Chapter 1 (Maiden of the God Slayers): Beginnings

Short Summary[]

Long Summary[]

While Earthland has given birth to many Magic, Dragon Slayers, Devil Slayers, and God Slayers had the most impact. God Slaying Magic had been set in motion 385 years ago, 15 years after the Dragon Civil War. With the Dragons mostly gone, the Gods saw an opportunity to expand their influence. When they appeared, the Gods offered gifts and protection in exchange for temples, monuments, and human sacrifice. Humanity’s resistance was met with curses and death, asserting their dominance. One day, Deifillia Pergrande, who couldn’t bear to see humanity suffer under such cruel rule, sought a way to use God magic against them. She came to Melchizedek, God of Truth, Justice, and Balance, who had not involved itself with humanity yet. Knowing the Gods can’t go against their nature, Deifillia asked for the Gods’ weakness. Believing Deifillia was in the right, Melchizedek told her on the condition that she never shared what was said. After that, Deifillia started creating multiple Magics based on every God she’d seen. By March 3^rd, X410, Deifillia challenged a Yakuma War God and beat him in an earth-shaking fight, beginning the war of God’s Last Banquet. Country after country joined forces and pledged loyalty to Queen Deifillia, becoming the Pergrande Kingdom. Knowing she couldn’t beat the Gods alone, and seeing the tide turn against her, Deifillia started teaching her followers God Slayer Magic. The advantage in numbers forced the Gods into hiding by X412. However, Deifillia had lost her emotions while being stuck in the body of a 15-year old. Melchizedek had cursed the magic, feeling that learning more than one type of God Slayer Magic would put things out of balance. By X492, after many failed attempts to remove the curse, Deifillia started to see her curse as an advantage, believing herself to be the perfect being without love, hate, or sadness. She came to the conclusion that emotions were the root of humanity’s problems, and decided to replicate the curse on everyone to create eternal peace. When Deifillia tried to convince her followers to accept this, they grew fearful. So, they sealed her in a casket, hoping that a cure for the curse would be found when she awakened again.

A cloaked girl stands before the plaque erected for Skullak Tuma. Before she leaves, Gerard Valkyrie approaches, admitting she is the last person he expected there. Deifillia explains she came to see if she felt anything, prompting a raised eyebrow. When Gerard asks, Deifillia states she felt nothing. Regardless, she still respected the Arrancar and wanted to repay his kindness of calling her a friend, remember what attachment feels like. Walking toward them, Zancrow laughs and calls friendship a ‘waste of time’, claiming the dead are weak and don’t deserve respect. The Grimoire Heart Wizard goes further by calling Skullak a weak fool for challenging and losing to the Acts. Gerard lets out a wave of Spiritual Pressure, shouting that he won’t let the Wizard show such disrespect. After Zancrow shakily accepts the challenge and ignites his Flame God Slayer Magic, Deifillia shouts for enough to both of them. She calls the Sternritter smart enough not to sully himself with a waste of time and space. Deifillia turns and asks why Zancrow isn’t stationed in the Ninja World, so he laughs that he has time before the Alliance comes there. He’s also heard all about Deifillia, asking if she’s not the best, mockingly referring to her as ‘Maiden of the God Slayers’.

Deifillia raises her Magic Power, accepting the challenge. Zancrow starts sweating in fear, while Gerard compares her power to that of a Schutzstaffel. Furious, Zancrow takes the offense with a Flame God Bellow. Seeing Deifillia engulfed, the Wizard laughs, assuming victory. A slurping sound quickly disabuses him of that notion, with Deifillia claiming the fire has a disgusting taste. Deciding to show the difference in power, Deifillia shoots a much bigger Flame God Bellow. Zancrow laughs that nothing is stopping him from eating the fire, and starts to do so. Before he can get anything substantial, Deifillia launches forward with a Sea God Torrent. Unable to dodge, Zancrow is soaked and thrown back, coughing that while she’s strong, he’s stronger. He attempts a Flame God Supper. Deifillia simply devours the flames, promising to show why she’s the strongest of God Slayers. She unleashes a barrage of arrows with War God Mars, with several nailing Zancrow. For the finishing blow, Deifillia sends a War God Ares, and Zancrow is unable to dodge the rain of weapons. Channeling her inner Thanos, Deifillia stops every single weapon inches from Zancrow with a snap of the fingers. She decides that she’s shown why she’s the greatest God Slayer. Gerard is shocked at the display, having only seen Yhwach and his fellow Shutz staffel so quickly take out opponents. Deifillia turns and asks Gerard to take Zancrow to get his wounds treated, having arrangements to attend to. With that, Deifillia vanishes with Kakō. While a bleeding Zancrow angrily swears that he’ll kill Deifillia, Gerard just gives an annoyed frown before carting him off. The Sternritter is tempted to leave Zancrow to die, but he notes it’d be a stain on his honor plus his respect for Deifillia. So, Gerard grabs Zancrow and transports back to the Coalition with Kakō.

The narrative gives a rundown on the history of the Pergrande Kingdom. While it’s largest country in Ishgar, it’s also a neutral nation like Fiore, only maintaining diplomatic ties for trade. In contrast to the famous and mighty Fiore Guilds, Pergrande is renowned for it’s Magical technology, particularly the Airship and Magic Mobile. It’s Capital City, Odin, lies at the center of the nation. It is designed like a massive castle, with rivers flowing throughout. Palace Valhalla is underground at the center of the city, having been designed for protection in a time of war. In a lavish bedchamber, Prince Zachary reads a newspaper. The headline is about the War being over for Fiore, and the Alliance scheduled to move out in a week. Zachary has fair pale skin, golden blonde ponytail, golden eyes, a red/black v-neck under a black trench coat embroidered with the Family and Kingdom crest. At that point, Nike (a small purple cat in armor) barges in, informing the Prince that his aunt, the Queen, wishes to speak with him. When Nike notices the paper, she sighs at him reading the ‘garbage’. Zachary tosses the paper and pretends that it isn’t there. Nike is incredulous at Zacchary believing the stories about other worlds, Soul Reapers, and Fishmen. The Prince protests that stranger things have happened, reminding her of her Exceed heritage and Zeref’s return. Nike rolls her eyes at that, claiming the future King has a duty to focus on the country’s affairs, not other countries and their ‘made-up’ stories. Nike then goes off that the country has been in a terrible state since Tartaros and the Face Bomb wiped out half their Magic Guilds. The Queen has just made it worse with unreasonably high taxes and assassinating any politician who tries to stand against her, prompting a discouragement to trade. Standing, Zachary states he’s well aware, which is why he’s keeping updated with the war, considering they know so little about the Coalition. The Magic Council hadn’t revealed much to the other countries, wanting to keep them uninvolved while also fearing the Alvarez Empire.

Back to the situation, Zachary asks why Aunt Eris wants him, earning a shrug. The Prince mutters that she’ll probably try to convince him to keep her around with a high status. Zachary quickly turns and grabs his sword, with a disapproving look from Nike. The Prince simply replies that Bellona taught him that a swordsman must always keep his blade near. Nike sighs about him even taking it to the bathroom, earning an embarrassed blush. With that, they head to the throne room. In the black, marble room, Acting Queen Eris T. Loki is sitting there in a long silk dress, bedecked in jewels with a golden cigarette holder in hand, still looking 18 despite her five decades. Zachary gets a cold feeling, having never been able to trust her with her smug superiority and seeming to see others as insects. It had only gotten worse when Zachary’s parents, the King and Queen, died 8 years ago. Since he couldn’t rule until the age of 21, Eris took the role of Regent. Zachary’s 21^st Birthday is coming up, so he was assuming she’d come to kiss up or make an offer, like how she convinced the Magic Council to ignore her black market dealings. Eris turns to Zachary, sarcastically calling him her ‘darling nephew’ while throwing in a jab at how long Nike took. Glaring, Zachary asks what she wants, telling her to forget keeping a position once he’s King. Eris, sickly sweet smile in place, simply asks if he’s been keeping up with the war in Fiore. After Zachary repeats that the newspapers were all over it, on top of the reports from the Magic Council, Eris laughs. Calling him a Godly and handsome being, Eris reveals that she just allied Pergrande by pledging her heart, body, and soul to Konton.

Seeing Zachary and Nike’s horrified reactions, Eris gets up and explains that she has options for him. He can relinquish the claim to the throne and be vouched for in the new world, while keeping his privileges, as long as he swears loyalty to Konton and her as Queen. Zachary is stunned at this, realizing that the other worlds really do exist. Once his mind catches up with the situation, he rails on her for selling the kingdom out, on top of everything she’s done before. Remembering his mother’s words of succeeding through kindness and courage, and achieving through wisdom and strength, Zachary unsheathes his sword. He swears as the Crown Prince to stop her and Konton, attacking with Sword Magic: Cross Slash. While Eris’s abdomen is slashed, it’ just smoke seeping from the wound. Eris reveals that she just hit a fake made from Smoke Magic. She quickly obscures Zachary’s view with a Smoke Magic: Choking Mist. Right when Zachary gets on the defensive, Eris uses Smoke Magic: Suffocating Haze. While Eris boasts of her Magic’s versatility, Zachary removes the smoke with Sword Magic: Heavenly Breeze. Breathing again, Zachary reminds Eris that his sword, Dues Custos (God Protector), was created by Pergrande’s 1^st Queen to protect her younger brother, stating only those who share his bloodline can hurt him. Eris giggles at forgetting about the sword, admitting she never saw her sister-in-law use it. She muses that it could’ve prevented her death, wondering what her brother saw in the woman.

Shrugging, Eris says it’s time for Plan B. She shocks Zachary by reaching into her cleavage, and pulling out a Transponder Snail. After briefly explaining to Zachary what it is, Eris tells whoever is on the other end to show themselves. Suddenly, the ceiling collapse, with Nike barely pulling him out of the way in time. Zachary is surprised at how little the newcomer is, and assumes that Eris hired a Dark Wizard. He’s assaulted with a Lightning God Bellow. Zachary defends himself with Sword Magic: Divine Shield, but it’s easily torn apart as it strikes the Prince. While Zachary calls it impossible, Eris laughs at how powerful her new allies are, going so far as to call Konton more godlike than the actual gods of the Wizard World. When Zachary demands to know who the newcomer is, remembering only the Royal Family can bypass the sword, Deifillia removes her hood. Eris confirms the identity, nailing it in that Zachary faces the Maiden of the God Slayers. Before Deifillia casts another spell, Nike swoops in, grabs Zachary, and zooms out through the 5 destroyed floors with Aera. Deifillia watches them fly away, not even bothering to attack. Eris yells at the ‘stupid girl’ for that, railing that Konton will have all their heads for this. Deifillia just gives a cryptic answer of Zachary bringing ‘them’ to her, before asking if Eris sent the Pergrande Quartet. Nodding, Eris states they should be in Magnolia now. Deifillia calls to the rest of her Coalition Unit, and a dozen fighters emerge. When Zephyr asks for the orders, Deifillia tells them to head to Magnolia and assist the Quartet, adding that they won’t engage Chitsujo while following Bellona’s every command. Once the Unit vanishes, Eris angrily asks if they seriously think her personal bodyguards can’t handle the mission. Deifillia flatly asks what hope they have if the leader can’t take on a rogue boy, adding that it’s merely a precaution after Bellona personally requested reinforcements.

It cuts to Magnolia on X792 August 31. While there had been a state of shock after the Battle, the people had only needed a few days to get together and rebuild 90% of the city. To be honest, most citizens had already had experience thanks to Fairy Tail’s propensity for unintentional collateral damage. Now, Magnolia is hosting many Alliance soldiers as thanks for their liberation from the Coalition, filled to the brim with vendors, food and game stands, and the attachments of a Miss Universe Contest. Four women stand at the edge of East Forest, watching the city. Sunna moans about how boring it is to stand there. Despite Tia pointing out it’s only been an hour, Sunna rants about how she thought there’d be excitement, remembering that Magnolia is home to Fiore’s strongest Guild. She had hoped to do battle with some ‘hot guys’ instead of sit in a forest with ‘pervy monkeys’. While Tia urges her sister to have more patience, Sunna just repeats that she wants to fight now. Isis snaps the pen in her hand, interrupting her note-taking, and tells Tia to control her sister. Tia retorts for Isis to do better instead of making ‘useless’ calculations. Isis shouts that her calculations will help complete the mission, claiming it’ll be the day the war turns in the Coalition’s favor, adding that Sagi appreciates the calculations and promised a position on his research team if they win the war.

Tia raises an eyebrow at this mention of the Dark Circle, asking if he’s the one who follows Konton like a ‘bad smell’. Isis confirms it while sternly adding she won’t have the mission ruined because of one bored subordinate, asking Tia not to insult a superior. Tia rolls her eyes, having a good idea of what Sagi and the other Circles think of them. Sunna pipes in, calling it weird to hear someone talk about a crush so passionately. Isis points out the hypocrisy of this coming from someone wearing Konton’s face on their shirt. Sunna retorts that Yoku’s court were selling them for a good price, striking a pose while claiming it looks good on her body, not impressing anyone. When Tia asks what one more loss would do anyway, Bellona answers that they’d have to worry about Chitsujo before Konton and Sagi. She stresses that this is why the mission must be as swift and careful as possible, and why she’s waiting for their contact. When asked, Isis confirms that Deifillia telepathically contacted her, and informed her of the coming backup. With a flash of light, Zephyr and 11 others appear. Once the old Marine confirms Bellona’s identity, he states he’s been ordered to assist in any way. Deciding to begin, Bellona turns to Weyse, asking if she was the one who faced Laxus with the ancient God, Higurenokami. Smiling, Weyse proudly confirms it, glad her reputation has reached Pergrande. Glaring, Bellona makes it perfectly clear that she doesn’t trust the Dark Wizard, and would’ve locked her up if it was up to her. If Weyse disobeys even one order, Bellona will end her, loudly adding that applies to the whole Unit. She adds that mission will go swiftly and without mistakes. While the other fighters are filled with either fear or hate, Zephyr can’t help but feel respect for the Commander. When ordered, Isis activates Archive Magic: Isis Chants, bringing up a map of Magnolia marked with all their targets. The Unit then starts getting briefed on the plan.