"August… that guy is actually also Ian's son?!"
"Heh, I can't believe I never noticed it this whole time?! I even taught him Dragon Slayer Magic?"
"But if that's how it is, then the parts I couldn't understand before, or that felt off, are now all perfectly explained."
"Whether it's August's heaven-defying talent or the high-level enchantment magic that he learned from some unknown high-ranking enchanter before he found me?!"
"It turns out that all of it was taught to him by Ian…"
Irene lay on her bed and shifted to a more comfortable position. In that instant, all the doubts that had lingered in her mind were completely resolved.
Yes, with Irene's discerning eye, she'd already noticed something back on her very first meeting with August. The three personal guards who accompanied him—Asuna, Amelia, and Tifa, all currently members of the Spriggan 12—were the products of high-level enchantment magic used to add personality concepts.
(Ever since Ian disappeared, the one who provided magical power to Asuna and the other two switched from Ian to August. With their new magic source becoming vastly stronger, the three of them underwent a huge surge in power as well.)
Back then, Irene had found it all rather strange.
She had wondered how, aside from herself, there could be another high-level enchanter in this world whom she had never even heard of?!
As it turned out, that so-called "high-ranking enchanter" who had taught August was none other than her dear husband, Ian.
Yes, now it all made sense. Everything made sense.
"So, that kid August…"
"Which shameless hussy did Ian father him with?!"
After a brief moment of anger, the question that troubled Irene the most was indeed August's origins. It was obvious that his background was anything but simple. One only had to look at his unrivaled talent to see that.
"But no matter who the mother is, no one can shake my position."
At this moment, Irene's regal aura as the "rightful wife" burst forth.
Any brazen hussy who dares approach Ian, she would personally eliminate.
---
Meanwhile, over in the Fairy Tail guild:
"So, Father…"
"Lord August, I mean younger brother August, is your son with… whom exactly? Does Mother know about this?!"
Erza, gripping the edges of her armor with both hands, looked at Ian unhappily. She was thinking, What am I supposed to do if my father, who spoils me so much, is really a thorough scumbag?!
"Huh?"
"You girl, you're misunderstanding your old man again."
"I haven't done anything to let your mother down."
"August is my adopted son."
"But saying he's my biological son wouldn't be far off either…"
"After all, even though he didn't inherit my bloodline, he did inherit my will and spirit! It's not an exaggeration to say he's a continuation of my spirit."
Ian already knew Erza would jump to conclusions about him. While firmly rubbing Erza's soft cheeks, he explained:
"Huh? Really?!"
Erza's face, pinched red by Ian's large hand, answered in a meek voice.
"Pff…"
On the side, Natsu and Gray both snickered when they saw Ian roughly pinching Erza's cheeks. With their hands over their mouths, they laughed brazenly, "Erza, so you can have a day like this too, huh?! Hehe, the violent queen is finally getting her comeuppance."
"Shut up!"
Hearing them, Erza turned her head. A fierce spark flashed through her eyes. In one swift movement, she appeared right in front of Natsu and Gray, delivering a punch to each of their stomachs.
"Urgh…"
"We surrender!"
In just one exchange, Gray and Natsu collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth, completely unconscious.
Yes, the Fairy Queen was still the Fairy Queen!
Only in front of Ian did Erza turn from a queen into a princess.
"Who are these two?"
August, watching as Erza instantly took down Natsu and Gray, asked curiously.
"The pink-haired one is Natsu Dragneel, and the one with black hair is Gray Fullbuster—both are the notorious troublemakers of the guild," Erza explained to August.
Indeed, once Erza learned that August was Ian's adopted son, she fully accepted him as her little brother!
Then again, even if August turned out to really be Ian's child with another woman, she would also accept him as her brother.
But Erza might not necessarily accept any other women of Ian's, that much was certain.
---
Meanwhile, in the Alvarez Empire of the Western Continent:
"Oh, so he's an adopted son?!"
"Alright, that's a relief~"
"Sheesh, he could've said so sooner~"
"I knew Ian wouldn't betray me."
Irene let out a long sigh of relief.
Ian: "That's not what you were saying just now."
Cough, cough…
Since August was just Ian's adopted son, there was nothing to worry about. She was perfectly fine accepting this impressive "eldest son."
At the same time, Irene was somewhat excited to see the ordinarily stoic August—who seemed uninterested in the world—addressing her as "Mother."
"Things are getting interesting."
Her red lips curved upward.
---
Back at Fairy Tail:
"Natsu Dragneel?"
"Dragneel…?"
"That would mean he's my uncle in name, right?"
"This is a real twist of fate—here I am at Fairy Tail, encountering the final weapon Zeref created, the so-called Flame Demon END who can supposedly incinerate the world."
Seeing Natsu lying on the ground after Erza's punch, August's eyelid twitched. Being a peerless genius who'd "known everything since birth," he recognized Natsu's identity the moment he laid eyes on him.
Natsu was likely the younger brother of his biological father, Zeref Dragneel, revived using the R-System—Etherious Natsu Dragneel, otherwise known as the Flame Demon END, rumored to be capable of destroying the world.
Why did August say "likely" instead of "definitely"?
Because Natsu was far too weak. So weak that August was starting to doubt the records he'd read.
"That brat can destroy the world?"
He narrowed his eyes at Natsu, subdued by Erza, and was 100% unconvinced. If he'd known that this was the fearsome Flame Demon END, he wouldn't have bothered learning any Devil Slayer Magic. Given Natsu's current ability, August could crush him with a single finger—like squashing an ant.
"Yet, I can sense that Natsu has a very powerful force within him—'the power of a dragon,' plus a demon seed that hasn't awakened…"
Then August fell silent. He could sense a sealed power akin to a mighty dragon sleeping inside Natsu. That scorching flame could even burn souls.
But most likely, it wasn't Natsu's own power; rather, it belonged to some Dragon King. That dragon seemed to have sealed itself, leaving only the strength of its soul. It was a price paid to keep itself at the peak of its power perpetually.
Thus, it was no real threat.
Aside from that, Natsu had a demon seed in him that had not sprouted at all, weaker than weak. Frankly, it was not even close to the demon seed that arose in August's body after he cultivated Devil Slayer Magic.
"Compared to Natsu, I seem more like the END recorded in the texts."
August muttered to himself. It was as though, by accident, he had become the most powerful demon in all of Earth Land. Actually, in his case, it would be more accurate to say "Demon God."
August: "Damn, I've become the strongest demon."
Yes, if he had to sum up everything he'd done so far in the style of a light novel title, it would be:
"I Set Out to Defeat the Strongest Demon, Only to Accidentally Become the Strongest Demon Myself."
Acnologia would wholeheartedly agree.
He too had started out learning Dragon Slayer Magic just to defeat dragons.
In the end, he was forced to become the Dragon King—blame it on those dragons who were too weak.
"Unless Natsu is hiding his true strength?"
August's brow creased even tighter.
He really could not accept that the demon said to be able to destroy the world was so feeble.
Thump… Thump… Thump…
But once he saw Erza easily beating Natsu senseless, leaving him almost no chance to fight back, August fell silent. This level of helplessness truly didn't look like an act; the kid was just plain useless.
"Looks like I can cross the Flame Demon END off my list."
"That leaves only the Black Wizard Zeref and the 'Black Dragon King' Acnologia."
August muttered.
As for why August was so intent on killing Zeref, well, from his perspective, he was merely giving his biological father the release he so desperately sought.
Because Zeref was the one who craved death above all.
Most importantly, if Zeref didn't die soon, he would start doing some really terrible things.
For the sake of Zeref's own reputation, August could only fulfill Zeref's wish and grant him death.
Though so far, August still hadn't discovered a method to completely remove the Ankhseram curse.
---
"I heard the guild has newcomers?!"
Right when August was silently watching his sister Erza beat up his uncle Natsu, the guild's door was suddenly pushed open with great force…
And after relinquishing the burdens of guild leadership, the reduction in stress made him visibly younger by about twenty years—his hair was even turning black again. Makarov swaggered into the first-floor hall of the Fairy Tail guild.
Yes, Makarov truly had worried too much for Fairy Tail over the years. The guild had become a ball and chain on him. Once those shackles were removed, the decades of buildup inside him finally blossomed in this moment, and he soared straight to the heavens.
"You are…"
After Makarov walked boldly into the guild hall and got a good look at August's appearance, his eyes first showed a trace of disbelief, then grew moist with tears.
"Makarov, it's certainly been a while."
August looked at the newcomer and smiled wryly.
"August…"
"You're August, there's no mistake!"
With a single stride, Makarov rushed forward to stand before August. His rough hands clutched August's shoulders tightly, as though terrified that August might vanish again. He spoke in a booming voice: "I knew you really existed! You weren't just in my imagination! It was you who saved Wraith, who healed his wounds! I've always said that I, Makarov, would never forget a single person in this guild. Even if one day I forget everything else, I'd never forget the faces or names of my family."
Makarov was a man who had suffered in silence all these years! Sixty-some years ago, after August acknowledged Fairy Tail and then left the guild, only Makarov—through his heart-bonding magic—could still remember August in the entire guild. Even Precht had forgotten him. Everyone else said Makarov was just delusional. It made Makarov so mad he nearly blew his top.
Now, six decades later, August had finally reappeared in the Fairy Tail guild, proving that Makarov wasn't delusional!
At this moment, Makarov almost wanted to summon all his old companions in the guild and shout, "August is real!!!"
"Uh…"
August watched Makarov—half crying, half laughing—clinging to him so tightly and suddenly felt a bit guilty inside. To be honest, he hadn't expected that a little prank he pulled on Makarov back when he was only around ten years old would leave such a huge psychological scar on him.
Had he known, he never would have done it.
It seemed that he just hadn't been mature enough back then.
"August? Makarov…"
As soon as Makarov identified August, Precht—whose memories of August had been sealed—suddenly had all those recollections restored. Everything about August came flooding back into his mind.
"Uh…"
For a moment, Precht's face changed. He never imagined that he and August had actually met countless times more than sixty years ago! But what Precht assumed—August's intent to seek revenge—did not materialize.
"Could it be…"
A light suddenly flashed through Precht's eyes.
Maybe August had forgiven him for what he'd done in the past?!
Which meant there might be a chance to mend his mistakes, a chance he could be by Mavis's side again?!
"Precht, don't even think about it…"
"I haven't forgiven you. Nor do I hate you…"
"I have no feelings toward you."
"It was Ian who raised me. He is my father."
"It was Makarov who taught me what family means."
"And you… you'd best keep your mouth shut. Don't mention my background, or don't blame me for being merciless…"
Just when Precht thought a ray of hope had appeared—a chance for August's forgiveness and a chance to be near Mavis once more—August's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, as though a giant bell were tolling, shaking his very soul.
From where Precht stood on the second floor of the guild, he could see August down below, locked in an embrace with Makarov, but staring up at him with a pair of cold eyes filled with warning. Their gaze brimmed with indifference.
"But I…"
All at once, Precht felt utterly deflated.
He had arrived first, long before any of them!
He was the one who discovered August. He was the one who helped deliver August at birth.
Why?
So why was he always the one who got hurt?
"Precht, what's going on with you? Precht!"
At that moment, a smiling Yuri—watching the scene unfold on the guild's first floor—suddenly took notice of Precht's strange state. Concerned, he asked Precht what was wrong.
"No… nothing…"
"I'm perfectly fine, never been better."
Precht forced a smile. It was unclear if he was speaking to Yuri or persuading himself.
"No, I can't give up just yet!"
"There's still a chance…"
"That's right—I can call all the Fairy Tail members who have left over the years back together for a grand Fairy Tail gathering!"
"At that time, maybe August and Mavis will forgive me…"
Just as Precht was about to break down, he suddenly had an idea and was instantly revived, like someone who'd just been injected with a potent stimulant.
Yes, what's the greatest strength of a hopelessly devoted simp?
Is it their persistence?
No, not really!
It's their unrivaled powers of self-healing—akin to Wolverine or Deadpool.
They can't be killed, simply cannot be killed.
No matter how many times the goddess of their dreams breaks their heart, they stay devoted, just as they were at the start.
So Precht made up his mind: he would contact Bob, the guild master of Blue Pegasus; Goldmine, the master of Quatro Cerberus; Rob (the man he had rescued from a dungeon when he destroyed Brain's territory) who was currently overseeing Grimoire Heart; and also Wraith who was traveling in the Northern Continent. He'd gather them all back together!
To hold a grand Fairy Tail parade.
So that Mavis and August could see just how much Precht Gaebolg had done over the years to protect the world's most precious Mavis, and so everyone could see how powerful Fairy Tail had become at present!
---
Note: Ghost -> Wraith.