The Tenrou Tree was unimaginably vast, its crown alone nearly matched the size of Tenrou Island itself, its trunk stretched longer than the island's radius, and its root system sprawled so intricately underground that it all but blanketed the entire subsoil of the island.
When Azuma's Great Tree Arc ripped its roots from the earth, massive amounts of sand, rock, and soil came up with them.
The colossal trunk toppled with earth-shaking force, flattening huge swathes of forest and crushing unlucky Grimoire Heart soldiers and Voidmites beneath it.
Its sprawling crown smashed into the surrounding sea, whipping up fierce winds and sending towering waves crashing outward.
What looked like the fall of a single tree was, in truth, the impact of a natural disaster.
The whole of Tenrou Island shuddered violently. Countless animals bolted in panic, birds scattered from their destroyed nests, and even the fish, shrimp, and crabs in the shallows were hurled into the air by the shockwaves.
Across the island, Fairy Tail members stared in stunned disbelief. Once they ruled out the possibility of Natsu's involvement, there was only one conclusion, they were under enemy attack.
But none had time to dwell on it before they felt the magic power in their bodies gush away like water from a shattered dam.
Natsu, fresh from defeating Zancrow and heading back toward the camp with Happy, caught sight of the Tenrou Tree's fall. He barely had time to steady himself against the tremors when his strength vanished.
In an instant, he was sprawled flat on the ground, unable to rise, while Happy's wings disappeared mid-flight, sending him tumbling into the dirt.
"Damn it… what's going on?"
"Natsu… I can't move."
Elsewhere, Erza was locked in a vicious clash with Ultear, fighting in a reckless rhythm, trading her own injuries and armor for the chance to inflict more damage, relying on her vast arsenal and unyielding resolve to deal blow after blow.
By the time she re-equipped into her Clear Sky Robe and drew the blade, ready for a desperate final assault, the earth's violent shuddering split the ground beneath them. Both she and Ultear were forced to retreat in search of stable footing.
But before Erza could even regain her stance, her magic drained away completely. Her body had no strength left; she crumpled to the ground, the sword planted beside her like a silent sentinel.
"My magic power…" she thought, her breathing ragged. She didn't know the cause, only that it was disastrous. Losing her magic at such a time was as good as signing her own death warrant.
"So… Azuma finally made his move?" Ultear muttered, battered but breathing a faint sigh of relief. She also felt the clock ticking faster now.
Azuma's action was clearly by the Master's design, proof that the plan had reached its final phase. If she didn't secure Zeref now, she might never again have the chance to claim him for herself.
Compared to that, Erza's life or death meant nothing. She needed to locate Meredy immediately.
But Meredy had already fallen.
Even with magic and skill at the level of Fairy Tail's S-Class, she could not withstand many strikes from Gildarts.
Especially not Gildarts in a fury over his daughter's injuries.
Yet victory came at a cost. After defeating Meredy, both father and daughter collapsed to the ground. Even the immense reserves of Gildarts's magic, far beyond those of ordinary mages, had been stripped away completely.
Now, the pain he felt was sharper than Cana's.
Meanwhile, on the coast, Makarov, having just left the First Master's grave with Carla, was hurrying back after learning of the enemy's move.
They hadn't gotten far when they crossed paths with Mest and Lahar, both arriving urgently to seek his aid.
Although displeased with the Council's methods, Makarov set off toward the coastal camp without hesitation, intending to save the Council's forces if he could.
In his original plan, as long as he used Fairy Law once to push back most of the enemies outside Tenrou Island and confirmed Zeref's situation, the S-Class Mage Promotion Exam could still continue.
The children had worked so hard for this and looked forward to it for so long. Makarov truly didn't want to let them down.
For their sake, he had even altered the rules, allowing more than one candidate to pass.
Anyone who dared to cause trouble at such a crucial time and trample on their dreams would have to answer to Fairy Law. That was how Makarov had always been, if the enemy was strong enough, numerous enough, and truly harmed the children, his first instinct was to unleash that ultimate magic.
It was the same with Jose of Phantom Lord. If Rhodes hadn't dealt with him first, Makarov would have gladly shown him the light of Fairy Law.
It was the same in Edolas, where Rhodes had fought the entire kingdom for days, guarding the magic crystal he had become and working tirelessly to create a defense plan for Magnolia. Makarov hadn't said anything at the time, but it had broken his heart. So now, with his quick temper, the moment he saw an enemy threatening the guild, he wanted to clear the battlefield in an instant.
Side effects? What side effects?
If his children were bullied, he didn't care in the slightest.
The impulsive troublemakers in the guild had all grown up under his care, none of them were strangers to recklessness.
And today, those who dared to crush the children's dreams and block their growth could go straight to hell.
When he spotted the massive battleship floating offshore, Makarov instantly grew into a towering giant, taking the stance to cast Fairy Law. As always, he gave his warning:
"According to Fairy Tail's judgment, I'll give you three counts."
Golden light flared between his colossal palms, making him seem almost divine.
Behind him, Lahar and Mest stared wide-eyed.
Such holy radiance, such overwhelming magic power, the legendary Fairy Law, passed down through generations of Fairy Tail Masters. At that moment, both were certain the battle was already won.
But before Makarov could finish speaking, a figure stepped out from the airship, Hades, Master of Grimoire Heart.
The man mirrored Makarov's stance almost exactly.
From his palms shone not gold, but a deep, ominous purple-black light, its power no less than Makarov's own.
And what came next shocked them even more.
"Stop it, boy. This magic is one of deterrence, not something to throw around lightly," Hades said in the tone of a mentor rebuking a student. "If you continue, the result will be something neither of us wishes to see."
Makarov's face drained of color, not because the enemy wielded the same magic, but because he recognized that face.
Even after decades, he still remembered the lessons taught to him in his youth.
The golden and purple light faded away. Hades smiled faintly.
"Long time no see, boy."
"Second Generation… Master Precht." Makarov could hardly believe that the man who had once guided him was now the Master of Grimoire Heart.
If Makarov was shocked, then Mest and Lahar were utterly thunderstruck, as though a lightning bolt had struck their minds.
Hades, the Master of Grimoire Heart, the most powerful of the three great Balam Alliance guilds, was once Fairy Tail's Second Master?!
What kind of joke is this?