Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 200: Cursed Sword

"The situation is simple," Rhodes said. "Our mission is to find a sword and either retrieve it or destroy it."

"To be more precise," Erza added, "it's a cursed sword. And the Quatro Cerberus guild will also be sending an S-Class wizard and an assistant to compete with us.

If they reach the sword first, not only will our trip be wasted, but it'll also embarrass Master Makarov."

As the train rumbled along, Erza and Rhodes sat facing each other, quietly discussing the mission details.

Because their respective guild masters had gotten into a childish argument during the last regular meeting, they'd come up with the idea of this little competition.

Goldmine had initially proposed that their young S-Class mages compete against each other. But Makarov, ever the sly fox, suggested they add a lower-ranked assistant into the mix to test teamwork as well.

Thus, the mission Rhode had drawn by lot was chosen for the contest. Whoever completed it first would win everything, the spoils, the bragging rights, and the guild's honor.

At the next regular meeting, the loser would even have to pour drinks for the winner.

Still, since two S-Class wizards were involved in a mission that technically didn't even qualify as S-Class, both guild masters weren't too worried about anyone getting hurt.

They trusted their wizards. Even if things got competitive, no one would ever act recklessly enough to risk the other's life.

"Our destination is an ancient battlefield," Rhodes continued. "It's the site of a bloody war fought before the Kingdom of Fiore declared permanent neutrality.

The cursed sword we're after may have either been born from that conflict, or forged for it."

Erza thought for a moment. "It's been over 160 years since Fiore became neutral, right?"

"Exactly," Rhodes said. "One hundred sixty-two years, to be precise, since it was officially recognized by the surrounding kingdoms. The initial announcement might've been a little earlier."

In this world, wars between kingdoms typically started with common soldiers clashing.

But if the fighting dragged on without a clear winner, eventually the kingdoms would hire wizards to intervene.

Once magic got involved, wars would escalate fast.

A single outstanding wizard, or a powerful magical artifact could turn the tide of an entire battlefield.

The cursed sword they were searching for was rumored to be exactly that kind of artifact.

Legend said that whoever wielded it could resist an army of thousands. Those slain by its blade would have their souls trapped in endless torment, and even the living struck by it would suffer unbearable pain.

Lately, there had been multiple reports from villages near the battlefield of hunters getting attacked.

They survived, but their wounds were strange, refusing to heal until a mage skilled in curse removal treated them.

The hunters described being attacked by what they called the "resurrected dead," furious at them for trespassing on their territory.

Fear quickly spread across the villages. They banded together to seek help from the wizard guilds.

Poison Fang Guild, despite their somewhat dark-sounding name, was a regular legal guild. They had dispatched a three-person team to investigate.

Unfortunately, all three had been injured.

According to their report, after entering the battlefield, a thick mist had risen around them. Then, attacks came from every direction. They couldn't even tell who—or what—they were fighting.

"Based on everything we know," Rhodes said thoughtfully, "I'm guessing someone found the sword and is using it for power. They're probably trying to scare people away by faking undead attacks."

It was the most logical explanation.

But Erza, arms folded and expression serious, offered a different opinion.

"Or maybe... the undead really have returned, and they just want to protect their resting place."

Undead resurrection?

Rhodes didn't completely dismiss the idea. In this world, "feudal superstitions" often turned out to have a grain of truth.

After all, ghosts, spirits, and soul-based magic were real phenomena here.

So it wouldn't be surprising if a few powerful undead lingered in the ruins of an ancient battlefield, especially one where wizards had once fought.

There was no need to panic when encountering the undead.

The standard procedure was to fight them as you would any other opponent.

If they were special types that couldn't be harmed by normal attacks, it usually meant there was some kind of "vessel" anchoring them to the world.

Destroying the vessel would dispel them.

This was basic common sense among wizards.

The journey went smoothly.

Erza had prepared plenty of food for the trip, and Rhodes happily ate and drank alongside her without needing to worry about anything.

By the time they reached the village that had requested help, it was already around three in the afternoon.

Following the directions they'd received, Rhodes and Erza quickly found the village chief's house.

Rhodes stepped forward politely.

"Hello, we're wizards from Fairy Tail. We're here to handle your request."

The village chief looked at them in confusion.

"Wizards? But someone from Quatro Cerberus already came this morning. He said he was here for the same commission..."

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Rhodes and Erza exchanged a glance.

As expected, the other team had moved fast. The village was indeed closer to Quatro Cerberus's territory.

Seeing the chief's doubts, Rhodes patiently explained,

"Your commission is a special case. Both of our guilds have sent wizards this time.

We came fully prepared and determined to resolve the problem. Could you please explain the situation to us in detail?"

"Of course!"

The village chief clearly didn't mind more help. After all, they only had to pay one reward.

The more skilled wizards they had, the better.

And compared to the two people who came earlier, Rhodes and Erza looked much more serious, and far more reliable.

The chief quickly began explaining,

"It all started about half a month ago. Before that, there were no strange happenings.

But then, anyone who went near the old battlefield was attacked."

"There were five people injured in our village alone," the village chief said gravely. "And even more in the neighboring villages."

He paused, then added, "When I was a child, I heard my grandfather tell a story, one he said was passed down from his own grandfather, about the war that once raged there."

"Back then, there was a brutal general from the Kingdom of Seven. To raise military rations, he slaughtered countless innocent civilians, spreading terror throughout the surrounding region.

But because he was unmatched on the battlefield, able to rally troops by cutting down hundreds on his own, the king never punished him."

The village chief's voice lowered, as if reciting an old legend.

"Some people said the general's incredible power came from a sword.

But the longer he wielded it, the more violent and unstable he became.

Eventually, he wasn't just killing civilians. Even his own soldiers would be executed if they dared to speak out against him."

"As resentment within the army grew, his subordinates finally turned on him during a battle.

Others say they revolted not to stop his madness, but to seize the cursed sword for themselves."

The chief sighed heavily.

"Whatever the truth, after that day, the sword was said to have absorbed all that hatred and bloodshed, becoming a cursed object.

Anyone who wields it turns into a monster who knows nothing but slaughter.

And if the sword were to fall into the hands of the undead...It would be even more terrifying."

Erza leaned forward slightly, her expression serious.

"Has anyone actually seen these undead?"

The village chief shook his head.

"No one has seen them clearly. Every time someone is attacked, they say a thick mist rolls in, and then they're struck down.

So people believe it must be the undead."

Rhodes asked carefully about the locations where the attacks had happened, as well as the injuries the hunters had suffered.

Finally, he asked about the two wizards from Quatro Cerberus.

"The first one," the chief said tactfully, "was... well, he smelled of alcohol. And the other... his clothing and manners weren't exactly what you'd expect from a professional."

In truth, the chief wanted to say the second man looked more like a delinquent than a wizard, but out of respect, he chose his words carefully.

Erza thought for a moment, then said firmly,

"The drunk one is probably Bacchus Groh, an S-Class wizard from Quatro Cerberus."

...

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