Three days have passed since our return from Edolas, and much has transpired during that time. The first significant event, of course, invol
Three days have passed since our return from Edolas, and much has transpired during that time.
The first significant event, of course, involved the arrival of the Exceeds from Extalia.
While Drake remains uncertain regarding the precise nature of the events that unfolded in Extalia between Natsu, Wendy, and the Exceeds, it is evident that the Exceeds have undergone a notable transformation in their demeanor, abandoning their previous aloof and superior attitude.
With the exception of Panther Lily, the Exceeds have collectively resolved to embark on a quest to locate their kin who were previously transported to this world, facilitating reunions with their loved ones.
As for Panther Lily, he has made the decision to join Fairy Tail, a decision that has immediately resulted in his being relentlessly pursued by Gajeel, who has expressed a fervent desire for Panther Lily to serve as his personal feline companion.
Having grown weary of Gajeel's persistent pursuit, Panther Lily, upon Drake's suggestion, engaged in a brief but spirited sparring match with Gajeel, culminating in a mutual acknowledgment of their respective strengths and the formation of an unlikely partnership. Gajeel, to his immense delight, has finally acquired the feline companion he had long yearned for.
It is also worth noting that Panther Lily's combat prowess far surpasses that of both Happy and Carla, a fact that Gajeel has not been shy about flaunting in the presence of his newfound companions.
The second significant event concerns the return of Lisanna.
Lisanna, ultimately unable to reach a definitive decision regarding her future, found her dilemma resolved by the reversed Anima.
Accompanied by Edolas Mirajane and Edolas Elfman, and bearing the well-wishes of all the members of the Edolas Fairy Tail guild, Lisanna returned to her rightful world.
Following these momentous events, Fairy Tail hosted a grand celebration to commemorate the successful completion of their expedition, the addition of new members to their ranks, and Lisanna's safe return.
Naturally, the celebratory banquet eventually devolved into a boisterous brawl, a testament to the guild's spirited nature.
However, in the aftermath of the festivities, a sense of normalcy returned, and the members of Fairy Tail resumed their individual pursuits.
Drake found himself seated within the expansive library, engrossed in the perusal of a particularly intriguing volume.
While Fairy Tail's extensive library boasted a vast collection of magical texts and scrolls, the majority of the materials consisted of rudimentary and foundational magical principles.
These texts held little value for Drake, whose advanced knowledge rendered them largely inconsequential. Only those texts detailing more esoteric and specialized magical techniques held any potential to enhance his already considerable expertise.
Following a period of diligent study, Drake had managed to assimilate the knowledge contained within the majority of the texts.
He was now focused on the remaining volumes, and he sensed that his development ability, [Mystery], was nearing the threshold of advancement to the next level.
Drake harbored a strong intuition that, upon achieving two further advancements, he would possess the requisite knowledge and skill to construct a magical tool capable of perfectly preserving Igneel's soul. Upon reaching the S-rank in [Mystery], even the resurrection of Igneel would be within his capabilities.
However, his current rank in [Mystery] was a mere G-rank, indicating a considerable distance to the attainment of his ambitious goal.
The most significant obstacle to Drake's progress was the need for a greater accumulation of knowledge to facilitate the advancement of his [Mystery] ability.
For Drake, this presented two distinct paths: either to undertake a comprehensive search for additional magical texts within this world, or to embark on a journey to other worlds.
Drake set aside the magical text he was currently studying, instinctively rubbing his temples in a gesture of frustration.
The mage who had authored this particular volume was clearly a verbose individual, the useful information interspersed with an excessive amount of extraneous and largely irrelevant details. This individual had clearly mastered the art of padding their work with superfluous content.
Having momentarily regained his composure, Drake was on the verge of selecting another volume from the extensive collection when Carla unexpectedly entered the library.
"What is it?" Drake inquired, his gaze fixed upon Carla, whose expression betrayed a lingering sense of unease. "Has your precognitive ability revealed something troubling?"
Carla nodded, her voice tinged with apprehension. "I have witnessed a vision of immense, obsidian wings descending upon us, followed by the image of a sinking island!"
Drake, momentarily stunned by Carla's revelation, responded with a look of grave concern.
According to the established narrative progression, the storyline would soon transition to the arc concerning the S-class mage examinations.
It was entirely unexpected that an event as commonplace as the annual S-class mage examinations would become the catalyst for such a significant and unprecedented series of events.
The appearance of Zeref, the Black Wizard, the assault upon Fairy Tail's sacred grounds on Tenrou Island by the Demon Heart, and the subsequent confrontation with Acnologia, the Dragon King, following a series of devastating battles, all culminated in the desperate use of Fairy Sphere, one of Fairy Tail's three super-magic spells, to safeguard the lives of all its members.
The vision witnessed by Carla almost certainly pertained to Acnologia, implying that Acnologia, the black dragon whom Drake had long considered his ultimate adversary and objective, would almost certainly make his appearance during the upcoming S-class mage examinations.
Drake felt a surge of anxiety, realizing that his recent immersion in study and research had caused him to overlook this critical detail.
For the first time, Drake experienced a profound sense of uncertainty, as he lacked the unshakeable confidence that he had previously possessed in his ability to safeguard the lives of his comrades in the face of unforeseen circumstances.
The situation was complicated by two unpredictable factors, neither of which Drake had any control over.
The first, of course, was Acnologia himself, the very adversary whom Drake had dedicated his efforts to overcoming, serving as the primary driving force behind his relentless pursuit of strength.
Yet, Drake was acutely aware that he currently lacked the power to defeat Acnologia, and even escape might prove challenging. As a Dragon Slayer, Drake was a prime target for Acnologia's relentless hunt.
The second unpredictable element was Zeref. Due to the curse of immortality, Zeref's condition was inherently unstable.
The curse manifested periodically in the form of devastating attacks that eroded all forms of life, rendering them virtually impossible for ordinary mages to defend against.
A return to Zeref's cold, ruthless demeanor would only exacerbate the danger, and Drake possessed no assurance of victory against this Black Wizard, whose age was shrouded in mystery.
And Zeref was currently located on Tenrou Island!
Drake cast a reassuring glance at the visibly distressed Carla, forcing a smile onto his face. "Do not worry," he reassured her, his voice firm and resolute. "I shall ensure that no harm befalls any of our comrades."
With these words, Drake rose to his feet and commenced his departure from the library. His initial plan had been to persuade Makarov to relocate the S-class mage examinations to a different location.
However, upon reaching the main hall, Drake found himself wavering.
Indeed, Zeref was on Tenrou Island. The Demon Heart's attack on Tenrou Island was orchestrated by Zeref; the decimation of Fairy Tail was merely a secondary objective.
According to Zeref's explanation, the appearance of the Black Dragon was often associated with the aura generated by large-scale massacres—a key, as legend would have it, to awakening Zeref.
The Black Dragon, it was said, would follow these auras, completely annihilating the location where the aura lingered longest before vanishing without a trace.
However, Drake harbored doubts about the validity of this explanation. The battles on Tenrou Island, in his estimation, did not qualify as a massacre; therefore, the aura that supposedly attracted Acnologia was questionable.
Acnologia's current objective was to hunt down dragons and Dragon Slayers. This led Drake to believe that Acnologia, while wandering the world, had sensed the presence of three Dragon Slayers on Tenrou Island, prompting his attack.
Even in the original storyline, no one had been able to truly communicate with Acnologia; Drake couldn't confirm the reason for his attack on Tenrou Island.
If the first explanation were correct, changing the examination location could indeed prevent a confrontation.
However, if the second explanation were accurate, Drake dared not gamble on the possibility that fate might lead Acnologia to the vicinity of the new examination site.
On Tenrou Island, at least, they had the power of the sacred grounds, and the assistance of Mavis's spirit, enabling them to utilize Fairy Sphere to protect everyone.
To encounter Acnologia in any other location would be a truly desperate situation.
Drake halted his steps, his jaw clenched. It had been quite some time since he had experienced… this profound sense of powerlessness.
Throughout his many journeys across countless worlds, Drake had consistently emerged victorious over a multitude of formidable adversaries, experiencing few, if any, defeats.
Yet, it was only now, in the face of this imminent threat, that Drake fully grasped the imperative need to enhance his capabilities even further.
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