"What?!!"
"What terrifying attack power!"
"Who is this guy?!"
"When did humans have someone that strong?!"
Even Kyôka and Franmalth's expressions turned grim.
Su Yan ignored them. Every member of this dark guild deserved to be cut down. They dared to harm his guildmates, dared to capture Erza and Natsu—Tartaros belonged in the real underworld.
At that moment, the rest of Fairy Tail arrived. This wasn't just Su Yan's fight—this was the guild's war against Tartaros, and everyone was ready to join.
"Wow! Su Yan's really angry!" Macao said, staring at the battlefield. They'd only arrived a minute after him, and already dozens of bodies littered the ground.
"Let's go too!" Makarov ordered, his voice hard.
"Ohhhhhh!!"
Fairy Tail charged, clashing with Tartaros soldiers.
"Damn it! How did Fairy Tail land on the Underworld Island?!" Franmalth snapped. "Why did our headquarters location leak?!"
Kyôka's tone sharpened. "Now's not the time for that. The fairies are already here—destroy them all! Send out the Nine Demon Gates!"
They knew Fairy Tail's strength—Storm and Jackal had already been killed. Who could say there weren't stronger ones among them?
"Yes!"
"To be safe, I'll check the hostages." Kyôka turned toward where Erza was held. In truth, she didn't want a direct fight with Fairy Tail yet. Once Fez was activated, all magic on the continent would vanish. The most powerful wizards and demons alike would be helpless—there was no need to gamble before that.
Hostages could buy time or be used to leave safely.
"Hak keke! Hak keke! What should I do if they wake up because of the shaking just now?"
In the underground of Tartaros, a black bunny-eared girl hopped anxiously—Lamy of Kyôka's team. Around her, strange containers bubbled, full of regenerating bodies.
"Say~~ laugh~! Don't worry!! They're all reborn! Hahahahaha!!"
A tall, dark-skinned man stepped forward. "This is… my body?"
"That's right—Storm," Lamy grinned.
This was the same man who'd been defeated by Laxus and blown himself up, spreading magic barrier particles that nearly killed Laxus's team. His new body looked nothing like before.
"Storm… that's my name."
"Isn't he so handsome now?!" Lamy gushed. "I made sure you'd be reborn into a hottie! Handsome guy!!"
"It doesn't matter how I look," Storm replied flatly.
"What, only Storm gets this treatment? That's unfair," Jackal scoffed, stepping out nearby—his body restored exactly as it had been.
Lamy patted Jackal's cheek. "That's because Jackal is super cute, hakakaka!"
"Disgusting. Don't touch me," Jackal growled.
Storm eyed him suspiciously.
"What? You don't remember me?" Jackal asked.
"When Storm is reborn, his memory's gone. Might be because of the magic barrier particles," Lamy explained. "Don't worry, I'll be by your side!"
Jackal's lips curled in a snarl. "Only the fire-breathing brat and the blue cat are unforgivable. I'll kill them both." Being slain by a human was humiliating enough, but Happy's interference during his self-destruction was an insult he couldn't forgive.
"Even angry, you're handsome!" Lamy squealed.
"You're too noisy!" Jackal snapped.
Storm glanced toward a new arrival—a tall woman he didn't recognize. "Who's that?"
"Ah, right! This is Minerva. Sister Kyôka captured her—she's a proto-human. Not that I'm interested in women."
Minerva studied her transformed, demonized body with satisfaction.
"Minerva?" Jackal asked.
"That means we have a new partner?" Storm said.
Minerva smiled. Her original goal had been to join the strongest dark guild, Tartaros. The process had been different from what she imagined, but the outcome was perfect—she had joined, and she had power beyond what she'd known.
Rumble—!!!
Another violent tremor shook the island.
"What now? It shook earlier, and now again. Did Fez get activated?"
Suddenly—BZZZZT!!
The alarm blared.
"Alarm?!"
"Why is the alarm going off?!"
Franmalth's voice rang out: "Enemy invasion! It's Fairy Tail! The Fairy Tail guild has entered the Underworld! All members intercept them immediately!"
"Fairy Tail?!!"
Storm's eyes narrowed. Even without all his memories, he remembered losing to them and being forced to self-destruct. Jackal's hatred burned even hotter, and Minerva's lips curled in anticipation—Fairy Tail had taken the title of strongest from her old guild, and she had joined Tartaros to take it back.
"I didn't expect the chance to come so soon," she murmured.