The sun hung perfectly in the sky, and the breeze was just right—not too dry, not too strong. The sea smelled faintly of salt, gentle and pleasant.
On the endless waters, the guild ship Monster Tail floated serenely, seemingly calm.
On the rear deck, a blonde beauty wearing gold-rimmed glasses meticulously dried clothes with practiced movements.
She was Kalifa—one of the elite operatives of the World Government's CP9!
This time, she had been assigned by the Five Elders to go undercover within Fairy Tail.
Nearly a month had passed since she arrived.
A month ago…
Sugisawa Yuuto had left for South Blue on a personal errand.
Her evaluation for guild membership had been put on hold.
In the meantime, Kalifa, not yet an official Fairy Tail member, had been handling odd jobs aboard the ship for weeks—laundry, sweeping, tidying… every mundane task. Her diligence earned the admiration of the Fairy Tail girls, though Kalifa herself found it tedious.
Everything she did served her undercover mission.
And yet, in all that time, she had gained little from direct interaction with the president. She had only met Sugisawa Yuuto briefly on the first day.
Instead, she had spent the month observing the other guild members in secret, collecting valuable intelligence: their preferences, habits, and how Fairy Tail operated day-to-day. She had mastered all this basic information.
But the core objective—the mysterious abilities of Fairy Tail that the Five Elders wanted her to investigate—remained elusive.
During excursions with the guild girls, she had even tried to probe for their powers, coaxing information from Vivi herself. But Nami had interrupted, insisting that the secrets would only reveal themselves once Kalifa officially joined.
It wasn't distrust—it was a deliberate game, a test.
"Fairy Tail… this so-called guild, hiding so many secrets," Kalifa thought firmly. "Looks like I'll have to prepare for a long and drawn-out war."
The next moment, she frowned and looked up.
Boom!
A shell exploded on the water several hundred meters from the Monster Tail.
Kalifa's pupils contracted sharply. Squinting into the distance, she saw a black silhouette approaching from the horizon.
It was a super fleet, a coalition of pirate crews moving together!
"The rumors… they were true. The pirates have actually united!" Kalifa's face went pale.
The memory of an old rumor returned to her mind—after the Sky Island incident and before Enies Lobby. Following the events at Golden Town and the Golden Clock Tower, pirates had long wanted to unite against Fairy Tail.
After Sugisawa Yuuto rose to become the Fifth Emperor of the Sea, Kalifa had assumed such a union would never occur again. But now… it was happening, and at the perfect time.
Sugisawa Yuuto had been missing for nearly a month. Both Erza's and Wendy's teams were on separate missions. On the ship, only Mirajane and Perona remained—two "back-office" personnel.
In other words, Kalifa was the most capable one aboard. If she performed well, she might finally earn her place in Fairy Tail—and gain access to its inner secrets.
For a moment, she allowed herself the thought.
Then she shook her head. No. If it was just one ship, she could handle it. But…
A cursory glance revealed dozens of pirate ships, their flags snapping in the wind.
Even a CP9 super-agent with over six hundred abilities was no match for the Pirate United Fleet. With the main Fairy Tail members away, avoidance was the only option… at least for now.
Kalifa returned to the guild cabin and quickly explained the situation to Mirajane and Perona.
"Nani?! A pirate fleet targeting us? Don't they know who the president is?!" Perona exclaimed repeatedly, panicked.
By contrast, Mirajane remained calm. Sugisawa Yuuto had warned them of this possibility after the Sky Island events.
"Miss Mira, can't the ship fly? We should escape before the pirate siege network forms—they may have powers that restrict flying!" Kalifa said gravely.
"Escape? Why escape?" Mira asked with a gentle smile.
"…"
Why run when confrontation was the natural path?
"The president said Fairy Tail doesn't start trouble, but it never shies from it either. The enemy attacks first—we give them a head-on response!"
For the first time, the gentle and composed Mirajane radiated sheer Haki-like presence.
"And if these villains can be eliminated, the seas will be a little safer!"
"Right! Even if the president and the others aren't here, Sister Mira is still here!" Perona cheered.
Crazy… absolutely crazy. The two back-office women were preparing to face the pirate fleet head-on.
The gap closed rapidly. Shells screamed through the sky, threatening to hit the Monster Tail.
Kalifa gritted her teeth and sprang into action. For her undercover mission, she would give her all. She would block the shells, minimize damage, and prove her worth. If Mira saw the disparity, she would activate flight mode and escape.
But what Kalifa saw next shattered all her expectations.
The feared damage never came.
The overwhelming barrage of shells fell upon the Monster Tail—but they bounced harmlessly off a shimmering green defense net surrounding the ship.
"What… what is this…?"
Before she could process the magic, something more shocking occurred. The bow of the ship shifted. A massive barrel emerged.
Magic Cluster Cannon – Launch from Jupiter!
Whoosh! Boom!
Under Mirajane's control, the cannon fired. A beam brighter than the sun struck the pirate fleet.
Boom!
A dozen pirate crews evaporated instantly—boats, crews, everything obliterated in a terrifying explosion.
"Wha… what power… is that… Pluton?!" Kalifa gasped, frozen in disbelief.
She had spent years undercover in the Water Capital, investigating Pluton's design. But after witnessing the Jupiter Cannon, even Pluton's legendary firepower seemed tame.
The cannon fired two more times, leaving dozens of pirate groups obliterated. The barrel now entered cooldown, though the deterrent effect was absolute.
The Hundred Regiments Alliance, intent on taking the Monster Tail, now panicked.
"Impossible! One cannon… wiped out over a dozen ships!"
"An Ancient Weapon?!"
"Why can't our shells touch that ship?"
Many pirate crews began retreating, fearing further losses.
"Now is the time to attack!" shouted those still defiant, but their confidence faltered when a familiar logo appeared in the distance.
"The… Big Mom Pirates?!"
"The Four Emperors themselves?!"
Excitement and fear rippled through the pirate fleets. Reinforcements had arrived.
Snug, the fourth general of the Big Mom Pirates, called out:
"Follow me, if you want a share of the loot!"
Bree, the old witch-like crew member, frowned. "Why lead them? Isn't it enough to take the ship ourselves?"
"Idiot. This is the Five Emperors! Didn't you see the bombardment? Let them take the lead—then we move in," Daifuku said.
Snug added quietly, "Open the mirror world, now."
Back aboard the Monster Tail, Kalifa returned to the guild cabin, dazed and wide-eyed.
"Unbelievable… amazing!" Perona whispered, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
Two of the three Jupiter Cannon shots had been fired by Mirajane; the final shot was under Perona's control.
"Let's see if they dare challenge Fairy Tail again!" Perona declared.
"Be vigilant," Mirajane warned. "Among them may be those with special abilities. Guard against them carefully."
Suddenly, chaotic footsteps and rough pirate laughter echoed throughout the guild hall.
"Ha ha ha ha! Look at these beauties!"
"They'll be ours!"
Pirates surged into the guild, trampling furniture and souvenirs.
Kalifa's heart sank. Her face paled.
Even Perona, usually unshakable, shivered.
But then Mirajane's demeanor changed. Her gentle aura vanished, replaced by an intense, terrifying presence.
"It is absolutely unforgivable to touch our guild… all of you!" she said, voice cold as steel.
The pirates laughed, confident, but their bravado faltered the next second.
A storm of pitch-black magic swirled around Mirajane, emanating an oppressive force. The dark tempest intensified, and her form shifted.
Vaguely… she seemed the embodiment of a demon.
"Full Body Reception—Satan's Soul!" Mirajane's voice rang out, indifferent, lethal.
Until now, she had always appeared gentle and amiable. Even Nami, Vivi, and others had never seen this side of her. Only Perona had witnessed it—until now.
"M…Miss Mira… what is this…?" Kalifa stammered, utterly shocked.
For nearly a month aboard the Monster Tail, Mirajane had been her gentle, kind ship steward. Now, she radiated absolute terror.
"You've made Sister Mira angry… you're doomed!" Perona cheered, fists raised.
The first time she saw Mirajane in demon form, Perona had feared her. Now, as a teammate, the demon Mirajane felt invincible.
"Hmph. Pathetic. Who are you trying to scare?" General Snag sneered, drawing his sword.
"Demon Blast!" he shouted.
The demon Mirajane's cold eyes fixed on him.