"G-Go back? To that world with tens of thousands of dragons?!"
"Mr. Chase, you must be joking, right? How could we possibly defeat them?"
"Opening the Eclipse Gate again is far too dangerous!"
Even Makarov was taken aback when he learned Chase planned to go through the Eclipse Gate to fight a massive number of dragons. The future world mages, who barely knew Chase, were even more shocked.
Everyone broke out in cold sweat at the sheer recklessness of it all. Their hearts skipped a beat.
The earlier battle had proven just how terrifying dragons were. Without the Fourfold Magic Array's protection, all of Crocus would have been reduced to ruins, and everyone here might have died.
Even if Chase could match or suppress a single dragon, there were tens of thousands of monsters like that on the other side of the Eclipse Gate!
Some of them, according to Motherglare, were even Dragon King-level beings that inspired fear in it!
There seemed to be no chance of victory. No one could understand why Chase would take such a risk.
Was he an even more reckless battle-maniac than Natsu the Fire Dragon?
The Fairy Tail members, especially those from Chase's world, understood well. After the initial shock, they wore expressions of resignation and wry smiles.
The battle-maniacs like Natsu, Gajeel, and Elfman, on the other hand, were burning with fighting spirit, excited grins spreading across their faces.
They weren't unaware of what fighting tens of thousands of dragons would mean. But they trusted Chase's decisions firmly and without question.
That trust was almost blind. The previous large-scale battles had proven that Chase never fought an uncertain battle, nor would he put his comrades in danger.
So all they had to do was fight!
"Mr. Chase, can you tell me why you would reopen the Eclipse Gate despite knowing the danger?" King Toma asked with grave seriousness.
Though Chase had stopped the Eclipse Project and saved the kingdom, making him a great benefactor to the Fiore royal family, Toma couldn't stand by and watch such a massive risk be taken again.
The phrase "ten thousand dragons" was simply too horrifying.
"Aside from the Black Dragon Acnologia, there are still dragons hiding in the Northern Continent of this world."
"Since you've already recognized the threat of the Black Dragon, even if the Eclipse Gate is destroyed now, humanity will eventually have to face them."
Chase's simple words made Toma and the others' expressions shift drastically.
He was referring to the Five Dragon Gods, indirectly warning the people of this future world.
"Instead of trying to change the present by altering the past, it's better to accumulate experience fighting dragons in the present and prepare for the 'future.'"
"And the ones standing here right now are the hope of Fiore's future!"
Bathed in the blood-red moonlight, Chase's Exodia Armor glowed with dark golden light.
Hearing these words from a "monster" whose strength rivaled the Four Heavenly Kings of Ishgar, the mages who had been terrified moments before suddenly became bashful, scratching their heads in embarrassment.
"Oh, it's nothing. Compared to Mr. Chase, we're still far behind~"
"Damn it! Even if you say that, I won't be happy~"
"Seize every possible opportunity to become stronger... I see. I think I understand why this guy is so powerful!"
"I'm really sorry! I thought you'd lost your mind earlier. You're a true man!"
"Wild! Brothers, let those flying lizards see what the Hounds are made of!"
Perhaps influenced by Fairy Tail, the mage guilds of Fiore were never short of headstrong brutes. A little praise and they were floating on cloud nine.
"Hey, these people are way too easy to convince, aren't they?" Future Lucy whispered to Lucy.
"Right? Ignoring idiots like Ichiya and Bacchus, even Sherria and Millianna are joining in!" Lucy couldn't understand it either.
Their opponents were dragons that could destroy a town with a single breath, and there wasn't just one or two!
Though she was now an S-Class mage capable of standing on her own, the rookie was still timid when it came to picking fights.
"Lucy, you'll need to perform well. Don't embarrass Fairy Tail," Erza said, walking over and patting both their shoulders with a smile.
"Eh? I—I have to participate too?!" Lucy practically jumped out of her skin.
"This time it's not 'it's still too early for that'!" Future Lucy shouted.
She had been on the receiving end of that serious reminder from Future Erza many times.
Happy flew down and landed on her head, grinning. "Aye~ Maybe Erza was talking to the Lucy who's already an S-Class?"
Future Lucy's mouth twitched. It felt like an arrow to the knee. "Shut up, you dead cat!"
Amid the rising and falling shouts of passion, King Toma's pupils contracted. His grave expression softened.
The atmosphere had somehow returned to that of the Grand Magic Games.
After a long moment of thought, he gave up his resolve to stop the Eclipse Gate from reopening at all costs. He walked slowly toward Chase in the crowd.
The noisy scene fell silent.
Chase didn't need to care about this old man's opinion, but the other mages and even Fairy Tail did.
As guilds existing under the Fiore Kingdom, the king's attitude would greatly influence their actions and future development.
"Mr. Chase... can I trust you?" Toma asked gravely.
Chase shook the card containing Motherglare. "Isn't this dragon the best proof?"
"Then—"
Under countless gazes, Toma slowly raised his right arm. A smile broke across his tense face. "Do as you see fit. The Fiore royal family will bear all the consequences of using Black Magic, pumpkin~"
The familiar catchphrase felt warm and reassuring. Cheers erupted one after another.
"So do we need to set up 'rules' this time?" Chase asked with a grin.
Hearing that reminded Toma of all the trouble this guy had caused him during the Grand Magic Games. He couldn't hold back. "You dare bring up rules?!"
"Haha! Anyway, thank you for understanding." Chase offered his thanks.
To be honest, he didn't want to sour the relationship with the Fiore royal family. It would cause no small trouble for the future Fairy Tail, which had just recovered from its slump.
After all, they would eventually return to their own world and couldn't stay here forever.
So having King Toma's full support for the "Eclipse Operation" was a good thing.
"Now then—"
With no more concerns, Chase looked toward the Eclipse Gate and snapped his fingers.
"Before the full assault, come out and say hello."
HUM HUM HUM.
Card magic circles materialized one after another.
The cards carried by the Tenrou Island members, including Makarov, glowed with brilliant golden light.
Amid the laughter of Natsu, Gray, and others, and under the incredulous gazes of Future Jura, Future Ichiya, and everyone else—
Figures long eager to join the fight stepped out from the light. They were none other than Fairy Tail from the future world!
***
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