The battle ended with Bluenote frozen and severely injured.
Wes emerged victorious. His strength was acknowledged by everyone, and no one dared underestimate the newcomer any longer.
Even Rustyrose, who had provoked him in the beginning, quieted down after witnessing the fight and no longer acted recklessly.
Although Wes had won, his position within Grimoire Heart remained somewhat delicate.
Defeating the Vice Master proved his power, but because he was new and unfamiliar to most members, many still kept their distance—respecting him, but cautiously.
Wes didn't care about any of that. He hadn't come here for status or authority—he came for the ultimate pursuit of magic.
After the battle, Hades showed rare generosity and taught Wes the training method for Arc of Time without holding anything back.
But even so, Wes still felt unsatisfied.
The Seven Kin of Purgatory each possessed rare, powerful Lost Magics, and Wes wanted all of them—to complete his arsenal.
But Hades refused. He still didn't fully trust Wes.
So Wes proposed a bold idea—magic in exchange for magic.
At first, Hades didn't take it seriously. After all, he had traveled the continent for many years—what magic had he not seen?
But when Wes took out the rune-covered Book of the Dead, Hades's attitude changed instantly.
The ancient book recorded black magic foreign to this world, along with fearsome necromantic spells capable of resurrecting the dead. Its contents fascinated him deeply.
Hades's eyes burned with desire, as if he wanted to devour the book whole.
Wes understood well the incomparable value of the Book. If he weren't confident he could escape Hades alive, he would never have brought it out.
Hades, of course, realized this as well—he could not let go of such an enticing treasure.
After a long internal struggle, Hades finally made his decision.
Pinching the bridge of his nose as if making a massive concession, he agreed to the exchange, trading the other six Lost Magics he possessed for the Book of the Dead.
As for whether the exchange was equal… each had their own calculations.
Wes obtained the powerful magic he had dreamed of, while Hades acquired a weapon capable of shaking the balance of the entire continent.
Both believed they had gained the better end of the deal—and both achieved their goals.
Perhaps in a world where the strong rule, the exchange of benefits is far more alluring than simple power.
In the days that followed, Wes and Hades locked themselves in their rooms, obsessed with mastering their newly acquired magics.
Wes became particularly fascinated with Arc of Embodiment. He believed it was the most interesting of the seven Lost Magics.
With just a flick of his fingers, strange lights flashed in the air, as if he could touch another dimension.
One day, while Wes was fully immersed in his studies, the airship suddenly began to shake. He stopped what he was doing and looked out the window.
The airship slowly ascended, soon rising into the sky. White clouds drifted past the windows as the massive ship headed toward an unknown destination.
As Wes stared at the sea of clouds outside, rhythmic knocking came from the door.
Thud~
Thud~
Thud~
"Come in."
The door opened, and a messenger hurried inside. "Lord Wes, the Master has summoned everyone for a meeting."
The messenger closed the door softly as he left.
Wes narrowed his eyes slightly, calculating the timing in his mind.
Looks like it's time to attack Tenrou Island.
He gathered his thoughts and headed toward the meeting hall.
When he arrived, everyone was already assembled—except Bluenote, who was still recovering from his injuries.
"Since everyone is here, let us begin."
Hades slammed his staff heavily against the floor.
"This operation has two objectives," Hades continued. "The first is to retrieve Zeref. The second is to destroy Fairy Tail."
As soon as he said that, the entire room erupted into noise and discussion.
"Zeref… the legendary strongest mage!"
"He's really alive? If so, he must be several hundred years old!"
The ordinary members were hearing about these matters for the first time. To them, the name Zeref was nothing more than a distant myth—yet now, that myth was suddenly becoming part of reality.
"Silence!"
Hades struck his staff again, instantly quieting the hall.
"Our target is Tenrou Island. We depart immediately!"
After speaking, he reported a precise set of coordinates.
To ensure everyone understood the importance of the mission, Hades pulled out a detailed map that contained everything about Tenrou Island—its terrain, and information on Fairy Tail's personnel.
As expected… no matter how tight the defenses, nothing can stop an internal threat. Without Hades leading the way, merely locating Tenrou Island would take unimaginable time and effort.
Tenrou Island, the secret base of Fairy Tail, was extremely well-hidden—ordinary people had no way of discovering its location.
The land and the sea surrounding it were filled with strong magic power, making it nearly impossible to detect from the outside.
But with Fairy Tail's second master guiding the way, everything became effortless.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Hades looked as though everything was firmly within his grasp.
Afterward, he gave a brief outline of the operation. He didn't take Fairy Tail seriously at all, so the battle plan was crude and straightforward.
If not for Zeref, he wouldn't even bother mobilizing this many people.
After flying for a full day and night, the airship finally left the mainland and entered the vast ocean.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, scattering across the shimmering sea. The blue sky, white clouds, and azure waters reflected one another so perfectly that it became difficult to tell whether the airship was flying in the sky or gliding above the sea.
Everyone was momentarily captured by the beauty—until someone suddenly shouted:
"Fleet spotted below!"
A second lookout's voice echoed throughout the airship:
"It's the Council's fleet!!"
"Activate stealth mode."
Following Hades's commands, the airship entered a cloaking state, becoming almost invisible to the naked eye.
At the same time, the magical devices within the ship activated, suppressing all magical signatures to prevent detection.
Zancrow glanced down at the Council's fleet with confusion.
"Why is the Council's military out here?"
°°°
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