July 6th is the final day of the Grand Magic Games.
The energy in the competition arena was higher than ever before, with the audience's excitement reaching its peak. As the teams entered the arena, everyone cheered for them, anticipating the spectacular performances to come.
When Fairy Tail entered, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause, far louder than for Sabertooth before them. It was no surprise—since the first day of the games, the two Fairy Tail teams had consistently held the top two spots. Only after merging into one team did they relinquish second place.
Their strength deserved this popularity.
The spectators were slightly puzzled as Calvin, Laxus, Erza, Mira, and Gray stood on the field. Where was Natsu, who had performed so well yesterday? Was it a good idea to change members at the last minute?
But in truth, there was nothing to worry about. Gray's strength was widely recognized, especially after his battle with Lyon. Even without Natsu, Fairy Tail remained incredibly strong.
Natsu wasn't the only one missing from the field; Gajeel, Wendy, and their three Exceeds were also absent from the audience.
While most didn't pay much attention to this, Rogue, who had always kept an eye on Gajeel, immediately sensed something was wrong. For some reason, he had a bad feeling.
So, where exactly had the three Dragon Slayers gone?
The previous day, after Calvin failed to find Future Lucy in the castle, he had deduced that she was being held elsewhere. Master Makarov had then sent the Dragon Slayers out into the city to search for her, as their heightened senses made them perfect for the task.
Meanwhile, something else had caught people's attention. An odd atmosphere surrounded Sabertooth, a sense of gloom that was hard to describe. The most curious thing was that the team's two Exceeds, who always cheered from the stands, were now down to just one.
Perhaps one had fallen ill, some thought, noting the change.
Nearly the entire city, including those in Mercurius Palace, was focused on today's match. In a large, empty hall, a display broadcasts the live event.
Only three people were watching.
Arcadios, recently freed from prison, sat alongside the staunch opponent of the Eclipse Project, Minister Darton, and Fiore's sole princess, Hisui E. Fiore.
Early that morning, Hisui had released Arcadios and returned Yukino's keys to her. She had then summoned Darton for an audience. Her expression had been more severe than ever before throughout the process.
Upon seeing Arcadios, Darton immediately began questioning him, and the two almost erupted into an argument until Princess Hisui intervened.
"Both of you, quiet. You're not here to argue," she said, her calm tone underlined with royal authority, instantly silencing them.
After several seconds of silence, Minister Darton couldn't help but speak again, advising her, "Your Highness, altering history is no trivial matter. Please reconsider carefully."
"To be frank, we've been too rash. I also urge you to think it over again," Arcadios surprisingly agreed, though he had been the most ardent supporter of the plan.
Seeing Darton's astonished expression, Arcadios calmly explained, "I still believe in the plan, but there are other issues to consider. Until those are addressed, I can't support moving forward with the project."
Darton understood that Arcadios wasn't against the plan itself, but he believed it needed to be executed with complete certainty.
This only made Darton angrier. He had briefly thought Arcadios had come to his senses, but he still didn't grasp the gravity of altering history. In frustration, Darton protested, "Your Highness, the Eclipse Project must never—"
Hisui cut him off with a wave of her hand, her expression grave as she said, "This is no longer about that. What I need to discuss with you is the Eclipse Project 2."
"The Eclipse Project 2?!" both men exclaimed in unison.
"That's right. A few days ago, someone came to me and warned that tomorrow, over ten thousand dragons will descend upon the kingdom to destroy it. The Eclipse Project 2 is a plan to defeat these dragons."
"Ridiculous! That's nothing but nonsense," Arcadios said sternly, though, in his mind, Calvin's words echoed: 'The dragons can also come through the Eclipse Gate into the future.'
"I agree with Arcadios, but I'm more curious—how does this plan intend to defeat the dragons?" Darton asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
Taking a deep breath, Hisui's gaze became enigmatic as she explained, "The magic the Eclipse Gate has gathered over these past seven years rivals the magical power of the Council's Etherion. By releasing that magic in a single attack on the dragons, we can destroy them. This is Eclipse Project 2."
"This plan was suggested by the person who warned me. They claim to be from the future and know what is about to happen. They told me that the true mastermind behind everything is a wizard from Fairy Tail—Calvin Macaro. He released the sealed dragons and brought about the world's destruction."
"That's impossible! Calvin may be from a chaotic guild, but he's always had a good reputation. He doesn't seem like the type who'd do something that insane!" Arcadios protested.
Hisui didn't respond immediately. Instead, she handed them a dossier containing information about a dark guild that had suddenly risen seven years ago—The Seven Deadly Sins.
The file was mostly text, but three photos stood out, showing individuals: a seductive woman with wings for arms, a purple-and-white demon with wings, and a cold-looking man dressed in dark purple, holding a staff.
"These are records I had specially requested in the past few days. Those individuals suddenly appeared and were part of The Seven Deadly Sins. I was told these are all summons controlled by Calvin Macaro."
"It's well-known that Fairy Tail was sealed away for seven years on Tenrou Island, only recently returning. But I discovered that Calvin wasn't part of that return; he reappeared about ten days ago, coinciding with the fall of The Seven Deadly Sins."
"The person who warned me claimed that Calvin, after being defeated by Acnologia, was deeply affected and fell into darkness. During the seven years he was hidden, he was working to unseal the dragons. Now, the seal has been broken, and tomorrow, at the eclipse, the dragons will appear and destroy everything."
"This person also told me that today we would receive proof of their claims. They predicted Fairy Tail would win the tournament, and that Calvin would display an extraordinary power—proof of his fall into darkness. That's why I pushed him to reveal his full strength."
"They also said Calvin would summon seven creatures during today's battle, corresponding with The Seven Deadly Sins. The cold-looking man in the photos will also appear."
"If everything unfolds as they predicted, it means the future they warned me about is real. If that happens, I will open the Eclipse Gate."
Hisui's tone was firm, her eyes filled with resolve. She had already made up her mind.
She had shared this information in hopes of gaining the support of Arcadios and Darton. After all, this responsibility was too much for a young girl to bear alone.
But the two men were still too stunned to react. Hisui's revelations had been far too shocking for them to process immediately.
4o