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CHAPTER START---
Blinding white light outshines the midday across Hacot and the surrounding seas, reaching the shores of the northern continent -Guiltina- and Ishgar, spurring discussion and rumors of what this phenomenon may be.
Within the Barrier, Oberon lies on the ground with his bloody stump already bandaged and treated, barely awake thanks to the medicine in his system but quickly recovering.
But everyone is silent, eyes shut tight as the world around them shakes and threatens to fall apart, with a deafening hum of high frequency Magic Energy spreading across the land, shaking apart mountains and the landscape across Hacot.
Seconds later, the Etherion Blast stops, and the massive beam from the sky gives way to the scent of ozone and scorched air with a noticeable intense heat in the region.
Rixian opens his eyes and looks to his father, seeing the man trying to catch his breath. Osian's skin was wrinkled and saggy, his long black hair now a pale grey and balding as his muscles sag and droop.
"Getting too close to that Magic," he takes a moment to catch his breath. "It brought me closer to death's door."
Rixian freezes, unsure of how to process his father's death being moved forward by decades.
"We have to go," Osian props himself up on his sheathed sword. "We have to make sure they're dead."
"Nothing can survive a Etherion shot," one of the monks says.
"In this world, nothing is impossible," Osian uses his sword like a walking stick and steps out of the Barrier, with Rixian silently following behind him.
Walking to the small hill above the cave, they see the destruction of Etherion firsthand.
A 100 mile -160km- wide hole punched in the earth where the northern coast of Hacot was. The walls are molten rock, slowly flowing downward into a pit they couldn't see the bottom of. The intense rising heat stops them from getting any closer, and the glowing walls are nearly blinding, but at the far side they can see the ocean spilling into the hole trying to fill it.
"The Death Magic is gone," Rixian says, holstering his pistols.
"Then this expedition was a success."
Osian looks at his father, and frowns while the man stares out at the reshaped region. "If they stood with us from the start, this could have been avoided."
"Don't dwell on the past, son," Osian takes a moment to catch his breath while the others join them above, with Oberon floating, cradling his injured arm, numb from all the medication.
"Wow, that's a lot of…wow," was all Oberon could say while taking in the destruction. "Why would anyone make something like that?"
"As a deterrent to the other continents," Osian says. "Ishgar has natural resources that are worth going to war for, the Satellite Square prevents anyone from trying to start such a conflict with us."
'That much raw Ethernano,' Oberon summons Telescopic Lens and observes the wall, seeing that it wasn't melted uniformly like Fire Magic, but by the energy produced from the sheer volume of Ethernano. Collected from the environment and many Mages, it contains unrefined particles of every elemental Magic, making it impossible for even a Dragon Slayer to consume, or a Dragon to be immune to.
And yet, a bone-chilling roar rises from the depths of the pit, causing Oberon to shift the lens and make it large enough for everyone to see.
From the pit Acnologia rises, completely unharmed by the absurdly powerful Etherion blast. The greatest weapon of man, not even a thought to the might of the strongest Dragon.
And before any of them could process this insanity, the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse ascends to the sky and disappears beyond the clouds, not even noticing these ants below.
---Days Later, Era…
Sitting around a large desk, Oberon holds his bandaged arm that's already regrowing, focusing all the Magic Energy he can spare into regenerating the missing limb.
Beside him, Makarov reads the full report while the memories volunteered from those who were on the expedition are projected from a Lacrima built into the table, including the entire battle with both Dragons.
But excluding all the talk of Anomalies and Jyin's relationship with Oberon in particular.
Wizard Saints Osian, Avin -Jura's Mentor-, Jose, and Ines Fry, a middle-aged man with black hair, wearing a set of black and white clothes with a pair of large wolves, black and white, sleeping behind his chair.
Jura sits beside his mentor, trying his best to go unnoticed in a room of verifiable monsters.
At the head of the table is the Chairman of Ishgar's Magic Council brand, Crawford Seam. A man with a large bushy white beard and ponytail atop his otherwise bald head, clad in formal robes and standing at 3m -10ft- tall. Beside him is the Vice Chairman, Org, a man of regular height wearing blue robes and a pointy hat, his wooden staff resting against the table beside him.
Gran Doma sits on the other side, comfortable in his role as Rune Knight Commander, especially after his men helped liberate Hacot.
After the information is properly discussed and digested, Crawford Seam sighs and massages his head. "What a troublesome creature, that Acnologia. If a full powered Etherion shot couldn't even hurt it, going back to ignoring it really is the only option."
Org nods in agreement. "It cares more about hunting Dragons than bothering us, so that's quite fine. I'm more concerned with the political fallout from all of this. Hacot may host people with bad sentiment toward us for not helping sooner, and unleashing Etherion, even with their approval, builds fear in the masses."
Gran Doma flips through some of the pages, finding the logistics reports. "The first supply ships should be arriving in Hacot today, I'll simply inform them to spread word of what really happened before anyone there makes contact with the outside world. We won't need to change any details, just stress that until now that Magic Council was operating on information of a plague and believed that the island had no one alive, which is true."
Chairman Seam strokes his beard and nods. "True, so none of you are allowed to make any statement until we release the official story to the people. Your involvement will be included, of course, so you'll get proper credit."
"We should worry about this later," Osian says. "The people of Hacot have a small window of time where ships can sail to them. Propaganda will come later, they need supplies now."
"That is already being taken care of," Gran Doma says. "They'll have plenty of supplies and we sent teams ahead to revitalize the dead land, Hacot will be fine, even if the map must be redrawn."
"Which leaves us the last real problem," Chairman Seam says, looking toward Wizard Saints Osian and Etis. "Wizard Saint Avin Etis is sick, and now King Osian is unwell due to the Death Magic. Losing either of you unexpectedly can cause a power vacuum in the Magic Council."
Wizard Saint Avin Etis speaks up first, "Jura isn't quite ready for that responsibility yet. I'll hold onto it for now, until he can act as the bridge between the archives and the Magic Council."
"That is fine. You are the lone exception to the requirement of power, after all, however…" he turns to King Osian. "Have you discussed this with Prince Rixian?"
Osian sighs. "My son has…mixed feelings about the Magic Council as a whole, and does not wish to inherit my position as Wizard Saint."
Makarov is surprised. "Can the Fex Kingdom handle that?"
"I made more than enough allies and connections to support us. Besides, he does not lack strength."
"This is troubling," Org shakes his head. "We don't have many candidates for Wizard Saint. Perhaps we can bend the rules for that woman to join. She may be too weak, but she has no affiliation to any Wizard Guild or organization, a true lone adventurer."
Chairman Seam shakes his head. "Ur already refused to work with us as a teacher, she'd never agree to be a Wizard Saint."
"If I may," King Osian speaks up. "I still have the right to recommend my replacement. So I would like to break tradition, the unspoken rules between us in doing so."
They all cast curious looks his way.
"I, King Osian Moyer of the Fex Kingdom, Wizard Saint, nominate Oberon Alkwan of Fairy Tail for the rank of Wizard Saint."
Chairman Seam and Vice Chairman Org nearly fell out of their chairs at that absurd statement.
While there is no official rule against a Wizard Guild or any organization having multiple Wizard Saints, it was understood that no one entity should have that much power. It would disrupt the voting when the Wizard Saints are called to a full assembly, and create imbalance when the Magic Council is allocating resources.
Because of this, while waiting for either the Chairman or another Wizard Saint to second the vote, allowing it to be elevated to the full Magic Council, everyone turned to Makarov. But the man remains silent, not breaking this taboo by recommending someone from his own Wizard Guild.
However, across from him, Wizard Saint Avin Etis smiles and raises his voice. "I second that nomination," he declares, knowing that Jura having two clear allies among the Wizard Saints would be extremely useful in the future.
A smile splits Oberon's face as he suppresses a joyful laugh, not wanting to upset anyone in the room. Jose and Ines are already glaring at him, along with the Chairman and Vice Chairman, but Gran Doma simply rolls his eyes, not surprised that somehow things turned out this way.
"Two Wizard Saints in one organization is…troubling," Chairman Seam says. "The public believes in Oberon, but breaking the status quo to this degree requires more dedicated effort."
Osian side-eyes the man while releasing a wave of Magic energy that didn't bother the Wizard Saints, or Oberon, but Jura and the Magic Council members were petrified by it. "Are you questioning my assessment of Oberon?"
"Not at all," Chairman Seam raises his hands in surrender, signalling for the man to calm down. "But the Magic Council may lose face with the public if they believe we're so easily swayed. So I propose a simple arrangement, that doesn't require Oberon to leave Fairy Tail."
Osian settles down, a bead of sweat on his forehead as his aching body settles.
"The 100 Year Quest on the Southern Isles, Titan Canyon."
All but Jura and Oberon stiffen at that proposal, staring at the man. For some they saw it as an attempt to kill Oberon, which infuriated them, for others they knew that this suggestion meant the Chairman truly believed the boy could complete this almost impossible task, which puts them at risk when he becomes a fully grown Wizard.
While the room sits in tense silence, Makarov thinks it over, airing his thoughts for everyone to hear.
"It may not be such a bad idea," he says while tapping his chin. "God Serena could complete that Quest if we're only talking about power, but he lacks Barrier and Sealing Spells. Oberon doesn't have nearly as much power, but he can Seal those creatures away within the time limit. This may be possible…"
'SERIOUSLY?!' Chairman Seam and Vice Chairman Org school their expressions, keeping a stone-cold facade as if they weren't trying to make Oberon back down.
"Then the Magic Council will arrange everything," Chairman Seam says. "How long will you need?"
Oberon looks down at his missing right hand. "If we're sailing there…I should be fully healed by the time we get there. I can leave right now…"
CHAPTER END---
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