Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master

The situation changed in an instant, without the slightest warning.

Rhodes and Mirajane never imagined that this harmless-looking old woman, who seemed to know nothing about magic, would suddenly attack.

The strike was so abrupt and fast that Mira didn't even have time to dodge.

The dark claws slashed toward her, hitting Warm, who was nestled in her arms.

The little creature was squashed flat by the impact, like a rubber ball, and sent flying backward, knocking Mira off balance.

White fur scattered through the air, then vanished into the wind.

Fortunately, Warm's hide was naturally tough. Even without transforming, he came away with nothing more than three angry red marks.

Mira spun mid-air with Warm clutched tightly to her chest. She landed on her toes, then grounded her heels, sliding to a halt. Her long white hair whipped forward, then spilled gracefully down her back.

"No!" she cried out.

Rhodes was already there. His fist stopped just short of Grandma Annie's face, the sheer force of the blow whipping her loose hair and tugging her wrinkled skin backward.

For a moment, the old woman froze, startled. Then the crimson glow in her eyes flickered, and she lunged again, thrusting her claws straight toward Rhodes's heart.

"Pah!"

Rhodes spat a compact ball of white spider silk.

It expanded midair, catching the wind, and spread into a wide net that tangled around her claws.

Mira didn't want to harm her, so they had to go for a live capture.

Four massive purple spider legs, each over two meters long, burst out from behind Rhodes. They bent and extended, snapping forward like lances.

From each tip sprayed streams of thick spider silk, shooting outward like ribbons.

Grandma Annie struggled to free her right claw from the first snare, but before she could, another strand wound tightly around her left wrist.

"??"

"You'd best behave yourself," Rhodes said coldly. His spider legs writhed and lashed out, weaving silk with practiced precision.

One by one, they bound her wrists and ankles, and then, with a sudden twist, lifted her off the ground.

She spun wildly in the air like a spindle, cocooned by interlacing strands.

In moments, she was wrapped into a thick bundle of silk, only her head and the tips of her toes sticking out.

"Hisss!!" The old woman let out a guttural, beastlike hiss, her crimson eyes glowing. But no matter how she thrashed, she couldn't muster any strength.

Curious, Mira reached out and pressed against one of Rhodes's spider legs. The stiff bristles pushed stubbornly back against her touch.

"A little prickly," she said with mild amusement.

Rhodes flexed his arachnid limbs and smirked. "Then you owe me one. Next time, let me touch your demon horns."

Mira rolled her eyes. "Next time? Don't count on it being a proper horn-touching."

Before Rhodes could reply, Warm leapt from Mira's arms and rammed into the cocoon, his attempt at revenge for the earlier claw strike.

Unfortunately, he got himself stuck in the sticky threads instead, wailing pitifully until Rhodes sighed and tugged him free.

Another tuft of white fur was left behind on the silk.

"Grandma Annie, Grandma Annie!" Mira called desperately, trying to reach her. "It's me, Mirajane! Look at me clearly!"

But the old woman only shook her head, hissing meaninglessly like a wild beast.

Rhodes frowned. "Are you sure this is Grandma Annie? Not a demon wearing her form?"

Since he'd never met her before, he could only rely on Mira's judgment.

"It's definitely her," Mira said firmly. "But… her state is a little like Elfman's when he loses control of Take Over."

Rhodes narrowed his eyes. "So she's rampaging like after a failed Take Over? But then what about before, her memory loss?"

Mira shook her head. "That might be some other magic's influence. I can't say for certain yet."

"In that case…" Rhodes exhaled slowly, weighing his remaining strength. "The best option is to calm her down first."

Rhodes had some knowledge of the different branches of magic, attack, defense, restraint, healing, reconnaissance, but when it came to calming someone by force, his methods were limited to physical restraint.

There might be something in the magic tome the Second Master had given him.

"Let me try," Mira said, lifting her hand. Soft pink bubbles floated out, drifting toward Grandma Annie like a hypnotic mist.

For a moment, the crimson glow in Grandma Annie's eyes dimmed. But almost immediately, it flared violently again.

"Take Over: Demon Lullaby!"

Mira's form shifted. Her clothes melted into a flowing brown long dress, mysterious blue-violet markings winding over her shoulders and ankles. A three-eyed demon mask appeared over her face, radiating eerie authority.

Rhodes instinctively pulled back, cradling Warm in his arms, and extended the cocoon with his spider legs to put as much distance as possible.

Mira's voice rang out, low and melodic, weaving into a haunting lullaby. The sound carried magic in every note. Slowly, Grandma Annie's eyelids drooped. Her head fell forward, and finally she slumped into deep slumber.

"When she wakes, she should regain her sanity," Mira said, releasing her Take Over Magic.

Rhodes lowered the cocoon gently, then brushed one spider leg across it. The strands lost their stickiness, unraveling like ordinary rope and falling away into the dust.

Mira's guess seemed correct. Grandma Annie's right hand hadn't returned to normal. It remained in its twisted demon form, just like Mira's own hand had once been during childhood.

Rhodes's eyes narrowed. "So this… this is what you looked like back then?"

"Yes." Mira didn't flinch, nodding softly. "We need to fix this quickly, or she'll be terrified."

She carefully carried Grandma Annie to the bed inside the room, gently probing the hidden demonic power inside her.

Meanwhile, Rhodes pulled out the magic book. After studying the pages closely, he followed the instructions and etched a magic circle onto the bed.

Mira checked his work. Satisfied, she nodded, and Rhodes lifted his hand. A sphere of golden light-element magic burst from his fingertip, striking the circle.

Warm radiance spread across Grandma Annie, washing over her from head to toe. At last, the light converged at her brow, forming a glowing orb, then slowly dissolved into the air.

The two of them compared notes on her "condition." Before long, Grandma Annie stirred awake.

Rhodes and Mira kept their guard up until they were certain she wasn't about to lose control again. Only then did they allow themselves to relax slightly.

The old woman rubbed her eyes, but something felt wrong. She looked down, and froze when she saw her hand.

"Ah! Ahhh!" A horrified scream tore from her throat.

Mira rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "It's okay, Grandma Annie. Don't be afraid." Her voice was calm, steady. She explained as gently as she could what Take Over Magic was.

Slowly, painfully, the panic subsided. Tears welled in Grandma Annie's eyes.

"I'm sorry, child… I'm so sorry."

Her voice trembled with guilt. "I didn't know… I didn't know how frightened you must have been back then…"

Even after living alone for so many years, the thought of becoming an "abnormality" was unbearable. To imagine young Mirajane, just a child, burdened with raising her younger siblings, carrying that fear alone… it broke her heart.

"If only I had known more about magic back then… if only I could have convinced everyone…"

But Mira only smiled gently. "The past is behind me. What matters is that you're safe now. And your arm will recover."

...

Stones Plzz

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