While everyone rests before the 2nd trial starts, Alex is using his magic sense to scan the whole island. His sensing range is wider than Tenrou Island, so he can find what he's looking for pretty easily.
"Damn! He's really here."
Alex clicks his tongue because he senses someone with a massive amount of magic power. Furthermore, this magic power feels ominous similar to that of an Etherious Demon but also like a human.
But what surprises Alex is the aura of death he feels in that magic power. As someone who has killed many living beings be they beasts, demons, or even humans, Alex is familiar with death and its aura.
Alex knows that such a strange and ominous magic power can only be owned by Zeref, thanks to the Curse of Ankhseram and his Black Magic. That means Zeref is really here even though Alex was hoping that it would change because Zeref's presence here will be the reason Grimoire Heart comes which then will also call Acnologia here.
"Master, I have something to tell you." Alex quickly tells Makarov that he senses an outsider with a powerful magic power on the island. Of course, he doesn't say that it's Zeref, but it's enough to alert Makarov.
"Let's halt the exam then. We can't risk everyone's safety." Makarov quickly decides to halt the exam because they don't know if this outsider is a dangerous individual or not. He doesn't know that it's Zeref, so he still thinks that there is a possibility that the person only finds this island by chance when crossing the sea.
"Alright. I will check that guy out, so please handle the situation here." Alex proposes to check the intruder.
Makarov nods at his suggestions. "Send a flare if you can't handle it alone."
Alex nods before disappearing in a flash. He transforms into the Humanoid Kokuo form and runs toward Zeref's location at a very high speed while Makarov explains the situation to the S-Classes and asks their opinions.
"Let's wait for Alex before telling the candidates. It will only make them restless to know that someone is intruding on this place. Also, some of them are too hot-headed and will say they'll go to fight that intruder even though we don't know anything about it yet." Mira gives a suggestion and everyone agrees.
It doesn't take long for Alex to find Zeref who is just walking leisurely in the forest. Alex shows up a few meters in front of Zeref which actually surprises the Black Mage because he didn't sense Alex coming.
"A beast? No, you are a Mage. Who are you?" Zeref asks curiously.
"That should be my question because you are the one who intrudes on our land. Though I don't really need to ask your identity actually. But I'll still ask you to leave this island before you cause problems and hurt my friends, Emperor of Alvarez Empire, Zeref Dragneel."
Zeref is surprised that Alex knows his identity already, even knowing his full name. Now he seriously wants to know who Alex is. But suddenly, he feels a headache and his magic power is acting up.
Before he can say anything to Alex, a dark wave of magical energy is released from his body. It moves so fast and everything the magic wave touches dies, be they plants or small animals.
Alex who stands just a few meters away from Zeref doesn't have the chance to move. Well, he actually can move faster than that wave, but he is so focused on Zeref that he doesn't react on time to get away from that wave.
Zeref looks sad and guilty when thinking that his curse is killing yet another person. Alex would say that he is a hypocrite for feeling guilty because of this. After all, Zeref will lead his empire to kill many people in Ishgar just to take Lumen Histoire to defeat Acnologia.
But Zeref's sorrowful expression disappears very quickly when he sees Alex still standing there. Alex even looks around with a confused expression, not sure what has just happened. Or more like, he is confused that nothing happens to him.
"Hmm? Was that it?" Alex looks around at the dead plants and critters before looking at himself that looks fine as new. This really confused him because Zeref's deadly curse wave only feels like a small gust of wind to him.
Kurama answers his confusion immediately though.
'Oh, so that is the deadly curse wave that you mentioned. If so, then you don't need to worry about it, kid. That wave sucked life forces, something that you have more than anyone.'
'Huh? What do you mean I have more life force than anyone? Is it because the Gods gave me more?' Alex doesn't understand.
'No, it's because you have us. You know that Jinchuriki can heal faster than normal people, right? That's because they have strong life forces, thanks to us in their bodies. But you don't only have 1, but all 9 of us in your body. So obviously you have a very great amount of strong life force.' Kurama explains it simply, then Matatabi adds her explanation too.
'That death wave was also a kind of magic in my opinion after we felt it. Just that he can't control that magic, that's why it can burst out anytime. People have different resistance levels to magic and it's the same against that death wave. But in this case, the resistance depends on one's life force's strength and amount. It actually makes sense if you think about that Dragonized human called Acnologia. He must have a very powerful life force. If not, then Zeref should be able to kill him already using this wave. Yet, from your knowledge about this world's story, Zeref couldn't defeat Acnologia no matter what and his last resort is by absorbing what's called as Lumen Histoire to greatly increase his power. That means this death wave doesn't work against Acnologia and the most logical explanation must be Acnologia's incredibly strong life force.'
Son Goku adds, 'That Dragonized human has lived for hundreds of years, right? That is only possible because he has a very strong life force. Also, just as Matatabi said, if his death wave could kill Acnologia, then it could kill other Dragons as well. Yet he couldn't end the era of Dragons himself and Acnologia was the one doing it. You said he was on good terms with friendly Dragons like that Igneel, right? Then maybe he also fought the enemy Dragons. But if he could defeat them, humans didn't have to learn Dragon Slayer Magic to defeat Dragons. That means his death wave was also useless against Dragons because just like Acnologia, those Dragons must have incredibly powerful life forces as well.'
'I see. So your strong life forces make me resistant to this death wave, huh? But wait! If the Dragons can live for hundreds or even thousands of years thanks to their strong life force, then does that mean I will live even longer than them because I have 9 of you who gave me a stronger life force than the Dragons?'
Alex's face darkens when he thinks about that. In those template Chinese Wuxia stories, those cultivators treat years, decades, and even centuries as if they are just normal days. But just looking at Zeref, Alex knows that living that long doesn't seem that great like what those cultivators say as they pursue immortality.
Living for so long means he needs to see his loved ones die. While he doesn't have any children yet, he's sure that he doesn't want to see his children die before him. Even seeing his friends' deaths is hard enough for him, not to mention losing his beloved children.
'Well, I don't think you need to worry about that. Our previous Jinchuriki died of old ages, even old man Hagoromo, so you will surely grow old like them too. While our strong life forces give you resistance to that death wave and strengthen your own life force too, they are still ours in the end. They will only affect you, but they are not yours. So at most you'll only live a little longer than normal people.'
Matatabi's explanation makes Alex feel relieved. Living up to maybe 100 years seems wonderful, but living for centuries is just too much. It might not be a problem if his loved ones also live that long to accompany him, but they won't.
Anyway, now with the problem against Zeref's death wave solved, Alex doesn't need to worry about facing Zeref again. He can just treat Zeref as another normally powerful opponent now, not a grim reaper.
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Ch. 183. Ultear's Anger