Chapter 138

"Let's go in first."

"I suppose support from other societies will arrive soon."

Jurala offered a modest smile, then gestured invitingly toward Macarov and the others.

Jurala would not tell Macarov and the others that he and the other members of his own society had arrived long ago, but had waited outside simply because no other societies had yet arrived.

"Oh!"

"Yes, that Bobu guy must have been waiting a long time."

After hearing Jurala's words, Macarov nodded seriously, pulled Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie over from a distance, and smiled: "This gentleman's name is Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie."

"Don't be fooled by his youthful appearance—he's an old man by many times our age."

"Later, Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie will explain the more detailed matters to us."

Although Macarov, at eighty, looked frail and aged, because Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie's actual age was already hundreds of years, Macarov always addressed Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie with respectful honorifics.

"Are you the esteemed Mr. Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie?"

Regarding Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie's identity, background, and strength, Macarov had already revealed these details when notifying all magic societies beforehand.

So upon seeing Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie, Jurala bowed deeply—ninety degrees—and introduced himself seriously: "My name is Jurala Regis."

"I humbly ask for your continued guidance and instruction!"

"Mr. Jurala, you need not bow so deeply."

"We can speak as equals."

Watching the solemn Jurala, Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie sighed helplessly.

To be honest, Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie did not particularly like such rigid, serious types.

He found creatures like Natsu—simple-minded, single-minded beings—far more interesting.

What followed naturally became simple.

Unlike the mage alliance in the original story's Six Demon Generals arc.

That alliance in the original story, due to various factors, was essentially a joke.

Aside from Jurala, the weakest of the Ten Saint Mages, the other mages were utterly inadequate.

Now, thanks to Macarov's full-scale call, his clear understanding of the severity of the matter, and his decades of reputation and credibility, Macarov had summoned nearly all the known strongholds on the continent.

Only those closest—Fairy Tail and the Serpent's Scale—had arrived so far, due to the long distances.

"All of Fairy Tail and Serpent's Scale!"

"Blue Pegasus has been waiting for you a long time!"

The moment they stepped inside, the villa's lights suddenly dimmed.

Immediately after, a beam of light swept down from above—Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie and the others were met with Blue Pegasus's long-prepared welcome party.

Greeting them head-on was Blue Pegasus's core team, TriMens.

"I'm Byakuya Hibi."

A strikingly bright and handsome young man.

"I'm Seiya Yū."

A golden-haired boy of equally high beauty.

"I'm Kūya Ren."

A dark-skinned handsome man.

Though they were practically old acquaintances, the three still posed seriously, introduced themselves with solemn precision, and carefully selected their targets for small talk.

Clearly, Lucy, meeting them for the first time, was the top target.

But just as the three were about to act, a deep, captivating voice slipped in.

"Enough. Today's matter is no trivial thing."

"So let's skip all unnecessary formalities."

A man who embodied the archetype of short, fat, and unattractive slowly descended the pink staircase inside the villa.

He was the team captain of TriMens—Ichinichi.

Normally irreverent and unserious, Ichinichi now wore an expression never before seen—Macarov's earlier revelations had stripped him of all desire to joke.

"President Bobu has been waiting for you in the conference room."

"I assume this is Mr. Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie, as President Macarov described."

Glancing at Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said seriously: "Given the gravity of this matter, we will rely heavily on your guidance and instruction, Mr. Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie."

With that, Ichinichi led Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie and the others toward the conference room.

Ichinichi's sudden seriousness made everyone realize once again: this matter was of utmost importance, demanding their full, undivided attention.

Soon, all arrived in the conference room and met President Bobu, dressed in peculiar attire.

"What is the current situation with the Magic Council?"

"Can they offer as much assistance as possible in this operation against the Akatsuki?"

Upon seeing President Bobu, Macarov—who was already accustomed to his bizarre attire—paid it no mind and asked directly: "How many of the Ten Saint Mages will come?"

Since Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie had already said the Akatsuki was extremely dangerous and required total effort to confront, Macarov naturally spared no effort to assemble the strongest possible alliance.

First, he contacted all Ten Saint Mages.

Especially the top four.

If the top four Saint Mages gathered, combined with the unfathomable strength of Blue-Dyed Sou Yejie, Macarov felt the operation against the Akatsuki was all but certain.

Moreover, as the initiator of this event, the Fiore Kingdom had dispatched its strongest team—the S-Rank Wolf Knight Order.

In the original story's Grand Magic Games arc, this team gave Natsu and the others considerable trouble.

Had it not been for the protagonist's luck, Natsu and the others might never have passed the Wolf Knight Order's trial.

"Among the Ten Great Saints of Magic, aside from the first-ranked one who couldn't be reached, all the others have been contacted."

"However, the regrettable part is that the only ones who agreed to come are Mr. Ulfheim, ranked third, and Mr. Wolod Sincen, ranked fourth."