Chapter 70: He Is Not

In order to confirm his suspicion, Laxus challenged Erza to a duel.

Having never fought Laxus before, Erza agreed to his request.

Laxus' talent and desire for victory far exceeded Erza's expectations. Though initially suppressed by Erza's Heaven Wheel Armor, Laxus unleashed his sealed Dragon Slayer Magic of lightning. His already imposing figure, standing over 190 centimeters, grew even larger.

"Roar of the Thunder Dragon!!!"

"Dragon Star Cannon!"

Erza swiftly re-equipped with her Heavenly Sound Dragon Armor and fired the Dragon Star Cannon from her palm. The two blasts of energy collided in mid-air, ending in a massive explosion.

Erza was shocked: "You're a Dragon Slayer?!"

She had known Laxus for about four years now and had never seen him use this ability.

Laxus wore a disdainful expression: "The old man wouldn't let me use it, always nagging."

"Master Makarov must have had good reasons for that."

Hearing this, Laxus roared again and charged at Erza.

"???"

Erza was utterly confused.

Is it me, or is it you that has a problem?

What she didn't realize was that she had just hit a nerve with Laxus.

However, their battle remained unresolved. While in mid-air, Laxus seemed to crash into an invisible wall and fell to the ground.

Reaching out to touch the wall, Laxus felt a sense of dread: "This... this is magic power... How could there be such overwhelming magic power…?"

The invisible wall in front of Laxus was actually created by Selene, formed from her nearly tangible magic power.

Erza, dismissing her armor, glanced at Selene, who had suddenly appeared beside her: "What brings you here?"

"I sensed the magic of a Dragon Slayer."

After answering Erza, Selene turned her emotionless gaze toward Laxus: "Where did you get your Dragon Slayer Magic?"

Feeling the immense magic power radiating from Selene, which even far surpassed Makarov's, Laxus dared not act rashly and truthfully responded: "My father implanted the Thunder Dragon Slayer lacrima in me when I was seven."

Selene rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

Erza whispered to Selene: "He's about nineteen now."

"Over a decade ago... it's no longer relevant."

Initially, upon hearing that Laxus had Dragon Slayer lacrima in his body, Selene had considered questioning him further, thinking it might provide some clues about Hades. But after realizing that it had been eleven years, she decided there was no point in pursuing the matter.

As for taking the lacrima from Laxus, Selene wasn't interested. She knew that Erza, standing beside her, would never agree to such a thing.

"Continue if you wish," Selene said nonchalantly before returning to the mansion.

"Do you want to keep going? I'm happy to oblige."

"No."

Laxus shook his head, picked up his coat, and turned to leave.

After witnessing Selene's power, his battle with Erza no longer mattered. Even if he were to defeat her, it would be like a child's game in comparison.

"By the way, is she the strongest?" Laxus suddenly asked as he walked away.

Erza shook her head: "No, there's someone even stronger."

"I see..." Laxus nodded slightly before continuing on his way.

"Weird..." Erza tilted her head, puzzled.

———

On the Western Continent, in the capital of the Alvarez Empire, Vistarion—

Leaning on a cane, the hunchbacked minister Yajil and the energetic August stood on the palace's viewing platform, watching the crowd below.

"Ohhhh!!!"

"The Emperor Spriggan has arrived—"

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!!!"

"We were just talking about His Majesty, and now he's returned. How long has it been since the last time? With age catching up to me… Yet His Majesty still looks as young as ever. Truly enviable."

Yajil couldn't help but sigh as he gazed at Zeref's eternally youthful face. When he had first joined the Alvarez Empire decades ago, Zeref had looked just the same. Now, Yajil was old and frail, but Zeref remained unchanged.

August and Yajil had just been discussing how long it had been since the emperor last returned.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty."

"I'm back. August, is what you told me true?"

It was August's message that had brought Zeref back from his isolated dwelling on an uninhabited island all the way to the Western Continent.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Black Dragon has grown stronger... and Irene has left."

During August's two encounters with Acnologia over the past month, he had sensed the dragon's increase in power.

"The Black Dragon... has grown stronger." Zeref's previously calm expression tightened slightly, and his voice lost its usual composure.

Irene's departure was not nearly as shocking compared to the news of the Black Dragon's growing strength.

Over the past four centuries, Zeref had fought Acnologia several times. His proud black magic had been useless against the dragon, and even the curse of Ankhseram, which he bore, had no effect on Acnologia. As an immortal being, he had naturally become one of Acnologia's toys...

"Also, the world itself has undergone changes."

Zeref nodded slightly: "I noticed that too. At that time, I sensed shifts in the earth and the atmosphere, but the changes in the ocean were even greater."

"But, Your Majesty, if I may speak frankly, the Black Dragon I encountered is not the one you described."

"What do you mean?"

"The Black Dragon seems... approachable, and his appearance does not match your description."

"Approachable?" Zeref recalled his previous encounters with Acnologia.

It was possible to communicate with him, but only if the dragon was in the mood.

"Reddish-brown hair..."

Just the first trait already differed from the blue-haired figure Zeref knew.

"No blue tattoos on his face..."

"And Irene?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Irene left with the Black Dragon."

"Left? With whom?" For the first time, shock appeared on Zeref's face, freezing him in place.

Zeref wondered if he had misheard: "August, say that again."

Realizing the significance of Zeref's reaction, August repeated each word carefully: "Irene left with the Black Dragon."

Zeref shook his head firmly: "Impossible! Impossible!"

August, perplexed by Zeref's reaction, asked: "Why is that?"

"Irene is a Dragon Slayer who has already transformed into a dragon. Acnologia's goal has always been to kill both dragons and Dragon Slayers. There's no way Acnologia would let Irene live."

August furrowed his brows deeply: "But... based on what I witnessed in Agastya City, the Black Dragon didn't kill Irene."

Zeref closed his eyes, took a slow, deep breath, and then opened them again:

"There's only one possibility left: he... isn't Acnologia."