CIATB Chapter 317: Trading an Airship for a Wheelchair
Chapter 317: Trading an Airship for a Wheelchair
Chapter 317: Trading an Airship for a Wheelchair
The next day...
As the sunlight drove away the darkness, the sky gradually brightened...
In front of the Fairy Tail guild's main gate.
"Master Precht, are you really leaving again?"
"You've only been at the guild for a short time. Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?"
Makarov looked at his master, Precht, the second guild master of Fairy Tail, who was sitting in a wheelchair. His eyes were filled with reluctance.
The scene seemed to transport him back forty years, when Precht entrusted him with Fairy Tail and then set off on his travels.
"Haha, Makarov, don't make such a pitiful face. You're not young anymore! We both have aged..."
"And stop calling me master; you're the master of Fairy Tail now..."
Precht smiled gently at Makarov's reluctance, the same way he had smiled forty years ago when he first left Fairy Tail.
The only difference was that back then, it was afternoon, and Precht had walked out of the guild's door. Now, it was morning, and he was being wheeled out.
"I understand, Master Precht!"
"If you're determined to leave, I won't try to stop you."
"I wish you a safe journey and good fortune in your endeavors!"
"And please remember, the Fairy Tail guild in Magnolia is always open for you. This will always be your home."
Makarov spoke solemnly, understanding Precht had his own matters to attend to, and thus, he offered his blessings instead of further persuasion.
"Unless something unexpected happens, I won't be coming back to this hell!"
"When I handed Fairy Tail over to you, it felt like I had nothing more to do with this place."
"My home vanished with the departures of Mavis, Yuri, and Warrod."
"Hahaha, I must say, Makarov, I, Precht, can't match you in ruthlessness or shamelessness."
Precht smiled as he listened to Makarov's words. From the moment Evan found him until now, as he was wheeled out of Fairy Tail, the series of events that happened to him felt like a living nightmare. It was all so vivid in his mind.
Precht had never experienced anything as terrifying as this in his life.
The one named Evan not only destroyed the guild he had spent years building, Grimoire Heart, but also forced him to return to Fairy Tail, showing him that everything he had valued, whether it was Grimoire Heart or Fairy Tail, had been utterly destroyed.
Precht had named himself Hades after the god who ruled the underworld, intending to turn Grimoire Heart into a feared purgatory.
However, he truly understood the nature of hell only after arriving at Fairy Tail under Makarov's command.
Seeing everything within Fairy Tail, Precht smiled bitterly, realizing, "So this is what hell is truly like? Why did I ever want to turn Grimoire Heart into hell?"
Additionally, Precht discovered Makarov's hidden schemes, realizing that only he, Precht, might be able to stop or save Makarov in this era.
Thus, Precht needed to leave Fairy Tail to embark on a path of redemption and light.
"Um..." Makarov remained silent, not understanding what had caused Precht to deeply misunderstand him. He wanted to grab Precht's hand and say, "Master Precht, you've misunderstood me. I truly am a good person!"
But Makarov knew it would be pointless, as Precht was someone whose beliefs couldn't be easily changed.
"Kid, I've never asked you for anything in my life..."
"This time, I have a request. Can you return my airship to me? It's very important to me."
Precht looked at Makarov seriously, making a grave request.
Precht asked Makarov for his airship not out of pettiness but because his heart, his masterpiece modeled after the Fairy Heart, the Devil's Heart, was in that airship's power cabin.
Without that warship, Precht's combat power would be severely diminished.
"Of course..."
Despite being stingy, Makarov was generous towards Precht, whom he regarded almost like a father.
"Absolutely not..."
Before Makarov could agree, a voice cut in, answering Precht.
"Evan?!"
Both Makarov and Precht were taken aback to see Evan awake so early.
In fact, Precht had chosen to leave early specifically to avoid seeing Evan's face one last time before leaving. Unfortunately, reality often disappointed him.
"Precht, why are you leaving just after returning to Fairy Tail?"
"Why not stay a bit longer? The kids in the guild like you very much~"
Evan stood in front of Precht, hands in his pockets, smiling.
"The kids in the guild like me?"
"They like to hit me, not me!"
"How could anyone seal such immense magic in a tiny card? Is this even possible? Is this something a mage can do?"
Precht was stunned. He had tried to find ways to shrink the heart, but its immense magic power made it impossible for any space magic he knew.
Yet, Evan had casually sealed it in a card, something Precht had deemed impossible until now.
"Is it possible?"
"Only if my magic power surpasses that of your Devil's Heart. It was created as an imitation of the Fairy Heart, after all, far inferior to the original~"
Evan's calm eyes met Precht's shocked gaze.
"Yes, unless the magic power of the user exceeds that of my creation, it can't be sealed so simply..."
"This kid's magic power surpasses my Devil's Heart? This is beyond human capability! Only an apocalyptic-level monster could have such vast magic power."
Precht realized the extent of Evan's magic power far exceeded his imagination.
"This card is a gift for you, Precht~"
"With your heart shrunken into a card, it won't be
easy for others to find your weakness and take you down."
Evan laughed, handing the card to Precht.
"Stupid kid, do you think I would be easily taken down without my heart shrunk?"
"Don't joke around, I'm Precht! The closest to the abyss of magic."
Precht blushed, carefully putting away the card with his heart, feeling a bit smug.
"Yes, yes, you're the most talented mage in Ishgar, Precht~"
Evan humored Precht as if placating a child.
In reality, Evan knew Precht had been taken down by three little cats in the original story.
"Hmph, you brat, you know it."
Precht put away the card and smiled, thinking maybe Fairy Tail wasn't as hopeless as he thought. Perhaps staying here wasn't so bad...
"Ultear, Azuma, Rustyrose, Kain, Zancrow, let's go..."
But Precht, having announced his departure, wouldn't go back on his word. He called to his subordinates and sped down the road out of Magnolia.
"Yes, Master Precht!"
Behind Precht, five bandaged figures in wheelchairs followed his subordinates from Grimoire Heart.
Ultear, the vice master of Grimoire Heart, who had only her eyes visible, had taken a direct hit from Gildarts.
Rustyrose, beaten purple and unconscious by Erza, was lucky to be alive.
Kain, who used magic to harden himself and took a direct hit from Mirajane, was also heavily injured.
Zancrow, who had provoked the wrong person and nearly died from a punch by Laxus...
And Azuma, the least injured, who only had some burns and was paralyzed from electricity, is now in a wheelchair to blend in with his comrades...
Grimoire Heart had arrived in grandeur, but now they were leaving, having traded their airship for wheelchairs, a deal Precht bitterly considered a heavy loss.
As the sun rose...
The six wheelchairs raced down Magnolia's streets, their shadows stretched long by the sunlight.
"Everyone, don't be disheartened or regretful; our journey is just beginning..."
"Like the rising sun!"
Precht, leading his injured subordinates, stood atop the hill overlooking Magnolia and the rising, radiant sun.
"Master Precht, what should we do next?"
Azuma, the only one able to speak among them, asked Precht.
"First, we must sever ties with Grimoire Heart and start anew! From now on, we'll be called Heart of Light!"
Precht, squinting at the brilliant sunlight, declared.
"Start anew? Master Precht, can people like us ever become light mages?"
Azuma, shocked, asked Precht.
"If Fairy Tail can be a guild of light mages, why can't we?"
Precht smiled, teaching them a lesson.
His words were logical and irrefutable...
"I see..."
Azuma and the others nodded in understanding, realizing the truth in Precht's words.