Chapter 381

"Myself? My thing? Could it be that—?!"

After hearing the young man's words, Lin Cheng's expression did not change, but the distant Hyiberion and the others had all been stunned.

One must know that the members of Mingfuzhi Sect are all demons from Zeref's Book of END; the entire Anheigong Society is equivalent to Zeref's bookshelf, and it seemed that the book in the young man's hand was precisely that very book.

And from the young man's words, it was not hard to tell that this book, which was very likely Zeref's Book of END, belonged to him.

Demons?

The Book of END?

Powerful strength!

The instant each piece of news strung itself together.

Even though everyone tried deliberately to avoid it, they could not help but associate it in their minds with Zeref.

That terrifying existence who, hundreds of years ago, brought darkness across the entire Magic World, and even the Ishgar Continent!

However!

The Black Mage Progenitor, Zeref, was a figure from four hundred years ago—how could he possibly still be alive in this era?

Cultivating magical power or magic can indeed extend a mage's own lifespan, but those who can exceed a hundred years of life are still extremely few, and at most do not exceed two hundred.

How had the other party endured the passage of four hundred years?

Yet, even if one clung to faint hopes, reality was reality.

Beside them, Makarov, who knew everything, slowly opened his mouth and gave the answer.

"The Black Mage Progenitor, Zeref."

That was right—the young man before them was none other than Zeref himself.

Only he could possess such ultimate darkness.

As the one who had taught the first generation of Fairy Tail, Makarov had long learned from the president of the Duanranbu Society that the Black Mage Zeref still lived in this world.

Including the war between the Alvarez Empire and Ishgar two years ago, which Zeref had launched in order to seize the Eclipse.

And at this very moment, as if to prove the thoughts in their hearts, the young man looked toward the direction of Makarov and the others and slowly spoke.

"I did not expect that, after so many years, there would still be people who could recognize me."

And as his words fell, everyone present, apart from Lin Cheng and Makarov, was utterly dumbfounded.

It was not that Makarov and the others were being overly dramatic.

A Black Mage from four hundred years ago still existing in this world—once this news spread, what tremendous panic it would cause.......

The Black Mage Progenitor, Zeref—that name was simply too terrifying!

So much so that, although they had already guessed in their hearts, the instant the other party said it out loud, they still could not suppress the shock in their hearts.

In contrast, Lin Cheng showed no great reaction.

In fact, before this, the instant he learned of the Underworld King's appearance, Lin Cheng had already prepared himself in his heart.

Because he clearly knew how important the Book of END was to Zeref—he knew it through and through.

The Underworld King was merely a demon keeping it safe for him; after his death, Zeref would absolutely not allow this book to fall into another's hands.

After all, it concerned his younger brother's life.

But even knowing that his next actions would draw out Zeref, Lin Cheng still did it without the slightest hesitation.

All for the sake of drawing Zeref out.

Mingfuzhi Sect and Fiss were merely one of his objectives on this trip; the true objective was actually Zeref himself.

As the most mysterious existence in the early stages of the Fairy Tail World, Lin Cheng had always wanted to know how he compared to him—who was stronger, who was weaker.

All along, Lin Cheng had obtained quite a few puppets, including several S-class ones, but Lin Cheng still did not possess sufficient confidence.

The reason lay in the fact that Zeref himself bore the will of Ankhseram, named the 'Curse of Contradiction', also known as the Hunt of Death!

A terrifying power that, without needing to be deliberately activated, could plunder the lives around it invisibly.

Besides that, over the long passage of time he had mastered many powerful magics himself, including no few ancient Lost Magics, as well as Super Magic.

Freely converting between magic and sorcery, the terrifying existence who had truly reached the pinnacle of magic, the source of magic, in the entire Fairy Tail World.

Compared to Zeref, although Lin Cheng had incorporated the attributes and abilities of the most puppets.

But compared to Zeref himself, Lin Cheng said very objectively, there still existed an enormous gap.

Among them, the Hunt of Death alone was something Lin Cheng could neither resolve nor avoid.

Even possessing a Substitute Puppet, it was the same.

That was a power from the gods—an unavoidable power.

And this problem, after Lin Cheng exchanged for the Reinhardt S-class puppet, ceased to exist.