The Balam Alliance.
A coalition formed by the three strongest Dark Guilds in the magical world—so powerful that even the Council sometimes avoided provoking them.
They were: Oración Seis, Tartaros (Gate of the Underworld), and Grimoire Heart.
Of the three, Oración Seis had little to do with Zeref, but the other two had some degree of connection to him.
After the Council, together with the Light Guilds, destroyed Oración Seis, the remaining two Guilds of the Balam Alliance deepened their ties.
It must be emphasized that their closer alliance had little to do with the Council and was not formed as a defense against it.
After all, Oración Seis had more worldly goals, but both Grimoire Heart and Tartaros were pursuing "dreams."
Grimoire Heart sought to reach the very essence of magic through Zeref and reshape the world into one of Grand Magic.
Tartaros, born of demons created by Zeref, longed to return to their creator's embrace—to give him peace.
The reason they grew closer was simple: Zeref.
It was almost absurd. Grimoire Heart required the existence of magic particles to realize its dream, while Tartaros aimed to eliminate all magic to revive E.N.D..
Their paths were opposite. The fact that they hadn't annihilated each other on sight could already be considered restraint.
Even so, events unfolded regardless.
Though Paipai's interference disrupted the battle on Tenrou Island, some things still occurred.
On Tenrou Island, Hades (Precht) found Zeref and captured him, hoping to use him to open the true "Path of Magic."
But for reasons unknown, he ultimately failed. Not only failed—Grimoire Heart suffered a devastating blow. Other than the Seven Kin of Purgatory, its core members were annihilated, and Zeref vanished.
Afterward, Tartaros approached Grimoire Heart, and the two seemed to strike an agreement, strengthening their alliance.
Inside a castle of blue stone, in a grand hall etched with glowing runes like sprawling vines—an atmosphere both ancient and fantastical—two leaders convened: Hades (Precht) of Grimoire Heart, and Mard Geer of Tartaros.
They were in the midst of discussions when Hades suddenly froze, pressing a hand to his ear. His expression darkened, as if he had just received troubling news.
"What's wrong?" Mard Geer asked, raising his hand. At first, Grimoire Heart's high-end power had been inferior to Tartaros, but not long ago, they had gained a new "big player."
With that addition, Grimoire Heart now had the strength to stand against Tartaros as equals, and thus the two had been able to ally.
"…Fairy Tail has returned." Hades' face was grim, memories surfacing that he would rather forget.
"Fairy Tail…" Mard Geer also fell silent. Unlike in the original history, this Fairy Tail had drawn far too much attention because of Paipai's existence.
And monsters like Mard Geer, who had lived over four hundred years, were well aware of how terrifying Paipai was.
Naturally, any guild associated with him was worthy of great caution. In fact, if not for Paipai's cursed nature of being forgotten, Hades might never have betrayed Fairy Tail in the first place.
"Are they planning to move against us?!" Mard Geer tapped the Book of E.N.D. against his forehead in frustration. "This is bad… very bad. Mard Geer cannot think of a way to deal with that man."
"And more than that—Mard Geer cannot understand. Why would he suddenly decide to wipe us out?" His calm face twisted into puzzlement as he crossed one leg over the other.
The gathered demons and mages were left speechless.
Their reactions mirrored Mard Geer's own. Having survived centuries, they all knew Paipai's horror and even had some sense of his nature. It simply didn't make sense.
Among the Seven Kin of Purgatory, the reactions were more vivid—ranging from fear, to excitement, to eagerness to test themselves. The most dramatic was Ultear, who reacted with clear agitation.
"In truth, it isn't the one you're thinking of," Hades interjected, cutting short the meeting with what he claimed was "good news." A faint smile curved his lips.
"Is that so? Then Mard Geer needs to know who it is." The Underworld King lowered the Book of E.N.D., his face turning cold as he fixed Hades with an icy stare, displeased by his theatrics.
"Natsu Dragneel. Known as the Fire Dragon. A young mage currently in the spotlight." Hades recalled the intelligence reports, offering a simple evaluation.
"So what? What threat could he possibly pose?" Mard Geer pressed further. His instincts told him Hades' grim reaction earlier hadn't been a joke.
"A weapon. That man has Paipai's support. He has already seized control of Etherion from the Council. And not only that—he now possesses another thing. Paipai's 'home.'"
"…Those seven strange domains." Mard Geer's expression shifted instantly. "You're saying most of Paipai's collection could be in this human—this Natsu's—hands?"
The word "home" carried weight. It wasn't just a dwelling—it was the final bastion of any being. If Paipai had collected anything over the past four centuries, it would have been stored there.
"Exactly." Hades leaned forward, excitement clear on his face. "This is an opportunity! If we can obtain Paipai's collection, our power will swell beyond all fear. Your wish, too, could be fulfilled."
"At that time, you will also gain the complete knowledge of curses. From another angle, you can explore the essence of magic itself." Mard Geer's lips curled into a smile.
"Indeed. Magic is an expression of magic power—something transcendent. Curses, too, are a transcendent force. At a deeper level, there must exist a power that unifies the two." Hades spoke fervently.
This was the reason for their alliance. Their greatest ideological divide had been bridged: the study of curses opened a new path of exploration that complemented the deficiencies of magic.
But above all, Grimoire Heart now had a fallback—the Celestial Spirit World.
Unlike the human world, it was populated entirely by Celestial Spirits, bound by the rules set by the Spirit King, summoned through keys to fight for their mages.
Yet recently, the Spirit King had noticed a flaw within himself. He had begun to self-reflect—and had loosened his control over his realm.
Hades had quickly perceived the vast potential of Celestial Spirit Magic, pouring resources into its study. They now had ways of fusing with Spirits to dwell long-term in the Spirit World.
With the Spirit World as a supply base, Earthland's magic was no longer vital to Grimoire Heart.
And the Spirit World's accelerated flow of time was a treasure in itself. Imagine planting a seed one day, and a month later finding it had grown into a towering tree. The sense of achievement would be intoxicating.
With this, Grimoire Heart could exploit the time differential to harvest knowledge and power. Any question or goal could be pursued there, and when they returned after mere months, years would have passed on Earthland.
The Grand Magic World would become a reality. Perhaps… without even needing Zeref.
What a glorious vision that would be.
"…So this is your goal?!"
The air cracked. Magic surged. A crushing pressure engulfed the hall.
From the void, Natsu, clad in a black coat, materialized into flesh and blood. His cold gaze swept across every soul present.