After a farce-like interlude, the group continued their journey.
Before long, a village appeared before them.
"What's this? Such a large village, yet there's not a single person around."
Gray looked left and right; the houses were neatly lined up, and clothes hanging by the street swayed in the wind. Everything seed so ordinary, yet every detail felt unusual.
"I have a feeling... it's a very quiet village." Lucy hugged Happy tightly, her body trembling slightly.
"It's not quiet; it's that this village... is empty to begin with." Ron frowned slightly. "There's no presence of people here."
"It seems sothing has happened."
Erza's expression was serious. With a wave of her elegant hand, she said, "Everyone, split up and search the village to see what you find. Stay alert."
Then, the group scattered.
In the village's central square, Erza and Makarov happened to et Ron at the sa ti.
Makarov looked at Ron's heterochromatic blue and gold eyes. "Ron, did your eyes discover anything?"
"These cracks... are part of a magic circle's patterns."
Ron tapped the ground with his foot; the cracks extended all the way to the end of the village.
"Judging by the effect, this should be a massive sealing-type magic circle. Its specific function is... absorption!"
He looked up, his gaze sweeping across the surrounding empty houses.
"In other words, everyone in this village has already been swallowed by it."
'This should be the village from the original story.'
Ron thought to himself that the Dark Guild stationed here in the original story was devoured and absorbed by the monster created by this magic circle once it succeeded.
Just then, a sound ca from deep within the village, sounding like the roar of a beast.
"Old man, Erza, Ron..."
Natsu waved from a distance and ran over with Gray, Lucy, and Happy.
"This is?"
An eerie red light began to emanate from the cracks in the ground beneath their feet!
The surrounding houses began to distort in the red light. The entire village seed to co alive, starting to deform and squirm!
"What's going on?!" Lucy was startled by the village's sudden change.
"Old man..."
Ron looked down at Makarov, asking for his opinion.
Makarov's expression darkened slightly. Watching the surging red light and the twisting houses, he said in a deep voice.
"Destroy it!"
...The Magic Council, also known as Era.
Consisting of a chairman and nine Councilors, it is primarily responsible for maintaining order in the magical world, such as monitoring various Wizard guilds, punishing guilds that violate regulations, and hunting down Dark Guilds.
In a special space within the Council, the figures of nine Councilors floated above a massive magic circle, discussing the aftermath of the Eisenwald incident.
"Although Eisenwald has been destroyed, they were only a force under Oración Seis. The fundantal problem remains unsolved."
"Dark Guilds are as nurous as the hairs on an ox..."
"In that case, let's launch a purge operation against them."
"A purge? Easier said than done."
Jura, the second seat of the Council, sneered. In his hand was the re-sealed Lullaby, which now had cracks.
"If Zeref's magic is stolen and used again like this ti, I won't be able to stand it."
"Who among you can guarantee we'll be this lucky next ti?"
Yajima, the sixth seat, frowned. "In the end, why was such an important item stolen so easily by the people of Eisenwald?"
"It's truly... too strange."
"Shouldn't the issue of responsibility fall on the managent?" said Michello, the third seat.
The air instantly grew colder. Just as the atmosphere beca tense, a voice spoke up.
"Speaking of which." Siegrain—Jellal's Thought Projection—crossed his arms, looking composed. "That Fairy Tail, which always causes headaches, did indeed save our lives this ti."
"If they hadn't uprooted Eisenwald in ti, who knows what the situation would be now."
"Siegrain, what do you an?!" a Councilor asked sharply.
Ultear, standing beside Siegrain, chuckled.
"Just four or five people destroyed an entire Dark Guild. Truly impressive."
"Especially that Heterochromatic Ron..."
Siegrain took over, his tone aningful. "I heard he can even copy Zeref's magic. That's not sothing an ordinary person can do."
"Enough! What exactly are you two trying to say? Do you want to praise those kings of destruction to the skies?!"
"No, no, no, I'm just stating a fact."
Siegrain shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Although none of you want to admit it, it's a fact—if Lullaby had really killed those guild masters, the situation would be at its worst."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over every Councilor present.
"When that ti cos, how many of you here would be dismissed from your posts?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?! Are you trying to elevate the issue of responsibility to this level?!"
"Whose side are you on, anyway?! Are you trying to pin the bla on us?!"
"There's no room for discussion. We're equally troubled by those fellows who act recklessly without restraint."
Ultear laughed softly. "Don't be angry, everyone. Although Fairy Tail went a bit overboard again this ti, at least they put out the fire, didn't they?"
"In any case." Siegrain chuckled. "Let's face this matter and comnd them."
"Comnd them?"
Jura snorted, thinking of the losses at Kunugi Station and Clover Town.
"Fortunately, there were no casualties this ti; otherwise, it wouldn't be sothing that could be settled easily."
Other Councilors also began to speak.
"Complaints against Fairy Tail have been increasing over the years. If we don't find a way to stop them, they might beco as troubleso as a Dark Guild in the future!"
"Yes, and that Ron, who can even copy Zeref's magic. If he isn't warned, he might beco the next cruel and evil Black Wizard like Zeref."
"We should still send soone to Fairy Tail, at least to give them a warning!!!"
"..."
The eting shifted from discussing the impact of the Eisenwald incident to how to warn Fairy Tail and hold them responsible for the impact caused by this event.
In short... the Council was not at fault in this incident and could not take the bla.
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