Under the pressure of Hope's "Overlord's Aura."
With Shugboy, the captain of the Despair Emperor's personal guard, leading the way by kneeling first, all the kingdom's soldiers present followed suit and switched sides, stopping just short of shouting their loyalty.
Many of them had already jumped ship from Faust's command to the Despair Emperor's, so defecting again on the battlefield didn't cause them much psychological burden.
Moreover, compared to switching from Faust to Hopeless—which was like jumping from one darkness to another—submitting to the "Emperor of Hope" was truly leaving the darkness for the light.
Unfortunately, Hope only wanted to be their temporary leader, to experience the feeling of being a Golden Sun.
As a Cities: Skylines player, and after personally witnessing the rowdy citizens of the Magnetic Field World, he had zero interest in becoming a ruler.
Hope used magic to rewrite the Despair Emperor's emblems on the four airships into the pattern of the flying fairy. He then called everyone to board: the Fairy Tail members on one ship, and the remaining soldiers divided among the other three.
The moment he stepped onto the airship, Natsu collapsed onto the floor with a miserable expression.
In contrast, Natsu No. 2 shed his previous cowardly demeanor and became assertive. He ran excitedly to the airship's control console, stroking the complex instruments like a pervert.
Hope and Happy watched this scene with amazement.
Levy No. 2 explained, "Our Natsu undergoes a complete personality change as soon as he gets on a vehicle. In this state, he even dares to get handsy with Lucy, whom he's usually terrified of."
Hope, however, found it quite normal. His world's Natsu was no stranger to being handsy with Lucy; the only difference with Natsu No. 2 was that one did it on a vehicle, while the other did it off of one... Amidst Natsu No. 2's excited cheers, the airship started up and flew toward the capital of the human kingdom at extreme speed.
While admiring the unique scenery of this world, Hope used magic to pull Shugboy from the trailing airship through the air.
Hope wanted to hear the impression of his previous boss from the only person present who had significant contact with Hopeless.
"You're asking about that?"
After a moment of thought, Shugboy answered cautiously, "Actually, I don't think Hopeless is a bad person..."
Hope was somewhat surprised. "Why do you think so?"
Seeing Hope maintain his authoritative stance, Shugboy relaxed slightly and continued, "Since Hopeless became the ruler, although his high-pressure policies have kept the people in a state of anxiety, he has also punished many corrupt officials and abolished the malpractices from King Faust's era..."
Implementing high-pressure policies on one hand while vigorously cleaning up the bureaucracy on the other—looking only at the latter, he would be a wise king. But with the former, he was undeniably a dictator.
Hope suddenly felt confused. Under a dictator's rule, despair would flourish even more. Could his other self be trying to harvest despair in exchange for more power?
In less than four months, Hopeless had grown from an ordinary person into the fearsome Despair Emperor. It could be said that he relied entirely on that ancient crystal capable of converting 'emotions of despair' into power.
But everything has a limit. No matter how heaven-defying an object is, it eventually reaches an end. Moreover, the magic power of Edolas was almost exhausted.
Yet according to Shugboy's account, Hopeless was still constantly creating emotions of despair. What exactly was he trying to do?
—
—
The Human Kingdom.
The Royal Capital.
What was once a bustling city full of people was now filled with a sense of desolation under the rule of the Despair Emperor.
Pedestrians hurried through the streets, not daring to linger.
In the square stood a massive mountain of magic crystal. This was the magic power plundered from Aslant by 'Anima' half a day ago.
During Faust's reign, the citizens would have surely cheered for this and widely publicized the King's achievements. But after the Despair Emperor took power, everything changed.
No one was Happy about the plundered magic power. Instead, they were more afraid of being caught and taken to the Black Tower to serve as batteries for celebrating the plunder.
In the center of the city, a thirty-meter-tall Black Tower loomed.
This existence known as the Tower of Despair was where the Despair Emperor currently resided.
Anyone who resisted the Despair Emperor would be imprisoned in the Black Prison at the bottom of the tower. This place was not only heavily guarded but also patrolled by Faust's former trump card, the forbidden war machine, the "dragon slayer armor."
And now, the prisoner who had caused a ruckus in the capital an hour and a half ago was being personally dragged into the Black Prison, covered in wounds, by "Despair Emperor" Hopeless.
Heavy magic chains stretched Gajeel's limbs to their limit, rendering him unable to move. Yet Gajeel showed no intention of begging for mercy. Instead, he cursed at Hopeless, who had captured him:
"You actually used a vehicle to ambush this Great Me!"
"You bastard is just as despicable and shameless as Hope!"
Opposite Gajeel, Hopeless toyed with a translucent purple magic crystal in his hand. Inside the crystal, black mist seemed to be sealed, constantly twisting.
He looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, with black hair and black eyes. His face was extremely similar to Hope's, but a deep gloom was entwined between his brows, and his body was surrounded by suffocating ripples of magic power.
The same trick won't work on a Saint Seiya twice.
But it will work on a Dragon Slayer Mage.
Hopeless truly lived up to being Hope's otherworldly counterpart; even his method of defeating Gajeel was exactly the same, easily taking him down using a vehicle.
This made Gajeel explode with rage. He had originally planned to save everyone and look cool, but he ended up being flattened in the blink of an eye.
Before joining Fairy Tail, he was humiliated by Hope on a wooden horse carriage.
After joining Fairy Tail, he was rubbed into the ground by Hope's counterpart on a vehicle.
Was joining Fairy Tail all for nothing then?!
Hopeless didn't pay attention to Gajeel, but instead muttered to himself, "Hope... what a good name. My other'self,' if you were in my position, would you make the same choice as me?"
"Hopeless! What exactly are you trying to do?!"
A sharp shout interrupted his thoughts. Hopeless turned his head toward a special cell. The two female prisoners inside showed no signs of dejection despite being bound by magic crystal chains.
The blonde Fairy Tail Guild Master, "Lucy Ashley."
The red-haired Fairy Hunter, "Erza Knightwalker."
These two, who were once mortal enemies, had now set aside their grudge and looked at Hopeless with a common hatred, their eyes filled with vigilance and hostility.
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