With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 22

"He's taken the chief of police?" Erza gasped as Natsu and Gray finished explaining what happened at the party.

Natsu nodded grimly. "Yeah. He said he'll kill him if we don't bring you to him."

"He wouldn't actually do it... would he?" Gray asked, his voice uncertain.

Erza's expression darkened. "The Jellal I knew—the one before all this madness—would never have harmed anyone. But now? With the way his mind's unraveled... Lord only knows what he's capable of."

"So what do we do?" Gray asked. "We can't just hand you over to him."

"I'm almost done with the antidote," she said, glancing at the bubbling mixture on the table behind her. "You two go on ahead and try to save the captain. I'll meet you there as soon as I finish."

"But where is he?" Natsu asked. "How do we even know where to look?"

Erza paused, thinking. Then her eyes sharpened. "In his current state, Jellal doesn't just see himself as a man anymore—he sees himself as an animal. So he'll go where the animals are."

Gray frowned. "You mean...?"

"He's at the zoo," she said with certainty. "It's the closest thing to a sanctuary for someone in his mindset."

"Well, that's not exactly subtle," Gray muttered.

"Subtle isn't his concern right now," Erza replied. "But be careful—if he's hiding there, he's probably rigged the entire place with traps. He may be unhinged, but he's still dangerously clever."

With no time to waste, Natsu and Gray raced to the local zoo. The gates were already slightly ajar—unlocked, as if inviting them in. They moved through exhibit after exhibit, scanning for any sign of Jellal. Nothing.

Then Gray noticed it—disturbed dirt, a bent signpost, and fresh tracks leading off the main path.

"Here," he said, crouching beside the prints.

Natsu followed the trail with narrowed eyes. "These lead straight to the Galuna Jungle exhibit."

The moment they stepped inside, an eerie silence washed over them. No animal sounds. No ambient zoo noise. Just the still, heavy air of a place waiting for something to happen.

"Careful where you step, Natsu," Gray warned. "Remember what Erza said."

The two scanned the dense exhibit for any signs of Jellal or Jude. Finally, they spotted the police chief—tied up and hanging above the crocodile enclosure.

"Hold on, Captain Heartfilia!" Natsu shouted. "We're coming!"

He rushed forward, but as soon as his foot hit the ground, he triggered a hidden mechanism that catapulted him through the air—straight into the bear exhibit.

"Natsu!" Gray gasped.

Before he could react further, a voice echoed from the treetops.

"Where is Erza?" Jellal demanded.

Gray turned in circles, trying to spot him. "She's on her way—she had to finish something first. Look, can't we just talk about this like civilized people?"

But Jellal didn't want to talk.

A sudden movement. Gray sensed him charging and barely managed to dodge in time.

"Your reflexes are sharp," Jellal said from the shadows. "Let's see if your strength matches."

He lunged, tackling Gray with terrifying force. Gray felt like his bones might snap under the pressure.