Blood Universe

Hacho Village, Unknown Building

Lisanna: I did all the hard work. Where have you all been?

Wakaba: I was there to assist you, you know? If it weren't for me disorienting the enemies, you wouldn't have managed to defeat that guy.

Lisanna: He was weak! I can manage without you.

Macao: That's enough you two. We have a task to carry on. We managed to apprehend some people, but we still don't know where their core is.

Wakaba: I could interrogate some of them – if they manage to regain consciousness. My magic seemed to be strengthened after the –

Macao: Silence, Wakaba. We don't know who's listening to our conversations. Reedus, what's the update?

Reedus: All of them are still unconscious. Some are managing the effects of Wakaba's smoke, but there's a few who's having a hard time.

They continued their conversation about their plan. Unbeknownst to them, a rescue squad is already stationed outside of their hideout.

Wasabi: Captain Moegi, I think this is their hideout.

Hana: I can smell four foreign scents inside, and also Kiba and the others.

Moegi: Good job, you two. Stick to the plan. Hana, you go the main entrance, use your dogs to create a distraction. Wasabi, try to have a one-on-one fight with one of them, prolong the fight as possible. I take care of apprehending them. Got it?

Wasabi Izuno, Hana Inuzuka, and Kazamatsuri Moegi went to their positions. With Moegi's signals, they started enacting their plan and engaged the fairy team to a fight.

Lisanna: Nuh uh, I just fought. You take care of them.

Lisanna transformed into her bird form and escaped, bringing an unconscious Kiba with him. Macao, Wakaba, and Reedus prepared themselves to engage the kunoichi.

As Lisanna transformed into a large bird, she effortlessly scooped up the unconscious Kiba, her wings beating powerfully as she soared through the air. Below, Macao, Wakaba, and Reedus readied themselves for the imminent clash with Moegi's team, determination etched across their faces.

Wakaba: "Looks like we're doing the cleanup ourselves, huh?"

Macao: "No complaints. Let's show them they picked the wrong fight."

Reedus adjusted his stance, preparing his unique abilities to support his teammates.

Outside, Hana and her dogs were already charging toward the hideout's main entrance, her beasts barking ferociously to draw attention. She darted between the trees, using the element of surprise to stay one step ahead of her opponents. Wakaba spotted her first, releasing a cloud of his disorienting smoke to cut off her advance.

Hana: "Not this time!" She commanded her dogs to dive low, evading the smoke as she maneuvered skillfully through the haze, keeping her senses sharp.

At the same time, Wasabi appeared at Wakaba's flank, moving swiftly and forcing him to redirect his attention. She launched into a fierce taijutsu attack, her agility and precision pressing Wakaba on the defensive. The two clashed intensely, with Wasabi skillfully dodging his smoke and landing quick strikes.

Wakaba: "Persistent, aren't you?!"

Meanwhile, Moegi snuck around the side of the hideout, slipping past the initial skirmish to locate Macao and Reedus. She found them inside, their expressions growing serious as they noticed her.

Macao: "Looks like the leader showed up."

Moegi: "You're outnumbered and outmatched. Surrender now, and no one else has to get hurt."

Reedus: "Sorry, but we still have a mission to complete."

He summoned one of his magical art barriers, creating a defense to buy his team time. But Moegi, knowing that time was critical, rushed at Reedus with precise kunai strikes, cutting through his defenses with her speed. As she broke past him, she focused her chakra, forming wooden restraints around Macao's arms and legs to immobilize him.

As the fight raged on, the air grew tense, each side clashing with ferocity. Hana, Wasabi, and Moegi moved in perfect sync, having trained together for years. But the members of Fairy Tail—Macao, Wakaba, and Reedus—held their ground with surprising strength and tenacity.

Hana and her dogs charged Wakaba, skillfully dodging his smoke clouds and lunging at him from different angles. Her focus was sharp, but Wakaba was quick, weaving through the haze he created to keep her at bay.

Wakaba: "You really think I'll go down that easily?"

He formed another thick cloud of smoke around Hana, this time laced with a paralyzing agent that he'd intensified specifically for this fight. Hana and her dogs were forced to retreat back to the clearer air to catch their breath.

Just then, Macao joined Wakaba, sending a burst of purple flames in Hana's direction. She managed to duck behind a large rock, but the flames scorched one of her dogs, which whimpered in pain.

Hana: "You're going to pay for that!"

She directed her two uninjured dogs to circle around and attack Macao from behind. They lunged, but Macao anticipated the move and swiftly countered, knocking one of the dogs aside and turning his attention back to Hana. He closed in quickly, and the two began exchanging close-quarters blows, each landing a few hits but neither gaining a clear upper hand.

Meanwhile, Wasabi was engaged in a fierce exchange with Wakaba. She was fast, darting around his attacks, but Wakaba was just as agile, using his smoke as a shield to obscure her view. Frustrated, Wasabi intensified her strikes, aiming to break through his guard.

Wasabi: "Your tricks won't save you forever!"

She finally managed to land a powerful punch to Wakaba's face, sending him reeling back. However, as she closed in for another strike, Wakaba released a condensed blast of smoke directly in her face. Wasabi coughed and stumbled, momentarily blinded, giving Wakaba an opening to strike back.

Inside the hideout, Moegi was keeping Reedus and Macao on the defensive, her wood-style jutsu making it hard for them to keep up. She had successfully restrained Reedus for a moment, his magic weakened under her relentless pressure. But Macao broke through the wooden bindings with a sudden burst of magic, catching Moegi off guard and knocking her back a few steps.

Macao: "You're strong, but we're not going down that easy!"

Moegi steadied herself, bracing for their next assault. She knew the fight was drawing out, but she trusted Hana and Wasabi outside to handle Wakaba. They just needed to hold their own until the enemy's energy reserves began to weaken.

Hana and her remaining dog circled around Wakaba and Macao; their eyes sharp. But as she leapt forward to strike, Wakaba moved unexpectedly fast, sidestepping her attack and grabbing her arm in a brutal twist. She cried out as he kicked her in the stomach, sending her sprawling backward.

Before Hana could recover, Macao unleashed a fiery blast toward her. She dodged part of it, but the flames singed her leg, slowing her down. She tried to stand, but Macao was already charging forward with a powerful punch.

Hana: "Moegi… Wasabi…!" she whispered as she staggered back, the last of her strength waning.

In her final stand, Hana called her last dog to her side, determined to protect her friends. But Wakaba's smog descended around her, and the last thing she saw was Macao's hand reaching through the smoke, flames gathering in his palm. He struck her in a blinding flash, and she collapsed to the ground, her loyal dog by her side, silent.

Wasabi: Hana, no!

With a haunted expression on her face, Wasabi saw Hana's body burn in purple flames. Wasabi's heart dropped as she watched the flames engulf Hana's body, the vivid purple hue casting an eerie glow in the dim surroundings. Her friend—her teammate—lay motionless, the flickering fire consuming her with a terrifying finality. Grief and fury mingled in her eyes as she took a step back, her hand trembling.

Wasabi: "Hana… no… this wasn't supposed to happen…"

With a renewed fire in her gaze, she turned toward Wakaba and Macao, her fists clenched tightly. Her senses sharpened, and any trace of hesitation vanished, replaced by a fierce resolve. She felt an adrenaline rush that intensified every fiber of her being, her body tensing as she prepared to make her next move.

Macao smirked, wiping a small trickle of blood from his lip.

Macao: "I hope you realize that your friend knew what she was getting into."

His words cut deep, only fueling Wasabi's rage. She darted forward, her agility surpassing her usual speed, and closed the distance in an instant. She landed a rapid series of punches on Macao, each strike fueled by her grief and anger. Macao struggled to keep up, finding himself on the defensive as Wasabi's attacks intensified.

Wakaba moved in to assist, attempting to envelop Wasabi in a thick cloud of smoke.

But Wasabi anticipated the move, leaping high into the air to avoid the incoming fog. She spun mid-air, launching a barrage of kunai downward, forcing Wakaba to scatter and split his focus.

Meanwhile, Moegi had been observing from the side, her own expression somber but determined. She called out to Wasabi, her voice carrying strength.

Moegi: "We're in this together, Wasabi. Let's finish this for Hana."

With a nod, Wasabi and Moegi moved in sync, pressing forward as a unit. Moegi's wood-style jutsu sprang from the ground, forming vines and branches that wrapped around Macao, restraining his movements. He struggled, flames flickering around him as he attempted to burn through the bindings, but Moegi's control held strong.

Wasabi took this chance to confront Wakaba, her voice cold.

Wasabi: "This is for Hana."

Before he could react, she launched herself forward, her chakra-enhanced speed catching him off guard. With a powerful punch to his gut, she sent him sprawling back, his smoke dissipating as he lost focus. Seizing the advantage, Wasabi moved with relentless precision, her strikes landing one after another, pushing Wakaba to his limits.

But just as victory seemed close, Macao managed to ignite the wood restraints, freeing himself with a burst of energy. He lunged at Moegi, who braced herself, swiftly creating a barrier to deflect his flames. The clash intensified, but Moegi held her ground, her stance unwavering despite the intense heat.

With Wakaba barely able to stand and Macao beginning to falter, Wasabi and Moegi knew they had them cornered. Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them.

Moegi: "For Hana."

In a final, coordinated attack, Moegi's wood-style surged forward, binding Macao once more, while Wasabi closed in on Wakaba, striking him down with a powerful blow. The two men finally collapsed, defeated.

As the dust settled, Wasabi took a shaky breath, her gaze falling once more on the spot where Hana had fallen. The reality of her loss weighed heavily on her, but she felt Hana's spirit with them, driving her to press on.

As the dust began to settle, Wasabi and Moegi turned to catch their breath, but a sudden movement caught Moegi's sharp gaze. Reedus, who had been observing the entire fight from the shadows, had taken advantage of the chaos and slipped through an opening, making his escape through a concealed exit.

Moegi's eyes widened.

Moegi: "Wasabi! Reedus is escaping!"

Wasabi looked up, her face still stricken with grief for Hana, but the instinct to complete their mission surged within her. She nodded, wiping her eyes as she straightened herself.

Wasabi: "We can't let him get away. He knows too much about their plans!"

Without another word, the two of them bolted in pursuit, navigating through narrow corridors and sprinting past storage rooms filled with crates and strange equipment. Reedus had a head start, and he was surprisingly quick, darting through the winding passages as he tried to outpace them.

Reedus glanced back, panting.

He cursed under his breath, realizing that the kunoichi were relentless. He summoned one of his magic abilities, creating a projection in the hallway that made it look like it was sealed off by a solid stone wall.

Moegi hesitated for a split second, but Wasabi caught on.

Wasabi: "It's an illusion—just keep moving!"

They burst through the illusion, breaking it instantly and gaining ground on Reedus. Cornered and out of breath, he turned to face them, desperation written across his face. He raised his hands, drawing a brush to create a quick sketch, which turned into a crude beastly creature that lunged toward them.

Moegi quickly wove hand signs, and roots erupted from the ground, ensnaring the creature and pulling it back.

Moegi: "You're not getting away, Reedus. This ends here."

Wasabi closed in, kunai in hand, her expression hardened.

Wasabi: "You're going to answer for what you did to Hana."

Reedus, cornered, dropped the brush, realizing he had no more tricks up his sleeve. With a heavy sigh, he raised his hands in surrender, knowing he was outmatched.

Reedus: "Fine. You got me… but this isn't over. My allies will come for me—and for all of you."

Wasabi clenched her fists.

Wasabi: "Then we'll be ready."

With Reedus restrained, Wasabi and Moegi began the long walk back, the weight of Hana's loss heavy on their hearts but their mission a success.