Light

Inside the cell, the damp air was filled with a musty smell, fine water droplets seeped from the stone walls, and the iron bars were covered in rust. Natsu and the others gradually awoke.

Natsu sprang to his feet with a somersault, landing firmly on his feet. Flames erupted from his hands, illuminating the dim cell with an orange-red glow as he warily surveyed his surroundings.

Where is this?

Wendy's voice came from the opposite cell, hoarse and uneasy, as if she had just woken up.

"Mr. Natsu, over here, over here."

Natsu pressed his head against the iron bars, gripping them with both hands, his face squeezed between the two iron bars, his cheeks contorted in the pressure.

"Wendy, what's going on?"

"We must have been drugged; we're locked up in jail now."

Wendy walked to the bars of her cell, gripped the iron bars with her small hands, and looked at Natsu across from her through the gaps, her brows furrowing slightly.

Where are Riyao and the others?

"I don't know, I didn't see them." Wendy shook her head, a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Never mind, let's go outside first and talk about it then."

Natsu gripped the railing with both hands, igniting flames that spread along the iron bars. The metal sizzled and hissed as it was heated, and the iron bars quickly turned red and softened.

With a single effort, he pried a large hole in the iron railing, and the red iron bar bent like a noodle in his hand.

Natsu emerged from the hole, dusted off the rust from his hands, and quickly ran to Wendy's cell. He then used the same method to heat the bars until they were red-hot and bend them, freeing Wendy as well.

The two explored the unguarded cell, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. The cells on both sides were empty, one after another, without even a single guard.

Wendy frowned slightly, slowed her pace, and looked around anxiously.

"Why is there no one guarding the cell? That's strange."

"Who cares? Let's go, I smell Lucy over here."

Natsu twitched his nose twice, followed the scent around a corner, and quickened his pace.

The two ran to Lucy's cell and saw that Lucy unharmed. Although her hair was a little messy and her clothes were covered in dust, she was not injured. The two breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh no, Natsu, Wendy, help me! My back is about to break!"

Lucy became agitated upon seeing the two of them, her face filled with grievance. She couldn't bend over properly, and her bound posture was quite unseemly.

"Thank goodness, Lucy is alright."

Natsu grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Hmm, I have a feeling Miss Lucy is really unlucky."

Wendy muttered to herself, her lips slightly pursed, her eyes showing both sympathy and a hint of barely suppressed amusement.

Natsu stepped forward and skillfully melted the chains with fire. Flames licked the iron lock, and molten iron flowed down the lock, making a sizzling sound, and a wave of heat hit us.

"Hot! Hot! Hot! Natsu, don't use fire!"

Lucy shrank back, blinking repeatedly from the heat.

"Hey, Lucy, you're so picky!"

Natsu tilted his head, looking completely innocent.

"You bastard! Is this something I'm being picky about?"

Lucy stomped her feet in anger, her face turning bright red.

After a series of actions, Lucy was finally rescued.

She rubbed her aching lower back, grimaced, and moved around a couple of times, her bones making a few soft cracking sounds.

"Where are Riyao, Happy, and Carla? Haven't you seen them?"

"No, they don't taste like them here."

Natsu sniffed hard, circling his nose several times in the air, before finally shaking his head in resignation.

"Could it be that Brother Riyao and the others were...?"

Wendy couldn't finish her sentence; her face turned pale instantly.

Natsu reached out and touched Wendy's head. His palm was warm, and he gave her a warm smile. The firelight reflected on his face, and his smile was as bright as the midday sun.

"Don't worry, Riyao and his men won't be taken down so easily."

Wendy nodded vigorously, her little hand loosening its grip on her clothes, her eyes regaining their resolve.

In the royal treasury, Riyao sneezed, the sound echoing for several seconds in the empty space.

"Who's talking about me? Judging by the time Natsu and the others should be awake by now."

Riyao was rummaging through the magical items, looking like a mouse that had fallen into a rice jar. His hands were turning them over and over, and his eyes were brighter than the jewels in a treasure vault. Behind him, a small pile of the selected items had already been gathered on the ground.

"This looks good, take it back to Mira."

He picked up an exquisite magic pendant, weighed it in his hand, nodded in satisfaction, and casually stuffed it into his pocket.

"And this too, Edolas' magical artifacts are quite exquisite, they're all mine, all mine!"

Riyao held up a simple silver ring, its surface engraved with fine runes that shimmered faintly under the light.

I tossed them into a large package, ready to move them all.

As Riyao fiddled with the magical items, a dark shadow approached silently, its footsteps as light as a cat's, barely disturbing the air, moving along the wall.

It is gradually shortening the distance between itself and the Riyao.

Meanwhile, in the capital's square.

The enormous Magic Crystal shimmered under the sunlight, its deep blue light intertwining with the golden sunlight, casting a dreamlike glow across the square.

The patterns on the crystal's surface flowed slowly as if alive, radiating a mesmerizing magical aura.

The commoners of the capital surrounded the place, three or four layers deep, craning their necks to see what was happening. Some climbed onto the lampposts, while others stood on the steps craning their necks. The clamor of their discussions surged like boiling water.

"If I had such a huge Magic Crystal, I'd be laughing in my sleep."

"I heard this is just the magic of a guild in Earth-land."

"Really? A guild this big?"

"That's not all; this is only a small portion that was cut out."

"My God!"

"Nine-nine percent perfection, a rare find~"

Reporter Gajeel and Iron Dragon Gajeel arrived at the square.

The two exchanged a glance, made a hand gesture, and then parted ways. One went left and blended into the crowd, while the other went right and moved towards the Magic Crystal.

Reporter Gajeel pretended to be panicked and ran up to the Royal Army squad. He staggered, was out of breath, and gestured wildly with his hands in the air. His expression of fear was very realistic, and there were even a few drops of sweat on his forehead.

"Something's wrong! I saw a group of people over there, acting suspiciously, and they're carrying weapons!"

He pointed to a spot, the direction of which was exactly opposite to where the Iron Dragon Gajeel was located.

Upon hearing this, Royal Army's squad immediately ran in that direction, their boots making a rhythmic thud as they stepped on the stone pavement.

"Follow me! We must apprehend the suspects! Today's celebration cannot afford any mistakes!"

The last soldier took two steps back, stopped, and looked at the reporter Gajeel, scrutinizing him several times, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"You look rather suspicious too; you don't look like a good person."

"You flatter me, sir. I'm just a reporter with no strength whatsoever."

Reporter Gajeel forced a smile, spreading his hands to appear harmless, but sweat still involuntarily streamed down his forehead.

The soldier eyed the reporter, Gajeel, suspiciously, his hand already gripping his standard-issue rifle, about to grab him and interrogate him.

The Magic Crystal was shattered by Gajeel Iron Dragon Iron Dragon Sword.

Boom!

Iron Dragon Gajeel's right arm transformed into a massive iron sword, its blade imbued with ferocious power, and he cleaved it into the very center of the Magic Crystal.

The moment the metal collided with the crystal, a deafening roar erupted, and fragments scattered like raindrops.

A dazzling white light enveloped the entire square, and light burst forth from the cracks, like a sun exploding in the center of the square.

The intense light engulfed everything; buildings, crowds, and the sky were all submerged in white light.

Several figures could be vaguely seen within the white light.

Just!