The Magic Merchant in Fairy Tail

"Natsu, Gray! Go find the two demons you defeated immediately and bring them back to the tavern! Erza, let's go back to the tavern immediately! Lucy and the others might be in danger!"

"What's wrong?" Natsu's confusion mirrored Gray's as they stopped in their tracks. "Isn't the battle over?"

Erza quickly grasped the situation. "You mean, the remaining demon will devour his three companions?"

Her conclusion made Natsu shout in shock, "How could it be?! They're companions!"

"Natsu, they're demons!" Gray snapped, pulling Natsu by the arm toward the direction where Snoyi and Ferg had been knocked away. Happy flew beside them, looking uneasy.

"Wait, Gray! I'm going to—"

Natsu's voice faded as Kira turned his focus back to Erza. Ignoring the commotion, he conjured wings of magic for himself and Erza, and the two soared into the air, heading for the tavern.

Kira's intuition proved correct. Ace, after realizing he couldn't defeat Kira and the others in his current state, had made a tactical retreat. But this wasn't a retreat born of fear—it was one of calculation.

Devouring the Sea Demon King had indeed brought Ace immense power. His physical abilities had increased significantly, and his proficiency in magic had reached new heights. However, the absolute freezing had also nearly drained the Sea Demon King's vitality before its release, leaving the strength Ace gained from devouring it incomplete.

"Absolute Freeze truly is magic left by the gods," Ace muttered as he surveyed the battlefield he'd left behind. "Its vitality-erasing property is astonishing."

Ace then set his sights on the two defeated demons, Ferg and Snoyi, both lying battered in the snow. Their expressions shifted from relief to terror as Ace approached.

"What... what are you doing, Ace?!" Ferg stammered.

Snoyi tried to back away, but his injuries made it impossible. "We're your allies! We fought for the same goal!"

Ace's grin was cold and devoid of empathy. "You misunderstand. I valued you as comrades when I needed your help. But now that your use has ended, you're nothing more than nourishment."

The two demons screamed as Ace invoked the magic of Demonic Cannibalism. Within moments, their bodies disintegrated into wisps of dark energy, absorbed into Ace's own.

Ace stretched his arms, feeling the surge of power coursing through him. "The Sea Demon's essence may have been diluted, but your energy will do for now. A pity—if only humans hadn't interfered, this could have gone so much better."

Turning his gaze toward the tavern, Ace smirked. "Time to deal with the traitor."

While Kira and Erza flew toward the tavern, Lucy, Cana, Rocky, and Elfman were locked in a desperate battle.

Thousands of snow wolves encircled the Forget-Sorrow Tavern, their howls echoing through the snowy terrain. Each of the Fairy Tail wizards held a defensive position, fighting off the relentless onslaught as best they could.

"Damn it! This never ends!" Cana shouted, her hands glowing as she activated another card. She was relying on lower-cost spells now, conserving her energy as the wolves showed no sign of letting up.

On the other side, Lucy had summoned Taurus. The muscular Celestial Spirit swung his massive axe with determination, cutting through the wolves as they lunged.

"Miss Lucy, I won't let you down!" Taurus bellowed.

"Keep it up, Taurus!" Lucy called from behind him. She stayed close to the tavern wall, trying to avoid direct attacks while shouting encouragement.

Meanwhile, Elfman, still recovering from his earlier injuries, fought valiantly with his Beast King's Wrist spell. Despite his condition, he knocked wolves aside with sheer determination.

"I swear on my honor as a man, I won't let you wolves through!" Elfman roared, though his movements were visibly slowing.

Rocky, for his part, was faring the worst. Using a ring imbued with Kira's magic, he fired beams of light into the wolf pack, taking out rows of them at a time. But the toll on his body was evident—his magic reserves were nearly depleted, and he was running on fumes.

"If this keeps up..." Rocky muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "We won't last much longer."

Unbeknownst to the group, the wolves' relentless attacks weren't random. They were guided by Ace's Beast Control magic. Each wolf carried a trace of his magic power, making them extensions of his will.

From a distance, Ace watched the battle with a cruel smile. "Perfect. While they're occupied, I'll retrieve the traitor."

Far from the tavern, Winter found herself alone in the aftermath of the battle. Kira had left her behind, flying off with Erza, and she was forced to navigate the base's treacherous terrain on foot.

"Damn him," Winter muttered, jumping down a set of crumbling stairs. "Leaving me here like this—he totally did it on purpose!"

As she descended, the ground beneath her feet suddenly began to crack.

"What the—"

With a deafening rumble, the staircase collapsed, revealing a massive abyss below. Winter screamed as she tumbled downward, landing hard on a ledge.

"Ouch..." she groaned, rubbing her head. When she looked up, her eyes widened in shock.

Before her stood a hidden chamber, its walls covered in ancient runes. At the center of the room lay a large, glowing crystal—inside it was a swirling mass of dark energy.

"This... this must be the source of the demons' power!" Winter realized.

Back at the tavern, the wolves began to retreat.

Cana, panting heavily, leaned against the wall. "What's going on? Why are they pulling back?"

Lucy frowned. "Maybe they're regrouping for another attack?"

Before anyone could answer, a rush of wind signaled the arrival of Kira and Erza.

"Is everyone okay?!" Erza called out, landing gracefully in her flying armor.

"Kira!" Rocky shouted, relief evident in his voice. "You're just in time. The wolves suddenly pulled back, but they'll be back any second."

Kira frowned, scanning the battlefield. "No... they're not coming back. Ace must have moved on to his next target."

"Winter..." Erza muttered, realization dawning on her.

Without another word, Kira and Erza took to the skies again, heading back toward the base where they had left Winter.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Go to my Patreon Account to read up to 30 Advance Chapters

patreon.com/Izanami_no_Mikoto