Purgatory Sub-Dragon flapped its wings and chased towards the shore.
It noticed that the resilient human still wasn't dead and was spiritedly preparing to cast a magic attack on it.
Without hesitation, the Purgatory Sub-Dragon opened its mouth and sent a Dragon Breath towards him again.
The result was that the man, along with much lava, sank into the sea, his silhouette obscured by endless steam, never to make a sound again.
The Purgatory Sub-Dragon humanly scratched its chin: "This... doesn't feel right, seems like a fake?"
It glanced around, sniffed with its nose, unable to catch Precht's scent.
Seeing the fire on the island growing larger, the Purgatory Sub-Dragon decided to extinguish it first.
It extinguished all the fire sources it could control and then flew over the sea, spreading its wings and spinning its body several times.
Waves rolled over the sea's surface, masses of ocean water gathered into a waterspout, flying towards the spreading sea of fire on the island.
"Things like this should be done by the ocean," it muttered to itself, preparing to continue its search for Precht.
If it weren't worried about being nagged by the Mountain Sub-Dragon when it returned, it wouldn't bother managing fire extinctions.
...
The Purgatory Sub-Dragon's guess was correct, Precht had only left a Thought Body in place as a decoy.
By this time, he had quietly landed ashore, continuing to follow Zeref's aura forward.
He cast a series of Hidden Magic Power and aura concealing magic on himself, planning to secretly capture Zeref, Fairy Tail could wait for later.
However, Precht was caught off guard when Zeref actively sought out the Purgatory Sub-Dragon.
"Unnamed Dragon, can you kill me?" Zeref looked at the Purgatory Sub-Dragon, his eyes full of longing.
As if he truly wished to be killed here.
"Huh?" The Purgatory Sub-Dragon knew it didn't have much time and only wanted to continue causing trouble for Precht.
Unexpectedly, someone jumped out seeking death.
Zeref, holding his forehead with one hand, said to himself, "Lately I have been trying hard to forget the preciousness of life, I forgot many things, many magic, yet could never forget that one thing...
"And if I can't, I will continue to deprive those around me of life, I've had enough. Rather than letting countless lives die because of me, let me die instead.
"But I can't do that either, I can't kill myself. I remember Dragons are strong beings, can you completely destroy me?"
"..." The Purgatory Sub-Dragon felt confused, what kind of nonsense was this?
"Master Zeref!" Precht could not hold back upon seeing the person he had longed for day and night.
Regardless of whether the Purgatory Sub-Dragon was there, he jumped out excitedly and said, "Please lead us to the Great Magic Realm!"
"Hmm..." As if awakened by Precht's words, Zeref held his head, "Ah, you are... Demon's Heart, it's you who brought the flames of war to this island for me..."
Precht said excitedly, "Yes, Master Zeref! Everything we've done was for you! To make it happen..."
"It's a pity." Zeref interrupted Precht and slowly raised his head, "I do not intend to do anything in this era, I have seen too many conflicts and deaths, I no longer wish to see anyone die.
"Which means, I don't have what you want, leave here and stop disrupting this island's peace."
"How could this... Oh!" Precht suddenly realized he had been too excited to meet Zeref to remember he was still 'asleep'!
"Rest assured, I have gathered all the 'keys' required to awaken you, I'll go fetch them right away!"
Zeref's face instantly became unpleasant.
As someone who has lived from 400 years ago until now, he knew many people worshiped him, always wanting to 'revive' or 'awaken' him.
They even concocted many bizarre 'settings' for it.
The so-called keys were fabricated around two or three hundred years ago, the most secretly circulated type.
And due to its secrecy, those who learned of it believed it wholeheartedly.
To obtain such things, it's necessary to destroy many ancient tribes or villages, to kill many people.
Today's Zeref cannot forget the preciousness of life, he cherishes life.
He loathes such evil deeds deeply.
"For those ancient lies, how many people have you killed?"
"Lies... Lies?" Zeref's words almost caused Precht to collapse.
Were all his years of effort futile?
Zeref's robe fluttered though there was no wind, his gaze shifted from confusion to razor-sharp: "I am angry."
"Damn it! I'm freaking angry too!" The Purgatory Sub-Dragon listening to their incomprehensible conversation suddenly dived down from the sky, adjusted its angle, and swept Precht fiercely with its wings.
It thought breath attacks were ineffective against this guy, better to try a different attack method.
"This is the kind of power!" Zeref suddenly pushed away Precht, and crashed into the Purgatory Sub-Dragon's wings himself.
Boom!!!
A fierce flash of fire erupted at the point of impact, accompanied by a violent explosion sound, Zeref's body flew away.
The clothes on him ignited into flames, his whole body like a fire meteor, drawing a slash line across the round Celestial Wolf Island.
Even though he was pushed away, Precht still got affected, smashed into two large trees before stopping.
"Daring to attack Zeref..." Precht was furious, not because of physical pain, but for Zeref being blown away.
Zeref's current state was clearly abnormal, if that hit just killed him...
"Damn it!" Precht's body surged with magic power, black Magic Balls, purple Magic Chains, complex Magic Arrays...
Various magic fired at the Purgatory Sub-Dragon in the sky as if they cost nothing.
Yet the Purgatory Sub-Dragon's figure suddenly disappeared.
This made Precht more convinced it was a fake dragon, all Rhode's mischief.
He cursed, "Damn brat!"
Boom boom boom... The explosion of angered magic devastated a small patch of the surrounding forest.
Precht had to chase in the direction Zeref flew away.
Zeref was now lying on his back on the sea surface, his clothes had some damage, and there were some wounds on his body, but they were quickly healing.
He stared at the sky gradually darkening with a bit of loss: "Even the Dragon... can't kill me..."
Indeed, only Natsu can...
"This is..." Zeref's thoughts were suddenly interrupted, he sensed a terrifying presence approaching.
"Again."
"In the endless conflicts, people's evil thoughts will be reflected. And those strong evil thoughts will summon Acronologia."
"He will destroy everything, he will announce the end of an era."
Zeref recited a few verses from the "Revelation," he had seen such things happen more than once.
Long-lasting wars between countries always attract Acronologia, and that Black Dragon will single-handedly obliterate those two nations.
This time, the evil intent of Demon's Heart was too powerful, so much so that it only took a guild skirmish to lure it here.
"Celestial Wolf Island... Natsu... farewell."