Three days later, the Akane Resort Paradise
The most popular seaside tourist Sacred Ground in the Kingdom, a beach you'll never forget once you've been there.
There is also a vast and beautiful sea that stretches to the horizon, where Natsu, Happy, Gray, Lucy, Erza, Cana, and Zorn also travel and play.
The reason everyone is here is, of course, because Zorn participated in a store raffle.
I won several tickets and I want to go on a trip with everyone. After all, we've worked hard, so this is a good opportunity for everyone to relax and unwind.
Upon hearing this, Erza packed up all her belongings and got into the car within minutes, even changing into her swimsuit, leaving everyone stunned.
"Cana, I brought a bottle of sunscreen body lotion with me. Let me put some on for you, okay?"
"Okay, here, here, and also, it would be best if you could give me a massage too, I've really been a bit tired these past few days." Cana lay on the recliner, tapping her exposed skin with her fingers, and chatted playfully with Zorn.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Zorn, holding a bottle of the latest body lotion, knelt beside Cana like a guard, bowed to Cana, then applied the lotion to his hands and pressed it onto her skin.
Cana also squinted her eyes in enjoyment. The couple's public display of affection left Lucy, Erza, and the others feeling quite full. So, they went for a swim in the sea to try and digest their food.
"Natsu, give me back my underwear!!"
"Gray, how could you use Happy to cover your body?!"
In no time, Natsu and Gray, who had been getting along very well, started arguing.
Because Gray accidentally stripped naked, Natsu secretly grabbed his underwear, which he had thrown into the sea, and then egged Gray on, refusing to give it to him.
"Ah, Lord Gray, how bold! Juvia loves it!"
Juvia followed the group to the beach, hid behind a tree, and looked at Lord Gray with a shy expression, clearly a die-hard fan of Gray.
The love in my heart cannot be hidden.
As night falls, the holiday paradise is sure to have plenty of amusement facilities.
Basement
Happy and Natsu were excitedly gesturing with their chosen numbers on a Rocking Machine filled with number balls, frantically pressing the selection buttons on the keyboard.
Juvia was clinging to Gray, looking up at Gray with a blissful expression.
More importantly, she also received Zorn's affirmation, who said that she would definitely gain the Guild Master's approval and be able to join Fairy Tail. This made her heart pound with anticipation and excitement, and now she didn't want to leave Gray's side.
This afternoon, Zorn, using his Observation Haki, had already spotted Juvia quite early on.
Moreover, seeing the love in Juvia's eyes made Zorn realize that Juvia was completely immersed in love, so he became an accomplice.
Juvia was brought into the open, and it was stated that Juvia would be recommended to join Fairy Tail.
Erza was feeling somewhat unsettled.
Erza was filled with unease after dreaming about painful memories during her afternoon nap.
Lucy was also at a game exhibition booth, gazing at the brightly lit city in the distance, finding some distraction in the tranquility of the night.
--Separator--
In the Magic Council on the other side
The time is back to around afternoon, at the Magic Council Headquarters.
Magic Council Headquarters Council Members and Zorn (Thought Form) are discussing the sudden appearance of the Eighth Tower of Heaven on a giant rising Magic Circle.
"There are still remnants? How is that possible?"
"About ten years ago, a cult that believed in Black Magic attempted to build the R-System."
"Weren't those seven towers already destroyed by us?"
"Looks like there's an eighth one now."
Just as one of the Council Member mentioned the newly appeared Tower of Heaven — the R-System —the last image transmitted back after the team disappeared appeared in the center of the Magic Circle.
"Looks like it's finished!!" Ultear said in a low voice as she looked at the image.
"This is Forbidden Magic; just the fact that it spreads and is heard is enough to cause chaos."
"Then send people to suppress it; that's the most effective method."
"The main problem is that this time, according to witnesses, it was done by a man who called himself Jellal."
"Jellal? That's your brother, isn't it, Siegrain?!"
"Yes, I've heard about this before," Siegrain replied calmly, head bowed, seemingly unconcerned about the look Zorn was giving him.
"Oh, so my opponent is your brother, Siegrain. Are you really that serious?"
"Well, there's nothing I can do about it. I'm leaving everything to you, Zorn."
Zorn looked at Jellal, who was still acting, with a mocking expression. He really wanted to laugh, but he held it in because if he actually laughed, it would be hard for him to explain.
"Okay, no problem. I've been wanting to see your brother's true abilities for a long time. I hope he won't disappoint me."
With this matter settled, the Magic Council adjourned its meeting, but still needed to come up with a concrete plan, as this was no small matter, and Jellal had proposed using Etherion during the meeting, hoping for a vote.
Zorn intercepted the resolution, saying he could handle it alone. After he said this, the other Council Member did not raise any objections, because Zorn's strength was obvious to all.
Jellal didn't say anything at the time, but Zorn could clearly sense that Jellal's composure had crumbled.
After the meeting ended...
Ultear and Jellal held a private meeting to plot their scheme.
"Damn it, why is Zorn here?!" Jellal grabbed the railing in front of him, Crash the marble bars with his fingers, staring at the front with a vicious look on his face.
"We should still be careful; this is the Magic Council after all, it wouldn't be good if someone found out!"
The moment the railing shattered, Ultear used Arc of Time Magic to restore it, and even spoke up to warn Jellal, who had now lost his mind.
"It seems I need to think of another way. I can't let Zorn delay my plans of so many years." Jellal's tone had returned to normal as he spoke calmly, but his eyes had become even colder.
Ur nodded, though outwardly he seemed to agree with Jellal's point of view.
But at this moment, she still silently apologized to Jellal in her heart, not because of the undercover incident, but because of the brainwashing she had done to him for so long, and all those things that had happened before.
She hoped to promptly rectify any mistakes and sins that had not yet occurred, preventing further tragedy—a plan she and Zorn had discussed together.
To be continued~