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At that moment, the entire Fairy Tail seemed to have fallen into a deathly silence. A few people even broke out in cold sweat.
Especially Erza, Mira, Lisanna, Natsu, Gray, and the others close to Gildarts. Their pupils shrank to pinpoints, while even Lucy and Wendy nearly cried out.
Nor did anyone notice that Kana, who had been silently hiding in a corner and drinking ever since Gildarts returned, without saying a single word and making herself as inconspicuous as possible, violently trembled when she saw the state beneath Gildarts's cloak. Even the bottle in her hand shook, along with her entire body.
Even Noah, who had already sensed the unusual scent of blood around Gildarts and realized something was wrong, narrowed his eyes sharply when he saw the condition beneath Gildarts's cloak.
Hidden beneath Gildarts's cloak was a sturdy body that had clearly undergone extensive training and hardship.
His muscles bulged in defined blocks, his abs looked as hard as iron plates, and his skin had a healthy complexion. One look was enough to tell that Gildarts had not only attained profound mastery in magic, but had also never neglected physical training.
Yet that exceptionally strong body was now covered in bandages over more than half its surface, and faint crimson stains even seeped through them.
That was the color of blood.
Naturally, it was Gildarts's blood.
Gildarts, hailed as the strongest wizard in all of Fairy Tail, whose strength rivaled that of the higher-ranked Ten Wizard Saints and whose combat ability might even surpass Makarov's, had been injured.
And it was