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As expected, after hearing Noah's voice, Zeref, who had been dispirited, immediately widened his eyes in shock.
"The posthumous child… Mavis… How is that possible!"
"Could it be that night?!!!"
Zeref's face was filled with disbelief, but his mind involuntarily recalled the last moments he spent with Mavis.
At that time, Mavis had left the guild and was wandering alone in the deep mountains and old forests, where she met Zeref, who was also avoiding the world. The two people, both afflicted with the Contradictory Curse, fell in love with each other.
In order to prevent the malicious curse from harming living beings again, Zeref and Mavis decided to use their love to activate their respective curses, thereby causing the death energy to kill each other.
On the last day of their lives, they watched the sunrise together, played in the water, loved, embraced, kissed, and slept… However, they had agreed to die together, but the next day, Zeref woke up, and Mavis's serene but lifeless face broke his heart.
Perhaps he didn't love Mavis enough, or perhaps Mavis's love for him wasn't deep enough. In any case, Mavis died, killed by the curse within Zeref.
But now Noah was telling him that Mavis had a posthumous child, and this made Zeref's mind instantly clear. He was absolutely certain that it was his and Mavis's child.
His dead heart began to beat again.
But Mavis had been dead for over eighty years, would their child still be in the world? Zeref felt sorrow in his heart, and as he valued life, the Contradictory Curse within him began to stir.
Noah felt the curse power stirring within Zeref, but it wasn't enough, so Noah added fuel to the fire: "Zeref, your child is right beside you. Here's a hint."
"On a certain day in August, you picked him up."
August?
Zeref quickly sifted through his memories of the past few decades, swiftly pinpointing a particular experience.
Eighty-one years ago, Zeref had met a little boy in an unknown town. Because the boy bore some resemblance to Mavis, Zeref adopted him.
And because he met the little boy in August, Zeref named him "August."
From then on, August, who finally had a name, followed Zeref's will, acting as a "chess piece" that satisfied Zeref to enrich his "game."
As soon as he thought of the expectant look August had given him as a child, Zeref felt a sharp pang in his heart. The dual blow to his body and mind tormented him.
Why is this happening… Fate made me meet my own child, but I didn't recognize him and even treated him as a chess piece…
The love for Mavis and the deep guilt toward August intensely stimulated the Contradictory Curse within Zeref. Unable to suppress it any longer, Zeref's emotions instantly ignited the curse.
An endless burst of death energy, the "Death Hunt" that reaped all life, began.
However, Noah, with a domain combining two hundred thousand units of Magnetic Field Power and magic, forcefully contained the "death energy" within five meters of Zeref.
Aside from a few unlucky marine creatures, no other deaths occurred.
The continuous eruption of death energy from within Zeref finally allowed Noah to see the full scope of the Contradictory Curse, and in an instant, he pinpointed its location.
In a flash, Noah appeared behind Zeref, placing his hands on his temples, "Magnetic Field Rotation! Two hundred thousand units of power concentrated!"
"Magnetic Field Sky Lock!"
Just as this peerless power was about to seal the hateful curse, Zeref's body inexplicably erupted with "Death Hunt" again, a faster, stronger, and rampaging death energy with a destructive power of about two hundred and ten thousand units.
The sudden rampage prevented Noah from successfully sealing it, and the death energy almost broke through the Magnetic Field domain.
Unfortunately, Noah was still stronger.
Two hundred and twenty thousand units of Magnetic Field Power instantly suppressed the rampaging death energy.
Noah suddenly perceived a malicious gaze in the void watching him. His intuition told him that it was the mastermind behind Zeref's curse!
"Heh, you sneaky thing."
Noah sneered, "That sudden rampage of death energy was your backup plan left on Zeref, wasn't it? You think such a small trick can stop me."
Feeling the malice in that gaze growing stronger, Noah understood that the opponent had no other means to stop him, and immediately unleashed his full power.
"Magnetic Field Rotation! Two hundred and fifty thousand units of power!"
"Lock it for me!"
With force from his hands, a vast Magnetic Field Power poured into Zeref's body, forcibly sealing the Contradictory Curse that had merged into his flesh and bones.
The sealing process was painful. Even the Black Wizard, accustomed to pain, screamed in agony from the violent destruction of the Magnetic Field Power at this moment.
Ten minutes later.
The death energy gradually disappeared.
The gaze watching Noah from the void also vanished without a trace.
Noah released Zeref, "Congratulations, Zeref. From now on, you won't suffer from the curse anymore."
Zeref, drenched in sweat from the pain, was about to express his thanks, but he felt an emptiness within him, as if something had been sealed along with the Contradictory Curse.
Before Zeref could react, his feet found no purchase, and he fell into the seawater. Because he couldn't swim, Zeref thrashed around several times and ended up swallowing half a bellyful of water.
Noah sighed helplessly. The dignified founder of Black Magic, a legendary mage who had lived for over 400 years, couldn't even swim.
This Zeref was truly weak.
Noah created an ice platform with ice magic, casually picked Zeref up, and threw him onto it.
Zeref lay prostrate, spitting out several mouthfuls of seawater before catching his breath. He looked up at Noah, "Why can't I feel my Magic Power anymore?"
"Ah, about that…"
Noah's expression was innocent, "The Contradictory Curse has been on you for so long that it was almost completely fused with your Magic Power, so when I sealed the curse, I inevitably sealed your Magic Power along with it."
"So, I'm an ordinary person now, am I?"
Zeref turned and lay on the ice, his expression showing a hint of relief. He didn't blame Noah, nor did he regret losing his Magic Power.
Tormented by the Contradictory Curse for 400 years, unable to find death and struggling to live, returning to an ordinary life now felt like the best possible outcome.
Seeing Zeref's resigned posture, Noah couldn't help but smile, "Let's go back to Tenrou Island. Your wife and son are waiting for you."
Hearing this, Zeref immediately sat up. He could understand August being on Tenrou Island, as their communication devices had a positioning function.
But Mavis… Could it be?!
"That's right, Mavis's ghost is also on Tenrou Island."
Watching Zeref's expression change from anticipation to sadness, and then from sadness to helplessness, Noah found it truly amusing, "Don't worry, Mavis's situation is a hundred times better than yours. Not only can she come back to life, but she will also have a body with endless Magic Power."
Zeref let out a long sigh, "Can't you just say everything at once… I'm over 400 years old, my heart can't take such turmoil."
"Oh, come on. The Contradictory Curse fixed your body at the age you were when cursed. Although your body is no different from a weakling, it's still very healthy."
Noah hadn't expected Zeref to joke with him. It seemed he had truly emerged from the shadow of the curse.
After an exchange of smiles, Noah picked up Zeref and flew toward Tenrou Island.