Meanwhile, the surviving higher-ups of the Magic Council accepted Cobra's condition.
In exchange for releasing Oración Seis, they learned Tartaros's objective.
Though calling them Oración Seis now was not exactly accurate anymore.
After all, Brain was already dead beyond question. By now, the grass on his grave was probably three feet tall.
"The air outside really is fresher, isn't it?" Cobra said, standing at the edge of a cliff and taking a deep breath.
"Oh, stop trying to look cool," Sorano said in disgust.
"Being free again is a good thing."
"Yes. It means our love reached them!" Richard declared emotionally.
"So what are we doing next?" Racer asked Cobra.
"I'm going to Magnolia," Cobra replied, his goal very clear.
Kinana—the girl who had once been transformed from a snake back into a human.
"I want to go too..." Sorano pressed her lips together when she heard the name Magnolia, but in the end, she made up her mind.
Yukino had visited her several more times since then, and Sorano had already let go of the past.
The two sisters had acknowledged each other at last.
Richard placed a hand against his chest, deeply moved. "I intend to go see Jura, but first, going with all of you to thank Raizel in person is also an expression of love!"
"Then I'll go too," Racer said with a nod. "I've been with you all this long. Being alone would feel strange now."
The few of them had truly shared hardship together.
They had been captured as children and forced into labor at the Tower of Heaven, then rescued by Raizel, only to be abducted again by Brain later.
You could call them a group of old, unlucky souls.
"What about Midnight?" Racer asked, looking toward Midnight, who was unusually standing on the ground.
"He already answered me. Let's go."
Cobra walked away without looking back.
Seeing Midnight follow after them with an expressionless face, Racer and Sorano both smiled.
He was another stubborn, awkwardly proud one.
Unfortunately, tsundere wasn't exactly the right meta anymore, Midnight!
...
At that moment, the speeding floating fortress of Tartaros, Cube, carried the Underworld King and the surviving members of the Nine Demon Gates together again for the first time in a long while.
Within the Hell's Core, Tempester's body was almost completely regenerated.
Jackal and Keyes were more than halfway restored as well.
Inside the gloomy chamber, a slender figure sat sideways on a throne, one hand propping up his chin, his legs crossed.
His long, jet-black hair was tied into a high ponytail. In his arms, he held a dark-brown book with two bold black letters written across its cover:
E.N.D.
He was the Underworld King—Mard Geer Tartaros.
Many years ago, he had founded Tartaros in the name of E.N.D.
In truth, he was the real master of Tartaros.
For years, the Nine Demon Gates had each managed their own forces in different places.
Unless summoned, they were not permitted to return to Cube.
This gathering had been called because of what former Chairman Crawford Seam had revealed: the white legacy, F.A.C.E.
"I have just used the device and locked onto Jellal's location through Super Archive Magic. I can track him in real time."
A map appeared in front of Crawford.
A red dot appeared on it, clearly marking Magnolia.
Kyouka narrowed her eyes. "Magnolia. The home of Fairy Tail?"
Mard Geer smiled with narrowed eyes. "So this Fairy Tail is the guild that severely injured Jackal and the others?"
Kyouka stepped forward and bowed her head. "They are also the ones who destroyed Oración Seis and Grimoire Heart, two of the Balam Alliance's powers. Underworld King, your orders?"
"Our target is Magnolia. especially ...Jellal."
"Yes."
Maintaining her human form, Seilah sat with long black hair, ram-like horns, revealing clothing, and demonic markings carved across the center of her forehead and several places on her body.
She slowly closed the book in her hands and said expressionlessly, "It seems the fairies' story ends here. Then allow me to write the demons' story instead..."
"As the number-one Magic Guild, how much would their lives be worth? How much, how much..."
The short, yellow, armored monster obsessed with money was Franmalth the Armored.
Although Ezel of Dōjigiri and Torafuzar both looked down on Fairy Tail, neither dared disobey Mard Geer's orders.
Among the Nine Demon Gates, the only human, Silver Fullbuster the Absolute Zero, lowered his head in thought.
'Fairy Tail...'
...
Back in Magnolia, Makarov was still thinking when Raizel returned with Belno.
At the moment, four former council members had gathered here: Yajima, Org, Belno, and Jellal.
Including Michello, whom Natsu was bringing back, that made five.
Org and Belno were somewhat uncomfortable seeing Jellal standing so openly in front of them.
After all, he was the main reason most of the previous Magic Council had been forced to step down.
Jellal, however, did not feel much guilt over it.
The reason was simple.
Most of those councilors were not worth feeling guilty over.
"The only one left is the former chairman, then?" Belno asked, noticing Crawford was not there.
Jellal voiced his guess. "The former chairman is very likely the spy. In all likelihood, he was the one who told Tartaros about F.A.C.E."
Makarov stood on the bar counter and raised his fist.
"Then we have only one objective—find Tartaros!"
Raizel yawned, interrupting Makarov's fiery speech.
"There's no need to find them. They'll come to us surely, but we can't fight in Magnolia. We need to move the battlefield."
If they fought here, the ones who would suffer would be Magnolia's residents.
"Then here." Ur pointed toward a location farther east beyond the forest.
It was a vast plain, perfect as a battlefield.
The members who had gone out to retrieve the former councilors returned one after another, and everyone sat down.
Makarov and Raizel stood on the stage.
"All Fairy Tail members currently in Magnolia—our destination is the Eastern Plains!"
"We'll have to trouble you to come with us," Makarov said apologetically to Org and Belno.
At a time like this, splitting their forces was not suitable.
They had no choice but to bring the former council members with them.
Leaning on his staff, Org shook his head. "No. We should be thanking you for protecting us."
Belno nodded. "The same goes for me. I'll cooperate fully."
There were not many Fairy Tail members in Magnolia right now, but those present were all elites.
Some members boarded an airship and headed for the Eastern Plains.
Those capable of flight, such as Erza and Mira, flew there themselves.
As for Belno, Org, and the others, Raizel transported them with teleportation Magic.
Raizel called Jet and the others over and gave them instructions.
"Jet, Droy, Macao, Wakaba—the four of you prioritize protecting the councilors."
...
'Cube' sped toward Magnolia.
Inside Tartaros's grand hall, Mard Geer sat with his book in hand, eyes closed in false sleep.
The members of the Nine Demon Gates had already gone to prepare for battle, leaving only Crawford there, watching Jellal's movements closely.
Suddenly, Crawford spoke in a hurried voice.
"Underworld King, Jellal's location has moved very quickly. He has already reached the Eastern Plains!"
Mard Geer opened his eyes and chuckled.
"So they noticed."
"No matter."
"It makes no difference where the battle takes place."