"It's strange. I never realized Ishgar had drawn this close to Guiltina."
Rein bowed solemnly to the seven people beside him, but none of them paid him the slightest attention.
One wild-looking blonde woman walked straight past him and gazed toward the distant eastern coast.
She could not actually see Ishgar from here, yet she seemed able to sense the murderous pressure rising from the far side of the sea.
Much like Ishgar's mages in the past, Guiltina's mages held little respect for the Magic Council.
In fact, Guiltina's independent organizations—such as its mage and alchemist guilds—possessed considerably more influence than the Council itself.
Rein's fist tightened at being so blatantly ignored.
A faint trace of anger flashed through his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and explained to the blonde woman,
"The eastern continent ranks its strongest mages through a system known as the Ten Wizard Saints. Three of the four councilors stationed across the border are the Four Gods of Ishgar, the strongest among those Saints. The remaining woman is also an exceptionally powerful Ice-Make Mage."
Rein took a stack of intelligence reports from his adjutant and had barely read a few lines before the blonde woman snatched them out of his hands.
Ignoring his barely concealed irritation, she skimmed through the documents and looked back in disappointment.
"Has Ishgar's magical world skipped an entire generation? Why are all its strongest fighters old men?"
Compared with Ishgar, most of the famous mages currently ranked among Guiltina's strongest were still relatively young.
A gloved hand soon took the documents from the blonde woman.
A tall woman with long blue-green hair stepped forward from behind her.
She wore a sharp, military-style uniform with a crown atop her head, while an armband bearing the symbol of a dragon with its fangs spread wide rested on one arm.
At the center of her teal eyes were unusual cross-shaped pupils.
"Kiria, don't interfere with the commander's work."
"Tch. He's the one asking us for help. Why are you bothering to show these people any respect, Misaki?"
The blonde woman called Kiria pouted.
Misaki, whom she had addressed like an older sister, merely smiled and returned the intelligence reports to Rein.
Rein hurriedly waved his hands, cold sweat breaking out across his back.
A polite gesture was one thing.
Taking her courtesy at face value would have meant he had learned nothing from his years in office.
He knew perfectly well that the woman standing before him was very likely the strongest female mage on the entire continent of Guiltina.
Misaki stopped exchanging pleasantries and began analyzing Ishgar's intelligence with her companions.
Rein did not dare intrude upon their small circle. He merely watched as Misaki carefully reviewed the reports, frowned, and handed them to the man who seemed to lead the group.
The man carried a gloomy air. A single-lensed eyepiece covered his right eye, and he wore a funeral-style suit with a black top hat. His mature features were accompanied by a neatly trimmed mustache.
More unsettlingly, he carried a coffin bound in chains upon his back.
"Ishgar places tremendous value on seniority," Misaki said thoughtfully. "But I have a feeling those elderly councilors won't be our greatest obstacle."
"Look here. Fairy Tail is clearly serving as the main force in the battle against Tartaros."
A small, doll-like white-haired boy wearing a tiger-pelt hat bounced impatiently beside the man, trying to jump high enough to see the reports.
"Kirin, let me look!"
The cold and gloomy Kirin casually tossed the documents down to the child.
"Ankh, the Fairy God of Death. Laxus the Lightning Dragon. Erza the Fairy Queen and Mirajane the She-Devil. Then there's a Fire Dragon and an Iron Dragon…"
He looked toward Misaki.
"You believe these are Ishgar's true main forces?"
Misaki folded her arms.
"Judging by their accomplishments, I'm more inclined to believe they'll be the interesting opponents."
"Maybe those achievements were exaggerated," Kiria muttered dismissively. "But more importantly…"
Excitement shone in her eyes as she broke into a wide grin.
"There are this many Dragon Slayers over there? Looks like this operation won't be boring after all!"
The guild Kirin and the others belonged to was Diabolos, the most powerful Dragon Eater guild on the continent of Guiltina.
It possessed one defining trait:
Nearly every member of the guild was a Dragon Slayer.
The strength of Dragon Slayer Magic required no explanation.
That overwhelming power was precisely why Diabolos had dominated Guiltina for so many years.
Only after Kirin and the others had finished reviewing the intelligence did Rein cautiously approach them again.
"Everyone, our forces are prepared to advance. May I ask what you intend to—"
Understanding that Rein was asking for their assistance, Kirin looked toward the side.
A man clad in armor resembling a skeleton immediately answered in a low voice.
"Two of our companions have already infiltrated Ishgar. Kiria, Madmole, and I will accompany your army into battle."
Delight spread across Rein's face.
"With your assistance, we have nothing to fear."
He did not ask whether the other four would participate.
He already knew who they were.
They belonged to Diabolos's most powerful division—The Dark Dragon Slayer Knights.
Unless an opponent worthy of their attention appeared, they would have little interest in taking the field personally.
Even so, their presence gave Rein far greater confidence.
After confirming the final preparations, he raised his voice and gave the order to advance.
The northern Magic Council's enormous army surged into motion.
Warships poured across the sea in an endless formation, while magical bombardment vessels filled the skies as they raced toward Ishgar's distant shore.
"Hehehe… Wendy is so cute…"
The little boy in the tiger hat crouched on the ground, staring at Wendy's adorable photograph in the intelligence report with a disturbingly lovestruck grin.
Misaki shook her head helplessly.
Then she looked toward the red-haired young man who had remained silently watching the departing army.
"What is it, Suzaku?"
Suzaku's red hair was tied in a ponytail with a white ribbon.
His eyelashes were longer than most women's, while feathered ornaments hung from his ears beneath his hair.
He wore a dark-red kimono patterned with pale purple designs, and a uniquely shaped long-handled katana rested at his waist, giving him the appearance of a wandering swordsman.
"I have a question," Suzaku said solemnly. "Does this war truly have any meaning?"
Misaki sighed and looked toward the distant horizon.
"According to the information Tartaros deliberately leaked, there is a strong possibility that dragons will appear during this battle."
"And conflict between humans and dragons will never truly disappear."
"That is a truth no one can change."