"Awooo~ Awooo~" A Shadow Wolf let out a brief howl, its claws scratching at the ground as if it had discovered something.
Rhode and Elfman hurried over, finding an old hand on the ground, the owner of which was buried under a collapsed wall.
However, a section of the wall was propped up by a pillar, leaving a small space.
Elfman lifted the fallen wall with both hands and pushed it towards the open ground on the other side.
An old man of about fifty lay on the ground, his face bearing some resemblance to the photo of Mar provided by the client.
His chest was slightly sunken as if he had suffered a heavy blow, and his abdomen was pierced by half of a Long Spear, leaving him barely clinging to life.
"Summon, Crimson Marked Tree Monster, Crown of Embers!"
Rhode, seeing the frightening pool of blood beneath him, already knew the other was beyond saving, but if he didn't try, he would regret it.
The old man's once pale face now showed a hint of rosiness as he struggled to open his eyes.
When he saw the two unfamiliar faces, a trace of vigilance and ferocity flashed in the old man's eyes; it was a look of desperation.
"We are Mages from Fairy Tail, tasked with finding Mar and Vina. We just got here." Rhode explained the situation as concisely as possible.
The ferocity faded from the old man's eyes, replaced by a plea: "I am... Peter..."
Peter was the client's name.
Elfman quickly asked, "Are you the chief of Monotropa?"
"Yes..." Peter struggled to speak.
Rhode gestured to Elfman to refrain from asking less important questions, as the old man might not have much time left.
Peter probably realized this too, trying hard to convey the most important message: "Mar and Vina...in the northern forest...save them...the enemy is strong and many...escape...I beg you..."
Although it wasn't time yet, the Crown of Embers around the old man had already vanished.
The rosy hue on his face disappeared as if it had never been there, turning ghastly pale once more.
Elfman shouted, "Mr. Peter! Mr. Peter!"
No matter how much he called, Peter could not respond.
Elfman's expression showed a hint of panic, his breathing became rapid, watching life slip away in front of him reminded him of unpleasant memories.
He clutched his chest, finding it hard to breathe.
"Cough!" Elfman felt his abdomen take a heavy hit and looked up to see Rhode's serious face.
"Stop zoning out here. The client gave us his last request: find Mar and Vina, and help them escape. The reward is...a father's soul finding peace."
Elfman was silent for a few seconds, then removed his coat to cover Peter: "Understood. A man... must complete his mission!"
Rhode summoned the remaining River Crab and instructed Elfman:
"Listen closely, the destination is the northern forest. The enemies are many and very possibly strong. Our goal is not to defeat them but to help the targets escape.
If we encounter enemies, don't fight head-on; prioritize escape, and delay as much as possible if escaping is difficult."
He held a slight expectation for reinforcements, though not high.
The distance from here to the Guild was too far; it took about eight hours by carriage to get here, and Hapi might struggle to fly this far.
Unless they could contact others on missions nearby, or there was a nearby strong team from the Advisory Council.
Better to pray that the Demon's Heart doesn't send elite members for a small village.
The two mounted the River Crab and dashed northward.
They hadn't run far when a gray-haired youth struck a flamboyant pose to block their path.
When the two River Crabs patrolled around the village earlier, they completely missed this person!
"Lost Fairies, encountering a demon in the wilderness, is the next arc one of submission or a picture of battle?"
Whether he eavesdropped on their conversation or noticed the mark on Elfman's neck, this person clearly knew they were from Fairy Tail.
Elfman loudly demanded, "Who are you? Did you do this in the village?"
Rhode discreetly placed a hand on his pendant, alert for any other potential enemy nearby.
"Guiding ancient warriors to their desired rest, just a trivial task for a demon."
The gray-haired youth switched to a more 'elegant' pose, continuing, "First time meeting, I'm Rastillos of the Purgatory Seven Dependents from Demon's Heart."
As he spoke, flowers and starlight sparkled behind Rastillos — he was using magic to add special effects to his introduction!
A flower appeared in his hand, which he sniffed lightly under his nose: "Alas, self-introduction is futile now, as I smell the fragrance of death."
He sure is flamboyant!
Rhode thought this was the most pretentious person he had ever encountered. While Laxus was also pretentious, this guy was entirely on a different level.
Elfman glared fiercely, fists clenched: "Who are you saying will die?"
Rhode placed a hand on his shoulder: "Pay attention to his Magic Power."
"This feeling..." Elfman was startled as he sensed the other's formidable Magic Power when the flowers appeared and disappeared, "It's almost like facing Erza..."
"Oh? Have you noticed the gap in power?" Rastillos adjusted his glasses, "Then, to sleep in fear, what a pitiful fate..."
If he weren't an enemy, he might have gotten along with Laki. Laki could even learn a thing or two about the art of speech from him.
However, since this person loved to speak flamboyantly... Rhode didn't mind asking a few more questions: "The black flames in the village, was that your doing?"
"Zankuro always doesn't handle aftermath properly." Rastillos shook his head slightly, spreading his arms, "Those flames, lacking any aesthetic, can't compare to my imagination."
Another round of flashy effects, but Rhode caught the keywords, 'Zankuro,' 'imagination.'
Zankuro was likely his companion, and possibly as strong as him.
As for 'imagination'... if it's unclear, just ask directly, and also test this guy's intelligence: "Imagination?"
"Indeed, imagination, like..." Rastillos waved his arm, "my Guardian Holy Beast, Thunderbolt Belkshas!"
A colossal creature, about five or six meters tall, with two horns on its head and clad in Steel Armor suddenly appeared, smashing its fist downwards.
The River Crab dashed away, leaving afterimages, skillfully carrying the two out of the attack range. A large pit was created on the ground, and the light tremor slightly affected the River Crab's movement.
Elfman felt as if he was seeing another Rhode: "It's the same Summoning Element as you!"
"Maybe not that simple... Anyway, you go first, he has companions who might be pursuing Mar and Vina."
Most troublesome was, the opponent's intelligence wasn't as low as Rhode hoped.
He jumped off the River Crab, "Summon, Cyan Engraved Golem!"
The opponent's creature charged in, and the Golem met it, fists colliding.
With a bang, an invisible force seemed to explode between the two fists, sending gusts of wind that stirred the grass and sand on the ground.
Neither side backed down, momentarily at a stalemate.
Rastillos was somewhat surprised, the seemingly unimpressive Mage, actually possessing such a powerful Summoned Beast?
Elfman hesitated, but the River Crab faithfully executed Rhode's orders, taking him towards the side.
The blue glow effect of the Crown of Insight fell on Rhode.
Elfman looked back, suddenly feeling that this guy's silhouette at this moment was very... manly!
He threw out one last remark: "Although it's frustrating, don't forget, if anything happens to you, your sister will be heartbroken."
"I know, and the same goes for you!" Rhode was slightly more verbose than usual, persistently advising,
"Remember what I said, don't be reckless. Our primary task is not to defeat the enemy but to help people escape.
Even for your sister's sake, you absolutely must, must cherish your life!"
"A man!" Elfman grasped the River Crab's antennae, urging it to leave faster.