Chapter 593: Do Not Reveal Our Existence!
The guildhall was buzzing with intense, whispered conversations. The sudden revelation that Mavis's long-lost son had been found, followed immediately by the bombshell that Erza's biological mother had appeared, was an absolute goldmine of gossip.
The fact that both of them had been living on the Western Continent only deepened the mystery. Why were they over there? How did Noah manage to track them down? What exactly was the history between Irene and Erza?
Even though they knew Noah would eventually explain everything, the guild members enthusiastically threw themselves into wild speculation.
Naturally, the vast majority of the attention—especially from the male members—was locked onto Irene.
After all, she was an impossibly beautiful, stunning woman. Furthermore, looking at her flawless, youthful appearance, no one could fathom that she had actually given birth to a child Erza's age.
As the gossip flowed, the conversations inevitably derailed into ridiculous tangents, and soon, very few people were actually discussing August and Irene's geopolitical origins. Only the core members closest to Noah—like Lucy, Ultear, and the others—kept their full attention focused on the unfolding situation.
"So, you are the First Master's son? Hello. I am the Third Guild Master of Fairy Tail, Makarov," Makarov said warmly, having walked over from his usual spot at the bar to greet the newcomers.
"Hello. I am profoundly grateful to all of you for everything you have done for us," August replied, offering Makarov a deep, respectful bow.
"The First Master is a beloved member of our family. Helping her is only natural; there is no need for thanks," Makarov shook his head with a warm smile. He then turned to the scarlet-haired woman. "And you must be Erza's mother. Welcome to Fairy Tail."
"Hello, I am Irene. Thank you for taking such good care of Erza," Irene replied, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Makarov nodded. If Noah was the one who brought her back, it meant she was trustworthy. Whatever complicated history existed between her and Erza could be sorted out privately.
Noah casually raised his hand, deploying a localized, high-tier soundproofing ward around their immediate area to ensure their conversation wouldn't be overheard by the rest of the guild.
Minimizing the number of people who knew the absolute truth was the best way to prevent unnecessary panic.
He then turned to Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, and Laxus.
"Irene is currently dealing with a severe biological issue, and I need your help to cure her," Noah stated seriously. "This issue is directly related to all of you. Specifically, it is intimately tied to Dragon Slayer Magic."
"Oh? Dragon Slayer Magic?" Laxus, who had stayed behind because Noah hadn't told him to leave, raised an eyebrow. "So this involves me too?"
"WHAT?! Laxus, you're a Dragon Slayer too?!" Natsu practically jumped out of his skin, his eyes wide with absolute shock. He began waving his arms frantically. "Why didn't you ever say anything?! What's your Dragon's name?! Did he disappear on July 7th, X777 too?!"
Gajeel and Wendy instantly snapped their attention toward Laxus, their eyes burning with intense curiosity.
"I am a Dragon Slayer, but I'm not like you guys. I acquired my magic by having a Dragon Lacrima implanted into my body. I wasn't taught by an actual Dragon," Laxus shook his head, instantly killing the mood.
"Oh... I see..."
Natsu's wild excitement instantly evaporated, his shoulders slumping in profound disappointment. He had genuinely hoped to hear news about a real Dragon.
Wendy looked equally disappointed, while Gajeel simply clicked his tongue and looked away.
"So, what exactly is this issue regarding Dragon Slayers?" Laxus asked, bringing the conversation back on track.
"Well, Irene is also a Dragon Slayer. However, due to the severe side effects of Dragon Slayer Magic, her body underwent a horrific mutation. I need your biological data to help reverse it," Noah explained.
"Huh? Dragon Slayer Magic has side effects?" Natsu blinked in confusion, before looking at Irene curiously. "Wait, if you're a Dragon Slayer, does that mean you were taught by a Dragon too?"
"My magic wasn't exactly 'taught' to me by a Dragon, but I did have a Dragon companion who stayed by my side for a very long time. Unfortunately, he passed away long ago," Irene replied, instantly realizing what Natsu was truly asking.
"Did he disappear on July 7th, X777?!" Natsu asked, his eyes lighting up with desperate hope.
"No. The Dragon I knew died centuries before that date," Irene shook her head.
"Do you know anything about the three Dragons that disappeared on that day? Do you know where they went?" Natsu pressed, refusing to give up.
"I have no idea. I had already been living on the Western Continent for decades by that point," Irene replied.
"Oh... I get it..."
Natsu's head dropped again. But he quickly recovered. He had spent years asking everyone he met about his foster father, Igneel, and always came up empty-handed. He was used to the disappointment.
"Wait, back up. Dragon Slayer Magic has side effects? I've never heard of that," Gajeel frowned, crossing his arms.
"Grandeeney never mentioned anything like that to me either," Wendy added, looking worried.
Irene silently observed the four Dragon Slayers standing before her. So these are the Slayers who managed to halt the mutation process?
Her draconic senses sharpened, probing their magical signatures. Putting the Lacrima-implanted Slayer aside, she could clearly sense something bizarre hidden deep within the bodies of the other three.
August also focused his gaze on the Slayers. With his absolute mastery of magic—and having just reviewed Zeref's profound research on soul manipulation—his senses perceived far more than Irene's.
He narrowed his eyes. Hidden deep within Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy... he could sense a second, incredibly powerful soul dormant inside each of them.
He wasn't entirely certain, so he kept his silence, deciding to observe them a bit longer.
"Of course Dragon Slayer Magic has side effects. Why do you think it's classified as Lost Magic?" Noah asked, looking at the Slayers. "Lost Magics are significantly more powerful than standard magic, but that power always comes with a severe cost or critical flaw. The prevalence of horrific side effects is the exact reason these magics eventually died out and became 'Lost.'"
"Then what are the side effects? Are Wendy and the others going to be affected?!" Carla asked urgently, flying up to Noah's face.
She could clearly see the rising panic in the Slayers' eyes.
"They already possess the side effects, but the core issue has been successfully suppressed. Their conditions won't worsen. The same goes for Laxus," Noah assured her, before his tone turned grim.
"The ultimate side effect of Dragon Slayer Magic... is Dragonification."
"Dragonification?" Natsu repeated, tilting his head.
"Yes. The magic literally transforms you into a Dragon," Noah confirmed. "Haven't you noticed? Whenever you push your magic to its absolute limit, patches of dragon scales begin manifesting on your skin, usually on your face or arms.
"Gajeel, you actively manipulate those iron scales for combat, right? That is the preliminary stage of the mutation.
"Wendy's symptoms aren't as prominent yet, so she hasn't noticed. Laxus's symptoms are incredibly obvious; when he uses his maximum output, his muscle mass violently expands, and dragon scales cover his arms and jaw.
"As a Slayer continues to aggressively utilize the magic, the Dragonification process deepens. Eventually, it reaches a terminal threshold, and the human body completely mutates into a full-fledged Dragon."
"WHAT?! We're going to turn into Dragons?!"
Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy shrieked in absolute terror. Even Makarov's face drained of color; this was a catastrophic revelation.
"Wait, if we use our magic too much, we'll become actual Dragons?!" Natsu yelled, sweat pouring down his face.
"I refuse! I don't want to be a lizard!" Gajeel barked, looking genuinely horrified.
"What do we do...?" Wendy whimpered, clutching her cheeks in panic.
Laxus was also visibly shocked, but he quickly calmed down, remembering Noah's earlier statement.
"Everyone, calm down! Did you forget what Noah just said?! He said the side effects inside you have already been suppressed! You're not going to turn into Dragons!" Carla yelled, slapping Wendy's arm to snap her out of her panic.
"Oh, right! Noah did say it was suppressed!" Natsu blinked, instantly relaxing, letting out a massive sigh of relief.
Gajeel also exhaled heavily, his tense muscles relaxing. Wendy patted her chest, looking incredibly thankful.
"Wait, Noah," Makarov frowned, his sharp mind piecing the clues together. "You said the side effect is Dragonification, and that Irene is a Dragon Slayer whose body suffered a horrific mutation... does that mean she failed to suppress the side effect?"
"You guessed correctly, Master," Noah nodded solemnly. "Irene's mutation wasn't suppressed. Her body fully transformed. She is currently a true Dragon."
"WHAT?!"
Everyone except Mavis, August, and Noah gasped in absolute shock.
They all stared at Irene. This breathtakingly beautiful woman was actually a Dragon?!
"That makes no sense! She looks perfectly human right now! How can she be a Dragon?!" Gajeel demanded, squinting at Irene suspiciously.
"My current appearance is the result of a highly advanced cosmetic illusion," Irene explained, meeting their shocked stares calmly. "If it weren't for this spell, you would be looking at my true draconic form. Biologically, my essence has completely mutated into a Dragon.
"I despise this form. I wish to completely reverse the mutation and return to being a true human. That is why I asked Noah for his help. And since you three do not suffer from the terminal stages of the mutation, analyzing your biology is the key to curing me. I need your assistance."
"Oh, I get it now! If we can help, just say the word!" Natsu grinned, immediately agreeing without a second thought.
"Yeah, whatever you need, Noah-nii, just ask!" Wendy nodded eagerly.
"I don't mind helping either," Gajeel grunted, crossing his arms.
"If you need anything, let me know," Laxus smirked. Given his close relationship with Noah, he was always ready to lend a hand.
"Thank you, everyone. With your biological data, we'll be able to formulate a cure much faster," Noah smiled gratefully.
"Man, I can't believe using Dragon Slayer Magic too much turns you into a Dragon..." Natsu muttered, finally realizing he didn't need to worry. He immediately began intensely staring at Irene, deeply curious about the woman who was secretly a giant reptile.
The others also couldn't help but steal curious glances at her.
"But wait, why are our side effects suppressed?" Gajeel suddenly asked, his sharp eyes locking onto Noah. "Did you do something to us?
"The salamander and the brat grew up in the guild, so maybe you did something to them early on. But I only joined a couple of years ago, and you haven't performed any weird biological procedures on me."
"Yeah! Did you do something to fix us, Noah?!" Natsu asked, equally surprised. Wendy also looked at him curiously.
"No, I didn't do anything. The reason your mutations are suppressed has absolutely nothing to do with me," Noah shook his head.
Noah paused, his gaze drifting down toward Natsu and Wendy's stomachs.
"The reason your Dragonification is suppressed is because—"
Before Noah could finish the sentence, a gruff, incredibly dominant, and furious voice violently echoed directly inside his mind.
"DO NOT REVEAL OUR EXISTENCE!"
A split second later, a gentle, soothing, yet urgently pleading female voice echoed in his mind alongside the first.
"Please, for Wendy and the others' sake, do not tell them we are here. The time is not right. We wish to speak with you in detail later. We know you have many questions for us as well."
Noah's expression didn't change a single fraction. He flawlessly seamlessly pivoted his sentence.
"—because of a highly specific biological anomaly within your magic. However, you guys are currently far too weak to handle the truth. You aren't strong enough to know yet."
"WHAT?!" Natsu roared, instantly infuriated. "I've gotten way stronger over the last two years! How dare you call me weak?! FIGHT ME!"
Deeply insulted that Noah was withholding information because he deemed them "weak," Natsu ignited his fists and violently lunged at Noah.
Noah casually raised his right hand and swatted Natsu out of the air like a fly, slamming him face-first into the floorboards, physically silencing him.
Nearby, the moment the two telepathic voices had echoed in Noah's mind, August and Irene's eyes simultaneously snapped toward Natsu and Wendy's stomachs.
The telepathic transmission was highly localized, meant only for Noah. But because they were standing at point-blank range, and because their magical mastery was so unfathomably profound, both August and Irene clearly intercepted the telepathic frequencies.
Irene stared at the Slayers' stomachs, her draconic eyes narrowing as she analyzed the profound magical signatures hidden within.
August simply smiled slightly, his initial suspicions perfectly confirmed. There was absolutely no doubt anymore; there was a second, incredibly powerful soul dormant inside each of the young Dragon Slayers.
~~~
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