As Mystogan departed, the guild members gradually regained consciousness.
"My head's spinning... what just happened?"
"I think I dreamed there were lots of fish floating in the sky~"
"That weird feeling... it must have been that guy Mystogan, right?"
"Absolutely! Seriously, does he have to use sleep magic every time he comes?!"
Listening to her companions' puzzled and indignant discussions, Lucy, just waking up, frowned and looked at Mira, who was also awake. "Mira-nee, who is Mystogan?"
"Like Chase, Erza, and Laxus, he's one of the guild's strongest candidates."
Mira tilted her head, thinking. "He's very mysterious. Only the Master and Chase know his real face."
"Not even Mira-nee and Erza know?!" Lucy was astonished.
"I've encountered him once or twice, but I've never seen his face clearly either."
As she spoke, Mira began cleaning up the bottles and cups on the table.
"All the S-Class mages here are so unique." Lucy murmured.
Suddenly, she realized something. "Wait, where's Chase?!"
"That guy went out with Mystogan."
An arrogant, arrogant voice came from the second floor. Laxus, wearing his spiky headphones, stood arrogantly on the balcony.
He wasn't answering Lucy's question out of kindness. He just wanted to contradict Mira and show off.
"I saw it clearly! While you weaklings couldn't even resist sleep magic and were snoring away!"
"Laxus?!" Everyone exclaimed.
Lucy instinctively shrank back.
What happened a few days ago had left her with an inexplicable fear of Laxus.
"Laxus! Fight me!"
Natsu, fearless, stepped forward and challenged him.
"A loser who can't even beat Erza—don't bark." Laxus shifted to a casual pose.
"What did you say?" x2
Natsu and Erza spoke in unison.
"Damn it! Stop being so self-righteous! Get down here! I'll beat you until you cry!"
Natsu, furious, clenched his flaming fists.
"You come up." Laxus taunted.
"Fine!"
Unable to tolerate such provocation, Natsu took a running start and charged toward the second floor.
Naturally, Makarov punched him into a pancake.
Lucy wasn't surprised this time. She knew the rule that only S-Class mages could go upstairs.
"Heh, learned your lesson? If you want to fight me, become an S-Class first, Natsu."
Laxus mocked coldly. "Though for a pathetic weakling like you, that's a fantasy that'll never come true."
With that, ignoring Natsu's furious glare, he flicked his cloak and retreated into the inner hall.
Lucy and the others sighed.
Magnolia, on the roof of the Kardia Cathedral.
Chase and Mystogan stood side by side. The cold wind at that height made their clothes flap loudly.
"Chase, how do you know about Anima?!"
Mystogan was very agitated.
"Just a rumor I happened to hear on Guiltina. Some mysterious phenomenon that sucks people into an unknown world?"
Chase made up an excuse. After all, he was the only one who'd undertaken the Ten-Year Quest there. "I was just asking casually. I didn't expect you to actually know."
Mystogan looked up at the cloudless sky. After a moment's reflection, he warned solemnly, "You must never go near that thing. Even you could get lost in it."
"So, that phenomenon really does connect to another world?" Chase asked.
Mystogan looked into Chase's eyes. After much hesitation, he chose to trust him.
"Yes. I've been searching for and trying to stop those extremely dangerous occurrences. But Anima's appearances are random. Only when I'm lucky enough to be nearby do I have a chance to close it."
"I see. So you can't pinpoint its exact location in advance?" Chase mused.
Come to think of it, that made sense. If Mystogan could pinpoint Anima and give early warnings, the entire city of Magnolia wouldn't have been transported to Edolas.
The matter of Lisanna he'd mentioned to Mira would have to wait.
"Chase, what are you planning?" Mystogan noticed Chase's change in expression.
"Haha! Think about it—adventuring in another world sounds pretty fun, right?" Chase grinned, clenching his fist.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?! One wrong move and you could, you could..."
Mystogan grabbed Chase's collar, ready to scold him, but then he reconsidered. Given Chase's personality and temperament, if he went to Edolas...
It seemed, perhaps, that Edolas should be the one worrying...
With that thought, Mystogan silently released Chase.
This was hard!
Why did this guy have to learn about another world?!
"In any case, stay away from Anima!"
Leaving those words, Mystogan dissolved into mist and vanished.
Chase watched him disappear and smiled, shaking his head. "What a worrywart."
With that matter settled...
When he returned to the guild, the discontent caused by Laxus had already dissipated. Everyone was back to their daily chaos.
But this time, they weren't brawling. They were gathered together, constantly cheering—with a hint of, no, full of schadenfreude!
What the hell were these guys up to now?
BAM!
Chase kicked open the half-closed door. The loud noise immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Hahaha! Chase is back!"
"Hey Chase! Get over here! You're in big trouble!"
Seeing Chase, their excitement grew. They laughed and howled.
Armor clanked as Erza walked over seriously in her steel boots. She raised a hand and heavily patted Chase's shoulder.
"Chase, if you're a man, you'll take responsibility properly. Don't let me look down on you." She spoke earnestly.
"I'm fired up!" Natsu was incredibly excited.
"Aye~!" Happy, floating in the air, chimed in.
"Good luck, Chase~" Even Lucy held back a laugh and gave him a big thumbs up.
Wait, what the hell was going on?
Utterly bewildered, Chase made his way to the center of the gathered crowd.
There sat Mira on the ground, face in her hands, silently crying.
Her younger brother Elfman stood behind her, as if having made some momentous decision, staring at Chase with fiery eyes. "Manly! Chase, we've been waiting for you!"
Looking closer, in an inconspicuous corner behind the bar, crouched Loki, looking like he needed to take a massive dump.
Just then, hearing the commotion, Mira lowered her hands and looked over, eyes brimming with tears.
"Chase... Loki is being so mean. I wanted Elfman to fulfill his promise to cover for me, but Loki absolutely refuses. He wants me to owe him a favor, so he can use it later for something weird..."
"I said I'd help out of pure obligation! Who the hell wants a date with you, Chase, and this guy Elfman?!"
Loki immediately panicked and tried to defend. "And don't insult my noble and pure soul with your perverted thoughts!!"
Lucy silently commented: Despite what you say, a guy who has three different girlfriends a day has absolutely no connection to the words "sublime purity"...
And gentle Mira-nee definitely had some kind of strange attribute?
"I see. I understand now."
After that brief exchange, Chase finally figured it out.
Too much had been happening lately. He'd forgotten about this.
Hehehe~
"Ch-Chase! Elfman's a sis-con who only listens to Mira, I get that, but you—say something!"
Seeing Chase's instantly lecherous expression, every hair on Loki's body stood on end. He sensed something super bad.
"Loki, you know I never like owing anyone favors. So..."
"Let's go on a date~!"
With that, Chase suddenly pounced. In perfect chemistry, he and Elfman executed a blood-soaking combo: Manly Man-Lock!
Hoisted up by the two muscular men, Loki was as helpless as a bullied maiden.
After futile struggles, two streams of hot tears silently rolled down his cheeks.
My life...my dreams... my pursuits...
It's over... all over... I'm done for!
***
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