Chapter 81: The Vanishing Village, the Power That Will Not Return (1)
A few days had passed since the subjugation of Oración Seis.
Ciel followed Mystogan into an unknown wasteland, unleashing his magic against the massive spatial distortion floating in the sky.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art — [Illusionary Demon Grand Wheel]!!"
The twin spears of mist in his hands shone with enormous, indigo magic, their power amplified with layers of enchanted fog.
One of Ciel's main Dragon Slayer techniques, the Grand Wheel, shot upward and collided with the warped space, detonating in a blinding flash.
The wasteland quaked, the ground split open, and violent sandstorms rose.
When the light finally faded, the distortion that had filled the heavens vanished as though it had never been there.
"With this, every Anima aside from the one above Magnolia has been destroyed."
"Yeah… thank you."
Ciel stretched his shoulders, smiling calmly at Mystogan.
But Mystogan, staring at him, suddenly broke into chuckles he couldn't hold back.
"Pfft—hahaha!!"
"…What's so funny?"
"Sorry, sorry, I know you're being serious, but right now your face doesn't match the situation at all. Hahaha…!"
Ciel frowned faintly. "Not my fault. Part of the punishment was to leave it alone until it healed naturally."
Mystogan laughed harder at the two purple bruises around Ciel's eyes, turning his face into that of a panda.
With a slightly troubled look, Ciel pulled out an egg from his pocket and rolled it against his swollen eyelids.
Just a few days earlier, thanks to Wendy's sudden arrival, a small misunderstanding had erupted—one that quickly escalated at the guild.
『So? During the mission, nothing major happened?』
『Major? Well… too many things happened to count.』
『Come on, Lucy, you know what I mean!』
『…What are you talking about?』
『That! When Ciel said goodbye to the Oración Seis woman, he kissed her! Right? Right?!』
『Natsu!! That's—!!』
『Wait… what? Lucy, tell me exactly what that means.』
『M–Mira…!』
『Uh oh… this is bad.』
『So the two of you were dating all along, huh?!』
The spark had come when Natsu and Lucy, sitting at the tavern, blurted out the story about Sorano.
The moment Mira heard it, her eyes went cold.
Transformed into Satan Soul, she'd smashed both her fists right into Ciel's eyes.
After that, Ciel had no choice but to spend the night comforting Mira, who cried until her eyes were swollen.
He'd managed to apologize, but in return Mira had ordered him not to use healing magic—his bruises had to fade naturally.
And so, even now, he kept the promise.
Mystogan clutched his stomach, roaring with laughter.
"To think you'd use a Dragon Slayer Secret Art with that face… Pfft—panda—! Hahahahaha!!"
"Don't laugh so much."
Ciel jabbed a spear at Mystogan's head with a smile.
But it was only an illusion.
The Mystogan he stabbed dissolved into mist, while the real one stood behind him, still laughing.
"Hahaha! Maybe just wear sunglasses. Or I could buy you a helmet like Bicklow's! I've earned plenty of money here, you know."
"Enough already."
Again, Ciel thrust his spear at Mystogan's head—again, just an illusion.
The exchange repeated several times, Ciel's strikes always slicing through afterimages. Mystogan dodged effortlessly, evading each attack with illusionary trickery.
Finally, Ciel lowered his weapon in frustration, and Mystogan collapsed onto the ground clutching his stomach.
"Sorry, sorry… but you can't blame me. This is the very illusion magic you taught me. If my master's student couldn't dodge, that'd be the real problem."
"…So a little teaching has made you arrogant, has it?"
Mystogan sat up, his smile fading as his tone grew serious.
"Well, you've definitely grown stronger compared to when you were trapped in Eternal Illusion. But… compared to my master's battle sense, you're still a bit behind."
"…Your master?"
Ciel narrowed his eyes. Every time Mystogan sparred with him, he compared him to that mysterious master. Yet Mystogan always refused to reveal their true identity.
"I'd like to meet this so-called master of yours someday. To see just how 'remarkable' they are."
Mystogan shook his head. "You might, but… you'd be surprised. Facing them isn't something you can take lightly."
Ciel clenched his fist. "Doesn't matter. Even if their battle sense is flawless, if they can't pierce through the illusions hiding my true self, I'll crush them without mercy."
Mystogan looked at him silently for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"…Perhaps. But still, I think it'd be worth watching you two cross blades."
His smile faded again as he turned toward Magnolia, where a massive Anima swirled ominously above the city.
"But… right now, you can't destroy the Anima above Magnolia, can you?"
Ciel fell silent. He knew it was true.
"I've already erased every Anima scattered across this world. But the one above Magnolia… it's far beyond what I can handle right now."
His hands curled into fists, trembling with frustration.
"What's strange is this: after absorbing 2.7 billion Etherion from the R-System, I should've recovered at least ninety percent of my former power. But no matter what I do, half my strength refuses to return. If I could just recover that missing half… I'd be able to crush the Anima above Magnolia without question."
The bitterness in his voice lingered as the wind swept across the barren land.
With that amount of magic, Ciel had expected not only the restoration of his body but also the return of nearly ninety percent of his former power.
Yet, for some reason, his strength had only increased by a mere fraction—barely ten percent more than his state four hundred years ago—and then fixed itself there, as if it had never been greater to begin with.
Several of the familiars and abilities tied to the power of the Eyes of Reincarnation had not returned either.
It wasn't that they were sealed away… it felt as though they had never existed in the first place.
Perplexed and frustrated, Ciel let out a sigh.
Mystogan, watching him, muttered under his breath.
"…Of course it would be like that."
"What did you just say?"
"…Nothing. Forget it. If neither of us can destroy that thing, then only one path remains."
"Yes. We'll have to go to Edolas and settle it directly."
"I can't reveal myself over there. If my identity is exposed, I won't be able to help much."
"I know. I never counted on you being much help in the first place."
"…That stings a little."
"Well, at least I'm a bit excited at the thought of facing that master of yours."
At Ciel's remark, Mystogan chuckled softly and then turned toward Magnolia, beginning to walk.
....
After parting ways with Mystogan at the village gates, I arrived at Magnolia's southern entrance.
What greeted me brought a faint smile to my face.
Alarms echoed throughout the city, while enormous walls rose on both sides, funneling everything into a single straight path.
He had returned.
"It's been a long time since I've seen that familiar face."
I chuckled quietly at the thought of meeting him again.
Following the red arrows painted along the road, I walked until the Fairy Tail guildhall loomed before me.
There, at the entrance, I spotted a middle-aged man in a black cloak, chatting casually with the guild members.
"Excuse me, young lady, would there happen to be a guild called Fairy Tail around here?"
"You're looking at it. And I'm Mirajane."
"Mirajane? …You've changed a lot! And the guild—rebuilt, huh?"
"Gildarts!"
"Oh-ho! Natsu! Been a while."
"Let's fight, right now!"
"Next time."
"Guhh!"
"Still the same as ever, that guy."
"A man among men!"
Yes, he hadn't changed at all.
Even now, he effortlessly swatted away the grown Natsu with one hand.
I crept up behind him and tossed a stick he was holding.
"…Huh? So many unfamiliar faces. Things really have changed…?! Who dared pull such a childish prank—?! What the—?!"
"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Gildarts?"
"Uwaaaaahhhhhh?!!"
"Ciel! You're back!"
Yes. And thankfully, these panda-like bruises healed on the way back. Otherwise, the moment he saw me, he would've burst out laughing.
With lightning reflexes, he snatched the stick from the air.
But when he turned and saw my face, his eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he let out a scream, collapsing backward.
Pointing at me with a trembling finger, his expression was a strange mix of shock and joy.
"Gh–ghost…! It's Ciel's ghost! You guys, quick! Bring salt, talismans, whatever you've got for exorcisms—hurry!!"
"You haven't changed at all, Gildarts. Calling a living man a ghost… that's amusing."
"S–still alive…?! Don't lie to me! Ciel, you… you were…"
"Gildarts, Ciel really is alive. He came back to us not long ago."
"…What?"
At Mirajane's words, Gildarts got to his feet and started patting down my body.
A little uncomfortable, yes, but if this was the surest way to convince him I wasn't a phantom, I let him do it.
He poked at my face, even gave my cheek a small pinch. Then, with eyes brimming, he finally looked at me properly and pulled me into a crushing embrace.
"Ooooh!! Ciel! It really is you! Damn brat! Do you know how hard I cried at the funeral, thinking you were really gone that day?!"
"I wanted to return sooner, but circumstances didn't allow it. …I heard about you. They said you went off to take on the Hundred Year Quest?"
At my words, Gildarts scratched his head, then grinned broadly at Master and the others.
"Kyahahahahaha~!! About that… I failed."
"What?!"
"No way!"
"Gildarts, failing a quest?!"
His words sent ripples of shock through the guild.
The S-Class wizard of Fairy Tail. The man who stood head and shoulders above the rest—admitting defeat.
For everyone, it was staggering news. But no human succeeds forever.
I welcomed him back with a smile.
"My power just wasn't enough."
"That's natural. You're not a god, you're human."
"Yeah… and I guess you know what that feels like too, don't you…"
Master only sighed and raised his glass, while Gildarts offered a wry smile of apology.
"Sorry… ended up dragging the guild's name through the mud."
"No. The fact that you came back alive is enough. As far as I know, you're the first to ever return from that quest. Even if Ciel himself had gone, surviving would've been the best outcome."
"Master…"
Instead of reproach, Master was simply grateful for his return.
The Hundred Year Quest… the higher difficulty counterpart of the Ten Year Quest, which only I, Gildarts, and Laxus had ever managed to clear by joining forces.
A mission left unresolved for a century.
For him to take it on alone was reckless, and Master knew it. He only nodded in silence, draining his glass.
"I'm done. I'm beat… I need rest."
Exchanging a few short words with Master, Gildarts stretched and turned to leave.
But before going, he looked back, inviting me and Natsu to his home.
....
"'A present'? What's he planning to give us—some kind of rare flame from abroad?"
"Hard to say. But if he called me too, I guess it must be something big…"
"What could it be?"
Natsu, Happy, and I climbed the north street of Magnolia together, chatting as we went.
A gift for Natsu or Happy, perhaps—but for me? For someone who shouldn't even be alive in Gildarts' eyes, it was strange that he would have prepared anything.
At last, we reached the hilltop, where Gildarts' house stood.
"Hey~!"
"Excuse us."
When we opened the front door and stepped inside, Gildarts greeted us from his rocking chair.
"You made it, Ciel, Natsu, Happy."
"It's been a while since I've been to this house."
"Right? Anyway, Natsu. You and Lisanna… things working out, huh? Eh?"
"…What?"
"Come on, don't get all shy. Kyahahaha! Ciel, when you came back, you must've seen Natsu and Lisanna acting all lovey-dovey. How did that make you feel, eh?"
At the mention of Lisanna, both Natsu and I lost our smiles.
He doesn't know yet.
Of course—if he hadn't even known I'd returned, there was no way he could know about Lisanna.
"Gildarts… Lisanna is dead."
"That's right. She died… two years ago."
"…What… you're serious?"
At our answer, Gildarts froze, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.
I remembered making that same expression when I first woke from my long sleep and heard the news about Lisanna.
Her death had been a crushing blow for all of us.
"I see… so that's why Mirajane changed so much. I thought it was because of your return, Ciel…"
"She lost her magic for a time because of my death, and Lisanna's. …But she's stable now."
"…Damn. Sorry, Ciel. Natsu."
"…If that's what this is about, I'm leaving."
The subject was a heavy one, and though it had been painful for me too, for Natsu it was something else entirely.
He'd grown up alongside Lisanna, sharing a special bond with her. Losing her was a wound no words could heal.
Not wanting to dwell on it, Natsu turned to leave—
But Gildarts spoke.
"Natsu… Ciel… on my quest, I met a dragon."
Natsu froze mid-step. Slowly, he turned back.
"…It wasn't the red one you're looking for. It was a black dragon."
"Wh… where…?"
"Mount Zonia. Because of it, I failed my job. Damn beast…"
At the name of the place, Natsu immediately bolted for the door, but Gildarts stopped him.
"And what do you think you'll do once you get there?"
"What kind of question is that?! I'll find out where Igneel is!"
"He won't be there anymore. That black dragon… it roams the whole continent—no, the whole world."
"Even so! There might be a clue!"
"Natsu… take a look at this."
With those words, Gildarts shrugged off his black cloak.
The sight of his body, hidden until now, made Natsu freeze in shock.
A left arm and leg replaced by prosthetics. His torso tightly bound in thick bandages.
The sheer weight of his wounds left Natsu swallowing hard.
"It happened in an instant… My left arm, my left leg— even my organs. All torn away."
"..."
"I don't know what kind of dragon Igneel is, but that black monster… it's without a doubt the enemy of mankind."
"..."
"And… humans can't defeat it."
"T-That's supposed to be the role of Dragon Slayers! With my magic, I'll crush some black dragon—"
"If you really believe that… I won't stop you."
"Damn it…!!"
The weight behind Gildarts's words hit Natsu like a hammer.
Even someone stronger than him—Gildarts, the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail—had barely survived, left with grievous wounds.
What chance did he have?
Gritting his teeth in frustration and humiliation, Natsu stormed out of the house.
"Natsu!!"
"Happy."
"Aye?"
"Be his strength. That monster might be beyond mankind… but for a dragon? For Natsu… maybe, one day…"
"You got it!"
With that, Happy dashed after him, leaving only me and Gildarts behind.
Confirming they were gone, Gildarts slumped back into his chair, pulling a bottle and a pair of glasses from his cloak. He set them down on the table.
"Ciel… that black dragon was the same one we ran into three years ago…"
"Acnologia."
"…Hm?"
"That's its name. The Dragon of Apocalypse, the bringer of destruction."
"The Dragon of Apocalypse, huh… So you do know where the dragons are."
His sharp eyes bored into mine. I met his gaze, calm, and sat opposite him, pouring liquor into his glass.
"And if that's true… what do you plan to do about it?"
"You're not going to tell Natsu, are you?"
"Even if I know, it's not yet time. Everything has its order."
At my reply, Gildarts let out a long sigh, then knocked back the glass in one gulp.
"Phew~! If that's how you see it, then I guess it is."
"You don't want to force an answer out of me?"
"Nah. You've got your reasons, Ciel. No point meddling."
"…That's just like you."
He refilled his glass, then slid one across to me. I accepted, filled his in return, and together we raised them.
"Here's to your return, Ciel."
"And to yours, Gildarts."
Our glasses clinked, and we drank deep—two survivors sharing the stories left untold for three long years.
I wanted nothing more than to fight by his side in the battles ahead.
But in his condition, rest came first.
So for today, I simply became his drinking partner.
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