Chapter 6

The air burned with the scent of scorched earth and raw magic, Worth Woodsea shuddering beneath the relentless storm of clashing forces. Blinding bursts of light clashed against jagged shadows, spells detonating in furious bursts that rattled the land itself. The screams of battle, the war cries of wizards, the desperate clashes of steel and spell—weaved into a chaotic symphony of destruction.

Carla barely registered any of it.

She was on her knees, hands trembling against the dirt, her delicate white fur stained with dust and soot. The despair pressing against her chest was suffocating, heavier than the war raging around her. Wendy was gone. Taken. And she had done nothing to stop it.

Her ears rang—not from the battlefield's violence, but from the echoing void of helplessness inside her. The sight of Wendy being torn away replayed in her mind like a cruel curse, each memory sharper than the last. What was the point of all her foresight if she couldn't stop this? What was the point of being by Wendy's side if, in the moment that mattered most, she was powerless?

Her vision blurred.

And then—

A memory flickered to life.

Carla stood on the sidelines, silently observing Wendy's training. The clearing was quiet save for the rhythmic impact of fists meeting flesh, the sharp exhales of breath, and the occasional rustle of leaves as Wendy was sent sprawling across the ground.

Naruto stood tall, unwavering, his eyes sharp but not unkind as he watched Wendy pull herself up again. Her body ached, her magic reserves flickered with exhaustion, but still, she clenched her fists, forcing herself forward. Again. And again. But no matter how much she tried, she could barely touch him.

It was a harsh sight.

Carla could see the frustration clouding Wendy's sapphire eyes, the flicker of doubt creeping into her expression as she tried to match Naruto in close combat. Her body was too light, too small. Her strikes lacked weight, lacked speed. She was a Sky Dragon Slayer, meant to soar, meant to support, but in this moment, she wanted to fight—and yet, it felt like she was running into an unscalable wall.

Carla knew Wendy well enough to recognize that flicker in her eyes. Disappointment. Not in Naruto. Not in the training. But in herself.

A few nights later, Carla found Wendy lying on the grass alone. She wasn't crying loudly, nor was she making a sound. She simply lay there, covering her eyes with the back of her arm, silent tears soaking into her sleeve.

Carla hesitated, a pang of worry tugging at her. Should I comfort her?

But before she could move—

Wendy stood up.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her face still red, her breath still shaky—but something had changed. Her sorrow hadn't disappeared, but it had settled beneath something far stronger.

Determination.

The next day, she trained harder. She pushed herself beyond what Carla had ever seen before. Under the blazing sun. Under the pouring rain. Beneath the glow of the moon. She no longer waited for Naruto's training sessions—she sought out her own.

And when Carla had tried to ask about it, Wendy had only given her a small, pleading smile.

"Don't tell anyone, Carla. Not yet. I want to be stronger on my own."

And so Carla watched.

She watched as Wendy, the gentle girl who once hesitated in battle, sharpened herself like a blade against the trials of her own limits. She watched her master her footwork, strengthen her strikes, push her body until exhaustion claimed her and then get back up the next morning.

She wasn't just relying on Naruto anymore. She was chasing after him.

And it was then, as Carla stood alone, watching Wendy train beneath the pale moonlight, that two figures approached from behind.

One was Roubaul, silent and observing. The other—Naruto.

And then, as she continued to watch Wendy, Naruto's voice cut through the night.

"Are you satisfied with just watching over her?"

Carla's eyes widened.

She turned to him, but Naruto's gaze never left Wendy. His voice wasn't teasing, nor was it mocking. It was a simple question—one that weighed heavier than any battlefield.

The memory shattered, and Carla's breath hitched.

The battlefield was still in chaos, Worth Woodsea burning with war, but suddenly, the crushing despair inside her loosened its grip.

She looked down at her trembling hands, then clenched them into fists.

She had done nothing before.

But she could do something now.

Wendy hadn't given up on herself.

So Carla wouldn't either.

In the dimly lit chamber of Oración Seis, Angel strode in, her expression a mix of triumph and urgency. Clutched in her hand was Gemini's key, and beside her floated the eerie dark lacrima that now imprisoned Naruto. Across the room, Midnight stood with a smug grin, holding the unconscious form of Wendy, the Sky Dragon Slayer.

Brain, the leader of Oración Seis, observed their arrivals with a calculating gaze. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as the members gathered to discuss their next move.

"The orange leech is contained," Angel announced, presenting the lacrima.

Midnight smirked, glancing at Wendy's limp form. "And the Sky Dragon Slayer is ours."

Brain's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Excellent. With these two threats neutralized, we can proceed unhindered."

Cobra, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "Our resources took a significant hit orchestrating this plan. Was it worth it?"

Brain's eyes gleamed with determination. "Sacrifices are necessary for the realization of Nirvana. The power to invert light and darkness is within our grasp."

As they spoke, a magical projection displayed the ongoing battle in Worth Woodsea. The allied guilds were gaining the upper hand against the hired dark guilds, their resilience tipping the scales.

"The dark guilds are faltering," Angel observed, her tone laced with disdain.

Brain nodded. "It's time to intervene. Each of you will target the exhausted members of the allied guilds. Midnight," he turned to his most formidable subordinate, "you will engage Jura. His status as a Wizard Saint makes him a formidable opponent, but I trust you can handle him."

Midnight's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Consider it done."

"The rest of you," Brain continued, "disperse and eliminate any remaining threats. I will use Wendy and our captive Jellal to activate Nirvana."

Cobra pushed off the wall, a sly grin on his face. "Time to show these guild wizards the true power of Oración Seis."

As the members dispersed to execute their assignments, Brain lingered, his gaze fixed on the lacrima containing Naruto. "With you out of the way," he murmured, "Nirvana will be ours."

The chamber echoed with the fading footsteps of the dark guild's elite, each member poised to unleash chaos upon Worth Woodsea.

The once-majestic Worth Woodsea had become an apocalyptic war zone. What was once a thriving sanctuary of towering trees and vibrant wildlife now lay in smoldering ruin. Gigantic roots, severed and charred, jutted from the scorched earth like the skeletal remains of a fallen colossus. The acrid scent of burnt wood mingled with the thick, metallic tang of residual magic, still crackling in the air from relentless clashes. Ghostly embers floated listlessly, remnants of countless explosive spells. Amidst the chaos, the warriors of the allied guilds surged forward, their weary bodies fueled only by sheer will and the unyielding need to bring an end to the tyranny that had desecrated this once-pristine land.

Perched atop a crumbling rock formation, Jura Neekis surveyed the battlefield with an unshakable gaze. His flowing robe flapped violently against the residual shockwaves of the ongoing skirmish, but his stance remained as steady as the very earth beneath his feet. Around him, the remnants of the dark guild forces swarmed like scavengers, their desperation betraying the crumbling confidence in their eyes.

"You stand alone, Wizard Saint!" one of the dark mages sneered, his voice laced with arrogance and madness. "No matter how strong you are, even a giant falls to a thousand cuts!"

Jura exhaled slowly, his expression impassive. "And a mountain withstands a thousand storms."

Before the dark mages could react, a dramatic voice rang out from the smoke-filled battlefield.

"Ahhh~ but a mountain is nothing without a refined fragrance!"

A powerful gust blew through the area, and from the shadows emerged none other than Ichiya of Blue Pegasus, striking an exaggerated pose. His impeccably tailored suit remained pristine despite the chaos around him, and his signature cologne filled the air in an instant.

Jura, ever the composed one, barely blinked. "Ichiya-dono," he greeted with a nod.

The dark mages recoiled, some coughing as the overpowering scent reached them.

"Ugh! What is that—?!"

"Magnifiquuuue!" Ichiya declared, dramatically twirling his mustache. He struck another pose, flexing slightly. "The scent of a real man!"

The dark mages hesitated, but their momentary confusion quickly shifted back into aggression.

"Enough of this nonsense!" one growled. "Kill them both!"

Jura exhaled again, shaking his head. "It seems they do not appreciate your presence, Ichiya-dono."

"Such a shame~," Ichiya lamented, adjusting his cravat. "Very well, let us educate these ruffians in the power of beauty!"

With a single motion, Jura slammed his palm into the earth. A deafening rumble split the battlefield as a colossal wave of stone erupted, cascading forward like an unrelenting tsunami of solid rock. The ground itself heeded his command, rising and shifting at his will, consuming the approaching enemies in an avalanche of unyielding force. The agonized cries of the engulfed dark mages filled the night, their forms vanishing beneath the suffocating weight of Jura's absolute dominance.

As the survivors staggered, trying to regroup, Ichiya lunged forward with surprising speed. "I call this… Parfum de Punition!" With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a massive cloud of his cologne-infused magic, stunning several enemies as they gagged and staggered.

"W-What is… this?! My head—"

"Too… strong…" Another enemy dropped to his knees, clutching his throat.

As the affected mages fell, Jura turned toward the remaining foes, his expression still calm, yet absolute in its authority.

"Come," Jura commanded, his voice a pillar of calm amidst the storm. "I will not falter."

Beside him, Ichiya adjusted his suit, nodding confidently. "Nor will I! Because a true man always stands beside his allies, looking fabulous!"

Jura sighed but allowed himself the faintest of smiles. The battle was far from over, but together, they would not yield.

Elsewhere, amidst the chaos, a peculiar yet deadly waltz unfolded. Lucy Heartfilia and the Trimen of Blue Pegasus moved like a seamless force of calculated destruction, their combined efforts a graceful display of unorthodox combat.

"Let's make this quick, guys!" Lucy called out, flipping open her celestial keyring. "We don't have time to waste!"

Hibiki adjusted his glasses, streams of data flickering across his glowing fingertips. "No worries, Lucy-chan. We'll handle this efficiently."

Eve cracked his knuckles, a faint mist escaping his lips as the temperature around him plummeted. "Just give the word."

Ren smirked, his long hair flowing as he twirled a hand through the air, conjuring razor-sharp wind currents. "Let's make it stylish."

The dark guild mages charged forward, but Lucy was already in motion. She thrust her golden key into the air.

"Open! Gate of the Golden Bull—Taurus!"

With a brilliant flash of light, the hulking celestial spirit emerged, his massive axe gleaming under the battlefield's chaotic glow.

"Moo~! Lucy, my love, you called me! Time to cleave through these losers!" Taurus flexed his biceps before swinging his axe in a massive arc, carving through the enemy ranks with sheer brute force.

The dark mages barely had time to react as the Trimen launched into action.

"Can't let Taurus do all the work." Hibiki adjusted his stance, his fingers dancing through the air as he summoned glowing glyphs. "Archive Magic: Tactical Overload!" A surge of digital constructs materialized, chaining several enemies in place as data ran wild across their vision, disorienting them completely.

Eve wasted no time, dashing between foes with ghostlike precision. A sharp exhale from him sent a blistering cold wave through the area, freezing enemies mid-attack. "Snow Magic: Crystal Bind." The frozen mages could only shudder before collapsing in their ice prisons.

Ren followed suit, his hands tracing intricate movements in the air before unleashing a spiraling gust of wind. "Air Drive!" The force sent the immobilized enemies hurtling into one another like ragdolls, their unconscious bodies collapsing in heaps.

Lucy let out a breath, wiping her brow. "Alright! One last push!"

Taurus stomped the ground, his axe gleaming as he spun it over his head. "Let's carve up some beef, Lucy!"

"Not happening," one of the remaining dark mages growled, gathering magic in his hands.

But before he could unleash his spell, Taurus launched forward, bringing his axe down in a bone-rattling strike. The ground cracked beneath the impact as the dark mage crumpled instantly.

Lucy huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "See? That's what happens when you underestimate us!"

Hibiki smirked, adjusting his collar. "A flawless collaboration, if I do say so myself."

Ren brushed off his coat, nodding. "I suppose they put up a decent fight… for amateurs."

Eve dusted off his gloves. "But we should regroup quickly. This battle's not over yet."

Lucy looked up at the sky, her expression hardening. Somewhere beyond the smoke and chaos, her friends were still fighting. "Yeah," she said, gripping her keys tighter. "Let's go."

A short distance away, Gray and Lyon stood back-to-back, their breaths heavy yet their wills unbroken. Waves of dark guild forces rushed them, only to be met with relentless retaliation.

"Come on, I thought dark guilds were supposed to be scary," Gray taunted, sidestepping a fireball before countering with a razor-sharp spear of ice, piercing straight through his attacker's defenses.

Lyon smirked, conjuring intricate ice sculptures that came to life, crushing enemies beneath their enormous weight. "It's not their fault they're outclassed."

Sherry stood behind them, her fingers dancing in the air as her enchanted dolls surged forward, overwhelming the enemy ranks in an elegant yet terrifying display of control. "Dance for me, my lovely dolls! Let them witness the artistry of true combat!"

A shadow darted behind her—an enemy attempting a cowardly strike from behind. Before he could land a hit, he was frozen mid-lunge, encased in a sudden and beautiful sculpture of ice.

Lyon flicked his wrist dismissively. "A sneak attack? That's no way to treat a lady."

With one swift motion, he shattered the frozen foe into glimmering shards.

At the heart of the battlefield, Natsu Dragneel was a walking inferno, his fists wreathed in roaring flames as he tore through enemy ranks with unrelenting fury. His movements were feral, each strike a devastating explosion of heat and power.

"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!" he bellowed, a wild grin splitting his face. "I WAS HOPING FOR A REAL FIGHT!"

Beside him, Erza clashed through waves of opponents with the elegance of a war goddess. Swapping into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, she unleashed a torrential storm of swords, the steel rain cutting through enemy ranks like divine punishment.

"We don't stop until they're all down!" she declared, her voice carrying a weight that sent a chill through her foes.

Above them, Happy weaved through the battlefield, dodging stray spells with ease. "Aye, Sir! These guys are dropping like flies!"

But the victory was far from secured. Just as the enemy lines began to break, another wave of dark mages surged forward, their numbers seemingly endless. Shadowy figures emerged from the trees, spells already forming in their hands, their eyes burning with malice.

"Tch—these guys don't know when to quit!" Natsu growled, cracking his knuckles.

From the treetops, several robed figures chanted in unison, launching a barrage of black tendrils toward Erza. She barely had time to react, twisting her blade to deflect the incoming strike, only for another wave of attackers to leap from the underbrush.

Natsu ducked under a sudden ice spear aimed at his head, his flames flaring as he spun and delivered a fire-coated uppercut to the attacker's gut, sending them flying. But before he could relish the hit, three more dark mages appeared, surrounding him.

"We still got plenty left to burn through!" he snarled, his flames intensifying.

The battlefield of Worth Woodsea had quieted, but the silence carried no comfort—only an eerie, suffocating stillness. The air was thick with the scent of burned wood and the lingering traces of magic. Smoke curled from the scorched earth, mixing with the soft rustle of leaves as the wind passed through the forest, whispering like ghosts through the blackened branches.

The allied guilds, once fighting side by side, had now become scattered across the woodland, separated by the chaos of battle. Their exhaustion weighed heavy on them—breaths labored, limbs sluggish. And yet, in their moment of reprieve, something far worse had begun to unfold.

They weren't alone.

From the darkness of the trees, unseen eyes watched. Shadows moved in unnatural silence. They had not come in groups, had not come with reckless force like the dark guilds before them. No, Oración Seis had come as hunters.

And their prey was already cornered.

Jura dusted the debris from his shoulder, surveying his surroundings. The air was oddly still, the earlier chaos replaced by an unnatural quiet. He could sense something—not just magic, but an ominous presence pressing against the atmosphere.

Beside him, Ichiya let out a slow breath, adjusting his torn collar with practiced elegance. His usual flamboyant demeanor was subdued, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "Jura-dono… do you feel it? This scent… it is not one of a gentleman."

Jura gave a small nod. "I sense it as well. We are being watched."

A whisper. A laugh.

Then, the world twisted.

Jura barely had time to react before the trees around him warped, their trunks stretching and twisting unnaturally, as if reality itself had bent. The ground beneath him wavered, the very fabric of space distorting around his body.

"Finally," a voice murmured, smooth and lazy, yet laced with danger. "A Wizard Saint… and the famed Parfum Master… how convenient."

Jura's gaze snapped upward. From the air above them, Midnight floated effortlessly, his red eyes glowing under the dim moonlight. His smirk widened as he traced his fingers through the air, and instantly, the world around them began to shift. The trees elongated unnaturally, the sky itself seemed to spiral, and the earth beneath them tilted at impossible angles.

"So tell me, Jura of the Ten Wizard Saints…" Midnight drawled, his voice almost mocking. "How will you fight when the world refuses to obey you?"

Jura's fists clenched as he steadied himself. This was no ordinary magic. This was a battlefield unlike any he had fought before.

Ichiya, however, remained unfazed. With a dramatic sweep of his arm, he pulled a small bottle from his coat and took a deep inhale. "Hmmm… my cologne tells me that your magic… lacks elegance!"

Midnight's smirk twitched slightly. "What?"

Ichiya's eyes gleamed. "Then allow me to introduce you to the refined power… of true fragrance!"

With a sudden burst of movement, Ichiya unleashed a wave of his potent perfume, the overwhelming scent rushing toward Midnight like a crashing tide.

Jura took the moment of distraction to plant his palm into the earth. Even if the world itself twisted, he would not yield.

Gray wiped the sweat from his brow, his breath fogging in the cool night air. Beside him, Lyon stood rigid, his hands still coated in ice, while Sherry tightened her fists, scanning the shadows between the trees.

"We should regroup with the others," Lyon murmured, his voice low. "We're too exposed here."

Before Gray could respond, a gust of wind tore past them—too fast, too sudden. A blur of movement. A sickening chuckle echoed through the darkness.

"Regroup?" The voice came from nowhere and everywhere. "You won't even last another minute."

Gray barely turned in time before a sharp impact slammed into his gut, sending him skidding backward. Lyon was next, struck by an invisible force, his body knocked off balance.

Sherry gasped, whipping her head around. "Where—?"

A rush of wind. A blur of motion. Then, Racer materialized before them, crouched lazily on a fallen tree trunk, his manic grin stretching ear to ear.

"You're all so slow," he sneered. "Pathetic."

Gray pushed himself up, his eyes narrowing. "Damn it... it's him."

Lyon steadied himself. "Then we just have to freeze him before he moves."

Racer's grin widened. "Oh? Go ahead. Try."

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

The scent of perfume still clung to the air as Lucy adjusted her stance, standing alongside the Trimens. Loke stood beside her, his golden eyes sharp as he surveyed the aftermath of their battle. Unconscious dark wizards lay scattered across the forest floor, proof of their relentless struggle.

"That was quite the show," a sultry voice purred from the shadows.

The group turned sharply.

From between the trees, Angel emerged, her expression one of pure amusement. The moonlight caught the silver strands of her hair, making her appear almost ethereal. In her hand, Gemini's key twirled lazily between her fingers.

"Oh my," she mused, eyes flitting between them. "Such handsome men… and a celestial mage? This almost makes me feel bad about what's coming next."

Loke narrowed his eyes, stepping slightly in front of Lucy. "Angel… so we finally meet."

Angel smirked. "Oh? You remember me? How sweet."

A golden light flared beside her.

"Aries," she commanded.

The celestial spirit materialized in an instant, her soft, hesitant gaze landing on Lucy with an almost apologetic look.

Before Lucy could react, thick woolen threads shot toward them, wrapping around their limbs, tightening, constricting—

"Lucy!" Loke growled, struggling against the bindings.

Lucy's breath hitched as the threads tightened around her wrists. "Aries, stop!" she pleaded.

Angel sighed, shaking her head. "Oh, sweetheart, that's not how this works."

She snapped her fingers. The wool tightened.

Natsu exhaled sharply, his flames still flickering from their last battle. "That should be the last of 'em, right?"

Erza wiped the sweat from her brow, scanning their surroundings. "For now. But we need to regroup before—"

A sound.

A whisper in the leaves.

A blur of movement.

Before anyone could react, a streak of black shot out from the trees—too fast, too precise.

Erza gasped as sharp fangs sank deep into her shoulder. A sickening crack echoed as she staggered back, her body seizing up.

"Erza?!" Happy yelped.

A split second later, a violent force sent her crashing onto the dirt. Erza gritted her teeth, fingers twitching as an unnatural numbness spread from the wound. Her vision blurred. Her strength was slipping.

Natsu's eyes widened. "What the—?!"

A slow, amused chuckle drifted through the air.

"You didn't even sense it, did you?"

The voice sent a shiver down their spines.

From the darkness of the forest, Cobra emerged, his arms crossed, his expression smug. The moonlight glinted off his piercing red eyes as Cubellios slithered back to his side, her fangs still dripping with venom.

"That poison's already working its way through your system, Erza," Cobra mused, tilting his head. "Won't be long before you can't even move."

Erza clenched her jaw, forcing herself upright. Her body felt like it was burning from the inside out, her limbs sluggish. But she wasn't out of the fight yet.

Natsu's flames flared violently. "You bastard!"

Cobra only smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Relax. You'll be joining her soon enough."

With a snap of his fingers, Cubellios lunged again—this time at Happy.

The Exceed barely dodged in time, his wings fluttering frantically as the ground where he had been standing cracked under the force of the snake's strike.

"Che!" Natsu roared, stepping forward, his fists igniting. "You wanna go, huh?! Then let's go!"

Cobra's smirk widened.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

The forest was eerily silent.

Not the kind of peaceful silence one might find in a quiet meadow or a still lake at dawn. No, this was the kind of silence that suffocated, that coiled around the heart like a tightening noose.

Carla stood amidst the ruins of battle, her small frame trembling. The air was thick with the lingering stench of scorched earth, shattered magic, and fading cries from distant skirmishes. The Worth Woodsea, once a vibrant land, now lay in eerie stillness, its towering trees casting long, ominous shadows.

But none of that mattered.

She had lost Wendy.

The realization gnawed at her, a cold, relentless whisper in the back of her mind. She had failed.

She had barely managed to catch her breath after the chaos before she made her decision—she had to find Naruto. He was the only one who could help. If anyone could track Wendy, it was him. If she could just reach him—

But now, standing at the very place where he had last been seen, there was nothing.

No fiery blonde. No trace of his existence. Not even the faintest residual flicker of his overwhelming presence.

Gone.

Panic surged through her.

No. No, no, no… Not him too.

Her breaths quickened. The weight of her helplessness pressed down on her small frame, drowning her in doubt. Wendy had been taken. Naruto had vanished. The others were locked in their own battles, far beyond her reach.

And she was alone.

A step.

A heavy footstep echoed in the quiet, shaking her from her spiraling thoughts.

Carla froze.

From the depths of the ruined forest, a lone figure emerged.

He walked slowly, deliberately, as if savoring each step. The earth trembled slightly beneath him, and with every inch he closed between them, Carla felt something inside her grow colder.

A man with wild, unkempt hair and unsettling, golden-rimmed eyes.

Hoteye.

The member of Oración Seis known for his absurd wealth, his ability to manipulate the very ground beneath him… and his merciless nature.

A shudder ran through Carla's body.

This wasn't like before.

She had encountered enemies before—dark wizards, dangerous foes. But she had always had Wendy, always had Naruto, always had someone beside her. Someone stronger.

But now?

Now she was alone.

A sickening wave of fear churned in her stomach, locking her legs in place. She wanted to run. She should run.

But she couldn't.

Not this time.

Because if she ran now, she would never find Wendy.

Hoteye tilted his head as he approached, his lips curling into a smirk. "Well, well… What do we have here?" His voice was slow, almost lazy, but the underlying malice was unmistakable.

Carla clenched her tiny fists, her breathing ragged.

This was her first real battle.

And there was no turning back

Chapter End