"Is this the opponent Brian, that useless idiot, managed to provoke?!"
"Brian, that weakling, couldn't even pass the S-Class mage exams held by some random minor guild… How in the world did he manage to get us into a fight with this kind of monster?!"
"Brian, you should stop calling yourself a leader and rename yourself 'Pigbrain!'"
"All you ever do is create problems!"
"I just slept for a moment, and suddenly you've landed me in this mess with such a powerful enemy? Are you trying to get me killed?!"
When 'Zero' saw Ur and Ian calmly waiting for him to transform, he was utterly speechless.
Ur wasn't the problem—
Though she was a Wizard Saint, so was he. If they fought, they were equals, neither capable of easily defeating the other without serious effort.
But the kid standing next to Ur? What was his deal?!
The moment he laid eyes on him, Zero felt an overwhelming sense of dread.
The sheer force of the kid's magic pressure was suffocating, even without him doing anything!
For a moment, Zero thought that Hades himself (the second master of Fairy Tail, Precht) had come to settle some old grudge.
How am I supposed to fight this?!
Zero's forehead was already damp with sweat. His fists clenched as his panic grew.
"I have no desire to fight either of you!"
"You're both powerful wizards—surely you can tell that although Brian and I share a body, we are not the same person! In fact, Brian is our common enemy…"
"The truth is, Brian infiltrated the Magic Development Bureau and became its director to seal me away forever! That deceitful scumbag has been trying to keep me in eternal slumber."
"Now that I'm free, I fully intend to destroy Brian's personality so he can never rise again. In this sense, we should be on the same side."
Zero's tone softened, abandoning any semblance of pride he had moments before.
Well, Zero might have been a little arrogant, but he wasn't stupid.
In fact, he was a genius when it came to magic. Anyone who could reach the rank of Wizard Saint in Ishgar—a continent where magic was in decline due to political conflicts—was an exceptional talent.
So, when Zero realized he had zero chance of winning against his enemies, he did the smart thing: surrender. He hoped to resolve this situation peacefully by acknowledging that Brian was the true villain here.
Zero assumed Ur and Ian would appreciate the gesture. After all, it wasn't every day that a Wizard Saint admitted defeat so readily.
However, Zero overestimated his strength and severely underestimated Ian and Ur's resolve.
Had it been Precht standing there instead of Zero, Ian might have considered negotiating or retreating.
Even with Ian's current "Heavenly King"-level power, fighting Precht—one of the most talented and twisted mages from the Fairy Tail's past—was still a risky gamble. But Zero? He didn't measure up.
Or, as Ryoma from Prince of Tennis might say: "You're nowhere near my level!"
"Wanna take the lead?" Ian glanced at Ur with a smirk.
"You back me up. This is my revenge. It wouldn't mean anything if I didn't do it myself," Ur replied, cracking her neck and letting her magic flare around her. Her voice was calm but seething with fury.
"Alright, he's all yours. I won't interfere unless it's necessary."
Ian smiled, nodding in agreement, as if Zero was already defeated—like they had already settled on their victory. Neither he nor Ur seemed remotely concerned about facing a Wizard Saint.
"Wait!" Zero shouted, his confidence shaken. "Just because your magic is stronger doesn't give you the right to do whatever you please!"
"True magic is more powerful than you can imagine! Have you ever stared into the abyss?!"
"You have no idea the strength of those who have plunged into the depths of dark magic…"
Zero's voice trembled as he spoke, veins bulging on his forehead. It had been so long since anyone had treated him with such disdain, and he was filled with both fury and fear. But the truth was, Ian and Ur had every reason to disregard him.
So, Zero tried to pull one last card, even if it wasn't his favorite move.
There was someone far more terrifying than him…
Someone whose mere mention might buy him time.
Zero didn't like to rely on this person, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
"Uh… what?" Ian blinked, a little amused by Zero's rant. "You're talking as if I'm the bad guy here."
"Since when did you become so chatty, Zero?" Ian added mockingly.
"You…!" Zero was trembling with rage, but he dared not lash out.
"Are you talking about Precht? Or wait, it's Hades now, isn't it?" Ian smirked, watching Zero's reaction with interest.
"Wh-What?" Zero was taken aback. How does he know that?!
"Let me explain something." Ian's grin widened as he revealed his arm, showing the Fairy Tail guild mark etched on his bicep.
"Precht was Fairy Tail's second guild master. Even if you managed to summon him, he'd be on my side."
Zero's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the emblem.
"Y-You… You're a wizard of Fairy Tail…?"
Zero stammered in disbelief, his heart sinking as he realized who he was up against.
Boom!
Before Zero could react further, a massive wave of gravity magic slammed down on him, crushing him into the ground.
"Ice-Make: Infinite Rose World!"
Ur had been gathering magic since the moment Zero opened his mouth. Now, she unleashed it all at once, summoning an entire realm of thorny, frozen roses that encased Zero in a deadly trap.
The sudden drop in temperature was enough to freeze the blood in Zero's veins.
"I've been waiting for my magic to charge up… What were you waiting for? Death?" Ur's voice dripped with sarcasm as she watched the frozen roses pierce through Zero's body, pinning him in place.
The icy thorns constricted even tighter, tearing into him from all angles.