Somewhere far from Magnolia, deep within a massive fortress shrouded in darkness and an ominous aura—the headquarters of the Grimoire Heart guild.
In the dim Council hall, only a few faint green magic lamps provided weak illumination, casting light on the twisted demon reliefs on the walls, making it seem especially eerie.
The air seemed to solidify, permeated with the scent of sulfur and decay.
On a colossal obsidian throne sat the Guild Master of Grimoire Heart—Hades, who was also the former second Guild Master of Fairy Tail.
He wore a magnificent long robe of deep purple with gold trim, and a black eye patch covered his right eye; his remaining left eye was as sharp as an eagle's, gleaming with an insight that seemed to penetrate all things.
His waterfall of silvery-white hair flowed freely, adding to his majesty and mystery.
In his hand, he toyed with a skull that emitted a faint black light, his knuckles tapping rhythmically on the armrest.
"The Undead Demon Deliora…" Hades' deep, hoarse voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying a hint of amusement and greed, "A legendary existence, possessing nearly eternal vitality and terrifying destructive power… truly a tempting collectible."
His gaze swept over the two individuals standing respectfully below him.
On the left was an exceptionally tall and corpulent man, almost like a mountain of flesh.
He was bare-chested, revealing layers of fat, and wore a large sumo mawashi below, with a thick shimenawa tied around his waist.
He had a fierce, round face, and his small eyes gleamed with flattery and ferocity.
This was Hua Yuan Seeker, one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, a large Fat Man specializing in sumo physical techniques and the lost magic of Ugly Hour's Arrival.
On the right was a petite girl with short, pink, shoulder-length hair.
She wore a black Gothic dress, her fair face expressionless, like an exquisite doll.
Her pink eyes were clear but vacant, as if they could reflect one's heart.
She was Meredy, one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, possessing the magic of "Sensory Link."
"Guild Master!" Hua Yuan Seeker immediately stepped forward, his massive body causing the ground to tremble slightly.
His face was plastered with a fawning smile, and his voice was as loud as thunder, "Why should a mere Undead Demon bother you personally! Your subordinate is willing to serve you, to go to Galuna Island, capture that Deliora, and present it before your seat! Let it become the most dazzling trophy in your collection room!"
Hades' remaining left eye glanced at Hua Yuan, and the corner of his mouth curved into a half-smile: "Oh? Seeker, are you confident in dealing with such a legendary demon?"
"Of course!" Hua Yuan forcefully patted his thick chest, producing dull "thump-thump" sounds that shook dust from the ceiling, "With my 'Ugly Hour's Arrival' magic, plus this body tempered through a thousand trials!"
"No matter what kind of Undead Demon it is, before absolute power, it's nothing but a lamb to the slaughter! Your subordinate will surely beat it into submission and make it obediently follow me back!"
"Hehehe…" Hades let out a low laugh, "Very good. Your strength and loyalty, I appreciate them."
"Originally, Ultear has been in charge of the Deliora matter for the past three years. Some time ago, she sent word back that the Moon Drip had accumulated sufficiently and would soon be able to unseal it."
"But the Council, due to the mess those idiots from Oración Seis caused, has been monitoring everyone too closely, so she doesn't have time to return to Galuna Island."
"It's likely that Deliora still had some residual power and, with the help of the Moon Drip, unsealed itself prematurely."
"It is a Great Demon after all; its strength is indeed extraordinary."
"I'm entrusting you with the task of capturing Deliora. For this matter, the merit is yours, the hard work is Ultear's. If you both handle it well, you will both be rewarded."
His gaze turned to Meredy: "Meredy, your 'Sensory Link' magic excels at mental perception and information transfer, not at dealing with a physically powerful demon like Deliora."
"You stay at the guild, use your magic to help everyone transmit information and monitor various movements."
Meredy's pink eyes shifted slightly, looking at Hades, her face still expressionless, but she nodded obediently, her voice clear and calm: "Yes, Guild Master."
She bowed slightly, then turned and, with light steps, silently left the Council hall.
Her silhouette appeared somewhat fragile in the dim light.
Hades watched Meredy leave, a flicker of imperceptible scrutiny in his eyes, but he quickly withdrew his gaze.
He casually picked up a scroll from beside the throne and tossed it to Hua Yuan Seeker.
"This is a map of Galuna Island sent back by our intelligence personnel." Hades' voice returned to its cold tone, "Go, Seeker. Don't disappoint me. Remember, I want it alive… at least, until it loses its research value."
"As you command! Guild Master!" Hua Yuan Seeker took the scroll, a ferocious and excited smile spreading across his massive face.
He stomped his foot, cracking the ground, and his enormous body shot towards the Council hall door like a cannonball, his heavy footsteps rapidly fading into the distance.
Inside the Council hall, only Hades remained.
He leaned back on the obsidian throne, his sole left eye gazing out at the endless darkness beyond the window, his fingertips gently caressing the skull, muttering to himself: "The Undead Demon Deliora from Zeref's book… Perhaps, through it, I can glimpse the mysteries of the 'Abyss'… Precht's era has passed, but the pursuit of the ultimate in magic never ceases…"
…Meredy left the eerie Council hall, hurrying through the gloomy corridor, and returned to her relatively quiet room deep within the guild headquarters.
Closing the door, cutting off the outside noise and chilling aura, the mask of calm serenity on Meredy's face instantly fell away, replaced by a deep worry and tension.
She quickly walked to the center of the room, her hands clasped in front of her chest, and her pink eyes gently closed.
"Sensory Link · Soul Resonance!"
Buzz—!
An invisible, extremely subtle mental wave spread out from her, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sending out ripples.
Her consciousness instantly traversed a vast distance, connecting with another existence to whom she had a special bond deep within her soul.
Magic Council, inside a secret office.
Ultear, who was in the middle of reviewing documents, suddenly paused.
She put down her quill, and a flicker of emotion passed through her eyes, which seemed to contain stars.
"Meredy?" Ultear murmured in her mind.
"Ultear-nee!" Meredy's urgent mental message instantly transmitted, "Emergency intel! Guild Master Hades just sent Hua Yuan Seeker to Galuna Island!"
Ultear's heart jolted, and her fingertips unconsciously tapped on the desk: "Galuna Island? What's the target?"
"The target is the 'Undead Demon Deliora'!" Meredy's message was clear and fast, "Guild Master Hades seems to have believed the intel about a real demon on the island! Seeker's mission is to capture Deliora!"
Ultear's pupils constricted!
"Hua Yuan Seeker…" An alarm blared in Ultear's heart!
Once that destroyer landed on the island, he would stop at nothing to complete his mission!
Her mother, Lyon, and the villagers—they would all be in extreme danger!
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