"Does this guy know you, Salamander?"
Gajeel helped Levy up from the ground and looked at Natsu, who was blocking them from behind. "And where did you suddenly pop up from?"
Happy descended slowly and explained, "We were planning to fly to the top of Tenrou Island to make it easier to find the First Master's grave, but Natsu suddenly headed this way..."
"That's because I smelled a hair-raising scent." Natsu's attention remained firmly locked on the black-robed man across from him.
"The surrounding trees and flowers have all withered."
"It's your bastard magic, isn't it!"
"I don't know who you are, but this is our guild's holy ground. Get out of here right now!"
The man looked at the angry Cherry-Haired Youth, seemingly not hearing his order to leave, and said to himself, "You've grown up... I've really missed you... Natsu."
"I'm asking who the hell you are!!"
Natsu finally couldn't suppress his temper. His intelligence was entirely focused on fighting, and he hated it when people spoke in riddles. Was it really that hard to just state your name?
For some reason, Natsu couldn't control himself. He went up and delivered a hard punch, sending the black-robed man rolling across the ground.
"He actually just started punching... That was a bit sudden, wasn't it?"
Gajeel couldn't help but comment, earning a nod of agreement from Levy. She also felt Natsu had been a bit too impulsive just now. Although he was always reckless, he was never usually this emotional.
Natsu also noticed that something had been off for a moment.
Just now, his body's instinct told him to kill the black-robed man, yet his mind inexplicably felt a slight fondness for him. This complicated feeling eventually led him to throw a punch, but without any magic attached.
The black-robed man knelt on the ground, tears constantly falling from his face, an aura of sadness washing over the area.
Is it still no good... I don't want any more lives to die because of me... Natsu is the one who can stop me... But why can't even Natsu destroy me... As expected... I still can't escape being toyed with by that curse... "He's... crying?"
"Did I hit him too hard?"
"Don't be ridiculous, that guy almost killed both of us!"
"This guy is really bizarre..."
Sorrow, frustration, regret, and helplessness intertwined in the black-robed man's heart, and a terrifying power erupted within him once more.
In the next instant, an even larger, more evil, and more terrifyingly eerie energy surged out again, centered on the black-robed man.
A black ripple of magic, a bizarre force that snatched away life.
Death Predation is coming!
And this shockwave wasn't something you could avoid just by lying down.
Sensing the extraordinary power, Natsu immediately turned and shouted, "Everyone, get out of here!"
Realizing the danger, Gajeel hoisted Levy onto his shoulder, grabbed the stunned Happy with one hand, and turned for a full hundred-meter sprint, the death energy nipping at his heels.
As for Natsu, he was already pierced through by that terrifying power.
After a wide range of Plants withered, Happy desperately threw himself toward the figure in the center of the field. "Natsu! Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine."
Natsu brushed away the surrounding smoke. Under that power capable of instantly killing life, he had actually survived unscathed.
But strangely, Natsu's white scarf, which he never left behind, had now turned as black as could be.
Seeing the gift from his foster father ruined like this, Natsu was instantly enraged. "To think you'd do this to the scarf Igneel gave me..."
Happy scratched his cat face. "Maybe Igneel's scarf protected you."
"Oh no!"
"That man is gone!"
—
—
Somewhere on Tenrou Island.
The mysterious black-robed man leaned against a tree, weeping silently.
Beside him, an elf-like girl with long golden hair watched him silently, her eyes filled with heartache.
She wanted to reach out and wipe away his tears, but her fingers passed right through his body.
Only then did the girl realize that she had been dead for a long time.
She gave a bitter smile and murmured to herself, "Zeref... have you been doing well all these years?"
The voice of a ghost cannot be heard by the living, yet as if sharing a telepathic connection, the black-robed man raised his head, looked beside him, and subconsciously spoke a name.
"Mavis?"
After a brief moment of daze, Zeref gave a self-deprecating smile.
Mavis had died long ago, on that morning 88 years ago when they agreed to die together, dying in his arms... Zeref suppressed his grief. He had already triggered the curse within him twice today. This was Tenrou Island; he could not let a damnable person like himself continue to disturb Mavis's slumber.
It was time to leave.
Just as he stood up, an enchanting figure stepped out from the nearby woods.
She wore a tight-fitting combat suit and a white headband, her long straight black hair falling to her waist. It was Ultear, who had been branded a "Witch" and wanted by the New Council.
The moment she saw Zeref, Ultear's face was filled with joy.
This was the person she sought, the one who had pushed black magic to its absolute limit, created tens of thousands of demons, and plunged the world into chaos... the strongest and most evil in the history of the magic world—
Black Wizard Zeref!!
"Are you here for my power?"
Sensing that the newcomer seemed to have designs on him, Zeref's gloomy expression vanished, and his entire aura became cold and heartless in an instant.
Ultear knelt on one knee and answered respectfully, "We want everything you have, Lord Zeref."
"I do not wish to do anything in this era."
"Nor do I wish to see conflict and death."
"Now, you and your people must leave this island immediately."
Zeref's tone was extremely cold, startling Ultear. The Black Wizard who brought about countless deaths actually didn't want to see conflict and death?
That was simply too ridiculous.
I see. Although he is conscious, he has no awareness of his true thoughts. Is this the 'Awakened Slumber' state of Zeref mentioned in the records provided by the Underworld King... In that case, he can be taken away by force.
According to reports, although he is the legendary Black Wizard, Zeref in his 'Awakened Slumber' state is completely vulnerable.
As a member of Grimoire Heart and the leader of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, Ultear was confident she could defeat this legendary Mage whose strength was barely a fraction of its peak.
A ball of light condensed in her hand.
In the next second, hundreds of identical magic orbs densely surrounded Zeref.
Just as the light in Ultear's hand was about to burst forth, hurried footsteps and shouts came from the woods.
"There's something going on over there!"
"Wait, Erza told us to come out and chop wood..."
Gray and Loki burst out from the trees, stumbling right into this bizarre confrontation.
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