Zeref returned to the alternate dimension Tenrou Island with Hades.
As the golden light that obscured their vision dissipated, Hades saw a large group of people not far away.
Many of them seemed extraordinary, especially the somewhat short young man with spiky hair and wearing some unknown armor. Just a glance from him made Hades feel as if his blood had frozen.
"These people are…"
"Maintain necessary respect. Many people here are stronger than me. Don't cause trouble. Follow me."
Zeref walked through the crowd.
Hades humbly followed behind him, like an attendant.
Crossing the area where the group members were interacting, Zeref brought Hades before Beryl.
"Group Leader, I've brought him…"
"Alright, but I'll deduct points."
"Yes, I am very clear about the principle of equivalent exchange."
Zeref nodded. As the Group Leader, it was impossible for Beryl to help group members without principle; this was something she had always done. Unless a group member was in mortal danger, she would occasionally open a back door, but otherwise, everything was an equivalent exchange.
"Precht, is it…" Beryl scrutinized the burly old man whose face was mostly corroded by dark magic. "According to the contract, I will restore you to your original state without abandoning your existing black magic."
"This… This lady, what kind of contract do you have with Zeref?" Hades kept Zeref's words in mind. This white-haired young lady in front of him could kill Ankhseram with a casual wave of her hand.
"What kind of contract it is, you can ask Zeref later. Of course, you can also ask the person behind you."
"Behind me?" Hades was puzzled for a moment and subconsciously looked back.
However, he froze.
A golden-haired, barefoot young lady stood quietly there, her fairy-like face so familiar.
"Ma… Mavis!?"
"Hehehe, aren't you surprised, Precht?" The fairy-like young lady, Mavis, quickly ran to Precht. "Thank you for what you've done for me. I know everything. In the days since I passed away, there has always been a friend who worked hard to resurrect me."
"Thank you, Precht."
"Ma… Master."
Hades's old face suddenly welled up with tears.
"If you have something to discuss, do it later. Let's complete the transaction first." An untimely voice interrupted their conversation.
"I apologize, I was too excited." Mavis lowered her head apologetically.
"Mm, let's begin."
Beryl waved her finger, and a wisp of white light entered.
Before Hades could react, his body instantly stiffened.
Except for his consciousness, he was completely unable to move.
He didn't know what the white-haired young lady was going to do, but he trusted his Master.
At the same time, inside the Grimoire Heart ship.
The area containing the heart exploded, and Hades's heart flew out of the cabin.
The members of Grimoire Heart were stunned.
In a short while, that heart landed before Beryl.
"Good talent."
Analyzing the magic patterns on Precht's heart, Beryl quickly understood everything.
"Since that's the case, let's just use it as your current heart."
The Supreme Kai's Creation Energy entered the heart, and soon this grotesque heart transformed into a state identical to a normal heart.
Whoosh!
The heart was sent into Hades's chest.
Immediately after, Hades trembled and let out a long groan.
His aged face rapidly recovered, his appearance regaining youth at a visible speed.
In just a few seconds, he returned to his twenties.
"It's done. From now on, using black magic will not cause any negative effects on you."
"The eye in your eye patch, I've also changed it to be recessive. It will only change when you use your abilities; under normal circumstances, it will be a normal eye."
Beryl casually lifted the restraints on Precht.
At this moment, Precht, dressed in a black robe, no longer felt decayed.
Precht looked at his hands, then touched his face, his voice containing some uncertainty:
"I… I've become young again?"
"Yes, if you want to thank someone, thank Zeref. I've taken the points."
Beryl, through her authority, directly took 3000 points from Zeref, then turned and left.
Precht remained in a daze for a long time. Such a miracle was something that magic simply could not achieve.
He could still feel the vast magic power within his body. With his youthful body, his strength was even greater than before.
"Master, and Mr. Zeref, what kind of transaction did you make with that person, and what are points?" After regaining his senses, Precht looked at Zeref and Mavis, who were standing nearby, waiting.
Zeref remained silent for a while but still revealed some information about the points to Precht. Although it was only a few words, Precht was a shrewd person; how could he not understand the importance of points?
"Thank you very much, Mr. Zeref."
"No need. After this, I hope you can help me with some things. This is also Mavis's wish," Zeref said. "Moreover, the points used on you can be considered as the child support for Mavis's and my child."
"Your child… You mean, Master Mavis's child, I…"
Seemingly sensing Precht's nervousness, Mavis smiled: "It's alright, Precht. He survived. Anyway, if it weren't for you, that child would probably have died directly!"
Precht indeed abandoned the Wizard King because he belonged to neither darkness nor light, fearing it would affect Fairy Tail's reputation, or rather, Mavis's reputation.
Although both Mavis and Zeref were somewhat angry about this, in reality, they had no right to comment on the matter.
If not for Precht, that child would not even have been born.
"If you want to apologize, just apologize to that child later. He should forgive you." Mavis showed her familiar smile, just like in the past.
"I… I'm sorry, Master." Precht lowered his head.
"Precht, about Grimoire Heart's ambition, can you give it up? Just for me," Mavis said.
"If it is your wish, I am willing."
"Thank you, Precht," Mavis thanked him.
"Master, how were you resurrected? And Ankhseram's curse, you and Zeref…"
"It was with the help of Lady Beryl. I am not in a physical body now, but a spiritual one. Simply put, my soul has been materialized."
"Can that lady just now also do something like this? How strong is she?" Precht, who pursued the ultimate in magic, was very curious.
"If she wished, she could destroy the entire world with a casual wave of her hand," Zeref said. "Ankhseram, who cursed Mavis and me, couldn't even withstand a single glance from her."
"Th-this…" Precht was dumbfounded.
He had thought the white-haired young lady was very strong, even stronger than Zeref.
However, there was no direct manifestation. With Zeref's explanation, Precht finally understood how terrifying the young lady who restored his appearance and cleared the after-effects of black magic truly was.
"Roar~"
The roar of a calamity dragon broke through the air.
The sound came from far to near, growing increasingly distinct.
A black dot flew rapidly towards them, and as the black dot grew larger, the outline of the dragon gradually appeared.
It was the black dragon Acnologia, an existence even Zeref feared.