"To be honest," Kael said coldly, his voice echoing through the trembling arena, "everything about you disgusts me. You've committed sins that can never be forgiven."
Standing within the swirl of his own radiant magic, Kael's clothes rippled under the pressure of his power. His eyes burned with contempt as he frowned, raising his right hand. A blade of pure light formed in his grasp—its glow sharp and steady—as he gazed icily at Jose Porla before him.
Kael remembered all too clearly what this man had done in his past life—the chaos, the cruelty, the betrayal against Fairy Tail. Those revolting actions and words still echoed in his mind. His grip on the sword tightened, and dark-golden energy began to wrap around the blade. Armament Haki merged with Holy Light, creating a blinding radiance that filled the entire arena.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls and the ground, and even the robes of the spectators tore from the sheer pressure. Startled, everyone hastily reinforced their defensive barriers to withstand the overwhelming force.
"What is this power…?" the Chairman of the Magic Council asked, his voice unsteady as he turned to Makarov. "Do you know what that black-gold aura is?"
He could sense no magical signature from the dark substance, yet the danger it radiated was unmistakable.
"No comment," Makarov said simply, folding his arms. He ignored the question. That power belonged to Kael—something even the Guild Master of Fairy Tail had no right to reveal.
"Chairman," one of the councilors interjected urgently, "shouldn't we stop them? Kael's magic alone could level this place! He's clearly strong enough to earn the title of Saint Wizard already!"
The man's voice trembled—not from pity for Jose, but from pure fear for the building's safety. The ground below had fractured into rubble, one wall had already collapsed, and the rest of the hall looked ready to follow. Repairing this was going to drain the council's coffers again.
"No need to intervene," the Chairman said calmly, his gaze fixed below. "Can't you see? Jose still looks… eager."
He understood Makarov's silence and shared his curiosity. Folding his hands behind his back, the Chairman focused once more on the unfolding battle.
"Damn you Fairy Tail," Jose roared, his face twisting in rage. "My Phantom Lord guild is the strongest in the kingdom! Die, you arrogant brat!"
"Dark Magic—Dark Stream!"
Black energy exploded from Jose's back, twisting into countless lances of darkness that streaked toward Kael. His eyes gleamed with hatred and madness as he poured all his power into a growing sphere of black magic, then hurled it forward. The impact tore the air apart as it surged toward Kael.
"Dark Magic—Death Storm!"
"No one can stop this! Not even you!"
Kael's gaze remained calm. "It seems," he said softly, his tone almost pitying, "you still don't understand the gap between us."
The light sword in his hand pulsed—its black-gold glow compressing into a concentrated edge. Kael crouched slightly, his eyes glinting coldly as the beam of darkness neared.
The moment the dark wave entered a meter of Kael's reach, it dissolved—purified instantly into harmless streams of raw magic. The energy around him rippled like a divine tide. A chilling premonition struck Jose's heart—a whisper of death that made his breath falter.
"No… impossible! I don't believe this!" Jose screamed. "I'm one of the Ten Saints! You're just a boy—you can't beat me!"
"Fairy Tail second to none," Kael said, his voice rising like thunder. "If we're called second, no one dares claim first."
He raised his sword.
"Ittō-ryū—Holy Light Judgment: Heavenbreaker."
Kael swung.
A colossal arc of divine light cleaved through the air. The Death Storm shattered instantly, consumed by the blinding slash that surged toward Jose with unstoppable force. Everything it touched—stone, air, shadow—disintegrated to dust.
"Kael!"
A voice rang out from the stands—Makarov's voice.
Kael's lips twitched slightly, displeased but obedient. He flicked his wrist, angling the blade upward. The massive strike veered off course, slicing past Jose and into the sky.
The heavens themselves split open.
A blinding scar of light tore the sky in two, stretching endlessly into the horizon. For a moment, the entire world seemed to stop—silent, breathless, in awe. The power of that single strike defied reason, shaking both earth and sky.
No one spoke.
Every witness stared upward, stunned. That blade hadn't just torn the sky—it had carved itself into their hearts, burning the image of Kael's strength forever.
Jose stood motionless, eyes vacant, mouth agape. His clothes had been shredded to nothing. Knees buckling, he collapsed to the ground before Kael, staring blankly at the glowing rift above.
Aftermath
"In recognition of your extraordinary strength and service," the Chairman announced from the center of the arena, "the Magic Council hereby bestows upon Fairy Tail's S-Class wizard, Kael, the title of one of the Ten Wizard Saints. May you continue to bring peace and balance to the magical world."
Behind him, Elaine stepped forward, presenting a silver badge engraved with the emblem of the Ten Saints.
"Thank you for the Council's acknowledgment," Kael said calmly, taking the badge. It gleamed faintly in the sunlight—nothing special in appearance, yet heavy with meaning. He pinned it to his chest.
"Well then, we'll take our leave," the Chairman said, signaling the end of the proceedings. Council members gathered Jose's unconscious body and departed swiftly. They were already preparing for the public announcement—after all, news of a teenage wizard becoming a Saint would shake the entire continent.
"Master Makarov, Sir Kael," Elaine said politely, bowing. "The Council has arranged a banquet for tomorrow to celebrate your achievement. We hope you'll attend."
"No," Makarov replied with a chuckle. "We'll return to Magnolia first. Tell the Chairman we appreciate the invitation."
"Yes, sir."
"Let's go, Master," Kael said, turning toward Makarov. "The guild's probably waiting."
With a nod, the two stood side by side. A golden magic circle formed beneath their feet, and in a flash of light, they vanished.
That day, the news spread across the entire continent—
Kael of Fairy Tail had defeated Jose Porla and become one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
The Magic Council, sparing Jose further humiliation, withheld his role as examiner from the reports. Even so, the event shook the world.
Dark guilds fell silent, pulling back their operations. But among them, three notorious names remained defiant: Oración Seis, Grimoire Heart, and Tartaros.
In the depths of the shadows, Hades crushed a newspaper in his hand, black magic swirling around him as he stared into the distance, deep in thought.
Meanwhile, across the western continent, the Spriggan 12 of the Alvarez Empire paid little attention to the news. They continued their duties as always—their emperor, Zeref, was still nowhere to be found.