Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 425: The Second Magic Source, and Fairy Tail Growing Stronger as a Whole

”Huh?!”

Ultearʼs eyes widened at that moment. She had originally planned to give Evan a surprise, but now it had completely reversed—Evan was the one who had surprised her.

No matter how much Ultear thought about it, she couldnʼt understand how Evan knew the technical term ”Second Magic Source”! She knew that the term ”Second Magic Source” had only been conceived after she and Precht spent about three days and three nights researching the effects of Arc of Time on living beings using the upgraded Arc of Time Magic. It was a concept she had first proposed, with Precht later refining it into its final form!

At the same time, Ultear was certain that before she and Precht concluded that the human body possessed more than one container for storing magic power, with many unused areas remaining, and named those unexplored regions the ”Second Magic Source,” no one in all of Earth-land had ever discovered this secret.

Yet this secret, which Ultear believed only she and Precht possessed—a secret that could be called the core technology for making Mages stronger—had been directly pointed out by Evan. That left Ultear utterly shocked.

”It seems youʼve already become quite proficient with Arc of Time, Ultear~”

”Very nice~”

Sitting in front of Ultear, Evan smiled cheerfully at the flustered girl before him.

”Could it be that youʼve already discovered the secret of the Second Magic Source long ago, Evan?”

Ultear crossed her arms beneath her ample chest and hesitantly asked Evan.

”I did indeed discover the existence of what you call the Second Magic Source a long time ago!”

”To be more precise, any Mage who has mastered Dragon Slayer Magic should eventually notice the issue of the Second Magic Source! After all, compared to our weak human bodies, a dragonʼs body isnʼt merely stronger in the literal sense! Its capacity to carry magic power far surpasses that of a human body!”

Evan nodded lightly, indicating that he had indeed discovered the Second Magic Source long ago.

”If we compare magic power to water, or perhaps a beverage, then the human body and the dragonʼs body are simply containers used by humans and dragons respectively to hold that beverage called magic power. Compared to the dragonʼs powerful container, the human bodyʼs container doesnʼt merely suffer from having a much smaller capacity...”

”In addition, the human body contains all kinds of strange gases. Those gases occupy part of the container, preventing magic power from ever filling the entire human body!”

”Iʼm sure youʼve seen soda sold outside. Those bottles are never completely full; thereʼs always some empty space inside, right? The human body works the same way! That empty space is precisely what youʼve discovered as the Second Magic Source...”

”But a dragonʼs body is different. A dragonʼs body was practically born to carry magic power. Dragons donʼt suffer from humanityʼs shortcomings. Not only can they hold far more magic power than humans, but they also donʼt have the defect that prevents magic power from completely filling the container. However large a dragonʼs container is, thatʼs exactly how much magic power it can hold!”

”Itʼs just like after we finish drinking a bottle of soda and refill it with water. We can usually keep pouring until the water overflows, allowing the bottle to hold even more than it originally did with the soda, right?”

Using beverages and water as analogies for magic power, and comparing human and dragon bodies to bottles and containers, Evan explained the differences between humans and dragons while also clarifying exactly what Ultearʼs so-called Second Magic Source really was.

”Uh...”

”That really is true!”

After listening to Evan, Ultear nodded lightly. Just as Evan had said, the so-called Second Magic Source was simply the unfilled portion inside the bottle! Every human Mage possessed it, though the strength of each personʼs Second Magic Source differed. It was also related to the Mageʼs original strength.

After all, what Mages called training was expanding the amount of magic power their bodies could store. Once the original container became larger, the attached container known as the Second Magic Source would naturally grow larger as well.

”So whatʼs your plan?”

Evan looked at Ultear and asked.

”I want to unlock the Second Magic Source for every Mage in our Fairy Tail Guild! I want the overall strength of Fairy Tailʼs Mages to improve...”

”Of course, afterward, Iʼd just like to record everyoneʼs condition after unlocking their Second Magic Source!”

Ultear explained her idea to Evan.

”Oh? Are you sure itʼs not because you want to collect a batch of experimental data, so you plan to unlock everyoneʼs Second Magic Source?”

After hearing Ultearʼs explanation, Evan narrowed his eyes. After all, Ultearʼs development of the Second Magic Source was still entirely in the experimental stage. Even Ultear herself couldnʼt say whether the Second Magic Source unlocked through her Arc of Time was truly safe.

”Uh, well...”

Ultearʼs expression changed. She hadnʼt expected Evan to see through her little scheme.

Her face immediately turned bright red as she turned her head away, unwilling to meet Evanʼs eyes.

Just as Evan had said, she really did have some intention of using the Guildʼs monsters as experimental subjects...

After all, the Mages of Fairy Tail were all incredibly tough. With Magic King August watching nearby, even if something went wrong with her Arc of Time and there were risks in unlocking the Second Magic Source, the consequences shouldnʼt be too severe. Of course, Ultearʼs original intention was still to give Fairy Tailʼs Mages a collective power-up...

”Forget it! Iʼll just assume youʼre doing it out of kindness~”

Looking at the flustered Ultear, Evan narrowed his eyes slightly before suddenly smiling, effectively agreeing to her request.

”Thank you~”

Hearing Evanʼs approval, Ultear slowly let out a sigh of relief before sincerely thanking him.

”No, thereʼs no need to thank me at all! Weʼre Guildmates in the same Guild. Helping each other is only natural~”

Evan shook his head at Ultear. He didnʼt think much of the so-called help he had provided. Besides, in his own opinion, he hadnʼt actually helped Ultear much. He had merely agreed to let her unlock the Second Magic Source for all those hot-blooded youngsters in the Guild...

As far as Evan was concerned, if the hot-blooded youngsters led by Natsu, who constantly longed for greater strength, heard that Ultear could make them stronger, theyʼd probably beg to become her experimental subjects~

As people like Natsu would put it, as long as it didnʼt kill them, she could go all out! There was no need to care about their opinions...

”Then go ahead boldly, Ultear...”

Evan spoke softly to Ultear.

”Okay!”

Now that she had Evan backing her, Ultear gradually became much bolder. She first nodded lightly at Evan in agreement before gracefully walking toward Fairy Tail.

”So next... after Ultear unlocks the Second Magic Source for all the Guildʼs Mages, what kind of changes will it bring to Fairy Tail? Iʼm actually looking forward to it...”

Sitting on the second floor of the Scarlet Maiden Magic Item Shop, Evan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Meanwhile, inside Fairy Tail...

”Everyone, quiet!”

”I have something to say, so please listen!”

Standing atop the high platform in the center of Fairy Tail, Ultear faced the Guildʼs Mages and spoke softly.

”Hm?”

The Fairy Tail members, who had been drinking, chatting, fighting, and brawling moments earlier, all paused what they were doing and looked toward Ultear after hearing her voice.

”Everyone, do you want to become stronger?”

”Do you desire power?”

Ultearʼs crimson lips curled upward slightly. The crystal ball in her hand emitted a strange glow as she looked like a witch tempting others into corruption while speaking softly to Fairy Tailʼs Mages.

”Uh...”

As Ultearʼs words fell, every Mage in Fairy Tail was visibly shaken.

”Ultear, are you saying you actually have a way to make us stronger?”

Wakaba, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, looked at Ultear with obvious disbelief.

Wakaba was already around thirty-five or thirty-six years old. His magic power had remained at Level 5 in Evanʼs system evaluation for far too long. He knew his potential was nearly exhausted, so he had long since given up on becoming stronger. Nowadays, he simply slacked off in the Guild to get by.

”Hehe, of course~”

After hearing Wakabaʼs question, the smile on Ultearʼs beautiful face grew even brighter.

”Huh? Seriously?”

”No way!”

”How could there possibly be such a good thing as free power in this world?”

”Exactly. The only thing that falls from the sky in this world is meteors! Not free lunches...”

After Ultear openly admitted that she really did possess a way to make Fairy Tailʼs Mages stronger, the entire Guild erupted into heated discussion. Apparently, hardly anyone believed her.

”So you donʼt believe me?”

”In that case, letʼs try it!”

”Wouldnʼt you find out whether I can really make you stronger?”

As she spoke, Ultearʼs figure flashed, instantly appearing before Wakaba.

”Uh...”

”Ultear, what are you trying to do?”

”You canʼt possibly hold a grudge against me just because I exposed you and decide to silence me, can you?!”

Looking at Ultear, who had suddenly appeared before him, cold sweat formed on Wakabaʼs forehead.

If Ultear intended to attack him, he truly had no way to resist.

”Buzz~”

Ignoring Wakabaʼs words, Ultearʼs eyes shone like the hands of a clock while the crystal ball in her hand burst into dazzling brilliance.

In the blink of an eye, that light enveloped Wakabaʼs body...

”AAAH!!”

Almost the instant Wakabaʼs body was covered by the crystal ballʼs light, his face twisted in agony as he let out a miserable scream while strange patterns spread across his body.

”Iʼm dying! Iʼm dying...”

Wakaba cried out in agony as tear after tear streamed helplessly from his eyes.

”She did it! Ultear attacked Wakaba without any hesitation...”

Meanwhile, Fairy Tailʼs onlooking Mages watched Wakaba convulsing on the floor and couldnʼt help commenting. At the same time, everyone in the Guild became uneasy, afraid that they would become Ultearʼs next target...

”Hey! Ultear, no matter what, isnʼt this going too far?”

As Wakabaʼs mysteriously close drinking buddy, Macao frowned as he watched Wakaba screaming in pain on the ground. He strode toward Ultear, intending to seek justice for his friend.

”Itʼs Macao! In Fairy Tail, Wakaba and Macao have the best relationship!”

”What moving brotherhood! Macao is actually planning to challenge one of the Guildʼs S-Class Mages for Wakabaʼs sake...”

The troublemakers in Fairy Tail had no intention whatsoever of helping either Wakaba or Macao. Instead, they watched with great interest. After all, for Fairy Tail members, any fight that didnʼt end in death was merely everyday sparring.

”Hm?”

Ultear raised an eyebrow as she looked at Macao, who had stepped forward for the sake of his good friend.

”I mean, Ultear...”

”If you donʼt like Wakaba, you couldʼve just told me. Thereʼs absolutely no need for you to personally deal with trash like him~”

Apparently sensing the killing intent in Ultearʼs eyes, Macao immediately changed his attitude and smiled awkwardly at her.

”Macao backed down!”

”So thatʼs this manʼs true colors after all?”

”Give me back the emotion I just felt, you bastard...”

The Mages in Fairy Tail immediately began complaining.

”Boom!”

However, just as Macao was smiling awkwardly at Ultear while the troublemakers were happily watching the show, an enormous surge of magic power suddenly erupted from Wakaba, who was lying on the floor.

”How many years has it been?! Iʼve finally broken through my own barrier! Iʼve finally taken another step forward on the path of magic!”

As Wakaba spoke, he slowly stood up from the ground. Powerful magic power surrounded him. After enduring unimaginable pain, the magic power that had remained stagnant for years had finally broken through. Wakaba had officially reached Level 6 according to Evanʼs system evaluation—the S-Class Mage standard of the original Fairy Tail.

Of course, after Evan ushered Fairy Tail into an era of insane internal competition, the Guildʼs S-Class standard had already risen to the same level as the Magic Councilʼs Ten Wizard Saints selection standard, or perhaps even beyond it.

”He actually broke through?”

Seeing Wakabaʼs breakthrough, every Mage in Fairy Tail widened their eyes.

Then they all looked toward Ultear standing at the center of the Guild.

”Ultear wasnʼt lying!”

”She really has a way to make us stronger!!”

”Thatʼs right! Even Wakaba could become stronger, so we should be able to as well...”

At that moment, every Mage in Fairy Tail had the same thought.

”Bastards! I heard that!”

”What do you mean, ʼeven Wakaba could become stronger, so you guys definitely can too?ʼ”

”Youʼre talking like Iʼm some weakling...”

The corners of Wakabaʼs eyes twitched as he looked at the Mages calling him weak right in front of him.

”Ultear, please! Let me lick your shoes! Just make me stronger!”

”Ultear, donʼt reward that pervert who wants to lick your shoes! Strengthen me first! And if you wonʼt strengthen me, then at least let me lick your beautiful little feet!”

”Hey, hey, hey! What the hell are you thinking? I can hear you loud and clear from way over here!”

”Can you guys stop being such perverts? Could you at least show some restraint?”

At that moment, however, Fairy Tailʼs collection of perverts had no time to pay attention to Wakaba!

The instant Wakaba became stronger, the entire Fairy Tail Guild exploded into chaos. Countless Mages who had been stuck at bottlenecks for years voluntarily lined up before Ultear, begging her to strengthen them just as she had strengthened Wakaba. Naturally, among those eager to grow stronger, a few perverts had mixed themselves in...

No, strictly speaking, it was more accurate to say that among a crowd of perverts, a few normal people had mixed themselves in.

”Donʼt worry! None of you are getting away~”

”Every single one of you will become my test subjects...”

”Ahem, I mean~ Iʼll help every one of you become stronger~”

After hearing the wolf-like howls from the Guildʼs Mages, Ultear revealed a charming smile.

At that moment, Ultear looked at the Guildʼs Mages as though they were priceless treasures. After all, every one of them was a precious experimental subject~

”Huh? Miss Ultear, what did you just say?”

As soon as Ultear finished speaking, the Fairy Tail Mages, whose observation skills rivaled detectives, immediately caught the key point. Sweat appeared on their foreheads as they asked her.

”Oh my~”

”I accidentally said what I was really thinking~”

”But thatʼs not a problem~”

”All of you, accept my gift!”

Hearing their question, Ultear merely smiled lightly. She didnʼt answer them. Instead, she gently raised the crystal ball in her hand.

Immediately, colorful rays of light burst from the crystal ball, shining upon every Mage in Fairy Tail!

”Uh...”

As those dazzling lights descended, the countless Mages who had realized something was wrong and planned to run understood that it was already too late.

Moments later—

”AAAH!!”

Painful screams echoed throughout the entire Fairy Tail Guild.

The cries rose and fell one after another, piercing everyoneʼs ears!

”Let me take a good look at your performance~”

Watching the Guildʼs Mages writhing and rolling across the floor in agony, Ultear took out her magic notebook and began recording everything before her.

The pain, however, was only temporary! As one Mage after another accepted the power of Ultearʼs Arc of Time and unlocked their potential, they slowly stood back up. Boundless magic power spread and surged throughout Fairy Tail. Every personʼs magic power had increased significantly compared to before their Second Magic Source had been unlocked...

The phrase ”painful yet enjoyable” probably described exactly how these Mages felt. Unlocking their potential was truly agonizing, but the results afterward felt absolutely incredible.

”So thatʼs how it is~”

”Among the Guildʼs non-S-Class Mages, Natsu, who was already the strongest, now possesses magic power approaching the threshold of the Ten Wizard Saints after unlocking his Second Magic Source! What an astonishing improvement~”

”Then next... itʼs time to move on to them! The true powerhouses of Fairy Tail—the S-Class Mages who passed the S-Class Mage Promotion Trial~”

Looking at the Mages who had stood back up after unlocking their Second Magic Sources, Ultear continued recording her observations.

She discovered that among those whose Second Magic Sources she had unlocked, the strongest was naturally Natsu, who already possessed S-Class strength comparable to veteran S-Class Mages from other Guilds. After unlocking his Second Magic Source, his magic power had reached the threshold of the Ten Wizard Saints, or Level 7 according to Evanʼs system evaluation!

This made Ultear curious. If Natsu could improve so dramatically, just how much stronger would Fairy Tailʼs S-Class Mages become? What was the true limit of the Second Magic Source?

Driven by that overwhelming curiosity, Ultear ultimately decided that it was time to target the S-Class Mages gathered on the Guildʼs second floor.

At that moment, on Fairy Tailʼs second floor, Laxus, Mirajane, Erza, and the others quietly watched the strengthened Mages below. They could clearly sense that, with Ultearʼs help, every Mage in the Guild had received a tremendous boost...

”Buzz!”

Before Laxus and the others could think any further, the light of Arc of Time projected from Ultearʼs crystal ball had already fallen upon them.

”BOOM!!”

With a thunderous roar, Laxus, Mirajane, Erza, Ur, Gildarts, and the other S-Class Mages developed the same crimson markings that had appeared on the ordinary Mages downstairs after being illuminated by Ultearʼs Arc of Time.

Their bodies soon began to ache slightly.

Unlike Wakaba, Macao, and the others, who had suffered unbearable agony while unlocking their Second Magic Source, monsters like Laxus, Erza, and Mirajane experienced no real discomfort. They merely felt a slight soreness.

”Rumble!”

Soon afterward, beneath Ultearʼs light, the Second Magic Sources of Fairy Tailʼs S-Class Mages, including Laxus, Erza, and Mirajane, were fully unlocked!

However, although their magic power increased—and by an amount that Macao and the others could never compare to—it did not result in their total magic power immediately rising by an entire level after unlocking the Second Magic Source.

After all, Laxus, Erza, and the others already possessed overwhelmingly powerful magic. Compared to what they already had, the additional magic granted by Ultear was little more than a drop in the bucket...

This effect was especially apparent in August. After experiencing the light of Ultearʼs Arc of Time, August merely felt as though he had stood under warm sunlight for a while. Other than that, he felt absolutely nothing.

As for whether Augustʼs magic power had actually increased... since he constantly cultivated and increased his own magic power anyway, even he couldnʼt tell whether Ultear had granted him any additional magic.

Ultear felt rather helpless about that.

Although the Second Magic Source certainly increased a personʼs strength in proportion to their original power...

Those already possessing terrifying strength were monsters to begin with. Furthermore, after Level 7, the gap between each level became enormous! Thus, Ultear discovered that the Second Magic Source wasnʼt particularly helpful for those who had already entered the realm of the Ten Wizard Saints.

That left Ultear feeling somewhat disappointed.