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"No, absolutely not!"
Mavis interrupted August's explanation.
But seeing her son's stunned expression, Mavis's demeanor immediately softened, and she quickly explained, "August, you should know that I'm afflicted with the Contradictory Curse. If I return to my body, I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself and might harm you, or even…"
"Or even take my life."
August's tone was calm, without a trace of fear of death in his eyes. "Mother, what you fear won't happen. I believe Noah can definitely resolve your curse…"
August, of course, knew the malicious nature of the Contradictory Curse; otherwise, he wouldn't have worked by Zeref's side for so many years without revealing their relationship.
Once the curse on Zeref and Mavis erupted, the terrifying power of death would instantly claim August's life.
If it were the old August, he would have suppressed that intense love and longing, because he didn't want his death to bring sorrow to his parents.
At one point, August thought he would carry the secret of his birth until his dying day.
But now, he saw hope for a family reunion.
The name of that hope was Noah.
Listening to August's confident words, Mavis looked with confusion at the white-haired young man who had silently approached her. It wasn't that she was short and looked down on people, but simply that this young man was too young.
When I was his age, I was still swamped with guild affairs and magic research.
Makarov saw through Mavis's thoughts; the little girl's expression was too easy to read. He then spoke up to remind her, "First Master, Noah is nineteen this year. He was eighteen the year you passed away."
"And Noah's strength… in this world, perhaps only the legendary and elusive Dragon of Destruction, Acnologia, can compare."
August also chimed in, "Yes, Mother, Noah is very strong. I can't even withstand one of his full-power attacks."
Mavis's confused expression immediately turned to surprise.
She naturally knew the fearsome reputation of the Black Dragon. Makarov was not one to exaggerate in such matters, and she also trusted August.
However, was her son's last statement a bit of an overstatement?
Although Mavis was a ghost, her perception of magic in her soul state was several times stronger than when she was alive.
If Makarov's Magic Power was a vigorous flame, then August, in Mavis's perception, was a blazing sun.
As the offspring of Mavis and Zeref, August's chaotic magic, which was neither light nor dark, was not only powerful but also perfectly compatible with all elemental magic.
Precisely because of this uniqueness, August could be said to be the strongest mage Mavis had ever seen. At over eighty years old, his Magic Power was not much weaker than Zeref, who had lived for over 400 years.
Yet, this powerful August claimed he couldn't withstand one full-power burst from Noah.
And Noah was not even twenty years old.
Is he even human?
Mavis gasped, her eyes filled with shock as she looked at Noah. "Do you really have a way to counter the Contradictory Curse?"
Noah wore a relaxed smile, his palm open.
Under Mavis's puzzled gaze, an invisible yet incredibly heavy power condensed, until destructive blue lightning crackled in the air, only then did Mavis finally perceive this power.
The piercing tearing sound of electricity, accompanied by the visual effect of space distortion, was pure, domineering, and unreasonable, as if it could shake the very foundations of the world.
This was a terrifying power different from magic, one that transcended it!
"There's a saying, 'fight magic with magic.'"
"But in the face of my peerless power, magic is but second-rate."
Noah's tone was filled with confidence, and the Magnetic Field Power he wielded exuded a convincing dominance. Even Mavis, who had been skeptical just moments ago, now found herself involuntarily holding onto hope for him.
In a world founded on magic, the emergence of a power beyond magic suggested that perhaps he truly could counter, or even eliminate, the Contradictory Curse.
Mavis became somewhat excited, "If you can truly do it, then Zeref, he…"
"That's precisely why we're here."
Noah looked at Mavis, who was as excited as a child, and smiled, "August used the positioning function of a communication device and discovered that Zeref is on Tenrou Island."
Mavis's face froze, followed by a triple denial, "Impossible, I haven't seen him on the island at all. Don't talk nonsense."
Seeing Mavis's expression, the faces of Noah and the other two became a bit strange.
Mavis, who wanders Tenrou Island daily, hasn't seen any trace of Zeref on the island during this time. Could August's positioning be faulty?
August quickly pulled out a communication Lacrima and, in front of the other three, once again located Zeref's position.
However, this time it still locked onto Tenrou Island.
August spoke with some regret, "Father is on Tenrou Island, but I cannot pinpoint his exact coordinates further. The limit of this positioning magic can only go this far."
"It's alright. To be able to pinpoint Tenrou Island between the continent and the ocean, your magic is already quite impressive, Senior."
Watching August put away his device, Noah suddenly remembered something and continued, "When Zeref falls into a state of seclusion, his magic temporarily becomes ineffective, and he becomes like an ordinary person. Could your inability to find him, First Master, be related to this?"
Mavis shook her head. Tenrou Island had a magical barrier that prevented ordinary people from even approaching, let alone landing on the island.
However, Noah's words did give Mavis a hint.
In fact, ordinary people could enter Tenrou Island through another method: if Tenrou Island actively opened its doors to them.
Tenrou Island was a mysterious island, connected to the land beneath the ocean, possessing unfathomable magic. If Tenrou Island actively allowed Zeref to enter, it would protect him just as it protected Mavis.
And if Zeref, in his secluded state, simply found a hidden corner to seclude himself and be a melancholic handsome man, and Tenrou Island was so vast, Mavis really would have a hard time finding him.
So, where would Zeref be?
If his curse were to erupt, Tenrou Island would surely become a death island with no life.
Mavis held her head in distress, trying to think of the man's whereabouts, but her mind was completely blank. After decades as a ghost, she felt for the first time that Tenrou Island, where she had always lived, was truly vast.
Noah looked at the sky and comforted her, "Don't worry too much. I promise I'll ferret him out tomorrow. Let's head back to the camp first; Erza and the others are still waiting…"
Before he could finish, Noah felt a surge of death power, as if it would devour all life, erupt violently in the northwest direction of Tenrou Island.