"Master Jellal, as expected of the youngest Wizard Saint in history. You've already seen through his magic," Ultear said, complimenting Jellal with a sly smile.
Jellal shrugged. "I only hope he doesn't interfere with my plans. If he does, I won't hesitate to remove him."
Ultear laughed softly. "Let's head back. The Magic Council is already in shambles, and before my plan is complete, it's better to keep these fools around. It's not easy to find such a group of useful idiots."
Jellal's gaze lingered on the ruins of the Magic Council. "Su Yan... it's a harsh truth of this world: the strong dominate the weak. The Magic Council is a flawed institution—a pathetic assembly of weaklings trying to rule the strong. It's only natural that someone like him could topple it at will."
Ultear nodded, a hint of amusement in her expression. "It's true. These councilors are beyond useless. Even after years in the council myself, I'm amazed at how incompetent they are."
Inside the Ruined Council Chambers
"Yakima! Why didn't you fight alongside us when the criminal attacked?!"
"Yes, you were conspicuously absent while we battled for our lives!"
"You even contacted Makarov behind our backs! What's your motive?!"
As Su Yan and Makarov departed, the remaining councilors began to squabble among themselves, their frustrations boiling over. Some directed their anger at Yakima, the only one who had tried to mediate the situation.
Yakima's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "Even now, all you can do is shirk responsibility. After all these years as councilors, are you truly this foolish, or do you think everyone else is?"
"Instead of pointing fingers, perhaps you should think about how we're going to clean up this mess."
"Clean up?!" one councilor snapped. "What we need to do is issue warrants! Arrest Su Yan, Makarov, and every single member of Fairy Tail!"
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to the councilor who had shouted, their expressions incredulous—as though staring at an idiot.
"Arrest Su Yan? Who's going to do it? You?"
The weight of their collective derision hung in the air. Some even quietly considered resigning from the Magic Council entirely.
At that moment, Jellal and Ultear entered the chambers. The sight of the two unscathed councilors immediately drew ire.
"Jellal! Ultear! Where were you during the attack?! You both ran like cowards!"
Jellal spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "Mr. Michelo, you misunderstand. I wasn't running—I was feeling unwell. The situation erupted so suddenly, I didn't have time to act."
Ultear smiled innocently. "As for me, I'd already requested the day off. A woman has her monthly inconveniences, you know. Surely, you don't expect me to fight a monster in that state, do you?"
Michelo seethed. "Jellal! You're a Wizard Saint! Go after Su Yan and Makarov immediately! Arrest all of Fairy Tail!"
Jellal frowned, his tone growing cold. "Mr. Michelo, I must remind you: I am not your subordinate. While I am one of the Wizard Saints, so is Makarov—and he outranks me in both status and strength."
He continued, "Moreover, Fairy Tail has several powerful and well-respected mages. This was not a simple act of defiance but a consequence of the council's poor decisions. The responsibility lies not just with Su Yan but with us."
"Jellal! How dare you—"
Ultear cut in smoothly. "Let's all take a moment to calm down, shall we? The situation isn't beyond repair. I'll start by restoring the Magic Council."
She raised her hands, her body radiating magic. The ruins began to glow, and time seemed to reverse.
Cracked ground leveled itself, shattered walls reassembled, and destroyed buildings returned to their original state. Even Su Yan's massive palm print disappeared as though it had never been.
"This... this is the Arc of Time!" exclaimed Og, one of the councilors.
The sight of Ultear's magic left the councilors and knights in awe.
In just a few moments, the Magic Council was completely restored, as if nothing had happened.
Ultear staggered slightly, the strain of repairing such a large area evident.
"Incredible!"
"It's back to normal!"
"Miss Ultear's magic is extraordinary!"
Og stepped forward, his tone grave. "Let's focus on suppressing this incident. If word of today's events spreads, the Magic Council will be the laughingstock of Ishgar."
The others nodded in agreement.
If the public learned that a single mage from a legal guild had nearly destroyed the Magic Council, it would erode their authority. Worse, it might embolden dark guilds and create unrest across the continent.
The realization also dawned on them that someone within their jurisdiction was powerful enough to challenge the council itself. Even with the ultimate weapon, the "Magic Spirit Power," their ability to maintain control was in question.
The times had indeed changed.
Fiore, Northeast Oak City – Phantom Lord Headquarters
"President! All members have been assembled!" a mage reported.
Jose Porla, the president of Phantom Lord, slowly raised his head. The sinister glint in his eyes betrayed his seething rage.
In the hall of Phantom Lord's headquarters, thousands of mages gathered, their expressions cold and resolute.
A cruel smile crept across Jose's face. "Excellent. Let's move out. Our target is Fairy Tail. This time, I'll make sure that filthy guild is erased from existence!"