Investigation

After hearing Allen's question, Harry replied, "Actually, just before I passed out, I sent a distress signal to my guildmates through Communication Magic, hoping they'd arrive in time to back me up. But I didn't expect I wouldn't be able to hold out until they got here before collapsing. If I hadn't been lucky enough to run into you two, by the time my companions reached this place, they'd probably have found my corpse. Still, they should be here soon."

Upon hearing this, Allen exchanged a subtle glance with Laxus beside him, then responded calmly, "In that case, let's wait here for a while until your companions arrive."

Before long, a sudden commotion arose from outside the cave, growing louder and clearer as it approached from a distance.

Harry, who had been sitting on the ground, stood up leaning against the wall, his face brimming with excitement as he exclaimed, "Haha, it must be my companions!" The moment his words fell, three men filed into the cave one after another.

These three, like Harry, were mages of a very ordinary appearance, hardly standing out even among common folk. When they caught sight of Harry's battered state, they were visibly shocked and rushed over in quick strides, urgently asking, "Harry, what happened?"

After Harry briefly recounted the whole story, the three immediately bowed deeply to Allen and Laxus without hesitation, saying with heartfelt gratitude, "We're truly grateful for your help. If you hadn't stepped up at that critical moment, our guild would have lost a good partner like Harry forever. We'll never forget this kindness. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!"

Allen and Laxus quickly stepped forward and gently helped the three up. Allen replied modestly, "Please don't be so polite. It was just a small favor. We happened to pass by here, and seeing such a situation, we couldn't just stand by. Besides, we also got some important information from Harry, so both sides gained something."

However, the three seemed intent on expressing more gratitude, but Harry quickly moved forward, raising his hand to signal them to stop. He then turned to Allen and Laxus and introduced, "Come on, let me introduce you all. This is Nal Sack, that's Josh Gilbert, and over there is Jim Ellis—they're all like brothers to me! And these two are Allen and Laxus, from the Fairy Tail guild. They came here mainly to cross Mount Hakobe."

Since the three had been too anxious when they entered to introduce themselves, after Harry's introductions, they all looked surprised that Allen and Laxus were from Fairy Tail, never expecting legendary guild members to appear before their eyes.

Allen and Laxus were used to people being surprised by their guild affiliation; it was just that their seniors had pulled off so many big feats, and no other guild had a record of causing the most destruction during missions.

After this simple introduction, Nal warmly invited Allen and Laxus to return to their guild so they could express their thanks. However, faced with Nal's enthusiasm, Allen politely declined.

Allen explained with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, but Laxus and I really can't go back with you. We have our own matters to attend to. Just make sure to safely escort Harry back to your guild. As for those mysterious figures in the mountains, leave them to us." Despite Nal and the others trying their best to persuade Allen to change his mind, they ultimately failed.

Seeing this, Harry and Nal had no choice but to stop insisting. They said sincerely to Allen and Laxus, "In that case, when you have time later, you must come to our guild! Then, please accept our warm hospitality without refusal, as a celebration of this rare acquaintance." Allen showed a hint of helplessness but eventually nodded in agreement.

After the four members of the Foxes of the Forest left the cave and their figures vanished from sight, Allen and Laxus, still standing there, both let out a long sigh. To be honest, neither of them was a social butterfly; they found such interpersonal situations somewhat uncomfortable or even troublesome. Only after spending a long time together and becoming thoroughly familiar could they truly open up.

After a brief rest and adjustment, Allen and Laxus quickly got moving, methodically packing up their gear. Once everything was ready, they left the cave, intending to investigate the origins of these Black Robed Figures.

Guided by the direction Harry had indicated, Allen and Laxus searched the mountain paths for a while. Finally, their efforts paid off as they detected traces of those mysterious Black Robed Figures.

It turned out that the group's base was cleverly hidden in a small, secluded valley, surrounded by a powerful Magic Barrier that acted like an impenetrable invisible shield. For ordinary people, even stepping into the area would reveal nothing unusual, but only mages with strong magical power could faintly sense some subtle fluctuations of energy.

At the outer perimeter of the base, several figures in black robes were patrolling vigilantly.

Allen and Laxus cautiously approached, holding their breath as they carefully observed the surroundings. Before long, Allen, with his sharp eyes, spotted a concealed entrance. He secretly sensed the patrolling Black Robed Figures and found their magical aura to be very weak. So, Allen used his magic to conceal the aura of both himself and Laxus, and then the two slipped into the base like ghosts, silent and unseen.

Once inside the base, the sight before them was astonishing—the entire space was laid out like a massive Altar! Countless Black Robed Figures were densely packed around the Altar, kneeling devoutly in worship, murmuring incantations as if reciting some ancient, mysterious spell. Their low, rhythmic voices intertwined, echoing through the air, creating an eerie yet solemn atmosphere.

Allen had already formed his own theory after hearing about this group from Harry, and the moment he saw the Altar, he confirmed it: these people were followers of Zeref—the Dark Magic Group!

One of the Black Robed Figures beside the Altar seemed to receive some instruction and suddenly shouted in the direction where Allen and Laxus were hiding, "Who's there?!"