Shattered Faith and the Black Dragon's Arrival

"Lie...?"

Hades froze in disbelief, his aged face showing, for the first time, a look of bewilderment and despair.

The other members of "Grimoire Heart" on the airship deck were completely stunned after hearing Zeref say those words himself.

The ultimate goal for which they fought, sacrificed, and were willing to stand against the world, ultimately turned out to be... just a lie?

Ultear, standing in the crowd, appeared much calmer than the others.

During her battle with Gray, she resolved her inner conflict about her mother, Ur, and most of her obsession dissipated.

Otherwise, upon hearing this truth—a truth powerful enough to shatter all faith—she would likely have collapsed on the spot.

"How could this be?! How could it be a lie?" Hades couldn't accept this fact; he screamed hysterically.

"That Great Magic World..."

"The Great Magic World?" Zeref interrupted him, his tone tinged with a naive curiosity.

"If such a thing really exists, I'd like to see it too."

One sentence left Hades completely dumbfounded.

He couldn't believe it; he couldn't believe that the dream he had pursued all his life was just a mirage.

"No! Impossible!" he shouted frantically, as if grasping at the last straw.

"It must be because you're still asleep! You haven't fully woken up yet! Otherwise... otherwise how could you possibly be no match for that kid named Jiang Bai?!"

Upon hearing the name "Jiang Bai," Zeref's eyes dimmed slightly, and the image of that man's absolute and insurmountable power when facing him flashed through his mind.

"Jiang Bai?" he repeated softly, then looked at the group of defeated soldiers before him and said in a calm tone,

"You've all fought him, right? That feeling... those of you who have experienced it firsthand should understand."

Zeref didn't think that these people in front of him could pose any threat to Jiang Bai.

Just look at their pathetic state now.

Even I was rejected by that man and thrown here like trash, wasn't I?

Hades and the others felt their hearts sink to the bottom.

My dream... is shattered.

Their last hope was that even Zeref, the strongest dark mage in four hundred years, himself admitted that he couldn't defeat the man named Jiang Bai.

How could a monster like Jiang Bai exist in this world?

Just as everyone was plunged into a deathly silence of despair, Zeref's expression suddenly changed drastically!

As if sensing something terrifying, he suddenly raised his head and looked towards the distant horizon.

"He... he actually came too!"

For the first time, Zeref's voice carried a hint of uncontrollable fear and anger.

"How many people did you kill to collect those so-called 'keys'?! You even... you even attracted 'him' here!"

Everyone on the airship was stunned by Zeref's words, completely bewildered.

"He's here!" Zeref slowly turned his head, his once sorrowful and empty black eyes now filled with icy killing intent and boundless rage!

"Because of your ignorance, stupidity, and cruelty! Because of you, countless innocent lives will be lost in this world! Therefore, you must be punished!"

"Wait... wait a minute! I have another question to ask..." Hades wanted to say something more.

But Zeref was too tired to listen to his nonsense anymore.

The destructive magic had been fully amassed in his hands.

"Not good!"

Ultear, who had been secretly on guard, acted the moment Zeref's eyes changed!

Without the slightest hesitation, she unleashed a "Arc of Time" spell, tearing a large hole in the airship's hull. Then, she grabbed Meredy beside her and leaped into the vast ocean!

The others who remained on the airship would have to face the wrath of the dark mage.

Zeref raised his hands and, in a judgmental tone, proclaimed their crimes.

"First charge! You brought Acnologia upon yourself!"

"Second charge! You... made me forget the value of life!"

Go to hell and repent!

As soon as he finished speaking, a pitch-black death magic, seemingly capable of devouring all light, erupted instantly from his center, completely enveloping and swallowing the entire massive airship, along with all the desperate souls on board!

Zeref glanced down at the two figures struggling to move away on the sea.

"Oh? 'The Arc of Time'... A wise choice."

"It seems your lives weren't meant to end there."

The words had barely left his mouth.

From the horizon came a terrifying Roar, filled with savagery and destructive intent, as if it could shatter the entire world.

"Hold head high--!"

"They've arrived... Acnologia!"

Zeref looked in the direction from which the sound came, his face full of solemnity.

On the other side of Tenrou Island, at Fairy Tail's temporary camp, the atmosphere was completely different from this apocalyptic scene.

Although everyone was wounded after a fierce battle, they were filled with the joy of victory.

"Why? Grandpa!" Natsu the first to jump up, demanding angrily.

Why was the S-Class Exam terminated?

Makarov sighed helplessly, "It's because of an unexpected situation."

"But didn't we already take care of those 'Grimoire Heart' guys?" Gray chimed in, clearly not wanting the matter to end there.

"No! The assessment cannot end!"

A strong, resonant voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Gajeel, who had been unconscious just moments before, had somehow woken up and was stubbornly sitting up from the stretcher.

"Gajeel!" Levy was initially happy to see him awake, but when she heard his first words were still about fighting, she couldn't help but complain, a little jealous.

"Seriously, Gajeel, you're not even an S-Class candidate, why are you more excited than me?"

Makarov scratched his beard, looking troubled. "I don't want to stop either."

"The president is also thinking about everyone's safety," Mirajane explained with a smile on the president's behalf.

"After all, first there was a member of the Magic Council infiltrating, and then they went to war with such a powerful dark guild. Continuing like this is too risky."

"Damn it! I had such a good chance this time!" Gray slammed his fist on the ground in frustration.

"It's alright, Lord Gray," Juvia immediately leaned in, her eyes shining as she reassured him.

"Juvia believes in you, you'll definitely succeed next time!"

"Well, if you're a real man, sometimes you have to learn to give up." Elfman struck a bodybuilding pose, saying this, but his expression was full of resentment.

He didn't really want to give up, but since his sister had already explained, he couldn't object anymore.

Otherwise, when I get home, I might face a double whammy from my older sister, brother-in-law, and younger sister. Just thinking about it is terrifying.

Just when everyone else was about to accept the outcome, only Natsu remained defiant.

"No! I don't want to!" He rolled around on the ground like a spoiled child.

"Grandpa! I'm going to become S-Class! Look at Gray, they've all given up, so just let me advance directly!"

"Hey! Natsu, calm down a bit," Happy said helplessly from the side.

"I just can't do anything with you!"

Makarov looked at Natsu, who was jumping around, and a headache appeared on his face.

He cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Alright! I'll make an exception and give you one last chance! Now, let's begin the final assessment!"

"If you can defeat me, I will acknowledge your advancement to S-Class!"

Natsu's eyes instantly blazed with a light brighter than the sun!

"Really?!"

"Yosh!! I'm fired up!!"

He let out a strange cry, his body wreathed in flames, and charged towards Makarov!

However, Makarov simply stood calmly in place and slowly raised his right arm.

The arm instantly grew to enormous size!

"Bang!"

A dull, loud thud.

Before Natsu could even see what was happening, he was struck solidly by a fist as large as a mountain. He turned into a shooting star and disappeared at the other end of the camp, crashing into the ground and creating a large crater. He didn't get up for a long time.

Makarov retracted his fist and blew away non-existent dust.

From the distant crater came Natsu's intermittent, barely audible voice.

"I... I give up..."

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone looked at the large crater belching black smoke with pity.

Just then...

"Hold head high--!"

A terrifying Roar, seemingly from the ancient wilderness and filled with savagery and destructive intent, came from the ends of the sky without warning!

The entire Tenrou Island trembled violently at this Roar!