Chapter 495: We Cannot Just Run Away
"Zeref truly lives up to his title as the strongest Black Mage in history. He actually noticed the surveillance spell I planted on Precht," Noah remarked, watching the screen as it faded to black.
"So, does that mean he was actively warning us? But why?" Erza asked, her brow furrowed.
"Perhaps, just as he said, he still retains some shred of empathy," Noah shook his head dismissively. "But his motives don't matter right now. What matters is that Acnologia is coming."
"He's right. Acnologia is the real threat," Gildarts stepped forward, his usual laid-back demeanor entirely gone, replaced by a deadly seriousness. He turned to Noah. "Send everyone back to the guild immediately. You and I will stay behind to hold Acnologia off."
He knew that the gap in power between Acnologia and everyone else present was an insurmountable cliff. Numbers meant absolutely nothing against the Black Dragon. Only he and Noah had any real chance of engaging it—or rather, Gildarts knew he only had a slim chance of surviving it, while Noah, who was vastly stronger, would be the primary combatant. Sending the others away would eliminate any liabilities, allowing the two of them to fight or flee without hesitation.
"Is the situation really that dire?" Laxus asked, thoroughly shocked. He had never once seen Gildarts advocate for a full retreat before an enemy had even arrived.
"It's worse than you can imagine. Acnologia is the sole reason my Century Quest ended in failure," Gildarts looked at Laxus, his voice heavy. "If I hadn't prepared an escape route in advance, and if it hadn't simply lost interest in chasing me, I would have died on that mountain."
Hearing this, a collective chill ran down everyone's spines. Gildarts was universally recognized as the strongest active mage in Fairy Tail, yet he admitted he had barely escaped with his life. Against a monster like that, the rest of them would be utterly powerless.
Instantly, any objections to fleeing vanished. Standing your ground against an invincible foe wasn't bravery; it was a foolish disregard for your own life.
"No. We cannot just run away. Especially not Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers," Noah shook his head, firmly rejecting the retreat.
"Why? You should understand better than anyone exactly how terrifying Acnologia's strength is," Gildarts asked, thoroughly puzzled. He knew Noah would never gamble with his guildmates' lives, so he waited for an explanation.
"It's simple logic. According to Zeref, Acnologia sensed Precht's concentrated malice from an unfathomable distance away. That proves a Dragon's sensory range is astronomically vast," Noah explained. "If it can sense malice from across the ocean, it will absolutely sense the residual magical signatures of our massive war here. More importantly, we have several Dragon Slayers with us.
"We cannot bet on whether or not Acnologia will take a specific interest in them. If the Dragon Slayers flee back to Magnolia, and Acnologia uses its terrifying sensory range to track their scent... it will bring an apocalyptic disaster straight to our hometown."
Gildarts froze. His expression instantly darkened into absolute horror.
He hadn't considered that. When he had encountered Acnologia, he had lingered in the wilderness for weeks precisely to ensure the dragon wasn't tracking him before he finally returned to the guild. But Dragon Slayers and Dragons were natural, mortal enemies. There was no guarantee Acnologia wouldn't hunt Natsu and the others down just for existing.
If there was even a one percent chance of leading the Black Dragon to Magnolia, they had to prevent it at all costs. Fleeing blindly was utterly irresponsible.
"Then what's the plan?" Gildarts asked, turning to Noah.
Since Noah had brought up the tactical flaw, he clearly already formulated a countermeasure. The rest of the guild also turned to him, their anxiety giving way to focused trust. Noah always had a plan.
"Everyone besides Gildarts and myself will hide inside Tenrou Island. The defensive barrier I set up with Laxus and the others earlier can withstand a few direct, full-power hits from Acnologia," Noah looked toward Lucy, Yukino, and Mavis. "First Master, Lucy, Yukino—I'm leaving the preparations to you. Head to the island now. When I give the signal, execute the plan we laid out."
"Understood," Lucy nodded firmly.
"I will do my best!" Yukino clenched her fists, forcing a serious, determined expression onto her face.
"Don't be nervous. Just follow the First Master's instructions and work with Lucy. You'll be fine," Noah smiled, offering her a comforting nod. Yukino nodded vigorously, visibly relaxing.
"Did you anticipate this from the very beginning?" Mavis asked, looking at Noah intently.
"When I learned of Acnologia's existence, factored in the multiple Dragon Slayers in our guild, and combined it with intelligence I gathered through my own channels... I simply made some preemptive arrangements," Noah answered seriously. "A threat of Acnologia's magnitude demands absolute, paranoid preparation."
"As long as you know what you're doing. We'll go prepare the island," Mavis nodded to Lucy and Yukino. She didn't care how Noah had acquired his intelligence; she only cared that he was doing everything in his power to protect the guild.
"I'll teleport you guys over. The rest of you, prepare to head inside as well," Noah instructed.
"No! I'm not running!" Natsu roared, stepping forward with clenched fists. "I need to ask it where Igneel is! And Grandeeney! And Metalicana!"
"Absolutely not. That is not a creature you can simply converse with," Gildarts immediately shut him down.
Having faced Acnologia, Gildarts knew the beast possessed nothing but malice and an innate desire to eradicate humanity. Thinking you could just walk up and ask it a question was suicidal delusion.
But Natsu didn't back down. He glared stubbornly at Gildarts and Noah. He had searched for seven years, and this was the first time a real, living Dragon was about to appear. He refused to give up the chance.
Gildarts and Natsu stared each other down, neither willing to yield. The others looked to Noah, waiting for him to make the final call.
"Alright. Natsu can stay. In fact, aside from Meredy and the youngest girls, the rest of you can stay on the shoreline as well," Noah suddenly announced.
Gildarts whipped his head around, utterly baffled. Hadn't Noah just said they all needed to hide inside the barrier?!
"I am letting you stay so you can witness firsthand just how vast this world truly is, and to comprehend the absolute chasm in power between yourselves and a true apex predator," Noah declared, his gaze sweeping across the S-Class mages and candidates. "You may launch one attack against Acnologia, or ask one question. The exact second you finish your single action, you will be instantly teleported inside the Tenrou Island barrier. Understood?"
Noah had his own reasons for allowing this.
While he frequently displayed his own overwhelming strength during guild spars to broaden their horizons, those were friendly matches. Even at their most intense, there was no true killing intent. The psychological impact was limited.
However, facing Acnologia—an entity radiating absolute malice and invincible, world-ending power—was different. Confronting a lethal, incomprehensible terror and finding the courage to strike back was the ultimate crucible for the soul.
Magic in this world was driven by the heart. Overcoming the paralyzing fear of death to launch a defiant strike would trigger profound psychological and magical growth for everyone present. He believed his guildmates had the mental fortitude to handle it.
Naturally, Noah wasn't sending them to their deaths. He had prepared extensive safety nets.
Aside from the inherent defensive magic within their Fairy Tail guild marks, the barrier Noah had erected over Tenrou Island possessed an automated emergency function: anyone bearing the guild crest within a specific radius would be instantly teleported inside the island the moment their life was in lethal danger.
More importantly, Noah would be standing at the absolute vanguard, ready to intercept any attack that actually threatened them. With those absolute safeguards in place, he was willing to let them experience the terror of a true Dragon.
"YES!" Natsu cheered, pumping his fist, eagerly stretching his arms to prepare his questions for the approaching dragon.
The others exchanged nervous but excited glances. No one backed down. The opportunity to witness a legendary Dragon—knowing Noah had guaranteed their safety—was too incredible to pass up.
"Are you absolutely sure this is safe?" Makarov asked, his expression etched with deep worry.
When he first heard Acnologia was coming, he had been terrified. He knew exactly why Gildarts's Century Quest had failed, having privately discussed the horrifying details with the crash mage. Meeting Acnologia without preparation meant absolute death.
He had relaxed slightly upon hearing Noah had prepared countermeasures—Noah's flawless track record commanded absolute trust. But hearing Noah actively encourage the children to confront the beast reignited his anxiety.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. The safety nets are foolproof. They won't be harmed," Noah reassured him earnestly.
Makarov nodded slowly. Noah had never miscalculated a tactical plan before. He would trust him.
"Lucy, Meredy, Wendy, Yukino, Happy, Carla, and Lily—come here. I'm sending you to the island's control point," Noah instructed.
With a wave of his hand, he teleported the non-combatants, the Exceeds, and Mavis directly to the secure beaches of Tenrou Island. From there, they could safely operate the barrier while still observing the battle.
Lucy and Yukino had essential roles to play, while Meredy, Wendy, and the Exceeds were simply too young or unsuited to face the psychological trauma of a direct confrontation with the Black Dragon. Watching from a safe distance would still provide a valuable learning experience without risking their mental well-being.
The remaining heavy hitters—Erza, Laxus, Mirajane, Gray, Gajeel, and the others—stayed on the artificial battlefield, taking deep breaths and stretching their limbs, pushing themselves into peak condition for the impending clash.
Noah hadn't even bothered trying to teleport Makarov to safety. He knew that the old man would rather die than sit safely behind a barrier while his 'children' stood on the front lines against a monster. But with Noah present, Makarov's safety was guaranteed.
Guided by Mavis, Lucy and the support team initiated the island's defenses.
A faint, shimmering golden dome rapidly expanded, completely enveloping Tenrou Island in a massive, spherical bubble bearing a radiant Fairy Tail emblem. A moment later, the golden bubble faded into transparency, and the entire island vanished from sight, perfectly cloaked by optical and sensory camouflage.
Seeing that the island was secured, Noah finally relaxed. He sat down cross-legged on the dirt, closed his eyes, and began regulating his breathing.
The most difficult, apocalyptic battle of his life was rapidly approaching. His heart was a paradoxical mix of absolute, icy calm and thrilling, adrenaline-fueled excitement—like a tranquil ocean surface hiding a raging, violent undertow.
They didn't have to wait long.
A terrifying, unfathomably oppressive magical pressure—identical to the one they had sensed earlier, but magnified ten thousand times over—began rapidly closing in on their coordinates.
As the presence approached, the very air began to vibrate. The bedrock beneath their feet hummed, the tremors growing increasingly violent with every passing second.
ROAAAAAAR!
A guttural, apocalyptic roar echoed through the atmosphere, tearing through the clouds.
Everyone's eyes snapped open.
"It's here..." Gildarts muttered, his face settling into a grim, battle-hardened scowl as he stared at the horizon.
The rest of the Fairy Tail mages braced themselves, their muscles tense and their hearts pounding. Several of them swallowed hard. The enemy wasn't even in visual range yet, but the sheer atmospheric pressure and the sonic force of its casual roar were already shaking the earth beneath their feet.
The true, horrifying reality of Gildarts's warning was finally sinking in.
"It's here!"
Noah's eyes snapped open, locking onto a specific point in the sky. Following his gaze, the entire guild looked up.
~~~
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