"This magic… no wonder it's Jelf…"
Kael felt Jelf's power. The chill, the aura of death and decay—it made him shiver with awe. If the goddess hadn't imbued his magic with a sacred light, he wouldn't have been able to resist it.
Kael frowned and poured every ounce of his magic into his hand, a surge of golden light flaring brilliantly.
At that moment, the two opposing magics reached a critical threshold.
White light exploded.
"Boom~" Smoke rose in thick clouds.
Through the haze, a single streak of gold shone with extraordinary brilliance. Jelf seemed entranced, staring blankly, failing to move away immediately.
As the smoke slowly cleared, the surroundings appeared as if two worlds had collided.
One half was dead silent—trees and flowers withered, turning to ash in the wind, not a trace of life remaining.
The other half thrived, untouched by death, every plant and tree as vibrant as ever.
"What kind of person… is he…"
"This… deathly stillness…"
"So close… so close! Thankfully Kael arrived in time!"
"Ai~ Nazu, are you alright?!"
Kael and Arakane stared in disbelief. Half of the area was untouched, while the other half had become a desolate wasteland. Their gaze ultimately fell on Jelf, who remained motionless, their eyes locked tightly on him.
Habi flapped her tiny wings, flying to Nazu's side in concern.
But Nazu's eyes were fixed on Jelf. That hollow gaze, the endless tears streaming down, stirred an inexplicable agitation deep within him.
"This world… still refuses to accept me…"
"But… now…"
Jelf lifted his head slightly, watching leaves drift with the wind. His gaze finally settled on Kael, and a faint, calm smile spread across his face.
Though Jelf's expression relaxed slightly, Kael remained tense, golden light blazing around him, shielding Arakane and the others. His eyes never left Jelf.
The first priority now was to move Jelf away—ideally transporting him beyond the island's borders. This long-distance teleportation was risky; Jelf was, after all, the legendary and dangerous Dark Mage.
If he waited any longer, the black dragon could be drawn to this place. Kael could not allow even that possibility.
Though everyone carried regrets in life, the pain of such loss cut deeply. Seven years lost. Those left behind endured unspeakable suffering. Ultimately, someone must guide them through it. As vast as the sea is, there is always a boat to ferry them.
The unspoken love for one's father—true closure only comes when expressed face-to-face.
At that thought, magic surged through Kael, coursing across his skin as dragon scales began to appear.
"Kael… you…"
Nazu, closest to him, saw the scales forming on Kael's face, his eyes widening in shock. Until now, he had never realized Kael was also a Dragon Slayer Mage.
"Prepare yourself. The real trial may start now…"
Kael raised his hand to the sky. A brilliant light shot upward.
"Boom~" The Fairy Tail insignia blazed like fireworks in the sky.
At the same instant, Kael dashed in front of Jelf. The golden light blinded him.
His right foot glowed with radiant power. A kick at light speed, thrusting upward with all his strength. Jelf was sent hurtling into the sky. Kael brought his hands together, forming a massive golden magic circle in the sky.
"Seal!"
Five golden dragons roared from the circle, surrounding Jelf, forming a pentagonal transparent barrier. Four chains bound his hands and feet.
From beginning to end, Jelf did not resist. Yet the black magic within him roared violently, as though confronting a mortal enemy.
"Whoosh~" The golden barrier rippled under the pressure, each force countering the other.
Kael's eyes narrowed. Truly, this was Jelf—and the blessing of the Death Goddess was no ordinary power.
In an instant, Kael vanished, appearing beside Jelf. Placing his hands on the transparent shield, the five dragons merged with it, forming a totem-like pattern across each face. The main goal: sever Jelf's aura, preventing the spread of his deathly energy.
"You are dangerous. You can't stay here, or that black dragon will come…"
"Is that so~? But I wonder if he can even kill me…" Jelf's expression flickered at Kael's words. His eyes slowly turned red, a twisted longing for death gleaming in them. Black magic surged forth, eating away at the chains and the golden barrier.
"Damn… there's no time to waste!"
Kael cursed under his breath, focusing all his strength to suppress Jelf, expanding his Observation Haki to its absolute limit. He fought tirelessly to send Jelf far away. Sweat beaded on his forehead. With a sharp blink, Kael and Jelf disappeared in an instant.
At the same moment…
"Dark Guild—Demon Heart is approaching. Prepare. Adjust the trial parameters. Kill all Demon Heart members except Ulutia!" The message reached the minds of the Fairy Tail guild members on the island.
Makarov, who had been sitting at the grave of the First Guildmaster, now stood. "Kael… you were right! I never thought this would actually happen!"
"Second Guildmaster… it's really you! Even you… if you try to harm my family, I will kill you here!"
The S-rank mages at the camp readied themselves, their gazes fixed eagerly on the approaching Demon Heart forces.
"Looks like the difficulty of this trial just doubled!"
"Yes… the final battle is coming. This is a great opportunity."
"Second Guildmaster, no one is getting in my way! This time, the victory is mine!"
Laxus grinned, electricity crackling around him, anticipation written all over his face. He felt as if the incoming opponent was already within his grasp.
When the trial was first announced, Kael had already speculated that Demon Heart might invade Sirius Isle in search of the legendary Jelf.
The Guildmaster had been furious but calmed when realizing it was the Second Guildmaster of Fairy Tail, deciding to prepare carefully.
No S-rank mage had left after the trial began.
Meanwhile, Demon Heart laughed heartily, completely unaware of the preparations waiting for them. They intended to show Fairy Tail the true face of darkness.