The moment the Purgatory Sub-Dragon disappeared, Rhode received a message from it.
"How is it?" Makarov was a bit nervous.
He was worried both that the Purgatory Sub-Dragon couldn't win and that President Precht might die.
Rhode frowned and said, "It wasn't resolved."
"Are you kidding?" Mira was somewhat in disbelief.
Erza and Laxus felt the same; they had personally witnessed the dragon's appearance earlier.
The power of its first breath was seen from afar as well.
If such a powerful dragon couldn't win, then just how strong is the second president?
Rhode explained, "It's not that it didn't win; it just didn't kill. That guy is like he has an undying body, very troublesome.
"And Zeref was just knocked away, I'm not sure how he is now."
Kildas speculated, "Maybe there's some special defense magic."
"...Fairy's Ball?" Rhode thought the second president might use that move.
From the current intel, he surely could use Fairy Law, and probably not Fairy Radiance, or Bruno wouldn't have come here looking.
Makarov thought of the greatest secret of the guild, feeling a bit doubtful but uncertain: "No matter what, we have to face it. Let's go."
If it was up to him, everyone should have gone together just now.
But Rhode suggested letting the dragon probe first for safety, and Makarov respected his opinion.
Besides, the way the Purgatory Sub-Dragon fights, except for Natsu and Rhode, others really can't keep up to cooperate.
Luckily, after waiting patiently for so long, they managed to glean some unfavorable intel.
Makarov couldn't wait to verify it himself.
Makarov, Kildas, Laxus, Erza, Rhode, and Mira, this is the entire lineup for this centenarian caring event.
Others stayed in the camp to rest, and naturally, Wendy stayed to help with healing.
In terms of support magic, Makarov felt Rhode's red, blue, and purple ones were sufficient.
Natsu and Gray also clamored to come, but there were still remnants of the Demon Heart on the island, and the camp was full of injured, so they needed some reliable people to guard it.
As for Laxus, although Makarov kept a stern face, everyone could tell he was actually quite happy.
...
Precht now only wanted to do two things.
The first was to find Zeref, and the second was to capture that little brat named Rhode and let him experience the magic arrays from the Amaterasu Technique to the Hundred Techniques.
If thinking rationally, this situation shouldn't warrant unnecessary conflicts.
But the angry Precht no longer cared; as the president of the strongest Dark Guild, he had no reason to deliberately avoid those brats.
One party was intentionally seeking, and the other had no intention of hiding.
Therefore, they naturally ran into each other face-to-face.
"You're bold to come looking, Makarov."
"Some things need to be resolved." Makarov looked at him, "President Precht, when leaving the Fairy Tail guild, one must adhere to three principles, and you've violated at least two."
Precht sneered, "I long forgot those ancient things, yet you still remember. Moreover, maybe I violated all of them."
The first was leaking information detrimental to the guild and using it against the guild.
The second was, in the villages he destroyed in the past, there might have been former clients.
The third goes without saying, not only did he not treasure past guild companions, but he also wanted to utterly destroy the guild.
This was absolutely unforgivable.
But Precht no longer cared about these.
"You seem to have brought some promising young people." Precht's gaze swept over the people beside Makarov one by one, "Fairy Tail's future will be completely doomed by your decision."
"No, we will survive, moving unwaveringly towards the future, always passing on the will of Fairy Tail." Makarov looked at Precht with complex eyes, "This was also something you entrusted to me back then."
"Then let's see." Precht looked at the most annoying figure in the crowd, "You're Rhode, aren't you!"
As soon as he spoke, a light purple magic chain shot out.
Ignoring everyone, Precht attacked Rhode without a word.
I haven't even started taunting yet! Rhode felt wronged.
Before he could make an evasive move, Kildas was already standing in front of Rhode, reaching forward with a clawed right hand; the purple chain stopped in its tracks and shattered inch by inch.
Simultaneously, Makarov brought his hands together in a sword gesture, drawing a semicircle up and down, sending three golden light bullets with long tails flying toward Precht.
Precht extended his left hand forward, a purplish translucent circular magic shield expanded, blocking the three light bullets.
Laxus raised his right fist high; a ferocious thunderstorm descended from the sky, sending dozens of golden lightning bolts continuously striking Precht.
"Hmph!" Precht snorted coldly, raising his right hand, producing a black magic ball the size of a basin in his palm, absorbing the lightning and rapidly expanding.
When it reached a diameter of two meters, Precht viciously hurled it at Rhode.
Rhode: "..."
He wanted to say that he used to admire the second president a lot.
This time, once again not needing him to act, Kildas had already charged out, smashing the black magic ball with a single palm and continuing toward Precht without missing a beat.
Erza changed into Star Armor, releasing golden magic pulses at Precht with two Light Particle Swords.
Precht dodged to the right, simultaneously bringing his hands together in a sword gesture like a gun, shooting black magic bullets at Rhode.
"Maximum Defense Magic Array: Three Pillars!"
Makarov immediately protected Rhode.
He and Kildas seemed to have reached a consensus, assuming Rhode, who held off the giant dragon for so long, was low on Magic Power and needed some care.
Mira watched as Rhode was meticulously protected, reassured as she transformed into Demon Shouter and rushed out.
Rhode helplessly summoned a golem and tree monster, granting the Crown of Insight to Mira, Erza, Laxus, and himself.
He also granted the Crown of Embers to Kildas, Erza, Mira, and Laxus as they charged forward.
Everyone naturally got a Broken Ghost Crown.
Laxus, who was the last to initiate, was the first to appear beside Precht, delivering a Lightning Dragon's Shattering Fist that sent Precht flying sideways.
Kildas immediately followed up, intercepting Precht and landing a punch infused with Smashing Magic on his jaw, sending him airborne again.
Before he could adjust his stance, Mira, stepping on flames, was already in the air, slamming a fist into Precht's back, sending him plummeting down.
Erza aimed her two Starlight Particle Swords at the falling Precht, making him rise again.
Finally, Makarov transformed into a giant, his fist smashing Precht directly into the ground from above!
While recovering his Magic Power, Rhode wasn't idle, commanding two Cyan Engraved Golems to control four Azure Floating Cannons, firing continuously at Precht in the pit.
Precht's cries of pain repeatedly echoed.
He suddenly felt a bit strange; how do these people cause more pain than the dragon? It was a completely different kind of pain.
The centenarian elder, after many years, returned to receive the warmest care from some of the strongest members within Fairy Tail.