"I don't know, but that's not a reason for you to attack us and try to throw the world into chaos!"
In Erza's hands appeared two swords as she dashed towards Ultear with determination, "From the moment you became enemies with Fairy Tail, everything was already destined, victory will surely be ours!"
Ultear rushed towards Erza with a furious expression, wielding a chilling aura in her hands, "No matter what, I will complete the Great Magic Realm! Everyone who stands in my way must be eliminated!"
The two faced off fiercely, neither yielding, as Erza swung her swords and Ultear unleashed her Arc of Time and Shaping Magic.
"Red Sakura·Double Splendor!"
"Forward into the future! Ice-Make: Saucer!"
A five-petal flower edged with blades sliced across Erza's abdomen.
One of Erza's swords shattered due to Ultear's Arc of Time, while the other struck Ultear squarely in the chest.
Their figures crossed each other, and a dramatic wound appeared on Ultear's chest, with blood splattering everywhere. She collapsed to her knees, then weakly fell forward.
An equally horrifying wound appeared on Erza's abdomen. She clutched the wound with one hand, using the other to support herself with a sword as she kneeled on one knee.
Catching her breath, she stood up, leaning on her sword, and staggered towards the place where Kana had been earlier.
As she passed by Ultear, she paused:
"I don't know what you've been through, but in this cycle of life, there must be people you cherish, or there surely will be. Likewise, there will be those who value you.
"Comparing this to the uncertain and mythical Great Magic Realm constructed purely by legends, it should be an easy choice to make."
With those words, Erza continued walking forward.
Ultear remained silent, her mind flashing images of a village reduced to ruins and a pink-haired little girl crying amidst the debris.
'Ultear was like a mother.'
'I don't have a daughter that old.'
Remembering a conversation from long ago, tears welled in Ultear's eyes.
But your village was destroyed by me!
I thought everything could be redone...
I'm sorry, Melty.
...
Elfman, Ibarglin, Jubia, Lisana, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, and Gajeel lay scattered on the ground when their magic power vanished.
Thankfully, there were plenty of Void Worms nearby, preventing them from being finished off by passing grunts.
As the magic power returned, Lisana moved slightly, puzzled, "What's going on? It seems our magic power is back."
Ibarglin said, "It's probably that enemy's magic, which has now been defeated."
In such situations, she had quite a way with words.
"Damn it, a man's total failure today!" Elfman grumbled, annoyed, having been saved once by Rhode, and now again without knowing by whom.
He felt completely overshadowed by others.
Lucy counted on her fingers, "Weren't there supposed to be Seven Dependents? With these two gone, including the unknown one that was defeated, plus the one I encountered, should make four remaining then?"
"Wait a second, wasn't the one you encountered taken care of by Rhode as well? Does that mean he took down three by himself?" Gray felt similar to Elfman, frustrated because even if he wanted to show off, it seemed there weren't enough enemies left to go around.
Elfman thought for a moment and said, "Actually, the black flames we saw earlier, Natsu probably defeated one as well."
"Only two of such formidable enemies left? And there's the even stronger President too!" Lucy looked at it from a different angle and found it daunting, "What should we do now?"
A familiar voice sounded, "Now please punish me, Princess."
"No way! Why are you here?!" Lucy instinctively refused, turning her head to see Balrog had somehow appeared.
The pink-haired maid was kneeling on the ground nearby, with bricks scattered on her lap, and using some unknown method had tied her hands together.
Ibarglin looked at Balrog thoughtfully, then back at Lucy, "I didn't realize you had such a hobby."
Balrog answered decisively on Lucy's behalf, "Indeed, would you like to train me on behalf of the Princess?"
"No way!" Lucy stood between them, frantically waving her hands in denial, then shouted at Balrog, "What are you here for?!"
"My brother told me to pass a message to the Princess; he and Kaburico need to rest for a while, and Kaburico asked me to give the key to the Princess first."
Balrog handed Lucy a golden key with her tied hands.
Lucy was somewhat taken aback, "Capricorn's Kaburico? Why?"
Balrog explained, "Kaburico was originally Reela-sama's Star Spirit, and once promised Reela-sama that if the Princess also walked the path of the Star Spirit Mage, he would come to assist the Princess."
"An agreement with Mom..." Lucy held the key to her chest, as if she could feel her mother's warmth, "Then why did he get involved with Demon Heart?"
"Kaburico said that the details would be explained when the contract is signed later. So Princess..." Balrog raised her head and earnestly looked at Lucy, "Would you like to train me?"
"There's no real connection here!" Lucy felt her emotions were all scrambled by her, "Go back!"
Balrog vanished into golden light.
Wendy commented, "I feel like Miss Lucy's luck is really good."
The others strongly agreed, having unexpectedly endured a beating, while Lucy ended up with a Zodiac key.
Everyone discussed briefly and decided to rendezvous with the others.
...
At the same time, Natsu and Hapi also climbed up from the ground.
Hapi joyfully flew up, "We're able to fly again!"
Natsu clenched his fists, a flame rising with raindrops sizzling as they touched the fire.
"So strange, what exactly happened?"
Unable to figure it out, Natsu looked at the fallen Celestial Wolf Tree and decided the enemy was there, "Hapi, let's head that way!"
"Aye!"
Hapi grabbed Natsu and flew towards the Celestial Wolf Tree.
But before flying far, Hapi suddenly felt something heavy on his body, and the same heaviness on the Natsu he was holding, forcing him to let go.
"What are you doing, Hapi?" Natsu plummeted downward, trying to adjust mid-air, only to find his body seemed weighed down, struggling even to move.
"What's going on? We're supposed to be in the air!"
Bang!
Natsu crashed heavily onto the ground.
Hapi immediately landed next to him, with wings spread out, drooped to the ground but unable to lift.
A person dressed in purple and black long robes with a white coat stood before them, looking down at Natsu and Hapi, "Fairies? Can you fly? No, you can't fly now, can you?"