Jehfrit watched as Cana's figure disappeared into the distance. Miko handed him a tissue. He wiped the dampness from his face, then sniffed it.
"Ugh—" He gagged and immediately tossed the tissue away. "Figures. Even Cana's saliva smells like booze."
Miko gave him a deadpan look.
"Let's head back," Jehfrit said.
Upon returning to their base, he noticed a powerful magical signature appear on the map—one only slightly weaker than Gildarts'. Its owner was moving deeper into the forest.
"Keep an eye on Gajeel and Levy," Jehfrit instructed.
"Understood, Master," Aza replied.
Somewhere in the forest...
A head emerged from a tree trunk.
"Phew—" Azuma exhaled in relief. "That guy is terrifying! I'd rather fight a guild master than deal with him again. What kind of magic was that? Deception Magic? I couldn't sense him at all, yet he kept appearing behind me..."
He instinctively glanced over his shoulder—no blade, no one there.
"Phew—" Another sigh of relief.
"I'll find someone else to fight. Staying near him is suicide!" Azuma muttered. "The only one who might stand a chance is Master Hades... How is someone like that not an S-Class? This is insane..."
A bad feeling settled in his gut.
Gurgle— His body sank back into the tree.
"Ran pretty fast," Jehfrit remarked, stepping out from behind another tree. This was just a clone of his—since he had nothing better to do, he might as well mess with them.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sound of battle echoed in the distance. Jehfrit looked up—high on the cliffs, Elfman and Evergreen were struggling to hold their ground.
A smirk curled on his lips.
"I just had a great idea."
"Huff... Huff..." Elfman knelt on the ground, gasping for breath. Evergreen leaned against a rock, severely injured.
"Elfman..." Evergreen clutched her stomach, exhaustion heavy in her voice. "Just... run."
"No!" Elfman snapped.
"Idiot..." she muttered. "I'm... not even a good girlfriend. You deserve better."
"Shut up, Evergreen! You are the best!" Elfman forced himself to stand, determination burning in his eyes. "I'll protect you—no matter what!"
"Beast Arm: Beast King!"
Before he could fully activate his magic, a massive monster slammed into him, sending him crashing into the rubble. He didn't get up.
"Bastard..." Evergreen struggled to rise.
"Still moving?" Rustyrose adjusted his glasses, unimpressed. With a wave of his hand, the monster charged at her, showing no mercy.
BOOM!
Elfman suddenly reappeared, intercepting the monster's fist. He dug his heels in, muscles straining to their limit, barely holding it back.
BOOM!
The next punch sent him flying again.
"You can still stand?" Rustyrose mused.
"As long as I'm protecting Evergreen... I'll get up as many times as it takes!" Elfman forced himself up, trembling but unbroken.
"Such a touching display," Rustyrose said, his tone dripping with mock admiration before twisting into disdain. "But in the world of true magic, weaklings like you have no place!"
"A world where non-magic users are eradicated—that's your goal?!" Elfman growled.
"Exactly."
"That's insane!" Elfman roared. "Mages make up one-tenth of the population! The rest are ordinary people who can't use magic!"
"Precisely," Rustyrose said smoothly. "Which is why they hold no value. Neither do you."
"You're wrong!" Elfman bellowed. "The world exists because of those ordinary people!"
"No," Rustyrose adjusted his glasses. "The world exists because the strong dictate the rules, and the weak obey. Like gods to mortals. Like me to you."
"Bullshit!" Evergreen spat.
"I don't expect insects like you to understand," Rustyrose sneered. "They say there are bugs that only live for three seasons. No matter how you describe winter, they'll never comprehend it."
His arm morphed into a steel claw.
"And for bugs like that... I crush them."
Elfman caught his wrist at the last second.
"Pathetic," Rustyrose scoffed.
"Heh. Then I'll take this arm!" Elfman's own arm transformed into a steel claw, slashing at Rustyrose's face.
"What—?!" Rustyrose barely raised a shield in time.
"Before you kill me—let me take those glasses first!" Elfman snatched them off his face and crushed them.
"Now, Evergreen!"
"Shut your damn mouth for good!" Evergreen flipped her hair—Petrification Eye activated.
"Damn it—!" Rustyrose covered his eyes—
—then lowered his arm with a smirk.
"Fooled you."
"WHAT?!"
Another identical pair of glasses rested on his face.
BOOM!
Elfman was knocked down again. Rustyrose appeared before Evergreen in a flash, punching her hard enough to send her flying.
"How...? I crushed them!" Elfman gasped.
"Hahaha—!" Rustyrose laughed. "Ignorant ants. My magic is Arc of Embodiment—I can materialize anything I imagine!"
"That's impossible!" Evergreen's mind reeled. First Dragon Slayers, now this?!
The ground erupted, forming a towering prison around them.
"Foolish fairies... return to dust."
Magic energy surged—a fatal spell was coming.
"Evergreen... I'm sorry. If I were stronger..."
"Elfman... I don't regret a thing..."
The light grew blinding—
Click.
A camera shutter sounded.
"Who's there?!" Rustyrose whirled around.
A well-dressed man—looking more like a noble at a banquet than a fighter—strolled forward, camera in hand.
"Fairy Tail?" Rustyrose narrowed his eyes. This man had appeared silently, and his magic power... he couldn't sense any.
"J-Jehfrit?!" Evergreen and Elfman gasped.
"You jerk! Where were you?!" Elfman yelled.
"Had to get the perfect shot first." Jehfrit waved the photo. "When you two have kids, I'll show them this and say you used to play 'bury yourselves in dirt' for fun."
Evergreen's face burned at the word kids. Elfman just fumed.
"Get us out already!"
"Fine, fine." Jehfrit stashed the camera and drew a sword.
One slash—the tower split open.
"What?!" Rustyrose gaped. His magic... cut so easily?!
"By the way," Jehfrit turned to him. "I'd retract that comment about fairies. This is our home turf. Bad manners."
"And if I don't?" Rustyrose sneered.
"Then I'll have to remove that mouth first."
"Try i—"
SLASH!
Blood sprayed. Rustyrose stumbled back, clutching his split lips.
"Good one, Jehfrit!" Elfman cheered.
Rustyrose seethed—talking hurt, but not talking meant losing face.
Then it hit him—why talk at all?
Just kill them.
He summoned his monster again—
—only for Jehfrit to erase it with a wave.
"WHAT?!"
"Your face reminds me of someone," Jehfrit mused. "A certain afro guy who loved tormenting my friends, spouting nonsense about strength... until I chased him like a stray dog."
He smirked. "You're the same. That 'my world just shattered' look? Priceless."
Rustyrose's lips throbbed—he couldn't even retort.
"ROAR—!"
Another monster appeared—
—gone in an instant.
"Let's make a bet," Jehfrit said casually. "I'll wager you guys love boomerangs. If I win, you rename your guild. 'Demon's Heart' sounds too much like Fairy Tail. How about... 'Boomerang Guild'?"
"YOU—!" Rustyrose lunged—
BANG!
A revolver shot sent him flying.
"The strong make the rules. The weak obey," Jehfrit spun the gun. "Like me to you."
"Now, hang yourself with that tower, and I'll spare you. Go on."
"RRGH—!" Rustyrose sprouted wings and charged—
BANG!
He was blasted back again.
What the hell?! He scanned the area—no attacker in sight.
Illusions.
The real Jehfrit was still hiding!
"Brigade of the Afterlife!"
Countless spectral warriors flooded the area.
"What's he doing?" Elfman asked.
From their perspective, Rustyrose was wasting magic on empty air.
Evergreen sighed. Jehfrit's Deception Magic was terrifying—watching victims trapped in a false reality was almost pitiful.
Thank god he's on our side.
From Rustyrose's Perspective.
He'd leveled part of the forest—yet Jehfrit walked out unscathed.
"Bad luck for you," Jehfrit twirled his sword. "A magic that materializes imagination... and you ran into me."
"What... magic... is this?!" Rustyrose hissed through the pain.
"You called yourself a god for your magic?" Jehfrit raised a hand—a monster appeared beside him. "Funny. My magic lets me create anything in my domain... and destroy anything."
"Here you are nothing but a mere mortal."
"Wake Up To Reality!"
He grinned.
"I'm the real god here."
BOOM!
The monster punched Rustyrose through the trees.
"Guh—!"
Create and destroy anything?!
This is impossible!
'I'll die if I stay!'
He fled, scrambling like a beaten dog.
"After him!" Elfman shouted.
"Follow the markers to regroup. I'll handle this." Jehfrit vanished.
A trail of green mist guided them.
"Oh, and check your pockets for healing potions," his voice echoed.
Elfman pulled out two vials—and smiled.