"Reparo."
With a wave of his hand, a gentle yet powerful surge of magic spread from Wes Elwin's palm, sweeping across the entire room.
As the energy flowed outward, every object that had been cracked or damaged by Hades's magic was restored one by one, as though time itself had reversed—everything returning to the way it had been at the very beginning.
"Arc of Time!"
Seeing this scene, Ultear couldn't help but gasp, briefly mistaking it for the legendary Arc of Time manifesting before her eyes.
"No, it's not the Arc of Time."
Hades's voice cut through her astonishment.
"This is another type of magic—one I have never seen before." He stroked his long beard, an uncharacteristic spark of interest appearing on his face.
"If you're willing, I can trade this magic for the Arc of Time."
Wes met Hades's gaze directly as he made the offer.
But Hades simply shook his head, showing little interest in the exchange.
His primary goal now was finding Zeref; everything else fell outside his plans.
"If you're willing to join our guild…" Ultear interjected skillfully, watching Wes's reaction as she spoke in place of Hades.
"Your guild?" Wes raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise, though he had already anticipated such an invitation.
"The dark guild—Grimoire Heart," Ultear announced proudly. "Our aim is not merely to dominate the continent, but to pursue absolute power."
"You've already been targeted by the Magic Council. If you don't join a powerful organization, escaping their pursuit will be… difficult."
Ultear spared no effort trying to persuade him.
Wes, unfazed, openly expressed his view of the Magic Council's warrant:
"The Magic Council? They can talk to me again once they're capable of catching me."
Despite his dismissive words, a new thought quietly took root in his mind.
Joining Grimoire Heart meant gaining access to the mysterious Tenrou Island, perhaps even a chance to witness the legendary black dragon Acnologia, and meet the most powerful and most feared mage in history—Zeref.
Joining a dark guild might not be a bad option for now.
Wes pondered silently, weighing the current situation against his own interests.
And with Hades personally making the invitation, they clearly consider me indispensable.
After considering everything, Wes finally agreed to the proposal.
"In that case, I'm willing to join Grimoire Heart."
"Hah~ hah~!" Hades let out a joyful laugh. "Welcome aboard."
With a mage whose strength rivaled the Ten Wizard Saints joining his ranks, Hades was certain his ambitions and plans would proceed smoothly.
"I want unrestricted access to the guild's magical archives." Wes laid out his condition; in this world, nothing came without a price.
Hades's smile widened, and he replied generously,
"That won't be a problem. As long as you contribute to the guild, all our resources are yours to use."
Then he added his own condition:
"However, every newcomer must prove their worth. I expect you to earn merit for the guild soon."
"You can count on it."
Wes found the trade perfectly reasonable.
Ultear poured fresh tea for the two of them and said softly,
"The R-System will soon be complete—perhaps Wes can be of help in that regard."
"I have no objections," Wes replied calmly.
Both sides had officially reached an agreement.
After Wes left, a trace of concern surfaced on Ultear's face. She turned to Hades and said,
"Master, I can't see through Wes at all. I doubt he truly intends to join us."
Hades let out a small smile.
"Of course not. He's not the type who willingly submits to others. But as long as he's in my hands, he won't be able to stir up any real trouble."
Hearing this, Ultear finally relaxed.
"You're right. With you here, nothing is a problem. You're the strongest, Master."
—
The next morning, Ultear took Wes to the seashore. There, a luxurious small vessel powered by magic crystals rested quietly, drawing attention with its elegant appearance.
Not only was the exterior exquisite, but the interior was spacious and fully equipped—almost like a private, miniature suite.
"Operating this boat is simple. Just use your mental energy to connect with it," Ultear explained briefly. "Of course, it also comes with the most advanced auto-navigation mode."
Wes glanced over the control panel, examining the various buttons and indicator lights.
With Ultear's activation, the small vessel glided smoothly away from the coast, heading toward the unknown sea.
After an entire day and night of travel, the boat finally approached a distant location.
Ultear smiled when she saw Wes's expression.
"This is our destination—the Tower of Heaven. The final test of the R-System will be conducted here."
What appeared before Wes's eyes was the massive, pitch-black tower piercing straight into the clouds—an awe-inspiring sight rising from the isolated sea.
Wes couldn't help but sigh.
"It's truly magnificent. Building something like this in the middle of the ocean must have cost an unimaginable amount of manpower and resources."
Ultear smirked proudly.
"It was just a matter of borrowing a chicken to lay eggs."
The Tower of Heaven's completion was thanks largely to her.
Not only that—she had also manipulated and brainwashed the youngest of the Ten Wizard Saints, Siegrain, also known as Jellal's projection, turning him into a puppet dancing on her strings.
It was undoubtedly her most impressive achievement to date.
As the vessel slowly docked, Ultear stepped off and put on a purple cloak, wrapping herself tightly.
"As long as I haven't officially abandoned my position as a Magic Council member, address me as Grand Master here," she reminded Wes.
"Got it, Miss Chameleon," Wes replied teasingly. Having seen her many identities, he casually assigned her the less-than-flattering nickname.
"You bastard! Don't give me nicknames!" Ultear clearly disliked it.
Wes simply shrugged unconcernedly.
"Grand Master."
"Grand Master."
The guards along the passage respectfully saluted Ultear. It was clear she held extremely high status here—no one questioned her bringing in an unfamiliar outsider like Wes.
The two made their way unobstructed to the highest floor of the tower.
Before pushing open the massive door leading to the top chamber, Ultear turned and whispered,
"Remember—don't talk unnecessarily. Leave everything to me."
The doors swung open.
Seated on the high throne inside was a young man.
°°°
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