As Mistgun left, the members of Fairy Tail gradually regained consciousness.
"Ugh... my head's spinning. What just happened?"
"I dreamed of tons of fish floating through the sky~"
"This strange feeling... don't tell me it was Mistgun again?"
"No doubt about it. Seriously, does he have to cast sleep magic every single time he shows up?"
While the others voiced their surprise or frustration, Lucy sat up groggily, frowning as she looked at Mira, who was also waking.
"Sister Mira… who exactly is Mistgun?"
"Like Chase, Erza, and Laxus," Mira said, tilting her head thoughtfully, "he's one of the guild's top S-Class wizards."
"Even you and Erza don't know who he really is?!" Lucy asked, clearly astonished.
"I've met him once or twice," Mira replied as she began cleaning up empty bottles and plates from the table. "But I've never seen his face clearly."
"It's like all the S-Class members have their own mysterious aura," Lucy muttered in awe.
Then a sudden thought struck her. "Wait! Where's Brother Chase?!"
A cocky voice answered from above, echoing down from the second floor. "That guy went out with Mistgun."
Laxus stood tall in the upstairs corridor, wearing his usual spiked headphones and a smug expression.
Of course, he wasn't replying out of kindness he just wanted to undermine Mira's earlier statement and show off.
"I saw everything clearly, while all you weaklings were knocked out cold by a little sleep magic."
"L-Laxus?!" Everyone turned toward him in shock.
Lucy instinctively shrank back. After what had happened just days ago, she couldn't help feeling a sense of unease around him.
"Laxus! Come down here and fight me!" Natsu shouted without hesitation, brimming with defiance.
"If you couldn't even handle Erza, don't bark up my tree," Laxus replied lazily, clearly unimpressed.
"What did you just say?!" said Natsu and Erza in unison.
"Damn it, don't act all high and mighty up there! Get down here or I'll beat you until you cry!"
Natsu's fists ignited with flame, his fury boiling over.
"Then come up," Laxus replied with a smirk, his tone dripping with arrogance.
"Fine, I'll go up there and !"
Before Natsu could finish, he bolted straight for the staircase to the second floor, charging like a fireball.
WHAM!
He didn't even make it halfway. Makarov's fist came down from above like a hammer, flattening him into the floorboards.
Lucy, watching from the side, wasn't even surprised this time. She already knew: the second floor was off-limits to anyone who wasn't an S-Class wizard.
"Haha! Got what you deserved!" Laxus chuckled. "If you really want to fight me, then go become S-Class first, Natsu. Not that a weakling like you could ever pull that off."
He gave Natsu one last mocking glance, flicked his cloak, and disappeared back into the inner chamber of the second floor.
Natsu trembled with frustration, but couldn't do anything about it.
Lucy and the others let out long, weary sighs.
Magnolia – Rooftop of the Cathedral of Cartier
On the high spire above the city, Chase and Mistgun stood together. The cold wind tugged at their coats, their silhouettes sharp against the clear blue sky.
"Mistgun," Chase said, his tone calm but deliberate, "how do you know about Anima?"
Mistgun's eyes widened. For a moment, he looked truly shaken.
"I heard a rumor during my time in the Kiltina Continent," Chase continued casually. "Some strange celestial phenomenon something that sucks people into another world, right?"
He shrugged, feigning innocence. "It just caught my interest. I didn't expect you to react like that."
Mistgun remained silent for several seconds, then slowly turned to gaze at the sky above them. His voice dropped low.
"Don't approach something like Anima lightly. Not even you, Chase. If you're caught by it... you'll vanish completely."
Chase narrowed his eyes. "So it does connect to another world?"
Mistgun hesitated.
But then he met Chase's eyes and made a choice.
"Yes. I've been chasing after them, trying to stop whatever's behind it. Anima opens randomly, and unless I'm already nearby, I can't stop it in time."
Chase folded his arms and stared into the horizon. "So you can't track it in advance?"
Mistgun shook his head. "No. It's unpredictable. Even I don't understand how or why it appears."
Chase lowered his gaze, murmuring to himself, "That explains it. If you could locate it, Magnolia never would've been dragged into Edolas."
He let out a breath, deep in thought.
Looks like the matter of Lisanna the one he had discussed with Mira would have to wait just a little longer.
"Chase, what exactly are you planning to do?" Mistgun noticed the subtle shift in Chase's expression.
"Hahaha. Just think about it," Chase said, smiling as he clenched his fists. "Adventures in another world... doesn't that sound exciting?"
Mistgun's expression darkened. "Do you understand how dangerous this is? One wrong step, and you might "
He grabbed Chase by the collar, clearly intending to give him a stern lecture.
But halfway through, Mistgun paused.
Knowing Chase's reckless personality and how impossible it was to talk him out of anything once he was interested, Mistgun's expression turned hollow.
In fact, the more he thought about it, the more it felt like he should be the one worrying. If Chase ever did go to Edolas…
Mistgun sighed and slowly let go of Chase's collar.
This is so hard.
Why did this guy have to learn about the other world?
"In any case, stay away from Anima!" he said firmly.
With that, his body turned to mist and scattered into the wind, vanishing without a trace.
Chase looked in the direction Mistgun had disappeared, chuckled softly, and shook his head. "What a worrywart."
And just like that, the moment passed.
Back at the guild, everything had returned to normal.
The tension from earlier, stirred up by Laxus, had vanished completely. Everyone was back to their usual noisy antics.
Only this time, instead of fighting, the guild members were gathered together, whispering and laughing, practically buzzing with energy.
But... something was strange.
They were too excited.
Chase raised an eyebrow. What are they all smiling about like that?
Bang!
The doors flew open as Chase kicked them in with a loud crash.
Heads turned instantly.
"Hahaha! Chase is back!"
"Hey, Chase! Come here, man! You're totally screwed this time!"
The moment they spotted him, the entire guild erupted in chaotic cheers and laughter, their voices full of teasing.
Chase froze in the doorway, clearly confused.
What's going on now?
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The sharp, rhythmic sound of armored boots echoed through the room.
Erza stepped forward with her usual stern expression. She stopped in front of Chase, raised a hand, and slapped it down hard on his shoulder.
"Chase," she said seriously, "if you're a man, then face your responsibilities. Don't make me disappointed in you."
Chase blinked. "Huh?"
"I'm excited!" Natsu yelled from the side, pumping his fists in the air like he was watching a festival.
"Love~!" echoed the harpy floating above, trailing glittering hearts as she circled gleefully through the air.
"Keep it up, Brother Chase~!" Even Lucy, struggling to hold back her laughter, gave him a big thumbs-up with an exaggerated grin.
No, seriously, what the hell is going on?
Completely bewildered, Chase made his way into the center of the crowd.
There, Mira was squatting on the floor, covering her face with both hands as her shoulders trembled. It looked like she was crying silently.
Standing behind her, Elfman was burning with intensity. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were blazing with righteous fire as he declared, "Man! Chase, we've been waiting for you!"
Chase's confusion only grew.
Not far away, Loki was crouching behind the bar in an awkward little corner. His whole posture screamed discomfort, as if he were suffering from constipation.
At that moment, Mira peeked out from between her fingers, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked up at Chase.
"Chase," she sniffled, her voice full of grievance, "Loki's gone too far. I asked Elfman to fulfill the promise he made and take over the job, but Loki refused. He wants me to owe him a favor just so he can use it for something weird later..."
"Didn't I say I was helping out of pure goodwill? Nobody wants a date with Chase and Elfman as payment!" Loki burst out, panicking. "And don't use those dirty thoughts to slander my noble and pure soul!"
Lucy silently side-eyed him: Noble and pure? You, who rotate through three girlfriends a day?
Also... gentle, sweet Sister Mira really has some unexpected quirks...
"I see. I get it now." Chase nodded with understanding after listening to the situation.
So much had happened lately that he had completely forgotten about this promise.
Hehehe...
"Tsk, tsk. Elfman's just a big sister-con who listens to whatever Mira says," Chase said with a teasing grin. "But Loki, you really should've said something sooner!"
Seeing Chase suddenly change expression and start chuckling with that ominous gleam in his eye, Loki broke out in goosebumps. A terrible sense of doom swept over him.
"Loki," Chase said slowly, stretching out his arms, "you know I hate owing anyone a favor. So..."
"Let's go on a date~!"
Before Loki could react, Chase lunged forward, grabbing him by the arms just as Elfman joined in with perfect timing.
Together, they unleashed their terrifying combination technique Strongman Locks the Man!
Held tightly between two muscular powerhouses, Loki flailed helplessly, his body twisted into a tragic arch. He looked less like a Celestial Spirit and more like a captured sacrifice.
"Nooo! Let me go! This is harassment! I'm too handsome for this treatment!"
But his struggles were in vain.
Two shining streaks of tears rolled down Loki's cheeks as he realized the truth.
His life. His ideals. His pursuit of love...
It was all over.
Totally ruined.
Completely destroyed.