...
"Everyone knows the legends of Zeref and the Tome of Zeref," Makarov said, his voice tense. "A grimoire containing horrific demons. But what does any of this have to do with Natsu?"
Shin looked at the old Guild Master, fully aware of the bombshell he was about to drop.
"Natsu is connected to those demons," Shin stated bluntly. "In fact, Natsu is a demon from that book. He is Etherious Natsu Dragneel—E.N.D. The most powerful demon Zeref ever created."
"He was created using the physical body of Zeref's deceased little brother. That is the truth behind Natsu's existence."
Shin raised a hand, silencing Makarov before he could panic. "This secret cannot leave this room. If the world finds out Natsu is E.N.D, it will bring endless trouble to Fairy Tail. You must take this secret to your grave."
Makarov swallowed hard, processing the horrifying revelation. "I understand. To think that Natsu… our Natsu… is Zeref's brother and his ultimate demon. It is truly difficult to wrap my head around. Things are rarely as simple as they appear on the surface."
Shin nodded and continued his explanation.
"Zeref never wanted to create monsters to destroy the world," Shin said. "His only goal was to resurrect his little brother. He created demon after demon, desperately trying to bring Natsu back, but he failed time and time again."
"There are strict laws in this world. Zeref tried to break the rules of life and death set by the Gods, but he learned that mortals can't just change what the Gods decide."
"The Gods punished him for his arrogance," Shin continued. "As a result, the Natsu you see today is neither a pure demon nor truly Zeref's original brother. He is an entirely new existence. But you don't need to worry, Master Makarov. Natsu's demonic power has been deeply sealed. He will not lose his mind or turn into a monster."
Mavis, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up.
"I understand the truth about Natsu now," Mavis said, her spectral eyes locking onto Shin. "But I have to ask… how do you know all of this? How do you know secrets that even Zeref kept hidden?"
Mavis's gaze was piercing. The things Shin was revealing were intimately tied to Zeref's Darkest past—things Zeref had never even told her. The fact that Shin could effortlessly dissect Zeref's failures proved he possessed a terrifying level of omniscience.
To Shin, the characters of this world were essentially open books, but to Mavis, his knowledge made him an incomprehensible, God-like entity.
"Let's move on to the core issue," Shin said, ignoring her question. "Since you now understand Natsu's origins, I need to explain why Zeref possesses an immortal body. This is the crux of the problem."
Both Mavis and Makarov nodded, hanging on his every word.
"Zeref is fundamentally a kind, gentle soul," Shin explained. "But his kindness was his downfall. Do you know the true nature of his curse, First Master?"
Mavis shook her head sadly. She knew Zeref was cursed, and she knew he was kind, but the exact mechanics of his affliction were a terrifying mystery. She knew his mere presence caused life to wither away, and she herself had seemingly died because of that very power.
But seeing Shin effortlessly perform a true resurrection—a feat Zeref had spent centuries failing to achieve—solidified her belief in Shin's overwhelming power.
"Since you are already aware of the broad strokes, I won't waste time on the minor details," Shin said, getting straight to the point.
"Zeref was cursed by the God Ankhseram. It is known as the Curse of Contradiction. The curse forces a horrific paradox upon the victim: the more they value life and harbour love in their heart, the more their body passively emits a lethal miasma that instantly kills everything around them."
"That is why the world views Zeref as a bloodthirsty tyrant," Shin continued, his voice heavy. "He knows his mere existence causes death, and he knows it is entirely his fault because he cannot stop caring about the world."
"This is the root of the tragedy between you and Zeref, First Master."
"Because of the curse, Zeref realizes he cannot allow himself to love anything. He cannot die, and he cannot permanently turn off the curse. And when you died… it was the final straw."
"Your death broke him," Shin said, looking directly into Mavis's tear-filled eyes. "He lost the last shred of his humanity and empathy, fully embracing his role as the Darkest demon to protect himself from the pain."
Makarov finally understood the full, devastating picture. He looked at Mavis, whose spectral form was trembling violently, her eyes red from crying.
She had never realized the true depth of the burden Zeref was carrying. Her 'death' had been the catalyst that shattered his mind.
"You said you could erase the curse," Makarov asked, his voice thick with emotion. "Can you truly do it?"
Shin nodded confidently.
"Yes, I can fix this," Shin replied. "But it isn't a traditional 'cure.' I am not going to lift the curse Magically. Instead—I am going to alter Zeref's subconscious cognition permanently."
"If I rewrite his mind so that he permanently believes he 'hates' everything, the Curse of Contradiction will be nullified," Shin explained coldly. "He will never accidentally harm the people he truly loves ever again."
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