Simon was about to speak when Erza walked up to Ken, paused, forced a smile, and spoke first.
"When we were walking just now, you asked me if I was worried."
"Just this afternoon, I dreamed that I had returned to my childhood, taken to the Tower of Paradise to endure hard labor and become a living sacrifice... It was a time I least want to recall."
Ken raised his hand to interrupt her before she could continue. "I don't want to open old wounds. How about we listen to what this big guy has to say first?"
Erza stood her ground and shook her head firmly. "No need. You'll learn of these things sooner or later."
"Alright," Ken sighed, looking at her. "You really are stubborn, Fairy Queen."
Erza took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and began recounting the painful past.
"Ten years ago, a cult that practiced Dark Magic captured countless laborers from nearby towns. Their goal was to build the Tower of Paradise and complete a ritual to resurrect the dead."
"Once the Tower of Paradise was finished, those laborers would become sacrifices for the ritual."
"I was one of them back then. Millianna, Wally, Simon, Sho, and I—we were all slaves there... and there was Jellal..."
When Erza mentioned Jellal's name, her voice wavered, trembling as if it was still too painful to speak of him.
After a long silence, she continued, "I couldn't stand the inhumane treatment and led a resistance for freedom. But, in the end, we failed. To save me, Jellal was arrested by the guards."
"Eventually, we rioted, defeated the prison guards, but the magic soldiers came after us."
"Just when we were about to fail again, Grandpa Rob stepped up, resisting the fire of the magic soldiers, but he sacrificed himself to protect me... It was then that I finally understood magic."
"When I entered the Tower of Paradise again, Jellal had climbed to the top of the Tower."
"But by then, he had changed. He was completely different, no longer caring about others, becoming arrogant and violent."
"Jellal told me that there was no freedom in this world and that he wanted to stay and complete the Tower's ritual."
"Perhaps as a final act of kindness, Jellal didn't kill me. Instead, he let me leave the Tower of Paradise."
"But in exchange, he told me I couldn't speak of the Tower's secrets, or he would kill Wally and the others..."
Tears flowed down Erza's face as she finished, and the others fell into a heavy silence.
"Erza! Your eyes..." Simon's voice broke the silence, filled with shock.
Everyone noticed then, that only Erza's left eye was crying.
Erza wiped her tears, her expression oddly calm. "Strange, isn't it? The tears in my right eye have dried up."
Ken turned his head slightly, understanding her unspoken words.
He knew that Erza's right eye had been destroyed after she was tortured as a child while resisting the Tower of Paradise. Though Makarov had taken her to see a healer after she joined Fairy Tail, and her eyesight had been restored, she could no longer shed tears from that eye.
The three other members—Sho, Millianna, and Wally—were in deep shock and confusion.
"Didn't you, sister, blow up the ship and abandon us all in pursuit of magic?" Sho asked in disbelief. "If Jellal hadn't discovered it sooner, we..."
"It's all a lie," Simon interrupted, his voice stern. "Everything was Jellal's conspiracy. He was the one who blew up the ship, and he was the one who betrayed us."
"What?" Sho and the others looked bewildered.
Simon sighed and continued, "When Erza was choked and threatened by Jellal, I was there. Unfortunately, my strength was too small to stop him."
"Over the years, I've pretended to know nothing, all to uncover Jellal's true intentions and stop him."
"But before that, I want to make it clear: Erza has never betrayed us."
Regret filled their hearts as the three lowered their heads, ashamed to meet Erza's eyes.
"Yes... I'm sorry..." they muttered.
Ken took a moment, then asked seriously, "The attack on Erza, that was Jellal's order, wasn't it?"
Simon nodded silently. "Yes. The Tower of Paradise has been built, but two things are still needed."
"One is the magical elf power controlled by the Council, and the other is a magician with the power of a Holy Ten mage, to be used as a living sacrifice."
"And as far as I know, Jellal has already obtained the magical elf power."
The Magical Elf Power was an extremely powerful and dangerous magic, long held by the Magic Council as a weapon of mass destruction. If released, it could level an entire country in an instant.
As for the sacrifice—a magician with strength comparable to the Holy Ten... that could only mean Erza.
Jellal's ambition was clear.
The beach fell silent once more, the weight of the revelation sinking in.
After a long pause, Ken spoke up, his voice calm but determined. "So Jellal wants to take Erza as a living sacrifice, huh? Well... Do you think I'll let that happen?"
Everyone turned to him in shock.
Simon blinked, confused. "What do you mean...?"
"Don't they want a mage comparable to the Holy Ten?" Ken shrugged nonchalantly. "My power is no less than Erza's. If you take me, the ritual will be completed just as well."
"Ken, no, it's too dangerous!" Erza immediately protested. "This is my past, my responsibility. It has nothing to do with you, or anyone else in Fairy Tail!"
Ken smiled lightly. "You're stubborn as always. But this time, I'm prepared."
"Do it."
"What!?" Erza was taken aback.
At Ken's command, Sho, who had been silent, quickly summoned a card, infused it with magic, and threw it toward Erza.
Before she could react, the card formed a cage around her, sealing her in place.
"Let me out! What are you doing!?" Erza shouted, struggling against the magic.
Ken chuckled and patted Sho on the shoulder. "Well done."
Sho mumbled an apology. "Sorry, sister. When Simon was speaking, your partner whispered to me to prepare for action... We can't let you get hurt again."
"This is my business and has nothing to do with Ken! I'll go with you to find Jellal, just get Ken back to the hotel immediately!" Erza cried out.
Ken ignored her protests, his expression unreadable.
He waved to the others. "Let's go to the Tower of Paradise. You can take me as a living sacrifice to settle your debts."
...
On the sea, the ship had been sailing for a long time, and Ken sat alone on the deck, waiting quietly for their arrival.
"Come to think of it, shouldn't Dragon Slayers be immune to all forms of transportation? I seem to be fine..."
"Maybe it's because my Dragon Slayer power hasn't fully awakened yet..." he mused.
As he pondered, heavy footsteps approached from behind.
It was Simon.
"Are you really sure you can take on Jellal? I've seen your strength, but our magic is nowhere near his level," Simon said with concern.
Ken didn't have a clear answer. After all, this was his first time facing such a powerful opponent.
But one thing was certain.
He couldn't let Erza suffer any longer.
Ken's eyes shifted to the horizon, his expression resolute.
"No matter what happens, you all stay on the ship and keep a safe distance from the Tower of Paradise. I'll defeat Jellal."
"I'll make Erza see it with her own eyes: the purgatory that tortured her throughout her childhood will be completely destroyed tonight."
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Next Chapter: The Storm of Paradise: Ken's Trial