Chapter 247: Punishment
Grimoire Heart Airship
The interior of the dark guild's airship was dim, illuminated only by the flickering emergency lights. The air was thick with tension and the smell of defeat.
"Zeref… you're awake!!"
Master Hades, battered and bruised from his fight with Ren, stumbled forward. His single visible eye widened with a mix of desperation and fanaticism. The legendary Black Wizard, the object of his lifelong obsession, stood before him.
"The key!! Bring the key quickly!!" Hades urged immediately, his voice cracking. "We have the man, now we just need the key to unlock his true power! Rustyrose! Kain! Anyone!"
As a result, no one moved. The remaining members of the Seven Kin of Purgatory were either unconscious or paralyzed by the sheer presence of the young man in black robes.
"Move… we can't move…" Rustyrose whispered, his glasses cracked, sweat pouring down his face. The air around Zeref felt heavy, suffocating, like being submerged in deep water.
Zeref looked at them with eyes that held centuries of sorrow. He spoke softly, his voice echoing in the silence.
"There's no need for that. I am awake. I was never asleep. The Black Wizard Zeref is here right now."
"What?!"
Everyone was shocked. The foundation of their mission—the belief that Zeref was in a dormant state requiring a 'key' to awaken—shattered in an instant.
"I never said I needed such an Awakening condition," Zeref continued, his tone indifferent. "Those are just false things imagined by others. Rumors born of ignorance. One of the settings fantasized by those who blindly believe in the existence of 'Black Wizard Zeref' is the key to Zeref's revival, and you guys actually believed it. You projected your own desires onto me."
"To obtain this so-called key, how many lives have you taken? How much blood have you spilled for a fantasy?"
Hades stepped back, trembling. His hands shook as he grasped the reality of his failure. "No… impossible! If you weren't asleep, why would you lose to that Brat? Why did you let Ren defeat you? You are the strongest Black Wizard in history! You are the King of Magic!"
Zeref's expression didn't change. "400 years ago, I witnessed countless deaths in human wars. It was a time of endless sorrow. However, it was because of those days that I learned the preciousness of life. I learned to cherish it."
He looked down at his own hands.
"It was from then on that my cursed body, the more it desired to cherish life, the more it would inadvertently take people's Souls. The Curse of Contradiction. The more I love, the more I kill."
"To stop taking people's Souls, I had to forget the importance of human life. I had to make myself not care. I felt very sad, so the internal conflict prevented me from freely using magic. My power is tied to my emotions."
Zeref paused, a flicker of interest crossing his eyes.
"Of course, that young human himself is also very powerful. You should all know this well."
Zeref thought of Ren. He had rarely seen a human who could directly withstand his Death Predation, a curse originating from the god Ankhseram himself. Even long-lived Dragons would have their Souls damaged if they encountered Ankhseram's curse, yet Ren had stood there, vibrant and alive. It was... intriguing.
"How… how could this be?" Hades fell to his knees. "Then the Great Magic World… The world where magic is absolute… The world of One Magic!"
Hades had always yearned for Zeref to create the Great Magic World. It was his ultimate goal, the reason he fell into darkness.
"The Great Magic World? You believe something made up by others?" Zeref shook his head, looking at Hades with pity. "My research into magic is deeper than yours, Hades, but most of that comes from my long life. The more I've seen, the more I've learned. I'm no different from you; at most, my skill level is higher. There is no 'Great Magic World' waiting to be unlocked. Nine out of ten rumors about me in this world are false."
The silence on the airship was deafening. The revelation crushed the spirits of Grimoire Heart more effectively than any spell.
Then, Zeref's demeanor shifted. The sadness evaporated, replaced by a cold, crimson malice. His eyes glowed red.
"Acnologia heralded the end of this era," Zeref whispered the name of the Dragon King. "This was brought about by your evil desires. Your chaotic battle here has summoned him. And for that, you must be punished."
"Acnologia?!" Hades gasped. The Dragon of the Apocalypse?
"One is the sin of bringing Acnologia to this island," Zeref listed their crimes. "And the other is the sin of making me forget the importance of life. You have awakened my apathy."
He raised his hand. Dark magic swirled around him, dense and terrifying.
"Go to the Underworld and repent."
Everyone felt immense fear and despair upon hearing this. They had all pursued the noble ideal of the Great Magic World, but Zeref's words dealt them a heavy blow. Before they could scream, darkness consumed them.
Tenrou Island - Fairy Tail Encampment
The sun was beginning to set over Tenrou Island, casting long shadows over the battered landscape. The campsite was a mess of bandages, broken weapons, and exhausted mages.
"What did you say——?!!"
The collective shout of Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel echoed through the clearing, scaring away the few birds that had returned.
Makarov sat on a crate, his arm in a sling, looking stern. "I said, I'm canceling this S-Class Promotion Exam."
"I don't understand, old man!"
Gray Fullbuster's mouth hung open, his shirt—wherever it was—long gone. He had been preparing to become S-Class for a long time. He had fought hard, partnered with Loke, and survived the chaos. "We fought off a Dark Guild! Doesn't that count for anything?"
"Why are you canceling it?!"
Natsu Dragneel also shouted, slamming his fists together, igniting a small flame. "I beat Zancrow! I beat the bad guys! I absolutely have to become an S-Class Mage! I promised Igneel!"
"I want to be S-Class too, gihi!" Gajeel Redfox chimed in, crossing his iron arms. "I did my part. I protected the shrimp."
Elfman Strauss, wrapped in bandages like a mummy, retorted, "Levy was the one nominated, you idiots. You were just the partner. Only Levy would become S-Class."
"Whatever! It's the same thing!" Gajeel argued.
"There's no choice. Listen to me!" Makarov slammed his good hand on his knee. "After all that happened, no one can handle it if it happens again. The exam is suspended."
Makarov was somewhat helpless. The possibility of another invasion was low, but almost everyone in the guild was injured now. Mest had betrayed them, Grimoire Heart had nearly destroyed them, and Ren had collapsed from exhaustion. Forcing the continuation would only add to their injuries and risks.
"Don't even think about making me give up! I'm going to be S-Class no matter what!!" Natsu gritted his teeth, stubborn as a mule. "Keep it simple, no more searching around. Let our teams have a free-for-all right here! Whoever is left standing at the end becomes S-Class! A battle royale!"
Natsu offered his suggestion with fiery enthusiasm.
"I'm fine with that!"
Gray agreed instantly, his competitive spirit flaring. "As long as I can become S-Class and the competition isn't canceled, I'll fight anyone. Even you, Flame Brain."
Gajeel grinned, revealing his iron teeth. "Me too! I'll crush you all."
Elfman retorted again, sighing, "I told you! You weren't nominated! Gajeel, you're just a partner!"
"How could it be so chaotic," Makarov muttered, massaging his temples.
Makarov naturally wouldn't agree to a brawl. Although the second round seemed like a simple search for the First Master's grave, there was a significant reward hidden there: one of Fairy Tail's three Super Magic spells, 'Fairy Glitter'.
Although it was a one-time use spell lent by Mavis Vermillion's spirit, it was a super life-saving skill that required immense magical control and a pure heart to wield. Cana had managed to find it, but the situation had dissolved into war. It seemed these Brats were not destined to enjoy the glory of the trial this year.
"The decision stands," Makarov declared with finality. "Rest. Recover. We leave as soon as the ship is repaired."
By the Riverbank
Away from the noise of the argument, the atmosphere was peaceful. The river flowed gently, reflecting the orange hues of the setting sun.
At this time, Ren, Gildarts Clive, and Laxus Dreyar were sitting by the river, fishing rods in hand. It was a gathering of the guild's heavy hitters.
"I heard you got expelled, Brat! How lame! Heh ha ha ha ha!"
Gildarts patted Laxus's shoulder hard enough to make the younger man wince. He laughed heartily, his orange hair shaking. "Getting kicked out by your own grandfather? That's a new record!"
He had watched Laxus grow up since he was a child. Although he found what Laxus had done during the Battle of Fairy Tail somewhat unbelievable and extreme, he knew that the Brat wasn't actually a bad guy at heart. He was just a lost, angry kid trying to prove himself.
"So annoying! This old man!"
Laxus looked displeased, twitching his eyebrow. He stared at the water, his coat draped over his shoulders. "I came back to help, didn't I? Cut me some slack."
"By the way, Brat," Gildarts' tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "You didn't use your full strength when you fought me back in the village, did you! Damn it! I actually got looked down upon one day!"
Gildarts then looked at Ren, who was lazily watching his bobber.
He had heard the entire process by now: Ren, fighting one against three, had crushed three Ten Wizard Saints-level individuals—Hades, Bluenote, and Jose.
Gildarts had fought Bluenote Stinger personally in the past. He knew the man's strength intimately. Bluenote was a monster, a powerhouse far exceeding Natsu and the others. His Gravity Magic was oppressive. If Bluenote hadn't been injured or caught off guard, it wouldn't have been easy even for Gildarts to defeat him without significant effort.
"I can handle one Bluenote," Gildarts admitted to himself. "Maybe with difficulty. But if I faced two of that caliber... I would definitely be defeated. And Ren..."
Ren dealt with three. With ease.
It meant his strength far surpassed Gildarts' own.
Gildarts sighed, a complex smile on his face. He knew that one day he would be surpassed by these young people—it was the natural order of things. But he hadn't expected it to happen in just a few days. This made him quite uncomfortable, feeling as if he had been abandoned by the era, aged out of his prime in the blink of an eye.
Laxus also looked at Ren sideways.
Although Laxus hadn't fought those three titans, he had fought the Seven Kin of Purgatory from Grimoire Heart—specifically Zancrow—and they were all formidable individuals. He knew the gap.
Laxus had been diligently training during his exile, wandering the continent, hoping to have a good spar with Ren when they met again. He had never given up on becoming the strongest in the Fairy Tail Guild. It was his driving force.
Who knew that after such a short time, the gap between his strength and Ren's had not only not narrowed but had widened into a canyon.
"You're a freak, you know that?" Laxus grumbled. "Taking out Hades... that's absurd."
He felt somewhat unbalanced. It was frustrating.
Ren waved his hand dismissively, reeling in his line slightly. "Don't look at me like that. My strength is just that—borrowed time. My actual magic power capacity is similar to Laxus's, maybe a bit more, but nowhere near the Old Man's or yours, Gildarts."
"It's the character I received," Ren explained, using a metaphor they could understand. "Think of it like a bucket. You guys are like buckets with a thumb-sized outlet. You pour water steadily. My transformation... it gives me a fist-sized outlet. The power output is massive, naturally different."
"But," Ren held up three fingers, "because the outlet is so big, the water runs out instantly. With all my magic power, I can only sustain that golden form for about three minutes."
"Three minutes?!" Laxus raised an eyebrow.
"If the battle ends in three minutes, I win. Absolute victory," Ren said calmly. "If it doesn't end in three minutes, I lose. Completely."
He leaned back on the grass. "You all saw it. Once the time was up, I was helpless. Without magic power, even those small fry from Grimoire Heart dared to come at me. If you guys hadn't stepped in, I would have been mincemeat."
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