Chapter 340 - SPOILERS

[deathsought]

I won't explain myself to you, mundane. The places you have sent me to are proof enough that human nature doesn't change, even across dimensional boundaries.

This is the only way the world will ever truly be at peace.

[ Zeref closes his eyes, and sighs. ]

... I'm sorry, Mavis. And especially to you, Natsu.

Comments

[crystal_waltz]

I don't know what happened in your world, but... Achieving peace is not possible. It may just be a dream presented to us by the God. It may be an illusion.

[loves_spirits]

What are you apologizing about? Destroying the world would never bring peace. There wouldn't be anyone who could live in peace anyway. Do you think that living by yourself in the world is the right thing?

[timearc]

Even if I cannot do anything anymore, I'm sure that Fairy Tail and Crime Sorciere will not let you do as you please. Besides, the world is not that bad of a place you think of it to be. Can't you reconsider whatever it is in your mind, Zeref?

[deathsought]

I waited for so long to be proven wrong in this conclusion. It never came. Not even in the glimpse of the future I saw from the Eclipse Gate.

[deathsought]

That is the true irony of this, Lucy. I've lived by myself for many years, and that was the closest thing to peace I've ever experienced in my life. What good would my own redemption be, if humanity insists on repeating my own mistakes?

[deathsought]

No. This is not a decision I reached overnight. People like you, people with the capacity to feel remorse and to change, are too few and far between in the world. So long as human nature exists... there will always be suffering in the world, regardless of whether or not I myself live.

[evocalize]

...human nature may never change, but what you plan to do isn't right either.

[explodewiththerage]

Save the apologies for after we kick your ass and get those stupid ideas out of your head.

[deathsought]

I only ever wanted humanity to learn from my mistakes. That no amount of power is worth that of suffering. And yet, century after century, era after era... nothing ever changes.

Maybe what the world needs is a fresh start.

[deathsought]

Does this mean that you are finally going to kill me, Natsu?

[evocalize]

A fresh start doesn't guarantee that people will change. People make mistakes over and over because that is how they learn, even if many of those mistakes come from greed and thirst of power.

[explodewiththerage]

I didn't say anything about killing. We'll just take you down like we've did all the other morons who got the notion to force their lofty ideals on the world.

[deathsought]

There is nothing else at this point. I have to try.

[deathsought]

Is it truly so lofty, to wish that humanity would try to be better than I myself was?

[evocalize]

There would also be nothing left after you're done, not even the people who have done nothing to deserve death.

[deathsought]

The world will find a way to heal. It always does. We are the ones who stop that from happening.

[crystal_waltz]

Sadly this is the truth. Still, is it the right thing to do to eliminate all humanity for this?

[She doesn't really care about the rest of the world, but she doesn't want to see her friends dying either.]

[timearc]

It still doesn't mean that you should eradicate all of us. Massacre won't solve anything. More and more people can change.

[deathsought]

The time for considering right and wrong has long since passed.

[deathsought]

It is too late for that.

[evocalize]

But at what cost? You may end up destroying even what you love about the world, and that too is a mistake.

[rememberscarlet]

[...Whelp, as if he needed another reason to want to stop Zeref. Especially given Ultear's sacrifice and her last words and wishes to him and Meredy.]

There is no peace in nothingness. Humans may make mistakes, may do evil... so much that it's unforgivable... But there will also always be those that will stand up to stop them, that carry the light of hope.

You won't find annihilating us all so easy.

[After all, there is Crime Sorciére. And there is Fairy Tail of course.]

1/2

[fairytails]

2/2

[fairytails]

You don't have to apologize.

Because Fairy Tail is going to stop you.

[deathsought]

What I love about my world is already dead.

[deathsought]

[ A few seconds of silence. ]

Perhaps not. But even then... if I die, it will be what I've always wanted regardless.

[deathsought]

[ Oh, Mavis... ]

The only way I will ever truly be stopped is if I am dead.

[fairytails]

Live or die, you won't accomplish your goal. Not when Fairy Tail stands in your way.

[deathsought]

You know that there are only two ways this will end.

[fairytails]

As long as you pursue this, there is only one way it can end.

[deathsought]

Are you saying that you or Natsu would kill me, if it came to that?

[fairytails]

. . .

You will be stopped.

[ Make of that what you will. ]

[deathsought]

[ He takes it as a side-step. But at this point, they're just going in circles. ]

You cannot die twice, right, Mavis?

[evocalize]

...what was it?

[deathsought]

It doesn't matter.

[rememberscarlet]

So death is the only conclusion regardless of which side wins?

[If there ever even is something such as victory... and something about this doesn't ring right to him. Even if there may be no helping that in this case, even if it just might be for the best overall...]

[deathsought]

That is my nature, as much as I wish it didn't have to be that way.