The Crazy Old Man

"You really think highly of me, going to such lengths to seduce me..." Chiba sneered.

Yaro smiled nonchalantly, "You're worth us going to such lengths for."

"So... everything you told us was a lie?" Chiba looked at Labi beside Yaro and said in a deep voice.

The Labi raised his head and said, "That's not the case. What I told you was indeed the truth. Originally, I wanted to scare you into running away, so that you would be captured alive by the thrones lying in ambush behind us. But the fact that you chose to continue with us really surprised me."

"So the monster horde that night... was that also your doing?" Ailong stepped forward and asked.

"Hmm..." Yaro nodded and said, "The monster horde was just to probe whether you had reached the area our territory had reached. In fact, from the moment you accepted this mission, everything was part of our plan. The only unexpected thing might be that Kamuer was driven back by you, since we didn't have any information that the Lava Monsters could use water-based attacks."

Chiba raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. He remembered using Water Formation Wall when fighting the Frog in the Pond. Shouldn't the Frog in the Pond be spies for the Shadow Skull? How come this information hadn't been leaked?

Before Chiba could even process what was happening, Yaro stepped forward, extending his hand and saying calmly, "While I am weaker than the Throne, I should be more than enough to deal with you. Unless you use that kind of power, but..."

As he spoke, a jet-black magic circle formed around his eyes. His eyes swept over Ailong and the Ailong, whose eyes widened suddenly, their bodies stiffened instantly, and then they slowly closed their eyes and collapsed.

"Genjutsu?!" Chiba exclaimed in surprise, then noticed that Mira beside him was also dozing off.

"Chiba..." Mira murmured, then slowly collapsed.

Chiba quickly helped her up, and was about to use his Sharingan to resist the Genjutsu when Feiyin stopped him.

"Wait, let him hypnotize you!" Feiyin said.

"Oh no, if he catches me, I'm doomed!"

"Don't panic. Even if you are captured, their shackles can only suppress magic power, not Chakra."

"... But what if I'm dissected before I wake up?"

"Don't worry, it won't happen. If it really comes to that, I'll wake you up and break the seal."

"Why do you do this?" Chiba asked.

Feiyin replied, "Aren't you curious about everything? The Water King, the special red wine, and... how Alili became a demon?"

Chiba shuddered, then could only say fiercely, "If anything happens to Mira, you're finished."

After saying that, Chiba, who had been resisting the Genjutsu, fainted.

Yaro stepped forward, looked down at the boy, and smiled, "Tsk tsk tsk, to be able to resist my Genjutsu for so long, I'm afraid I really wouldn't be a match for you in a head-on confrontation."

Clearly, he believed that Chiba had used that "special" power to resist his Genjutsu.

"Take them back to base. The Lava Monster awaits the orders of the thrones. Everyone except him, prepare to be injected with Demon Factors. Kill the ordinary people. These mages are good material," Yaro ordered.

"Also, deliver the goods to Lord Water King," he added.

"Yes, Master!" The people killed all the guards that Labi had brought, and blood flowed everywhere in an instant.

Then, they carried Chiba and the others, along with Kamuer, on their shoulders and headed up the mountain.

The Labi did not utter a single word throughout.

Yaro also headed up the mountain.

The Labi followed closely behind.

A desolate mountaintop somewhere.

Seven people dressed in black robes sat on the mountain rocks, and opposite them was a short old man.

"Lord Makarov, it seems there's been a result." A middle-aged man in black robes in the middle smiled slightly.

"So... you've decided to go to war with us head-on?" A glamorous woman beside the middle-aged man in black robes also laughed.

"I've said before, I won't interfere much with the path the kid has chosen," Makarov said in a deep voice. "But that doesn't mean the outcome is already decided."

The middle-aged man in black robes raised an eyebrow and said with a forced smile, "Do you really think that just a few of them can turn the tide in our base? As you can see, none of them can withstand the Genjutsu of my subordinates."

Makarov remained silent.

"President, let's not waste our breath on him. The fact that he hasn't intervened means he doesn't dare to attack us. Let's go back." On the other side, a young man said with a sneer.

Makarov looked at him and said calmly.

"I know you have significant interests throughout the kingdom, and if I were to make a move against your kingdom, the Magic Council might take action against me. Besides, many people are very unhappy with my guild."

"But..."

Suddenly, an extremely terrifying magical pressure emanated from that small body. The seven people present couldn't help but turn pale.

"I'm not touching you now because my two children haven't been harmed yet, and I believe they will pull through. If they are ever in danger, do you think the so-called Magic Council can stop me?"

The seven men were under immense pressure from Makarov. The middle-aged man in the lead gritted his teeth; he seemed to have never truly understood the man before him. This madman... he wasn't bluffing!

He seemed to regret it, regretting that he hadn't immediately sent people to capture Chiba when Rina and his group were wiped out, and instead let the latter join Fairy Tail.

"And I must remind you, Chiba is that old man Hodrian's disciple. You should know the personality and influence of that crazy old man; he has no standing. You can try to withstand his wrath," Makarov said calmly.

The seven people were stunned.

The middle-aged man shivered violently.

In the magical world of Fiore, everyone knows the name Hodrian.

He has many titles Ten Wizard Saints, Archmage, and Professor of Magic.

Legend has it that he has thousands of students who now work in various mage guilds, truly a figure whose influence is widespread.

He taught his students everything, from his magic to his Taijutsu, he generously shared everything he knew.

The key point is that only a very small number of people can gain his approval and become his disciples, rather than his students.

The difference between Hodrian's apprentice and his student is that the former will be protected by him, while the latter will only be taught magic.

He once took on a disciple who emerged out of nowhere and became quite famous throughout the entire Kingdom of Fiore.

Later, during a mage mission, he was killed by members of one of the Balam Alliance.

Enraged, Hodrian summoned all his students and declared war on the dark guild.

With a single call to action, over a thousand people responded.

The dark guild suffered a complete defeat, and was ultimately wiped out by Hodrian. It was at that time that Shadow Skull rose to power and became one of the Balam Alliance.

The brat they're targeting is actually that crazy old man's disciple?!