Trap

Since learning about Jiang Bai and Erza's painful past, Mirajane has been unable to find peace of mind.

She stood in front of the quest board for a long time, her gaze sweeping over the various quests, some for bounties on monsters, others for lost items. Finally, her eyes settled on an inconspicuous piece of parchment.

The task was simple: to defeat the dark guild that was entrenched in the Ensini Region.

This is it.

Mirajane tore up the commission form without hesitation and, along with her younger siblings, Elfman and Lisanna, prepared to set off immediately.

However, she was stopped by Makarov as soon as she reached the guild entrance.

"Mira, wait a minute."

At the door, Makarov stood holding the authorization form, his brow furrowed.

"This request is a bit suspicious."

The old man's voice carried a hint of solemnity.

"Normally, for missions like this one to defeat a dark guild, the Magic Council would usually issue a public bounty, which all legitimate guilds could accept."

"But this one specifically names Fairy Tail and demands that they complete it."

"Furthermore, the Ensini Region... I vaguely remember that place; it's incredibly remote, practically a desolate wasteland. This is the first time I've heard of a dark guild establishing a base there."

Makarov's words were full of hints, suggesting that this was likely a trap specifically set for Fairy Tail.

But Mirajane's gaze remained unwavering.

"President, I understand what you mean." Her voice was calm yet firm.

"But that's precisely why I'm even more determined to go and see for myself. If it really is a trap, then I'll smash it to Crush with my own hands. If a dark guild is indeed entrenched there, then I'll uproot it completely."

Seeing the unprecedented determination in Mirajane's eyes, Makarov knew he could no longer dissuade him.

Since failing the S-Class Exam, this girl has been growing at an astonishing rate, and now she possesses the strength and awareness to stand on her own.

"Alright." Makarov sighed and handed the order back to her. "But you must promise me you'll be careful in everything you do. If you notice anything amiss, retreat immediately, understand?"

"I understand, President."

After obtaining permission, Mirajane, along with Elfman and Lisanna, boarded a train bound for the Ensini Region.

The train sped along the tracks, and the scenery outside the window gradually changed from bustling towns to verdant plains, and finally to a monotonous, endless expanse of yellow.

The journey took two whole days, tedious and long.

Elfman and Lisanna, however, remained in high spirits. One kept muttering, "A real man should go out and gain more experience," while the other chattered excitedly about the novel snacks they had bought in town.

Mirajane, however, spent most of his time simply leaning against the window, quietly watching the desolate landscape rushing past outside, his thoughts already drifting far away.

Finally, on the morning of the third day, the train arrived at its final destination.

The moment the three stepped out of the station, a wave of heat mixed with yellow sand hit them.

What lay before me was utter desolation.

Everywhere was barren sand and weathered rocks, not a trace of green in sight, and the air was so dry it felt like it could ignite.

"Is this... the Ensini Region?" Lisanna stared at the desolate scene, her mouth agape in surprise.

"This is truly a test of a man's will!" Elfman exclaimed, seemingly full of enthusiasm.

Mirajane didn't speak, but silently released her magic to sense it.

Her brow furrowed slightly.

The magical flow around here is thin and chaotic.

Even the most powerful guilds would never choose to establish a base in a place where survival itself is a problem.

Chairman Makarov's concerns are not without merit.

Mirajane's vigilance instantly reached its peak.

Following the address marked on the order form, they headed towards a detached stone house deep in the desert.

The stone house stood alone in the yellow sand, looking extremely out of place, like a tombstone in the desert.

The closer he got, the stronger Mirajane's unease became.

Finally, when she led her younger siblings to a spot less than ten meters from the door of the stone house...

A sudden change has occurred!

A dazzling purple light burst forth from the sand beneath their feet without warning!

A massive and intricate magic circle unfolded instantly, as if it were alive, with countless mysterious runes rapidly circulating in the light, firmly enveloping Mirajane and her companions within it.

Immediately afterwards, a semi-transparent purple energy shield rose from the ground, forming a huge dome that completely isolated them from the outside world!

It's a trap!

Mirajane's reaction was incredibly fast.

The moment the magic circle lit up, she had already received the Full-Body Take Over.

"The Satan Soul!"

Dark magic erupted, Mirajane transformed into her demon form. Without hesitation, she clasped her hands together, transforming the dark magic she had gathered into a thick beam of energy, which she slammed into the energy shield above her head!

However, what happened next caused Mirajane's pupils to contract sharply.

The dark beam of light, powerful enough to easily flatten a small mountain, made no sound or stir up any ripples of energy the instant it touched the purple shield.

It was swallowed up just like that... silently.

It was as if a drop of water had merged into the ocean, leaving not a trace.

Just as Mirajane was in shock, the door of the solitary stone house slowly opened, and a group of mages dressed in identical black cloaks, exuding a chilling aura, walked out.

They walked slowly to the edge of the magic circle, observing it through the purple shield like they were watching a caged beast.

One of them looked at Mirajane, who had transformed into the Satan Soul, and clicked his tongue, his tone revealing an undisguised disappointment.

"Originally, we wanted to lure that monster 'Infinity' Jiang Bai over here and eliminate him once and for all, but who knew that it would be 'Demon' Mirajane who came instead."

At this moment, another tall, thin man spoke up, his voice hoarse and unpleasant.

"Well, it's not a big problem. Now that we've captured his companion, we can just write a letter to Fairy Tail and have Jiang Bai come alone to exchange for him, right?"

Upon hearing their conversation, Mirajane instantly understood.

This was a conspiracy against Jiang Bai from beginning to end.

Her eyes turned icy cold, and a terrifying killing intent surged from her. "Your target is Jiang Bai? Why are you targeting him?"

A short, stout man who appeared to be the leader of the group let out a grating laugh upon hearing this.

Why are you targeting them?

He took two steps forward, his eyes, hidden in the shadow of his hood, filled with a deep-seated hatred.

"That brat Jiang Bai almost wiped out half of our Dark Guild by himself! Why do you think we should target him?!"

As he spoke, the mockery on his face gradually faded, replaced by an expression that was a mixture of fear and madness.

"That's not all. The scariest thing is... that kid's strength has improved too fast! We've never seen a monster like this before!"

His voice became shrill with excitement, as if he were telling the story of something he could not understand and that terrified him the most.

"If we let him grow like this without any restraint, there will be no place for people like us in this world!"