Happy returned to the guild in tears, utterly humiliated—but thankfully intact. Once he recounted his ordeal, however, instead of receiving sympathy, he was mercilessly teased by Natsu.
Enraged, Happy unleashed a flurry of tiny cat punches on Natsu, who quickly apologized and vowed revenge against Jehfrit—though for now, he remained trapped inside the barrier.
This left both Natsu and Gajeel increasingly restless. While Natsu wasn't worried about their friends' safety—he trusted Laxus and especially Jehfrit's limits (after all, Happy had only been pranked, not harmed)—he couldn't stand watching from the sidelines as others fought while he could do nothing. His impulsive nature made this unbearable.
Gajeel, on the other hand, was deeply concerned about those who'd been petrified, particularly Levy. Though he didn't harbor romantic feelings for her yet, she clearly held more weight in his mind than others like Erza, Mira, Lucy, or Cana. Unlike Natsu, Gajeel didn't share the same level of trust in Jehfrit or Laxus.
Just then—
The barrier updated with new information:
[Elfman vs. Fried]
"Damn it!" Both Makarov and Natsu tensed at the sight of this matchup. Fried wasn't someone to be taken lightly!
---
Meanwhile, in the eastern part of Magnolia, Gray and Mira were rushing toward Elfman's location after receiving an urgent telepathic message from Warren.
"It's bad news—Elfman is up against Fried! Master wants you two to hurry and support him!"
Mira felt her heart tighten. The pair immediately set off following Warren's directions.
*BZZT*
Suddenly, a magical circle appeared beneath Gray's feet.
"No good!"
Reacting swiftly, Gray shoved Mira out of harm's way just before a barrier enclosed him.
"Gray!" Mira cried out in alarm.
"Miss Mira, go ahead without me! I'll find a way out!" Gray shouted back.
"Be careful!" Mira nodded, wasting no time as she continued onward.
Outside town—
Fried, clad in red attire with striking green hair, stood ready. One of his eyes had transformed into a demonic form—pitch-black sclera and glowing purple irises. He wielded a longsword that sliced through the air, leaving behind runes rather than physical wounds.
"What is this?!" Elfman exclaimed, confused.
"That's enough, Elfman. Stay down—you've already lost," Fried declared coldly.
"I haven't! I can still fight!" Elfman panted heavily, despite having failed to land even a single blow on Fried during their earlier exchanges. Each time Fried knocked him down, Elfman rose again, fueled by sheer willpower and resilience.
"Enough," Fried said sternly, averting his gaze from Elfman's battered body. "Keep fighting, and you'll endure something far worse than death."
Though Fried had shared drinks with Elfman during last year's Harvest Festival, his loyalty to Laxus came first. Nothing—and no one—would stand in Laxus's way.
"Fried, Laxus is wrong!" Elfman roared, raising his arm defiantly.
"Very well…" Fried sighed, swinging his sword once more. "Pain!"
"AHHHHH!!!"
Elfman screamed in agony, collapsing under the torment inflicted by Fried's magic.
"Fear—"
"Elfman, stay down. When you wake up, this will all be over."
"AHHHHH!!!"
Elfman writhed in anguish, his face contorted with terror and despair. Through blurred vision, he saw a familiar figure running toward him. Reaching out desperately, he called out in a broken voice:
"Sister…"
"ELFMAN!!!!"
Mira froze, her heart shattering as she watched her younger brother stretch out his hand—the very image of Lisanna reaching for her years ago replayed vividly in her mind.
"NOOOOOO!!!"
With a blood-curdling scream, Mira's emotional barriers crumbled. A surge of overwhelming magical energy erupted from her, shaking the entire town.
*BOOM*
Inside the guild hall, the update flashed across the barrier:
[Mira vs. Fried]
"This is Miss Mira's magic… It's insane!" Natsu exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"But it feels kind of like Jehfrit's magic too," Happy noted.
"That's because Mira absorbed a demon's powers, while Jehfrit is practically a demon himself," Natsu reasoned.
Both Gajeel and Happy nodded in agreement.
Makarov's expression grew grim.
Moments later—
[Mira – Victory]
"What? That's it? She won already?" Natsu blinked in disbelief.
In the next instant, the barrier trapping the guild shattered.
*WHOOSH*
A pillar of flames shot skyward.
"I'm burning up!"
"Levy…" Gajeel muttered under his breath before sprinting out of the guild.
---
Outside town—
Mira had transformed into her Demon Queen persona, towering over the gravely injured Fried with an air of unrelenting dominance.
Cold sweat dripped from Fried's brow. No wonder she ranked among Fairy Tail's elite S-Class mages alongside Laxus—this was sheer, overwhelming power.
*BZZT*
In the distance, a magical array dissipated, freeing Erza from her petrified state.
*THUD*
Erza stepped forward, her icy gaze softening into shock upon seeing Mira's demonic form.
"Mira… You…"
"You go save everyone else. I'm going to beat the living daylights out of someone," Mira said icily.
"All right." Erza nodded, silently pitying whoever crossed Mira's path today.
"Elfman's in your hands, Reedus," Mira instructed the fallen mage nearby.
"No problem," Reedus replied. Though he lacked Elfman's strength and endurance, his injuries weren't severe enough to hinder carrying Elfman back safely.
*WHOOSH*
With a powerful flap of her wings, Mira soared into the sky.
---
Elsewhere—
A short while earlier…
Gray, trapped within the barrier, was contemplating escape when a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Oh? Isn't that Gray?"
Jehfrit strolled past casually, sipping a drink in one hand and munching on snacks in the other.
"Jehfrit…" Gray groaned inwardly. Dealing with this mischievous troublemaker was infinitely less appealing than facing Laxus head-on—even if defeat awaited him there.
*SPLASH*
Before Gray could react further, the barrier dissolved, releasing him.
"No need to thank me," Jehfrit quipped, retracting Hani.
"You're guarding a magical array too, aren't you?" Gray asked pointedly.
"Of course."
"Who's inside?"
"Juvia and…" Jehfrit paused, glancing toward a specific direction. "…Lucy."
"JEHFRRRIIIIITTTT!!!"
A roar accompanied by scorching heat surged toward them.