Gathering Everyone's Strength

In an instant, Natsu and the others felt as though they had been dragged into another space. The familiar battle arena was gone, replaced by an endless gray wasteland beneath an oppressive dark-red sky. The ground was cracked, and the air was thick with a suffocating sense of despair. The Magic Power within their bodies—even their life force—began to be slowly yet steadily drained away and consumed by this space.

"Wh-What is this place?!" Wendy felt a wave of weakness wash over her. Her perception of sky magic had become extremely faint here.

"It's not an illusion!" Erza used her Sixth Sense to feel everything around her. It all felt so real.

Skali floated at the center of the domain like the ruler of this world. Looking down at the others as though they were trapped in a swamp, he slowly raised both hands.

The ground shook violently as over a hundred enormous gray hands formed from void energy burst from the earth. They reached for the members of Fairy Tail from all directions, each one carrying a terrifying aura capable of corroding Magic Power and souls!

"Everyone, be careful!" Erza shouted. Wearing the Six Dragon Armor, she continuously swung the Fire Dragon Spear in her hands, piercing the outstretched gray arms one after another.

Gray gathered the power of Dragon-slaying Ice in both hands and slammed them down onto the ground. The earth was instantly consumed by frost, and the gray arms bursting from the ground were frozen solid.

Lucy said excitedly, "As expected of Gray! Now those arms can't move!"

Before Lucy could celebrate for more than a few seconds, the black ice covering the gray arms began to slowly disappear.

Gray immediately felt his power rapidly draining away.

"Damn it! These arms absorb Magic Power!! Don't let