"What? The Council actually forbade me from participating in the Grand Magic Games!"
Zorn's eyes widened, and he shouted with a look of disbelief.
He never would have thought that as soon as he returned to the Guild, he would hear such news.
These cunning old men of the Council are simply too hateful!
It turned out that the Council believed that a powerful combatant like Zorn had exceeded the scope of their understanding, and if he participated in the competition, it would inevitably affect the fairness of the competition.
Moreover, since Zorn's qualifications were still shallow, they simply set Zorn's ranking at the fifth position among the Ten Wizard Saints. This way, they could restrict Zorn from participating and it would also seem reasonable.
In contrast, other Ten Wizard Saints with lower rankings were not subject to this restriction.
However, Makarov, as the Master of the Fairy Tail Guild, naturally could not personally participate in the competition.
As for Gildarts in the Guild, it was even more outrageous; he had long since taken on an S-rank mission for ten years, disappearing without a trace, and even claiming it was to leave opportunities for the younger generation.
With this, the Fairy Tail Guild instantly lost three powerful competitors. It must be said that this move by the Council was truly unexpected.
"There's nothing we can do about it. Since it's already decided, we can only proceed this way!"
"You all need to be prepared!"
"The participants in this event are all quite outstanding in terms of strength."
Makarov's expression seemed somewhat serious; he frowned slightly and spoke in a low voice.
Then, he slowly extended his arm and took out a thick stack of papers from behind him.
Makarov handed the list in his hand to Lucy and the others, then picked up his wine glass and gulped it down.
"Zorn... did you encounter any unexpected situations during this mission?" He put down his wine glass, his gaze fixed on Zorn, as if trying to find some answers on his face.
Mavis sat quietly above the bar, her nimble eyes watching the three distracted individuals—Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel—at this moment.
She was also full of doubts and asked Zorn, "It looks like these three have something on their minds!"
Normally, as soon as they heard words like 'the opponent is strong,' the extremely curious Natsu and Gajeel would immediately shout and rush over to check, showing extreme excitement.
They would even excitedly shout that classic line: "I'm all fired up!"
However, the situation at this moment was completely different. These three seemed to have heard nothing, still standing stiffly and moving unusually slowly. This sudden change made Mavis very surprised.
Zorn glanced at Natsu and the others: "Them?"
"It's nothing, they're probably just thinking about something, it'll be fine soon!"
"I'll make them figure it out."
"Soon, very soon!"
Zorn smiled mysteriously and replied ambiguously.
His confident demeanor made the two generations of Masters pause, as if they had thought of something, and they exchanged glances, no longer speaking.
Meanwhile, Lucy, having received the information, turned to the list of participants.
"Sabertooth?" Lucy exclaimed in shock.
"This is data that the Council just sent people to compile and deliver, regarding a newly established Guild. It is said that its strength has already surpassed Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale, and it can be considered the strongest Guild below our Fairy Tail!" Makarov explained calmly.
"What?!" Lucy cried out in surprise.
"I've never heard of it before, it's hidden so deeply..." Gray frowned upon hearing this, cupping his chin with one hand, expressing great confusion.
Before this, there had been no news about this Guild at all. Why would it suddenly emerge?
"Actually, the reason is simple: they changed their Master and also recruited five exceptionally strong Magicians!" Makarov continued.
"And those five Magicians were directly rated as S-rank Magicians by their Guild!" He paused, then added, "So there's no doubt about their strength."
The Master calmly recounted all the information he knew, finally dwelling on the scene of his last meeting with Sabertooth's new Master.
That new Master exuded a powerful aura; from that alone, his own strength was definitely not to be underestimated.
"But, our Guild is stronger, isn't it?" Ultear said with a confident smile, holding a crystal ball in one hand.
"Aye~ that's right!" Happy also suddenly popped out from the side, raising his hand in strong agreement.
"Mhm mhm!" Gray and Lucy also strongly agreed with this statement; no matter how strong the opponent, they would not defeat Fairy Tail.
"That's generally all for the competition matters, there's one last thing!"
"Yosh, Zorn, come with me!"
Just then, the Master leaped down from above the bar like a flash of lightning.
At the same time, his originally ordinary clothes were instantly replaced by the Ten Wizard Saints' attire, shining with a mysterious light.
His expression became unusually serious, his gaze fixed directly on Zorn, as if to convey his determination to him.
The other members of the Guild showed surprised expressions after witnessing this scene.
Although they didn't understand the Master's sudden action at this moment, they also felt that the matter must be very important, and they all looked at Zorn.
Eclair sat on the chair, her hands tightly embracing Momon, her eyes curiously fixed ahead.
A red Fairy Tail mark was clearly imprinted on her arm.
However, among this group, Erza, Mirajane, and the S-rank Magicians on the second floor, Laxus and Ur, all showed joyful smiles. Clearly, they had long understood the Master's intention.
For Zorn, he also immediately understood the Master's intention at this moment.
Could it be... has the Master made a decision? To make me the next Master? This thought flashed through Zorn's mind. He couldn't help but look up at Laxus, who was standing by the railing on the second floor.
Laxus merely snorted coldly, then turned his head away, seemingly unwilling to look at him again. But Zorn keenly caught Laxus's subtly raised thumb, and the two exchanged a knowing smile.
So that's it... has Everyone already acknowledged me? A warm current surged in Zorn's heart at this thought.
He knew deeply what it meant to have the support and trust of his companions. This recognition not only came from the affirmation of his strength but also from the deep friendship built between them over time.
At this moment, Zorn felt immensely gratified and also deeply responsible.
...
The Guild's basement floor was filled with a mysterious and solemn atmosphere. Zorn, dressed in solemn attire, followed closely behind the First Master Mavis and the Third Master Makarov.
"It seems, Zorn, you're not curious about the Guild having an underground secret room, are you?" Master Makarov's gaze swept over Zorn's serious face, and he asked with a smile.
Zorn smiled slightly, scratched his head, and replied, "Actually, a long time ago, I sensed a powerful magical fluctuation underground, but it seemed to be blocked by some force, preventing me from investigating further."
He secretly mused that it was not yet time to reveal the full truth, so he chose this way to explain why he could sense the abnormality underground. In reality, he had already seen through the mysteries with his excellent Observation Haki, but the specific situation was not suitable to be exposed too early.
However, what he said was not without basis, because the First Master's remains were indeed sealed there, which was the Fairy Tail Guild's most secret and powerful weapon—Lumen Histoire, also known as the Light of Mythology.
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