In the end, Mirajane chose to trust Charles and decided to join the expedition team to Edolas. She was also curious about the surprise Charles had mentioned.
The method Mystogan had discovered for entering Edolas required the assistance of others.
Edolas had activated the Anima spell multiple times. Although those spells had since been shut down, they left behind residual traces.
Mystogan could follow those remnants to open a new passage and, by using the Exceed magic of Carla and Happy to link with Edolas, he could transport the entire expedition force into the alternate world.
As expected, even though the people of the two worlds differed, some things remained the same.
Like Jellal, Mystogan was a genius; his magical research surpassed ordinary understanding.
The plan he devised was reliable. Riding atop Fahl and guided by a compass-shaped magic device infused with Carla's power, the expedition passed through the traces left by Anima and entered another world.
Charles had instigated this expedition precisely to avoid potential catastrophe.
In the original timeline, the Edolas kingdom activated a super-sized Anima spell that absorbed the entire town of Magnolia and all of Fairy Tail's mages, turning them into one massive lacrima crystal.
Only Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel were spared due to the nature of Dragon Slayer magic.
Had Mystogan not reversed Anima in time and sent everyone back to Earthland, the consequences would've been unimaginable.
Charles wasn't about to let that happen. Once crystallized into lacrima, they would lose the ability to resist. Any accident after that would be irreversible.
Since he knew the story, Charles wasn't going to leave anything to chance—striking first was always better.
While passing through the gap between worlds, Charles kept his eyes wide open. This sensation was completely different from using World Magic.
Though Edolas and Earthland were considered parallel worlds, they were more like two branches sprouting from the same tree—intimately connected.
The existence of similar yet distinct counterparts in both worlds was further proof of that.
Soon, light began to shine before their eyes—Edolas had finally arrived!
The scene before them looked just like something out of a storybook. Floating islands hung in the sky, and enormous, unknown beasts flew past, forming a landscape none of them had ever witnessed.
"So this is the alternate world, Edolas?" Erza said in wonder.
Suddenly, Gray shouted, "Hey! What's going on? I can't use my magic!"
Everyone quickly tried for themselves. Sure enough, while they still had their magic power, they couldn't cast any spells.
Mystogan tossed a small bottle to them. "Don't worry. It's normal for Earthland mages to be unable to use magic in Edolas. Just take these X-Balls and you'll be fine."
Charles accepted his share but didn't take it immediately. Instead, he held out his hand—and a small flame appeared in his palm.
He then closed his fingers and snuffed it out. Just as he'd thought.
The others couldn't use magic because Edolas and Earthland operated under different magical laws.
Inside the X-Balls, Charles could sense the presence of Exceed magic. Only by infusing themselves with Edolas's unique Exceed energy could they cast magic freely here.
As for Charles himself, his World Magic allowed him to function even in completely different realities—let alone a world that shared the same root as his own.
Once their magic was restored, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After all, for a mage, magic was a vital part of their identity. Losing it, even temporarily, was unsettling.
"Everyone, look over there…!" Freed suddenly shouted, pointing into the distance.
They looked in the direction he indicated and saw a giant tree stump. Windows and doors had been carved into it, turning it into a dwelling.
Most notably, a flag hung over the structure—emblazoned with the unmistakable Fairy Tail emblem.
Charles said, "Just as there are two Jellals, there are versions of us in this world as well.
That must be Edolas's Fairy Tail."
Natsu was instantly fired up. "So that means there's another me there! Let's go take a look!"
The others were equally intrigued. Who wouldn't be curious about what their alternate self was like?
Charles wanted to remind them that this wasn't a vacation, but Mystogan stopped him.
"You take everyone over there. I'm heading to the capital. I might be able to find some allies or intelligence there.
It's been a long time since I returned. Before we act, I need to understand the situation fully."
Charles said, "Then I'll leave that to you. But don't be reckless. Don't forget—we're all here to support you."
With that, Mystogan jumped off Fahl's back and disappeared into the mist.
Charles patted Fahl's side, and Fahl, understanding the command, began to descend toward the Edolas Fairy Tail.
Long before they reached it, Charles had Fahl land and let everyone disembark.
If Charles remembered correctly, magic in this world worked differently. Instead of direct spellcasting, people used magic-powered tools.
Due to King Faust's greed for magic, the people's access to magic was strictly controlled.
Guilds that used magic to complete jobs were natural targets of the kingdom's suppression.
In this world, there was no distinction between legal and dark guilds. All magic guilds were outlawed.
Under constant assault from the kingdom's Magic Warfare Division, one guild after another was destroyed—until only Fairy Tail remained.
Their survival was thanks to their headquarters being a powerful magic tool capable of spatial teleportation. That was how they had escaped the kingdom's repeated purges.
Charles feared the Edolas Fairy Tail might mistake them for kingdom pursuers. If they teleported away again, it would be difficult to track them down.
Even from a distance, the team quickly arrived at the doors of Edolas's Fairy Tail.
Staring at the tree-like building, Erza said, "So this is the guild here? It looks kind of interesting."
As they spoke, the door opposite suddenly opened and a man came out.
He spotted Erza at the front of the group and immediately screamed in terror, stumbling as he fled back into the guild. They could hear his shouts:
"It's bad! The Fairy Hunter is here! Everyone, run!"
"Don't panic! Prepare the teleportation magic!"
"I saw Natsu and the others behind her—did they get captured?!"
"What did you say…?"
Erza's face darkened. Seeing her comrades run at the sight of her left her with a very complicated feeling.
Charles patted her shoulder. "Looks like your counterpart in Edolas isn't very easygoing."
Natsu tilted his head. "That voice just now… sounded kinda like…"
Lucy pointed at herself. "It sounded like me!"
As they talked, the doors opened again and a group of people rushed out.
And then—face-to-face, two identical sets of people stared at each other in stunned silence.
For the Earthland members, even though Charles had warned them about alternate versions of themselves, it still felt strange to see it with their own eyes.
As for the Edolas group, the sight was far beyond anything they could comprehend.
Author's Note:
Went shopping with family today—my arms are too sore to lift. Just one chapter for now. I'll post three more tomorrow.
Also, I had a headache a few chapters ago and mistitled some of them. Unfortunately, I can't change them here, but it doesn't affect the content. Thanks for understanding.
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