Deep within the ruins was a square altar. A special magic crystal was embedded in its center.
Though the altar was covered in moss, you could still see the faint lines of an ancient magic circle carved into its surface.
With Edo Laxus's help, Edo Chase was focused on operating a machine he had assembled. He was trying to crack the altar's magic circle.
According to Edo Gildarts, they had been doing this ever since they arrived in this forest. There were seven such altars. Each was guarded by a powerful magical beast. They attacked anyone who came near.
To uncover the secret, to find the source of magic, the Edo Chase team had to investigate them. The snake they had killed was the guardian of this altar.
This was the fifth altar they had cracked. Two more to go, and they would find the truth.
Chase looked at the other "himself," who was working on a holographic screen.
In a world of magic, this is strange.
Come to think of it, Edo Chase was not using magic to break the circle. He was making it collapse on its own.
It was like putting a virus into a computer.
Chase did not understand it. Maybe Dark Magician would.
But one thing was clear. The other him was a genius. He had a level of magical knowledge that did not belong to this world.
Does not belong to this world...
Chase's eyes flickered. He thought about how Edo Chase had reacted when he heard about Earthland.
Maybe he should find a chance to learn more about his counterpart.
"No problem. Just like with the other altars. We just need to wait for the circle to collapse."
Edo Chase stepped back from the machine. A progress bar was moving on the screen.
"Amazing! Just as expected of Master!" Edo Laxus said.
He looked up to him. Even though they were about the same age.
Dark Magician Girl watched, amazed. This is Laxus? The arrogant Laxus who looks down on everyone?
"Now that we are done here..." Edo Gildarts looked at Chase. "I still cannot believe the other you came all the way to the northern continent alone with just a watch."
"Yes. Our Chase would be too scared to take a quest without a friend," Edo Evergreen said.
She was much calmer. Like Edo Cana.
"That is different! He has his card friends with him!" Edo Chase said, his face red.
"And it is not fear. It is called being careful. There is a difference."
"Ah! A big snake!" Dark Magician Girl suddenly shouted.
"Nani?! Where? Is it a friend of the other snake?!"
Edo Chase was terrified. He jumped and hugged Chase.
Edo Gildarts and the others: "..."
"Haha! You really are a coward!"
Dark Magician Girl laughed.
"Brother. Maybe you should get a new face..."
Chase looked at Edo Chase, who was clinging to him.
He was outsmarted by that clumsy girl.
While waiting for the circle to collapse, they sat and talked about the Edolas Fairy Tail.
"Cana is still the same," Edo Gildarts said.
He was a little sad. He loved his daughter. But he was always away.
"The king is afraid of losing his power," Edo Bickslow said.
"At least everyone is safe," Edo Freed said.
"When we find the source of magic, we will settle things with them. We will avenge the master," Edo Laxus said.
"Master? Who is that?" Chase asked.
"Master Ivan. He died in battle," Edo Gildarts said. "Is he not your master?"
Chase did not know what to say.
So, the dead master of Edolas Fairy Tail was Ivan, not Makarov. But in this world, where personalities were reversed, Ivan was probably a good person.
Maybe Ivan is Faust's secret son?
Chase shook his head. He did not want to think about it. And he did not care.
"About that revenge... you might not have to wait long."
"When we left, Fairy Tail was getting ready to fight the kingdom."
"With my friends helping, they could conquer it in a few days."
He did not mention the other forces involved. Like the Exceed kingdom.
In truth, the fight would probably be over in half a day.
"Fight the kingdom? Are you crazy? It is the whole army!"
"How can you win? They will wear you down!"
They were shocked.
"We have to go back!" Edo Chase said. He was brave when it mattered.
Now that is how my counterpart should act.
Chase nodded.
"Wait," Edo Gildarts said.
He was worried too. But he saw the calm on Chase's face.
It took a week to cross the ocean. Even with Edo Chase's boat. If a war was happening, it would be over by the time they got there.
Unless...
"Chase. When did you leave the guild?" Edo Gildarts asked.
"This morning."
"Nani?!"
They were stunned.
It had taken them weeks to get here. This Chase had crossed two continents in half a day.
"Hehe. My master and I are very strong~"
Dark Magician Girl was proud.
Thud.
She got hit on the head.
"Do not brag. I am just decently strong," Chase said.
Edo Laxus whispered to Edo Chase. "I think he is even less humble than you."
They decided to trust him. They would not rush back.
The machine glowed. The circle was broken.
They took the machine apart. They put it into special cards.
Chase noticed. The other him did not use the same kind of cards as he did. They were only for storage. And they were small.
They went to their camp. It was a small floating island. There was a building like the guild, but smaller.
They had been living there for months.
That night, under the stars, everyone ate together. They talked about Earthland.
Chase and Edo Chase were outside, looking at the dark forest.
"You wanted to talk to me alone?" Chase said.
"You have a secret. Something you cannot tell your friends," Edo Chase said.
Chase's heart raced. He had never thought he would meet someone from his old world.
And that person was himself.
"You want to check?" Chase said. "A code?"
"Good."
They looked at each other.
"Odd functions change, even functions remain."
"Inefira Guldor."
Silence.
"What?" they both said.
Chase did not understand the other language. Edo Chase did not understand the other code.
No, Chase had heard that language before. The way it sounded.
A small figure appeared in his mind. Minerva.
It was the language of the Eighteen Demon Gods.
"Wait, are you not from the God Realm?" Edo Chase asked.
"God Realm?!"
If he understood correctly, that was the world of Ankhseram and other gods.
They were both transmigrators. But they were very different.
***
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