Natsu reacted with lightning speed, delivering a punch straight to Kagemura's face, knocking the man out cold.
Having just regained consciousness moments ago, Natsu didn't fully grasp what was going on. He assumed Kagemura was just some random troublemaker, so after seeing him fall, he quickly lost interest. Instead, flames ignited around his fists as he stormed toward Jehfrit in anger.
But before he could take more than one step, he realized… he was standing at the train door?!
"Huh?"
Natsu blinked in confusion.
Jehfrit kicked him off the train without hesitation, then casually grabbed his suitcase with one hand while adjusting his hat with the other. With a smooth leap, he hopped off the train himself, landing gracefully and pushing up his glasses for good measure.
A crow flew overhead, cawing "elegant."
"Choo—"
The train roared back to life, leaving behind clouds of dust as it sped away.
'Rumble rumble'
Amidst the thunderous sound of wheels and swirling sand, Erza arrived driving her magical four-wheeler like a force of nature.
"Jehfrit, you despicable jerk!" Natsu shouted, ready to explode.
"Here, this is for you," Jehfrit said calmly, pulling out a card. Holding it between his index and middle fingers, he flicked it with his thumb, transforming it into an intricately illustrated card.
"What's this?" Natsu asked curiously.
"Channel your magic energy into it." Jehfrit handed over the card.
As soon as Natsu infused his magic into the card, a virtual fire dragon sprang to life!
The crimson lizard-like creature moved vividly across the card, walking, lounging, and breathing fire.
"A Fire Dragon!" Natsu's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Yeah, made it for you," Jehfrit grinned. "How close does it look to the one you described?"
"Nine out of ten!" Natsu exclaimed, deeply moved. "You know, if you weren't such a prankster, you'd be perfect!"
Jehfrit adjusted his glasses, thinking to himself: *Who can resist having fun when things are this entertaining?*
"Screech—"
The piercing sound of brakes echoed through the air.
"Natsu! Jehfrit!" Erza called out as she pulled up beside them.
"You guys left me behind!" Natsu complained loudly.
"Jehfrit definitely noticed but didn't say anything," Gray added, puzzled.
"I had business to attend to," Jehfrit replied nonchalantly.
Erza noticed the wounds on Natsu's body and immediately demanded, "Natsu, how did you get those injuries?"
"Oh, some weird guy attacked me," Natsu scratched his head. "I think it was that same group from last time—Ainz Ooal Gown or something?"
"You idiot! It's Eisenwald!" Erza bellowed, smacking Natsu upside the head. "Our mission target is Eisenwald! Why did you let them escape?!"
"I didn't know!" Natsu protested innocently.
"Jehfrit, surely you wouldn't make such a rookie mistake, right?" Gray turned to Jehfrit skeptically.
"Well, I'm not exactly a fighter—" Before Jehfrit could finish his sentence, his figure vanished, leaving only his suitcase behind.
". . ."
Veins popped visibly on everyone's foreheads.
"Wait, so everything we saw earlier was fake? What about the card?"
Natsu frantically checked his pocket, relieved to find the fire dragon card still there.
Knowing Jehfrit's personality, he probably slipped it into Natsu's pocket long ago. The whole exchange had been nothing more than another clever act of Deception Magic.
What a guy—equal parts infuriating and admirable.
"Let's go! If Jehfrit chose to stay on the train, it means something big is about to happen!" Erza declared, ushering everyone back onto their vehicle.
---
Gunki Station
Under the leadership of Erigor, the dark guild Eisenwald hijacked the train.
Without drawing attention, Jehfrit effortlessly saved a staff member who was nearly decapitated by Erigor's scythe. No one even noticed. Afterward, he returned to his seat inside the train.
After all, they were heading to the same destination. Why endure Erza's reckless driving when he could relax comfortably on the train?
If her vehicle flipped—which seemed entirely plausible given her driving skills—Natsu and the others might walk away unscathed due to their durability, but he certainly wouldn't fare as well.
Following them was far too dangerous!
---
Inside the train car.
Erigor berated Kageyama furiously. "You encountered Fairy Tail and let them see Lullaby?! And you allowed them to escape?!"
Jehfrit couldn't help but recall the legendary moment when Sauron sent the God-tier Nazgûl to destroy the Fellowship of the Ring.
After calming down slightly, Erigor amended his order. "We can't allow them to interfere with our plans. Deal with them at Oshibana Station!"
"Yes, sir!" came the chorus of eager replies from his subordinates.
Erigor smirked evilly.
'Click' 'Click'
Meanwhile, Jehfrit shamelessly snapped photos with his camera. This was first-hand material worth documenting!
---
Oshibana Station
As soon as the train doors opened, Jehfrit took a deep breath and slammed his cane against the ground.
'Hummm'
An invisible wave of magic rippled outward.
He pulled out a pristine handkerchief to wipe away the sweat. It had been a while since he'd expended this much magical energy.
But these were dark mages from Eisenwald. One couldn't gamble on their morality—not after everything they'd done. Their actions already spoke volumes about their true nature.
'BOOM'
A massive monster suddenly appeared, sending passengers fleeing in terror. The guards scrambled to contain the chaos, leaving the station eerily empty within moments.
To Erigor and his crew, however, it looked like their comrades had slaughtered innocent bystanders to clear the area.
'Thud'
Someone accidentally bumped into Jehfrit, causing him to stumble.
"Huh? Did I hit something?" A clueless mage scratched his head, glancing around in confusion.
"Must've been the wind," he muttered, stepping toward the building.
'BANG'
A deafening gunshot rang out.
The unsuspecting mage collapsed instantly, blood pooling around his head. None of the surrounding people reacted—they simply couldn't perceive what had happened.
Erigor and his lackeys marched forward, never looking back.
Jehfrit slowly holstered his gun, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder.
In the distance, armed soldiers approached cautiously.
"Halt," Jehfrit raised his left arm, revealing the blue insignia of his guild.
"You're a mage from Fairy Tail?" the commanding officer asked.
"That's correct," Jehfrit confirmed. "The station has been taken over by the dark guild Eisenwald. There are many dark mages inside. This isn't something your forces should meddle with. Focus on evacuating civilians instead."
"Thank you for the warning!" the officer expressed gratitude, then hesitated. "May I ask your name?"
"Jehfrit de la Vallière."
". . ." The officer furrowed his brow, trying to place the name.
Jehfrit chuckled. "Don't bother. I'm not particularly famous."
"No!" The officer suddenly remembered. "You're the Elegant Magician! That's it!"
His voice grew excited. "Yes, it must be you! Though you're not as renowned as Salamander or Titania, your reputation for completing missions efficiently—and always maintaining grace—is well-known. You avoid headlines because you don't cause widespread destruction!"
Jehfrit nodded. "Indeed. Now, please focus on your duties."
"Of course." The officer saluted and retreated with his men.
---
'Vroom vroom'
Erza's magical four-wheeler screeched to a halt. She stepped out, legs trembling from exhaustion.
Her magic reserves were nearly depleted.
Jehfrit produced a card, flipping it deftly to reveal a glass of blue liquid. "This should replenish some of your magic."
"If you were here, I assume there were no casualties?" Erza asked, gulping down the drink eagerly.
"None whatsoever," Jehfrit assured her.
"What about that corpse over there?" Lucy pointed shakily at the lifeless body sprawled nearby.
"A dark mage," Jehfrit explained, producing another drink and handing it to Lucy.
"Thanks," she murmured, accepting the beverage. Despite her initial shock, Lucy understood the harsh reality of their world. In battles between standard and dark guilds, death was inevitable.
The members of Eisenwald weren't ordinary criminals; they were excommunicated killers responsible for countless atrocities. Their deaths weren't tragedies—they were justice.
And thanks to Jehfrit's intervention, a potential massacre at the crowded station had been averted.
Who knows what horrors might have unfolded otherwise?