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No matter how wonderful it was, it was still the past.
After learning that he was the Black Wizard's younger brother, a Demon, and a person from 400 years ago, Natsu, who had been repeatedly shocked, now had an unusually calm expression.
There's a saying: 'The more debts you have, the less they weigh you down.'
When he experienced enough shocks in a short period, Natsu instead regained his composure. Who he was before losing his memory had nothing to do with the current 'Fairy Tail mage Natsu.'
Unlike Natsu, who should have been the most excited, Gray's mood was extremely complicated at this moment, because Demons were the enemies he was determined to fight.
Whether it was Deliora, who once destroyed his village, or the Necromancer Devil, who turned his father Silver into a living dead man, both belonged to a Dark Guild composed of Demons called Tartaros.
According to the information Gray learned from Silver, Tartaros's ultimate goal was to resurrect their Guild Master, the legendary strongest Demon 'E.N.D.'
Looking at the lively 'E.N.D.' in front of him, who was also his good brother and sworn rival Natsu, with whom he had spent six years, Gray asked Noah with a conflicted expression.
"If Natsu is E.N.D., then who is the 'E.N.D.' that Tartaros wants to resurrect?"
Noah gently shook his head, "I'm not very clear about that question either, but the creator of the Demons of the Books of Zeref is right here. Why not ask him?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present's gazes converged on Zeref again, as no one understood the Demons he created better than Zeref himself.
Zeref explained, "My Demons were actually created by imitating the Black Abyss creatures from outside this world, but the difference is that when I created them, I left a fatal weakness."
Mira, who had received the power of the Demon Soul, immediately understood, "Are you talking about... the Demon's true form, the Books of Zeref?"
Zeref nodded gently, "That's right. No matter how powerful the Demons I create are, their true form, the 'Demon book' that carries their core power, is fragile."
The relationship between a Demon and its book form can be described as 'the book exists, the Demon exists; the book is destroyed, the Demon dies.'
Noah couldn't help but recall the "necromancy" book he had entrusted to Shirayuki, the hamster. That was the Necromancer Devil's true form, only its consciousness had been erased by Zeref.
But Natsu's situation didn't match the Necromancer Devil's at all.
Noah was certain that there was no book or any other medium within Natsu that carried his demonic power.
"Because Natsu is special."
Zeref continued to explain, "Natsu was still a human, after all, and the demonic power couldn't fully integrate with his tiny body at the time. To be safe, I separated the Book of E.N.D."
"So, where's the book?"
"Igneel swatted it away."
Everyone suddenly realized. So, what the Fire Dragon King accidentally lost back then, besides Natsu's memory, was also the Book of E.N.D., which symbolized his life.
Tartaros must have found Natsu's lost Demon book, but they didn't know that Natsu was different from them. Seeing the book, they thought the strongest Demon had been killed, which is why they wanted to resurrect 'E.N.D.'
Wait a minute, Zeref is considered one of their own now.
Then the Dark Guild formed by the Demons he created would be...
Oh no, Fairy Tail has truly become a Dark Guild now.
Makarov's face alternated between green and red. Previously, Noah had joked with him, saying that since Zeref was the teacher of the first four members, there was no Dark Guild purer than Fairy Tail.
He never expected that brat's words to come true.
The Black Wizard was now the husband of their First Guild Master. In terms of "darkness," if Fairy Tail claimed to be second, no other guild could truly claim to be first.
This matter absolutely cannot be exposed, otherwise...
Makarov's internal struggle went unnoticed. Even though one shocking event after another had occurred recently, the old man's mindset was still changing a bit slowly.
If Noah knew the old Guild Master's worries, he would only laugh at him.
When one's strength is sufficient, all those so-called Magic Council and numerous kingdoms are nothing but mere rabble.
If Zeref's identity were exposed, Noah wouldn't even need to act. The filial son August could easily deal with those who sought trouble.
August just couldn't defeat Noah, that's all.
Not everyone is an "overpowered freak." Against other mages, August would let the world know why he was called the Wizard King.
After Zeref's explanation, listening to his companions' increasingly extreme discussions, Gray secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was very glad.
Natsu had traveled through time, directly skipping 400 years. Therefore, all the evil rumors about 'E.N.D.' over the past 400 years, and Tartaros, had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Looking at Natsu, who was playing around with Happy, a smile appeared on Gray's face.
Sure enough, Natsu was still Natsu.
Whether he was human or a Demon, he was an important companion of mine, a member of the 'Fairy Tail' family.
Natsu noticed Gray's gaze and stared back at the giggling Gray with a puzzled expression.
"Gray, you're smiling so stupidly."
"You're the only one who's stupid, single-celled organism!"
"Who are you calling that, you ice pervert!"
"Want to fight, you flame idiot!"
Watching Natsu and Gray immediately start fighting again, everyone except Mavis, who was still unfamiliar with their habits, looked on as if it were a common occurrence.
Natsu's story was over, and the young people prepared to explore Tenrou Island properly.
Noah heard Mavis say there were several hot springs on Tenrou Island and originally wanted to pull Erza and Mira into a couple's bath or something, but they mercilessly rejected him.
Although Tenrou Island was not small, there were so many of them on the island. What if they were seen by others while bathing with Noah? When out and about, Erza and Mira still wanted to save face to some extent.
Mira left a sharp comment, "Men who only think about perverted things are truly awful," then pulled Erza, Irene, and Cana along to search for the hot springs.
Public mixed bathing was out, but same-sex bonding was fine.
What kind of logic was this?
Looking at the retreating figures of Erza and Mira, Noah stood alone, disheveled in the wind.
Hearing the commotion in the camp, Mavis, who had been a spectator for two chapters, decided to assert her presence.
She perched on August's head, cleared her throat, and said, "Young ones, there's a super magic inheritance on my tombstone. Consider it a benefit from me, your elder."
"However, there's only one chance for the magic inheritance. First come, first served!"
Upon hearing this, Natsu and Gray, who were fighting, and Erza, Mira, and Cana, who were about to go to the hot springs, all stopped what they were doing.
The five exchanged glances, and the next second, they tacitly rushed out of the camp, each displaying their unique abilities as they sprinted toward the direction of Mavis's tombstone.
There was no way around it; the allure of super magic was just that great.
Seeing that the youngsters interested in her magic had all set off, Mavis excitedly called out to her good son, "August, quickly take me to the tombstone! We'll hide the tombstone somewhere else! We can't let them find it so easily."
August's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but ask the ghostly mother perched on his head, "Mother, that's your tombstone. It's better not to play with it."
Mavis, however, was nonchalant, "It's fine! When my soul returns to my body, won't I be alive again? What use will a tombstone be then?"
"If I don't play now, I won't have the chance to play later!"
Watching August helplessly lead Mavis away from the camp, Noah finally dared to complain.
"The First Master... she's really so childish..."