"Kid, stop running your mouth!"
"So you won the Grand Magic Games—big deal. That cheap trophy make you think you're invincible?!"
Hot-headed Wolfheim blew a fuse the moment Eden finished speaking. In a blink he swelled into a towering beast over ten meters tall and charged before anyone could react.
"Cool it, Wolfheim."
"I'm just stating a fact."
Eden met the raging charge with a light chuckle—and threw a punch.
"Hahaha!"
"That brat's about to get turned into paste by Senior Wolfheim's fist!"
God Serena laughed loud, already savoring the scene—just like the first time he himself challenged Wolfheim after breaking into "Wizard King" tier and got flattened.
"Poor child."
Hyberion shut his eyes, already picturing Eden sailing through the air.
"Eden!"
"Wolfheim hits like a mountain—don't meet him head-on!"
Only Warrod Sequen, leaning on his staff, looked worried as Eden clearly intended to clash strength for strength.
"Underworld Dragon… Crushing Fist!"
The instant their fists collided, something none of them expected happened.
Before the assembled Wizard Saints' eyes, Wolfheim—their "unrivaled" powerhouse in raw might—was launched skyward by a single punch. He went limp midair like a flung rag and plummeted toward a distant peak.
"W-what?!"
"Wolfheim got sent flying?!"
The remaining "Saint Ten" stared, shaken to their core. Wolfheim, the pride of Ishgar in pure strength, hadn't just lost at his specialty—he'd been one-shot. He couldn't even contest Eden in a grapple.
"Not good!"
"Someone, save him!"
Wolfheim's aged body was about to smash into the mountain when—
Warrod tapped his staff to the ground. The greenery on the cliff seemed to awaken, weaving itself into a net that caught the falling old man.
"This power… it's absurd no matter how you look at it."
Lying on the living net, Wolfheim stared at his forearm—still fractured even after receiving his Beast Soul—disbelief filling his eyes.
"You're a Dragon Slayer?"
There was no time to pity Wolfheim's defeat. The next to step up was… "God" Serena.
"What a coincidence—I am too."
"Unlike you single-attribute slayers, I've fused four Dragon-slaying Lacrima. I'm a man favored by the Dragon God."
Serena's body crumbled into ash—elementalized—and he reappeared behind Eden with a cold voice: "Take this—Ash Dragon: Scatter to Dust!"
Boom!
Endless bone remains, cremated into grey cinders, surged over Eden like a tidal wave. Serena threw his head back and laughed. "Hahaha! You got careless, Eden. My ash assimilates all things. Touch it and you die."
"Careful, Eden!"
Warrod's eyelid twitched at the perfect sneak attack, sweat beading as his heart pounded for Eden.
"Bones?"
"Just the husks left by souls whose lifespans ended and crossed into the underworld—burned and turned to ash."
"You're a lower-tier dragon under my 'Underworld Dragon,' aren't you?"
Eden ignored the ambush entirely. An Ash Dragon… in other words, an undead-type dragon.
And he was the apex of all undead dragons—the original Underworld Dragon itself.
"Huh?!"
Serena watched, baffled, as the sea of ash couldn't get near Eden at all. The moment it approached, it scattered away in all directions like it had met a natural predator.
"So dragons have ranks too…"
Only then did Serena truly understand.
Even among those who once stood at the top of all life—the dragons themselves—strict hierarchies existed. And those ranks could not be defied.
"Don't forget—I'm God Serena of the Four Dragon Gods!"
"Besides the Ash Dragon, I still have three more!"
His confidence returned.
"Go on—show me."
Eden made a "please" gesture.
"You'll regret it!"
Serena's hand chopped down like a blade. "Kneel and submit, Eden! This is the invincible power that cleaves dragons!"
"Oh?"
"Psychological suggestion and illusion, huh?"
"Mirage Dragon—lower tier."
Eden didn't move, watching quietly.
"Damn it!"
"Fine—Sticky Dragon!"
"I'll wrap you up like a dumpling!"
Seeing his dragon-cleaving force do nothing, Serena switched to the third Lacrima's power, sending adhesive threads like spider silk to bind Eden.
Boom!
Flames rose around Eden. In a roaring whirl, the fire incinerated every filament to nothing.
Eden gave Serena a look of pure distaste. "That particular Lacrima is… mildly disgusting."
"Why doesn't it work?!" Serena's eye twitched. He couldn't process how Eden could be this strong.
"If you've got anything left, use it now."
"Because once it's my turn, you won't get another chance."
Arms folded, Eden addressed him calmly. Truth be told, he was curious what four Dragon-slaying powers Serena had collected.
"…"
Pressed by Eden's taunt, Serena still didn't move—didn't even look like he wanted to.
Eden frowned, thought a moment, and murmured, "So your last Lacrima is a defensive type?"
"…"
Serena said nothing—and poured power into the Shield Dragon.
Before meeting Eden, Serena had believed his four Lacrima formed perfection itself: Ash for speed/erosion, Cleaving for offense, Shield for defense, Sticky for control. A born hunter.
Now all he could do was bet everything on his invincible Shield Dragon defense.
"In that case, my turn."
Eden vanished and reappeared right in front of him.
"Shield Dragon—Diamond Body!"
Serena cackled as Eden closed in. "No one can break a Shield Dragon's defense. I am invincible!"
"Adamantine Dragon—Crushing Fist!!"
Eden didn't bother arguing. He simply answered with a punch.
For a second, Eden could've sworn he heard Serena yell, "Tekkai!"
Splat—
A deafening crack. Serena rocketed away, vomiting blood.
Toughness?
A Shield Dragon's defense couldn't compare to an Adamantine Dragon's.
Yes—Adamantine Dragons outrank Shield (Steel) Dragons.
And Shield Dragons outrank mere Iron Dragons.
Gajeel: "…Was that a personal attack?"
"You're next."
Eden crooked a finger at the last one who hadn't acted—Hyberion.
"Indirect Vampiric Magic!"
Hyberion didn't hesitate. He cast his specialty—he didn't need to get close. As long as the opponent was within line of sight, he could paralyze them as their vitality bled away.
"Hm?"
The spell hit, and Eden felt a wave of fatigue—as if he'd lost too much blood.
"Strong magic."
"But your mana is too weak."
He inhaled, drawing in the surrounding ambient magic through his mouth, then roared: "Storm Dragon's Roar—Wind Stirs the Moon!"
Boom!
The gale slammed Hyberion to the ground in an instant.
Not even five minutes had passed.
Even with Eden holding back, Hyberion (rank 1 of the Saint Ten), Wolfheim (rank 2), and "God" Serena (rank 4) were all down. A clean sweep.
"Now then—can everyone hear me out?"
Eden sat on a nearby stone stool, smiling at the three Saints sprawled at his feet, unable to rise.
"Huh?!"
"Even Ishgar's Four Gods aren't Eden's match?"
"Maybe I'm not weak after all…"
After the Grand Magic Games, Jura's heart had crumbled. But seeing even the famed Four Gods of Ishgar lose to Eden, his confidence returned.
Right—it's not that Jura is weak. The enemy is just too strong.
"Eden… is he really this strong?"
"He may be even stronger than that old fox Precht!"
Warrod, thrilled and stunned in equal measure, watched Eden crush three "Gods" like it was nothing—and still found time to dig at Precht.
Precht: "I can't beat Eden or hack-cheat Gildarts, sure—but you, Warrod? I'll deck you with my eyes closed even without the Devil's Heart."
Ahem.
"So, do I have the right to speak now?"
Eden looked at the groaning Wolfheim.
"Of course…"
Wolfheim nodded, face burning with shame.
"Good."
"From here on, I need the Wizard Saints to form an organization—under the name 'Saint Ten Council.'"
"A body composed entirely of the Saint Ten, above the Magic Council (ERA)…"
"It will exist for one purpose: to prepare for the day the Alvarez Empire of the Western Continent attacks Ishgar again."
With the Four Gods all beaten into listening, Eden relayed the message Precht had entrusted to him.
"Uh…"
"With power like yours, what do you even need us for?"
"You alone could handle the entire Alvarez Empire, couldn't you?"
Hyberion looked a mess, but he couldn't help asking. To him, Eden's strength had already broken the scale. Could anyone in the West be stronger?
"No."
"Our enemies are far beyond what you imagine."
"Abandon every naïve thought. Be ready for the complete annihilation of Ishgar if it comes to that. Their combined strength is more than a hundred times ours."
Eden's calm words left Hyberion, Wolfheim, Serena, Warrod, and even tag-along Jura staring in shock.
"Over a hundred times?!"
"Exactly."
Eden nodded.
"So let's do everything we can. Prepare like our lives depend on it—because they do."
He wasn't pinning the fate of Ishgar on Saints who couldn't even beat him. But with a "Saint Ten Council" standing above ERA…
Those stubborn old mules in the Magic Council would stop harassing Fairy Tail every other day.
That was the real point.
"I'll take it from here."
With Eden's goal achieved, Warrod stepped up, smiling kindly at the assembled Saints.
"Then I'll head out."
Eden still had a mountain of things to do. He wasn't staying to hash out the details.
"Go on, Eden."
Warrod nodded with a smile.
Hum—
Space folded. Eden vanished.
"Everyone saw it: our guild's outstanding junior, Eden, is terrifyingly strong."
"So I propose we shuffle the Saint Ten rankings a bit. Any objections?"
Hands clasped behind his back, Warrod smiled at the three thoroughly convinced "Gods."
"Do what you want."
Wolfheim grunted.
The next day—
News shook Fiore—and all of Ishgar.
First, the Wizard Saints collectively strong-armed ERA and founded a council led by the "Saint Ten."
Second, Fairy Tail's Eden—the one who dominated the Grand Magic Games—was officially recognized by ERA as one of the current Saint Ten.
That same day, a new ranking dropped.
Everyone moved down a slot.
And the vacant number one—the symbol of Ishgar's strongest—changed from Hyberion… to Eden.
In other words, Eden was now, beyond dispute, the strongest wizard on the Ishgar continent.
Tenrou Island.
"With this, Fairy Tail holds three votes in the Saint Ten Council (Eden, Warrod, and Master Makarov)."
"In a pinch, we can mobilize the entire Magic Council."
Precht's lips curled as the report arrived. Everything was proceeding to plan.
Meanwhile, in the pirate world—
"Yamato."
"I've got a favor to ask."
Eden tracked down Yamato, who'd been roaming the Blues and the Grand Line.
"You're Eden?"
"Must be important if you came yourself!"
"Say the word—I'll give it a hundred percent!"
Yamato thumped her chest.
Buddies are buddies.
"We had a little… hiccup with a dimensional transit array."
"Long story short, Fairy Tail's short on home defenses. I need someone to watch the house."
Eden explained the situation.
"Easy."
"Guarding a base is what I'm best at."
Yamato grinned. As a Mythical Zoan—Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Great Deity of the Mouth—watching the gate was second nature.
"Next is Ace."
After securing Yamato, Eden headed for Whitebeard's ship.
"Borrow my son, huh?"
Whitebeard downed the good sake Eden brought and looked, half-drunk, at his "great son." "What do you think, Ace?"
"Hah?"
"If Eden's personally 'requesting' it…"
Ace dragged out the word with a grin. "Then how could I say no? Ahahaha!"
"Much obliged."
Eden then set course for Amazon Lily.
"If it's Eden's request, then this Empress has no reason to refuse~"
"From today, my two sisters will rule in my stead. This Empress is going to chase freedom~"
Boa Hancock agreed on the spot. The Navy under Akainu was cracking down on slave trading and racial discrimination—Amazon Lily didn't need her protection for now.
And so—
When Eden gathered Hancock, Ace, and Yamato in Loguetown, the three looked at each other and blurted, "Huh?! You too?!"
Ace and Yamato—fine. But Ace and Hancock? Oil and fire.
"Why is this stuck-up woman here?"
Ace glared.
"Filthy man!"
"I can guard a guild perfectly well without riffraff like you."
Hancock shot back.
"Guys, don't. We're all friends."
Yamato rubbed her temples as their bickering escalated.
"Eden, say it—am I more important, or she is?"
"Eden, say it—am I more important, or this filthy man?"
Eden held up both hands. "You're both… important."
(…Sorry, bro. I finally understand your pain.)
After defusing the two powder kegs, Eden paid a quiet visit to the World Government to see Robin.
"Ara~"
"Long time—well, not that long, I suppose."
Robin pushed up her glasses and smiled.
"Just came to check on you."
Eden sat beside her, eyeing the mountain of books. "That's… a lot of reading. Can you really get through it all?"
"Hehe."
"I have a lot of fellow scholars helping."
She chuckled. "Give me about half a year. I'll finish my work and join you in that other world."
"After all…"
"I'm very curious about its history."
Even in the Fairy Tail world, Robin planned to keep doing what she loved—researching the past.
"I'll be waiting."
Eden then secretly checked on the Straw Hats' training.
Under Garp, they got beaten within an inch of their lives every day.
"At this rate, Luffy will awaken soon."
Eden didn't disturb them. After observing a bit, he returned to Loguetown—then brought Ace, Yamato, and Hancock to Fairy Tail.
"And these three are…?!"
The moment Eden walked them into the guild, Macao and Wakaba froze.
You couldn't not notice them.
Hancock's beauty could rival Mirajane's. Ace felt like a second Natsu. And Yamato… was huge—even bigger than Elfman.
"They're friends from another world. When our main force isn't around, they'll help keep the troublemakers off our doorstep."
Eden introduced them.
"This Empress… my name is Hancock. From today we're comrades—please treat me kindly~"
Gone was the usual lofty air—by association, she was polite to Eden's family.
"I'm Ace. Friend of Eden and Natsu."
He shook hands with the guild one by one.
"I'm Yamato! I'll protect this place with everything I've got!"
She lifted her kanabo and—crashed it straight through the guild floor in hot-blooded enthusiasm.
"Eden, you sure they're here to protect us—and not to cause trouble?"
Macao had to admit: Hancock was gorgeous, Yamato was cool, and Ace had a great vibe. But looking at them… fewer problems didn't feel likely.
"Relax. They're reliable."
Eden thought a moment, then nodded.
Honestly, among everyone he knew in the pirate world, these three were the most dependable.
Oh, right—Mihawk too.
But Mihawk was with Shanks, planning a new journey after they settled the matter of One Piece. Eden didn't press.
With home defense arranged, Eden returned to Tenrou Island—
—to wait for Precht to finish the World Locator.
Four days later.
"Done."
"No tricks this time."
As promised, Precht spent a week building the device—a brilliant orb of light. It flew into Eden's body the moment Precht flicked it over.
"Hm?"
Countless world coordinates flashed through Eden's mind.
"With these, it's easy. Wait for me."
Without hesitation, he cast Trans-Dimensional Teleportation.
Hum—
With a thunderous roar, Eden's figure vanished from Tenrou.
"Don't let Mavis down, Eden."
"All of Fairy Tail's hopes ride on you, kid."
Precht murmured after he was gone.
Elentear.
"Hm?"
"My foolish son left Earth-Land?"
"For… an unknown world?"
"How amusing."
Selene's crimson lips curved after sensing Eden's dimensional jump.
Somewhere else—
"Ugh…"
Eden stumbled out of the teleport and immediately bent over the nearest tree hollow to retch.
"Disgusting."
"Like an endless roller coaster."
He wiped his mouth and looked around, frowning. "Where did it drop me?"
Shff—
Ninjas wearing Leaf headbands surrounded him in an instant.
"We detected a space-time fluctuation. Suspect uses time-space ninjutsu—possibly connected to the Nine-Tails Night."
"Leaf headbands…?"
"Oh. Naruto."
Eden eyed the ring of shinobi, utterly unbothered—and even had the patience to comment. He knew Naruto far too well.
"Go notify the Fifth Hokage—"
"Fifth?"
"Tsunade?"
"Okay—the timeline makes sense."
He muttered as he inferred the era from those scraps of info.
"…Hero—Lord Makarov!"
Then he heard the name they spoke for the Fifth Hokage.
"Wait, what?"
"Fifth Hokage… Makarov? Did I hear that right?"
"Is this even the same Naruto I know?"
Eden blinked. This wasn't the Naruto he remembered.
"Even if old man Makarov is strong…"
"Did Konoha run out of candidates so badly they made him Hokage?"
He couldn't stop roasting them.
Though, to be fair… it wasn't that unbelievable.
(End of Chapter)
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