Chapter 211: Achieving Immortality

Jellal's power was undeniable. Without the combination of the Thunder Giant and ancient magic, George wouldn't have stood a chance against him. Even with Erza and the others buying time, the final blow wouldn't have been possible without their collective effort.

In terms of sheer strength, Jellal was far superior. Even Makarov, the guild master, might struggle to defeat Jellal without resorting to Fairy Law. Makarov's normal strength slightly surpassed Jose's, but Jose's power wasn't even half that of Jellal's thought projection.

Even if Makarov used Fairy Law, the outcome of a battle with Jellal remained uncertain, as George wasn't entirely sure of Fairy Law's exact potency. Previously, Makarov's casting of it had been interrupted by Aria.

Recruiting Jellal into Fairy Tail would give the guild two bona fide Ten Wizard Saints. Moreover, Simon and the others were formidable too. While they hadn't yet reached S-Class strength, they were at the pinnacle of power just below that level. A few more years of training could see them reach S-Class—though this referred to the S-Class of ordinary guilds, as Fairy Tail's standards were notably higher.

What intrigued George the most was Jellal's Celestial Magic.

"His injuries are stabilized. Let's head back to the guild," George announced.

After placing everyone in his magical storage box, George used Apparition to bring them all back to the guild.

Inside the guild hall, Mirajane, who had been anxiously waiting, immediately rushed over and asked, "How is everyone? Erza, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy—are they okay?"

"Don't worry. They're fine. Just a bit injured and exhausted; they'll recover after a few days' rest," George reassured her, retrieving the box and releasing the group.

Seeing everyone safe, Mirajane breathed a huge sigh of relief. "I heard from Councilman Yajima that the Etherion was fired, and the council has been destroyed. I was so scared! Thank goodness you're all okay."

"The council has been destroyed?" George asked, surprised.

Mirajane explained, "It seems a female mage named Ultear was behind it. The council has been temporarily disbanded and is preparing for reformation."

"Ultear again, huh? She's not simple," George mused, flicking his whiskers thoughtfully.

It was clear now that Ultear was part of the dark guilds, though which one remained a mystery. For a dark guild to remain so active despite the council and legal guilds' crackdowns, their strength was undeniably formidable. Among them, there were likely mages rivaling the Ten Wizard Saints.

"Perhaps it's for the best," George said. "With the council in disarray, they won't have time to deal with Jellal. This gives Makarov a chance to compile the events surrounding the Tower of Heaven and build a case to clear Jellal's name."

Jellal, after all, was more of a victim in this affair. Controlled since childhood, he had been a mere puppet, with the true culprit being Ultear. Convincing the council of these facts and exonerating Jellal would require careful preparation.

Fairy Tail now had the strength, resources, and influence to intervene. Having recently thwarted Zeref's revival, the guild's goodwill with the council was at an all-time high. With Makarov lobbying and George offering his expertise—perhaps even helping rebuild the council—the odds seemed promising.

By evening, Jellal regained consciousness. Overwhelmed by the weight of his actions over the past eight years, he nearly collapsed emotionally. Erza, Simon, and the others comforted him, eventually calming him down.

The next day, Makarov returned to Fairy Tail with the modified mobile fortress. After learning the full story of the Tower of Heaven, he followed George's suggestion and welcomed Jellal and his companions into Fairy Tail. Makarov also began contacting former Fairy Tail mages to seek help clearing Jellal's name.

Many former members of Fairy Tail had achieved great status. One of the guild's founders, Warrod Sequen, was now ranked fourth among the Ten Wizard Saints, holding considerable sway in the kingdom. Other notable former members included Yajima, as well as the guild masters of the Blue Pegasus and Quatro Cerberus guilds.

After much effort, the council was convinced of Jellal's innocence. His crimes were forgiven, and the focus shifted to a nationwide manhunt for Ultear.

With the modifications complete, Fairy Tail's guild hall had undergone a massive transformation. The second floor of the original guild was demolished, and the mobile fortress was integrated above it. Stairs now connected the guild to the previously underground library, while exterior staircases provided access to all sides of the castle.

Fairy Tail had become the tallest, most striking, and luxurious building in Magnolia. It was equipped with magical crystal cannons and a powerful light-magic formation for defense. Even the guild's dormitories, previously scattered around the city, had been relocated to the castle. With so many rooms available, members could now live on-site. Though rent was still required, it was significantly cheaper than before.

Even Lucy, who had been reluctant to leave her spacious rental home, moved into the guild's castle. George did the same but customized his room with an Extension Charm, expanding it to accommodate his magical experiments.

"Morgana's Circle!"

Carving the spell formation into the floor, George placed a magical crystal in his hand and began meditating to absorb its energy.

Thanks to his panda clone's diligent meditation and the accelerated absorption provided by his magical crystals, George's mage level had reached 499. Just one more level would push him to 500, granting him immortality.

Over the past few days, he had focused entirely on this breakthrough, for what was power without longevity? Immortality would give him the time needed to unlock the true depths of magic and become an unparalleled force.

"It's happening!"

As the magical crystal in his hand dissolved, George felt an explosion of magic within him, surging through every cell in his body. His entire being transformed, nourished by this magical energy.

When the power finally settled, George instinctively understood—he was no longer bound by the constraints of time. He had reached level 500. Immortality was his.