Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
*****
"So she was hiding them in her own space all along!"
After viewing Minerva's memories, George finally understood that her spatial magic wasn't just for teleporting people and objects—it also had storage capabilities.
And unlike ordinary outfit-changing space magic, Minerva's spatial magic could even hold living beings.
The mages from the four major guilds had been knocked unconscious and stored inside Minerva's personal space.
"Let them out!"
Under George's control via the Soul-Stealing Curse, Minerva raised her hand and activated a magic circle. Four mages instantly appeared on the ground out of thin air.
When Jura and the others saw their guildmates released, they quickly rushed over to check on them. Realizing they were only unconscious, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, George."
Exchanging glances, Jura and the others voluntarily withdrew from the competition and were teleported to the outskirts of the arena.
They quit the match partly out of guilt and gratitude to George for rescuing their comrades, but also because they genuinely knew they stood no chance.
That giant magic just now—so massive—none of them had the confidence to handle it in a one-on-one fight.
And the power of that Dragon Slayer spell—though he took the hit, George seemed completely unfazed, showing none of the signs of someone who had just unleashed a powerful move.
"Die!"
Just as Jura and the others were leaving, a figure suddenly burst up from the ground and launched a sneak attack at George's back.
It was none other than Jieman, Minerva's father and leader of Saber Tooth, known for his mastery of Battle God magic.
"Divine Edge: Shadowless!"
Yet without even turning his head, George casually flicked his tail twice. Two formless, invisible blades shot out and instantly severed Jieman's arm and leg.
By reading Minerva's memories, George had learned that the Saber Tooth mages weren't inherently evil. Especially Minerva—she had never intended to kill the four unconscious guild mages.
However, since childhood, she had suffered verbal and physical abuse from her father, Jieman, who relentlessly twisted her values and instilled in her the belief that their bloodline was "the strongest." This brainwashing was what shaped her current demeanor.
"You've lost. Even your father, who always claimed to have the strongest bloodline, has now had an arm and leg cut off by me. It seems the strongest isn't you—it's me. It's us, Fairy Tail!"
With a wave of his hand, George released his mental control over Minerva. Floating in midair, he pointed at the dismembered Jieman and spoke with a smile.
Upon seeing the scene clearly, Minerva looked as if she had been struck by lightning. The beliefs her father had drilled into her crumbled in an instant.
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, muttering to herself:
"This... this can't be... It's impossible. We're the strongest... How could we lose... How could we lose...?"
"Your father lied to you. If you truly want to be the strongest, then join us. Become a Fairy Tail mage. That way, you'll be part of the strongest guild."
George floated down to Minerva and gently encouraged her.
Fairy Tail's core strength hadn't even been fully unleashed yet. Even with the magic tools he'd provided to boost their power, mages like Laki still had a significant gap compared to top-tier mages.
If the guild truly wanted to secure the title of the strongest and consistently handle high-level missions, then it needed top-tier mages besides just George to anchor its strength.
Minerva was an excellent candidate—not inherently evil, intelligent, and resourceful.
While Saber Tooth appeared to be led by Jieman on the surface, in reality, he lacked true intelligence and relied on brutality. Many of the guild's affairs were actually managed by Minerva.
The fact that Saber Tooth had tied Fairy Tail in points during the first two rounds of the competition was largely due to Minerva's strategic planning.
Had it not been for George's overwhelming power, Saber Tooth might very well have taken first place in the tournament.
So after seeing her memories, George had developed an admiration for her talent and hoped to recruit her into his guild.
He was also deeply interested in her spatial magic.
"The strongest... You are the strongest. Your guild... is the strongest.
Fine. I'll join Fairy Tail!"
Hearing George's words, it was as if Minerva had suddenly regained her conviction. Her eyes lit up, and she stood up at once.
On the other side, Jieman reattached his severed arm and leg. Upon hearing Minerva's declaration, he exploded with rage, shouting:
"Minerva, how dare you betray me! I'll beat you to death!"
"Father, haven't you beaten me enough already?
According to what you always told me—'the weak must be eliminated'—and since you're this weak, you should've been eliminated long ago."
Minerva walked up to Jieman and delivered a hard kick, sending him flying.
In truth, she had long surpassed Jieman in strength. Because of the values ingrained in her since childhood and all that Jieman had done to her, she felt no emotional attachment to him.
Even if Jieman were to die, it wouldn't stir any feelings in her.
Appointing him as the team leader was merely to put a figurehead on display—useful for the competition and future guild development.
"The... the competition is over! Fairy Tail has the highest score and is hereby declared the strongest guild of this Grand Magic Games!"
The announcer, staring at the wrecked central arena and the collapsed royal palace in the distance, stammered for a long moment before finally announcing the result.
Once the audience processed everything, they all stood up together and erupted in wild cheers.
So what if the royal palace collapsed? It wasn't their house, after all. They could just rebuild it. Getting to witness such an epic battle—it was worth a lifetime!
With the third Grand Melee concluded, Fairy Tail led Saber Tooth by over 140 points in the final tally, winning the title of the strongest guild—along with a 30 million-jewel prize.
During the award ceremony, the king—who had remained unseen until now—finally appeared alongside the princess. They handed over the gleaming, golden prize to George.
On the surface, the process seemed joyful, but in truth, the atmosphere was far from harmonious.
**"Last night, you sent people to ambush me. Today, you conspired with Saber Tooth to target our guild. Do you really think I won't kill anyone?
Believe it or not, I could make you, your daughter, and your ministers vanish from this world—quietly, like that palace."**
As the king presented the trophy, George's voice suddenly echoed in his mind. In an instant, cold sweat broke out all over the king's face.
"I didn't know about today's events. The Minister of Defense acted on his own. The Eclipse Gate is yours. Please... let's put this behind us."
"I know it wasn't your order. Otherwise, the palace wouldn't be the only thing that collapsed."
Even before the telepathic message, George had already used his psychic powers on the magicless king and knew full well that the king had planned to relinquish both the Eclipse Gate and its key since last night—only the princess and the defense minister had refused to accept it.
"The Eclipse Gate will not be returned. Also, I want the princess to join our guild. She can return to the capital only after the seven-month eclipse ends."
(End of Chapter)