It had been a long time since anyone dared to take on the Century Quest, so even Makarov was surprised.
Makarov had never worried about Gildarts taking on SS-Class Quests; after all, Gildarts was far stronger than Makarov had been even in his prime.
However, Makarov was gradually finding it difficult to keep up.
He was no longer in his prime, and although his magical power had increased compared to his younger years, his strength, speed, and physical condition had greatly declined.
This was a significant issue, as his Giant Magic relied heavily on physical prowess.
Only Raizel remained calm. He knew that Gildarts would eventually reach this point.
Gildarts' strength had hit a bottleneck; it was becoming nearly impossible to find worthy opponents for him in Ishgar.
Raizel had previously thought that Gildarts might not be a match for the second Guild Master, Precht.
However, after their last confrontation, Raizel realized he might have underestimated Gildarts all along.
He was, at the very least, not weaker than Precht.
Raizel had looked into the Century Quest a long time ago. He knew it was a mission from which even Gildarts couldn't return unscathed.
However, Raizel had no intention of stopping him, even if it meant Gildarts might encounter the Black Dragon, Acnologia.
If he stopped Gildarts, he might save the man's limbs, but his path in the magical arts would likely come to an end.
What Raizel admired most about Gildarts was his heart, which constantly sought the pinnacle of magic.
The official description of the Century Quest was vague, and Raizel wasn't entirely clear on the specific details.
He only knew that the quest was located on the northern continent and that it likely involved the Five Dragon Gods.
But who the Five Dragon Gods were, or what the quest specifically entailed, Raizel had no idea.
"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? No one has survived the Century Quest to this day," Ur said with a worried expression.
Gildarts was one of her few close friends, and she was deeply concerned for his safety, especially since she had some understanding of the terror surrounding the Century Quest.
Aside from Cana, who wasn't present, Ur was the only one who could potentially persuade Gildarts.
Gildarts didn't respond immediately, so Ur turned to Makarov to seek his opinion.
"Have you decided?" Makarov straightened his posture, looking seriously at Gildarts and looking straight at his eyes.
"I've decided," Gildarts replied, sitting up straight as well and returning Makarov's gaze.
Makarov closed his eyes in contemplation.
The Guild fell silent for several minutes as Makarov remained deep in thought. Finally, he slowly opened his eyes and relaxed his posture.
"I approve. Be careful; safety is the most important thing. Don't forget you have a daughter, and everyone in the Guild is waiting for you to return."
Gildarts smiled faintly before replying, "Don't worry, Master. I won't be leaving anytime soon. At the very least, I need to see Cana before I set off."
Makarov struggled internally for a moment but soon came to terms with it.
Knowing Gildarts well, he understood that he couldn't stop him.
To pursue the pinnacle of the magic arts, one could not retreat, even if the path ahead was paved with thorns and blood.
"Don't worry, I'm the great Gildarts, the strongest Mage of Fairy Tail." Gildarts raised his glass in a toast to Ur, fully aware that her concern came from a place of care.
"Alright, be careful." Ur shook her head helplessly and clinked glasses with him.
"Gildarts, let's talk tonight." Raizel pointed toward the direction of the lakeside.
....
That night, by the lake in the eastern forest—
Natsu wanted to sneak over and eavesdrop, even coming up with the brilliant idea of having Happy fly him there.
Unfortunately, Ultear and Erza stopped him; Raizel had anticipated that Natsu would try to listen in.
Raizel and Gildarts weren't just idly chatting; they had started fishing by the lake.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Gildarts got straight to the point.
It wasn't that Raizel only discussed serious things with Gildarts, but for ordinary matters, he would speak openly at the Guild without needing to call him out privately.
"Yeah, it's about the Century Quest." Raizel nodded calmly.
"Oh? Are you trying to talk me out of it? That doesn't seem like something you'd do."
Just as Raizel understood Gildarts, Gildarts knew Raizel well—he didn't think Raizel would try to stop him.
"Or is there something else about the Century Quest you want to tell me?" Gildarts stroked his chin and raised an eyebrow, suddenly catching on.
"Right. I don't know the exact details of the Century Quest, but I have a rough idea."
This time, it really was just a rough idea, Raizel didn't know much more.
"Go on." Gildarts never shied away from challenges, but having more information was always better, especially since details about the Century Quest were scarce.
Raizel tried to recall the limited knowledge he had.
After organizing his thoughts, he told Gildarts, "The Century Quest takes place in the northern continent of Guiltina. The mission seems to involve five dragons, and these dragons are likely quite powerful. I don't know their exact strength, but at the very least... they're far stronger than you."
Raizel paused for a moment before continuing seriously. "Also, if you encounter a completely black dragon with blue patterns, run. Don't hesitate for a second—just run."
Raizel watched as Gildarts' eyes grew brighter.
He seemed even more excited, especially when Raizel mentioned the Five Dragon Gods being much stronger than him.
Truthfully, it wasn't Gildarts' fault; most missions these days offered no challenge and were often resolved with a single punch. That boredom was exactly why he had started considering the Century Quest.
"So dragons still exist?" Gildarts suddenly frowned.
He'd traveled far and wide over the years but had never seen a dragon, nor any traces of one.
Yet, Natsu and Wendy spoke so confidently about them.
He found it strange, though he never discouraged them.
"And what about this black dragon?"
Raizel quickly replied, "Dragons do still exist, though there aren't many left. The Black Dragon Acnologia, recorded in the Apocalypse, slaughtered all the dragons on the Ishgar continent during the Dragon King Festival four hundred years ago. He became the Dragon King—the undisputed strongest dragon. It is still alive."
"Just remember: if you encounter it, don't even think about fighting. Run."
Acnologia wasn't some great secret, but giving Gildarts this warning was vital.
"Alright, thank you. I'll remember that." Gildarts nodded solemnly.
...
Gildarts stayed at the Guild for over a month, not only to rest and adjust his condition but also to spend quality time with his daughter, Cana.
After all, he had been away on missions for the past few years and hadn't been able to properly be with her.
Even though Cana didn't really complain, he still felt somewhat guilty.
Fortunately, Cana was in Fairy Tail, so he didn't have to worry about her being unhappy, which allowed him to leave without lingering concerns.
On April 15, X781, Gildarts bid farewell to everyone and embarked on his Century Quest journey.