When Ken and Erza finally reached the top of the Tower of Paradise, Jellal was sitting lazily at the end, surrounded by various magic props engraved with strange runes.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, and you two are still together..." Jellal remarked, his tone dripping with mockery.
Before Jellal could finish speaking, Ken cut him off with a fiery roar.
"The Roar of the Fire Dragon!!"
Ken unleashed his magic, and the fiery wave surged toward Jellal. Reacting quickly, Jellal dodged the attack, but Ken's real goal was not to engage him directly.
With a grin, Ken changed direction mid-attack.
"Boom!!"
A massive explosion echoed through the tower as a huge corner of the roof crumbled, exposing the hazy sky above.
Jellal's eyes widened as he realized that Ken wasn't attacking him but rather aiming to destroy the Tower of Paradise itself.
"If I'm not mistaken, the core devices of the Tower are all here. If they're destroyed, your whole plan collapses, right?" Ken said, a smile playing on his lips as he lifted his foot to crush one of the magic props in front of Jellal.
"YOU...!!" Jellal's face contorted in rage. The veins on his neck popped as his murderous intent surged.
Ken smirked. "Let me guess. Is the central system here? Or maybe it's in the machine over there...?"
Jellal couldn't take it anymore. His magic power erupted violently, his hand raised above his head as he shouted, "Six Consecutive Stars!"
Celestial bodies flared to life, hurling themselves toward Ken at breakneck speeds.
Ken, however, paid no attention to the incoming attack, continuing his destruction as though he didn't care about Jellal's rage.
"Clang!!"
Jellal's attack collided with something heavy and solid, and when the light faded, Ken was still standing, unharmed. In front of him, Erza had blocked the celestial assault with her giant silver shield.
"Jellal, it's time to end this," Erza said, her voice cold as she assumed her battle stance.
Without hesitation, she called out, "Armor of Purgatory!!"
Jellal's eyes narrowed slightly as he chuckled darkly.
"It's interesting... you're still the same after all these years, Erza."
Erza's Armor of Purgatory, covered in spikes and radiating immense destructive power, glinted ominously in the dim light.
She stared at Jellal, gripping her serrated steel sword tightly as the two locked eyes.
"Seven Star Sword!!"
Jellal's next attack sent the sky itself ablaze as the Big Dipper shone with destructive energy, descending toward Erza. She dodged the attack but struggled to find an opening as his assault came one after another.
Jellal's attacks were too fast, too relentless. Erza couldn't find an opportunity to strike.
Meanwhile, Ken, having momentarily stopped his destruction, noticed an opening and leaped into action.
"Jaws of the Thunder Dragon!!"
Ken's thunderous magic struck Jellal from the side, knocking him back with a single blow.
Erza gasped for air, finally getting a moment to regroup.
"Hahahaha..."
Jellal's ferocious laughter echoed through the tower, and he slowly began to rise, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"Do you think if you defeat me here, everything will be over? You're naive..."
He continued, "Just now, the Senate completed its vote. The magical elven power will soon descend on the Tower of Paradise, and everyone will be buried with it!"
Erza's confusion was palpable as she muttered, "How could the Senate... be controlled by him?"
Jellal's laughter grew wilder. "Are you curious? You will die here soon, and I have no need to hide it anymore..."
"Everyone in the Council believes that we are twin brothers, Siegrain, one of the Ten Great Magicians... But in reality, he is just a thought-body of mine!"
Erza's shock was evident. "What!? Jellal infiltrated the Council... and became one of the Ten Great Magicians without anyone noticing?"
Jellal's true strength was far greater than they had realized. What they thought was his full power had only been half of it.
The realization hit Erza hard. She glanced at Ken, guilt and doubt filling her eyes.
Ken, however, remained unaffected. He simply stared at the dark night sky above them, his mind far from the battlefield.
Back in the Magic Council, thousands of miles away, the members of the highest authority in the wizarding world gathered, their faces grim as they stared at the magic crystal ball.
"The Tower of Paradise? Is that the device that uses living sacrifices to resurrect the dead? I thought that was destroyed years ago?" one of the council members asked.
"We only discovered it recently. And according to intelligence, the person in charge of the Tower of Paradise is likely Senator Siegrain's twin brother, Jellal," the reporter replied, his eyes shifting to the youngest member of the council, who bore a striking resemblance to Jellal.
Siegrain's gaze remained impassive as he addressed the room.
"I think everyone here knows how dangerous the Tower of Paradise is. Now that the ceremony is about to start, extraordinary measures must be taken immediately."
One of the older members voiced their concerns, "Extreme measures? Are you suggesting we use the magical elven power?"
The mention of the magical elven power sent a shock through the room.
Siegrain nodded firmly. "Yes. We must act decisively. We cannot afford to wait."
A hoarse voice from the corner spoke up, "The magical elven power is too dangerous. Shouldn't we consider other options? Besides, isn't Jellal your biological brother?"
Siegrain's expression remained unchanged as he coldly replied, "As a council member, it is my responsibility to protect the stability of the magical world. Even if I must kill my own brother, I will not hesitate."
After a tense silence, the council voted.
"Then let's proceed according to the regulations! The magical elven power must be used!" one member declared.
The vote was nearly unanimous, with the final decision being made.
"Please, everyone, join me in lifting the seal," Siegrain said as the council members prepared to enact the dangerous magic.
The fate of the Tower of Paradise and the entire world hung in the balance.
(Next Chapter: The Last Stand at the Tower of Paradise)