Rebirth

In the real world, high above the coast.

Feeling the intense soul tremors emanating from the Rift in Time, the Riyao, hovering above the clouds, also completed its energy gathering.

The Azure Dragon Force within him was fully mobilized, and the ten-thousand-foot-tall Azure Dragon phantom behind him roared to the sky. The Azure Dragon Spear in his hand emitted a heart-palpitating emerald light, its tip pointing straight to the heavens.

[Dragon Slayer Secret Art - True - Yin Wood Divine Lightning]

Riyao stomped his left foot into the air, exerted force from his waist and back, and taut the muscles in his right arm like iron. He hurled the Azure Dragon Spear in his hand into the sky like a javelin!

Buzz--

The moment the spear pierced the sky, it exploded into a massive, emerald-green magic array spanning hundreds of feet. The intricate and ancient array patterns rapidly extended through the sea of clouds, precisely outlining the constellation map of the Azure Dragon of the East!

The next second, the entire sky turned into a sea of emerald green lightning.

Snap! Rumble!

Thousands upon thousands of thick, azure lightning bolts poured down from the star array, crashing down like a torrential downpour, completely submerging the deep crater on the coast below without leaving any blind spots!

This is no ordinary lightning; it is the Yin Wood Divine Lightning, carrying with it the ultimate vitality and the destructive essence of the Azure Dragon!

The Black Dragon below had no room to dodge. Its massive body was bombarded by countless blue lightning bolts, and its originally impenetrable black dragon scales were shattered into pieces with each explosion.

Its entire body was charred black, and its flesh was torn apart, even giving off a strange, smoky aroma like roasted meat.

As the lightning gradually dissipated, the Black Dragon, covered in blue smoke, stumbled and stood up from the bottom of the pit, stepping on the scorched mud.

It raised its head and let out a hoarse, mournful cry towards the sky. Its once brutal and majestic golden vertical pupils had long since dimmed, and its swaying appearance no longer carried any of its former oppressive, world-destroying power.

Riyao flashed and slowly floated down from the sky to the front of the Black Dragon's huge head.

Looking at the pitiful behemoth before him, tormented for four hundred years and long since enslaved by power, Riyao patted his sleeves, his tone as calm as if he were applying medicine to Natsu's scraped skin in the guild's infirmary.

"The last Dragon King of the Dragon Clan, the Dragon of the End, Acnologia, you did nothing wrong, but you are ill, and as such, you are my responsibility!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Riyao raised his right hand and grabbed at the air. The azure light that filled the sky condensed again in his palm into Azure Dragon spear.

[The Mystery of Life: Rebirth]

After that barrage of attacks, Riyao had used the Yin Wood Divine Lightning to disperse most of the berserk Dragon Force within the Black Dragon's body.

The spiritual entity within the Rift in Time was also severely injured and pierced by Natsu's sword, almost completely annihilated, without the protective cloak of magic that devours all laws.

Now his Life Magic can finally be used smoothly on it.

Pfft!

Riyao gripped the Azure Dragon Spear with both hands and swiftly plunged it into the Black Dragon's heart!

There was no gushing blood. The moment the spear shaft, which had penetrated deep into the flesh, touched the dragon's heart, the emerald green dragon scales on its surface peeled off and began to sprout and grow rapidly, instantly transforming into the shape of a golden Parasol Tree.

Splash--

The roots and branches of the Parasol Tree grew rapidly along the blood vessels and meridians of the Black Dragon, and in the blink of an eye, it grew into a giant tree that could support the sky, with its dense branches and leaves intertwined to form a giant green cocoon.

It completely swallowed the massive remains of the Black Dragon, releasing all its misplaced destructive magic and resentment, allowing it to return to the cycle of heaven and earth.

As the Parasol Tree took root in the earth, the strange phenomena surrounding Riyao began to fade away.

The emerald dragon horns on its forehead gradually retracted into its body, and its upright sun and moon dragon eyes returned to their gentle turquoise color. The wooden armor on its body turned into specks of light and dissipated, revealing the familiar casual floral shirt underneath.

In order to activate and maintain this life-reversing 'Rebirth', the immense magical power and overloaded vitality gathered in his body rapidly leaked out along the gun barrel, along with the immortal divinity brought by the curse of the god Ankhseram, and were completely drained.

His aura plummeted to rock bottom, turning him into an ordinary person without any special fluctuations.

The cycle of life and death continues endlessly, and the price of reversing life and death is too great, even the gods would not allow it, but none of these guys have truly died.

Riyao looked down at his somewhat pale hands, and instead of feeling disappointed, he let out a long sigh of relief, a relaxed smile curving his lips.

"That's good. There's no risk of immortality now. This isn't some cultivation world; immortality for one person is the most torturous thing."

Zeref endured the curse of immortality for four hundred years and then went insane, turning into that monstrous state.

He had no interest in being a lonely old monster; growing old together with Mira and the noisy bunch in the guild would be the best life.

As soon as the tension from the entire battle eased, an overwhelming sense of weariness washed over me.

He felt every bone in his body aching, his eyelids were as heavy as if they were weighed down by two lead balls, and he was so exhausted that even if the sky were to fall, all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep.

Riyao's legs buckled, and his body fell backward uncontrollably.

Before his back could even touch the cold rocks, a gentle breeze carrying the faint fragrance of a hundred flowers brushed past his ears.

Mirajane appeared behind him without him noticing, gently extending her arms to pull him into a tight embrace, letting his head rest on her soft shoulders.

"Go home, Riyao."