"You can do it now, can't you, Erza?"
Erza's eyes were firm, her voice unwavering. "Yes."
Simon nodded slowly, emotion flickering behind his calm tone. "I've been waiting for this moment… the moment when powerful wizards gather together like this."
"Damn right," Natsu growled, fire igniting in his eyes. "I'll make Jellal pay for this. Making Erza cry— that's something I'll never forgive!"
Kael looked around at the group, their determination burning like fire. He raised his hand, a calm smile on his lips. "Then let's go. It's time for the Tower of Heaven to disappear from history."
With a wave of his arm, golden light flared beneath their feet. A vast magic circle spread out, humming with energy.
"W-What is this?" Sho exclaimed, eyes wide.
"This is Kael's teleportation magic!" Happy explained proudly from Natsu's shoulder, his wings fluttering. "We'll reach the Tower of Heaven in no time!"
Kael's expression hardened, his gaze turning toward the horizon. Jellal… your plan was doomed the moment it began. Without the Etherion cannon, what power do you have left now?
Meanwhile, on the Tower of Heaven island…
"Lord Jellal! You're back! But… why are you alone? Where are Sho and the others? Didn't you bring Erza?"
Jellal's expression darkened. "The mission failed. Prepare yourselves. The final battle is about to begin."
His aura radiated rage — seething, poisonous hatred. Kael had destroyed eight years of planning in mere hours. That was something Jellal could never forgive.
He vanished in a blur of light, reappearing in the tower's deepest chamber. Seated upon his throne, he extended his senses toward the Magic Council — toward his other self, Siegrain — to monitor the state of the meeting.
The three "Trinity Raven" assassins exchanged uneasy glances before dispersing to their defensive positions, spreading across the island's perimeter.
At the Magic Council Headquarters
"Siegrain," one of the Council members began coldly, "as decided in the previous meeting, Kael has been approved to handle the Tower of Heaven incident. Your proposal was rejected."
"Yes," another councilor added. "Now you're trying to reopen the discussion? Unless you have new information, our answer remains the same."
Siegrain — or rather, Jellal — sat silently, his expression unreadable.
"Wait," he said finally, his voice sharp. "Do any of you actually understand what's happening right now?"
"This again, Siegrain?" one councilor sighed. "We've already considered every angle."
"Considered?" Jellal snapped, his voice rising. "While you sit here debating, the Tower is overflowing with dark magic! Do you have any idea what he's trying to awaken?"
The councilors froze. His words carried real terror — and conviction.
"What do you mean?" one demanded. "Siegrain, who is he trying to resurrect?"
Jellal exhaled slowly, lowering his gaze as though burdened by the truth. "I didn't reveal this earlier… because if word got out, it would cause mass panic across the continent."
The council chamber fell silent.
"But now… I have no choice."
He looked up, eyes gleaming. "The one he seeks to awaken is—"
SLAM!
The great doors burst open, echoing through the chamber.
"It's Zeref, isn't it?"
All eyes turned as Kael's projected form — his thought-body — stepped calmly into the center of the room. His golden eyes locked onto Siegrain's. "That's the secret you've been so desperate to hide, isn't it?"
"You—!" Jellal's composure cracked for an instant.
The councilors were struck speechless.
"Zeref…" one whispered, trembling. Sweat ran down their faces. The name alone was enough to drain the color from their skin.
Zeref — the most powerful and most feared dark wizard in history. The cursed mage who created demons with ease, whose magic could annihilate entire civilizations.
"If that's true," one councilor stammered, "then Kael alone might not be enough."
"Indeed," another agreed nervously. "Perhaps… we should use Etherion — the Council's full magical arsenal."
The suggestion spread like wildfire among the seats.
"So?" Jellal pressed, feigning urgency. "Will you authorize Etherion or not?!"
The chamber fell into tense silence. This was a decision that could change the future of the entire continent — a choice between caution and annihilation.
Kael crossed his arms, a faint smirk on his lips. "Your acting really is impressive, Jellal. Look at them — you've got every one of these fools dancing in the palm of your hand. Bravo. Really."
His laughter filled the hall, rich and mocking. "If this were another world, you'd win yourself an Academy Award."
"Jellal?" one councilor blinked in confusion. "Kael, what do you mean?"
Kael's laughter deepened.
Then, as the room fell silent again, Siegrain looked up — and the polite mask was gone. His face twisted with hatred and madness.
"Hmph. Since it's come to this," he sneered, "there's no need to pretend anymore!"
His voice turned dark, venomous. "You're right, Kael. I am Jellal. And I've had enough of this farce. The Magic Council can crumble for all I care!"
The air trembled as his body began to dissolve, fading into light.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "So it's come to this…"
The councilors finally realized the horrifying truth — the man sitting among them all along was the same Jellal they had been discussing.
But it was too late.
The Collapse
BOOM!
The ground shook violently. Cracks raced across the marble floor.
"Ultear— you!" Council Chairman Yajima gasped.
The woman beside him smiled faintly, her hands glowing with the power of the Arc of Time. "This is all for Lord Siegrain— no… for Lord Jellal. Since the world denied his dream, then let it all rot to dust."
The walls aged and crumbled in seconds, the entire structure collapsing under its own decay. The councilors cried out, losing their footing—
But before the tower fell completely, Kael raised his hand. A surge of divine light burst outward, wrapping the councilors in gold and teleporting them to safety.
Ultear disappeared beneath the falling debris — though her expression held no fear.
It was all part of the plan — a ruse she and Kael had orchestrated to fake her downfall, allowing her to leave the Council undetected and keep Hades from suspecting her loyalties.
As the ruins settled, Kael stood among the dust for a final moment, his eyes glowing faintly.
Then, with the council's desperate pleas echoing behind him, his form shimmered — vanishing from the ruined chamber.
In the next heartbeat, Kael's presence reappeared on the island of the Tower of Heaven, his cloak fluttering in the sea breeze.
The final confrontation had begun.
...
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