Chapter 1011: [1011] : The First Master

It was blindingly obvious to everyone in the guild hall that the two newcomers harbored feelings for Shin.

Yet, Shin had responded with a gaze of utter indifference, acting as though he was completely oblivious to the situation.

Makarov, however, understood exactly what was happening. To avoid an incredibly awkward dynamic, Shin had deliberately chosen to play the fool. Refusing to acknowledge their feelings was the only way to maintain a semblance of normalcy between the three of them.

But Makarov also knew that avoiding the issue would only make things messier in the long run.

Little Lucy was currently in a terrible mood. When she and Alice had stormed off earlier, it was out of genuine frustration. She had expected Shin to chase after them, or at the very least, look their way. Instead, he had simply announced he was leaving to handle ‘business’ without sparing them a single glance.

‘What kind of person does that??’ Little Lucy fumed internally. ‘He makes me call him ‘Big Brother’, and then treats me like a stranger!’

She bit her lip, a wave of confusing emotions washing over her. She used to wish he truly was her older brother. But now? The thought of being just his sister felt completely wrong. Without even realizing it, she had started viewing him as something else entirely… as hers.

But what about Alice? Even though Alice constantly claimed she couldn’t stand Shin, all the signs pointed to the exact opposite. Alice was clearly falling for him too.

Regret, frustration, and confusion swirled inside Little Lucy’s chest. She didn’t know how to articulate what she was feeling.

She forced a weak smile and turned to her sister. “I am fine now, Big Sister Alice. Don’t worry, I am not that fragile.”

She hesitated for a moment before dropping her voice to a whisper. “But… I do want to ask you something. Have you really given up on him? After everything we have been through?”

Shin, who was standing nearby, caught the tail end of the conversation. He wasn’t blind—he knew exactly what was going on. But he simply felt absolutely nothing romantic toward either of them. Some things just couldn’t be forced.

“Stop crying, Lucy,” Shin said, a light smirk crossing his face. “And you too, Alice. Who knows, maybe you both still have a chance—heh.”

It was clearly a joke meant to defuse the tension, but the two girls simply stared at him in silence before turning back to their drinks, choosing to ignore him.

Shin’s departure with Makarov naturally caught the attention of Natsu and Gray, but neither of them stepped forward to ask questions. With the Guild Master personally escorting Shin, it was clear this was highly classified business.

Makarov led Shin out of the bustling guild hall and into a secluded, hidden area beneath the building.

The old man pulled out a strange, ancient key. A heavy stone door materialized out of the brick wall, slowly grinding open.

“You really are quite the heartbreaker,” Makarov chuckled as they stepped inside. “Those two girls clearly aren’t ordinary humans. They smell like humans, but there is an underlying scent to them… something incredibly familiar. It is a scent I haven’t encountered in a very long time.”

Makarov glanced back at Shin. “I remember smelling that exact same scent on the First Master. I am assuming those two girls have something to do with the fairies and elves you mentioned earlier?”

Shin didn’t offer a witty remark this time. He simply nodded.

Seeing Shin’s serious demeanor, Makarov decided to drop the subject and focus on the task at hand.

“Your sudden appearance in this world… it is truly beyond my comprehension,” Makarov admitted, his voice echoing in the dark tunnel. “Based on what you have told me, I can only assume you exist on a much higher plane of reality. Where you come from, mages like you must be considered gods.”

“But the universe is vast,” Makarov continued, a weary smile touching his lips. “If you have the power to cross between worlds, it means all worlds are fundamentally connected. To someone like you, we must look like mere insects.”

Shin chuckled softly. “You have a sharp mind, Master Makarov. That is exactly how it is. However, none of that matters right now. We are here for the First Master.”

“She holds many secrets,” Shin said, his tone turning grave. “I know everything about her. I also know about the Second Master, Precht, and his desperate obsession with resurrecting her. He walked down a very dark path, ultimately leading to tragedy for Fairy Tail.”

Makarov sighed heavily, the weight of his years suddenly showing. “You are right. I still don’t fully understand what happened to Precht. As for the First Master… she is technically still alive, but she is trapped in an eternal slumber. She cannot wake up.”

Shin shook his head. “She is dead, Makarov. Her body is simply being preserved by Fairy Heart. That is Fairy Tail’s absolute greatest secret, isn’t it?”

“While infinite magic power is undoubtedly a terrifying weapon,” Shin lied smoothly, “it is completely useless to me. I don’t care about it.”

Internally, however, Shin was kicking himself. He had almost forgotten about Fairy Heart. Infinite magic power was literally a cheat code! If he could somehow acquire that boundless energy, he would be absolutely invincible. He could spam his most devastating jutsu without ever draining his chakra. He needed to figure out a way to get his hands on it.

But for now, he had to play the benevolent savior.

“Master Makarov, before I resurrect her, I need to explain a few things,” Shin said. “If you don’t understand the context, the aftermath is going to be incredibly difficult for you to manage.”

“Since you already know about Zeref, you need to understand why he is so powerful. He is cursed by a god. The Curse of Contradiction. The more he loves something, the more it dies. He is incapable of holding onto love or life.”

“And the First Master…” Shin paused, letting the silence build. “She is intimately connected to Zeref.”

Makarov froze, his eyes widening in absolute horror. “Are you saying… Mavis and Zeref…?”

“Yes,” Shin confirmed bluntly. “That is exactly what I am saying.”

Makarov staggered back, leaning heavily against the stone wall. “I… I understand now. Please, resurrect her. There are so many things I need to ask her.”

Shin nodded. “Alright then. Let’s begin.”

A few moments later, they arrived at a massive, glowing lacrima crystal.