pre-war conference

Facing Cana's questioning, both Jellal and Ultear found themselves momentarily speechless.

It was well-known that Jellal had been a wanted man by the Council for a long time. Although Makarov trusted them, convincing other Fairy Tail mages was not something that could be easily achieved in a few words.

Moreover, they had no close ties with the people present, and those familiar with them, like Erza and others who entered the Celestial Spirit World, had not returned yet. To the majority of Fairy Tail members, Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy were practically strangers, making their words seem feeble and unconvincing.

Realizing this, Jellal couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated.

At this moment, Ultear, who had been silent, spoke up. With a mysterious smile, she addressed Cana, "We won't deny the sins we committed in the past. It doesn't matter how you perceive us."

Her expression seemed genuinely indifferent, and her tone was casual.

"However, our goal is the complete eradication of the Seven Wicked Sins. The difference lies in our desire to completely defeat them, while you all wish to rescue the imprisoned Cardin."

Pausing for a moment, Ultear then resumed, her expression becoming serious.

"Sometimes, words alone are not enough. Let us speak through actions. Even if we have some conspiracy, nearly all of Fairy Tail is here. Are you afraid, then?"

While her words were somewhat piercing, Cana felt reassured by Ultear's statement. Indeed, with them keeping an eye on the situation, these three individuals couldn't cause much trouble.

Moreover, rescuing Cardin was the common goal of all Fairy Tail members. Even if there were suspicions about the trio's motives, they wouldn't back down, and there was no reason to.

Cana's question was merely a cautious one, not a genuine suspicion. Of course, she would maintain the necessary vigilance.

Seeing that the potential conflict was about to be resolved, Jellal breathed a sigh of relief and spoke, "Let's move on now. This is not the place for discussion."

Makarov nodded in understanding and gestured to the others. The group followed Jellal's trio, taking a few turns and arriving at a secluded building.

The building appeared a bit aged and rundown from the outside, but Jellal nonchalantly pushed the door open, revealing a spacious hall.

"Let's regroup here for the night. Nighttime operations are not favorable for us. We'll rest here tonight, and tomorrow morning, we launch our attack!" Jellal announced as he entered. Ultear and Meredy followed closely.

Makarov, without saying anything, followed suit. As the others saw their Guild Master not objecting, they entered the hall as well.

The hall was furnished quite simply, with basic tables, chairs, and a bar. It had the atmosphere of a Mage Guild, but the furniture looked quite old and worn out, indicating long neglect.

"This used to be the headquarters of the Giant Clan, a Mage Guild. However, after the Seven Wicked Sins settled here, the guild was quickly crushed, and they moved to another city," Jellal explained briefly, seeing varied reactions from the group. After the explanation, a moment of silence followed.

Everyone was unfamiliar with each other, and Jellal felt a bit awkward, unsure of what to say. An awkward feeling crept into his heart.

However, Fairy Tail members were a sociable bunch, feeling no stranger to each other. After a couple of comments, they all took out food and drinks, enjoying their dinner. The atmosphere became lively, and Ultear and Meredy looked at each other in surprise.

"Don't mind it; this is how we are," Laxus said with a light smile. His rugged face gave off an awkward feeling; in simple terms, he was not suited for such gentle expressions.

Jellal nodded and took out his prepared food from the cupboard. Ultear and Meredy also began to eat.

At this moment, Panther Lily approached the three of them, his cute cat face bearing a serious expression. He carefully examined Jellal's face.

"What's wrong?" Jellal felt uneasy being stared at and asked.

"Nothing. It's just that I haven't seen this face for a while. Just feeling a bit sentimental," Panther Lily explained.

"Is this Gerald from Edolas?" Ultear asked with interest.

As a former member of the Legion Corps and a former Council member, Ultear naturally knew some things that ordinary people did not. She was aware of Edolas' existence and couldn't help but be curious about the other Jellal.

Panther Lily nodded and continued to look at Jellal's face for a while before sighing softly and leaving.

Clearly, this tough guy was feeling homesick.

After the noisy dinner, Makarov cleared his throat heavily, drawing everyone's attention.

"I hope everyone has eaten well," he began with a relaxed tone, and everyone responded loudly, giving Makarov face.

Then, his expression became serious, and a powerful aura enveloped the hall.

"Now, let's hear the intelligence gathered by Jellal and his team. Pay attention, you bunch of rascals!"

Makarov's friendly punches were a privilege exclusive to Natsu, who hadn't been punched by him in over two months. Makarov seemed to be itching for a fight.

Jellal, hearing this, calmly stood up. After scanning the room, he spoke with a serious expression.

"After ten days of investigation, we have obtained a considerable amount of information about the Seven Wicked Sins."

"Among them, it can be confirmed that the mages known as the Seven Sins are all summoning beasts of Cardin!"

"Moreover, each summoning beast's strength surpasses that of Cardin when he controls them individually."

As this was said, everyone started discussing. The people here were the ones who understood Cardin's strength the best. Although he excelled in simultaneously controlling three summoning beasts, no one could deny that each summoning beast reached its maximum potential when individually controlled by Cardin.

The discussions did not interrupt Jellal's words. He continued, "Although we haven't completely figured out which seven summoning beasts are the Seven Sins, we have confirmed the identities of four."

"Dark Mage, Dragon Slayer Swordsman, True Crimson-Eyed Black Dragon, and Dark Knight Gaia. These four guys' strength, I believe you all know best. Don't harbor any illusions, and the remaining ones are definitely not easy to deal with."

This statement shocked everyone even more. The four summoning beasts mentioned by Jellal were the most powerful cards of Cardin. Each one could rival an S-class mage in strength.

Makarov, hearing this, blinked with a glint in his eyes. After pondering for a moment, he looked at Cana, who appeared uneasy, and asked seriously.

"Cana, you know Cardin the best here. Do you know if he has any other powerful summoning beasts?"

Upon hearing the inquiry, Cana's expression didn't look pleasant, revealing a considerable amount of worry. In fact, her knowledge of Cardin was the reason for such a look.