The Guild's Ironclad Rules and the Return

Lucy's cry of surprise, tinged with tears, made the hearts of all the Fairy Tail members present leap into their throats.

Yes, why is everyone else starting to glow, but Jiang Bai isn't showing any reaction at all?

Does this mean that the reversed "Anima" is ineffective against him?

Does this mean he'll be left in this world forever?!

"Ai!?"

Happy's eyes widened, and an absurd yet seemingly perfectly reasonable guess slipped out.

"Could it be... that Jiang Bai is actually from this world?"

"What?!"

Natsu froze instantly, his mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg.

Even the usually composed Erza was overcome with concern at this moment. She gripped Jiang Bai's arm tightly, her voice trembling slightly. "Jiang Bai, is it true?"

Seeing his companions' expressions of dread, as if the sky were about to fall, Jiang Bai was speechless.

What is all this nonsense?

"I wasn't forced to come by Anima when I arrived," he sighed helplessly.

"Why would I send it back to me now just because of a mere Anima?"

To prove his point, Jiang Bai even experimentally loosened his suppression of the magic power within him slightly.

Sure enough, the instant his magic leaked, the exact same teleportation light appeared on his body.

Then, with a thought, Jiang Bai once again perfectly controlled the magic power.

The light emanating from him vanished without a trace in an instant.

They came, they left, they came again, they left again.

The appearance and disappearance of the light were entirely under his control.

"Sure!" Natsu exclaimed, his eyes shining as he watched this scene.

Having resolved his companions' concerns, Jiang Bai turned his attention back to the prince, Mystogan, with whom they were about to part ways.

Their bodies were becoming increasingly transparent; parting was imminent.

Jiang Bai looked at him and spoke in a calm yet extremely solemn tone:

"Mystogan, since you've decided to stay here, you shouldn't have forgotten the three ironclad rules of Fairy Tail, right?"

Upon hearing this, Mystogan's body jolted, and he raised his head to meet Jiang Bai's gaze.

Jiang Bai's voice echoed slowly in the sky above the capital city where they were about to part ways, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present.

"Rule Number One: Throughout your life, you must never disclose any confidential information that would damage Fairy Tail's reputation."

Article 2: It is forbidden to contact past clients who have already completed the quests without authorization, or to use connections made during the guild period for personal gain.

"The third, and most important, point..."

Jiang Bai paused, his eyes softening considerably.

Even if we go our separate ways and make completely different life choices, we must live on with strength and never underestimate or give up our own lives. We must never forget the companions we once cherished.

These three ironclad rules are the final agreement that every member who leaves Fairy Tail must abide by.

Upon hearing these familiar words, Mystogan's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

He felt as if he had returned to that warm guild, back to his noisy yet deeply cherishing family.

He nodded heavily to Jiang Bai and to all his departing companions, making his promise with all his might.

I will never... forget it.

The moment the words fell, Natsu, Erza, and the others vanished completely in the light, teleported back to their own world.

The entire capital was now only inhabited by the soldiers and civilians of Edolas.

Jiang Bai looked around at the empty surroundings and didn't bother to linger any longer.

He waved goodbye to Warren and Erza Knightwalker, who had also stayed behind, and then vanished in a flash.

Meanwhile, far away on the other side, in the Fairy Tail guild of Edolas world.

A similarly poignant farewell is unfolding.

"Sister Mira... Brother Elfman..."

Lisanna, radiating a teleportation glow, cried as she embraced Edolas Mirajane and Elfman before her.

Although they are not actually family, the two years they have spent together have already created a deep bond between them.

"Take care, Lisanna!" Mirajane of Edolas wiped away her tears and hugged her tightly.

"Waaah... A man's farewell... should be with his fists!" Elfman of Edolas said, sobbing uncontrollably.

A flash of light, and Lisanna's figure vanished from Edolas.

Earth-land, outside Magnolia town.

The familiar forest, the familiar air.

With a flash of light, the Fairy Tail members who had been sucked into "Anima" finally returned safely.

Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Erza... their figures appeared one after another.

Immediately afterwards, Lisanna appeared not far away.

Jiang Bai's figure also quietly appeared beside him.

He was about to say something when he suddenly realized that the atmosphere around him was a little off.

It wasn't just him.

Natsu and the others, who were just basking in the joy of returning home, also noticed something amiss.

They looked at each other, then simultaneously turned their gazes toward themselves.

The open space where they had returned was now densely packed with... cats?

Hundreds upon hundreds of talking cats with wings, looking exactly like Happy Carla, were staring at the group of "monsters" who had just appeared with curious, confused, and slightly frightened eyes.

An eerie silence fell over the scene.

After a while.

Looking at the magnificent "army of its kind" before it, Happy excitedly spread its little wings.

Gajeel was completely dumbfounded when he saw the hundreds and thousands of cats in front of him that looked exactly like Happy.

He'd always wanted a cat of his own, and now, well, an entire army has come to him!

"Cats... so many cats!"

His exclamation broke the eerie silence.

However, the "Cat Army" on the other side was clearly not in the same mood as him.

These Extalia residents, known as the "Exceed," were already terrified after being forcibly sucked into the "Anima" and inexplicably transported to this strange world.

Their fear quickly turned into hostility and vigilance.

An older-looking Exceed stepped forward from the group of cats, mustered its courage, and loudly questioned Natsu and the others, "Why are we here? Was all of this orchestrated by you humans?!"

"That's right! That's right!"

The other, more aggressive cat joined in, waving its little paws and threatening, "If you know what's good for you, send us back right now! Otherwise, our great Queen Shagotte will surely unleash divine judgment upon you!"

The word "trial" was like a poisonous thorn, piercing Carla's heart.

Looking at these people of her own kind who were both strange and familiar, a feeling of disgust welled up inside her uncontrollably.

These are them!

In her memory, it was this group of people who called themselves "angels" who arrogantly gave her the so-called "mission" to hunt down innocent Dragon Slayer like Wendy!

The thought of this made Carla tremble with anger.

Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, a dignified and calm voice came from behind the Exceed.

"Shut up, all of you."

At this command, the cats automatically parted to make way.

A white Exceed with an extraordinary aura slowly emerged.

She was dressed in a magnificent royal robe and wore a small crown. Most striking of all was the single wing on her back.

She is Queen Shagotte of Extalia.

The Queen's gaze swept over the noisy Fairy Tail members before her, and finally, her eyes fell precisely on Jiang Bai, who had remained calm and composed throughout, as if watching a show.

"This must be Lord Jiang Bai."

Shagotte bowed slightly to Jiang Bai, his tone filled with undisguised respect.

"My people have offended you in many ways, and I apologize on their behalf."

This scene left everyone speechless.

Everyone, from the Fairy Tail to the Exceed, was dumbfounded.

Especially those cats who had just been clamoring to "judge" Jiang Bai and his group, now looked utterly incredulous.

"Your Majesty! Why are you apologizing to these lowly humans?!"

"Yes! They are the invaders!"

"Your Majesty, please unleash divine punishment and judge them!"

The clamor of his people brought a bitter look to Shagotte's face.

Clearly, although this was the first time the queen had seen Jiang Bai in person, her powerful precognitive abilities allowed her to glimpse the man's godlike figure and everything he did in fragments of the future.

She knew that the man before her was someone that neither she nor her entire race could afford to offend.

"Everyone, please don't do this, let me explain first."

Shagotte turned to face her people, her voice tinged with weariness and resolve.

Amidst the bewildered gazes of all the Exceed, Her Majesty revealed a shocking secret that was enough to overturn their entire worldview.

"I... don't actually have any so-called 'judgment' ability."

All I possess is the ability to see the future... a kind of 'precognition'.

These words shocked everyone present.

"How could this be...?"

"That's impossible!"

Ignoring the uproar of her people, Shagotte continued to explain the lie she had hidden for so many years in a sorrowful tone.

"In the past, those who were thought to have died under 'divine judgment' were actually people whose deaths I foresaw."

Her eyes became incredibly sorrowful.

"I know I've deceived everyone. But please believe me, the reason I told this lie, the reason I pretended to be an omnipotent 'god'..."

Her gaze swept over each of her subjects, her voice trembling with excitement.

"It's all to protect you! To protect us, Extalia, from being killed by that greedy king Edolas!"

The Queen's voice echoed through the forest, filled with endless sorrow and helplessness.

To protect her people from persecution by humans, she had to wear the mask of "god" and use a grand lie to maintain the fragile peace and dignity of Extalia.

This heavy truth left all the Exceed stunned, unable to accept it for a moment.