Repent

Fairy Tail's gathered wizards listened as Su Yan explained why he'd let them flee with Zeref.

Erza was the first to speak. "Su Yan, you mean Zeref—"

Su Yan nodded. "They thought that awakening Zeref would open some imagined 'Great World of Magic.' But it's just a myth a bunch of black-mage worshipers fabricated ages ago."

When Fairy Tail regrouped, they'd heard from Azuma and others that Grimoire Heart believed they could birth a new era by unleashing Zeref. Su Yan only shrugged. "Let them carry off that troublesome guy. Maybe it'll postpone our next run-in with Acnologia."

Makarov let out a long sigh. "And you say Zeref isn't really sleeping?"

Su Yan confirmed it with a grim set of his jaw. "No. He never was. This entire fiasco is an illusion they clung to. But by stepping onto Tenrou Island and attacking us, they sealed their own fate."

Makarov wore a look caught between pity and revulsion. Precht—Hades—his old mentor, had thrown everything away for illusions. After a pause, Makarov shook his head. "Let's get back to the base."

Aboard the Grimoire Heart Ship

"Heh, never thought we'd lose like this," Rustyrose said quietly. He and Kain Hikaru had discovered that while they could hold their own individually against some Fairy Tail members, it hardly mattered once Hades was beaten.

Bluenote was gone, flung across the seas by Su Yan's brute force. And now they'd gathered in a ragged band, ferrying their gravely wounded Master Hades and the unconscious Zeref.

Hades slumped on a seat, covered in bandages, staring at the battered island fading into the distance. "No matter," he said to the downcast group. "We've accomplished our goal: Zeref is in our hands. We just didn't expect a dragon to appear in Fairy Tail."

A grim hush fell over them at the mention of "dragon." None missed how unstoppable Su Yan had been, how effortlessly he had crushed them.

"But with Zeref," Hades went on, "we can awaken the Great Magic World eventually…"

A feeble voice interrupted. "No, you can't." Everyone whirled to see Zeref, awake at last and slowly sitting up.

Hades jolted upright. "Zeref—! Quick, retrieve the key—!"

Zeref just closed his eyes. "There is no key. Tell me, how many lives have you destroyed, all for some illusion you call the 'Great Magic World'? It's heartbreaking."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Hades demanded, as shock rippled through the Seven Kin of Purgatory. Their dream… an illusion?

Zeref gently shook his head. "Long ago, some superstitious fools conjured these falsehoods about 'awakening Zeref.' But I've never truly been 'asleep.' I've always been aware. And I found no such nonsense about a Great Magic World. It was all a lie."

Ultear's face twisted in horror. How many atrocities had she committed, believing in some future salvation by reawakening Zeref?

Zeref exhaled, voice tight with sorrow. "Four hundred years ago, I watched countless battles, tragedies. I learned the preciousness of life… And by that realization, I became cursed. The more I cherished life, the more I inadvertently took souls from those around me. To stop that, I had to stifle my empathy—an endless cycle of grief. People like you, with your cruelty, fed my curse further."

He glowered at them. "Because of your evil, Acnologia stirs. This era may be ending, and no one can halt it. The world will soon face its end."

"Wh-what are you talking about? Acnologia?!" Hades sputtered.

Ignoring him, Zeref's hands began weaving lethal magic. The Grimoire Heart members, including Hades, stared in dread.

"Wait!" Hades shouted. "I still have questions—!"

Zeref hissed, "Your first sin was luring Acnologia. Your second—making me forget the worth of life. You must… repent!"

Fairy Tail's Temporary Base

With Grimoire Heart expelled and the Tenrou Tree revitalized, Fairy Tail members gathered to hear Makarov's announcement.

"What did you say?!" Gray and the others gaped, practically shouting in unison.

"I said," Makarov repeated firmly, "the S-Class Promotion Exam is suspended."

Gray pounded a fist. "No way, old man! We can't just stop now."

"Why are we stopping?!" Natsu demanded, cross-armed.

From the side, Gajeel grumbled, "I was about to get my S-Class, so just make me an S rank already!"

Elfman jabbed him. "Huh? You dope, you weren't even one of the finalists—Levy was."

Makarov sighed, rubbing his bald head. "Look. We've had infiltration by the Magic Council, then an attack by Grimoire Heart. Half of you are injured. More accidents could happen if we push on. It's no longer safe or fair to continue the exam."

Mirajane nodded. "With the council meddling, and the chaos from Grimoire Heart, we have to be cautious."

Though disappointed, the guild recognized the necessity. Su Yan, standing nearby, only gave a slight nod. He recalled how Makarov had quietly told him about Mest's infiltration and how it was part of a ploy to gain the council's trust.

Regardless, the S-Class exam would end here, leaving the future uncertain. In the hush that followed, everyone couldn't help thinking: They had overcome monumental trials on this island, and a new darkness—Acnologia—loomed on the horizon. The battles might have paused for now, but the real storms were still to come.