Perhaps in the eyes of others, Larcade was someone who toyed with the souls of others and made them feel incomparable shame, a demon among demons.
However, in the eyes of the lustful Dragon Selene, she loved this feeling of pleasure far too much...
"This guy, I'm taking him away~"
Selene lightly licked the corner of her lips. She stretched out a finger and pointed at Larcade in front of her, declaring ownership to Evan and the others behind her.
"You don't mind?"
Regarding Selene treating Larcade as her personal possession, Evan looked toward Kurnugi, who had been standing behind him silently without speaking.
"Master, what do you think I can say? What would I dare say?!"
Upon hearing that, Kurnugi revealed a gentle smile.
"That makes sense..."
Looking at Kurnugi's smile, Evan helplessly shook his head.
Afterward, Evan looked at Larcade with eyes full of sympathy. Larcade's future days would definitely not be pleasant...
Perhaps in a fit of anger, Larcade would abandon all of his curses and magic and start everything over from scratch. After all, no one would want something they had painstakingly cultivated their entire life to end up serving only as a self-X tool, right?!
"You people have gone too far!"
After hearing Selene's words, Larcade's face turned red. He felt humiliated!
No one in this world could humiliate him! He was Zeref's child...
"R.I.P. — Rest in Peace!"
In his ultimate fury, Larcade decided to use his strongest ultimate technique, R.I.P.
At once, countless white rays of light burst forth from Larcade's body...
"There is no living creature in this world that doesn't need sleep! As long as you are struck by my magic, you will fall into eternal slumber!"
Larcade's expression was ferocious. This was his final trump card. If even this magic was ineffective, then there was nothing even he could do.
As Larcade unleashed his immense magical power, the dragons immediately felt waves of drowsiness...
"Ah, I'm so sleepy~"
As Selene spoke, she suddenly closed her eyes. Standing where she was, she immediately fell fast asleep.
"It worked..."
Looking at Selene, who had fallen asleep like a sleeping beauty, Larcade's lips curled upward. His magic had finally succeeded. He had finally made someone fall asleep.
"Not bad~"
"Looks like besides being able to block self-X sticks, you can also serve as a pretty good sleeping pill! I'm liking you more and more~"
Seeing Larcade's raised lips, Selene found herself liking him more and more. She liked Larcade so much that she wished she could immediately stuff him into a box and have him work for her forever. Whenever she wanted pleasure, Larcade would give her pleasure. Whenever she wanted to sleep, Larcade would lull her to sleep. He was simply a perfect tool~
Truly an essential artifact for home and travel~
"My magic, everything I've cultivated, it's useless! It's useless!"
Seeing his ultimate move completely nullified, Larcade clutched his head in agony. He no longer knew what to say. His abilities were completely ineffective against these dragons! He was about as useful as the automatic magical self-X sticks sold on the market...
At this moment, Larcade could no longer understand the meaning of his existence in this world!
"Alright! Although I know Selene really likes this multifunctional tool demon, Larcade! Before that, however, I still have something to do..."
Looking at Selene, whose expression had become twisted and whose eyes radiated a hazy, sickly obsession, Evan helplessly shook his head. With his hands behind his back, he walked toward Larcade with a smile.
"Y-you, what are you going to do?!"
At this moment, Larcade had long lost the arrogance he possessed earlier. After his magic had failed, his greatest support had disappeared. He was now completely despairing.
"What am I going to do? That's a good question..."
Evan's expression remained calm as he directly raised his right fist. After all, he still remembered the task August had entrusted to him~
That shining Ten-Year Quest Medal was beckoning to him~
"Don't come any closer!"
Larcade took a step back. He was utterly distraught, no longer possessing the image of a high monk. His mind was now filled with nothing but fear of Evan.
"Hehe..."
Looking at the fear-filled Larcade, Evan merely sneered disdainfully. With his hands behind his back, he slowly approached him step by step.
"You forced me to do this. You all forced me to do this..."
Looking at Evan getting closer and closer, a trace of ruthlessness flashed through Larcade's eyes.
In fact, from the very beginning, when he had sent a million soldiers charging toward Evan and the others, he had already been planning this!
If Evan and the others were not illusions but true dragons, then he would summon that being...
The Black Dragon King Acnologia! The Wing of Apocalypse recorded in the Book of Apocalypse! The black dragon filled with despair would destroy everything...
"Come forth! Acnologia!!"
Larcade shouted and released all the magic power within his body into the sky.
In an instant, dazzling white light blasted through the ceiling of the magic airship and shot straight into the heavens with boundless might! The brilliant white radiance forced everyone to close their eyes.
"Hahaha, it's over! Everything is over! The Black Dragon King will descend here and destroy all of you dragons! Then, after you and the Black Dragon fight each other to the death, all glory and victory shall belong to my great father, His Majesty Zeref!"
Larcade looked at the sky with incomparably fanatical eyes. He spread his arms wide, embracing the heavens.
At this moment, Larcade's eyes were filled with anticipation for the future! He could already see it...
The scene of the Black Dragon King Acnologia descending here, engaging the Dragon Kings in a fierce battle, countless dragons falling, and his great father ascending the throne at the pinnacle of all things and becoming a true god...
However, one second passed. Ten seconds passed. One minute passed. Two minutes passed...
The entire magic airship remained utterly silent. The sky above everyone's heads was incomparably clear, and not a single roaring sound could be heard.
"Why?!"
Larcade froze. Panic appeared on his face as he looked at the azure sky, bitterness filling his heart.
"You're looking for Little Black? No need to trouble yourself. I'll help you with that~"
Evan looked at Larcade as though he were a helpless and fragile young girl.
What kind of person was Acnologia? He was the sort who, as long as someone didn't display Dragon Slayer Magic in front of him, would have difficulty discovering that even a Dragon Slayer Mage standing right before him was actually a Dragon Slayer Mage...
Besides that, Acnologia was incomparably arrogant and basically never communicated with beings other than dragons. Even if Larcade had released a signal that dragons were here, Acnologia still had to care enough to respond...
And even if Acnologia wanted to respond to Larcade, he would first have to finish off the bait Evan had thrown out before he would have the time to pay attention...
However, the most important point of all was that Evan had already set up a barrier around the area, fundamentally preventing Acnologia from receiving the signal! After all, Evan still had no plans to start a war with Little Black right now~
Evan was just that cautious...
"You bastard!!"
Looking at Evan, Larcade roared furiously and charged toward him.
"Wake up properly, Larcade! Then think carefully about who really calls the shots in this world..."
Looking at the enraged Larcade, Evan revealed the mark of Fairy Tail on his body and then threw a punch toward him.
"Azure Dragon Crushing Fist!!"
As Evan's fist tore through the air, a ferocious Azure Dragon lunged toward Larcade.
"Uh..."
Looking at Evan's Crushing Fist, the corners of Larcade's eyes twitched. The shockwave from Evan's punch alone had already made him feel endless pain. He wanted to flee, but he didn't even know where he could run. Faced with Evan's invincible strike, Larcade felt suffocated.
"Boom!"
Before Larcade could think further, Evan's fist had already cut through the air and landed on his cheek.
"Pfft..."
Blood sprayed from Larcade's mouth as he was instantly sent flying backward.
"Boom!!"
At that very instant, the flagship of the Alvarez Empire shattered apart. Amid shrieking winds and endless thunderous roars, an Azure Dragon burst forth from the flagship, biting down on Larcade as it flew toward the capital of the Alvarez Empire! In the blink of an eye, it crossed hundreds of miles!
"ROAR!!!"
A terrifying dragon roar exploded from the skies above the warship, spreading all the way to the royal capital of the Alvarez Empire!
Under that dragon's might, countless magical beasts knelt down. Whether ordinary magical beasts or S-Class magical beasts, all of them dropped to their knees and worshipped in the direction from which the dragon's might emanated. It was as though they were on a pilgrimage, as though the being they worshipped was their emperor.
"What happened?"
"N-No idea..."
"Mommy, I'm scared..."
Within the royal capital of Alvarez, the citizens felt the oppressive pressure filling the air and the continuous dragon roars echoing in their ears. Their expressions changed, their bodies trembled slightly, and their faces filled with fear.
"Boom..."
As for the imperial palace, more than half of it had now collapsed! Amid the endless ruins lay an unconscious young man. At this moment, not a single patch of skin on his body remained intact, and he had already reached the brink of death.
"It's Prince Larcade! Save him quickly..."
The soldiers holding weapons were stunned when they saw the young man lying in the ruins, then immediately shouted anxiously.
Doctors proficient in medical treatment immediately rushed toward Larcade at full speed, trying to save his life.
"He really flew quite far~"
Meanwhile, aboard the imperial airship, Evan looked at the Larcade who had been sent flying and slightly raised the corners of his mouth. After stretching his body, he looked toward the remaining members of the Spriggan 12 before him.
"So, do you know what choice you should make now?"
The smile on Evan's face disappeared as he glared at the members of the Spriggan 12 before him and spoke coldly.
"W-We understand..."
After feeling Evan's gaze, Jacob Lessio, Wahl Icht, Invel Yura, and Bloodman all shuddered. Their lips turned pale, their bodies trembled slightly, and they lowered their heads toward Evan.
Faced with this young man whom they could never defeat, the four could only choose submission...
"Good. As long as you know what to do~"
"Kurnugi, and Animus, I'll leave these guys to the two of you! Give them a memory they'll never forget~"
Looking at the four Spriggan 12 members who had lowered their heads, Evan smiled slightly and spoke to his two little followers behind him.
"Leave it to me! Lord Evan!"
As Animus spoke, he eagerly walked toward the four Spriggan 12 members.
"Is it finally this great one's turn to act? I've already grown somewhat impatient from waiting..."
After hearing Evan's words, Kurnugi became excited. He had waited for a long time, and now it was finally his turn to show his skills.
"Crystal Dragon's..."
"Cheap Saint Dragon's..."
"Roar!!"
Animus and Kurnugi wasted no words. They immediately opened with a point-blank roar attack.
"Ugh!!"
The roars of the two dragons fused together and instantly engulfed the members of the Spriggan 12.
The terrifying heat wave nearly suffocated the four of them...
Had the four not been extraordinary individuals, this single roar alone would have been enough to take their lives!
"Boom!!"
Accompanied by an explosion, Jacob Lessio, Wahl Icht, Invel Yura, and Bloodman were instantly blasted away, turning into fireworks before falling into the sea beneath them.
"Too weak..."
Animus and Kurnugi looked at the four who had been blasted away, their expressions carrying a trace of unwillingness. They had originally thought that the Spriggan 12, whom August had praised to the heavens as humanity's strongest fighters, would be extremely powerful. The result left them greatly disappointed. The four couldn't even withstand a single move...
However, the truth was not that Jacob Lessio, Wahl Icht, Invel Yura, and Bloodman were weak. Rather, none of them dared to attack. They had genuinely developed psychological trauma from Evan and the others...
At this moment, the four only wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible. No matter what method they used, even if they ended up covered in injuries, as long as they didn't have to stay together with monsters like Evan and the other Dragon King-level beings!
"The battle is over..."
As for Evan, he revealed a satisfied smile.
In his mind, two quests immediately lit up.
[Emergency Quest: Defeat the Alvarez Empire army that has spent decades preparing on the Western Continent to invade the continent of Ishgar. Reward: One Ten-Year Quest Medal!]
[Emergency Quest: Publicly beat up Larcade. Reward: One Ten-Year Quest Medal!]
The two quests were completed instantly, and Evan obtained the final two Ten-Year Quest Medals he needed to synthesize a Hundred-Year Quest Medal! As long as Evan synthesized the Hundred-Year Quest Medal and used it on the plus sign behind (Dragon Slayer) Zoan-Type Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Beast Model: Azure Dragon Form: LV14 (+), he would officially step into the level of a God Dragon...
"I, Evan, have cultivated myself to this point entirely through my own hard work..."
Looking at the data on his status panel, Evan suddenly felt a sense of gratification.
"System, add my points!"
Without wasting words, Evan directly synthesized the ten Ten-Year Quest Medals he had accumulated over several years. Instantly, a Hundred-Year Quest Medal appeared brilliantly within his mind.
Then, without any hesitation, Evan used the Hundred-Year Quest Medal on (Dragon Slayer) Zoan-Type Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Beast Model: Azure Dragon Form: LV14 (+)! Instantly, the LV14 behind Azure Dragon Form became LV15!
"Boom!!"
After the Dragon Slayer power within Evan advanced, a terrifying aura immediately erupted from his body. His eyes became deeper, and the Dragon Slayer power within him became even more terrifying! At this moment, the Dragon Seed within Evan had grown into a towering tree, reaching the pinnacle occupied by dragons in this world. If Evan advanced one step further, his dragon power would reach an unprecedented realm, perhaps even surpassing Acnologia.
"This is..."
Originally standing beside Evan, Irene, Selene, and Igneel all changed expressions after sensing the surging aura emanating from him.
"Evan, congratulations~"
Irene's eyes were filled with gratification as she looked at Evan.
At this moment, Irene resembled a mother who had finally raised her child into a successful adult. Her eyes glistened slightly as her heart was moved.
"Evan has become even more delicious~"
"If I were to have a child with Evan now, it would probably become the most talented among all my children~"
"Though with Evan's current strength, knocking him unconscious would be somewhat troublesome..."
The desire that had been stirred within Selene by Larcade caused her beautiful eyes to fill with longing as she looked at Evan. She was curious what kind of terrifying offspring would be born if two Dragon King-level beings united and produced a child.
However, Selene knew clearly that with Evan's current strength, she probably could no longer easily knock him unconscious.
"What exactly did you grow up eating, kid? Even in this era overflowing with magic power, your growth rate is a bit too fast, isn't it?"
Igneel widened his eyes as he looked at Evan. He simply couldn't imagine how Evan had reached the Dragon King level in just over ten years. No matter how he looked at it, it was far too outrageous...
"Hehe, it's all thanks to Irene's excellent teaching, and of course, I really am exceptionally talented~"
In response to the amazement of Igneel, Selene, and Irene, Evan merely smiled and attributed his rapid growth to Irene.
"Shameless brat..."
When Igneel heard Evan praise his own talent, he snorted coldly. Every being who reached the Dragon King level possessed extraordinary talent.
Of course, when it came to reaching the Dragon King level as quickly as Evan had, other than possessing truly heaven-defying talent, Igneel couldn't think of any better explanation...
Still, young individuals reaching the Dragon King level had not been absent throughout the history of Earth-land. Acnologia himself was one such example! Indeed, looking at Evan reminded Igneel of Acnologia, and he could find many similarities between them...
"Fortunately, you're not as extreme as Acnologia!"
Thinking of this, Igneel looked at Evan with emotion. He was thankful that Evan wasn't as extreme as Acnologia. If Evan had been like Acnologia as well, dragonkind would truly have been finished. One magic-devouring dragon was already troublesome enough. If another monster appeared—one who advanced faster than anyone in history and might even break through the limits of Dragon Kings—then dragons would truly have no future at all!
"Hehe."
After hearing Igneel's words, Evan merely smiled lightly. However, only Evan himself understood his condition. Although his strength had indeed reached the Dragon King level, his magic power seemed somewhat insufficient, since his magic power was still only Level 14.
Still, it wasn't a big problem.
"When I gather the next Hundred-Year Quest Medal, I'll directly upgrade my dragon power to Level 16!"
Evan stroked his chin thoughtfully. According to his calculations, his Level 14 magic power was still enough to support his current expenditures. After all, his dragon power was special. It was a unique product fused with a Devil Fruit and could be powered not only by magic power but also by physical stamina.
However, reaching Level 16 would probably become difficult. Based on the increase from Level 14 to Level 15 and extrapolating forward, once he upgraded his dragon power to the unprecedented Level 16, his Level 14 magic power would become insufficient. At most, it would allow him to use Dragon Slayer Magic at full power for only five minutes! But that wasn't a big issue either! Five minutes of invincibility was still invincibility...
Therefore, Evan had no plans to upgrade his magic power next. He intended to first raise his strength, in other words, his offensive power. As for magic power, he would find a solution later. There were always more solutions than difficulties~
"Little Black~ Little Black~"
"You probably won't be able to run wild much longer~"
Evan rolled his shoulders. In the past, he always referred to Acnologia as the Black Dragon King. Now he had changed it to Little Black. Things were different now.
Once Evan worked a bit harder and upgraded his Dragon Slayer Magic to the unprecedented Level 16, then it wouldn't be Little Black anymore—it would be Blackie~
Now that he had officially stepped into the God Dragon level, it was also time to have Guild Master Makarov organize more daily activities. Then he could drag Irene, Selene, and the others along to participate in more guild activities with their companions. Would he still have to worry about lacking quest medals?
Magnolia Town... danger!
Meanwhile, on the continent of Ishgar...
"Boom!"
A beam of destructive energy blasted into the sky, instantly incinerating a green dragon! Yet strangely, the moment the green dragon touched the destructive light, it transformed into a withered ancient tree.
"ROAR!!"
Beneath the clouds, an enormous black shadow roared furiously. This was already the three-hundredth bait he had destroyed this year. Was there seriously no end to it?!