Paradise Tower

Lucy heard the voice and said, "That voice is Ye! Ye, stop them! They're taking Erza away."

Ye heard Lucy's voice but couldn't see her.

"Lucy? Since when did you learn invisibility magic?"

Lucy snapped, "I'm trapped inside a card! What do you mean, when did I learn invisibility magic? Besides, this isn't the time to talk about that!"

"Sorry, everyone, he caught me!"

"Let Millianna go!"

Ye looked at the people before him and directly unleashed Conqueror's Haki, crushing them to their knees!

"What is this? My body is shaking!"

"Are you the Martial God Ye?"

"You bastards, you came here to interrupt our vacation. Tell me, how do you want to die?"

Erza hurriedly said, "Ye, don't hurt them."

Ye looked at Erza, then turned back to the others. "Let Lucy out!"

"I told you to let Lucy out. Didn't you hear me?"

Millianna looked at the scene before her and said, "Big brother, maybe you should rein in your aura a little. They seem unable to move."

"Are you telling me what to do?"

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"

"Hmph." He withdrew his aura, and Lucy was released from the card. She came to Ye's side and glared at the others.

Seeing that their opponents had lowered their guard, the three prepared to attack again. Erza hurriedly cried, "Don't!"

"I saw all your movements clearly. Since you're being so naughty, I can only make you behave."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The three knelt there, battered and bruised.

At that moment, Natsu also climbed to his feet. Damn it, how could anyone shove a bullet into someone else's throat?

Happy quipped, "A normal person would be dead."

"Happy, let's hurry over to Ye."

Over on Gray's side.

"What's going on? Why did it suddenly get so dark?"

"Lord Gray, you're inside my body. I saw danger just now."

"Then hurry up and let me out!"

"I'm finally out! Where's that guy?"

"He left!"

"You really are meddlesome. Didn't that just let the enemy get away? Still, thanks!"

"It's nothing, Lord Gray."

"Let's go find Ye."

"Aye."

Back on Ye's side, just as Ye was about to question them, Natsu and Gray ran over.

"Lucy, Erza, Ye! Are you all okay?"

"Oh, Natsu. We're fine, but those guys are about to have a problem."

"Bastard, you're the one who shoved that bullet into my mouth, right? Do you know how much that hurt?"

Lucy quipped, "A normal person would be dead!"

Happy quipped, "Lucy, I already said that."

"You stole my line!"

Erza looked at the two clowns. "All right, let's talk business first."

"You can properly explain Paradise Tower now."

Erza said seriously, "I should tell it."

Erza took a deep breath and said solemnly, "It happened ten years ago. A group of men in black burst into the village where I lived, killed all the adults, and took away all the children."

"We were imprisoned on an island and lived as slaves. That was where I met them."

When Lucy, Natsu, and Gray heard the word "slaves," their expressions darkened.

"On that island, we supported each other and leaned on each other. But life there was unbearably harsh. Many people couldn't endure it. They either starved to death or were beaten to death."

"So we decided to escape. My right eye was also lost after that escape attempt failed."

Natsu angrily punched the ground. "Damn it!"

"Later, a boy named Jellal appeared. He killed the three cultists guarding me and saved me. Driven by pain and despair, we picked up weapons and began to resist. Everything went smoothly at first, until their magical soldiers appeared and turned the tide."

"We were no match for them and were forced back step by step. There was an old man who had always taken care of us, but he sacrificed himself to save me. Under those circumstances, I awakened my magic and finally defeated all the magical soldiers."

"But when I reached Jellal's side, that big boy who had saved me had become an evil demon. Not only did he take control of the island, he also wanted to continue reviving Zeref."

"In the end, I couldn't defeat him. He drove me out and told me not to come near this place, or he would kill Sho and the others. After that, I came to Fairy Tail."

After hearing this, Conqueror's Haki continuously leaked from Ye. Fury blazed in Natsu's eyes, while the temperature around Gray dropped to freezing.

Suddenly, a suppressed voice roared, "You're lying! You were the one who betrayed us! Things weren't like you said!"

"Wasn't the truth that you blew up the ship we were escaping on and ran away alone?"

"You saw the disbelief in our eyes. You didn't think we were still alive, did you?"

"You never expected that Jellal had already discovered your scheme before you blew up the ship and led us away in advance."

"Jellal said you had lost yourself in power and wanted to discard your memories of this place and of us."

"Isn't that the truth?!"

Ye looked at Sho. "You idiots, don't you know what kind of person Erza is? You're grown up now, yet you believe whatever others tell you. Can't you think for yourselves?"

Sho trembled as he looked at Ye. "You... what do you know? We only endured all these years because of Jellal's words."

"That's why we built Paradise Tower for Jellal."

"But now you're saying it was all a lie. How are we supposed to believe you?"

"Calling you idiots is an insult to the word. Erza hid the truth so you wouldn't be hurt, but what about Jellal? He didn't give you freedom. He still made you continue the Dark Magic Cult's work."

"That's because Jellal told us freedom outside was nothing but an illusion. Only by reviving Zeref could true freedom be achieved, freedom ruled by us!"

Erza looked at Sho before throwing a disappointed punch at him.

"Sister, what are you doing? Why did you hit me?!"

"That isn't freedom at all!"

"How is freedom ruled by you any different from the people who enslaved us?!"

Seeing his sister so furious, Sho was frightened for a moment.

At that moment, the burly Simon said, "Sho, Wally, Millianna, you were all deceived by Jellal."

Sho looked at Simon in disbelief. "Simon! Do you believe Erza?"

"From beginning to end, I have always believed Erza."

"Simon..." Erza was deeply grateful that one of her former companions still believed her.

"Little Erza... I... I... I'm sorry..." Millianna also began to choose to believe Erza.

"It's all right, Millianna. I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't come to save you for so long."

Wally looked at Erza awkwardly and said, "Erza, I'm sorry. Actually, I didn't want to believe Jellal either, but... but..."

"Wally, you don't need to say anything. I understand."

Sho looked at his former companions as they began choosing to believe Erza one by one.

"You... Why do you all believe Erza? Why didn't I choose to believe her? I... how could I... Damn it!"

Erza looked at the incoherent Sho.

"It is indeed difficult for you to accept all this right now, but I will prove myself."

"Simon, take us to Paradise Tower. I will help you reclaim your true freedom!"

"Jellal, I'll make you pay!"