A/N: Episode 261.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: ABSOLUTE DEMON

'Lumen Histoire?' Lucy repeated.

'What's that?' Wendy questioned.

"There is no time to explain in detail. Return to the guild at once." Makarov responded as his eyes were closed.

"At once?" Lucy quoted. "Master?"

"But the guild was blown to pieces..." Droy reminded.

"Don't!" Jet scolded as Elfman had an unreadable expression.

"The guild's basement. Hurry!" Makarov instructed.

"I don't really understand it, but anyway, let's go!" Lucy informed.

"Right!" Wendy agreed.

"I'll stay back. Zack and Hana, you should go with them." Akame said, making Hana nod.

"Huh? Why aren't you coming along?" Zack questioned.

"I'm going to search for Dusk. Got a feeling he's in trouble." Akame responded as Zack sighed.

"I'm staying here, too." Elfman said.

"Elf-nii-chan?" Lisanna spoke.

"Why?!" Lucy asked.

Elfman recalled what he had done.

"Hey! Elfman?!" Cana exclaimed.

"Don't interfere... Don't interfere! Don't interfere!" Elfman shouted.

Cana looked over, seeing the bomb. "A bomb?!"

"Die! Die, Fairy Tail!"

"Somebody!" Cana shouted.

Cana was thrown into the ground by Elfman's strength as he was breathing heavily.

"Is he being mind-controlled? At this rate..." Cana thinks to herself.

The Fairy Tail guild hall soon exploded.

Makarov had his eyes open as he sighed. "The guild's destruction isn't your fault." He reassured.

"Y-Yeah! Master's right!"

"Elf-nii-chan..." Lisanna muttered.

"If Levy had been taken hostage, I'm sure I would've..." Jet started to say.

"Even so, I..." Elfman trailed off.

'I understand. Do what feels right to you.' Makarov said.

"Master!" Jet exclaimed.

"We can't leave him here!" Warren complained.

'You come with us.' Makarov addresses Doranbolt privately.

"Individual telepathy?" Doranbolt thought before replying to Makarov. 'I'm not a member of your guild.'

'I'm going to need your power.' Makarov stated.

'My...?'

'After everything is safely settled, I want you to erase Lumen Histoire from the memories of all the guild members. Zack especially. I have a strange feeling he won't take this news well.' Makarov explained.

'And you're telling me to wipe my own memory, too?' Doranbolt asked.

'That's right. But I'm sure you will do it.' Makarov replied.

"Let's hurry!" Lucy informed.

"Elf-nii-chan, be careful!" Lisanna told him.

Wendy turned to look back at Doranbolt. "Doranbolt-san?" She questioned, snapping Doranbolt out of his thoughts.

"What is this Lumen Histoire?" Doranbolt wondered.

In the sky, Igneel and Acnologia continued on with their battle. "Still, I can't believe what's going on up there." Warren commented.

"Anyway, we have to get going." Droy said.

"Humans don't have any part to play in that." Jet added.

"The dragons that came out of Eclipse were terrifying, too." Elfman claimed.

"But those two are in a different class." Lisanna stated.

Igneel and Acnologia slammed their heads against one another as Igneel struck Acnologia with his tail. He flew up in the air with Acnologia right behind him.

"Look!" Lucy shouted.

"They're ascending!" Wendy noticed.

"You're not getting away." Acnologia claimed.

"I'm not trying to. Nor will I let you." Igneel said. "Fighting you up here, I don't have to hold back. And to beat you, I'll..."

"Fight? No. I am going to destroy you!" Acnologia exclaimed.

Natsu gritted his teeth in frustration. "He's strong." Sting commented.

"The four of us and still no effect?!" Rogue said.

Dusk glanced over at Natsu. "Natsu, are you all right?" He asked.

"Of course! A second-rate attack like that doesn't even stratch me!" Natsu replied.

"It seems you can fight on." Rogue commented.

"You're damn right. This is a competition. I'm gonna be the one who takes him out." Natsu claimed.

"You still remembered that?!" Sting, Rogue, and Dusk exclaimed in disbelief.

"No way am I gonna lose to you guys!" Natsu said.

'Kyoka, are you finished yet? Hurry up and switch Face on.' Mard Geer spoke telepathically as the Book of END was shown.

Kyoka looks at a defeated Seilah. "If this is the only way I can return to Zeref..." Kyoka started to think as she faced Ezekiel, who was in his Ares Armor.

"That's our Kyoka-sama, Slave Star Empress of the Ten Demons!" Franmalth praised. "As her power increases by the second, how much is her strength worth? How much?!"

"Shut up!" Jim shouted, throwing a rock at Franmalth in irritation. "Anyway, there's no time! At this rate, Face will..."

"Ezekiel, you can do it!" Bruno encouraged.

"Yes, I know." Ezekiel said.

"Dusk is okay too, right?" Bruno muttered.

"I'm also worried about Akame..." Chii thinks to herself.

Ezekiel was requipped into his Zeus Armor as he leaped into the air. "Mard Geer-sama said it was like a homing instinct. All of us were born from Zeref, and so we shall go back to him." Kyoka claimed.

"Nope. You chose death! You gave up on going forward with your comrades!" Ezekiel stated.

"Silence!" Kyoka shouted, sending an attack straight at Ezekiel.

"What is this?!" Ezekiel wondered.

Rocks were soon destroyed nearby as green lightning continued attacking Ezekiel. The lightning attacked the Exceeds as well as Minerva and Erza. Multiple explosions were soon heard. Kyoka only grinned at seeing their pain.

"What's this? She's so absorbed in battle that she's forgotten my voice. But at least it seems she's doing her job." Mard Geer stated.

"Hey, why the hell would you wanna wipe out Magic all across the continent?" Sting questioned.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? By removing all Magic, END's seal will also be broken." Mard Geer answered.

"That book..." Natsu mumbled.

"Right now, he is in that form, but END is the strongest demon of the Books of Zeref and the master of Tartaros. By reviving END, we shall be able to return to Zeref." Mard Geer explained.

"I still don't get it." Sting claimed.

"Incomprehensible." Rogue commented.

"If you want to see your boss that badly, just go by yourself." Dusk added.

Mard Geer smirked. "You call yourselves sons of dragons, but in the end, you are mere humans. Is it so difficult to understand?" He questioned.

"Watch the condescension, buddy!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Have you ever thought about why Zeref created us?" Mard Geer asked as the four Dragon Slayers stayed silent. "None of my underlings have realized it. We Etherious have something like a strong obsession that demands we 'return to Zeref.'"

"It is all so we can return to Zeref."

"It's an order on the genetic level. 'Return to Zeref,' 'I want to see Zeref,' 'for Zeref'... Those are feelings. All of them come down to one truth." Mard Geer started to say before smirking once more.

"Zeref cursed himself for becoming immortal and wished to die. The final destination of that wish was the creation of beings that could kill him. Those who were born to murder Zeref. They are... the demons of the Books of Zeref." Mard Geer continued to explain. "END was his masterpiece. But something must've happened, because he was sealed again in the book. A seal that could never be broken in Earthland, a world overflowing with Magic."

Mard Geer stood up from his throne. "However, when Face makes all Magic across the continent disappear, that seal will be broken and END will return." He claimed, stopping in front of the four as he had a crazed look in his eyes. "Then he will defeat Zeref. That is our wish, as well as Zeref's."

"A battle to beat Zeref?" Natsu repeated.

"And you involved humans in this business that has nothing to do with us!" Sting exclaimed while Rogue and Dusk just 'tch-ed' in annoyance.

"When you walk somewhere, do you go out of your way to avoid stepping on weeds in the path?" Mard Geer questioned as thorns grew.

"Bastard!" Sting snarled. However, his eyes widened as the thorns attacked him, Rogue, and Dusk.

"Sting! Rogue! Dusk!" Natsu called out before he got attacked by thorns as well, sending him to the wall.

"Natsu-san!" Sting shouted as him, Rogue, and Dusk were trapped in the thorns.

"What the hell is this?!" Natsu questioned as thorns continued to grow, revealing a giant plant.

"A prison flower that blooms in the Underworld." Mard Geer responded as the flower charged forward.

"Dammit! I can't move!" Rogue exclaimed.

"Natsu! Dodge it!" Dusk warned.

The thorns grabbed onto Natsu. "This damn..." He trailed off as the flower headed towards him.

However, before it could strike him, purple ice soon appeared and froze the flower.

"Ice?" Natsu questioned as Sting, Rogue, and Dusk were soon released.

Natsu's scarf fell on his shoulders. "This is... my scarf..." Natsu noticed.

"I found it." Gray's voice was soon heard. "If it's important to you, don't lose it again."

"Gray..." Natsu muttered.

"Gray-san!" Sting exclaimed, supporting Rogue.

"This Magic..." Rogue mumbled as Mard Geer narrowed his eyes before his arm was frozen.

"When did you...?!" Natsu started to say with a stunned look.

"Who are you?!" Mard Geer demanded.

"I'm the Devil Slayer who came here..." A tattoo appeared on Gray's forearm. "...to defeat you."

Natsu's eyes widened at Gray's claim as Sting, Rogue, and Dusk were left in shock. "Devil Slayer, you say?" Mard Geer repeated.

"What the hell is that?" Sting asked.

"If Dragon Slaying Magic is for dragons and God Slaying Magic is for the gods, then I could only assume Devil Slaying Magic is for..." Dusk trailed off.

"This is Magic that defeats demons." Gray finished.

Gray charges forward, striking at Mard Geer who was encased in purple ice. "This is Silver's..." Mard Geer started to say, recognizing the Magic before he shattered the ice.

Mard Geer dusted himself off. "I knew he would betray me one day. Although I didn't realize it would take this form. Fate is amusing indeed." He claimed.

Thorns headed for Gray as he froze the thorns instantly.

"He froze those thorns in an instant!" Rogue exclaimed.

"Incredible!" Sting praised.

More thorns headed towards Gray as he crosses his arms, freezing those thorns as well and shattering them. Sting, Rogue, Dusk, and Natsu could only watch in shock.

"You think fate is amusing? I don't think it's one damn bit amusing!" Gray exclaimed. "For the sake of my old man's wish..."

"Old man?" Natsu repeated.

"...I'll destroy all of you!" Gray finished as purple ice struck Mard Geer.

Gray leaped up into the air. "Die!" He shouted. "Ice Magic! Zero Sword!"

Gray charged at Mard Geer but got struck down by a familiar person.

"Gray-san!" Sting called out as Gray crashed to the ground.

"You made it in time." Mard Geer told the newcomer.

"Another one of 'em! And that smell..." Natsu trailed off.

"No..." Sting muttered as both him and Rogue had terrified looks.

"The one who was at the peak of your human guilds... Naturally he was reborn as a demon." Mard Geer said.

The newcomer was revealed to be Jiemma.

"Jiemma!"

"Master..." Rogue muttered.

"That guy..." Dusk recalled Jiemma attacking Harumi after their previous humiliation and how Akame told him how he fought Jiemma after Yukino was kicked out. "Wasn't he Saber's master?!"

"So they made you and Minerva both into demons, huh?" Gray asked.

"Made me? Wrong." Jiemma denied. "I obtained this power of my own will. To become the strongest of all!"

"You gave up being human for that?" Rogue questioned.

"That's insane." Sting commented.

"A demon with power that far surpasses the Ten Demon Gates. My new servant." Mard Geer said.

"Servant? My name is known throughout the land, and you call me servant..." Jiemma began to exert his power. "...Underworld King?! After I dispose of these whelps, you're next!"

Mard Geer only smirked in response.

"Don't be scared!" Natsu exclaimed, charging forward with a flaming fist. "There's no reason to be scared of this bozo! Charge!"

Natsu struck Jiemma, who blocked it with his arm. "I have no business with you." Jiemma claimed as Natsu was skidding back before finally crashing into some debris.

"Natsu-san!" Sting called out, gritting his teeth.

"Weaklings! Weak! Weak!" Jiemma insulted.

Sting, Rogue, and Dusk charged forward. "I'm taking you down!" Sting shouted as Jiemma blasted them with his Magic, sending the three crashing to the ground.

"Weak, weak. You are weaklings, Twin Dragons and phoenix. Instead of sons of dragons, you are more like sons of lizards." Jiemma insulted.

"Why, you..." Dusk gritted his teeth.

"Bastard..." Sting mumbled.

"Sting. Rogue. Phoenix. I've longed for the day when I could dispatch you with my own hands." Jiemma claimed before attacking the three again.

"Sting! Rogue! Dusk!" Natsu yelled.

"We have nothing to fear."

"We're..."

Sting, Rogue, and Dusk appeared from the dust, attacking Jiemma.

"...gonna charge!"

"Leave him to us!" Sting informed.

"We'll beat him!" Rogue said.

The three soon landed back on the ground. "You are pathetic weaklings! Come then, Twin Dragons! Little phoenix!" Jiemma challenged.

"We can do this, Sting, Dusk!" Rogue stated.

"Yeah. Let's clean house here, then take our lady back to the guild!" Sting said.

"To be quite honest, I've been wanting to kick his ass for a long time." Dusk admitted.

Sting, Rogue, and Dusk began battling Jiemma.

"Oh, dear. It looks like I still don't have perfect control of my emotions." Mard Geer commented.

"You're out of soldiers to protect you. I'm going to..." Gray started to say.

"You're not ready yet." Mard Geer interrupted as he began to glow purple. "Do you really think that power will work on the true form of Mard Geer?"

"His wounds..." Natsu noticed.

Mard Geer soon began to transform. "END is going to awaken for the first time in 400 years. This is a good time for me to wake up as well." He claimed as smoke appeared as well as wings appearing on Mard Geer.

"My name is Mard Geer Tartaros. King of the Underworld and an absolute demon." Mard Geer transformed into his Etherious form, making both Natsu and Gray grit their teeth.

"Natsu..." Gray said as frost surrounded his arm.

"Yeah, I know." Natsu told him as flames surrounded his arm.

"In the name of Fairy Tail, we're gonna take you down!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Come, humans." Mard Geer challenged. "This is the final battle."

A/N: Yes, Dusk is joining Sting and Rogue's battle with Jiemma, since I didn't have anything previously planned.

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.