Chapter 725: If Nothing Unexpected Happens
Crime Sorcière was unlike any other guild.
They were not a Dark Guild that committed crimes for profit, nor were they a legitimate guild recognized by the Magic Council or the Guild Alliance. Instead, they were an "independent" guild with a radical mission: to wipe out every trace of darkness and evil in the world.
For Ultear and Meldy, that mission was not just about justice, it was about atonement. The sins they carried could never be fully erased, but by dedicating themselves to the destruction of Dark Guilds, Black Magic cults, and even Zeref himself, they sought redemption.
Their journey was endless, and their vow absolute. They were even willing to die for it. Yet until their sins were repaid, they had to value their own lives, because living was the only way to continue that atonement.
From the moment Crime Sorcière was declared, Ultear and Meldy had thrown themselves into the work. In only one week, the two of them had already destroyed six Dark Guilds.
But no matter what name they gave themselves, in the eyes of the Magic Council they were still a Dark Guild.
After all, both women had been members of Grimoire Heart’s Seven Kin of Purgatory. Ultear had even infiltrated the Council itself, giving her access to countless secrets about the world of magic.
With those past sins hanging over them, they would inevitably face danger. Neither the Council and legal guilds nor the underworld of Dark Guilds could allow them to act freely for long. Sooner or later, they would be hunted by both sides, light and dark alike.
Mira frowned as she lowered the paper. "It’s dangerous. No matter how strong they are, they’ll be walking a razor’s edge."
Rhodes leaned back in the carriage seat, thoughtful. "Ultear understands that. She’s always been clever, cleverer than most. If she chose this path, it’s because she’s ready to carry the risk."
He paused. Ultear had never been a simple woman. Once she’d been blinded by her grief and desires, but now... perhaps she was finally seeking the light.
Rhodes wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. But if Gray ever learned of Ultear’s decision, he would likely be glad.
The journey south stretched on. In just one day, Rhodes and Mira traveled from the end of winter into the warmth of early summer. Heavy coats were packed away, and the two now wore light single layers, enjoying the change in season.
That morning, the coachman had told them that if nothing went wrong, they would reach Antilena before noon.
But something did go wrong.
Boom—!
A muffled explosion rolled across the landscape, shaking the carriage to a stop.
Mira poked her head out of the window. "What’s happening?"
The coachman’s hands trembled on the reins. "This stretch of road is infamous for bandits, though I’d heard they’d been wiped out recently. That’s why I risked taking it. But that sound... there must be another battle ahead."
Rhodes narrowed his eyes. "A new group fighting for territory, maybe?"
He was already out of the carriage before finishing the thought, Mira following right after. They climbed to a higher ridge for a better view.
At the same time, Rhodes released a Crab, which scuttled ahead and transmitted a clear view of the battlefield below.
From the cliff, the scene came into focus. More than twenty men in tattered gray uniforms, dressed like broken-down soldiers, lay groaning or unconscious across the ground. Among them, two girls were still standing and fighting.
The first had a wild mane of curly green hair and an explosive figure wrapped in a skin-tight bodysuit patterned like spiderwebs. Thin threads shot endlessly from her hands, binding her opponents like prey caught in a trap.
The second was her complete opposite. A girl with long reddish-brown hair braided into two tails, freckles dotting her cheeks, and dressed in practical overalls. She was petite, her build not far off from Wendy’s, but her magic was anything but ordinary.
From her hands blasted... carrots. Bright orange projectiles launched like missiles, exploding with surprising force wherever they struck.
Rhodes blinked at the scene through the Crab’s eyes, then at the gaping pit nearby and the scattered carrots still rolling across the dirt. So that was the explosion earlier.
One side: two strange but formidable female mages. The other: a ragged "military" unit in ruins.
From an outsider’s perspective, it was impossible to tell which group was supposed to be the villains.
The clash below grew more intense.
The soldiers equipment was a chaotic mix, some carried crude swords or battered rifles, while others clutched magic staffs that glowed faintly. From behind the hillside, more men in ragged uniforms poured out, swelling the ranks until the battlefield seethed with noise and motion.
The two female mages fought in the thick of it, weaving between explosions of steel and magic. Threads of glimmering silk shot out like whips, binding weapons and bodies alike. Carrot-shaped blasts detonated with surprising force, scattering the enemy ranks.
Then, another figure burst onto the scene. A short, full-bodied girl with jet-black hair sprinted along the cliffside. She leapt down with the force of a cannonball, flattening a staff-wielding officer who looked to be commanding the mob.
Blades flashed at her side. In that instant, her plump form elongated and shifted into a tall, elegant frame. Swords swung through empty air, narrowly missing, before she pivoted and lashed out with a powerful kick, sending another opponent tumbling.
The battlefield dissolved into chaos.
High above, Rhodes described the situation while floating alongside Mira, who had risen into the air with him. His Crab continued relaying images, but from this vantage point they could see everything clearly.
"It looks like a subjugation mission," Mira murmured. "Do you see their guild marks?"
Rhodes narrowed his eyes. "There, on her skirt. That symbol belongs to Mermaid Heel."
Mira’s surprise melted into understanding. "So it’s them. Considering we’re almost at Antilena, it makes sense. Maybe we’ll even travel together later."
The two remained in the sky, quietly observing without moving to intervene.
Among mages, this was the unspoken rule: even comrades from the same guild wouldn’t intrude on each other’s jobs without permission. Between different guilds, such interference could easily be mistaken as stealing work, and that kind of offense was never taken lightly.
"That uniform," Rhodes muttered, frowning as he studied the tattered gray coats below. "I’ve seen it in the papers recently. If I’m right... that’s the Petryula Bandit Gang."
Mira’s eyes widened. "The ones from Joya?"
Rhodes nodded.
The Kingdom of Joya lay southeast of Shamrock Bay, across the sea from Bosco and not far from Fiore. It was a poor land, plagued by endless waves of banditry. Among the many gangs, the Petryula Bandits were infamous, three thousand strong at their peak, armed with a terrifying number of magic tools.
The royal army of Joya had tried again and again to crush them, but the gang’s leader, Petryula, only grew stronger, absorbing smaller factions until he was bold enough to rebel outright and declare himself king.
Though the rebellion was eventually quelled, the kingdom was left weakened and weary. And Petryula himself escaped, leading his surviving forces across the border into Bosco.
Bosco’s army proved fiercer than Joya’s. After several encirclements, the so-called king was reduced to a ragged remnant. Hounded and broken, they slipped into Fiore, burning and looting wherever they went.
Rhodes clicked his tongue. "If it weren’t for all the bloodshed, I’d almost think we were watching the start of some kind of peasant revolution."
Mira’s brow furrowed, her voice worried. "If those men really are Petryula’s band, doesn’t that put those three girls in serious danger?"
Rhodes shrugged, his tone casual but his gaze sharp as ever. "Maybe once. But now? This is just a remnant force. Seventy or eighty thugs against three trained mages from Mermaid Heel... they’ll manage."