Neither Charles nor the other members of Fairy Tail stepped in to help Erza or Natsu during the fight.
Because they all believed in their comrades—they would win.
Though both Erza Knightwalker and Sugarboy held the title of Magic Warfare Squad Captain, there was still a clear gap between them.
As a martial arts master, Charles could easily tell where the difference lay.
Knightwalker's Ten Commandments Spear was powerful, but what made her truly fearsome was her own combat prowess.
Her technique, forged through countless battles, along with her rich experience, allowed her to draw out the full potential of her weapon. Not even Erza could take her down quickly.
Sugarboy, on the other hand, relied solely on the abilities of his magic tool. Charles could tell immediately—this guy hadn't trained his body at all.
The only reason Natsu hadn't beaten him instantly was because he was still adjusting to Sugarboy's powers. But once he found an opening, it wouldn't take long to finish the fight.
Charles sighed and looked up at the sky, wondering how Mystogan was doing.
After all, this entire operation was to assist Mystogan—they were moving exactly according to his plan.
As for Mystogan himself, he was currently aboard an Edolas airship transporting royal supplies.
Using hypnosis magic, he had easily infiltrated the vessel. Now, with his comrades acting as the spearhead, he was confident: they would save Edolas from its misguided path.
While Mystogan was off to stage a dramatic father-son showdown, the battle on this side was approaching its end.
Natsu launched himself from the swamp-like softened ground using flames from his feet, then flew at Sugarboy and smashed him with a Fire Dragon's Talon kick.
The force of that kick shattered Sugarboy's armor completely. As for the man himself—he went flying like a roast pig.
But just before he crashed again, someone caught him.
It was Charles.
Though not to save him—Charles calmly plucked the Rose Sword from Sugarboy's hands, then tossed the man aside like garbage.
"So that's how it works… Interesting! This is how the mechanism functions…"
As a master of the mysterious craft of forging, Charles immediately spotted several key points in the magic tool.
Necessity is the mother of invention—that's why wartime often leads to rapid technological advancement.
In wartime, the demand for everything—communication, transportation, weapons, even food and clothing—intensifies.
In Edolas, where people lacked inherent magic, they had no choice but to rely on magic tools. So their magic tool technology was exceptionally advanced.
Not so in Earthland. There, magic was common to all, so development of tools had stagnated—if not outright regressed.
Just look: all the most dangerous magic tools were ancient relics. Modern times had produced few new inventions.
This Rose Sword contained several fascinating techniques—some so complex that even Charles needed a moment to grasp them.
As he was still examining the magic tool, a spear suddenly stabbed at him.
Charles caught the spear tip mid-thrust.
Knightwalker's eyes widened. Her Ten Commandments Spear was currently in Sonic Spear mode—yet this ultra-fast attack had been caught bare-handed.
Even more shocking was the face of the man who caught it.
"Charles… how are you—?"
She paused mid-question, suddenly understanding something. She retracted her spear, grabbed the unconscious Sugarboy, and quickly retreated.
Having seen her doppelgänger already, Knightwalker realized that this man was not the one she knew. He was also from the other world.
Still, that face… it was too deeply ingrained in her memory. Even knowing he wasn't the same person, just seeing that face made her body tremble uncontrollably.
But Knightwalker hadn't intended to defeat them today—her goal was to rescue Sugarboy.
One Erza Scarlet had already been hard enough to handle. But this Erza wasn't alone—there were many others like her.
And most of all, the Charles from another world was present. Even if he wasn't the same person, she refused to believe he'd be weak.
Perhaps sensing their master was in danger, the giant beasts overcame their fear of Fahr and descended. They picked up Knightwalker and Sugarboy, then flew skyward.
Natsu was about to give chase, but Charles raised a hand to stop him.
"There's no point in holding them here. Let them go. Let them bring a message to their king: Fairy Tail has arrived!"
Up in the sky, Knightwalker slumped down on the beast's back, staring silently at her trembling hands.
Sugarboy forced himself upright and said, "What now? Did something go wrong with Anima? How did Earthland's Fairy Tail get here?"
Knightwalker took a deep breath, regaining composure. "This is no longer within our ability to handle. We must report to His Majesty immediately!"
Sugarboy wasn't stupid. The battle just now had made it clear: Earthland's Fairy Tail was a force to be reckoned with.
If they were allowed to rampage inside the kingdom, the consequences would be unimaginable.
…
In the Edolas Royal Palace, after receiving Knightwalker's report, King Faust immediately convened an emergency meeting.
He sat at the head of a long table and spoke. "This is the report from Erza. See for yourselves."
The elderly man seated closest to Faust scanned the document, then immediately stood. "Your Majesty, we've been preparing for the upcoming operation. There has been no activation of Anima.
They must have come to Edolas by some other method."
He was Chief Advisor Byro, in charge of all matters related to Anima.
Since Anima was the only known way to connect the two worlds, Byro feared the king might suspect him of treachery.
But Faust raised a hand. "Enough. How they got here is no longer important. What matters is how we deal with them.
The Super Anima is nearly complete, and the plan is in motion. We must not allow them to interfere with the arrival of Eternal Magic!"
A towering man, his presence like that of a black panther, stood up. "Your Majesty, allow us—the Magic Warfare Squad—to deal with them. We'll eliminate these otherworldly pests for you."
Faust looked toward the speaker—Panther Lily, Captain of the First Magic Warfare Division.
"Reliable as always, Panther Lily. I'm counting on you. Assemble your squad and remove all obstacles."
"As you command!"
Panther Lily turned and left the chamber.
Once he was gone, Faust's expression darkened.
Byro, who had followed Faust for many years, knew him best. "Your Majesty… you're still uneasy?"
Faust said coldly, "Erza said these Earthland mages are strong. Even Panther Lily might not be able to deal with them.
And you saw it yourself—that man from their world is one of them. How can I be at ease?"
To be honest, the man had left a deep scar on Faust's psyche—so deep that he refused to even say his name. Even if it was a Charles from another world, he couldn't help but feel dread.
Byro's eyes gleamed with cunning. "Your Majesty… to defeat that man, who better than that man himself?"
Faust's eyes flickered. "You mean…?"
Byro gave him a knowing glance—confirming his guess.
Faust fell silent, his face shifting rapidly through conflicting emotions.
Byro added, "Your Majesty doesn't have to decide immediately. If the Magic Warfare Squad succeeds, we won't need to go that far.
But… it wouldn't hurt to have someone check on his condition—just in case."
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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