A magic merchant infiltrating Fairy Tail

"I'm telling you... you're supposed to be an S-rank in the guild, can't you pay a little attention to your image? If others saw you like this, they'd think all the female mages in our guild were unseemly drunkards like you..."

Kira pinched his nose, stood in front of the drunken Cana, rolled his eyes and complained, his voice tinged with amusement.

He didn't want to bother with the female drunkard at first, but he couldn't leave her alone. The smell was just too strong; you could smell it as soon as you entered the guild. How could a clean person like him stand it?

"Even if the president said it was to celebrate the centennial celebration, you can't drink like this!"

Cana was actually already awake; she woke up when Kira pushed open the door. After all, she was an S-class mage, and compared to the other drunks in the guild, she had a more sensitive sense of perception. So even though she was hungover, her body reacted quickly and she regained consciousness the moment Kira came in.

However, knowing that it was Kira who came in, he didn't get up. Instead, he continued to lie on the table, hugging the half-person-high barrel with both hands, his eyes glazed over, and mumbled, "What... hiccup... what does it matter? Aren't the others the same as me?"

"Others...who are you talking about?"

"Of course it's Macao, Wakaba, and the others... Wait, where are they?"

Strange, I remember drinking with them last night, so why are they nowhere to be seen now?

Kira paused for a moment, then replied speechlessly, "Macao was taken away by Romeo last night after you lost consciousness, and as for Wakaba, he was carried away by his fat wife!"

It's no secret in the guild that Vakaba's authority is waning while his family's position is secure.

"That guy got a beating in front of everyone before he left, and you clapped and cheered, shouting louder than anyone else. Don't tell me you forgot?"

Kana was taken aback by his words, blinked, and regained some of her composure: "Is that so? I don't remember that."

"I completely forgot about something so interesting! What a rip-off!"

"Where's my dad? Where did such a big dad go? Hey—Gildas! Gildas!!..."

I shouted several times, but no one responded.

Once she had listened, Kira released his fingers from her ear and said, "Stop howling. That guy ran off with a pretty auntie last night and hasn't come back yet. Hmm... he's probably had his life force drained."

"What did you say?! That old bastard!!! I should have let him die out there back then...!"

Cana's expression changed, and she roared again, followed by a string of offensive words. Kira could only cover his ears again and turn around to tidy up the messy tables and chairs.

Ten minutes later, Cana finally finished yelling, her previously gathered energy completely gone. Kira then slowly said, "Finished yelling? Come help clean up!"

"Why bother packing? They'll be back soon anyway, so it'll all be the same!"

After saying that, Kana leaned back and lay down on the wooden table again: "I'm going to take a nap first, then we can chat and drink later."

Kira's eye twitched: Still drinking? You haven't had enough after three days, have you?

After three days of revelry, those who were supposed to leave have all left. People like Bob, Goldman, and Yajima, who had come from afar, all went home last night. After all, they were all busy with their own things and couldn't stay here for seven days. However, they left reluctantly, even leaving behind comments like, "The old people go back to work, while the young people are partying here. What kind of world is this?" which drew laughter from the younger generation.

If nothing unexpected happens, those who will still be here for the remaining four days will be mostly idle young people.

Even if this is the centennial celebration, old men like Volod, Precito, and August wouldn't last seven days, so even if they're still in Magnolia, they probably won't stay in the guild tavern for a whole day.

Even when you get old, you still have to accept that you're getting old!

"You'll drown in a barrel of wine sooner or later!"

"Hmm? That's exactly what I've been dreaming of!"

Cana's voice grew softer and softer until the last few words were barely audible, followed by steady breathing and soft snoring. She was clearly exhausted, so even though she was still bickering with Kira, her body couldn't take it anymore and she fell asleep halfway through the conversation.

"How long did this guy drink last night?"

Kira muttered a soft grumble, his gaze falling on the dozen or so empty, waist-high barrels of liquor at Cana's feet. He vaguely remembered that when he left last night, at least half of them were still unopened…

Looking away from the messy guild before him, Kira sighed heavily and suddenly realized that Cana was right. Since the others would be arriving soon anyway, he might as well leave it to them to handle.

Just then, a unique magical power suddenly emerged from my passively projected perception.

"Hmm... what is this?!"

Kira's eyes widened instantly, his hands paused, and he stood up, looking towards the guild's gate with an extremely solemn expression.

The guild entrance was still empty, but according to Kira's magical senses, several thousand meters ahead along the main street outside, a terrifying magical force was slowly approaching.

This magic is incredibly dark, incredibly evil, incredibly murky, appearing and disappearing, fluctuating wildly. When it's at its highest, it far surpasses that of a dragon, and when it's at its lowest, it's weaker than a hobbit. It is extremely unstable!

Kira had only experienced this magic once before, and only from one person.

“Jeref…”

Why would he come here at this time?

"In the original work... oh, the main characters were sealed away at this point, so it's normal that we didn't see him... No, no! Could it be that he found out about the Alvarez Empire and came to collect a debt?"

Six months ago, they traveled to the Western Continent, bringing back August, Serena, Brandish, and Timalia, tricking Irene and Val, killing Bradman, and defeating Neinhardt. This was essentially a declaration of war against them, so it was perfectly reasonable for Zeref to come knocking on their door.

No matter how indifferent he is to the life or death of the pieces, he will not allow anyone to interfere with his game; this is a matter of principle!

After putting himself in Kira's shoes, he realized that if these things happened to him, he wouldn't be able to remain indifferent either—no one could be completely unmoved after going on a trip and discovering that their ex-wife had visited during that time and even took their prince with her when she left!

"No! I have to go out and check..."

"What if that guy comes to the guild and throws a tantrum, demanding his wife and kids?"

"This kind of thing should definitely be done in the street!"

Thinking of this, Kira immediately stopped his pointless tidying up and turned to walk towards Zeref.

Chapter 641 Kira and Zeref's Reunion

Magnolia, Central Avenue.

A black-haired boy dressed in black slowly walked from the north towards the magic guild 'Fairy Tail' in the south. His gaze was hidden under his bangs, and with each step he took, he was taking in the scenery of the town, as if he was reminiscing about something.

Even though this young man was handsome and youthful, the kind of girl many wealthy women adored, the worried look on his face, like that of a gigolo kept by a rich woman, diminished his overall charm.

No one knew that he was Zeref, the most evil, darkest, and most terrifying black mage in history.

At the same time, another handsome young man with red hair and white clothes slowly walked from the south to the north. His gaze was firm, his expression was serious, and with each step he took, his steps became heavier and his temperament became more composed.

This boy is a well-known figure and star mage in Magnolia. Everyone in the town knows him, respects him, and admires him. He is also admired by many beautiful young girls and is a perfect figure who seems to exist in a dream.

He is Kira Hopwright!

slap... slap...

"Why did Zeref suddenly show up? Was he invited to the guild's centennial celebration? Isn't it a bit late? Everyone else has already left..."

Kira muttered to himself as he walked forward, his pace quickening.

Since it was still early, there weren't many people on the street. Apart from the elderly men who were exercising in the morning, there were only a few middle-aged women going to the market. Ordinary migrant workers and school children hadn't left their homes yet, and even the main street was deserted.

As Jelf walked along, his gaze gradually softened from sharp to gentle.

He had been to Magnolia before. Not to mention three hundred years ago, he had been here once since Fairy Tail was founded, and it was on that occasion that he brought back Mavis's body.

But that was more than eighty years ago.

The town that could only be described as desolate back then has now become one of the largest towns in the Kingdom of Fiore. Once again, a sense of desolation and loneliness rose in Zeref's heart.

“This town has changed a lot! There are so many things more than when I first came here… The church is still there, but it’s different now. It looks quite new. Was it recently renovated?”

Jelf was also talking to himself, muttering things that sounded very time-sensitive, making it seem as if he had lived there for a long time.

In reality, Jelf had very few memories of this place, and even the iconic Caldia Cathedral, a landmark of Magnolia, was only vaguely remembered by him.

"Ok??"

Suddenly, Jelf's expression changed, his eyes peeking out from under his bangs, staring straight ahead at the end of the street where someone was walking straight toward him.

"This magic...is it from that person?"

Zeref remembered the red-haired boy he had fought on Tenrou Island two years ago.

Back then, near Tenrou Island, Zeref observed the entire strength of Fairy Tail from the clash between Fairy Tail and Grim Heart until the battle between Fairy Tail and Acnologia. He also gained a certain understanding of Kira's strength and talent.

Although Kira ultimately resolved Acnologia's crisis through the clever tactic of 'exile,' it was enough to demonstrate that his abilities were no less than those of Irene and August.

Their steps didn't stop; they continued forward.

Zeref recalled his conversation with Kira in the grove: "'Next time we meet, I might have the ability to kill you'... I think that's what he said back then?"

"Judging from the amount of magic power he possesses, he's almost catching up to Auguste, despite being so young... In terms of magical talent, this boy far surpasses Auguste and is almost on par with me!"

Augustus was someone Jelf had watched grow up, so he knew perfectly well that the empire's right-hand man did not yet possess such strength at this age.

Thinking of this, Jelf smiled slightly and quickened his pace forward.

Kira stopped walking only after the two approached. Coincidentally, the Hope Hut was right next to them.

"Why are you here, Jelf?"

Kira feigned composure, trying his best to appear calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. His gaze was sharp, but he didn't look directly into Jell's eyes. Instead, he looked at the person behind him: "You've been here for a few years. Now is not the time for us to be here!"

He quoted lines from the Ancient One to make himself appear more professional and sophisticated.

After all, it would be too embarrassing to say something like, "I can't beat you right now, so don't come any closer."

This tactic worked very well. Zeref, a creature whose emotional intelligence had long been worn away by time, completely failed to grasp the underlying meaning in Kira's words, and his thoughts were immediately led astray by the other party.

"I just came to check out Mavis's guild. If I remember correctly, this year should be the 100th anniversary of Fairy Tail."

"You probably don't know this, do you? The four founders of Fairy Tail—the first guild master Mavis, the second guild master Precht, the father of the current guild master Makarov, and Warlord, one of the Ten Wizard Saints—I taught them magic. They are my disciples."

Upon hearing Mavis's name, Zeref couldn't help but smile gently. "In other words, Fairy Tail is, in a sense, my legacy. Is it wrong for me to come and participate in the centennial celebration?"

I know that perfectly!

Kira thought to himself, wondering which country this 400-year-old relic came from. These things he mentioned were practically common knowledge among the higher-ups of Fairy Tail!

However, Zeref's answer also revealed something else: he was unaware of the changes in the Western Continent! He didn't know that Mavis had been resurrected! He was even less aware that he was now wearing a necklace that could temporarily ward off the Sedative Curse!

Otherwise, he wouldn't have said he came to 'attend the guild's centennial celebration,' but rather to 'find August and the others' or 'find Mavis.'

Because while Zeref may be indifferent to the Alvarez Empire, August, and the other Shields of the Holy Twelve, he could never be indifferent to Mavis!

This is true both in terms of his life goals and in terms of his repressed emotions.

Thinking of this, Kira's tense muscles immediately relaxed.

Thank goodness... as long as they're not looking for someone...

Kira believed that as long as the other side didn't have as much information as he did, he would have enough confidence to fool them with his silver tongue!

No, I know what you're talking about!