Natsu and Gray's intense battles continued.
And at last, the frozen Eternal Flame was revived.
Its identity was...
...Atlas Flame,
who had kept his form through Wendy's Milky Way.
Thanks to Atlas Flame, the ice that had covered
the village for a long time was finally melted.
Atlas Flame's residual thoughts...
...have disappeared completely.
The last bit of his soul left in this world...
...is strong enough to generate this much power!
And these were his last words:
"400 years ago,
Igneel couldn't destroy END."
END, the demon Igneel tried to destroy?
First I've heard of that...
Aye...
Meanwhile, in a place Natsu and the others didn't know about,
mysterious people started to make their move.
Silver-sama...
You've been summoned to headquarters.
Let me at least visit a grave in peace.
This time, the Nine Demon Gates are being ordered to come in...
...including you, Ice Devil Slayer, Silver-sama.
Please follow the order to return.
You needn't be so scared of me.
I'm not gonna eat you.
I only eat demon souls.
They're already back to their normal selves.
You little people saved us, huh?
I'm glad you made it back to normal.
Little people...
And you're a little person among the little people, Wendy.
Exactly what happened to this village?
What happened here?
They said an Ice Devil Slayer attacked.
We faced him with our weapons...
...but everything after that is a blank.
It seems he thought
the Eternal Flame, Atlas Flame, was a demon, so he came to destroy it.
So the culprit did this out of a misunderstanding?
That's not a satisfying answer.
Well, we still don't know what the culprit's real intentions were.
That Succubus man told me something.
You fools opened it.
The gates of Hell...
There's no going back now.
And...
The gates of Hell... Tartarus!
My guess is the Ice Devil Slayer is a member of Tartarus.
Succubus Eye, a sub-guild of Tartarus, was watching over the village.
So there was another reason for freezing the village?
Yeah. It seems there's another side to this that we haven't seen.
Well, our job is done for now!
Aye, sir!
Come to think of it, where's Flare?
Why are you hiding?
Hey, Flare?
Flare, you say?!
Is she over there?!
Come on, Flare...
You haven't been home for so long...
I abandoned this village. I ran off on my own.
So...
It's fine! Nobody's angry at you!
Maybe...
Are you really Flare?
It's been a long time.
You've gotten bigger, but you're still tiny to us.
How was the outside world?
Th-There are many fun things, as well as many painful things.
That's the same everywhere. As long as you're alive, anyway.
Whether you leave or come back, this is your home.
You're free to do as you please.
Well... Except...
There is one thing we'd better tell you.
Welcome home, our daughter!
I...
I'm home!
It was the first time I'd seen Flare smile like that.
Her smile was so radiant that it made me happy, too.
That night, we drank, sang, and made merry
with the big people 'til dawn.
For a time, it made us forget the ominous words we'd heard.
Succubus Eye...
Minerva...
The Devil Slayer...
A demon born from the books of Zeref...
And Tartarus...
W-What happened here?
W-What's going on? Where did everyone go...?
What is this?
People.
People?!
My magic enhances people.
Who are you?!
But weaklings who are not worthy of my enhancements
all end up like that.
I am Kyoka,
one of Tartarus's Nine Demon Gates.
Tartarus!
Don't tell me you've already heard of our failed defense of the giant's village?!
Just because they recaptured the village is no reason to punish us like this...
What are you talking about? It doesn't ring a bell.
Defending that village was a personal mission from Silver?
As I said before, I enhance people.
Soon, a major operation will begin.
I am here under the master's orders to gather soldiers.
You slaughtered the soldiers you were meant to gather.
You seem to be a complete fool.
I have no need for soldiers who cannot adapt to my enhancements.
How will you fare?
Stop! Don't...
We arrived in the blink of an eye, but going back is a long haul...
That's because Warrod-san's Tree Magic was incredibly fast.
Don't talk like that. Think of this as training.
We have to get back soon and give Warrod-san the full report.
Not to mention, collect the reward.
See you again!
Visit us anytime!
Thanks, Blondie...
What are you grinnin' about, Lucy?
A private joke. Scary...
That's enough of a break.
Let's go.
All right...
Huh? Now that I think of it...
What is it, Happy?
I wonder how much the reward will be.
Now that you mention it, we didn't ask.
Well, it was a request from one of the Ten Heavenly Saints.
It's gotta be a fortune!
More importantly than the reward, we should be proud of what we accomplished.
Don't get all fancy!
Pigheaded...
Did you say something?
I meant Lucy!
Why me?!
I knew I was right in entrusting you young'uns!
Yes, sir, you did me proud!
It was a piece of cake!
We're relieved that we successfully fulfilled your request, Warrod-sama.
Come to think of it, what happened to those three thieves?
Bam! We sent 'em flying!
I was surprised that Tartarus was involved, though...
Yes. You can leave that to the Council to investigate.
More importantly, I need to give you your reward.
Just what I've been waiting for!
Well, we did our job, so it's only natural.
Here you go.
"Here you go"?
A potato from my field.
Just kidding!
Y-Yeah, right?
The truth is, it's a potato I bought from the next village over.
Either way, it doesn't matter!
Give us money, dammit!
Wow!
It's a marvelous view.
It's beautiful.
This feels so good...
It figures Warrod-sama would know about a secret hot spring like this.
Wendy, I hear this water is good for health and beauty.
Nothing beats a bath after work!
It soothes the exhausted mind and body.
We'll be energized when we set out for home tomorrow.
I'm hungry.
Shall we get going?
Yeah. I'm sure Happy and the others have already started.
What do you think? Not bad, eh?
Seriously, totally delicious!
The fish is really good, too!
Sorry we're late.
As expected, you didn't wait for us.
They must have been hungry, too.
Something smells good!
Now the gang's all here!
Here, drink some of this.
Warrod-sama...
I apologize. If you had said something, I would've...
Not at all. I don't get many visitors.
I'm enjoying this.
It smells good.
The scent of the forest...
And a tree is growing out of the handle.
Really? Mine's the only one that has a mushroom...
Maybe it'll eventually grow from your head, too.
So what is this? It smells like leaves.
Tea infused with medicinal herbs.
It has a fragrant scent and a mature sweetness.
And it relieves fatigue, too.
It's my prized concoction.
Then down it goes.
That was just a joke.
Well, it really is good for fatigue.
I-Isn't it more bitter than it needs to be?
Th-This is some tea...
You said you been gettin' tired easily lately, so here!
I never said that, and I don't tire easily!
You can have mine!
That's enough! You're being rude!
Then you drink this.
And so we spend the same time together in the same place.
It's a fine thing to have comrades.
When did you become one of our comrades?
What's this?
I see... You haven't been told yet.
I'm one of the founding members of Fairy Tail, along with Mavis.
I'm a grand senpai to you youngsters.
Wha...?!
For real?!
The guild you used to be in...
That was Fairy Tail?!
I see... So that's why...
No, you have to go.
And also, whatever you do, don't act rude.
I was wondering about the way Master talked about you, a fellow Saint.
That's...
Just a joke?!
...the truth.
So that's how you knew to ask for Natsu and Gray.
Yes, indeed.
When you visited my house,
I smelled the scent of the old guild tree on you, and it made me nostalgic.
That's a joke...
This isn't going anywhere...
...but I really was overjoyed to meet you young Fairies.
Mavis always said we had to have "harmony."
The wizard guild, Fairy Tail, was held together with the bond of souls
that ran deeper than blood.
Even now, after the passage of time,
your hearts have inherited that spirit.
It has nothing to do with success or failure in your work.
I sensed it in you the first time I saw you.
Mavis once said...
"Comrade" is more than just a word.
"Comrade" is heart.
And believing in your partners unconditionally.
Please rely on me.
I'm sure I'll rely on you someday, too.
Even when you're suffering, even when you're sad...
...I'll always be at your side.
You're never alone.
You have as many hopes as there are stars that light up the sky.
The wind that brushes your skin is a presentiment of tomorrow.
Come, let's walk.
In time with the song of the fairies...
Fairy Tail. The founding words...
That's pretty deep...
So, what...
Are you older than Gramps?
That's rude, Natsu!
Yeah, but if he was around way back when...
...I was thinkin' maybe he knows somethin' about that demon, END.
END? As in "the end"?
Supposedly a demon from the Books of Zeref.
I hear my dragon dad tried to exterminate it.
The Books of Zeref. I wish I hadn't heard those words again.
I figured if I could find out what this END is,
it'd give me a hint about Igneel's whereabouts.
That's what Atlas Flame said...
I'm sorry. I don't know anything about that.
But when you mentioned Tartarus this afternoon, it made me recall something.
No one really knows anything about them except that they're a creepy guild.
Their location, members, and numbers are all unknown.
But I have heard eyewitness accounts of their gatherings.
Those witnesses all said the same thing.
Their meetings are demonic rituals.
This is only a conjecture from one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Ishgar...
...but it's possible they possess a powerful demon from the Books of Zeref.
A guild has a demon from the Books of Zeref?!
Could that demon be END?!
Then there is a connection...
...with the man from Succubus!
I see...
If you don't know where they are, then what are we supposed to do?!
Dammit!
If we find 'em, I'll beat on 'em 'til they talk!
Like this! And this!
I'll beat 'em to a bloody pulp!
Hey, Natsu...
Oh?
After fulfilling the request, Natsu and the others return to the guild.
For a brief time, they enjoy days of peace and quiet.
But as if to tear that down,
the shadow of Tartarus, the demon-worshiping Dark Guild, creeps up on them.
And the Fairy Tail wizards learn of a shocking,
unprecedented incident involving them.
Next time: Tartarus Arc (Prologue): The Nine Demon Gates!
Tartarus Arc (Prologue): The Nine Demon Gates
The gates of Hell have been opened!