Angel sat by the fire, her white feather dress torn and dirtied.
She had witnessed her companions being manipulated by their leader, Brain, to the brink of death.
She herself had been discarded as "useless" and then rescued by Ankh from the collapsing ruins of the very weapon they sought to control.
Perhaps out of despair, wanting to do more before death; or perhaps because a spark of hope had ignited within her, yearning to truly live in this world like an "angel" as Ankh had suggested in the cave...
Angel was the first to lift her head.
The gentle voice that emerged was completely different from her previous imposing, arrogant tone.
"Sorano... My name is Sorano Aguria. Please call me by that name."
Sorano's beauty seemed to soar after her redemption, the malice fading from her face.
Ankh and Jellal's faces simultaneously lit up with joy; they certainly knew what revealing their true names meant to this group.
It meant the death of the codenames given to them in the Tower of Heaven.
Seeing this, a glimmer of life returned to Racer's hollow eyes behind his broken sunglasses.
He hurriedly spoke up to stop her, panicked by the sudden vulnerability.
"Angel! You... what are you doing?"
"I don't want to run or hide anymore!"
Sorano looked directly into Racer's eyes and said in a gentle yet firm tone.
"Even if I die on the path of atonement, it would be more angelic than dying in the depraved Nirvana like before. I want to fly in the light."
Racer fell silent.
He understood his companion's resolve. He slumped his shoulders and didn't speak further.
Sorano turned to Ankh.
She reached into the dimensional pouch at her chest and retrieved three golden Celestial Spirit Keys (Gemini, Scorpio, Aries) and one silver key (Caelum).
She held them out to Ankh.
"These Celestial Spirit Keys... please help me give them to that blonde busty woman from Fairy Tail. She's more suited to wield them than I am. I treated them as tools... she treats them as friends."
Ankh reached out to take them, awkwardly feeling the residual warmth on the metal keys before storing them away in his pocket with a laugh.
"I'll deliver them to her. She'll take good care of them. As compensation, I'll help you research other powerful magics that are more angelic, i guaranteed it to be magnificent."
A genuine smile graced Sorano's face for the first time in years as she replied.
"Thank you, Boss."
Thud!
A sudden impact sound echoed.
Racer, who had just been stopping Sorano, abruptly stood up and kicked a rock.
"I'll join too."
All three shifted their gaze toward him.
Racer crossed his arms awkwardly, looking away to hide his embarrassment.
He clarified: "Don't get me wrong! Even if it's atonement, I just want other Dark Guild folks to witness my speed. I want to run for a purpose."
"And... my name is Sawyer."
'Well...' Ankh thought, the reason didn't matter.
To Ankh, a master of dealing with tsunderes, it was crystal clear—with this type, ignore what they say and focus on what they do.
Among the Oración Seis, aside from their leader, the other five were deeply connected.
They were a family of orphans
If one agreed, the others were unlikely to refuse.
Midnight's eyes wavered slightly. He glanced at the silent Cobra, sighed, and then added.
"We truly have no purpose now. Brain is dead. But if someday we determine your so-called atonement is false, then..."
"You can leave anytime," Ankh promised. "But while you're with my company, no Dark Guild behavior is permitted."
"Deal. My name is Macbeth. I look forward to working with you."
Macbeth's words seemed to act as a tranquilizer for the heavily guarded and suspicious Cobra.
Seeing all his companions had made their decisions, the previously silent Cobra finally looked at Ankh.
He stroked the head of the purple snake beside him.
"I'll join too. But... I have one request."
Ankh shifted his gaze to Cubellios sleeping beside Cobra and said.
"It's about her, right?"
After a moment of silence, Cobra responded, his voice thick with emotion: "Yes, she's my partner. I mastered the Sound Magic for her, yet I still can't hear her voice. I can hear everyone's thoughts but hers."
Ankh pinched his chin as he leaned closer to the purple snake, pretending to ponder what he already suspected.
"Actually, I noticed when we first met—your companion doesn't seem to be a snake..."
Cobra stiffened. He urgently grabbed Ankh's arm. "What do you mean?"
Ankh extended his hand.
"Life God Magic."
A silvery magic circle materialized, enveloping the giant serpent's body in a soft glow.
"When she was young, she was likely cursed by an evil Mage, transforming her from human into this purple snake and erasing her memories from when she was human."
Sorano, upon hearing this, curiously analyzed.
"Doing something like this... it's probably those cultists from the Tower of Heaven experimenting with some kind of Malicious Transformation Magic. After all, you and Cubellios met at the Tower of Heaven..."
'Given the leader's intelligence,' Ankh thought, 'Brain shouldn't have failed to notice Cubellios' condition.'
'He likely knew and kept it secret to control Cobra.'
Ankh thought about the leader and once again felt pity for the members of Oración Seis.
A clear joy appeared on Cobra's face as he urgently grabbed Ankh's hand and asked, "Can you break the curse? Please! I'll do anything!"
Ankh looked at Cubellios and replied cautiously, "Breaking it isn't a problem, but... after the curse is lifted, she might lose her memories for a long time and not remember the days you spent together as a snake, so..."
Without any hesitation, Cobra firmly stated, "That doesn't matter!"
After a pause, Cobra looked at Cubellios, his usually arrogant eyes unexpectedly soft, and continued.
"Just being able to hear her voice is enough. Even if she doesn't know me."
Ankh nodded. "Very well."
He immediately began releasing Divine Power to break the curse on Cubellios.
Hiss...
Dense black patterns began to emerge on the purple snake's scales—the physical manifestation of the curse.
But these evil patterns were immediately eradicated upon contact with Ankh's silver Divine Power.
FLASH!
Astonishing light started radiating from Cubellios.
Under the dazzling white light, Ankh suddenly remembered something important.
He urgently shouted, "All males except Cobra, follow my command! Close your eyes and turn around!"
Nearby, Jellal reflexively closed his eyes and turned away.
Macbeth and Sawyer, startled by the sudden shout, quickly covered their eyes.
Only Cobra remained confused, holding the glowing Cubellios, unaware of what was happening.
"Why?"
But soon, Cobra understood.
"Oi—what is this!!"
Cobra's extreme scream echoed through the empty cave.
The Cubellios who had been in Cobra's arms had vanished.
In her place, the light faded to reveal a petite but curvaceous young woman with short purple hair.
The key point was that this young woman was completely naked, lying bare in his arms!
"What is this! Why isn't she wearing any clothes!" Cobra screamed, his face turning beet red.
He froze, unsure where to put his hands.
Ankh, having anticipated this, calmly replied with his eyes closed, "She was probably turned into a snake around age ten. Even if she was wearing clothes when the curse was cast, they would have been torn apart when she transformed into a snake. She has grown since then."
Cobra froze for a moment, then couldn't help but glance down.
'Turned into a snake at ten?'
Judging by her appearance and figure... she should be around twenty now.
'Ten years then...'
Kinana (Cubellios) shifted in his arms, murmuring softly in her sleep.
As Cobra lowered his head in deep thought (and panic), Sorano quickly stepped forward.
Smack!
She slapped his chin away and yelled at him, "Idiot! Why are you staring so intently? Let the girl put on some clothes first!"
"Oh oh oh, sorry..."
After some rustling sounds, Sorano used a cloak conjured by Ankh to barely wrap the girl in some covering clothes, allowing the men to finally open their eyes.
With his face still bright red, Cobra looked at the calm Ankh.
He looked at the human girl sleeping peacefully in his arms.
He could hear her soft breathing.
He silently lowered his head.
"Thank you for saving my friend!"
"My name is Erik. From now on, I am your subordinate!"