Lullaby's True Form

Ed did not take long to catch up to the magic-powered vehicle. Looking at the empty vehicle stopped in place, he felt a headache coming on.

"Tch... He actually took a turn and abandoned the vehicle to escape. He probably won't follow the tracks either. He uses Shadow Magic, right? Did he use shadows as ropes to get down into the canyon?" Looking down at the canyon below, Ed thought for a moment before returning directly to Erza and the others.

"Did you catch him?" Seeing Ed return, Erza eagerly tossed aside the half-dead Erigor in her hands and asked anxiously.

"No. He abandoned the vehicle after driving only a short distance. There's no telling where he ran, so I came back to take all of you with me first. Since their target is the guild masters, they probably won't give up easily. Let's go straight to Rokuba Town and find the old man!" Ed shook his head and explained his plan.

After thinking it over, Erza agreed with Ed. "Let's go. Waiting for the rabbit by the tree over there is better than blindly searching all over this canyon." With Ed's help, they quickly escaped the Magic Wind Wall and headed for Rokuba Town, bringing Erigor along with them.

Near evening, they finally reached Rokuba Town by following the railway tracks. Looking at the town before them, Lucy panted and said, "Finally... finally here... That was exhausting..." "You need more training, Lucy," Natsu said flatly from the side. "Let's go. We should meet the guild masters first." Erza took the lead and guided everyone toward the site of the regular meeting.

Looking at the tall building before them, Ed stopped. "This is it. Tch... Honestly, I really don't want to go in..." "Me neither..." Erza also looked troubled. Seeing this, Lucy hurriedly asked, "Wh... what's wrong? Is there some problem? Will we be punished for entering without an invitation?" Lucy was starting to panic.

"Not that. Sigh... Forget it, it'll be the same sooner or later. Let's go in." Ed sighed and pushed open the door. Lucy and the others had no choice but to follow him inside. In the hall, a group of middle-aged and elderly wizards had been chatting among themselves. When they saw them enter, they stopped talking and looked at Ed's group.

"Hmm? Ed? Erza? And you lot? What are you doing here?" Makarov walked out from the crowd and asked the unexpectedly arriving group in confusion. "Wait... Don't tell me you came here to tell me you've already destroyed a city? Huh? Who's this?" Makarov's face suddenly turned pale, as though he had seen something terrifying.

"Don't worry, we didn't destroy a city. At most, it was one train and one station. Nothing major." Ed took over and began explaining the situation to Makarov.

"What do you mean, nothing major?! Can't you just... What did you say? Erigor, the master of Iron Forest? That Reaper? Lullaby? That black magic left behind by Zeref?" After hearing Ed's explanation, Makarov understood the gravity of the situation and began considering a response.

Suddenly, a deliberately affected voice reached Ed's ears. "Isn't this little Ed? Little Erza is here too. You've both grown so much. So adorable."

Ed and Erza shuddered all over when they heard the voice. Lucy turned to look and saw a plump, flamboyant older man with thick pale makeup on his face and exaggerated blush on his cheeks. He spoke with his fingers daintily raised, dressed in a tank top and loose shorts. Lucy was completely stunned by the sight.

"Ah... Guild Master Bob... You're here too..." From Ed's response, Lucy learned that this was Bob, the master of Blue Pegasus, and was shocked. "Blue Pegasus, the guild full of handsome men, has this person as its master?"

After they finished explaining Iron Forest's situation, the guild masters discussed it among themselves.

Then Makarov came over and said to them, "You came along the railway tracks. If that Kageyama came from the canyon beneath the tracks, he could only get here by crossing that small hill. Why don't you go take a look over there? Judging by the time, he should be arriving soon. Also, notify the Magic Council. I remember there should be Fiore troops stationed nearby. Have the Magic Council coordinate with them and get them to help search."

"Yes, Guild Master!" Ed and the others answered.

After immense hardship, climbing mountains and crossing rivers, Kageyama finally reached the small hill beside Rokuba Town. Looking down at the regular meeting hall below, he took out a strange flute and panted, "A little farther forward, and the distance should be about right. With this Lullaby, I'll send all of you to hell, Light Guild!"

"I don't think you'll be getting any farther." The voice from behind startled Kageyama. He turned around to see Ed leaning against a tree and waving at him.

Kageyama immediately prepared to flee forward, but another voice from ahead froze him in place. "If I were you, I'd stay right where I was." Erza sat in front of Kageyama, a longsword planted before her. Both her hands rested on its hilt as she stared him down.

Seeing Natsu, Gray, and Lucy surrounding him, Kageyama sighed in despair and raised his hands in surrender. "I give up..."

Just as Ed and the others were about to step forward and apprehend him, a nauseating magic power suddenly radiated from the flute in Kageyama's hand. Along with it came a shrill voice. "What a useless fool. I still have to do it myself. What trash!"

"Not good! Everyone, scatter immediately!" Ed gave the order at once. Massive storm clouds gathered in the sky, and an enormous magic circle appeared. Lullaby's flute also emitted an intense purple light. When the glow faded, a huge body formed from dead wood rose from the ground.

Three hollow eye sockets were embedded in its savage, twisted skull, flickering with ominous dark-red light. Rough bark covered its jagged skeleton, while withered branches stretched from its joints like claws. Its entire form radiated an aura of decay and death.

"So this is Lullaby's true form..." Ed muttered as he looked at the enormous figure before him.

"I'll devour all your souls!" Lullaby roared. "Who should I start with?"

Lullaby bent down to look at Ed and the others. Then, the massive Lullaby suddenly raised its head toward another direction. It opened its mouth, and a huge magic circle appeared as it began charging power. Looking in the direction Lullaby faced, Ed could vaguely make out several flags.

"Not good, that's Fiore's army!" Without time to think, Ed sent magic power rushing into his limbs and activated Monster Strength, leaping into the air.

Before Lullaby could release its attack, a heavy blow struck its chin. Because of Ed's strike, the powerful magic cannon did not directly hit the distant army. Instead, it grazed a raised flag, reducing it to dust, before blasting into a nearby small mountain.

As a dazzling pillar of light erupted, the immense shockwave and sound of the explosion swept over them. Once the shockwave passed, that small mountain had completely vanished.

"What a terrifying bastard. Looks like I can finally go all out~" Ed gestured for everyone to retreat a little, then raised his right hand. The Fairy emblem on the back of his hand shone with golden light. "This is the first time I've unleashed all the magic power I've stored up for so long. Don't be too fragile, Lullaby! Sage Mode! Activate!"