his face. That meeting had bored him out of his mind—now it was finally time for action. But before he could get too far, a blue blur shot past him.

"What the—?!"

"Don't think you're hogging all the fun," Grimmjow called back with a smirk. "Try to keep up."

Natsu grinned. "Will do!" He pushed himself harder, determined to catch up. But just as he started closing the gap, Grimmjow suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Seeing the opening, Natsu took the chance to taunt him as he dashed past. "Ha! Don't tell me you're already getting tired!"

Grimmjow let out a short snort. "No." Without warning, he reached out, grabbed Natsu by the back of his vest, and effortlessly lifted him off the ground.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Natsu yelled, kicking his legs in the air.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "Maybe try paying attention to your surroundings… or do you want me to drop you?"

Natsu blinked and looked down—only to see nothing but open space beneath him. His stomach lurched. Grimmjow was holding him over the edge of a steep cliff.

A nervous chuckle escaped Natsu. "Uh… yeah, okay. No thanks. Please don't drop me."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Grimmjow scoffed before shifting Natsu back over solid ground and letting him go.

Right on cue, the rest of the group caught up.

"Natsu, that was way too close! Be more careful!" Lucy scolded, her voice filled with concern.

Gray crossed his arms, smirking. "You're asking the wrong guy to be careful. His brain barely works, you know that, Lucy."

Natsu's eye twitched. He stomped up to Gray, leaning in aggressively. "You wanna repeat that, Icicle?"

Gray smirked, unfazed, and leaned in to meet him. "What, your enhanced hearing is failing already? Not surprising, charcoal-for-brains."

The familiar tension crackled between them, their rivalry in full swing once again. To everyone else, it was just another day with Natsu and Gray. However Erza was not having any of it, She balls up both her hands into fist and crashes them down on both of them making them wince in pain.

"Don't you dare start that foolery while we are on this mission. Next time your punishment will be more fierce!" Erza shouted with a commanding tone.

"Yes, Ma'am" the two replied swiftly, not wanting anymore of Erza's wrath.

"Now let's keep moving." Erza spoke to the group.

Everyone sprinted deeper into the dense forest, their hurried footsteps crunching against the fallen leaves and underbrush. The towering trees eventually gave way to a vast open field, where the evening sky stretched endlessly above them. As they caught their breath, their gazes lifted—hovering just above the clouds, the massive airship Christina soared through the sky, its metallic frame gleaming under the fading sunlight.

Lucy groaned, placing her hands on her thighs as she bent forward, panting. "Finally! I swear, after all that running, my legs feel like they're about to fall off."

Grimmjow scoffed, casting her an unimpressed glance. "You sure do whine a lot."

Before Lucy could snap back, Happy fluttered beside her, his small blue wings flapping effortlessly. "Aye, sir! She sure does! And she's got weak legs too."

"Oh, put a sock in it, you dumb cat!" Lucy shot back, crossing her arms in frustration. "You only say that because you can fly!"

Erza, ignoring the bickering, stepped forward with an air of command. "Enough. We need to split up and begin our search for Oración Seis."

Natsu's eyes gleamed with excitement as he threw his hand up. "Ooooh! Let me fly the bomber thing!"

"No way in hell." Grimmjow rejected flatly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Gray scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I agree with him. There's no way we're—"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A deafening explosion ripped through the air, shaking the very ground beneath them. The entire group froze, their heads snapping upward just in time to witness Christina take a devastating hit. Flames erupted across its hull as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.

"What in the world?!" Carla screams covering her ears

"No… Christina!" Hibiki's voice cracked with despair as he watched in horror. The mighty airship, their aerial advantage, was now plummeting toward the earth. The impact sent a violent tremor through the ground, knocking a few off balance.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. His grip on his sword tightened. "If it was shot down…" His voice was low, calculating.

"That can only mean one thing." Grimmjow's lips curled into a dangerous smirk. "They're here."

The dust and smoke from the crash settled, revealing six ominous figures standing amidst the wreckage. Their presence alone exuded malice.

A deep, commanding voice broke the silence. "So… this is the resistance they sent to stop us? A bunch of ants?"

The speaker, stepping forward with an air of authority, was Brain—the leader of Oración Seis. His gaze swept across them with undisguised amusement.

Erza's eyes locked onto him as she unsheathed her sword, the blade glinting under the dimming light. "I didn't expect you to reveal yourselves so soon. Not that it changes anything."

A sly, confident chuckle echoed from the group. "From my experience with some of you," Angel began, a smirk playing on her lips, "this little gathering won't be much of a problem. I already took out the short guy and the baldy."

Beside her, two small blue creatures floated smugly in the air. "Yeah! We took 'em out easy!"

Lyon's eyes widened in realization. "Wait… you mean Jura and Ichiya—?" His voice trailed off, his stomach sinking. "Is that why we haven't seen them?"

Ichigo remained silent, his jaw tightening. He had a sinking feeling earlier but had chosen to press forward. Now, the bitter truth settled in. 'I should've gone back.' But regret wouldn't change what had already happened.

"Don't worry they're still alive…barely." She laughed covering her mouth.

A crackling surge of dark energy erupted from Ichigo, splitting the ground beneath his feet. His shadow magic pulsed violently, reflecting his growing fury.

But before he could make a move, Natsu and Gray shot forward.

"You guys are going down!" Natsu roared, flames igniting in his fists. Gray ran alongside him, cold mist trailing from his fingertips, forming jagged ice along his arms.

Brain barely gave them a glance before tilting his head. "Deal with them." His voice was calm, unbothered, as he nudged toward one of his subordinates.

"With pleasure," Racer sneered. In an instant, he vanished from sight.

A gust of wind whipped through the battlefield, and suddenly—he was behind them. With a left hook he sends Natsu flying into the ground then he turns his attention to Gray.

Gray barely had time to register the movement before a powerful kick aimed for his ribs. But before it could connect—

CRACK!

A strong hand caught Racer's leg mid-air.

Racer's eyes widened in disbelief. "What—?!" He barely had time to react before the sound of crackling lightning filled the air.

Grimmjow smirked, his grip tightening. "You call this speed?" He asked mockingly.

With a ferocious spin, Grimmjow swung Racer like a ragdoll and launched him back toward the other Oración Seis members. Racer barely managed to twist in midair, landing in a skid. Dust kicked up around him as he caught his breath, eyes darting toward Grimmjow in shock.

The rest of the dark guild took a step back, wary of the unexpected force they were now up against.

Grimmjow cracked his knuckles, his grin widening with exhilaration. "I'm not interested in small fry. Who's the strongest out of your guild?" His fists sparked with electricity. "I'll take you on."

A deep rumble shook the battlefield as the ground beneath Grimmjow surged upward, massive chunks of earth rising as if attacking him. With a swift leap, he dodged the onslaught, his sharp gaze locking onto the one responsible—Hoteye, his palm still glowing with residual magic.

Grimmjow landed gracefully, smirking. "Heh. You think that is enough to stop me?"

"Your arrogance is annoying me. Considering how easy it is to hear your movements!" A voice rang from above him, Grimmjow looked in the direction to see Cobra diving towards him with an ominous magic surrounding his open palms ready to strike. However Erza leaps forward.

"REQUIP!" She was enveloped within a bright light, as her armor changed. "Flight Armor." suddenly a sword slashed towards Cobra at an incredible speed, However at the last second Cobra's snake companion yanked him into safety. "Don't forget you have multiple enemies. Don't take us lightly" She boasts pointing her sword at Cobra.

"Tch." Cobra clicks his teeth, then his eyes narrowed, suddenly the wind began to become thin as it was hard to breathe.

"Sky-Dragon Slayer Magic: Sky Dragon's roar!" Wendy shoots a powerful tornado of wind from her mouth aiming at Cobra. However it is blocked by eerie green magic courtesy of Brain.

"It can't be, could it?" He mutters to himself staring at Wendy letting his guard down for a second which Lucy notices she then pulls out one of her Golden gate keys.

"My turn! Open Gate of the Gold-" She begins to chant

"My turn! Open Gate of the Gold-" A similar voice echoed which stops Lucy, she looks to see herself staring right at her. The copy then grins and begins to thrash at Lucy with her own whip.

"Why am I hitting myself?!" She screams in pain. Sherry creates a doll of dirt.

"Looks like you need some help there." Sherry makes the doll attack the Lucy copy. Which the copy dodges and retreats next to Angel. Lyon then takes notice of one of the members sleeping.

"You mock us by sleeping!? Ice-Make-" Lyon was stopped by Racer who suddenly appeared in front of him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Racer then begins to pummel Lyon with a barrage of attacks from all angles thanks to his speed knocking the Ice wizard back. "That guy would kill all of you without breaking a sweat!"

"Lyon!" Sherry screams running towards him only to be stopped by Hot-eye who hits her into the ground with a beam made of rock. She screams in pain from the attack.

"Sherry!" Lucy screams watching the other girl crash into the ground

Brain's voice rang out, sharp and decisive. "Oración Seis, withdraw." The dark mages instantly regrouped. Cobra's eyes flicked to Wendy. A slow, wicked grin spread across his face.

'Cobra,' Brain's voice echoed in his mind. 'New objective. Bring me that girl.'

Brain's smirk widened. "I've seen enough. I'm already bored of this little skirmish."

"Oh no you dont!" Ichigo rushes towards Brain ready to strike him down, however a giant wave of dirt and debris stops him. Brain then strikes the dirt wave using his magic causing a makeshift smokescreen covering the entire area.

"Damn it!" Grimmjow growls shielding his eyes with the others doing the same..

Wendy gasps feeling a hand covering her mouth as cobra grabs hold of her, restricting her however was close to Wendy to see this, quickly he lunges at Cobra and clings to him. "Let her go!"

"Tch, I don't have time for this." The snake wizard then grabs Happy planning to take him as well, he can't afford to waste time dealing with the cat. Not wanting them to immediately pursue his group, Cobra nudges towards his snake companion who swiftly lunges towards the closest person and bites them, the unlucky victim being none other than Erza who screams in pain at the sudden attack. Cobra then makes his escape as well.

The dust cloud settles, revealing the battlefield once more. Lucy coughs, waving the dust from her face as she scans the area. "Is everyone alright?" she calls out, concerned about lacing her voice.

Her eyes land on Erza, who is collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain. Her left arm is clutched tightly against her chest, the skin darkened into a deep, sickly violet.

"Erza!" Lucy gasps, rushing to her side and dropping to her knees. "What happened? What did they do to you?"

The rest of the group quickly gathers around, their expressions shifting from relief to alarm.

Carla steps forward, eyes sharp with realization. "It's poison," she deduces grimly. "That snake… it must have struck her during the smokescreen." Her voice remains steady, but the twitch of her tail betrays her worry. "No need to panic. Wendy can—" Carla abruptly stops, her gaze darting around.

"Wendy?" She turns frantically, her ears flattening. "Wendy?! Where is she?"

The air grows tense. Everyone exchanges uneasy glances, scanning the surroundings, but there's no sign of her.

"You don't think they took her?" Carla's voice trembles slightly as she looks at Ichigo. "Why would they—"

"It doesn't matter," Grimmjow growls, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles turn white. His voice is low, dangerous. "I'll kill them." He lifts his head, roaring into the sky with unrestrained fury. "You hear me?! You're all dead!"

Ichigo's eyes narrow, a dark energy rippling around him. "They just made this personal." His tone is cold, filled with quiet rage.

Lucy swallows hard, her hands shaking as she grips Erza's good arm. "What do we do now? Erza's down, we're injured, and without Wendy, we've lost our best chance at healing her."

Before anyone can answer, a familiar voice cuts through the tension.

"NEVER FEAR, FOR I AM HERE, MAN!"

Ichiya strides forward with exaggerated flair, Jura following close behind.

"Ichiya!" Lucy exclaims, half in relief, half in exasperation.

"Jura! You're okay!" Sherry cries, running up to him.

"Sir, you're alive!" Ichiya's men shout in unison.

Jura nods, his posture firm and composed. "Yes. Ichiya and I barely managed to escape. That Angel woman caught us off guard, but in the end, we survived." His expression hardens as he looks at Erza. "But it seems we aren't the only ones who suffered an attack."

Carla steps up, her eyes pleading. "Jura, we can save her, but we need Wendy. We have to find her—fast."

"Yeah, but we have no idea where to even start looking," Ichigo mutters, frustration clear in his voice.

"Happy!? Where are ya, buddy?!" Natsu suddenly yells, glancing around in panic. His fists shake as he clenches them. "They took you too?!"

Gray's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, Natsu. If they took Happy, you can track them by scent!"

Natsu blinks, scratching his head. "Oh… right." He grins sheepishly before sniffing the air.

Grimmjow scoffs, crossing his arms. "Idiot," he mutters under his breath. At first, he respected Natsu's fighting spirit, but now he's starting to see that the fire dragon slayer might not have much going on upstairs.

A moment passes, then another. Natsu frowns, rubbing his nose. "I can't pick up his scent. It's like something's blocking it."

Ichigo's fists tighten. "Then we don't have a choice. We split up." His voice is firm, commanding. "Finding Wendy is our top priority. We don't have time to waste."

"I'll stay with Erza," Lucy says quickly. "She needs someone to watch over her."

"I'll stay too," Hibiki adds. "You might need backup if anything happens."

"Alright, then it's settled," Jura nods. "We move now. Time is against us."

With a collective nod, the group disperses in different directions, each racing against the clock.

Hibiki watches them go, then turns his gaze to Erza's arm. The venom has already begun creeping up her shoulder, dark tendrils of poison spreading beneath her skin.

'Hang in there, Erza…' He clenches his fists. 'We'll bring Wendy back. We have to.'

"Where are you taking us?!" Happy struggled against Cobra's vice-like grip, his small body writhing in a desperate attempt to break free. His wings twitched, but the dark guild member's grasp was unyielding.

Cobra didn't even glance down at him, and neither did the others. They all marched forward in silence, their footsteps echoing against the dirt path beneath them.

Happy turned his wide, panicked eyes toward Wendy. "I'm sorry, Wendy! If I were stronger, I could've stopped them. You wouldn't have been captured…" His voice cracked with guilt.

Wendy shook her head, offering him a small, reassuring smile despite the fear flickering in her eyes. "None of this is your fault, Happy. You tried to protect me, and I'm grateful for that. Besides…" She turned her gaze toward Brain, her expression hardening. "You won't get away with this. My brothers will find me—and when they do, you'll all regret this."

Brain let out a slow, amused chuckle, not even bothering to turn around. "Oh, we're counting on it. But make no mistake, dear Wendy—you will help us activate Nirvana."

Wendy's face twisted with disgust. "I would never help scum like you!" she spat.

Brain finally turned his head slightly, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. "Oh, you misunderstand, my dear. You won't be helping me."

Wendy's stomach twisted at his vague words, and even Happy gave him a wary glance. What did he mean by that?

Before she could dwell on it, the group arrived and a gigantic hole in the ground surrounded by waterfalls, Hoteye then created a path down with his magic, they later entered a cavernous space—a vast underground hideout with towering rock formations and eerie blue torches lining the walls. The air was damp, filled with the scent of moss and something metallic.

'So this is their base…' Wendy quickly scanned the area, trying to memorize every possible exit.

Without warning, Cobra yanked her forward and shoved both her and Happy onto the cold, hard ground.

"Ugh!" Wendy groaned, pushing herself up. She reached for the sword strapped to her waist, but before her fingers could even graze the hilt—

"Tsk, tsk."

A blur of motion, and suddenly, Racer was right in front of her, shaking his finger mockingly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "We need you in one piece, after all."

Then, in an instant, his hand shot out, snatching Happy by the head.

"But this little guy? Not so much." Racer grinned as he tightened his grip, claws digging into Happy's soft fur. "I could crush him right here and now. Bet you wouldn't want that, huh?"

Happy's scream pierced the air. "Aah! Let me go!"

Wendy's heart pounded against her chest. "Stop! Don't hurt him!" She dropped her hand from her sword, fists clenching at her sides.

Seeing her surrender, Racer smirked and carelessly tossed Happy aside.

"Happy!" Wendy rushed forward, catching him before he could hit the ground. She held him close, feeling his small body trembling in her arms. "Are you okay?"

Happy coughed but managed a weak smile. "I'm okay… Don't worry about me."

Wendy turned back to the dark guild members, anger burning in her veins. "What do you want from me?!" Her voice echoed through the cavern, demanding an answer.

The only response was a chorus of dark chuckles.

"Go retrieve it, Racer." Brain demands the mentioned dark wizard.

Several tense minutes passed before the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the cave. Racer emerged from the shadows, a twisted grin on his face as he dragged a large, ominous-looking coffin behind him. The heavy chains wrapped around it clinked with every movement, scraping loudly against the ground.

Wendy's eyes widened, and she instinctively stepped in front of Happy. Her heart was pounding now, louder than ever.

Happy stared at the coffin, then up at Brain. "W-What is that…?"

Wendy narrowed her eyes, her voice firm despite the tremble in her chest. "It doesn't matter who or what is in there—I will not help you."

"That's right!" Happy chimed in, standing by her side with wings flared and a fierce little glare.

Brain chuckled darkly, the sound echoing in the vast cavern like a whisper of something terrible to come. "Oh, Wendy… you say that now."

He turned to Racer with a casual flick of his wrist. "Open it."

Without hesitation, Racer moved to the coffin. He began undoing the thick chains, the metal groaning as it unraveled. With a final tug, the bindings fell away, and the lid of the coffin gave a slow creak before it tipped and fell, crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

Wendy and Happy both flinched as they stared into the now-open coffin—

Their blood ran cold...

Jellal was there.

Chained and hanging limply inside, his body was battered and motionless, and had etherion energy spots all over, his blue hair falling over his closed eyes. The dim torchlight flickered across his face, casting eerie shadows over his skin.

"J-Jellal…?" Wendy's voice barely escaped her lips, a tremble running through her body.

Happy couldn't believe it, his tiny paws shaking. "No way… it can't be him," he whispered, almost as if saying it aloud would make it untrue.

"Oh, but it is," Brain chimed cheerfully, his sinister grin widening. He stepped forward, arms spread as if presenting a grand prize. "And you, Wendy, with your powers, will heal him."

Happy's paws clenched into fists. "She would never—"

Brain's laughter cut her off. "Ah, but she will," he said smoothly. "Because of the fact that Wendy here owes Jellal a great debt." He informs him " And with Jellal's help, we will find Nirvana!" His voice rang triumphantly through the cavern, filled with cruel certainty.
"What does he mean by that, Wendy?" Happy looks up at her.

Wendy took a step back, her heart pounding. She glanced at Jellal's unconscious form, then at Happy, who was just as terrified.

This couldn't be happening. Everything was feeling too much for Wendy, one of the people she owed everything to was there in front of her, but she knew of all the horrible things he did. So she was conflicted on helping him. "Jellal he helped me and my brothers find Cait shelter. He also gave us food and supplies when we were traveling long ago." She tells Happy.

"I understand that Wendy but Jellal did some terrible-"

"I KNOW WHAT HE DID!" she shouts, closing her eyes not wanting to remember the awful acts she learned he committed. "But after I heard it, all I wanted was to ask him, why? Why would he do such horrible crimes?" She begins to cry "It's not like him, Jellal was kind and caring at one point."

"That may be true Wendy, but that Jellal changed into something not good." Happy speaks to her.

"Even still I-I can't just leave him like this." She spoke which made Brain smirk his plan is working.

"All of you, spread out. Search the forest—now," Brain ordered, his voice carrying across the chamber with an edge of authority. "Make sure we don't have any uninvited guests lurking around."

The guild members nodded in silent obedience, their footsteps echoing as they began to scatter, heading toward the forest beyond the cave entrance.

"Except for you two, Cobra, Racer." Brain added sharply, halting him mid-step. "Midnight hasn't awakened yet, and until he does, I want extra power by my side."

He gave Cobra and Racer a calculating look, then waved a dismissive hand toward the others.

"For the rest of you—out."

Ichigo sprinted through the dense forest, his breathing heavy, frustration etched across his face.

'I can't believe I let them capture Wendy.' The thought gnawed at him like a relentless blade. 'I need to move faster.'

Gritting his teeth, he pushed his legs harder, forcing himself to accelerate.

"Slow down, Ichigo!" Carla called out, struggling to keep pace.

"I can't," Ichigo shot back without looking over his shoulder. "Every second we waste could put Wendy and Happy in even more danger."

"I understand that," Carla said, her voice firm but calm. "But we can't afford to exhaust ourselves. If we run into the enemy like this, we'll be at a disadvantage."

Ichigo didn't respond. His mind was locked on one goal—finding his little sister.

Carla sighed, her sharp feline eyes softening. "I know you're worried about Wendy, and knowing the heart you have, you're probably blaming yourself. But this isn't on you."

"You won't stop him," Natsu spoke up suddenly.

Carla turned to him, surprised. He hadn't taken his eyes off the path ahead, his usual fiery determination burning brighter than ever.

"Wendy is his sister, right?" Natsu continued, his voice steady. "Right now, Ichigo doesn't care about the dangers. The only thing that matters is getting her back. That's exactly how I feel about Happy. Besides the more time we spend out here the more that poison will get to Erza"

Natsu finally glanced at Carla, his eyes fierce. "So don't tell us to slow down—because we're not going to."

"She won't be able to… but we can."

A new voice rang through the trees, loud and smug.

The trio stopped dead in their tracks. Ichigo, Natsu, and Carla spun around, eyes scanning the treeline. One by one, figures emerged from the foliage, surrounding them in a tight circle.

Natsu squinted at the group, his nose wrinkling in confusion—then suddenly, his expression lit up like a lantern.

"Wait a sec… OH! It's the monkey guys Lucy told me about!"

With a grin stretching from ear to ear, Natsu immediately dropped into a goofy stance, crouching low, arms dangling like a gorilla, and making ridiculous monkey noises.

Ichigo and Carla sweatdropped in unison.

"…Seriously?" Carla muttered.

Ichigo chuckled despite himself, eyeing the newcomers. "Now that you mention it… they do kinda look like monkeys."

"Hey! Don't mock us!" one of the men barked, adjusting his sunglasses with a dramatic flourish. "We're with the Oración Seis! Naked Monkey will show you how dangerous we really are!"

"You tell 'em, big bro Gato!" another large, hairy man chimed in, flexing. "We're Naked Monkey, and we're bad to the bone!"

"Don't repeat what I just said, big bro Zato!" Gato snapped, glaring at him.

But the banter was cut short.

A sudden wave of dark magic pulsed through the forest like a shockwave, silencing everything. The pressure in the air thickened, sending a chill down everyone's spine—everyone except Natsu and Carla, who held their ground.

Ichigo's expression darkened, his voice low and deadly. "If you're with the Oración Seis…" he said, stepping forward as shadows began to curl around his arms, "then you're going to tell me where Wendy and Happy are."

"As if—!" Gato started, but before he could finish, Ichigo was already in front of him.

A blackened fist, laced with shadow magic, slammed into Gato's face, sending him crashing back through the trees.

The rest of the monkey squad roared in outrage, charging toward the group.

Ichigo didn't flinch. Shadows gathered around him, condensing into a sleek, black longbow with an arrow of pure darkness already nocked and drawn.

"Shadow God-Slayer Magic…" His voice echoed through the chaos. "Nyx's Arrow!"

He released.

The arrow exploded mid-air, splitting into dozens of shadowy projectiles that streaked through the battlefield, striking multiple attackers with surgical precision.

The forest lit with cries of pain and surprise as bodies hit the ground, smoke and dust swirling in the aftermath of the attack.

Ichigo exhaled slowly, eyes glowing faintly with dark energy. "Now… who wants to try talking?"

"Tch. What a bunch of weak losers," came a cold voice from above. "One attack, and they're already down? Pathetic."

Ichigo and the others looked up to see a man stepping out from the shadows of the treetops, white spiky hair catching the light, dark marks etched beneath his eyes like war paint.

"Hey there, cool breeze!" Natsu called out with a big grin, waving casually as if greeting an old friend.

The man's expression twisted into a scowl. "You're an absolute moron. We're enemies, remember?"

Ichigo raised a brow, glancing at Natsu. "You know this guy?"

Natsu nodded slowly. "Yeah… I think so. If I remember right, he tried to use some creepy dark magic to wipe out a bunch of guild masters with… what was it… some lullaby thingy?" He scratched the back of his head, clearly struggling. "His name was… uh…"

"It's Erigor, you imbecile," the man snapped, his voice sharp as the wind around him.

"Ohhh, right! Air guy!" Natsu pointed, grinning wider. "You're the windbag!"

"Ichigo, you mind if I handle this one?" Natsu asked, glancing back with a spark in his eyes.

Ichigo smirked, stepping aside. "Knock yourself out."

"Good." A devilish grin crept across Natsu's face. "This is gonna be easy."

Erigor's eye twitched in irritation. "You insult me, flame-head," he growled, beginning to lower himself toward the ground in a slow, controlled descent. "I've been biding my time since the fall of Eisenwald. After that failure, I joined the Oración Seis… waiting for the right moment to exact my revenge on you Fairy Tail pests."

The moment his feet hovered inches from the ground, Natsu erupted—flames bursting from his body, dancing wildly around him.

"Is that so?!" Natsu roared, his voice booming with excitement. "Then come at me! Me and you—right here, right now!"

"Fine by me."

A vortex of slicing wind coiled around Erigor, wrapping his body in a deadly tornado. His cloak flapped violently in the rising storm.

"It's your funeral, kid."

With a fiery roar, Natsu launched forward, his fist blazing with heat.

"Fire Dragon's: Iron Fist!" he shouted, his body becoming a streak of flames as he lunged straight at Erigor.

Erigor raised his hands, wind coiling violently around them in spiraling gusts. "Magic Wind Palm!"

He clapped his palms together, unleashing a compressed burst of storm magic that tore through the air like a hurricane blast.

The two attacks collided mid-air—fire and wind clashing with a thunderous boom. The ground trembled beneath them as shockwaves rippled out from the impact, scattering leaves and debris in every direction.

Natsu held his ground, pushing forward against the violent winds with a wild grin. "You're gonna have to do better than that!"

Erigor narrowed his eyes, the pressure between their magic building by the second. "You'll burn out before you even touch me!"

"We'll see about that!" Natsu roared, flames spiraling violently around his fists. "Flame Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist!"

In an instant, he blurred through the air, closing the distance between them like a missile.

Before Erigor could brace himself, Natsu was already in front of him—

WHAM! BAM! CRACK!

A barrage of flaming punches rained down on the storm wizard, each strike exploding with searing heat and force.

Erigor grunted as the blows landed one after another, his body jerking back under the relentless assault. He tried to summon his wind barrier, but Natsu's fire tore right through it.

With one final blow to the chest, flames engulfed Erigor completely, launching him backwards through the trees with a thunderous crash.

Smoke curled in the air as Natsu skidded to a stop, fire still crackling around his fists, his eyes burning with determination.

He marched over to Erigor, who lay groaning in a scorched heap, and grabbed him by the front of his tattered cloak.

"Now talk! Where are Wendy and Happy, you windbag freak?!" Natsu demanded, shaking him back and forth like a ragdoll. "Where'd your weird little friends take them? Spit it out—pronto!"

Erigor's eyes spun in circles, clearly dazed.

Carla floated beside Ichigo, arms crossed but a small smile tugging at her lips. "And just like that… we're back to the shenanigans."

A few minutes later, the group stood just outside a massive rock formation nestled deep in the forest. The eerie entrance to the Oración Seis hideout loomed before them.

"Finally," Ichigo muttered, eyes locked on the entrance.

"Can't believe it," Carla added, glancing at Natsu. "Your interrogation actually worked."

Natsu grinned, proudly dusting off his hands. "Told you—sometimes yelling and shaking does the trick."

But before they could take another step, a sudden blur zipped past them—fast, almost untraceable.

"Tch. Not this guy again." Natsu's smile vanished, his eyes narrowing.

They turned to see Racer standing behind them, arms crossed, that same cocky smirk on his face.

"This is as far as you go," Racer sneered. "You're not taking another step. You're finished—!"

Before he could finish, Racer lunged forward with incredible speed—

CRACK!

A wall of ice erupted in front of the group, stopping Racer cold mid-dash.

"What the—?!" he shouted, skidding to a halt—

Only to be met with a flurry of lightning-coated punches that struck him in rapid succession.

BAM! ZAP! CRACK!

Electricity surged and danced across the air as Racer was sent flying back, smoke rising from his body.

Out from behind the tree line stepped two familiar figures—one surrounded by cold mist, the other crackling with energy.

"Nice timing," Ichigo said, smirking.

Gray lowered his hand, ice crystals falling from his fingertips. "We came as soon as we saw You and Ichigo cause a commotion."

Grimmjow cracked his knuckles, lightning still sparking around his hands, his smirk never fading. "You're lucky I like making an entrance," he said with a cocky grin, his gaze shifting to Ichigo. "Go ahead, Ichigo. Get Wendy."

Ichigo nodded curtly, his expression hardening with resolve. "I will." His voice was calm but firm, the urgency clear in his eyes. "Stay sharp."

Gray, ever the straight-shooter, waved them off and created an ice slide with a flick of his wrist. "Hurry up and get going," he said flatly, his tone typical Gray—no time for pleasantries. "This should get you there faster."

Without another word, Ichigo, Natsu, and Carla exchanged determined looks. In a flash, they took off, the ice carrying them toward the hideout.

Carla glanced back, her voice calm but serious. "Stay safe," she called over her shoulder, already anticipating the fight ahead.

Natsu, already speeding ahead, grinned over his shoulder at Ichigo. "You gonna stand there all day?!" His voice was full of fire, his usual reckless enthusiasm making the air crackle with excitement.

The three of them, finally reached the bottom of the deep hole.

"Happy! Where are you, buddy?!" Natsu screamed, his voice echoing off the cavern walls.

Carla, her wings flaring slightly in irritation, spun around to glare at him. "You fool! What if they've already hurt them because you're shouting like that?!" she snapped, her voice laced with worry.

Before Natsu could respond, a distant cry rang out, sending a jolt of hope through them.

"NATSUUUU! HELP US!"

It was Happy's voice, faint but clear, coming from a nearby cave entrance.

"No time to worry about that now!" Ichigo cut in sharply, his eyes narrowing with determination. "We find them—now."

Without another moment's hesitation, they charged toward the entrance, their footsteps echoing as they rushed into the darkness

As the trio entered the cave, they froze in their tracks, their eyes falling on the devastating sight before them.

Happy lay on the cold, stone ground, his small body trembling with fear, his usual playful demeanor shattered. Beside him, Wendy was on her knees, her hands covering her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. The sound of her sobs filled the air, adding an unbearable weight to the scene.

And standing at the center of it all was Jellal.

His stoic expression was cold and unreadable, his gaze locking onto Ichigo, Natsu, and Carla. The sight of him, the once kind and noble man now a shadow of his former self, made Ichigo's heart tighten. The silence was deafening.

"Please, Ichigo-nii, don't be mad at me!" Wendy's voice broke through the stillness, the raw emotion in her voice as she desperately looked at her brother, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and guilt. "I… I didn't know what to do…"

Her sobs wracked her body as she fell to the floor, her hand reaching out toward Ichigo, but not daring to move any closer.

Well that's the end of the chapter. I hope you guys liked it! Until next time

See ya soon!

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