A bright light suddenly appeared on the running Lucy, and light particles, like countless stars, gradually converged into a tall figure.
"Ah~ who's there!" Lucy, dressed in a black cloak, screamed in fright at the sudden change, instinctively reaching for her waist, but finding it empty.
Her face instantly turned pale, and some bad memories flashed through her mind, her eyes filled with sorrow and despair.
However, she quickly reined in her emotions, biting her lip tightly to keep herself from crying out.
She tremblingly raised her hand, wiping away the tears that slid from the corners of her eyes.
She told herself she had to be strong, because she had more important things to do—to save the future.
Just as she was about to leap to the other side, a gentle voice entered her ears: "Lucy, there's no need to cry, you're back... Everyone is here!"
Lucy's body stiffened abruptly. She slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on the person who spoke.
As soon as Zorn finished speaking, he extended his right hand and gently wiped away the tears from Lucy's eyes.
"Hmm?" Lucy looked at Zorn in confusion, her eyes full of bewilderment and incomprehension.
However, when she saw the golden Fairy Tail mark on Zorn's hand, a nostalgic expression emerged.
Her expression finally relaxed, and her body softened as if it had lost its support, slumping down.
Seeing this, Zorn rushed forward to support her. However, just before Lucy fainted, she murmured a sentence that made Zorn momentarily stunned. "Who... are... you?"
Zorn stared blankly at Lucy in his arms, his gaze simultaneously shifting to Lucy's right hand, and indeed, the mark was gone.
A complex emotion surged in his heart.
He didn't expect Lucy to ask such a question. Could it be that the world this Lucy came from didn't have him?
Or was there some unknown secret hidden within this?
Zorn frowned, falling into deep thought...
He didn't exist in the future?
Or did his arrival at that point lead to the formation of a branched future?
But the most important thing was to quickly bring this Lucy back to the hotel!
His recent examination revealed that Lucy's body was very weak, as if she hadn't rested for a long time.
...
Upon reaching the hotel entrance.
He suddenly saw Erik rush into the hotel, running upstairs.
Zorn understood.
It seems that destined encounters will eventually reunite!
Makarov, who was about to stop Erik, saw Lucy in Zorn's arms as he entered behind him. He was also startled and immediately stood up.
"What in the world is going on, Zorn!"
Makarov was so surprised because he thought Lucy had run off again and encountered some danger to end up like this!
"This shouldn't be the current Lucy, right, Zorn!"
"This child must have suffered a lot!
"However, First Generation Mavis saw through the clues at a glance, and her expression became serious.
But when she saw Lucy's thin face, a feeling of heartache welled up in her heart.
When Makarov heard First Generation Mavis say that, his worried expression immediately became even heavier, and his whole body now exuded a fearsome aura.
"Yes, but let's let Lucy rest first. Everything will naturally become clear once she wakes up." Zorn nodded in agreement.
Indeed, Lucy had endured too much suffering.
"Ah~ what! It was a snake before?"
Lucy upstairs suddenly shouted, exclaiming in surprise.
...
The second day of the preliminary round.
Everyone from Fairy Tail was gathered in the room at this moment.
"It's really strange! This scent is indeed Lucy's!" Natsu lay on the bed, sniffing Lucy's scent back and forth.
He would occasionally look at Lucy, who was standing on the other side, worried, to confirm.
"Natsu, don't be like that, it feels so weird!" Wendy continued to cast her healing magic.
"Natsu..." Lucy lay on the bed with her eyes tightly closed, suddenly her brows furrowed, her face filled with a pained expression, and her body began to tremble with fear.
In her dream, those painful past memories surged before her eyes like a tide, making her unable to break free, leaving only Natsu's final figure rushing towards the dragon.
Natsu heard her calling him, so he quickly and anxiously leaned close to Lucy's face.
Lucy slowly opened her eyes and happened to see Natsu's concerned face.
Her eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment, as if she hadn't fully woken up from the nightmare.
Natsu asked softly, "Lucy, are you okay?" His voice carried a hint of urgency.
"Na... Natsu?"
Lucy's voice trembled slightly, but her body quickly sat up and hugged Natsu: "P-please, help this country!"
Tears streamed down her face.
Natsu's expression froze for a moment, but he gently patted Lucy's shoulder, comforting her: "Don't be afraid, Everyone is here. Those painful memories are in the past, we will face the future together."
Lucy stopped crying and slowly looked around, discovering familiar figures returning.
"Everyone...?"
"Lucy, Everyone is here!" Happy slowly flew in front of Lucy, saying playfully.
Reaffirming the doubt in Lucy's heart.
"Quick... quick... soon there will be ten thousand dragons..." Lucy nervously grabbed Natsu's arm, her words broken, but she tried her best to describe what might happen in the future.
"You... what did you say!" Natsu was shocked and couldn't help but shout out loud.
"This is terrible!!!" Happy flapped his wings, dashing around the room, appearing exceptionally flustered.
"Such a thing!" Makarov, hearing this, immediately fell into contemplation, beginning to consider how to respond next.
"Master~ We should immediately suspend this competition! Notify the other guilds to prepare immediately!"
Erza turned to Zorn and Makarov, speaking with a determined gaze.
At the same time, her body quickly changed into the Wheel Armor, as if she could rush out of the room and deliver the message as soon as she received the order.
Even the others immediately prepared, awaiting the Master's command.
"Where will they appear from, after all?" The current Lucy also fell into thought after hearing this.
She immediately took out her Southern Cross Celestial Spirit key from her waist, hoping to get some information from that knowledgeable old man.
Levy, on the other hand, quickly used her Solid Script magic to search for possible countermeasures.
They all clearly believed Future Lucy's words.
"Everyone... you... do you all believe what I said?" Future Lucy gasped in shock.
"Huh, are you lying?" Natsu, ready for battle, was stunned and asked in shock.
"I'm not!" Future Lucy emphasized.
"We know, there's just one question: in what year will the ten thousand dragons you mentioned appear?"
Zorn suddenly asked gently.
"X791!" Lucy answered firmly.
She just stared at Zorn for a long time, as if trying hard to find memories related to Zorn in her mind.
"Then, one last question, Lucy!"
Zorn slowly walked to the bedside, bent down, met Future Lucy's confused gaze, and continued.
"In the future world, do I exist?"
"Or, to be precise, in your world, have you ever seen me in the guild from beginning to end?"
"No..." Lucy slowly shook her head, replying uncertainly.
"What!!!"
Everyone in the guild exclaimed in surprise.
They were already shocked when they heard it was something that happened in X791.
They were still wondering why Zorn would ask such a childish question, but Lucy's answer made them exclaim in even greater shock.
They all looked at Zorn in confusion.
To be continued~
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