The Eclipse Gate Opens Again!

At the edge of the long street ruins, pebbles rolled gently in the breeze.

Mirajane walked closer step by step, her long dress trailing behind her, the faint smile on her lips revealing no extra emotion.

Erza one hand on the hilt of her sword at her waist, walking side by side with a blank expression, her footsteps heavy and rhythmic.

Jiang Bai stood still, his eyelids twitching three times in succession.

Following the usual pattern after someone messes up in the guild, the next thing they'll likely get is a lecture from Erza, plus the silent, cold treatment from Mirajane.

However, the expected devastating blow never came.

Stepping a step in front of Jiang Bai, Erza suddenly released her right hand from the hilt of her sword, and without warning, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Jiang Bai's neck.

The hard, cold metal breastplate clung tightly to the front of Jiang Bai's tattered coat.

Erza buried her entire face in Jiang Bai's right chest, her breathing rapid and disordered. She used all her strength in her arms, and her knuckles turned a sickly bluish-white from the excessive force. It was as if if she loosened her grip even slightly, the person in front of her would completely turn into a phantom and shatter into pieces.

At the same instant.

Mirajane, who had been wearing a gentle, fake smile, completely shattered her facade of composure in that instant.

Mirajane didn't even have time to wipe away the tears in her eyes before she threw herself into Jiang Bai's arms, tightly hugging Jiang Bai's lower back and pressing her head against Jiang Bai's newly healed left chest.

Listening intently to the strong, powerful heartbeat beneath her skin, Mirajane's slender body trembled uncontrollably in Jiang Bai, like a startled fawn.

The two women remained firmly nestled in Jiang Bai's arms, one on each side, showing no sign of letting go for a long time.

Jiang Bai's hand, which was about to be raised in defense, froze in mid-air.

Looking down at the two girls nestled tightly in his arms, Jiang Bai's playful and teasing feelings vanished completely, replaced by an indescribable sense of self-reproach and tenderness.

Just now, high in the sky, I was so focused on enjoying the thrill of toying with the dragon that I nearly scared the two people who cared about me the most to death.

Jiang Bai slowly exhaled, raised his hands, and placed them on Erza and Mirajane's slightly trembling backs, gently patting them one by one.

There were no sweet words, only the warmth of her hand and the deep, steady pulse of life.

"It's alright now."

Jiang Bai gently ruffled Erza's crimson hair and then tucked a stray white hair behind Mirajane's ear.

"Your men are incredibly resilient; no one in this world can take my life."

Erza inhaled deeply the familiar scent emanating from Jiang Bai. Although she didn't speak, the arms around Jiang Bai's neck remained firmly wrapped around him.

Mirajane pressed her cheek against Jiang Bai's smooth chest, her warm tears soaking Jiang Bai's tattered undershirt, and let out a muffled groan.

"You big liar... if you ever dare to scare people like that again, I'll tie you up at home and forbid you from going out..."

Despite her harsh words, she tightened her grip even more than before.

As long as Jiang Bai is safe and sound, nothing else matters.

Along the side of the long street, the mages from various guilds wisely stopped dozens of meters away, none of them tactlessly stepping forward to disturb this reunion after the ordeal.

Several minutes passed.

The two women's chaotic emotions gradually calmed down under Jiang Bai's calm and soothing words.

After calming the two women down, Jiang Bai turned around, his gaze following the dilapidated street, and landed directly on the enormous figure standing in the middle of the street.

The Hellfire Dragon Atlas Flame lay sprawled amidst the ruins.

Upon suddenly meeting Jiang Bai's calm yet profound black eyes, Atlas Flame's massive dragon body stiffened abruptly, and its thick dragon feet uncontrollably took two large steps backward.

The heavy body crashed into half of the stone wall behind it, and broken bricks clattered to the ground.

A flicker of tension rose in Atlas Flame's throat.

This is absolutely not because it was cowardly or timid as an ancient behemoth.

No living being on the entire continent could remain calm after witnessing this monster casually flatten the heads of eight adult dragons like chickens in just two minutes.

Standing before this monster in human form, Atlas Flame could clearly feel the extreme oppression of having the power of life and death completely in the other's hands.

Natsu leaped over the broken wall in a few steps, spread his arms, and stood directly in front of the Hellfire Dragon, shouting loudly at Jiang Bai.

"Jiang Bai! Don't you dare lay a hand on me!"

Natsu pointed to the massive Atlas Flame behind him and explained earnestly.

"This dragon uncle is a truly good dragon! The reason it attacked us just now was purely because that bastard Future Rogue used Dragon Control Magic to control its mind!"

"He was my father Igneel's best friend!"

Looking down at Natsu's protective stance, the Hellfire Dragon felt a surge of indescribable relief and emotion.

My dear nephew!

No wonder he was raised by that arrogant guy Igneel!

All that scorching primordial dragon flame I just unleashed on this kid was definitely worth it!

Jiang Bai glanced at Natsu, who was protecting the dragon's head, his lips twitched slightly, and he shook his head with amusement.

"Alright, alright, stop acting like that."

"I never intended to kill it in the first place. If I had really wanted to, it would be neatly stacked together with the eight large lizards in that pit by now."

Hearing Jiang Bai's definitive statement, Natsu breathed a long sigh of relief and turned to give Atlas Flame a thumbs up.

Atlas Flame's tense heart finally settled back into his stomach, and he exhaled a hot, stale breath from his large nostrils.

Jiang Bai strode to a spot not far from the Hellfire Dragon.

"This era offers no fertile ground for your survival. Your kind have long been nearly extinct, and the Black Dragon will be wiped out sooner or later. There is no point in you staying in this era."

"So, I'm sending you back to your place four hundred years ago. No objections, right?"

Upon hearing Jiang Bai's proposed conditions, Atlas Flame didn't hesitate for even half a second, his massive head bobbing up and down frantically like a pestle being pounded.

"No problem! I completely agree!!"

Atlas Flame's voice even carried a hint of urgency and relief.

In a future era where this monster exists, it wouldn't want to stay even a quarter of an hour longer.

In contrast, the ancient era four hundred years ago, when dragons roamed the land and, despite the chaos of war, at least followed normal biological logic, was its true homeland.

"Since you have no objections, let's not waste our time."

Jiang Bai turned around and gestured with his chin towards the depths of the palace.

Let's go to the Eclipse Gate.

After saying that, Jiang Bai led Erza and Mirajane back to the center of the street where Makarov and his guildmates had gathered.

After all, the reopening of the Eclipse Gate still requires the Zodiac Celestial Spirit Keys held by Lucy and Yukino.

However, the moment Jiang Bai stepped in front of the guild's camp, Makarov, Jura, Ichiya, and the other guild mages instinctively shrank back, their gazes sweeping warily toward the enormous Hellfire Dragon behind Jiang Bai, which resembled a moving volcano.

Although everyone had vaguely heard Natsu's shout, they knew that this dragon had some connection with Natsu.

But that was an ancient overlord nearly a hundred meters long, its body wreathed in eternal hellfire. The catastrophic pressure was palpable before their eyes, and normal humans simply could not completely erase the instinctive fear ingrained in their bones.

Jiang Bai looked at his silent companions, clapped his hands, and loudly broke the oppressive atmosphere.

"Don't worry, there's nothing to be nervous about."

Jiang Bai looked around, a relaxed smile playing on his lips.

"The dragon calamity that targeted the capital has been completely resolved."

The brief and bland statement was like pouring a ladle of ice water into a pot of Boil oil.

The mages along the entire street froze in place. A few seconds later, a deafening roar of celebration tore the sky above the capital city apart!

"Oh!!"

"We won! We actually won!!"

"It's completely over!!"

"We survived! I'm not going to get eaten by the dragon anymore!!"

Countless people excitedly threw their weapons and hats into the air, the men of Blue Pegasus hugged each other and wept bitterly, the members of Lamia Scale beat their companions with all their might, and the entire Fairy Tail erupted in Heavenly Movement roars.

Faced with a devastating natural disaster that had spanned four hundred years, this group of mages truly overcame their desperate situation and ushered in the final dawn!

Ignoring the Boil crowd behind him, Jiang Bai turned to look at the blonde girl standing at the front of the crowd.

"Lucy, call Yukino, and take the Zodiac Keys you have. We should go and send this ancient guest back home."

Lucy wiped the ash from her face, Yukino beside her, and nodded vigorously.

"Okay! We've got your back!"

The group did not linger. Jiang Bai led the way, with the massive body of the Atlas Flame the Hellfire Dragon following obediently at the rear. They walked step by step through the dilapidated courtyard and collapsed corridors, and soon returned to the palace.

The majestic and Eclipse Gate still stands tall in the very center of the rubble.

Lucy and Yukino quickly walked up the stone steps and took out all of their golden Celestial Spirit Keys from their waists.

The two women took a deep breath, and their magical power flowed into the key like a gentle stream.

The dazzling golden light instantly illuminated the entire dimly lit underground space as if it were daytime.

Click!

Under the pull of immense Celestial Spirit magic, the ancient, heavy bronze bolt emitted a long, muffled sound as its mechanical mechanism turned.

The massive stone doors of the Eclipse Gate, enveloped in golden light, roared open once more!