Jose lay on the ground, his deep purple robes stained with dark red blood.
A bowl-sized hole gaped in his chest, its edges writhing with streams of dark red data—a wound caused by the corrosive energy left behind by the Dark Gaia Force.
Ace walked up to him, looking down at the dying Ten Wizard Saint.
"What a pathetic sight for a loser," Ace said calmly.
Jose's lips moved, but only a few mouthfuls of dark red blood spilled out.
Ace looked away and sank his consciousness deep into his mind and a cold, mechanical voice sounded.
[Host detected to have defeated Ten Wizard Saint Jose Porla]
[Reward: Extracting the source power of the Seven Great Demon Lords...]
[Acquired: Beelzemon's Authority of "Gluttony"]
It wasn't a data core, nor was it summoning rights, but a direct bestowal of an "Authority."
The Seven Great Demon Lords each had their own role, governing a different "Original Sin."
The one Beelzemon governed was "Gluttony"—a terrifying ability to devour all data, energy, and even existence itself, converting it for its own use.
[Warning: The Authority of "Gluttony" is highly corrosive]
[Recommendation: Exercise caution upon first use.]
Just as the prompt faded, a cold and greedy will surged from the depths of Ace's soul.
It wasn't an injection of external power, but the activation of a certain "permission"—as if this power had been slumbering within him all along, only to be awakened now.
Ace took a deep breath, feeling the new, restless power stirring within him.
He turned his head, his gaze falling upon Jose.
Jose was the Guild Master of Phantom Lord and one of the Ten Wizard Saints, skilled in wielding immense dark magic.
The pressure of his magic power alone could cause physiological discomfort in ordinary wizards.
"Perfect," Ace muttered to himself. "I'll use you as an experiment."
He looked at CresGarurumon.
The brilliant golden, wolf-like Digimon immediately understood.
It stepped forward and hooked the back of Jose's neck with the blunt side of its Yellow Moon blade, lifting his entire body.
Jose seemed to sense that something terrible was about to happen, and his half-open eyes shot wide.
"You... what are you..." His voice was hoarse and broken, filled with incredulous terror.
Ace didn't answer.
He simply raised his right hand, palm aimed at Jose.
Then, he activated the newly acquired Authority.
"Gluttony... activate."
Jose's body began to tremble violently.
An invisible suction force emanated from Ace's palm, acting directly on the source of magic power within Jose.
Pure death magic surged out like a bursting dam, transforming into viscous streams of dark purple energy that flowed madly into Ace's palm!
"Argggggggggggghhhhh—!!!"
Jose let out a blood-curdling scream.
It was a tearing at the soul level—the foundation of magic he had spent his entire life training was being forcibly stripped away and devoured.
Ace's own sensations were just as intense.
A massive amount of death magic poured into his body.
It was a cold, decaying energy filled with negative emotions.
The moment it entered Ace, as if knowing it didn't belong, it began to violently assault his magic container.
Pain.
Unimaginable pain.
It was like countless ice needles coursing through his arms.
The negative emotions contained within the death magic—resentment, despair, madness—crashed against his consciousness like a tidal wave.
Ace gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.
But he didn't stop.
Because the Authority of Gluttony was at work.
That greedy power was actively "digesting" this foreign magic, breaking it down, purifying it, and converting it.
The process was excruciating, but it was working.
Jose's screams grew weaker and weaker.
His body shriveled at a visible rate.
His skin lost its luster, his muscles atrophied, and his bones became prominent.
His cheeks sank, his eye sockets deepened, and within moments, he looked like a skeleton draped in human skin.
Meanwhile, a strange phenomenon appeared around Ace.
His left hand glowed with a warm, golden light—his own cultivated magic power mixed with the properties of his Digital Soul.
His right hand, however, was shrouded in a layer of profound darkness—the death magic he had just absorbed, forcibly suppressed and refined by the Authority of Gluttony, appearing like a flowing, dark purple liquid.
Two completely opposite forces confronted and clashed on either side of his body, maintaining a fragile balance.
"Ugh..." Ace grunted, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
But at the same time, he could feel it—his power was skyrocketing!
It wasn't a simple increase in his total magic power, but a qualitative leap.
Finally, the last trace of death magic was extracted from Jose's body.
Jose had completely turned into a desiccated corpse.
His skin was stretched taut over his bones, his eye sockets were empty, and his mouth was agape.
Ace released his hand and staggered back two steps, gasping for breath.
The energy inside him felt like it was about to make him explode.
His original magic power and the dark magic in his right hand were crashing wildly within, each collision bringing a tearing pain.
"Your life's worth of magic power..." Ace wiped the blood from his mouth, looking at the dried corpse.
"Thanks for that."
Jose could no longer answer.
Only a lingering hatred was solidified on his face!
Ace endured the churning agony inside him, knowing he had to deal with this power immediately.
"I need... to train and control it," he gritted out. "It will take at least a few days..."
He then summoned Metalseadramon and looked at CresGarurumon. "Dispose of this corpse. Then return to the guild and tell the Master—I'm going to train for an indefinite period. No need for other details."
CresGarurumon looked at him worriedly, but it still nodded.
It picked up Jose's dried corpse, and with a flash of golden light, its figure disappeared into the shadows of the ruins.
Sakuyamon hurried forward to support the swaying Ace.
"Help me get to MetalSeadramon," Ace's voice was weak but firm.
Sakuyamon helped Ace leap onto MetalSeadramon's broad back.
"Let's go... to a remote, quiet place," he said in a low voice.
MetalSeadramon let out a low roar in response, its massive body soaring upward and flying toward the distant horizon.
Sakuyamon knelt behind Ace, waving her Vajra Staff to deploy a protective barrier while simultaneously calming his rampaging magic.
...
Two hours later, at the ruins of the Fairy Tail guild.
In the temporary camp, Master Makarov's expression was grave after hearing CresGarurumon's report.
"Training?" the old man repeated the word. "He just said training, nothing about what for? Or where he went?"
CresGarurumon shook its head, its eyes filled with worry.
Makarov understood the simple message conveyed through its gaze; he guessed that Ace was in an unstable state and needed time to adjust.
He was silent for a long time before sighing.
"That child, he's so troublesome."
Just then, CresGarurumon suddenly raised its head, its ears perked up.
Its keen senses had detected magical fluctuations in the distance—people from the Council were approaching.
It turned to Makarov, a sharp glint in its eyes.
Though no words were spoken, the meaning was clear: if the Council didn't know what was good for them, it would take action.
Makarov looked at the wolf-like Digimon that had already grown into a monster, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
He reached out and gently patted CresGarurumon's shoulder.
"How many years has it been..." the old man said softly. "Back when Ace first came to the guild, the first Digimon he summoned was Gabumon."
"You were so small and fluffy back then, you made everyone very curious about you."
His gaze grew distant. "You were Gabumon back then, then you evolved into Garurumon, and later... you became the CresGarurumon you are now."
"When you get old, you always lament how fast time flies. You Digimon grow up so fast too."
Makarov smiled, a smile filled with both relief and sentiment.
"Don't worry, the guild is a home. When family is in trouble, we old folks are still here."
Before he could finish, a series of hurried footsteps approached.
"Master! This is bad!" Levy rushed into the camp, holding a document stamped with the Council's seal.
"The Council is here! They say they're here to arrest Ace!"
Everyone in the tent paled simultaneously.
Makarov stood up, his small frame erupting with astonishing presence.
He glanced at CresGarurumon, gave a slight nod, and then strode out of the tent.
Outside, a dozen wizards in the white uniforms of the Council were already standing in formation.
Their leader was a middle-aged man with a monocle and an expression as rigid as a stone carving, a Council Enforcement Unit badge pinned to his chest.
"I am Lahar, captain of the Fourth Enforcement Unit of the Magic Council." The man presented his credentials and an arrest warrant, his voice as cold and hard as a machine.
"In accordance with Articles 7 and 23 of the Wizard Guild Management Act and the Special Protection Ordinance for the Ten Wizard Saints, we are now arresting Fairy Tail guild member Ace for multiple felonies. Please hand him over immediately."
"Ridiculous!" Natsu was the first to jump out, his fists igniting with flames. "Phantom Lord attacked us first! Ace was acting in self-defense! That Jose guy got what he deserved!"
Gray's hands frosted over, his eyes cold. "Since when did the Council become so efficient? They're always dragging their feet when dealing with dark guilds, but they're quick to arrest one of their own."
Lahar remained unmoved, his gaze behind the monocle sweeping over the crowd.
"Jose Porla was one of the Ten Wizard Saints. The evidence is conclusive—multiple witnesses have confirmed that Ace fought Jose, though the outcome of the battle is unknown."
He paused, his tone becoming even sterner. "If a Wizard Saint was killed, the perpetrator must face judgment. Hand over Ace immediately, or else—"
"Or else what?" Makarov stepped out of the tent, his aged eyes staring directly at Lahar.
"Or else you'll lay a hand on a member of my Fairy Tail family?"
Lahar fell silent.
The man before him was also one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
"Master Makarov, please understand the Council's position." His tone softened slightly, but his stance remained firm.
"This matter has had too great an impact. Someone must be held responsible."
"If Ace is willing to cooperate with the investigation, he might receive a lighter sentence."
"He's not here," Makarov said flatly. "He's currently training somewhere."
"T-training? where?"
"No comment."
The atmosphere instantly tensed.
The Council wizards' hands moved to their weapons, and the members of Fairy Tail also took up fighting stances.
Lahar stared at Makarov for a long time before suddenly speaking.
"Master Makarov, you should be aware of the consequences of concealment."
"The Council's tracking magic is far stronger than you imagine. As long as Ace is not dead, we will find him."
Makarov's pupils constricted, but his face remained impassive.
"I. SAID. HE'S. NOT. HERE."
Lahar put away the warrant and turned.
"I'll give you three days to consider. At this time tomorrow, if you still haven't handed over Ace, the Council will officially issue an S-Class arrest warrant and freeze all of the Fairy Tail guild's operational privileges."
With that, he left with his subordinates.
Inside the tent, Makarov slowly sat down, a look of exhaustion on his face.
"Three days..." the old man murmured.
Erza tightened her grip on her sword hilt. "Master, we..."
"Wait," Makarov cut her off. "Wait for Ace to finish whatever his doing right now. But..."
He looked up, the light rekindling in his eyes.
"Fairy Tail will not hand over a single member of its family."
...
On the distant horizon, MetalSeadramon had already carried Ace and Sakuyamon into the mists at the boundary of space.
Ace was completely unaware of all this.
All his focus was on suppressing the two violent forces within him that were threatening to tear him apart.
His Digital Soul and magic power were fighting a desperate battle within him!
---------
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