Chapter 298: Opening the Gate to the Spirit World
"If it were just me alone, I might not be able to open the gate to the Spirit World.
"But I have friends here to help me!"
Lucy smiled at Loke, then unleashed her magic combined with Noah's, directing it all at Loke.
She braced herself for the pain of having her magic drained again, but she felt nothing.
Noah's magic poured into her in an endless torrent. She was releasing it, but Noah was replenishing it even faster. Her expenditure couldn't keep up with his supply.
Seeing that her body could handle it, Noah gradually increased the flow.
The storm of magic radiating from Lucy grew larger and larger, forcing Erza, Natsu, and the others to retreat further and further until they were a safe distance away.
Loke stared around him in shock. Cracks were appearing in the space around him, and the familiar aura of the Spirit World was seeping through.
Lucy had really opened the gate. Even with Noah's help, this was something he had never heard of before.
Nourished by the Spirit World's aura, his condition improved slightly, and his fading body became a little more solid.
Loke turned around with a stunned expression, then gasped in horror.
He saw visible abnormalities on Lucy's body. Noah also showed slight changes, though they were subtle enough that only someone very familiar with him would notice.
"Please stop! You're starting to synchronize with the spirits! Noah too! If this continues, you'll both disappear!" Loke shouted frantically.
"Noah!"
"Lucy!"
Hearing Loke's warning, Erza, Mirajane, Natsu, Gray, and the others watched with worry. They tried to push through the magical storm to reach them.
Noah waved them off, signaling them to stay back. He raised his left hand, observing the changes on his skin. He smiled. "So this is what it feels like to be a spirit? Fascinating. My Thought Projection in the Spirit World has been studying spirit magic, but I've never experienced part of myself becoming a spirit before."
"Is this the time for that?!" Loke shouted, exasperated. Noah was still analyzing his condition at a time like this?
"You won't die! We won't let you die! What's the point of magic if we can't even protect our friends?!" Lucy yelled, continuing to pour her magic into Loke.
"Please stop! Don't add to my sins!" Loke cried, tears streaming down his face.
"What sins?! If this is the law of the Spirit World, then I'll change it!"
As Lucy shouted those words, silence suddenly fell. The roaring waterfalls nearby froze, and the starry sky above shone with blinding brilliance.
Suddenly, the waterfalls flowed upward, converging in the sky. A brilliant light erupted from where the waters met.
"What's happening?"
"What is that?"
Erza, Natsu, and the others ran closer.
Stunned by the sight, Lucy stopped releasing magic. Seeing this, Noah stopped his supply and let go of her shoulder.
"Lucy, are you okay?"
Erza and Mirajane caught Lucy as she stumbled, asking with concern.
"I'm okay..." Lucy panted heavily, her voice weak.
Channeling so much magic continuously, even with Noah's support, put a tremendous strain on her body. She was exhausted.
But the matter wasn't resolved. She looked up at the light emanating from the converging waters with worry. "What is that?"
"Could it be... impossible... The Celestial Spirit King..." Loke stared ahead in shock.
From the source of the light, a colossal figure emerged.
He floated in mid-air, radiating a soft glow and an immense, overwhelming aura.
"Who is that?"
"He's huge!"
"So strong!"
Erza and the others stared at the giant figure in awe.
"W-Why are you here?" Loke stammered, shocked.
"The Spirit King? Ah, isn't that the mustache guy I saw in the Spirit World when I was little?" Lucy asked in surprise.
"Old friend... It has been a long time... According to the pact with humans, we... are forbidden to kill the keyholder.
"Although not directly, Leo, you did so indirectly. You are forbidden from returning to the Spirit World."
The Spirit King spoke, his deep, resonant voice echoing all around.
"Wait a minute! That's too harsh!"
Hearing this, Lucy forgot about meeting him as a child. Supported by Erza and Mirajane, she stood up, took two steps forward, and shouted her objection.
"Don't, Lucy," Loke warned her quickly.
"Old friend... Human girl... That Law is the one thing that cannot be changed." The Spirit King's voice boomed again.
Loke was stunned.
Could it be... did the Spirit King appear because Lucy threatened to change the Law?
For something like that... the King himself came down...
"Three years! Loke has suffered for three years! He only did it for his friend, for Aries! He had no choice!" Lucy shouted at the Spirit King.
"Yeah!" Natsu wanted to speak up. They had heard Loke's story and felt he hadn't done anything wrong.
Noah stopped him, shaking his head.
Although Natsu didn't know why Noah stopped him, he trusted him and stayed silent. Erza and the others, seeing Noah's reaction, also held their tongues.
Seeing them quiet, Noah turned back to the Spirit King.
It was best for Lucy to speak right now. Her family held a special status with the Spirit King. If others interfered, it might backfire.
"I am pained by my old friend's wish, but—"
Before the Spirit King could finish, Lucy waved her hand forcefully and shouted, "What are you talking about?! Not 'old friend'! I'm talking about now! The friend standing right in front of you!
"Listen to me! Mustache guy!"
Lucy took a deep breath and shouted, "It was an unfortunate accident! What crime did Loke commit?!
"I won't accept anything other than not guilty! I won't accept it!"
Her magic began to surge again. Loke looked at her back and shouted, "Enough, Lucy! I don't want anyone's forgiveness! I want to atone! I want to disappear like this!"
"No! Even if you disappear, Karen won't come back! It will only create new sadness!" Lucy yelled, her magic flaring even stronger.
Seeing this, Noah flashed behind Lucy, placed a hand on her shoulder, and poured his magic into her again.
"That's not a sin! Thinking of your friends isn't a sin!"
Lucy screamed at the Spirit King with all her might. Simultaneously, all the spirits she was contracted with appeared around her—the Zodiac spirits from her gold keys and the others from her silver keys.
The spirits stood by Lucy, silently watching the Spirit King and Loke.
Aries, in particular, looked at Loke and Lucy with tear-filled eyes. The whole situation revolved around her, but she was powerless to help, only able to watch with worry.
"If you disappear, then it will be me, Aries, and everyone here who has to bear the sadness! That's not atonement!"
After shouting her piece, Lucy's legs gave out, and she began to fall.
"Lucy!"
Loke and Natsu cried out. Natsu tried to rush forward.
Noah moved to catch her, but Erza and Mirajane were faster, flanking Lucy and supporting her. Noah stepped back.
Lucy had channeled magic too many times tonight. Even with Noah's support, it wasn't her own magic, and the pressure on her body was immense. She was utterly exhausted.
Despite this, she forced her head up and shouted at the Spirit King, "My friends who just appeared... everyone feels the same way! If you are a spirit too, you should understand Loke and Aries' feelings!"
The Spirit King remained silent after hearing Lucy's words.
"Why are you so reckless?! Even for a short time, opening all those gates... if Noah hadn't helped, there was a huge chance you would have died!"
Loke, helped up by Gray, stepped forward and scolded Lucy frantically.
He knew exactly how dangerous Lucy's actions were. Summoning all her spirits simultaneously, including eight Zodiacs... without Noah's magic supply, she would have been drained dry and died in an instant.
Hearing that Lucy could have died, Natsu and the others tensed, looking at her with concern.
"Hm... To be criticized by my old friend to this extent... Perhaps it is the Law that is wrong."
The Spirit King mused after a moment of silence.
Loke stared at the King in shock. Were those words the Spirit King could say? He had never heard of the King admitting a fault in the Law.
Lucy, supported by Erza and Mirajane, smiled.
"Leo, who sinned for his compatriot Aries... and the old friend who tried to save him... In light of this beautiful bond, I will make this an exception. Leo... I permit you to return to the Spirit World."
The Spirit King announced to Lucy and Loke.
~~~
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