"Impossible!! Me alone is enough!!" God Serena shouted arrogantly. "I am the strongest on that continent! I can wipe them out by myself!!"
Zeref shook his head. "No. You may be the strongest mage in Ishgar, but that does not mean you are the strongest being in Ishgar."
"What do you mean by that?!" Serena demanded.
"In the Fairy Tail guild that we will soon march against, there is one whose strength far surpasses your own."
"What?!!"
The chamber stirred in shock. For Serena to stand among the Spriggan Twelve meant he was counted their equal. Yet Zeref claimed there was someone in Fairy Tail stronger still.
"Then why is Serena called Ishgar's strongest?" Ajeel frowned.
Even Serena himself looked baffled, scratching his head.
"It is not surprising you've never heard of him," Zeref explained. "None of you pay much attention to Ishgar. That land is too weak compared to Alvarez. Why watch ants beneath your feet?"
He leaned forward. "That man's name is Su Yan—the strongest mage of Fairy Tail."
"Su Yan…?" Serena muttered blankly. He knew Hyberion, he knew Jura, but the name meant nothing to him.
"His strength is such that even I once needed outside help," Zeref said calmly. "Though whether that help was a blessing or a mistake remains uncertain."
"What?!"
"Your Majesty!" Ajeel slammed the table. "It is enough that you have us! Why seek help beyond the Spriggan Twelve? Do you not trust our strength?!"
"Ajeel! Watch your tongue!!" his grandfather, Minister Yajeel, barked. He turned quickly to Zeref. "Forgive him, Your Majesty. He speaks out of turn."
"It is fine," Zeref said quietly. "I understand. But hear me: that man's power is near the level of Acnologia."
"What…?!"
The chamber fell into stunned silence.
Even Zeref, immortal and feared, treated Acnologia with caution. The Spriggan Twelve existed to be Alvarez's answer to the Dragon King, yet Zeref had never ordered them to face him. That silence alone proved Acnologia's terror.
And now—within a guild in Ishgar—there was a man whose might was said to be on par with that nightmare.
Zeref continued: "During the Dragon King Festival a year ago, he slew several dragons that crossed through time itself. Through that, he became the new Dragon King."
"Dragon King…?" Serena stiffened at the word dragon.
"A true dragon? I cannot say," Zeref admitted. "But he can transform into one."
"Interesting…" Serena's fists clenched, eyes shining with excitement.
Zeref's voice turned firm. "This is why we march with our full force. When the Dragon King Festival begins, our campaign will start."
This time, no one objected. Instead, each Spriggan harbored a new thought: they longed to test themselves against this Su Yan.
Elsewhere — A Remote Cave
Acnologia traced the deep scar carved across his chest, fingers brushing the mark left by that man's blade. The one wound that even the Dragon King could never erase.
That shame burned within him still.
"The new Dragon King…" His voice rumbled low, trembling with rage. "This world is too small for two. Only one Dragon King may exist—and that is me, Acnologia."
He grinned darkly, teeth glinting. "A Dragon King's Sacrifice… I will devour you all."
Alvarez Empire — News Spreads
The empire wasted no effort concealing its intent. Whispers of war spread through the capital like wildfire.
Mest's blood ran cold. The worst he feared had come true. There was no point in staying any longer—he had to warn Ishgar.
With a flash of teleportation, he vanished from the capital and reappeared at the Magic Council.
The Council convened an emergency session at once.
"Mest," Hyberion ordered, "tell us everything."
"Yes!"
Mest relayed all he had seen and heard.
The chamber fell into grim silence.
"So our darkest fears come to pass," Warrod sighed heavily.
The Alvarez Empire's might dwarfed their own. Its armies were vast, its Twelve Shields unmatched. Ishgar was woefully unprepared.
"Even so," Wolfheim growled, fists clenching, "we will never let them have their way!"
Rabbirow's face tightened. "The enemy fields nearly one million soldiers. Our standing force is not even a third of that."
Though most soldiers were considered fodder before true mages, numbers on that scale could overwhelm even the strongest. Ishgar's weaknesses were the legacy of past Councils—complacent rulers who relied too heavily on the threat of Etherion and Face. Now, with true war upon them, their lack of trained battle mages was laid bare.
Hyberion's voice was sharp. "Then we will fight with everything we have. Notify the coastal kingdoms—evacuate the civilians at once. Summon every guild, every mage. Tell them this is no longer about guild pride or rivalries. This is war for the survival of Ishgar. If we do not stand, if we do not fight, we and our families will be wiped from this world."
The chamber echoed with their answer.
"Yes, Speaker!!"