Raizel kept Natsu behind because Igneel, who had turned into a soul dragon, was no longer inside Natsu to suppress him.
Because of that, the Dragon Seed and Demon Seed inside Natsu had lost their balance.
If this was not resolved quickly, it would definitely become a hidden danger for Natsu.
Aside from that, Gray's knot regarding the so-called E.N.D. also had to be untied.
Lucy and Levy were the ones who would solve the problem.
Raizel did not beat around the bush. He directly placed the Book of E.N.D. on the table.
"The Book of E.N.D. is with me."
Joy appeared on Gray's face, as if someone had handed him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.
"Give it to me! I'm going to destroy that book!"
Ever since his father, Silver, had told him to kill E.N.D., this matter had often occupied Gray's thoughts day and night.
Raizel pressed his hand on the Book of E.N.D. and slowly shook his head.
"But I can't let you destroy it."
Natsu's expression also turned somewhat unfriendly.
"Me neither. Igneel said this book can't be destroyed!"
Gray's face filled with anger.
He stood up with both hands planted on the table.
"Why? Isn't he the guild master of Tartaros? Isn't he also the strongest demon from the Books of Zeref?"
"Um..."
Caught between them, Lucy and Levy shivered helplessly.
Raizel pressed his palm downward, signaling for Gray to sit first.
"What you said is incorrect. E.N.D. is indeed a demon from the Books of Zeref, but he was not the guild master of Tartaros. From beginning to end, Tartaros had nothing to do with E.N.D. The so-called guild master was only something Mard Geer claimed."
Gray, feeling that he had reason on his side, loudly retorted, "Even so, he's still a demon!"
Raizel calmly asked in return,
"What if I said he has another identity?"
Gray frowned and took several deep breaths to calm himself.
"What identity?"
"First, let me tell you a story."
The moment Lucy and Levy heard the word "story," their ears instantly perked up.
'Material! Material!'
"Around four hundred years ago, dragons were running rampant across both the eastern and western continents. All of you know that much. At that time, Zeref Dragneel..."
"Dragneel?!"
Lucy and Levy's pupils shrank sharply.
They exchanged a glance, then immediately covered their mouths.
"He originally had a happy family. He had parents and a younger brother. But the good times did not last. Dragons destroyed his hometown, and his parents and younger brother all died in that attack."
"Zeref, who was still very young at the time, was a student at the Mildian Magic Academy. Unable to accept his younger brother's death, he began researching life and death. In order to revive his dead brother, Zeref devoted himself to constructing the R-System and the Eclipse Gate, violating a taboo and receiving Ankhseram's curse."
"After receiving Ankhseram's curse and becoming immortal, Zeref began seeking a way to kill himself. So he created an Etherious from the body of his dead younger brother. The most vicious and strongest Flame Demon in the Books of Zeref was born."
"Etherious Natsu Dragneel."
"E.N.D."
"What?!"
The four people present instantly stood up, all sharing the exact same expression.
Natsu had been full of questions earlier, but because Raizel was the one explaining, he had endured the urge to interrupt.
"Zeref Dragneel is Natsu's older brother."
"That's impossible, right?!"
Lucy frowned deeply and shook her head.
She found this conclusion very difficult to accept.
Especially Natsu.
He stared tightly at Raizel.
Raizel calmly accepted Natsu's gaze and nodded.
"That's right. E.N.D. is you, Natsu. You and this book live and die together. That is why Igneel told you not to destroy this book. At the same time, it wasn't that Igneel couldn't destroy it. He simply didn't want to, because you are E.N.D."
"Also, if Zeref dies, you will die too."
This was also why Raizel had not immediately fought Zeref.
At the very least, Natsu's matter had to be resolved first.
Natsu did not doubt it, because when all the information was put together, there were no contradictions.
He lowered his head and murmured, "So that's why Igneel said I absolutely couldn't destroy this book... That's why on Tenrou Island, Zeref looked at me like he was remembering something... That's why in the Alvarez Empire, he kept staring at me like that..."
Raizel did not pay attention to the confused Natsu.
Instead, he turned toward Gray and spoke seriously.
"Although Natsu is indeed E.N.D., Tartaros has nothing to do with him. Not long after he was born, Zeref entrusted him to Igneel. In other words, Natsu has nothing to do with the evil Tartaros committed. Your father, Silver, did not know the truth. He was only deceived by the words of Mard Geer."
"So, Gray, although your father told you to kill E.N.D., can you actually bring yourself to do it?"
The veins on Gray's arms bulged, and his entire body trembled slightly.
His face twisted as he slowly shook his head.
"No... How could I possibly kill Natsu?! And you already said it. Tartaros has nothing to do with him!"
He and Natsu had argued and fought since they were children, but that was only because they were close.
To Gray, Natsu was no different from family.
The reason he was in so much pain was mainly because he had remembered Deliora, and his parents.
Gray's face carried a trace of resentment.
If Raizel had told him earlier, he would not have needed to suffer over it for so long.
"Why didn't you tell me the truth sooner?"
Raizel asked back without changing expression, "If I had told you, would you have been able to master Ice Devil Slayer Magic this quickly?"
"After this matter ends..."
Raizel pressed his index finger against his palm, interrupting Gray.
"Stop! Don't raise a flag yet. If you plant flags all over the beach later, what you do afterward is your business."
Gray nodded.
He had not planned to do anything major.
He only wanted to go to the northern region after this ended and tell his parents about it before their graves.
Levy and Gray both had the same question.
"But if Natsu is from four hundred years ago... the age doesn't match, does it?"
Lucy had not seen it, but Gray and Levy had both seen Natsu when he was young.
He had been no different from an ordinary child.
Raizel revealed a mysterious smile.
"That was Igneel, Metalicana, and the others' plan. As for that part, someone more suitable than me will explain it to you. She should be arriving soon."
That person was Anna Heartfilia.
She had already contacted Raizel and would soon arrive in Magnolia. With the great war imminent, Anna also had her own sources of information.
After hearing some rumors, she had taken the initiative to contact Raizel.
Raizel pushed the Book of E.N.D. in front of the three of them.
"Lucy, Levy, Gray. What you need to do is cut the connection between this book and Natsu. Otherwise, Natsu will soon be in Mortal danger."
"Natsu!"
Hearing that Natsu would be in mortal danger, Happy threw himself into Natsu's arms.
"Mortal danger?!"
"Mortal danger?"
In the end, Natsu himself was the calmest one.
The moment Natsu said those words, his body temperature suddenly rose.
His head felt as if it were splitting apart, and the sensation was extremely similar to when Igneel had emerged from his body during the battle with Tartaros.
"Natsu!"
Raizel stopped the three who wanted to touch Natsu.
"Don't touch him yet!"
Inside Natsu's mind, within a vast pool of magma, Igneel lay coiled there.