Chapter 180: FTRJ: Chapter 180

The next moment, Ultear’s eyes widened in shock. A wave of deathly energy instantly enveloped the area. “Wh…what is this?” she whispered, he

The next moment, Ultear’s eyes widened in shock. A wave of deathly energy instantly enveloped the area.

“Wh…what is this?” she whispered, her voice laced with alarm.

Before Ultear could react, the trees that had been imprisoning Zeref instantly withered and crumbled into dust. Zeref, his face contorted in agony, clutched his head, a storm of black energy erupting from his body and expanding rapidly. All life—trees, plants, everything—that came into contact with the black energy immediately withered and died.

“Aaaaaah~~”

Zeref’s anguished scream echoed through the space, his body wracked with pain. The black energy surrounding him grew even more intense, relentlessly advancing towards Ultear.

Ultear’s eyes widened in terror, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

“Touching it means death!” The chilling thought flashed through her mind.

Before Ultear could react, the black energy was upon her, but then, flames erupted from seemingly nowhere, forming a protective barrier before her. Simultaneously, she felt herself being lifted from the ground, her body cradled in an unseen embrace.

The flames and the darkness collided with earth-shattering force.

BOOM BOOM—!!

The roar of the flames echoed across the sky, their searing light piercing the darkness. Eventually, both the flames and the darkness dissipated simultaneously, leaving no clear indication of whether the flames had consumed the darkness or vice versa.

Thud—

The soft sound of a body landing on the ground broke the silence.

Ultear finally saw who had saved her.

“Finn…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“So, your goal really was Zeref…” Finn murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on Ultear.

Having learned from Hades that Grimoire Heart’s true objective was Zeref, and that they sought to utilize his power to usher in the Great Magic World, Finn had begun to suspect Ultear’s true motives for remaining with Grimoire Heart.

Now, it was clear: she, too, desired the creation of the Great Magic World—a world that would be nothing short of a living hell for ordinary humans.

Finn’s mind drifted back to their conversation on Galuna Island, Ultear’s words echoing in his memory.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt anyone, yet here you are,” Finn recalled, his voice laced with a hint of accusation.

“Are you really helping Hades create a world that disregards the value of human life?”

Finn’s words, laced with a note of questioning accusation, hung heavy in the air.

Ultear was taken aback by Finn’s words, sensing the undercurrent of anger simmering beneath his calm exterior.

Was he angry at her deception? Or was his anger directed at Grimoire Heart’s ambition to create the Great Magic World?

A sudden wave of unease washed over Ultear, her heart pounding in her chest.

“No… it’s not like that…” Ultear stammered, her voice laced with a mixture of desperation and fear.

She lowered her head, her gaze fixed upon the ground. “I never intended to hurt anyone,” she insisted.

“But that’s exactly what you’re doing!” Nancy interjected, her brow furrowed in concern and confusion. She honestly didn’t understand Ultear’s actions.

Ultear turned her gaze towards Zeref, who stood silently observing the unfolding exchange.

“Actually, I never intended to hand Zeref over to Master Hades,” she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What?” Finn and Nancy exchanged a bewildered glance, their faces etched with confusion.

Ultear shook her head, her eyes filled with a mixture of determination and despair.

“From the very beginning, I never intended to give Zeref to Hades. I wanted to control his power myself. Only then could I achieve what I truly desired.”

“Only then could I change the course of my tragic childhood,” she added, her voice laced with a hint of desperation.

“You wanted to control his power yourself?” Finn asked, his voice laced with surprise.

Ultear nodded, her gaze unwavering. “That’s why I never intended to hurt anyone,” she insisted.

Zeref, having silently observed the exchange between Finn and Ultear, shook his head slowly.

“So, your ultimate goal was this so-called Great Magic World?” he stated, his voice devoid of any emotion.

“What a pathetic aspiration. Such a thing is nothing more than a mere illusion,” he added, his tone laced with a hint of disdain.

Ultear’s eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing Zeref’s words, her gaze fixed intently upon him.

“What… what did you just say?” she stammered, her voice trembling.

Zeref, sensing her disbelief, proceeded to explain.

“It’s a fantasy concocted by those who blindly believe in the power of the Black Mage, Zeref. A key to awakening Zeref, and the Great Magic World—a mere figment of their imagination!”

“In other words, there is no such thing as a Great Magic World!” Zeref stated plainly.

“Impossible… impossible…” Ultear repeated, shaking her head in disbelief, her voice laced with a mixture of denial and despair.

“I have no reason to deceive you. If this so-called Great Magic World truly existed as you described, I would have already brought it into being,” Zeref stated, his gaze drifting towards the sky, his eyes tinged with a hint of melancholy.

Upon receiving Zeref’s confirmation, Ultear froze, her wide eyes reflecting the tremors of her collapsing world. The very thing she had longed for, the very hope that had sustained her throughout her life, had been shattered in an instant.

Finn frowned as he observed Zeref, his demeanor a stark contrast to the image of the most ruthless Dark Mage in history. Finn was even surprised to detect a glimmer of genuine kindness in Zeref’s eyes.

This unexpected observation left Finn utterly perplexed.

“You are Zeref, aren’t you? Why are you at our guild’s sacred ground?” Finn asked, his voice serious and unwavering.

“I apologize. I was unaware that this was your guild’s sacred ground,” Zeref replied, his voice calm and measured.

“I merely stumbled upon this location quite by accident. I was intending to depart, as this place is devoid of life, but I was inexplicably prevented from doing so,” he continued, his gaze drifting towards the ground.

“However, now that the obstruction has been removed, I shall depart immediately,” Zeref stated, his tone resolute.

Finn nodded in acknowledgment, his expression softening slightly.

“In that case, please leave as soon as possible,” Finn replied, his voice devoid of any hostility.

As long as Zeref hadn’t harmed any of his companions, Finn had no desire to engage in conflict. A full-scale battle could potentially result in the utter devastation of Tenrou Island.

“I understand. But might I request a glimpse of your flames?”

Zeref’s gaze suddenly shifted towards Finn, a flicker of intense curiosity in his eyes.

Noticing Finn’s wary expression, Zeref quickly sought to allay any concerns. “Please do not misunderstand. I have no ulterior motives. I simply wish to witness the nature of your flames, and I assure you, I shall depart immediately thereafter,” Zeref explained.

The peculiar request, bordering on the bizarre, caused Finn to furrow his brow in suspicion. However, he ultimately extended his hand, unleashing an inferno of intensely hot flames.

After all, it was merely a fleeting glimpse; there was no harm in fulfilling this unusual request, especially if it meant hastening the departure of this eccentric individual.

As Zeref felt the intense heat emanating from Finn’s palm, a look of unadulterated joy and fascination spread across his face.

“Such power…” he murmured, his gaze seemingly lost in the mesmerizing dance of the crimson flames.

He cautiously extended his own hand, gently touching the edge of the inferno.

Burning! That was Zeref’s immediate sensation. His breathing became shallow and ragged, his body trembling slightly.

“I can actually feel the destructive potential, the sheer might contained within these flames…” he whispered, his voice laced with awe.

“This power… it might just…”

“No, it’s still not quite there yet. But if it grows stronger, perhaps…”

Zeref continued to murmur to himself, his eyes welling up with tears.

The sight of Zeref’s emotional display caused Finn to frown, his suspicion hardening into certainty. He was dealing with an eccentric, if not outright bizarre, individual.

Finn retracted his hand, ending the demonstration.

“Now that you’ve seen my flames, you can leave,” Finn stated, his tone firm but devoid of any overt hostility.

Finn’s words finally broke Zeref from his trance-like state.

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