The Reversed Spiral and the Prince's Return

As the forbidden magical armor 'Dromar Arnim Black Heaven' exploded into a dazzling cloud of fireworks in the sky, the battle that would determine the fate of the Kingdom of Edolas finally came to an end.

Warren, holding the "Trace Rift," stood silently suspended in mid-air, the firelight illuminating his cold profile, making him appear like a war god.

On the ground, both the rebel soldiers and the people of the capital erupted in a Heavenly Movement cheer after a brief period of deathly silence!

"The general has won!"

"Long live General Warren!"

They won; they defeated the king who was blinded by greed and protected their homeland.

However, amidst this jubilation, an untimely, tearful scream suddenly rang out.

"Ai--!"

Happy flew in mid-air, rubbing his eyes vigorously with his little paws, his face filled with terror and disbelief.

"Everyone... everyone's gone!"

His shout sent a chill down the spines of all the Fairy Tail members.

Everyone looked up at the sky in unison.

Sure enough, the giant Magic Crystal floating island that Jiang Bai had brought to a steady stop earlier, which carried all the Fairy Tail companions, had vanished without a trace!

It was as if it had never existed.

"What happened?!"

Where are everyone in the guild?

Lucy, Erza Scarlett, and the others were immediately thrown into a panic.

Just as everyone was worried, Jiang Bai's lazy voice came from the recliner.

"Alright, alright, stop making such a fuss."

He held Erza, without even changing his position.

"Don't worry, they've all gone home."

Are you home?

This statement surprised everyone.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure appeared silently in front of everyone, as if he had been standing there all along.

The newcomer was wearing a cloak and a turban to conceal his face; it was none other than Mystogan.

Back when Warren was fighting Black Heaven, Mystogan, who had been hiding in the shadows, exchanged a glance with Jiang Bai, who was watching the show from the ground.

After seeing Jiang Bai give a barely perceptible nod, he understood immediately, and his figure vanished silently to carry out the final plan.

"I have reversed 'Anima'."

Mystogan's voice was calm and steady.

"Everyone is alright now. Our companions who were converted into magic have safely returned to Earth-land. This time, we owe it all to your help."

Upon hearing this news, Natsu and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

After saying that, Mystogan raised his hand and slowly removed the disguise from his face.

When that face was fully revealed to everyone, everyone present was stunned.

It was a face identical to that of their enemy in the world of Earth-land — Jellal Fernandez!

"Jer... Jellal?!"

Natsu was the first to exclaim, pointing at Mystogan with his eyes wide open and his face filled with shock and vigilance.

He could never forget the trouble this man had caused them at the Tower of Heaven!

However, another voice, even more excited than his, drowned out his exclamation.

Panther Lily had been fighting alongside Gajeel against the king not long ago but was now covered in wounds, suddenly threw down the Buster Sword upon seeing Mystogan's face and charged forward recklessly.

Then, in the dead silence, this powerful Exceed warrior knelt on one knee with utmost respect before Mystogan.

His voice trembled with extreme excitement.

Your Highness!

Your Highness?

Jellal?!

These two completely different names left everyone except Jiang Bai utterly confused.

Natsu pointed at Mystogan, then at Panther Lily, his mind completely blank.

"What's going on? Isn't this Jellal? How did he become a prince?"

It seems you have many questions.

Finally, Jiang Bai couldn't stand it anymore. He sat up from the recliner, yawned, and gave a brief explanation to these dim-witted guys.

"Have you forgotten how many people with the same face we've encountered since coming into this world?"

Jiang Bai pointed to Mystogan.

"This is Prince Jellal of the Kingdom of Edolas. As for the one you know, well, it's not the same person."

Jiang Bai's simple explanation of "parallel world counterparts" finally helped Natsu and the others to barely understand the situation.

So that's what happened.

While everyone was still processing this information-packed fact...

"Boom--!"

A violent tremor suddenly came from the sky!

Everyone instinctively looked up and saw that the floating island "Extalia," which belonged to the Exceed, was shaking violently and uncontrollably. Huge pieces of rock were constantly breaking off and falling from the edge of the island, crashing to the ground!

"Aaaaah!"

"What happened?!"

Lucy and the others on the ground gasped in surprise.

Those Exceed were still on the island were also terrified by this sudden turn of events and let out screams.

Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow, seemingly a little impatient.

He didn't even change his posture, still lying lazily on the recliner, simply waving his hand casually at the sky.

An invisible, powerful Psychokinesis instantly rose into the air, like a gentle yet powerful giant hand, steadily supporting the floating island that was about to collapse, allowing it to slowly land on the open ground.

However, upon seeing this scene, King Faust, who had just fallen with the wreckage of the cockpit and was still alive, suddenly struggled to his feet like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

He pointed a trembling finger at Mystogan, whose true form had just been revealed, and let out a hysterical roar, as loud as a cuckoo's cry of blood.

"It was you! You're the one who did this!"

"You actually reversed 'Anima'! Do you even know what you've done?! You've destroyed this world! You've destroyed Edolas--!"

Faust's voice was filled with despair and anger.

Mystogan met his cannibalistic gaze calmly and replied:

"I know."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of every Edolas person present clearly.

"All the magic in this world will disappear."

Will all the magic... disappear?

These words, like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploded in the minds of all the Edolas soldiers!

After a brief silence, a wave of panic swept through the land.

"The magic is about to run out?!"

"How is this possible! Without magic, how are we supposed to survive!"

"The end of the world... this is the end of the world!"

For the Edolas, who regard magic as air and water and whose entire lives are built upon it, losing magic is equivalent to losing everything.

That was a despair more terrifying than death.