Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 409: Who Do You Think You Are, Serena? What Did You Just Call Yourself?

”Strong, truly too strong. He and I are not on the same level at all.”

As Serena activated his magic, Jura, who had taken Serenaʼs attack head-on, staggered backward. His eyes were filled with shock as he looked at Serena.

”I lost...”

After struggling for a while, Jura finally failed to overcome the burden on his body through sheer willpower and collapsed onto the ground, falling unconscious.

”One of the Ten Wizard Saints, Jura, the last-ranked Saint! Successfully hunted...”

Serena did not even glance at the fallen Jura. He pulled a small notebook from the back pocket of his pants and opened its first page. Several names were recorded inside.

Without any hurry, Serena took out a pencil and drew a small cross over one of the names. This marked the successful completion of his hunt against Jura of the Ten Wizard Saints.

The names recorded in Serenaʼs notebook were none other than the ten strongest Mages on the continent of Ishgar as announced by the Magic Council ERA—the Ten Wizard Saints.

Among them were the names Evan, Ur, Makarov, Warrod, and Precht...

”Farewell, everyone~”

”Iʼll leave this guy to you.”

”Donʼt worry! I held back. Heʼs only unconscious, not dead.”

After recording everything, Serena smiled at the surrounding Mages of Lamia Scale.

The smile was extremely malicious. Just looking at it was enough to make the Mages of Lamia Scale feel fear and horror.

After speaking, Serena left without looking back, leaving behind the stunned Mages of Lamia Scale staring blankly at the unconscious Jura.

”He lost! Mr. Jura lost?!”

Looking at the man lying unconscious in the crater, the Mages of Lamia Scale muttered to themselves, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Jura, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, had lost!

And he had been defeated in a single move...

No one would believe it if they merely heard about it, yet the truth was right before their eyes.

”...”

Silence.

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Juraʼs defeat was like a huge slap across Lamia Scaleʼs face, leaving every Mage in the guild completely stunned.

At the same time, the image countless Mages within Lamia Scale had of Jura shattered as he was defeated in a single strike.

A question naturally arose in everyoneʼs hearts.

Was Jura really that powerful?

Could it be that Jura was not actually that strong, and his reputation was simply exaggerated?

After all, ever since Jura shifted his focus to the entirety of Ishgar, he had rarely displayed his strength within Lamia Scale or even within the Kingdom of Fiore.

”You idiots! What are you standing around for?!”

”Hurry up and bring Jura back to the guild for treatment!”

Just as the Lamia Scale Mages were drowning in all kinds of thoughts, Lamia Scaleʼs Guild Master, Granny Ooba, finally arrived.

The moment she saw Jura lying in the crater, her pupils trembled.

Then she angrily shouted at the Mages who were merely standing around watching.

”Uh! Y-Yes, Guild Master...”

Following Oobaʼs sharp scream, the Mages of Lamia Scale finally snapped back to reality.

This was not the time to think about all that nonsense.

Saving people was what mattered right now.

Thus...

Under Oobaʼs direction, the members of Lamia Scale pulled Jura out of the crater and rushed him toward the guild infirmary.

”Doctor! Doctor!!”

Ooba looked at Jura with concern.

Unlike some guild members whose minds had begun to wander, Ooba was genuinely worried about Juraʼs safety.

At the same time, she had absolutely no doubts about Juraʼs strength.

The closer one was to the level of the Ten Wizard Saints, the more one could sense the tremendous life force and magical power contained within Juraʼs body.

Time flew by...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye...

”Not good!”

On this day, Jura finally sat up from his hospital bed.

Thanks to his incredible recovery ability, his injuries no longer appeared so severe.

The first thing Jura did after waking up was rise in panic, as though he intended to do something urgently.

However, Jura had overestimated his body.

After three days without food, he had become extremely weak.

The moment he got out of bed, he collapsed onto the floor.

Even so, Jura persisted and made his way toward the ward door.

Using every ounce of strength he had, he stood up, pushed open the door, and stuck his sweat-covered head into the hallway.

”Someone, come quickly...”

”If we donʼt send this information out immediately! Once that guy starts acting, itʼll be too late...”

The veins on Juraʼs arm bulged.

Using the wall for support, he shouted into the hallway with all his strength.

”Hm? Ah!!”

”Mr. Jura! Mr. Jura, youʼre awake!”

The nurses outside the ward were stunned at first upon seeing Juraʼs fierce expression, then immediately rushed over.

”Hurry and inform Lord Warrod! Quickly...”

Jura continued trying to explain himself to the nurses.

”Mr. Jura, please go back. In your current condition, you canʼt go anywhere. Please rest first.”

Unfortunately, as professionals dedicated to caring for patients, the nurses completely ignored whatever urgent matter Jura claimed to have.

They pushed him back into the room and made him lie down again.

”Thereʼs no time to explain. I need to get to the Magic Council immediately.”

Jura looked terrified as he continued speaking to the nurses.

”No! Guild Master Ooba said that until youʼve fully recovered, youʼre not allowed to go anywhere.”

Unfortunately, the nurses paid no attention to Juraʼs words.

They kept him pinned to the bed and refused to let him move around.

”You all...”

Looking at the girls in nurse uniforms, Jura frowned.

He wanted to say something, but in the end he merely sighed helplessly.

He knew there was no point arguing with them.

Of course, that did not mean the nurses were wrong.

On the contrary, they had done absolutely nothing wrong.

Helping Jura recover was their duty.

After gradually calming down, Jura thought of another solution.

”Please help me call the Guild Master. I have something important to tell her.”

Jura smiled gently at the nurses as he made his request.

”Someone has already gone to notify the Guild Master. Donʼt think about sending us away so you can sneak out.”

The nurses exchanged glances before speaking with extreme vigilance, clearly worried Jura was trying to distract them and escape.

”Iʼm not going anywhere! With my current condition, I couldnʼt get there anyway...”

”Forget it. Iʼll wait for the Guild Master.”

Jura tried explaining, but after seeing the girlsʼ burning stares, he gave up.

He lay on the bed and waited for Guild Master Ooba to arrive.

”Jura, youʼre awake...”

Not long afterward, Granny Ooba pushed open the ward door.

”Guild Master Ooba...”

The nurses immediately stood up and bowed respectfully when they saw Ooba enter.

”Mhm...”

”Alright, leave this place to me. You can all go out now~”

Ooba nodded gently and motioned for the nurses to leave.

”Understood.”

The nurses nodded and entrusted Jura to Oobaʼs supervision.

They felt very reassured about that.

”Alright, now there are no outsiders in the room.”

”Jura, is there something you wanted to tell me privately?”

Ooba sat in a chair beside the bed and looked at Jura.

”Guild Master...”

”May I ask how many days Iʼve been unconscious?”

Lying on the bed, Jura asked Ooba.

”Three days! Didnʼt the nurses tell you?”

Ooba was momentarily stunned.

She had assumed Jura wanted to discuss something important.

Yet this was his question?

The nurses could have answered it just as well.

”No! I didnʼt have the chance to ask them.”

”So Iʼve been unconscious for three days...”

Jura smiled bitterly.

He never expected that being casually knocked unconscious by someone would leave him asleep for three entire days.

”Granny Ooba, there is something extremely important I need to tell you!”

Jura first smiled bitterly, then shook his head lightly and looked at Ooba with a serious expression.

”Mhm, Iʼm listening.”

Ooba nodded.

”Before I tell you, Iʼd like to confirm something first, so I can verify my guess.”

”Granny Ooba, during these past few days, aside from me, has any other member of the Ten Wizard Saints been challenged and defeated?”

Jura stared seriously at Ooba while waiting for her answer.

”That... I havenʼt heard of anything like that.”

Ooba was stunned for a moment before shaking her head.

”Hm? Could my guess be wrong?”

After hearing Oobaʼs answer, Jura froze.

He recalled what Serena had said before attacking him and frowned deeply.

Judging from Serenaʼs words, he was clearly hunting the Ten Wizard Saints.

So what was going on?

”However, although I havenʼt heard of any Ten Wizard Saint being challenged and defeated...”

”I did hear something very interesting.”

”It happened the day after you were knocked unconscious.”

”The prison BLACKVOX, where criminal Mages are held, was attacked!”

”At first everyone thought it was a prison break.”

”But the interesting part is that the attacker didnʼt rescue anyone!”

”Instead, he injured several criminals imprisoned there...”

”Among them were Brian, the former Director of the Magic Development Bureau who calls himself ʼZero,ʼ and Jose Porla, one of the Ten Wizard Saints who was imprisoned for committing the grave crime of attacking the Magic Council.”

”As for the attackerʼs appearance, the Council hasnʼt released any information. No one knows who did such a bizarre thing...”

After thinking for a moment, Ooba shared the interesting news she had heard over the past few days.

”As expected...”

The moment Jura heard Oobaʼs words, realization dawned on him.

”What is it, Jura?”

”Was there something wrong with what I said?”

Ooba was stunned.

She had not found anything particularly unusual about the matter.

At most, it just proved there were plenty of lunatics in the world.

”There can be no mistake.”

”The prison attack was done by that guy.”

”The same person who defeated me.”

Jura looked at Ooba expressionlessly.

However, his brows were tightly knitted, and his eyes carried a trace of concern.

”Huh?!”

”Jura, are you saying the person who attacked the prison and the one who challenged you are the same person? That self-proclaimed... what was it... Serena guy?!”

Ooba looked at Jura in shock.

”Mhm! Other than him, I canʼt think of anyone else on this continent who possesses both the strength and motivation to attack the magical prison BLACKVOX, defeat Jose Porla of the Ten Wizard Saints and Zero, who also possesses power comparable to a Ten Wizard Saint, and still leave unharmed...”

Jura nodded lightly.

He already had a certain hypothesis in mind.

”So, Jura, what do you think that man was trying to accomplish?”

”The one who defeated you and then went on to cause chaos at the Magic Councilʼs prison?”

Ooba looked puzzled.

Normal people simply could not understand lunatics.

”He said he was challenging the Ten Wizard Saints.”

”I believe the reason he attacked BLACKVOX was because Jose, a member of the Ten Wizard Saints, was imprisoned there.”

Jura explained his thoughts to Ooba.

”You mean...”

”He made a huge spectacle, attacked the most heavily guarded prison of the Magic Council, all just to challenge Jose?”

”Was it really worth it?”

”And if he only wanted to challenge Jose, why did Zero get beaten up too?”

Ooba was completely dumbfounded.

She truly could not understand Serenaʼs way of thinking.

”To him, it was worth it...”

”As for why Zero got beaten up as well, itʼs probably because that guy didnʼt know what Jose looked like, so he beat up every prisoner he considered strong.”

”And I also know one thing.”

”He wonʼt stop.”

”Heʼll continue challenging people until he defeats everyone, or until he himself is defeated by one of the Ten Wizard Saints.”

Jura sighed emotionally.

Looking up at the ceiling with a serious gaze, he seemed to understand Serena a little.

”Guild Master Ooba, please relay this information to the Council!”

”Tell the Ten Wizard Saints to remain on high alert. That man... that manʼs strength is unfathomable...”

Looking at Ooba, Jura shared the information he had intended to personally deliver to the Magic Council.

He hoped she could pass it along on his behalf.

”I understand...”

Ooba nodded gently.

She understood the seriousness of Juraʼs warning.

”Something terrible has happened! Guild Master Ooba...”

Just as Ooba and Jura were discussing Serena, the ward door suddenly burst open.

A panic-stricken member of Lamia Scale rushed inside, panting heavily as he looked at Ooba.

”How many times have I told you?”

”Stay calm! Stay calm!”

”Have you forgotten?”

Ooba frowned and scolded him before asking:

”Now then, tell me. What could possibly make you this flustered?”

”N-No, Granny Ooba, this time itʼs really serious...”

”Jellal Fernandes, one of the Ten Wizard Saints and currently ranked eighth, has been attacked!”

”The attacker is unknown. Mr. Jellal is currently receiving treatment in the hospital. Although his life is not in danger, he has fallen unconscious...”

The Mage from Lamia Scale spoke with obvious fear and panic.

”What?! Another Ten Wizard Saint has been attacked!”

”Jura, your prediction was correct...”

Ooba looked at Jura in shock.

”So it really happened...”

Jura nodded lightly, his face expressionless as he thought things through.

”Serena first attacked me, the last-ranked member of the Ten Wizard Saints.”

”Then he attacked Jose Porla, who was imprisoned and ranked ninth.”

”After that came Jellal, who is ranked eighth.”

”If thatʼs the case, then Serenaʼs next target should be...”

Juraʼs expression suddenly changed.

”Granny Ooba, quickly notify Fairy Tail!”

”Serenaʼs next target is Guild Master Makarov...”

”If the warning arrives too late, Senior Makarov will be in danger.”

”That Serenaʼs strength is unfathomable. Iʼm afraid none of us among the Ten Wizard Saints can defeat him...”

Jura looked at his Guild Master and shouted anxiously.

”I-I understand...”

Ooba panicked as well.

She had never imagined Serena could be this powerful.

Immediately, she took out a long-distance communication crystal and attempted to contact Makarov.

Meanwhile...

Magnolia Town, Kingdom of Fiore.

Inside the Fairy Tail guild.

”Hm? Who could be contacting me?”

”Could it be some cute little girl?”

After sensing the vibration of his communication crystal, Makarov took it out.

When he saw that the glowing crystal displayed not a cute young lady but Oobaʼs large face...

Makarov instantly felt exhausted.

He casually tossed the crystal aside.

”Iʼll just pretend I didnʼt see it...”

Makarov thought to himself.

Meanwhile...

Boom!

The doors of Fairy Tail were suddenly kicked open.

”Who was it that kicked down your door without reason?”

”It was me!”

”GOD Serena has arrived!”

Accompanied by an extremely chuunibyou voice, a certain twin-tailed chuunibyou walked into Fairy Tail.

”Hah!”

”Hahaha...”

”You bastard, are you looking for a fight?”

”Who cares? Letʼs fight then!”

”Daughter, donʼt you love your father anymore? I already promised your mother Iʼd stay by your side forever...”

”You perverted father! Even if you want to stay with me forever, there is absolutely no reason for you to accompany me into the womenʼs restroom! I can hear every disgusting thought running through your head...”

The scene Serena had imagined—everyone turning to look at him in shock—never happened.

His behavior seemed completely ordinary within this guild.

Nothing about it stood out.

Serena was utterly confused.

”A newcomer?”

While Serena was still bewildered, Makarov walked over carrying a Fairy Tail guild stamp and asked.

Although Serena looked completely insane, as though there was something seriously wrong with his brain, he actually fit Fairy Tail perfectly.

After all, everyone here was about as mentally unstable as he was...

No.

Compared to a perverted daughter-loving father who wanted to accompany his daughter into the restroom, Serena was practically normal.

”Iʼm not here to join your guild. Iʼm here to challenge your guild...”

After hearing Makarovʼs words, Serena raised both hands before his face, the backs of his hands facing himself and his palms facing Makarov, peering through the gap between them as he spoke.

”Oh? Here to cause trouble?”

”August, come handle this one. Heʼs here to cause trouble.”

After hearing that, Makarov put away the guild stamp and waved toward August at the bar.

”Coming!”

August stood up from his seat and looked at Serena with confusion.

These days, there were actually still people who dared come cause trouble for Fairy Tail?

What a rare sight.

The manʼs courage was truly BIG.

In Augustʼs opinion, given Fairy Tailʼs current strength, there were only two beings in the entire world capable of causing trouble for Fairy Tail.

One was the Black Dragon King Acnologia after going mad, devouring all the magic power in Earth-land and undergoing super evolution.

The other was the evil god Ankhsaram, who had cursed his father and mother.

Anyone else coming to Fairy Tail to make trouble?

In the eyes of Magic King August, they were merely insignificant nobodies who already had a death wish...

”So youʼre the one planning to cause trouble for Fairy Tail?”

Holding his staff, August walked before Serena with disdain in his eyes.

Compared to the Ankhsaram God and Black Dragon King Acnologia from his imagination, Serena was far too weak.

”Iʼm not here to cause trouble!”

”My name is GOD Serena!”

”I heard your Fairy Tail has three members of the Ten Wizard Saints. Iʼm here to challenge them...”

Crossing his arms before August and forming a huge X, Serena directly declared that he had come to challenge the guildʼs Ten Wizard Saints.

”Oh! So youʼre here for Evan.”

August and Makarov exchanged a glance.

They had absolutely no problem satisfying this chuunibyou bratʼs request.

”Evan, someoneʼs looking for you!”

At once, Makarov and August shouted into the guild hall.

”Hm?”

Inside the guild, Evan was chatting with Erza with a smile on his face.

Upon hearing the call, his figure flashed and instantly appeared before Makarov and the others.

”Huh? Evan?”

”Could it be that youʼre Evan Belserion, currently ranked first among the Ten Wizard Saints?”

Looking at the suddenly appearing Evan, Serenaʼs pupils trembled before he burst into laughter.

”Hahahaha! Iʼve hit the jackpot!”

”To think Iʼd encounter the current number one of the Ten Wizard Saints right away...”

”You werenʼt originally my target, but it doesnʼt matter.”

”Itʼs too troublesome to challenge them one by one. Iʼd rather end this boring challenge early.”

”After all, the Ten Wizard Saints are all too weak.”

”That Jura fellow, Jose, and that Jellal guy couldnʼt even interest me in the slightest!”

Serena laughed wildly at Evan.

”Hm? Youʼre the one who attacked Jellal?”

Evanʼs gaze paused slightly after hearing Serenaʼs words.

”Thatʼs right!”

”And now Iʼm here to hunt you, Evan Belserion, the number one of the Ten Wizard Saints!”

”I heard youʼre a Dragon Slayer Mage too!”

”What a coincidence. So am I...”

”Since weʼre both dragons, let me tell you this!”

”Dragons have neither gods nor kings!”

”All dragons will decay before me!”

”I am God Serena!”

Serena shouted crazily at Evan.

”Serena? Oh! So youʼre Serena.”

After hearing Serenaʼs words, Evan finally understood.

No wonder this chuunibyou looked somewhat familiar.

So it was Serena.

”Yes, I am God—”

Serena nodded and began repeating himself.

BOOM!!

Before Serena could finish speaking, Evanʼs fist had already swung toward him.

”Uh...”

In that brief instant, Serena froze.

Evanʼs seemingly casual punch made Serena see countless dragons kneeling before him in submission.

Boom...

The next second, accompanied by an azure dragon soaring into the heavens...

Serena collapsed onto the ground like a discarded rag.

”What was it you called yourself just now?”

Evan looked coldly at the collapsed Serena and asked.