On the Grimoire Heart airship…
Ultear finished changing into her combat gear.
Zancrow remarked with surprise, "Wow, Ultear's fired up for once."
Capricorn folded his goatlike arms. "Of course. We'll treat this like a true war. Fairy Tail isn't just any guild—it's said to be the strongest official guild in all of Ishgar, not like the small-fry we've crushed before."
Rustyrose gave a dramatic flourish. "Indeed. We head for a paradise of battle."
Kain Hikaru muttered quickly, "M-me, me me me… I'm in too."
Meredy suddenly pointed ahead. "Ulu—over there!"
Ultear's brow twitched. "Don't call me Ulu."
"S-sorry," Meredy quickly apologized, head bowed.
"Don't be so tense," Zancrow said, flickers of black flame dancing along his body. "What were you saying, Meredy?"
"I can see it—the Fairy's island."
The entire crew of Grimoire Heart peered forward and beheld Tenrou Island's unique shape. Yet, before they could take it in properly, an immense figure loomed, blocking their view. Everyone froze.
"What is that…?"
"A giant?"
"You're kidding…"
"So huge…!"
Even the Seven Kin of Purgatory stared in shock. It was a gargantuan form, on the same scale as the island itself. No one on the ship had seen anything so colossal.
"Makarov…" Hades murmured, narrowing his eyes at the silhouette. A wry smile tugged at his lips.
Standing like a living mountain, Makarov glared at the Grimoire Heart airship with imposing majesty.
"You will go no further," he declared.
"Hmpf!" With a cold snort, he thrust his fist at Grimoire Heart's flying battleship.
**Crack—!!!**
Part of the armored ship shattered under the giant's blow.
"Gyaaa!"
"Damage to starboard!!"
"That reinforced plating just got torn off like paper?!"
"How is this possible?!"
Makarov clenched his other hand into a fist and swung at the airship again.
"Full speed!" someone on board shouted, and the dark vessel lurched back, dodging just in time to avoid Makarov's second punch.
Hades issued an order in a calm voice. "Magic Cluster Cannon—Jupiter! Fire."
A focused burst of magical energy blasted from the airship, striking Makarov's raised arm.
**Boom—!!!**
He winced as it wounded him, teeth gritting at the pain. "Rrrgh!"
But in retaliation, Makarov kicked out, sending a shockwave that nearly knocked the entire ship out of the sky.
"Ngah… The ship—!"
"Such monstrous power! Is that the real strength of Makarov?!"
"It's insane!"
Onboard, Hades stood unshaken. "Ultear."
"Yes," she responded at once, raising a hand. "Arc of Time!"
Immediately, the warped plating and shattered hull seemed to revert through time, the metal reassembling itself until the airship looked whole again.
Turning to Capricorn, Hades said, "Capricorn, take the rest to the island. I'll handle Makarov."
"Understood, Master Hades." Capricorn stretched out his arms, and with a single motion, the majority of Grimoire Heart's forces vanished—teleported or carried off to Tenrou Island.
In the distance, Makarov rumbled, "There's no escape. I won't let you set one foot on that shore!"
Cupping a massive palm, he gathered a torrent of magical energy, its radiance growing brighter by the second.
"According to the Fairy Tail tradition, I'll give you just enough time to repent."
Hades observed, then conjured an aura of his own—a dark spell akin to Makarov's but glowing with sinister black energy.
"It's been some time since we've both seen these spells," he mused. "If you unleash Fairy Law, then I shall cast the Grimoire Law. Both of us would be badly off… If you still choose to fire, we'll reach the worst outcome for us both."
Makarov faltered. He recognized that magic. Grim understanding dawned on his face, and the gleaming magic in his palm slowly faded.
Seeing that, the opposing dark aura in Hades' hand likewise vanished, giving Makarov a clear view of his adversary's face.
Aghast, Makarov realized who it was.
"Hades… Y-you…?"
The older man gave a cold smile. "It's been a long time, child."
Makarov's expression froze in shock. "So it's really you, Master Precht… The second master of Fairy Tail—who vanished decades ago."
Pale and trembling, Makarov demanded, "Why have you joined the Dark Guild?"
Hades brushed off the question. "Why do you cling to trivial labels like 'light' and 'dark'? There is no absolute good or evil. It's all intangible."
"That's not so!" Makarov roared. "No matter what, the spirit of Fairy Tail will never change."
"Heh. You've grown quite the speechmaker, kiddo," Hades teased. "But I see you haven't learned enough. My mind's made up: I'm going to annihilate Fairy Tail with my own hands."
Makarov's fists tightened, rage burning in his eyes. "I won't let you succeed!"
"Oh? Going to fight me, boy?" Hades said mockingly.
Though Makarov was well past his prime, he refused to yield. The fate of Fairy Tail—and Tenrou Island—hung in the balance.