In another dimension, separate from the material world, ten figures moved swiftly.
All colors had vanished, leaving only black and white.
As they passed through the defensive lines of the Eternal Theocracy, the once-mighty army now looked like it was being swallowed by terror.
Confusion and panic filled their faces.
Gray stopped in his tracks.
"What are these people so afraid of?"
"It's definitely not us." Zeref shrugged.
The oppressive power of a human kingdom couldn't be so overwhelming—and if it came down to a straight fight, their side might even be at a disadvantage.
The great enemy they faced was enough to balance out the power between the Eternal Theocracy and the Allied Forces of Edolas and Aslant. In fact, it might even tip the scales in the Theocracy's favor.
"Something's wrong with them?" Natsu and Doracion asked in unison.
"This isn't some minor issue," Erza answered with worry in her eyes. She couldn't determine whether the Theocracy's internal problems were good or bad news for the alliance.
"We must not underestimate this." Makarov shared the same concern.
He feared this sudden change might be Pype's doing.
Up until now, aside from assimilating the planet itself, Pype had never shown signs of deliberate, conscious action. But if he decided to pause his work and clear the battlefield of "troublemakers" first…
The outcome would be disastrous.
"I think I know why they're so terrified."
For the first time, Mirajane spoke.
The weapon she had acquired—Fear—allowed her to devour the panic and terror of living beings, absorbing their memories, even their abilities.
This environment was like a paradise for her.
"Look over there."
She pointed in a direction. Everyone turned.
In this black-and-white world, there was a glimmer of golden light.
It was the manifestation of a new kind of life.
But unlike the sun, this light was dazzling yet devoid of warmth, and its actions were chilling beyond words.
With a wave of its hand, the soil and stone flowed upward like quicksand, defying logic. They condensed into a massive altar.
From the warped dimension, Natsu and the others could clearly see the terrified soldiers being dragged onto the altar.
They could see every detail of fear etched on the captives' faces.
Purple-black magic surged like a tide, flowing into their bodies.
Gradually, those on the altar began to glow.
Their skin peeled away like fragile eggshells, revealing dull, lightless forms underneath.
"He's creating his own kind."
Nine of the ten shuddered, cold sweat trickling down their backs.
Only Zeref looked on with fascination, carefully studying the altar's mechanism.
The altar was nothing more than a stabilizer, regulating the raging magic in the air. Once that magic entered the body, it didn't nurture but transformed—remaking flesh into magic itself.
Neural regions were replaced with magic particles in various excitation states.
Stomachs, lungs, and other organs were erased.
Eyes were replaced with special particles, endlessly radiating energy outward.
The precision of the process was terrifying. If left to mortals, the chance of success was nearly zero.
It started at the level of individual cells, overturning everything, smashing DNA to pieces.
From the standpoint of matter, the being before and after the process couldn't be considered the same person.
It was the most extreme form of the Ship of Theseus paradox.
"An unprecedented method of transformation… your master's power is truly terrifying."
"We need to move faster." Gray's voice trembled.
Pouring vast magic into the weapon Zeref had given him, a faint leak of energy drew the attention of one of the magic lifeforms.
Crack!
An ice spike shot forth, piercing the world and rising to the sky.
Countless spikes clustered together, forming a frozen mountain, gleaming with cold brilliance.
But inside the ice, there was nothing.
"That wasn't an illusion. Someone is hiding from me using methods outside the scope of my knowledge."
Inside the nebula-like body, clusters of light collided and burst into white radiance.
The magic lifeform paused, slowed, as though sinking into contemplation.
"Forget it. If it's outside the scope of my knowledge, I won't find them for now."
He abandoned the search with chilling ease.
A knowledge blind spot wasn't something you could just "overcome." You didn't know what form the enemy took, what method they used, or even what interference could work.
If he were still human, he might have tried provoking his hidden foe into revealing themselves—using words, actions, anything.
But now, as a magic lifeform, his emotions were suppressed to the extreme.
If he tried to "act," the flaws would be obvious.
"That was dangerous… what the hell is that thing?"
In the alternate space, Gray and the others were frozen stiff.
They studied the inner structure of the ice—smooth, seamless, flawless.
To Gray, it was art itself.
Even with Zeref's enhancements, he'd need to go all out to achieve something like this.
But for that creature, it had been nothing more than a casual gesture.
"A new kind of life… If we do nothing, they will wipe out every living thing on this planet.
No… Now it may be even worse. They'll turn every living being into one of their own."
For once, Zeref spoke with grave seriousness, coordinating with the others.
This was no good omen.
It meant the Eternal Theocracy's efforts were working.
If they continued like this, they would push Pype into completing the world's assimilation ahead of schedule.
"They'll multiply?" Makarov asked in horror.
"Of course. Not only will their numbers grow, but they'll also keep strengthening themselves. The one we just saw wasn't even close to its potential.
As their understanding of the world deepens, their power will only increase.
They may even surpass… me."
Zeref's words sent a chill through everyone.
"…This is insane," someone muttered.
"Oh, I should clarify—each one of them has this potential. Unlike humans, their learning speed is extremely fast, and reason dominates their minds. The likelihood of them splitting into divergent factions is almost zero.
The pioneers won't hide their abilities.
The successors will always catch up."
Natsu, Doracion, and the others: "…"
"The more I hear, the more I feel like humans really should go extinct."
It was Gildarts who broke the silence, instantly cutting through the heavy mood.
Extinction?
Impossible.
They couldn't—wouldn't—let humanity be wiped out!
Renewing their resolve, the group pressed on toward Pype's core domain.
The deeper they went, the more of these magic lifeforms they encountered. Each was stronger than the last.
Here, S-Class power was commonplace.
The Ten Saints were everywhere.
Only those on the level of the Spriggan Twelve could stand tall.
Meanwhile, non-transformed creatures grew increasingly rare. Not just humans—even magical beasts were vanishing. Insects, too, were scarce.
Deeper still, vegetation thinned.
Magic crystals dotted the ground.
Underground ley lines pulsed visibly, some bursting under the strain of immense magic, releasing torrents of raw energy.
Magic clouds.
Magic waterfalls.
Natural phenomena so alien they defied description.
The closer they drew to the core, the denser the magic became.
Suddenly, Zeref raised his hand.
"Stop."
"What is it?"
"We've been discovered."
The moment he spoke, space itself split.
Two vast, nebula-like entities descended, terrifying in their presence.
Every gesture commanded tides of magic, as if reshaping creation itself.
They existed in the main dimension, but also in the alternate one. Their perception pierced all realms, and they attacked with blinding brilliance.
The blast struck the alternate space where the ten were hiding.
But there, a radiant sphere unfolded, wrapping the group in protective light.
It rotated, dissolving the incoming attack.
When the two forces collided—
Infinite light and infinite heat exploded outward.
Space and time quaked.
Reality shattered.
When the smoke cleared, a figure stepped forward—
a calm youth in black.
He greeted the attackers casually.
Irene… It's been a long time.