Chapter 9: The unnatural composure and bad gut feeling
Chapter 9: The unnatural composure and bad gut feeling
Phantom Lord will only come in when Fairy Tail has failed?
Looking at the 30+ group and the sneering grin on Mogria’s face, Noah, Erza, and Laxus instantly understood what they meant.
It’s quite clear the they don’t believe Fairy Tail can do it with just 3 magicians whereas it would normally take a few tens of magicians!
On the face of it they seem to be looking out for Fairy Tail but underneath that facade they are actually here to observe and probably laugh at them when they fail!
“What’s the matter… brats of Fairy Tail?”
Lifting the corner of his lip he verbally poked at them.
“We’re just here to clean up the mess, it’s not bothering you from doing your job no?”
Welp, there goes Laxus’ excuse to beat the shit out of them. Erza also relaxed her guard somewhat on the side whereas she was throwing them a frosty glare before.
“Brother Laxus!”
Shouted Noah suddenly.
“I heard that the reward’s 3mil J this time, if that were to be split into a few dozen portion that has got to be very low isn’t it…”
Erza and Laxus realized his intent.
That’s right, the reward is only 3mil J, it’s pretty big but if one were to spread it over many people then it’s going to lessen. Because of this inherent characteristic the quest isn’t very popular among the guilds.
So why would such an unpopular request that guilds normally wish someone else took it made phantom lord organize such a group? And they say they’re not here to interfere?
The truth is probably the reverse, they’re here to interfere or somehow sabotage them from finishing their request!
“On the other hand, Fairy Tail only sent 3 people out this time, it’s gonna rain money when we finish this so let’s do this with maximum effort…”
“3 people? complete this?”
And the peanut gallery, Phantom Lord and mooks did their job, even Mogria looks like he’s trying to avoid bursting out laughing at his silly notions.
“By all means please let us help out so that we may learn something from this endeavour!”
“Hahahaha!”
There’re ridicule, sneering and sarcastic laughs mixed in.
Against this charade, never mind Laxus who’s growing more and more furious by the seconds even the normally cool Erza can’t help seething with anger.
Noah didn’t give them the day of light and just remained as he did throughout being all poise, he turned to the middle age man who can’t seem to find the chance to interrupt.
“It’s high time you lead the way is it not?”
“Oh..oh yea…”
Still shellshock from Laxus’ behaviour before, the pale guy nodded and walked a bit staggered towards a direction.
Shrugging, he quickly followed with Erza in tow. Laxus looked at Noah’s back and then the group of disposable mooks before walking away.
The phantom lord group exchanged glances and followed them while still laughing their ass off with a jolly mood.
Nobody noticed that Mogria has lost his smug grin when he saw the back of that small figure.
He can’t quite say it but somehow he feels a bad foreboding feeling.
….
Under the middle aged man’s guidance the group made their way through the centre of the place while encountering the gossip and pointing of the citizens.
Normally one would expect the population concentration to raise the closer one gets to the centre of town and yet this town is just the opposite, the population concentration decreases as one makes their way closer to the centre of the town.
It’s understandable though since the centre of this town is the holy ground of the magic council, the lake of rituals.
To the council, this lake is their faith, naturally it’s off limits to general public.
Would the council let just anyone enter their holy ground?
Maybe it’s because they were informed or because of the middle aged man’s presence but en route many armed patrols didn’t make any attempt to stop them even when they noticed the guild insignia on them.
And thus they walked through streets and various building, after some good 15 minutes or so they finally saw a change of scenery, not the same old streets and building it’s like they just walked into some natural park or something, that’s because there’s a lot of flora no matter where one looks.
It didn’t take long before they see a clear lake spreading out in front of them with diameter over 100 meters.
An astute person would notice that under the lake, a stone bridge is built with such precision that the bridge’s surface is at par with the water surface. The bridge connected the shore to a place in the middle of the lake.
There a pavilion stands.
In it is a spheric stone platform with a crystal ball placed upon it.
The middle age men led them over the bridge and into the pavilion and finally the platform.
He timidly looked at Laxus before quickly lowering his head.
“This is the ritual platform, if one were to pour in the requisite amount of magic power then the lake of ritual would be activated!”
After they heard him they turned their attention to the platform.
“That is to say…”
Noah spoke out.
“If one were to insert enough magic power the lake would be activated and then would shine. At the point our mission is complete, is that correct?”
“Ye.. yes…”
“Well then everyone from Fairy Tail let’s see what you guys are made of!”
Although he has a bad feeling but he chose to toss the thought aside as he took a jab at the trio.
“Let us see, what is the basis upon which 3 brats could finish the job that tens of magicians can barely do!”
“Damn straight! Come on!”
said the soon to be irrelevant mooks.
Noah lifted his head. Inside his deep eyes, clear flashes of brilliance streamed forth.