Natsu, Will It Be You?
Zeref clearly wanted to say something more, to find out more about the origins of this mysterious man.
However, before the two could exchange more than a few words, Zeref's expression suddenly changed drastically.
An indescribable pain welled up from the depths of his soul, and his gaze instantly shifted from inquiry to terror and struggle.
"Quickly... get out of here!"
He let out a hoarse roar at Jiang Bai, his voice filled with urgency and warning.
I don't want to... hurt you!
Before he finished speaking, a visible, dense, and inky wave of death energy suddenly spread outwards from Zeref's center!
This is Ankhseram's Curse.
The more the cursed person values life and the less they want to harm others, the more this contradictory force, known as "Death Miasma," will go against their will and unconsciously emanate outwards, frantically plundering the lives of all living things around them.
This plunder is absolute, regardless of the level of magic power.
Magic is irresistible, and spells are undefendable.
Anyone who comes into contact with this miasma, even an S-Class Mage, will have their life force drained instantly and turn to dust.
"Boom--"
A ripple of death swept through.
The lush grasslands and vibrant trees surrounding Jiang Bai withered, decayed, and turned to ashes at a visible speed the moment they came into contact with the miasma.
The breath of life was completely wiped out at that moment.
Standing at the epicenter of the disaster, completely enveloped by the dense miasma, Jiang Bai also seemed destined to perish.
After the curse was unleashed, Zeref collapsed to his knees in agony, covering his face with his hands, his body trembling violently with self-reproach.
"Again... again..."
"Once again, I have taken an innocent life..."
He believed he had committed another unforgivable sin.
However, the next second, he heard a sound that he could hardly believe.
The voice of that young man, who should have already turned to dust, remained calm and composed.
"Is this the legendary Ankhseram's Curse? It's certainly quite powerful."
Zeref suddenly looked up.
The Death Miasma slowly dissipated, revealing the scene within.
Jiang Bai stood unharmed in the same spot.
He not only survived, but not even a single piece of his clothing was damaged.
The grass beneath his feet was still lush and green, a stark contrast to the surrounding desolate, scorched earth.
"How... is this possible?"
Zeref's pupils shrank to pinpoints in an instant, his face filled with utter shock and bewilderment.
"You... how are you alright?!"
No one understood the power of the Ankhseram Curse better than him.
For four hundred years, countless lives and countless powerful mages have perished without any resistance in the face of this power.
But now, someone is actually able to stand unharmed in this realm of death!
This completely overturned his four-hundred-year-old understanding!
For Jiang Bai, Zeref's seemingly invincible curse was precisely what he had managed to completely counter.
Jiang Bai's ability called "Infinity" is essentially a space that can never be touched, separating him from other things.
Therefore, the Death Miasma, which was enough to plunder all life, seemed to have completely enveloped Jiang Bai, but in reality, it couldn't even touch his body.
They were already permanently separated from him at an infinitesimal distance from his body.
When Zeref saw Jiang Bai completely unharmed, he was first shocked, and then, for the first time, a flame called "hope" ignited in his eyes, which had been dead for four hundred years!
He saw it!
He saw a possibility of escaping this cursed fate!
"You... you blocked it!"
At this moment, Zeref's emotions completely spiraled out of control.
Like a drowning man grasping at a last straw, he staggered toward Jiang Bai, nearly falling over in his excitement.
He grabbed Jiang Bai's shoulder with such force that he almost crushed his bones.
"You actually managed to block my curse! You're unharmed!"
At this moment, Zeref was so happy that he lost his composure, rambling incoherently and acting like a madman.
"Can... can you help me?!"
He stared intently into Jiang Bai's eyes, and roared in an almost pleading tone:
"Since you can withstand my curse, then you must... surely you must also have a way to kill me!"
"Please! Kill me! End this cursed life of mine!"
Zeref's roar echoed through the empty forest, filled with four hundred years of pain and despair.
He gripped Jiang Bai's shoulders tightly, his eyes, once as deep as the night sky, now filled with a frantic plea.
Jiang Bai looked at the man in front of him who was on the verge of collapse, his expression unchanged.
Kill Zeref?
He certainly has that ability.
Jiang Bai's strength has long since reached the level of the rules of this world.
What is known as Ankhseram's Curse may be an unsolvable divine punishment for others.
However, for Jiang Bai, who has the ability to interfere with concepts and rules, it is not something that cannot be dealt with.
He could easily use his immense and unbelievable mental power to forcibly invade Zeref's soul essence, and then, like performing a precise "surgical operation," cut that incurable curse from his soul.
Once the curse is broken, Zeref's body, which was kept immortal only by the power of the curse, will have long since come to an end.
Therefore, the moment the curse was removed was the moment he died.
This method wasn't difficult for Jiang Bai.
But he couldn't do that.
There are many reasons.
For example, in addition to being the most evil dark mage in legend, Zeref is also the lover of Mavis, the first guild master of Fairy Tail.
It seems rather inappropriate to interfere in the cause and effect between them.
Of course, these were all irrelevant reasons to Jiang Bai.
The most important and crucial point is --
Zeref is Natsu Dragneel's older brother.
He is the creator of "The Book of E.N.D.," and all the demons within the book are bound to his life.
Once the creator dies, all the demons within the book, including the strongest fire demon— Etherious Natsu Dragneel (END), will perish along with it.
In other words, if Zeref is killed now, Natsu will die along with him.
This is something Jiang Bai absolutely cannot accept.
The only way to break this deadlock is to first find the Book of E.N.D., and then have Lucy, as a Celestial Spirit Mage, use her abilities to rewrite the rules in the book, completely severing Natsu's life link with the book and Zeref.
But now, the Book of E.N.D. is not in his hands.
Therefore, Zeref cannot die yet.
Having figured all this out, Jiang Bai looked at Zeref, who was still agitated, and slowly shook his head.
He reached out and, gently but forcefully, pried open Zeref's hands, one by one, that were gripping his shoulders.
"I'm sorry, I can't kill you."
Jiang Bai's voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable resolve.
"Why?!"
Just as a glimmer of hope had been ignited, Zeref was struck dumb upon hearing this answer, his expression instantly plummeting from ecstasy to despair.
"You clearly have a very high chance! Why?! Why aren't you willing to try?!"
He couldn't understand.
For him, death was the ultimate release he had longed for for four hundred years.
But the only person who could offer him relief rejected him.
Your end is preordained.
Jiang Bai looked at him and slowly said, "This liberation should not be given by me."
"It's all... fate?"
Zeref repeated the sentence to himself, his face filled with confusion.
The one who will end you will come looking for you.
Jiang Bai patted the clothes that he had crumpled, and gave him one last look.
"Then you'll get the answer you want."
After saying that, Jiang Bai ignored the pitiful man who was lost in confusion and despair, and moved with Zeref to a remote area of the island. Then Jiang Bai's figure disappeared again.
Only Zeref was left, kneeling there dejectedly.
Hope comes quickly and goes quickly.
"The one who ended my life..."
Involuntarily, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure with cherry-blossom hair and a plaid scarf appeared in Zeref's mind.
The younger brother whom she herself resurrected and then sent four hundred years into the future.
Natsu...
Could it be you?