Hades' expression gradually turned solemn as he saw Acnologia standing before him. Compared to Makarov and Laxus, this blue-haired man was the only one he couldn't see through.
The previous strike had left an insurmountable shadow in his mind; it was simply unbelievable.
He possessed infinite magic power, so how could someone he couldn't contend with possibly exist?
Acnologia chuckled softly, "What, don't plan on making a move? Or have you already realized you're no match for me?"
Hades' gaze turned cold. "Arrogant brat, then let me show you my strongest form, the Abyss of Magic!"
He removed his eyepatch, revealing a crimson right eye. It was as if a seal had been broken; his magic power surged violently, and a pillar of purple light shot into the sky from beneath his feet.
His long white hair flew back wildly, making him look imposing, like a Demon King descending upon the world.
"He was already strong enough, yet he's only using his full power now!"
The crowd in the distance watched with wide, shocked eyes. Such terrifying magic power could be felt as an oppressive weight even from so far away.
Purple magic surged around Hades as he spoke with a hint of madness, "Victory will belong to me in the end. With Zeref's awakening, the Great Magic World is about to emerge, and I will obtain the One Magic, truly reaching the Abyss of Magic."
"The One Magic?"
Acnologia let out a sneer. "At your age, you still believe in those things? What do you think the One Magic is?"
Hades' eyes narrowed. "It must be the power of absolute destruction and ruin! An absolutely invincible strength!"
Magic created by the most evil and sinister Black Wizard must surely be related to that.
Acnologia shook his head with a smile. "For someone who has chased him for so long, you still don't understand Zeref well enough."
"What did you say? I don't understand Zeref?"
Hades instantly flew into a rage. "I know every one of his deeds and every demon he ever created inside out."
"The One Magic is Love!"
"Love?"
Hades was completely dumbfounded. 'Good grief, you're actually trying to fool me with something so unreliable? Does a guy like Zeref have anything to do with love?'
"That's right!"
Acnologia said, "Zeref initially researched magic to resurrect his family. The first magic he ever created was a resurrection magic born out of love."
"But resurrecting the dead involves the gods, and thus he was cursed by the Ankhseram God, becoming an immortal being, while his family failed to be resurrected."
"He has never died in four hundred years. After resurrecting his deceased younger brother, he has been trying to commit suicide."
Seeing Acnologia's dead-serious expression, Hades inexplicably found himself believing it a little. He continued to ask, "Why suicide? Isn't immortality good?"
Who in this world doesn't want the ability to be immortal and indestructible? Even he was pursuing it. If it weren't for the Grimoire Heart sustaining him, he would have turned to ash long ago.
Acnologia continued, "Because of the Ankhseram God's curse, the more Zeref understands the preciousness of life, the more life he kills. In other words, Zeref can never have loved ones; everyone he loves will die."
"His lover, Mavis, the first master of Fairy Tail and your former comrade, was killed by Zeref's love."
"This curse caused him unbearable pain, so he worked hard to forget the preciousness of life and created many demons, wanting to kill himself, but all failed without exception."
"After wandering the continent alone for hundreds of years and finding no solution, he secluded himself on Tenrou Island for decades to avoid affecting life, until now."
After Acnologia finished his explanation, Hades' mouth hung open, unable to recover for a long time.
So the first master, Mavis, died because of Zeref, and it was because of love.
Could it be that the child he helped Mavis deliver back then was... Hades couldn't help but gasp. Such an outrageous story, yet it somehow felt reasonable.
Could his understanding of Zeref have been wrong all along?
Back then, he and Mavis had met Zeref together and learned dark magic. The power and terror of that magic had left him utterly obsessed and unable to extricate himself.
That was why he fell into darkness, all for the sake of Zeref's One Magic, to witness the true Abyss of Magic... and now Acnologia was actually telling him that the One Magic was love!
Hades absolutely could not accept this; it turned all his efforts into a joke.
What was the key he had spent so much effort to find to undo Zeref's seal?
A fun toy?
Hades suddenly erupted in fury, "No! You must be lying to me! Zeref must be a cruel demon, it couldn't be for something like love! I must go and ask him personally!"
"Don't imagine too much about those ancient stories; most of them are just fabrications."
Acnologia chuckled, "If you admit your mistakes and turn over a new leaf now, you'll still have a chance to ask Zeref. If you choose to continue being my enemy, I can't guarantee you'll stay alive."
"I've already come this far, I must see it for myself!"
Hades' gaze was icy as he extended his palm, and terrifying purple magic surged. "Books of Zeref, Chapter 4, Section 12, Inner Magic!"
"Nemesis!"
Purple magic, like flames, blanketed the ground. Giant purple demons condensed from clumps of earth stood behind Hades, letting out terrifying roars.
These demons emitted a dense, evil aura, cold and ruthless. Even the crowd watching from afar felt the terror.
"As long as my magic is strong enough, condensing demons isn't difficult. This is the legendary Inner Magic!"
Confidence appeared on Hades' face. "Demons, destroy him for me!"
As soon as he spoke, a black light flashed past, and all the demons were torn apart, turning back into clumps of earth.
Acnologia brushed the purple magic from his hands and walked toward Hades with a cold expression. "Don't make me laugh. You call these things demons?"
Hades looked shocked. "How is this possible?"
The demons he had spent a massive amount of magic to create were actually so fragile?
Acnologia's expression turned sharply cold. He appeared before Hades in an instant and punched him in the abdomen. Hades screamed and was sent flying like a cannonball for over a thousand meters, crashing violently into a mountainside.
*Pfft!*
Hades spat out a mouthful of old blood and fell directly to his knees.
His eyes widened. What a terrifying punch; it had nearly blown a hole through his abdomen.
"You think you're worthy of mentioning the Abyss of Magic?"
Acnologia arrived in an instant, grabbed him by the hair, and used overbearing strength to throw him another thousand meters. Even with his hands clawing at the ground, Hades couldn't stop himself.
"Don't get cocky! A brute like you doesn't understand the true essence of magic at all!"
Hades was furious. His entire magic power erupted, covering the sky as it surged forward. Dark vines sprouted from the ground like giant pythons, flicking their sinister tongues.
But in the next moment, they were torn apart by Acnologia, turning into debris that filled the air.
"What is magic? The essence of magic is power!"
He appeared before Hades once more, pressed his hand against his chest, and gave a light push. Hades felt his heart stop for a moment before he tumbled uncontrollably for another thousand meters, his body covered in wounds.
"You bastard!"
Hades was both shocked and enraged. His magic surged throughout his body, and all his injuries rapidly healed. What kind of monster was this? What exactly were that strength and speed?
Was this something a human could possibly possess?
"The One Magic isn't invincible either. Magic changes every day; that four-hundred-year-old stuff is long outdated. Instead of chasing that kind of magic, why not create your own?"
Acnologia spoke while appearing before Hades again. Seeing him condense magic, Acnologia shattered it with a casual palm strike and sent Hades flying backward another thousand meters with a kick, making him spit blood.
Hades was covered in wounds and gasping for breath. Even his magic cloak, the symbol of a powerhouse, had been discarded at some unknown point.
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