The Experiment Begins

Western Continent, Mildian Magic Academy

Looking at the research records before him, Zeref felt completely lost. The R System had failed completely, and now even the Eclipse Plan had gone bankrupt. He really didn't know what method he could use to revive his brother Natsu.

"Are we just going to give up like this?"

"No, no!"

The word "give up" flashed through his mind for only a moment before he dismissed it. At that moment, he began to feel fortunate—fortunate that he was Ankhseram's Curse, because it gave him enough time to find a way to resurrect his brother. Of course, it would be even better if he could maintain the curse without killing other creatures.

Just as he was pondering this, a slightly yellowed parchment scroll slid off the desk and landed right at his feet.

"The Arc of Time?"

Picking up the scroll at his feet, Zeref looked at the large characters on the title page and subconsciously read them aloud. Time seemed to rewind to a few years ago, and he seemed to see that familiar figure again. After a long while, Zeref murmured, "Perhaps it's time to go find that Bandit. Maybe I can get some unexpected surprises from him!"

Kingdom of Donagunov, Royal Palace Training Ground

Achoo!

While listening to Teacher Irene's magic lesson, Oddek suddenly sneezed three or four times in a row. After the sneezes subsided, his head drooped straight down, looking like a giant bean sprout. At that moment, he was somewhat glad that it was his Thought Body that remained here instead of his real self; otherwise, he would have been crying his eyes out in front of Irene.

"Oddek, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Irene!"

"That's good! I saw you sneezing a lot, and I thought you had caught a cold!"

"A cold? How could I have a cold? Actually, I was just trying to draw you into my heart, but my body is too weak and I don't have that much lung capacity. So, I had no choice but to release you back through a sneeze. You won't blame me, will you?"

After a month of Sordil's sweet talk, Irene had developed a high level of immunity to cheesy pickup lines, but hearing him say it still made Irene feel sweet inside. However, Irene didn't hold back at all with this cheesy jerk, and instead said righteously, "Didn't work? So you're saying I'm fat? Releasing me back with a sneeze, then I'd just become your saliva, wouldn't I? General Oddek, do you want to loosen up your muscles?"

Seeing that the situation was not good, Sordil took off running, shouting as he went, "Miss Irene, that's not what I meant. I meant that my heart is already full of you, so full that it's starting to overflow!"

Irene blushed as she looked at Sordil, who had already run far away, and then hurriedly chased after him.

Polson Grand Canyon

After a month of silence, Sordil finally received Grandiere's forgiveness, but their relationship could never be the same as it had been a month earlier. However, Sordil perfectly exemplified the China proverb, "What is lost on one side is gained on the other."

During the month he put his relationship with Grandiere on hold, his relationship with the lewd dragon Yelibell was progressing rapidly. They were now on the verge of becoming intimate friends, just one step away from a passionate and lasting commitment. However, whenever he tried to cross that threshold, the images of Irene, Diphiya, and Grandiere would appear before his eyes, Crush his courage to do so.

Thus, the three of them maintained this strange relationship and endured the most difficult month.

On the very day that Zeref decided to come looking for Sordil after the failure of the R System and the Eclipse Plan, the ' Bandit ' Sordil began the most important magical experiment of his dragon life.

Sordil looked at Yelibell standing in front of him and asked solemnly, "Sister Yelibell, have you thought it through?"

Yelibell smiled at Sordil, then whispered in his ear, "I know exactly what you're going to do, but I won't stop you! Even if your experiment today leads to the destruction of the dragon race, I will still firmly support you and face that day with you."

Hearing Yelibell's heartfelt confession, Sordil felt a lump in his throat, and his eyes welled up with tears. Forcing back his emotions, Sordil hugged Yelibell tightly and replied in the same way, "Yelibell, don't worry, I will never let that day come!"

After saying that, Sordil released Yelibell and began to use his magic to create Dragon Slayer Magic, based on the knowledge of Augmented Magic he had learned from Irene.

"Buzz"

A large amount of bright red magic power was released from Sordil's hands. After flying out of Sordil's palms, the magic power slowly merged into Yelibell's body. As the magic power continued to be consumed, fine beads of sweat began to appear on Sordil's face, but Yelibell's complexion was not much better than his.

When Sordil's magic entered her body, Yelibell felt as if a part of her soul had been torn apart and taken away. Her face instantly turned pale, and large beads of sweat slid down her face.

"Sister Yelibell, hang in there a little longer, it'll be over soon!"

"Don't worry about me, just focus on completing the experiment!"

Grandiere, standing to one side, watched the two conducting the experiment with nervous anticipation. Although she wanted to help, she was afraid of disturbing them, so she could only stand there and wait anxiously. Just then, Grandiere suddenly noticed a purplish-red, teardrop-shaped seed fly out of Yelibell's body and then drift into Sordil's body.

"Buzz"

After the crimson seed entered Sordil's body, the seven-colored scales on Sordil's body suddenly released a crimson light. Immediately afterward, Sordil's body began to change. A quarter of an hour later, the crimson light dissipated, and Sordil reappeared before the two.

"You... you are... So... Sordil's brother?"

Hearing Yelibell's exclamation, Sordil said in confusion, "Of course it's me! Who else could it be!"

"Gulp"

Yelibell swallowed hard, then silently pulled out a huge mirror and handed it to Sordil. Sordil curiously took the mirror and looked at his reflection.

"Ah!"

"How... how did I become like this?"

Upon seeing the Yelibell appear in the mirror, Sordil screamed. Just as he thought the experiment had failed, two voices entered his ears.

"Brother Sordil is like this, could it be that the experiment failed? If so, how am I supposed to comfort him later?"

"Waaah... Sordil has become another version of me. Am I going to have to marry myself?"

"Um?"

Sordil hurriedly looked up at Yelibell and Grandilo, only to find that Yelibell was suffering from dementia, while Grandiere was busy picking up his chin from the ground; neither of them showed any sign of speaking. To confirm his guess, Sordil silently asked in his mind, "Sister Yelibell, do you want to marry me?"

"Of course I want to marry you! Hmm? Brother Sordil, how did you hear what I was thinking?"

"Haha! That really reflects your thoughts, sister! So my experiment was a success!"

Through his internal dialogue with Yelibell, Sordil was certain that he had successfully completed the Dragon Slayer Magic, and he was overjoyed. However, thinking about the price he had paid for his success, Sordil also felt a little disappointed.