Chapter 55

Sitting cross-legged, Bulat had finally scratched his chin as he summed up.

" So, since my departure, Esdeath has formed a new group called Jaegers, one of whose members was Wendy ! Then another group appeared, under the command of the Prime Minister's son: Wild Hunt! Since they spent their time killing people, the Jaegers fought them before joining forces with you! Then, you fled together, facing the arrival of Budo, before forming a single group! Something else ? "

" It's really a very short summary but that's about it. " Approved Najenda.

" The empire hired a group of killers? " Astonished Ieyatsu. " How is it possible ? Whatever his reasons, there is no way he can do something so horrible! Definitely, I am disgusted with the methods of this damn Prime Minister! "

" You're not the only one. " Asserted Mine.

Staring at the old Jaegers, Bulat dared to ask.

" I don't want to question the loyalty of these people but… is it really best to join forces with them? "

" Do you doubt us ? " Run asked, despite already knowing his answer.

" I personally understand your reasons for leaving the empire. " Bulat assured them. " Myself, I followed the same path as you! However, the little I know about you comes down to two of your members, excluding Wendy! "

Turning to Kurome, he declared.

" Akame's sister! Even before his arrival in the Jaegers, I regularly heard his exploits! When the empire gave you an order, you always executed it without hesitation! "

Then his gaze turned to Seryu.

"And the girl responsible for Scheele's coma! And since our friend is not here, I guess she still hasn't regained consciousness! "

" I… I'm sorry. " Muttered Seryu, looking away from the man. "Of that, as for the rest! "

" But it's good for us, right? " Ieyatsu asked him, with a broad smile. " In all, the revolutionary army has around twenty teigus on our side! Because of this, we can now say that we have every chance of defeating Budo and Esdeath, right? "

" Tsss. " Growled Chelsea, while keeping a sullen pout. " Fool! "

" Hein? " The boy wondered.

" Esdeath is invincible. " Declared Kurome. " We have already had training matches against her! Jaegers vs. Esdeath! And she always gave us a beating! "

" Moreover, I always had the impression that it didn't go all out. " Clarified Bols. " I understand that you can think so, but this woman has the gift of destroying the hope of any enemy during a fight! "

Hearing this, Natsu couldn't help but growl, finding that the man was right. He himself was no longer so certain about winning Night Raid. He was not afraid to face Suyra or Budo, and even less to finally meet the Prime Minister. However, just thinking about his last fight against Esdeath was enough to make him hesitate.

Noticing that a heavy silence settled in the camp, Gajeel ended up sitting cross-legged, before asking Bulat.

" Good and you ? Since you left here, I doubt that you have turned your thumbs! So you guess the question I want to ask you! "

Sneering at once, Bulat said.

" Always abrupt, Gajeel! "

Then, resuming a serious air, he declared.

" I found the man who took you to this world! "

Immediately, the mages almost leaned forward, eager to know what they had to say. The members of Night Raid were just as interested in the identity of this mysterious man while the Jaegers displayed surprised faces in front of Bulat's declaration.

" What does it mean ? " Asked Wave. " The man ... who brought you into this world? Wait! You ... you don't come from this world? But it's impossible ! "

" These are mages, Wave. " Retorted Bols, who was the only one of them to know the exact past of the mages. " They were teleported here by someone! "

" Is that so ? " Wondered Seryu, looking at Wendy. " You hadn't told me that! I always believed that Fairy Tail was in an area outside the capital! "

" I was afraid you would think I was lying to you. " Confessed Wendy. " As you know, we come from a mage guild, Fairy Tail! Except that it is not located here, but in another world! When it was supposed to be a mission, someone sent us here! "

" And so ? " Wanted to know Lily. " Who is this man ? "

" Well… here is the discussion we had! "

… (Continuation of Bulat's discussion, in the abandoned bar (Chapter 33)

Pouring alcohol into a glass, Bulat then slid it over to the man responsible for bringing the magi into this world.

" Gift ! "

Simply smiling, the bald took the glass, before drinking it dry. Then putting it down, he said.

" No need to think about it! I will not follow you! "

" Hum? " Said Bulat.

" You came to ask me to go see the Fairy Tail mages, right? Well, my answer is no! "

Smiling at him, Bulat declared.

" Tell me who you are would already arrange me a lot! "

First staring at him, the bald then looked at his empty glass, before reaching out to Bulat. Hurrying to fill it, the warrior then saw the other man fix the alcohol from his glass, before affirming.

" My name is Rek! "

" It's already a start. " Remarked Bulat, drinking himself a glass. " Now what I would like to know is which camp you belong to! Friend or enemy ? "

Gloussant, Rek replied.

" I would never have brought these guys here if I supported the Empire! "

" In that case, why did you not stay with them? Why not use your powers to help Night Raid? "

Drinking another sip, Rek finally retorts.

" It's not my fight! And I find that I have already done my share of the job! These Fairy Tail mages have more than enough skills to defeat Esdeath! "

" Why wouldn't this be your fight? " Bulat asked him.

" Easy ! Logically, it should have been a long time since I should have died! In fact, despite the fact that I am only seventy-two years old, I was born over 400 years ago! "

" Sorry ? " Bulat asked, not understanding his words. " Who are you ? A God ? "

Smiling, faced with this question, Rek finally lowered his glass, while asserting.

" I helped a god during my life! And that's the reason why I ended up here! "

" I ... I find it hard to understand. " Confessed Bulat.

" I was there. " Asserted Rek. " The day Zeref was cursed by Ankhseram! It was I who had taught him the knowledge necessary for him to bring his little brother back to life! And he was struck by this curse, after executing our plan! It was 400 years ago! "

" Zeref? Who is Zeref? "

" I have said enough! " Rek replied, eventually creating a dimensional door in front of him. " Just tell these mages that if they want me to take them home, let them fulfill their mission as agreed! "

It was his last words, before he jumped into his own attack and disappeared, with the latter, before Bulat's eyes.

" That's all I know. " Confessed Bulat. "After that, I tried to find his trace but nothing to do! He has nowhere to be found! So unfortunately I only know his name! "

However, to his surprise, he noticed that the mages in front of him displayed wide looks.

" Ze… Zeref? " Natsu wondered.

" The type of Tenro Island? " Wanted to know Happy.

" Who is Zeref? " Asked Tatsumi.

" An old super powerful mage! " Gajeel taught him. " A man capable of killing people, just with his presence! "

Hearing it, Lubbock began to swallow, before affirming.

" But it doesn't make any sense! A guy who lived 400 years ago can't be alive today! Besides, if he comes from your world, how is it that he is here? Why is he interested in our world? "

" Do you really think we can answer your questions? " Asked Lily.

" What is certain is that now that we know he has worked with Zeref, his soul may be darker than we thought. " Remarked Wendy. "Maybe he wants to give you a hand so that Esdeath is brought down and he can then take the opportunity to take control of the Empire! "

Despite being a step behind, Run had come to understand the situation enough to ask.

" Your Zeref, there ... is he still alive, too? "

" Yeah, he's known to be immortal. " Asserted Gajeel. " According to historical rumors about him, he would have developed this power thanks to an ancient forbidden spell! "

" So all this makes no sense! Why call on you, instead of coming here with Zeref? If he is that powerful, he might have had a better chance of defeating Esdeath! "

" The question to ask is rather how this man ended up in our world, 400 years after all this! " Retorted Najenda.

" Tsss. " Said Natsu suddenly, getting up. " We don't care about that! He intends to see us again after our victory? Very well, we will have our answers at that moment! On hearing, let's train and beat Esdeath! Let's go ! "

Suddenly taking a step forward, however, he froze. Then, groaning in pain, he put his hand on the spot of his heart.

" AHHHHH! "

" Natsu! " Happy frightened, seeing him fall on his knees.

" What… what's happening to him? " Wanted to know Wendy.

" The sparkle in his heart. " Understood Leone.

" The what ? "

After laying Natsu down in a bed, several members of the group had gathered in another room.

" What? " Panicked Wendy, putting her hand over her mouth. " Natsu will die in a few weeks? "

" Unhappily, it is inevitable. " Taught him Najenda. " The tip of Esdeath's sword that got stuck in his body damages his heart even more, day after day! And his fight against Budo speeded things up! "

" What does it mean, "accelerated"? " Wanted to know Tatsumi. " According to the doctor, he has three weeks to live! "

" Not anymore. " Retorted his boss. "The doctors warned me that if Natsu started vomiting blood because of his injury, then it meant that his death was imminent! "

Looking at her friends, she said.

" Natsu only has three days left to live! "

Hearing this knocked Wendy to her knees Happy looked blank, while his tail fell to the ground and growled Gajeel.

" That moron…! "

" Wait, we have Wendy, now. " Remarked Leone. " She can heal him thanks to her powers! "

" I ... I can't. " Retorted the child, looking down. " I ... I can relieve his pain! But I couldn't heal his wound! At least not long before the glow stays in her body! Even if I heal it, the object will continue to run and will eventually kill it! "

" It is impossible to remove it without killing it. " Akame replied. " The only way to save him would be to remove the shard, close his wound in less than half a second, and use Wendy's powers to do the rest! The problem is that, despite being able to remove the radiance from her heart and having Wendy with us, there is no one who could close her wound before her heart stops beating! "

" It is true, but we must…! " Tatsumi started.

" Dr Stylish. " Suddenly cried a voice.

Stepping forward, Seryu finally manifests.

" The doctor could do it! He has already done many such operations and many have been successful! "

" Are you stupid or what? " Growled Mine. "This bastard has been dead for a long time! "

" But… you kept his teigu, didn't you? It was thanks to him that he could do that! A competent doctor who can handle this teigu could do the same! "

" Boss, who inherited this teigu? " Wanted to know Lubbock.

" Nobody . " Taught him Najenda. " I already thought of this solution! Unfortunately, dozens of people have tried it, but no one has managed to control it! "

" Damn it ! " Roared Tatsumi. "However, we must find someone as soon as possible! Because otherwise, Natsu will die before he can see his friends again! "