More than six years have passed, and Precht has undergone significant changes.
Perhaps because he's let go of his burdens, his physique has become more robust, and his cheeks have become rounder.
Coupled with the fact that he no longer wears a hat and has replaced his black eye patch with a monocle on a chain, the dark lens concealing the strange eye.
With his long white beard and gentle smile, he now takes on the image of a learned elder sage.
Even those familiar with him would find it hard to associate the current Precht with the former Hades President.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Precht laughed, "But let's discuss this somewhere else."
Rhode readily agreed.
The two immediately went to the guild's rooftop.
Sitting next to the large bell on the rooftop, Precht seemed much more relaxed.
Rhode thought the old man was just homesick, wanting to come back even if just to sit on the roof.
"I've been investigating Crawford for a while. Last month, I found traces of him once, but he quickly realized I was tracking him and got help from someone to escape.
"And then yesterday, I tracked down his unique magical traces again, but he must have sensed something and somehow masked them before quickly relocating.
"But I did make one significant discovery—I witnessed a flying island, a perfectly square island."
"A flying island?" Rhode wondered if he had stumbled onto a pirate film set.
Though, considering Edolas' floating island technology, a flying island didn't seem that surprising.
He speculated, "Could it be the Gate of the Underworld?"
Precht said, "Yes, I felt a distinct demonic aura—it must be their guild headquarters, Netherworld Island."
"And the direction it's flying..." Rhode stopped mid-sentence.
It didn't seem relevant. If they were aware someone was tracking them, they wouldn't be foolish enough to fly in a straight line.
Precht understood this too but still reported the position and previous flight direction to Rhode, considering it a small lead.
Rhode, half-curious and half-joking, said, "Why didn't you just break in then and hit them with a Fairy Law on the spot?"
"Are you trying to have this old man end there?" Precht gave him a glance and explained, "Don't forget where that Magic Power came from.
Using it against the demons in Jellal's Book might not be effective; those guys aren't easily taken down."
"Demons..." Every time Gate of the Underworld demons were mentioned, Rhode wondered if he could take his children's mother there to rejuvenate.
Thinking this, he posed the question, mainly to consult the second generation about its effects on the fetus.
Precht clearly paused, surprised at the rapid jump in thinking: "A mother's magic practice might influence her child's future magic attributes and the amount of innate Magic Power he or she has.
"The former isn't a concern, and you can prepare for the latter."
"I've already prepared for that." Given that the second generation raised a bunch of excellent children, Rhode casually asked about his insights on this matter.
Precht, with deep significance, said, "This matter isn't that challenging. Having lived in Fairy Tail, no matter how unique a child you encounter in the future, you won't feel at a loss."
"..." Rhode found himself dumbfounded; what he said made a lot of sense.
"Instead of worrying about this now, consider what to name the child."
Rhode jokingly said, "A girl could be named Mebius; I haven't decided for a boy yet."
"Haha, Mebius would be delighted to know you've thought that."
In Fiore's culture, naming a child after an elder is not considered offensive but rather a show of respect and remembrance.
However, it's best to use the name of a deceased elder with honors.
The First Generation's status is a bit ambiguous, so it's not easy to say if one considers it living or dead, and the names of the second and third generations can't be used.
Precht gave a few enthusiastic suggestions, suddenly realizing he'd been sidetracked from his purpose, as if his thinking had been unknowingly diverted.
Fairy Tail sure is addictive.
"Getting back to business, Crawford's frequent use of Super Ancient Document Magic must be for some crucial information. Considering his identity, it's likely related to the Peace Council."
"Isn't it that Magical Elf Power again?" Rhode's first reaction was this. "From what I heard, the current Magical Elf Power not only requires authorization from nine Evaluators but also needs several codes held by different people to activate… Super Ancient Document Magic doesn't decrypt these too, does it?"
Precht did not deny it: "Who knows? That bunch probably hides many dangerous secrets; you could ask Ultear."
That was indeed a possibility.
Although Mest was a spy within the Council, his status wasn't very high.
A former Evaluator must know much higher-level secrets.
The two had an enjoyable conversation before Precht bid farewell and left.
Rhode shared the information with the President before going out on business.
...
Three days later, looking at the ruins before him, Rhode said, "Late again?"
This was the stronghold of one of the Gate of the Underworld's guilds, Bridge of the Dead, located by Makarov.
According to the records, it was supposed to be a small castle built of stone.
But now, the castle has long collapsed, and the ground and remaining walls bear chaotic slashing marks, with many holes in the rubble neatly cut.
As for the bodies left here...
Not a single complete sentence, the attackers seemed to harbor great enmity, cutting each one into pieces.
The blood has dried, and in the scorching August weather, the smell of decay wafts from the corpse pieces in the ruins.
And this wasn't the first gruesome scene Rhode had encountered.
Yesterday and the day before, he had visited two other guilds, Shadow of Hades and Black Mandara.
However, one guild was destroyed in a massive explosion, and although the other's building was perfectly intact, it was eerily silent inside, without a single body left.
Rhode pondered, "Three different methods of operation, have all the top cadres been dispatched simultaneously?"
As he continued to investigate the scene, a group sneaked in stealthily.
Their concealment was decent, but it didn't escape the eyes of the River Crab.
—it was the old acquaintance Lahar and his Strong Detention Team.
Rhode did not intentionally avoid them, so Lahar immediately noticed him:
"Mr. Rhode? Was this... your doing?"
Lahar couldn't believe it because it was so brutal!