The tension between the two sides was palpable, or rather, the battle was already in full swing.
Apart from Lahar and Mest, all the soldiers of the Council's Strong Detention Team had joined the fight.
However, for some unknown reason, today they felt their Magic Power was not responding, and their limbs felt uncoordinated.
As soon as the battle began, they were already at a complete disadvantage.
"Why?" Lahar couldn't understand. Even if the people of the Demon Heart were strong, his subordinates shouldn't be this weak.
"Yahahaha~ Of course, it's because of Kaburico's Human Enslavement Magic!" Zankuro laughed wildly, "As long as you are human, you can't beat Kaburico!"
"Human Enslavement Magic?" Lahar was about to despair.
"What is that?" Mest was puzzled.
"It's a form of Ancient Magic, a magic that can reduce human Magic Power and combat ability, called King's Magic!"
As Lahar spoke, he gave Mest a look, "In other words, when facing someone who wields this magic, we are naturally at a disadvantage!"
"You seem to know quite a bit, Kaburico, she..."
"Zankuro, you talk too much." Kaburico disliked others discussing their affairs.
He looked coldly at Lahar and Mest, "If you understand this point, then give up resisting, hand over Zeref, and I can give you a chance to live."
Kaburico considered the two of them decent quality, worthy of becoming his servants.
"Sure enough, they came for Zeref." Lahar and Mest moved closer to Zeref's position.
In doing so, their intentions were made very clear.
Zeref must not fall into the hands of the Demon Heart.
Even if they had to kill him directly without orders!
As the target of the struggle, Zeref merely showed a sorrowful expression, "The conflict... has started again?"
Except for Ultear, all five Dependents were ready to act.
But suddenly, Mest placed his hand on Zeref and Lahar, and the three vanished, reappearing on the sea surface away from the deck.
Mest realized he was being suppressed, so he couldn't escape too far. Before he started falling, he decisively used Teleportation Magic again.
"Don't think of escaping!"
Black Flames rushed over, followed closely by a pink Light Saber.
Perhaps worried about injuring Zeref, Zankuro and Melty's attacks were restrained.
This also gave Mest the chance to escape.
The trio's figures flickered to the beach on the shore, then flickered again into the forest.
After several flickers, Mest finally stopped, sitting tiredly against a stone.
The pressure from Human Enslavement Magic was immense.
"Well done." Lahar's expression was grave. By now, his subordinates were likely all in trouble, and the Demon Heart should have started hunting them.
Without a Communication Magic Crystal now, there was no way to contact headquarters for assistance, and Mest didn't have enough Magic Power to directly take them back to Fiore from Celestial Wolf Island.
Lahar said bitterly, "Now we probably can only seek help from Fairy Tail."
Although they didn't know the Demon Heart's purpose in seeking Zeref, it... definitely wouldn't be anything good.
If the legendary Black Mage were to join forces with the strongest Dark Guild, it would spell disaster for the entire world.
Although it was difficult to speak of sending undercover agents into the guild and then seeking emergency help, they couldn't care about that now.
Unless...
Solve the problem at its root!
Lahar's gaze turned sharp, and he drew his sword, pointing it at Zeref.
Legend had it this person was incredibly powerful, but today, the only impression he had was of overwhelming Magic Power. Ordinarily cautious, Lahar now had the idea to give it a try!
"Hey, Lahar..." Mest was startled by Lahar's actions.
"I know doing this violates the rules, but it's at the point where we have no choice!"
Lahar swung his sword toward Zeref's neck.
"Again... the death predator..." Zeref lowered his head, a rush of black aura suddenly surged from him.
"Dangerous!" Mest lunged at Lahar, activating magic at the last moment, and they instantly moved a hundred meters away.
The black aura swept over, killing birds and beasts, withering grass and trees.
Lahar stared in shock at the instantly dead forest, "Is this... magic that directly deprives life?"
Mest broke out in a cold sweat, having directly engaged with Zeref twice and still survived, could he call this luck?
Zeref stared dazedly at the declining scenery before him, his mood sullen, "I... am still rejected by this world..."
He stumbled away, this time, neither dared to stop him.
On the Council's warship.
"Ultear, you should know that guy's magic, right?"
Rastillos thought that having mixed with the Council, Ultear shouldn't have stood by and watched the opponent escape.
"Even I can't remember every minor figure in the Council." Ultear said calmly,
"Such magic can't escape too far, we can proceed with the original plan and attack this island, Lord Zeref... will definitely be ours!"
No one considered that the head of the Seven Dependents wasn't allied with them. With their pride, they didn't believe the opponent could escape from under their noses off this island.
"Kaburico." Ultear looked at the Goat.
"Understood." Kaburico spread his arms, and all the battling members of the Demon Heart on the ship vanished.
Then, he activated a single-person aircraft, flying towards the sky above Celestial Wolf Island.
Within tens of seconds, all the Dependents also left, the main cannon of the Demon Heart lit up, and the Council's warship exploded tremendously.
...
"What's Natsu doing?"
Upon seeing Azuma's Tower of Flame from afar, Rhode's first thought was that Natsu was up to something.
He felt that if Natsu unleashed the Dragon Slayer's Secret Art with full force, it would be about this powerful.
But... was there something in the second exam worth him using the Dragon Slayer's Secret Art?
"This magic doesn't feel right either, Wendy, let's go check it out." Blue and white dragon wings sprouted from Rhode's back, expertly grabbing Wendy, flying towards the flames.
Xiaolan of Pudolagos, dragging three legs, scratched its head, feeling like its master had forgotten it.
Though Wendy had complaints about the way she was carried, she heard the wind whistle in her ears for a moment, and quickly found herself back on solid ground.
At this moment, she couldn't bother to voice her opinions because someone was lying on the ground in terrible shape: "Gajeel!"
At this time, Gajeel's hair was disheveled and curly, his face and body covered in blood and burn marks.
His clothes were in tatters, his upper body nearly bare, his pants full of holes, and he was missing a shoe.
Rhode's heart skipped a beat, because even with his keen eyesight, he couldn't tell if Gajeel's chest was rising and falling.
Without needing him to speak, Wendy immediately started rescue efforts.