Arrest

But while the guild members were chattering away, Frog's words shocked them once again.

"Now for the second notice."

"Due to Fairy Tail's severe destruction of Kuruki Train Station and the areas around Croba City during this incident, Fairy Tail wizard Ye Yang is hereby placed under arrest!"

When Ye Yang heard his own name being called, he looked completely bewildered.

"Huh? Me?"

Everyone looked shocked, except Lucy, who seemed puzzled.

"What's wrong with everyone? Isn't Ye Yang just being taken in for a talking-to?"

Mirajane explained, "It's different this time. Ever since that incident a few years ago, Ye Yang has never been summoned again."

Lucy asked in confusion, "That incident? What happened?"

Frog said, "Men, put Magic-sealing handcuffs on this man."

Frog saw that the soldiers he had brought were all standing still, showing no intention of cuffing Ye Yang.

The Squad Leader stepped forward. "Lord Ye Yang, please come with us."

Although Ye Yang was annoyed by this Frog, he did not make things difficult for the soldiers. After all, they were merely following orders.

Frog immediately snapped, "Did you idiots not hear my order?! Put Magic-sealing handcuffs on this guy, now!!"

Ye Yang released the slightest trace of his aura, and the surrounding air instantly dropped several degrees.

Lucy rubbed her arms. "Why did it suddenly get cold?"

Ye Yang said, "You sure talk a lot of nonsense."

Frog was instantly jolted by that aura. His whole body shook uncontrollably, and urine slowly trickled down from beneath his clothes.

Ye Yang ignored him and left with the army. The departing soldiers did not even spare Frog a glance.

Before long, everyone returned to the guild and began discussing the matter.

A: "What do you think will happen when Ye Yang goes this time?"

B: "What else could happen? They'll probably say a few words and let him go right away."

B: "I didn't expect the Council Hall to make Ye Yang take the blame this time. Aren't they afraid of provoking public outrage?!"

A: "Who knows what they're thinking."

As Lucy listened to the discussions around her, she became more and more confused.

"What exactly is going on?"

Mirajane explained, "It all has to do with an incident from back then."

Lucy asked, "An incident? What incident?"

Mirajane then told Lucy about the Village Massacre Incident from years ago.

Lucy felt frightened after hearing it. Then she learned that Ye Yang had wiped out dozens of Dark Guilds by himself and, with his strength alone, defeated the Dark Guild Alliance's campaign to hunt him down.

None of it matched the lazy guy Lucy knew.

"However, when the Magic Council learned that the Dark Guild Alliance intended to assassinate Ye Yang, they originally planned to turn the situation to their advantage and wipe out those Dark Guilds. Several of the top Saint Ten wizards were even dispatched."

"But by the time they arrived, they were already too late. Ye Yang had annihilated those people alone. In order to restore their image before the public, the Magic Council claimed the entire Great Purge Incident as their own."

"They only publicly released the list of people involved."

"After the King learned of this, he also found the Magic Council's actions contemptible. But the Light Magic World still needed them to be managed, so he bestowed upon Ye Yang the title of Great General of the Nation."

"He was even hailed as the number one person in the magic world."

Lucy froze after hearing that.

"What?! The Great General of the Nation is Ye Yang?!!"

"I remember this shocked the entire Kingdom at the time, but no one knew who the Great General of the Nation was. It was even passed around as some kind of mix-up."

"No, Lucy. At the time, even Ye Yang himself didn't know about it."

"Huh? Why?"

"This... we don't know either. We only know that after Ye Yang returned that time, he was immediately taken away by a Mysterious Person."

"Ye Yang only came back a month later. When he heard that he had been granted the title of Great General of the Nation, he refused it outright."

"He said something about how the title of Great General of the Nation seemed like something bestowed on the dead."

"But the King of Fiore still gave Ye Yang the title."

"Some of the people believed it was fake, while others believed it was real."

"People even rebuilt the villages where the incident happened, joining several hundred small villages in the surrounding area together and naming the place Xihe Town. The King also granted that land to Ye Yang."

Lucy asked again, "Then what about the number one person in the magic world?"

Mirajane shook her head. "We don't know about that either. The King announced it personally. As for what happened that day, I think only the Guild Master and Gildarts know."

"But Ye Yang's strength in the guild really is terrifyingly powerful."

Inside the Magic Council.

"Yo, everyone. Haven't seen you in years, and you're all still alive. Og, why do you look so worn out?"

"Hmph. If you caused us less trouble, I wouldn't have to work so hard. Maybe then I'd even live to a hundred."

Crawford said, "All right, all right. This isn't the place for you two to chat. Ye Yang, do you plead guilty to the destruction caused to places such as Kuruki Train Station and Croba City?"

"I do. I do. I did all of it."

"That settles it, right? Then I'll be staying here for two days. Sorry to trouble you all."

Ye Yang then left directly for his Private Cell.

After Ye Yang left, Council Member Reggie immediately said angrily, "Chairman, did you see that brat's arrogant attitude?!"

Crawford rolled his eyes at Reggie. "Since you saw it already, why repeat it?"

"Meeting adjourned!"

After everyone dispersed, Ultear and Zikrein walked together down the corridor.

"Well, Jellal? Now that you've seen him in person, what do you think of him?"

Jellal said slowly, "I can't quite see through this guy. I couldn't sense any fluctuations of Magic Power from within him."

"He even seems like an ordinary person."

"I'm becoming more and more curious about him."

"You seem very interested in him."

Ultear smiled faintly. "Of course I'm interested. It's like there's a layer of mist surrounding him. The upheaval in the Dark World a few years ago had plenty to do with him."

"If everyone hadn't died back then, leaving no way to verify it, and if even the Magic Council's records didn't lack a detailed account of the process..."

"His existence is simply too dangerous."

"Isn't that right?"

Jellal naturally understood what Ultear meant.

"I'll say it again: anyone who stands in my way must die!"

Ultear watched Jellal walk away, the corners of her lips rising slightly.