Laxus Falls!

Before anyone could move, a mocking hiss suddenly echoed from the void above the pit.

It was the Demon Tempest that had just destroyed its own body!

The sound reverberated through the air, carrying an extremely arrogant mockery.

"Humans cannot defeat demons!"

"The Book of Zerefs grants us the power of Infinity resurrection; as long as the Core of the Underworld remains, any destruction is merely a rebirth!"

The sounds in the air grew increasingly piercing.

"As for the black mist that I released upon my self-destruction, that was a specially made gift targeting you human mages— Magic Barrier Particles!"

"The Magic Barrier Particles will devour the magical energy in the air at an extremely high speed, polluting the surrounding air in the process!"

Freed inhaled a small amount of air, and the flow of magic within his body immediately became blocked, causing a dry, itchy sensation in his throat.

Evergreen Green swayed slightly, nearly dropping her folding fan.

The Tempester in mid-air laughed wildly.

"Can you feel it? Magic Barrier Particles invading flesh and blood will cause Magic Depletion Syndrome!"

"For human mages who rely on magic for survival, this stuff is a deadly poison that can kill you instantly! Hahaha!"

"The only trouble is that after self-destructing, I'll have to return to headquarters 'Core of the Underworld to rebuild a body. Goodbye, you stupid, waiting-to-die humans!"

The arrogant voices gradually faded in the wind, leaving only a raging black tide spreading wildly through the streets and alleys.

Freed swung his sword, drawing several defensive spells in an attempt to create a barrier to block the attack.

The black Magic Barrier Particles ignored the magic formula, seeping directly through the gaps in the barrier and corroding the magic power of the formula itself, causing it to sizzle.

Freed gritted his teeth, his expression full of anxiety.

"Damn it! We can't stop it at all! If these Magic Barrier Particles are allowed to spread throughout the city, all the residents and mages will be doomed!"

Yajima, leaning on his wooden cane, stepped forward and reached back to tug at Freed's sleeve.

"Don't try to tough it out, let's retreat to a safe place first and then make further plans..."

Before he could finish speaking...

Yajima stumbled, his body giving way, and he fell forward, crashing heavily onto the bluestone slab.

Immediately afterwards, Evergreen's legs went weak, her folding fan fell to the ground with a thud, and she collapsed beside the ruins.

The five puppets beside Bickslow fell to the ground simultaneously, and Piccolo himself swayed and collapsed, panting heavily.

Freed was horrified. He grabbed Yajima and turned to shout at his companion.

"Evergreen! Bickslow! Cheer up!"

The entire street was completely swallowed up by a thick black fog.

Laxus, standing at the very front, pulled his hands out of his coat pockets, his blond hair flying in the black wind.

Taking a large stride over a broken piece of wood at his feet, Laxus glanced at his fallen companion, his voice deep and resonant.

"Fairy Tail has no rule against abandoning your comrades to die."

Freed looked up abruptly and saw Laxus striding towards the center of the deepest pit where the black mist was densest.

"Laxus! What do you want?!"

Laxus planted his feet firmly in the center of the crater, his arms suddenly spread outwards, and his chest bulged high!

"The lungs of Dragon Slayer are much stronger than those of you ordinary mages!"

Golden sparks danced and flickered at the corners of his mouth as Laxus opened his jaws, unleashing an astonishing suction force!

"I'll just swallow all this disgusting stuff!!"

Call--!

Like a giant whale swallowing the sea!

The black Magic Barrier Particles that filled the long street instantly transformed into dozens of thick black energy dragons, swirling and roaring as they poured into Laxus's throat!

A billowing black mist, visible to the naked eye, rapidly poured back!

Freed was furious and scrambled forward to stop him.

"Stop! Laxus! Shut up!!"

"Those are Magic Barrier Particles! Even if Dragon Slayer has the strongest physique, there's no way they could digest such a deadly poison that destroys magic power!!"

Laxus ignored him, his feet firmly planted on the ground as if cast in iron, continuing to desperately exploit the suction power.

The thick, inky black mist around them thinned, contracted, and dissipated at an alarming rate!

The original bricks and rubble were once again visible on both sides of the street.

As the last wisp of black energy was forcibly swallowed into his abdomen, Laxus's body trembled violently twice, the golden magical aura extinguished and disintegrated, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Turning around, Laxus looked down at Freed had crawled to his feet.

Raising his heavy, mountain-like arm, Laxus patted Freed's shoulder and uttered his final command haltingly.

"Freed... must bring everyone... safely back to the guild..."

"This is... the task assigned to you..."

Thump!

His tall body could no longer support him, and he fell heavily forward, his cheek pressed against the cold pile of rubble, and he fell into a coma.

Freed clung tightly to Laxus's broad back, tilting his head back and letting out a mournful Roar.

"Laxus--!"

At the same time.

Magnolia, Fairy Tail Guild Hall.

Makarov, who was sitting at the highest point of the bar swinging his short legs, suddenly swayed for no apparent reason and raised his hand to cover his chest.

Just now, it felt as if an invisible hand had grabbed my chest and squeezed it hard, leaving my mind in complete chaos.

Jiang Bai, standing to the side of the bar with his hands in his pockets, turned his head, raised his eyebrows, and held a glass of juice.

"Old man, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

Makarov rubbed his chest, lowered his arms, and let out a sigh of relief.

"No... it's nothing, I just suddenly have a bad feeling."

On the wooden table next to the bar, after Wendy's half-hour healing magic infusion, Mest's scabbed wounds had scabbed over. She was now holding a cup of hot milk, looking at Makarov with a completely bewildered expression.

Mest scratched the white bandage wrapped around her forehead, her lips moved, and her tone was filled with utter bewilderment and absurdity.

"President Makarov... were the things you just said true or false?"

"Am I really a full member of the Fairy Tail guild? Aren't I an elite captain of the Special Security Force of the Magic Council?!"

Upon hearing this, several veteran team members holding beer around them cast disdainful glances at him.

Makarov rolled his eyes in annoyance and slammed his empty wine glass onto the table.

"What good would it do me, an old man, to lie to a junior like you? Could I get two barrels of ale in return?!"

Makarov sighed, his tone full of helplessness.

"Back then, those old fogies in Magic Council were always finding ways to cause trouble for our guild. Fines were being shoved into the guild mailbox every day like snowflakes."

"Back then, you were young and impetuous. You volunteered to come up to me, patted your chest, and swore that you would infiltrate the Magic Council as an undercover agent to gather confidential information about Fairy Tail from the higher-ups."

"I was absolutely against it back then, but you, lest you give yourself away, used Memory Manipulation Magic to wipe the memories of most of the guild members on the spot, and even double-sealed your own true identity!"

At this point, Makarov's forehead veins bulged.

"I never dreamed that after infiltrating the Magic Council get so caught up in the role that you actually believed yourself to be a champion of justice, and then you even took Lahar to Tenrou Island to dig up dirt on Fairy Tail! It's utterly ridiculous!"