User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 466: Assassination, Review./@comment-5303512-20151216145356/@comment-24102956-20151218023629

Yeah I know but they're the Alvarez Empire, a massive militaristic country of the Western Continent that possesses 2 million army of men and machines that have capabilities that completely differs them from Ishgar's Mages. Plus with tactics and strategies that would involve a full-scale Blitzkrieg and huge fleets of airships at their disposal.

The Shields are as powerful as Ishgar's strongest Mage God Serena before his defection and are no easy pushovers to be just One Punched by Natsu or sliced down by Erza Sue. The remaining Ten Wizard Saints may be the only ones who can at least put up a major resistance against their strength or there are some powerful Mages from Fiore's neighboring countries who can put up a fight.

Zeref spent many years building up their massive military strength to become the world's strongest superpower country feared by the Magic Council and Ishgar's countries as if he was playing a real live version of an RTS game to build such an army with formidable Magic soldiers and powerful Shields who serve him for power and influence.