Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 436: The Relationship Between the Magic Council and Fairy Tail

Lucy was overjoyed at this moment~

After learning that with her current strength she could only rank at the bottom of Fairy Tail, Lucy actually felt much more relaxed...

How should she put it? Lucy had completely given up~

Working hard was impossible. For the rest of her life, she would just stay by Natsuʼs side, lend him a hand here and there, and muddle through~

Cough, cough...

Thinking this, Lucy immediately shook her head, clearing all those distracting thoughts from her mind.

”No! Absolutely not!”

”I, Lucy, am going to become the woman who makes Celestial Spirit Magic famous throughout the world!”

”How could I give up over something this small? Absolutely impossible!”

”Lucy, youʼre the best! Lucy, do your best!”

Lucy clenched her fists, cheering herself on.

”Lucy really is a good kid~”

Mirajane nodded lightly as she watched Lucy encouraging herself. She thought very highly of Lucy.

The main reason was that Mirajane liked Lucyʼs ability to regulate her own emotions, because only those who knew how to relieve their own stress could survive in Fairy Tail...

Bang!

Just as Mirajane sat beside Lucy, smiling at the newcomer Natsu had brought into the Guild, Fairy Tailʼs front doors were suddenly shoved open.

Bathed in sunlight, a beautiful figure with crimson hair walked straight into the Guild...

The one returning wasnʼt anyone else but Erza, who had just finished a job.

”Erza, youʼre back? How unusual. Laxus just returned to the Guild too~”

Mirajane greeted Erza with a smile.

”Mirajane, youʼre here? Even Laxus is back already?”

”Perfect. I have something I need to discuss with all of you...”

”But before that, Iʼd like to find Guild Master August and Brother Evan!”

Erza nodded at Mirajane, her expression unusually serious.

”Thatʼs unfortunate, Erza~”

”Guild Master August and Brother Evan arenʼt in the Guild right now~”

”They said they went to the Guild Mastersʼ gathering of the Fiore Kingdom.”

Mirajane replied helplessly.

”Is that so?”

Erza frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought.

”Whatʼs wrong, Erza? Is it something urgent that you need to tell Guild Master August and Brother Evan?”

Mirajane asked softly.

”No. It isnʼt that urgent.”

”I just heard that a Dark Guild obtained one of the Black Magic spells created by the Black Wizard Zeref that had previously been sealed away by the Magic Council.”

”I suspect they intend to use that Black Magic for something terrible, so I wanted Brother Evan and Guild Master August to contact Zeref personally and ask how we should deal with it...”

Erza shook her head.

In truth, destroying a Dark Guild along with one of the small demons created by Zeref would be effortless for her.

However, since it was a demon created by Zeref, Erza felt she should first ask Zeref himself what he thought about the matter. After all, Zeref himself was also a member of Fairy Tail, and that wasnʼt exactly a secret within the Guild.

Therefore, Erza hadnʼt attacked the Dark Guild immediately. Instead, she returned to the Guild first, hoping to find Evan and August, who could contact Zeref directly.

Unfortunately, neither Evan nor August happened to be in the Guild.

”Um... may I ask a question?”

”What kind of person is Guild Master August?”

”And why is this Guild Master August attending the Fiore Kingdom Guild Mastersʼ gathering instead of Guild Master Makarov?”

”And the Zeref you mentioned... is he that Zeref? The Black Wizard who created countless Black Magic spells and was known as the most evil Black Wizard in Ishgarʼs history?”

After hearing Erza and Mirajaneʼs conversation, Lucy felt as though the questions piling up in her heart had formed a small mountain. She had countless things she wanted to confirm.

”Hmm...”

After hearing Lucyʼs questions, Erza and Mirajane exchanged glances in perfect sync, silently communicating with one another.

In the end, Mirajane spoke first.

”Iʼll answer your first question first, Lucy~”

Mirajane smiled warmly.

”O-Okay...”

Lucy immediately sat up straight, waiting attentively.

”First, regarding Guild Master Augustʼs identity~”

”Lucy, do you remember the seven people I mentioned earlier who stand at the very peak of Fairy Tailʼs power?”

”Guild Master August is one of those seven~”

Mirajane first used the combat ranking system she had explained earlier to briefly describe Augustʼs identity and strength.

”Oh!”

”In that case, there are only two members among Fairy Tailʼs seven strongest that I still donʼt know.”

Lucy nodded while silently counting in her head.

”As for why Guild Master August attended the Fiore Kingdom Guild Mastersʼ gathering instead of Guild Master Makarov...”

”The answer is very simple.”

”Because Guild Master August is Fairy Tailʼs current Guild Master~”

”Guild Master Makarov is Fairy Tailʼs former Guild Master, current Guild Masterʼs Assistant, and future Guild Master~”

”By the way, Fairy Tail has more than one Guild Masterʼs Assistant. Every S-Class Mage has the authority of a Guild Masterʼs Assistant and can independently approve new Guild members.”

Mirajane answered efficiently.

”Thatʼs exactly right~”

At some point, Makarov had wandered over beside them and nodded cheerfully.

”This is so confusing!”

”Former Guild Master, current Guild Masterʼs Assistant, future Guild Master...”

”Why split one position into so many different positions? Isnʼt that troublesome?”

Lucy couldnʼt help complaining.

”Lucy, suppose I told you I wanted to pass Fairy Tail on to you.”

”Youʼd become Fairy Tailʼs Guild Master, manage the Guild, and clean up all the messes Natsu and the others leave behind.”

”Would you accept?”

Makarov smiled dismissively before asking expressionlessly.

”Cleaning up after Natsu and the others?”

”Iʼd rather you just kill me, Guild Master!”

Lucy immediately twitched.

Compared to cleaning up after Natsu and the others every day, sheʼd rather die!

”Looks like you finally understand...”

”This is exactly why we split the Guild Masterʼs responsibilities into so many positions.”

Makarov smiled bitterly.

If possible, they wouldnʼt want to complicate things either.

But Fairy Tailʼs Guild Master simply wasnʼt a job one person could handle alone.

”I understand...”

Lucy twitched helplessly.

She finally understood Makarovʼs painstaking efforts.

”I understand Guild Master Augustʼs situation now.”

”Then, Sister Mirajane, could you answer my question about Zeref?”

Lucy continued.

She already understood who August was.

Now only one question remained.

Was the Zeref Erza mentioned merely someone who happened to share the legendary Black Wizardʼs name?

Or was he actually the real Black Wizard Zeref?

Normally, when someone heard the name Zeref, they would naturally assume it was simply someone with the same name.

But this was Fairy Tail.

For some reason, Lucy had the feeling Erza really meant that legendary Black Wizard.

”Iʼll explain this one.”

Erza picked up where Mirajane left off.

”Okay!”

Lucy immediately turned toward Erza.

”Just as you suspected.”

”It really is the Black Wizard Zeref himself.”

Erza answered directly.

”Oh... so the Zeref youʼre talking about really is the legendary Black Wizard Zeref himself?”

”Haha... I knew it was him—”

”My foot!”

Lucy froze in horror.

”If I remember correctly...”

”The Black Wizard Zeref lived over four hundred years ago, didnʼt he?”

”If this really is the genuine Zeref... doesnʼt that mean heʼs lived for at least four hundred years?”

”Can humans really live that long?”

Lucy asked in disbelief.

”Living for four hundred years is pretty ordinary, isnʼt it?”

”My mother Irene, Natsuʼs older brother Ignia, and Senior Selene have all lived for over four hundred years...”

”Oh, right.”

”My mother also said Brother Evan and I would live very long lives as well.”

”Immortality is hard to say, but living several hundred years should be easy, provided we donʼt suffer illnesses or accidents.”

Erza replied calmly.

”Please donʼt casually say humans can easily live for several hundred years!”

”And none of the examples you gave were actually human!”

Lucy frantically complained.

”Oh, right!”

”Speaking of which, the Black Wizard Zerefʼs full name is Zeref Dragneel~”

”Doesnʼt that surname sound familiar?”

Erza suddenly asked.

”Dragneel?”

”I remember Natsu has the same surname!”

”Could Natsu be the Black Wizard Zerefʼs descendant?”

Lucy asked in shock.

”Not exactly...”

Erza shook her head.

”Oh... just a coincidence then?”

Lucy sighed in relief.

”Natsu isnʼt Zerefʼs descendant.”

”Because Natsu is Zerefʼs younger brother.”

Erza explained calmly.

”Oh... I see.”

”So Natsu is Zerefʼs younger brother...”

”Haha, when you said they both had the surname Dragneel, I thought Natsu was Zerefʼs descendant... Haha... huh?”

Lucy suddenly realized something was terribly wrong.

”Um... Erza?”

”Who exactly did you say was related?”

Lucy stared blankly.

”Natsu and Zeref~”

Erza answered.

”Natsu and... that Zeref... are brothers?”

Lucy felt as though her brain had crashed.

”Of course I mean the Black Wizard Zeref.”

”Lucy... are you feeling alright?”

Erza asked with concern.

”Wait... wait...”

”You said Natsu and Zeref are brothers.”

”But didnʼt you also say Ignia is Natsuʼs older brother?”

”So... are Natsu, Ignia, and Zeref all brothers?”

Lucy felt completely lost.

”No.”

”You misunderstood.”

”Natsu and Zeref are biological brothers.”

”As for Natsu and Ignia, thatʼs because of Natsuʼs foster father.”

”Didnʼt you notice?”

”Ignia is a dragon, while Natsu is a human who learned Dragon Slayer Magic.”

”Natsuʼs foster father was the Fire Dragon King Igneel.”

”He taught Natsu Fire Dragon Slayer Magic.”

”And because Ignia is Igneelʼs biological son, heʼs considered Natsuʼs older brother.”

”As for Ignia and Zeref, theyʼre unrelated.”

”So both Ignia and Zeref are Natsuʼs older brothers.”

”But Ignia and Zeref are not brothers with each other.”

”Do you understand now, Lucy?”

Erza carefully sorted out the complicated family relationships.

”So... confusing!”

”Natsuʼs family relationships are way too confusing!”

Lucy held her head in agony.

”Anyway...”

”I think I more or less understand now.”

After pondering for a while, Lucy nodded.

”Iʼm glad you understand.”

Erza and Mirajane exchanged satisfied smiles.

”...”

Lucy looked at the satisfaction in Erzaʼs eyes and remained speechless.

”Oh right!”

”Iʼve been so busy answering your questions that I almost forgot what weʼre supposed to do next.”

”Since Guild Master August and Brother Evan arenʼt here, weʼll handle the Book of Zeref ourselves.”

Erza rubbed her temples before speaking resolutely.

”Huh?”

”But isnʼt Black Magic created by the Black Wizard Zeref extremely dangerous?”

”I remember the Magic Council saying that anything involving the Books of Zeref must be reported directly to the Council.”

Although Lucy had never belonged to a Guild before, she had spent over a year in Fioreʼs magic world and knew the basic regulations.

”Lucy~”

”Do you think thereʼs any place in this world more dangerous than Fairy Tail?”

Makarov asked with a smile.

Among Fairy Tailʼs members, Makarov was one of the few who actually possessed some self-awareness...

”N-No...”

”No matter how dangerous Zerefʼs Black Magic is, it definitely canʼt be more dangerous than Fairy Tail.”

”Iʼm absolutely certain of that!”

Lucy twitched.

After all, even the Black Wizard Zeref himself was merely one of Fairy Tailʼs members!

Thinking of that, Lucy couldnʼt help complaining inwardly.

What exactly is wrong with this Guild?

Dragons... the Black Wizard...

Itʼs practically the embodiment of the Book of Apocalypse!

The Guild itself is already comparable to every catastrophe recorded in the Book of Apocalypse!

”Enough wasting time!”

”Everyone whose name I call, come over!”

”Natsu! Gray! Gajeel! Wendy... and Lucy! You all come here!”

Crossing her arms, Erzaʼs violet eyes swept across the Guild before selecting the companions she considered suitable.

Aside from Lucy, everyone she chose was a regular participant in Fairy Tailʼs S-Class Mage Promotion Trial.

After all, they were facing an entire Dark Guild, so powerful teammates were necessary.

As for why Erza didnʼt call any other S-Class Mages...

First, while the matter was important, it wasnʼt important enough to require two or more S-Class Mages acting together.

Second, every S-Class Mage already had their own team, and Erza didnʼt want to break them apart.

”Huh?”

”Iʼm going too?”

Lucy hadnʼt expected Erza to include her.

After all, as Fairy Tailʼs ”combat power sewer,” she didnʼt think sheʼd be much help.

”Of course~”

”Arenʼt you in the same team as Natsu?”

Erza smiled.

”T-Thatʼs true...”

Lucy remembered her agreement with Evan and immediately lowered her head helplessly.

”Erza.”

”You should be able to handle this alone, shouldnʼt you?”

”Do we really need this many people?”

”Thatʼs right!”

”Itʼs only one Dark Guild!”

”I can blast them all away by myself~”

Gray and Natsu both questioned Erza.

”To be honest...”

”This incident also involves the Magic Council.”

”So Fairy Tail wonʼt be the only ones participating.”

”After all, the living Magic Lullaby connected to Zeref that the Dark Guild stole had originally been sealed away by the Magic Council.”

”In other words, besides Fairy Tail...”

”The Magic Council will also dispatch their Anti-Black Mage Special Operations Team to deal with the Lullaby theft.”

”And according to intelligence from my contact within the Council...”

”The person leading this operation is Jellal.”

”Even I find him somewhat troublesome.”

”Now do you all understand?”

Erza asked seriously.

”We understand!”

In an instant, Natsu and Gray both realized exactly what Erza meant.

Even Gajeel, who had originally planned to refuse, put down the iron he was chewing and looked over.

”So our opponents are Jellalʼs squad?”

”Ghehe... sounds interesting~”

Gajeel grinned viciously.

”Um... I have a question.”

”If the Magic Council is already sending a Special Operations Team...”

”Then we donʼt really need to go, do we?”

”Wouldnʼt it be better to let the Council handle it?”

”That way weʼd save ourselves the trouble, the Council would complete the mission successfully, and even if something went wrong, it wouldnʼt have anything to do with Fairy Tail...”

As one of the Guildʼs few normal people, Lucy asked sincerely.

In Lucyʼs view, any normal Mage would abandon the mission once the Magic Council intervened.

”What nonsense are you talking about, Lucy?!”

”How could we hand over a mission thatʼs already ours to the Magic Council?”

Before Erza could answer, Natsu interrupted.

”Shouldnʼt we?”

Lucy blinked.

”If we donʼt let the Council take it, what else are we supposed to do?”

”Donʼt be ridiculous, Lucy!”

”As members of Fairy Tail, how could we be afraid of the Magic Council?”

”Of course weʼre going to defeat both the Councilʼs Special Operations Team that came to steal our mission and the members of the Dark Guild!”

Gray clenched his fist.

”Exactly!”

Natsu nodded in agreement.

”Huh?!”

Lucy froze.

After spending over a year in Fioreʼs magic world, this was the first time she had ever heard someone casually suggest defeating both the Magic Council and a Dark Guild.

Then again...

Since it was Fairy Tail saying it...

Somehow, it felt normal.

Phew...

”By the way...”

”So Fairy Tail even has people inside the Magic Council?”

”Thatʼs incredible~”

”When I was wandering around outside, every Mage I met reacted to the Council like they were facing a tiger.”

Lucy smiled.

”Of course!”

”The current Chairman of the Magic Council ERA is Senior Warrod Sequen, one of Fairy Tailʼs founders!”

”Councilors Yajima, Rob, and Rayes are all Fairy Tail seniors.”

”Councilor Tochi also has close ties with Fairy Tail.”

”As for Councilor Jellal and Acting Councilor Lahar, theyʼre Brother Evanʼs juniors.”

”You could say theyʼre practically his unofficial disciples.”

Erza explained Fairy Tailʼs relationship with the Magic Council ERA.

”Huh?!”

”Youʼre saying the people currently leading the Magic Council are all from Fairy Tail?!”

Lucy stared in disbelief.

”Thatʼs right.”

”So nowadays some people say the Magic Council ERA has already been occupied by Fairy Tail.”

”They claim itʼs become Fairy Tailʼs hired muscle and has lost its impartiality.”

Erza frowned.

”So... whatʼs the truth?”

Lucy asked curiously.

”It wouldnʼt be accurate to call the Council Fairy Tailʼs hired muscle.”

”If I had to describe it...”

”The Magic Council is more like Fairy Tailʼs branch office~”

Erza thought for a moment before giving her answer.

”Isnʼt that even worse?!”

Lucy widened her eyes.

This wasnʼt merely influencing the Council anymore.

According to Erza, Fairy Tail had practically turned the Council into its own property!

”If the Magic Council is basically Fairy Tailʼs branch office...”

”Then why are we competing against it?”

”I really donʼt understand.”

Lucy looked puzzled.

”Whatʼs so hard to understand?”

”Itʼs very simple.”

Erza shook her head.

”Let me give you an example.”

She decided to explain using a practical scenario.

”Gray.”

”If Natsu stole a job you wanted, what would you do?”

”Do I even need to answer?”

”Iʼd beat Natsu up and take the job back!”

Gray replied matter-of-factly.

”See?”

”Even Guild members compete through strength if they want the same job.”

Erza nodded with satisfaction.

”No, no, no!”

”If two Guild members want the same job...”

”Shouldnʼt they discuss it peacefully or decide fairly?”

Lucy shook her head.

Before joining Fairy Tail, she had done plenty of research.

She had even bought a bestseller titled How to Get Along Civilly with Your Guild Members.

The book specifically said that when two Guild members wanted the same job, they should negotiate peacefully or share it fairly...

”Huh?”

”Hahahaha!”

”Lucy, are you joking?”

”If you find a job that suits you, of course you fight for it!”

”Exactly!”

”You really donʼt understand Guild life at all!”

”Using strength to grab the job you want is common sense!”

Natsu and Gray burst into laughter.

”Uh...”

Lucy fell silent.

”Quiet!”

”Stop laughing at Lucy!”

Erza scolded them sternly.

”Erza...”

Lucy felt touched.

”Lucy has never belonged to a Mage Guild before.”

”Itʼs perfectly normal that she doesnʼt know basic Guild common sense!”

Erza declared confidently.

”...”

In an instant, Lucy felt all the common sense she had learned had gone to waste.

It wasnʼt that the bestselling guidebook was wrong...

It was simply that none of it applied to Fairy Tail.

”Everyone!”

”To protect Fairy Tailʼs honor...”

”We must defeat the Magic Councilʼs Special Operations Team sent to suppress the Dark Guild!”

”Then eliminate the Dark Guild and seize Lullaby!”

Erza shouted passionately at Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, Wendy—who was quietly listening while holding Carla—and Lucy, whose worldview had completely collapsed.

”OH!!”

Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel roared in agreement.

At the same time, on a hillside not far from Magnolia Town...

A group dressed in the Magic Council Special Operations Team uniforms stood quietly.

”I heard it.”

”The fairies have begun moving.”

One man with dark red hair kept his eyes closed while his ears twitched slightly, apparently listening to what was happening far away in Magnolia Town.

”I didnʼt expect weʼd be facing the fairies head-on this time.”

”This should be interesting.”

”Wouldnʼt you agree, Jellal?”

A young man with short blond hair cracked his knuckles eagerly.

”Lisa, Richard, Erik, Sorano, Macbeth...”

”Thereʼs no time to waste.”

”We must deal with the Dark Guild before the fairies arrive.”

The blue-haired young man standing at the front spoke coldly.

”Yes!”

The five people behind him answered in unison.