"What's going on here?"
Ankh ran over to Jellal's side.
Looking at the wreckage scattered everywhere, he asked in a low voice.
Noticing that the street had been blasted into a terrible state and that more and more onlookers were gathering nearby, Jellal instinctively raised a hand to cover his face and explained quietly.
"This Natsu, and the Lucy Ultear is holding, claim they came from the future."
"Hm?"
Ankh froze for a moment.
Seeing his expression, Jellal hurriedly added, "I can hardly believe it either, but that seems to be the truth."
"That Lucy's grief doesn't look fake. And the rampaging Natsu reacted almost reflexively to protect her."
"From the few words they said, there may have been some disaster in the future that caused everyone to die in battle."
Ankh's gaze gradually turned serious.
'A disaster?'
'What kind of disaster could destroy the royal capital when powerful mages from across the entire continent are gathered here?'
Tap, tap—
Just as Ankh fell into thought, the orderly sound of marching troops came from the distant street.
Drawn by the enormous commotion from the battle earlier, the royal capital's defensive forces had arrived.
Gray felt that this scene was extremely familiar and smiled bitterly.
"Looks like we're going to get dragged off for questioning again."
Makarov waved his hand, signaling the guild members to block Team Ram and the others, whose identities could not be exposed, so they could withdraw first.
Under the cover of the Fairy Tail members, Jellal and the others quickly slipped away.
Natsu and Lucy wore strange expressions as they carried their future selves on their backs.
The arriving troops dispersed the surrounding crowd, then the soldiers surrounded Fairy Tail.
Makarov had no idea how to explain the situation, but he could only steel himself and step forward, preparing to make something up.
"Er… we were just…"
"Lord Makarov!"
Before he could fabricate a proper excuse, a tall man in heavy knight armor had already stepped in front of him.
Staring at him with a stern expression, the man said, "The royal capital has suffered a negative impact because of your actions. Please hand over the troublemakers to us!"
Sweat broke out on Makarov's forehead.
Ankh appeared beside him at just the right moment and asked, "We were at fault in this matter, but could you perhaps wait until after the Grand Magic Games to handle it? We are willing to pay any amount in fines."
Seeing Ankh step forward, the tall man's expression clearly wavered for a moment.
But soon, he grew firm again and said, "Very well. However, please do not leave your lodging without permission again. Otherwise, we will immediately revoke your right to participate in the tournament!"
Makarov quickly nodded in agreement, then waved his hand.
The members of the guild smiled awkwardly as they blocked Future Natsu and Future Lucy from view, slowly moving out of the soldiers' encirclement.
Only after the noisy group had gone far away did a soldier beside the tall man whisper in dissatisfaction.
"Lord Arcadios, why did you let those troublemakers go?"
Arcadios swept a sharp gaze over him and said in a deep voice, "His Majesty and the princess both wish to see a perfect Grand Magic Games. We will tolerate them this once."
"And…"
Arcadios looked toward the gradually departing crowd and said coldly, "Starting today, monitor them from the shadows day and night. Do not make any mistakes."
"Yes, sir!"
…
Meanwhile, after returning to their base, Fairy Tail finally let out a sigh of relief.
Natsu anxiously placed "himself" onto a bed and asked in confusion, "This 'me' really came from the future? Why does he look so wrong?"
Gray snorted coldly and said irritably, "One look and you can tell. He probably went and ate something weird again."
Lucy carefully placed "Future Lucy" onto a bed as well, murmuring worriedly, "What on earth happened…"
Wendy healed Future Lucy's injuries, while Ankh stood beside Future Natsu's bed and took a deep breath.
The death aura constantly lingering around Natsu was drawn toward him, strands of it flowing into Ankh's mouth.
As the divine power of death gradually weakened, the unconscious Natsu's expression visibly relaxed.
Afterward, Ankh continued releasing divine power of life.
Gentle white light fell over Natsu, healing his injuries without pause.
After using his divine power for quite some time, Ankh's frown grew deeper and deeper.
Seeing his expression, Makarov asked worriedly, "What's wrong? Can't you heal him?"
"No… it's not that…"
Ankh withdrew his power in confusion.
He had already given Natsu emergency treatment with divine power, but there seemed to be another strange force inside his body.
It kept stirring Natsu's emotions, preventing his mind from settling.
"Look, he's opening his eyes!"
Natsu had been standing nearby, curiously observing "himself."
The instant he saw the other Natsu's eyelids tremble, he cried out in surprise.
Hearing this, everyone immediately gathered around, forming a circle as they watched Future Natsu.
"Roar!"
Who would have thought that Future Natsu would suddenly open his eyes?
The black flames in his pupils began flickering again, and with a savage expression, he lunged at the people around him.
"Whoa!"
Future Natsu was like a man thrown into a frying pan.
The moment he woke up, he began thrashing without the slightest reason, frightening the onlookers so badly that they scattered in every direction.
The awakened Future Natsu shook his head, letting out unconscious and terrifying growls.
Like a wild bull, he tried to charge out of the room, flames already rising in his hands as if he were about to attack anyone nearby.
"Something's wrong. Hold him down!"
Gray, his best friend, was the first to notice that something was off and immediately shouted.
Seeing this, the many strong men in the guild rushed forward all at once, piling onto Natsu and pinning him to the ground.
"Stop moving, Natsu! It's us!"
"Don't grab my balls, you damn Fire Dragon! I'm going to kill you!"
"Get off me! I'm not him!"
The room instantly descended into chaos.
Gray, Gajeel, Macao, and the others looked like they were trying to slaughter a pig for New Year's, but no matter what they did, they could not control Future Natsu, who kept grabbing and thrashing everywhere.
Dong!
Suddenly, after a loud sound echoed through the room, Future Natsu lay peacefully asleep with a huge lump on his head.
Laxus lowered his fist, swept his gaze over everyone, and snorted coldly.
"Was that so hard?"
Natsu suddenly felt a phantom pain in his own forehead and could not help sucking in a sharp breath.
Ankh, meanwhile, examined Natsu, who had fainted again, and could not make sense of it no matter how hard he thought.
'Even divine power of life can't undo it… Could it be the power of another god?'
A group of grown men followed Ankh, completely at a loss as they studied Natsu's condition.
On the other side, under the girls' care, Future Lucy slowly woke up on the bed.
"You're awake!"
Lucy looked at Future Lucy in delight.
But who would have thought that the moment she said those words, Future Lucy's eyes would immediately fill with tears?
"Eh? Don't cry."
Mirajane quickly wiped away her tears, while Wendy continued flusteredly using Sky Magic to heal her.
Lucy looked at these companions who were so painfully familiar, at this lively scene before her.
The grief and joy in her heart were so overwhelming that it almost felt like a lifetime had passed.
"It's so good to see all of you again…"