" Master Zeref, it seems Serena has managed to drive the marines away, shall I descend"
"Yes Grandeeney, you don't have to ask permission for minor things now and then"
Grandeeney gently descended toward the island, getting closer to God Serena. Although the marines had not yet attacked the town, small fires had already partially destroyed it.
As they descended next to God Serena there was one more company, a Giant encased in Ice. His Height was almost half as Grandeeney.
" God Serena, who is this "
" Master Zeref, I don't know, by the time I reached here he was frozen like this by a marine "
" Okay, Can any of you Thaw him back to health "
" If I use my healing magic right after God Serena melts the Ice he would be fine "
"All right then I will start," says God Serena as both his hands ignite in flames and then he brings them together creating a fireball almost as large as the giant.
"Purgatory Dragons Brilliant Flame "
As Grandeeney activated her healing magic, a gentle gust of wind formed between her breaths.
The wind, a soft green wind with the essence of life, blew toward the frozen giant.
The blend of the blazing red fire and the lively green wind formed a swirling dance of creation and destruction around the giant.
The giant, though naked, was unscathed, with no burns on his body.
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{Saul's POV { the giant } }
As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself facing a towering, winged creature. Beside it stood two men — one dressed in a flamboyant white robe, the other cloaked entirely in black.
"Hello... I'm Saul. Could I ask where I am... and who you all are?"
The flamboyant man answered first, his tone filled with sarcasm.
"Don't remember the place where you got frozen, huh?"
The shock hit me like a hammer.
This is Ohara... But it shouldn't look like this. It should be burning — cannonballs raining down, gunpowder choking the air, ruins everywhere...
"T-This... this is Ohara...?"
" yes "
" Bu...bu... but "
"Hello, I am Zeref, and these two are my companions, God Serena and Grandeeney. God Serena drove We saw you frozen by the shore and wanted to ask — what happened here?"
"O-Ohara... isn't... destroyed...?"
"Of course not," said God Serena smugly, folding his arms across his chest. "I alone drove those marine ships away."
"Y-You mean... the marines... they were driven away... before... before the Buster Call...?"
"Yes. That's why we would like to know more about what happened," Zeref replied calmly.
"Oh... okay. I... I was frozen by Vice Admiral ... Aokiji... when I tried to help Robin escape..."
A pang of pain crossed my chest as the memories returned.
"Wait... Robin... she doesn't need to escape anymore..."
I tried to stand up but collapsed after only a few steps.
"You were frozen for a long time," Grandeeney reminded me gently. "Your body needs time to recover."
"But if Robin leaves now—" I began, but I was cut off.
"God Serena, bring her back," Zeref ordered, his voice steady.
"Yes, Master Zeref! Yo, Frozen Giant — where did she run off to?" God Serena said with a casual grin.
After I quickly gave him the direction, God Serena vanished in an instant, leaving behind a violent gust of wind.
While Grandeeney continued healing me with her wind, she used the swirling wind to cover my body with leaves and twigs. I asked,
"Shouldn't we meet with the scholars? They probably don't know they're safe, being locked up inside that tree."
"That sounds good," Zeref nodded. "Grandeeney, take us there."
Grandeeney crouched low, allowing Zeref to climb onto her back. She then gently lifted me with her mouth, careful not to hurt me, and in a matter of minutes, we descended near the towering Tree of Knowledge.
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BANG!BANG!BANG!
The heavy wooden door leading into the hollow Tree of Knowledge trembled under the giant's fists.
"It's me, Saul! We're safe! The Marines... the Buster Call was defeated!"
A few minutes passed before the heavy door creaked open. A handful of injured scholars, their eyes wide with confusion and hope, stood before us.
Before anyone could speak—
WHUMP!
God Serena dropped from the sky, landing beside us while holding a little girl upside down by her collar.
"Is this the little kid Robin you were talking about?" he asked, shaking her lightly.
"Robin!"
A woman with white hair rushed forward, pulling Robin into a tight embrace.
"Mom!" Robin cried, burying her face into her mother's shoulder, both of them trembling and teary-eyed.
I cleared my throat loudly.
"Ahem. May we go inside and talk?"
The scholars turned their gaze towards me, cautious and unsure. Saul stepped forward.
"He's the one who saved us," Saul said to the Scholars.
Their expressions shifted instantly—from suspicion to stunned reverence.
A scholar with blood-soaked bandages bowed deeply.
"Thank you for saving us..."
Most of them were battered and injured. I glanced at Grandeeney.
"Grandeeney, please heal them."
"Yes, Master Zeref," she said gently, releasing a warm, Green breeze from her wings that wrapped around the scholars.
"This... Thank you!" gasped the scholars, their faces lighting up in awe and gratitude as wounds began to close.
An older scholar, clearly their leader, stepped forward.
"My name is Clover. Please... come inside."
I nodded.
"Grandeeney, stay outside and guard the area," I ordered. She bowed her head in understanding—the door was too small for her Dragon Body anyway.
Inside, Serena and I followed Clover through the vast halls.
In the deeper Halls, more scholars scurried frantically, stacking precious Books into piles, Moving them away to Preserve them.
"Stop! All of you, stop!" Clover shouted.
"We're safe! The knowledge is safe! Return the books—our library can continue!"
At first, there was hesitation. Then a massive, joyous cheer erupted throughout the hollow tree, echoing among the ancient wood. I raised a hand to steady the excitement.
"If anyone's still injured, head outside. Grandeeney will heal you."
Many of them looked confused, looking at Clover with doubt. Seeing this Clover gave a nod which brought another huge cheer with multiple scholars saying thanks and carrying their heavily injured comrades outside.
Clover bowed again.
"Thank you... Lord Zeref."
We finally reached a grand conference hall, lined with ancient carvings and the scent of old parchment.
God Serena casually guided me to the seat at the center of the room.
Once everyone settled—Saul still standing nearby—Clover cleared his throat nervously.
"Ahem... Thank you once again..."
I spoke first.
"My name is Zeref. The man beside me is God Serena."
"Ah... Lord Zeref... Thank you for saving us. How can we be helpful to you?"
I Became comfortable in my seat, keeping my voice soft and steady.
"I want to know about this world."
Confusion flickered through their faces.
"is Lord Zeref interested in Ancient History?" Clover asked.
"No," I said, shaking my head.
"Not the past. The present."
Now, true bewilderment rippled among them.
I took a calm breath and continued:
"I have been asleep for ten thousand years. The world has changed... I need to understand what has changed."
Gasps filled the room—even God Serena blinked at me, momentarily startled before masking it with a playful grin.
"My subordinates who awoke before me had fragmented memories. Much has changed. I must understand what stands now."
I smiled slightly—an expression that could be mistaken for kindness but was, in truth, to mask my lie.
"The world once knew me by many names. 'The Black Wizard.' 'The Most Evil Mage.'
Am I remembered still? Or has someone else inherited those titles while I slumbered? Tell me about the current state of the world—who are the Marines, the World Government... and why were they trying to destroy you?"
God Serena stepped forward, impatiently.
"Also... why the hell was that Vice Admiral able to throw magma fists around without any magic in him?!"
"M-Magic...? What's that?" Clover asked, blinking in confusion.
"Clover."
I locked eyes with Clover,
"Answer My questions first."
Clover nodded quickly, swallowing his nerves.
"The world is ruled by an organization known as the World Government..." he began, speaking quickly yet carefully, the weight of history pressing down on every word.