Chapter 608 - 608: Georg's Arrogance

Ankh finally understood why Dimaria hadn't returned directly to the Alvarez Empire after investigating the Northern Snow Village.

The Old God Ruins were a shortcut.

And before leaving Ishgar, she could conveniently strip one last valuable secret from the continent. If fortune favored her, she might even walk away with something far greater than anything she had originally come for.

After finishing his explanation of everything the Council knew about the Old God Ruins, Hyberion spoke in a grave tone.

"Dimaria's intentions are clearly hostile. We cannot simply allow her to leave Ishgar, especially if she intends to seize a divine inheritance on her way out."

"She must possess some special method of activating the entrance to the ruins, and the most suspicious clue is actually Dimaria herself…"

Hyberion didn't need to finish the thought.

Everyone around the table understood.

What made Dimaria unique?

Her status as a divine inheritor.

She wielded the power of Chronos, the God of Time, and there were very few people present who could resist her Age Seal once she activated it.

At the mention of divine power, everyone's eyes almost simultaneously shifted toward Ankh.

None of them could possibly imagine that he was actually a god, but after what they had witnessed during the war six months ago, they had long accepted that Ankh possessed some kind of divine power.

Ankh noticed the collective stare and nodded.

"I can go to the Old God Ruins and try."

"Unless something unexpected happens, I should be able to activate the teleportation array."

Ancient magic circles like that were extraordinarily intricate and required a tremendous amount of energy to awaken.

There was a good chance divine power really was the necessary key.

With the most troublesome issue—the entrance—effectively solved, Hyberion's confidence immediately returned.

"When the time comes, we'll launch a surprise attack against the Alvarez Empire."

"That should create enough chaos to conceal your arrival through the exit array."

"A surprise attack?"

Bob, the round-bodied Guild Master of Blue Pegasus, frowned with concern.

"Wouldn't that provoke Alvarez into starting the war early?"

"Don't worry. We've already investigated the situation."

Ur, who was responsible for much of the intelligence work in that area, spoke up.

"Black Emperor Zeref has personally gone to Guiltina."

"The Alvarez homeland is currently operating with only its basic defensive forces, and among the Spriggan 12, only Ajeel remains stationed there."

Ooba sighed.

"So fighting two continents at once has finally dragged them into the mud."

It had taken long enough.

Two entire continents had been resisting the Alvarez Empire, yet only now had its relentless expansion finally begun to slow.

"I'm already getting impatient!"

The youngest Guild Master in the room suddenly slapped both hands against the table and stood.

"When are we attacking?!"

Sting looked entirely too excited for a formal strategy meeting.

Wolfheim, the Council member primarily responsible for external military operations, answered in a low voice.

"The Council will first depart with Ankh and a carefully selected team."

"The main force will remain on standby and prepare for immediate mobilization should open war become necessary."

With the broad plan established, Hyberion led everyone through the finer details one by one.

By the time the discussion finally ended, the meeting had essentially reached its conclusion.

At Hyberion's instruction, everyone quickly dispersed.

Those who needed to prepare supplies went to prepare them.

Those responsible for mobilizing guilds or military units began making their arrangements.

Only Ankh, Laxus, Suzaku's group, and the four Council members remained behind.

They still had another matter to resolve.

Ur walked beside Ankh as they headed deeper into the cathedral.

"The Guild Master of Diabolos has arrived."

She paused.

"But…"

Her expression showed obvious displeasure.

Ankh immediately understood.

"His attitude isn't very good?"

"'Not very good' is putting it mildly."

Wolfheim snorted from nearby.

"He hasn't shown the slightest willingness to cooperate."

"Please forgive us, Councilor."

Suzaku quickly lowered his head.

His usually steady expression carried genuine concern.

"We will convince our Guild Master."

Wolfheim wasn't petty enough to take his anger out on the younger members, so he merely turned his head away and said nothing further.

Warrod sighed.

"I hope you can."

Hyberion led everyone into a reception room on the northern side of Kardia Cathedral.

The moment the door opened, several familiar figures came into view.

Laxus's eyes immediately narrowed.

He stared at a gloomy-looking man across the room and smirked.

"Well, look who it is."

"Coffin guy."

The strongest mage of Diabolos, Kirin, still carried the same enormous coffin on his back.

He stared straight back at Laxus without yielding an inch.

"What's wrong?"

His hand rested on the heavy chains wrapped around the coffin.

"Feel like climbing inside and sleeping for the next hundred years?"

"Hmph."

Laxus gave a dismissive laugh.

Golden lightning began quietly crawling over his body.

Across from him, Kirin tightened his grip on the coffin's chains as electricity began wrapping around his own arm.

Seeing the two of them immediately start gathering Lightning Magic, Suzaku, Kiria, and the others panicked and hurried between them.

"Long time no see, Fairy God of Death."

Ankh paid little attention to Laxus and Kirin.

Those two were only trying to intimidate each other.

They weren't actually going to fight.

Instead, his attention shifted toward another familiar figure.

A woman once regarded as the strongest female mage in Guiltina.

Misaki.

The mature woman walked toward Ankh and extended a hand with a polite smile.

"I suppose we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other from now on."

"Looks that way."

Ankh shook her hand briefly before releasing it.

Judging by Misaki and Kirin's behavior, Suzaku had been telling the truth.

Neither of them seemed particularly opposed to relocating to Ishgar.

The real problem was someone else.

Even from across the room, Ankh could feel the greed in the Diabolos Guild Master's stare.

He glanced over his shoulder.

Sure enough, Selene had silently followed him inside.

Completely ignoring the atmosphere in the room, Selene grabbed Ankh's arm and shook it impatiently.

"When are you going to finish here?"

"Hurry up and do my procedure already."

"Relax."

Ankh sighed.

"Let's finish this first."

Selene happened to notice the way Georg Reizen was staring at her.

Disgust immediately crossed her beautiful face.

She waved one hand in front of her nose as though she had caught the smell of something rotten.

That tiny gesture was apparently enough to send Georg over the edge.

The greed in his eyes instantly turned to fury.

He shot to his feet and roared at the Council members.

"Hey!"

"Is this how Ishgar treats its guests?!"

"You actually let a disgusting dragon into the room?"

He pointed at Selene.

"Cut her down already!"

Hyberion remained completely calm.

"My apologies, Mr. Georg."

"Lady Selene is an honored guest of the Council, not an enemy."

"Bastards!"

Georg's eyes went bloodshot.

Violent Magic Power erupted from his body as he overturned the table in front of him, sending tea and dishes flying everywhere.

Then his body exploded into motion, leaving an afterimage behind.

"If you idiots are conspiring with dragons, then I'll kill this dragon bitch first!"

"And after that, I'll teach the rest of you fools a lesson and rebuild Diabolos right here in Ishgar!"

Georg charged toward Selene with terrifying momentum.

Selene barely reacted.

She simply raised one pale hand.

Her palm drifted forward almost lazily, light as a falling flower petal.

Then the air exploded.

Georg flew backward far faster than he had approached.

BOOM!

He smashed straight into the wall.

Selene lowered her hand and looked at him with open contempt.

"You've eaten so many weak, half-dead dragons that all that fat must've finally squeezed your brain dry."