"As expected of Fairy Tail, isn't it?"
"The goal for the final day is... defeat Fairy Tail!"
"Laxus, grandson of Master Makarov, right?" Jura had witnessed Laxus's Thunder Pressure Raging Waves and knew Laxus was no ordinary character either.
"How exciting. Natsu, my friend!" Ichiya struck a pose.
As for Raizel, no one dared to challenge him—he had just defeated Jura, one of the Ten Wizard Saints with ease after all.
...
As expected, Gray and Natsu were arguing again.
Gajeel joined in because he had been sneak-attacked and knocked out by Natsu in the afternoon.
Their fight was normal enough, but the spectators nearby were anything but.
"Ah... Gray-sama, even when fighting, you're so bold and handsome!" Juvia held her flushed cheeks in her hands, gazing at Gray with a lovestruck expression.
"I say, is your head really okay?" Panther Lily looked up at the sparking Juvia with some confusion.
"Listen, you guys, this isn't the guild! If you keep causing trouble, you'll definitely wreck someone else's tavern!" Lucy scolded.
"Well, since tomorrow is a day off, and they aren't using magic, just let them be," Mira smiled.
"Mira, that's not what I meant..." Seeing Mira's train of thought drifting further off track, Lucy wisely chose to switch her persuasion target, naturally skipping over Raizel, who was sitting beside Makarov.
Raizel was leaning back against the bar with his arms resting on it, legs crossed, watching the spectacle unfold.
"Master, aren't you going to stop them?"
"Hmm... I think I'll give them a good lesson." The drunken Makarov slammed his cup down heavily, stood up, and pointed at Natsu and said.
"Natsu, if you're going to fight, do it properly! Show everyone the spirit of a Dragon Slayer Mage!"
"..." Lucy fell silent.
"I'm going to meet someone. I'm supposed to see him tonight." Raizel finished his beer and informed Ultear and Erza.
"Who?" Ultear was puzzled.
Raizel had been at the guild's spectator stand all day, and they had all eaten together.
When had he made plans?
Raizel lightly tapped his temple with his index finger. "The leader of the Cherry Blossom Knights, Arcadios. I contacted him using this."
...
Hall of Shining Lights, Mercurius
"I'm Raizel of Fairy Tail, here to see the leader of the Cherry Blossom Knights."
The soldiers didn't even announce him before letting Raizel in, clearly, Arcadios had given prior instructions.
The palace gates slowly opened, and under the guidance of the kingdom's soldiers, Raizel soon met Arcadios at the observation deck.
Arcadios recognized Raizel and nodded, getting straight to the point. "Is there something you need from me?"
Raizel also cut to the chase. "Does the Fiore Kingdom have something called the Eclipse Project?"
Raizel stared intently at Arcadios's expression, aiming to catch him off guard.
If Arcadios truly had the Eclipse Project running, hearing such news suddenly would inevitably cause a change in expression.
But Raizel could only see confusion in his eyes, with no trace of surprise.
Raizel decided to add something more impactful. "Open the Eclipse Gate, travel back four hundred years into the past, and defeat the Black Dragon Acnologia and the Black Wizard Zeref."
Arcadios furrowed his thick brows, his eyes narrowing sharply like an eagle's as he fixed them intently on Raizel.
"How do you know about the Eclipse Gate? What do you intend to do with it?" Arcadios knew the Eclipse Gate had already been opened once, but His Majesty the King had been tight-lipped about it, and he didn't know the specifics of how it was opened.
"Do you remember the five differently colored meteors on the night of July 7th, X777?" Raizel asked, correcting the date.
"You were in Crocus at that time too? Of course I remember. The night sky was strange that day, and Her Highness Princess Hisui and I were also watching from the observation deck."
So much time had passed that if he had mentioned just any random date, Arcadios might have long forgotten.
But when it came to the five differently colored meteors, Arcadios had a vivid memory, because those five streaks couldn't exactly be called meteors—they flew upward from below.
Coupled with the peculiar night sky that day, it was hard to forget.
"I was there too. That was the day the Eclipse Gate was opened. If you want to know the details, you can ask the King," Raizel stated.
"The Black Dragon Acnologia you mentioned—is it the Black Dragon from the Apocalypse?"
"Exactly."
"Hasn't it been gone for a long time?"
"..."
Arcadios's question left Raizel at a loss for words.
It was only then that Raizel remembered Acnologia hadn't attacked Tenrou Island at all in this timeline, let alone appeared within the borders of the Fiore Kingdom.
Since it hadn't appeared or attacked the Fiore Kingdom, why would anyone go out of their way to fight it for no reason?
According to Mavis, Zeref encountered the Black Dragon's attack on his way back, but Raizel hadn't seen any reports or news about it.
Either the Council had suppressed the information, or the location was too remote, so no one knew that the Black Dragon from the Apocalypse had reappeared in people's sight, let alone anything about using the Eclipse Gate to eliminate it.
Without the Eclipse Project's original intent, the two alternate futures caused by it wouldn't exist.
Characters like Future Rogue and Future Lucy most likely wouldn't appear here.
This was a case of overthinking things.
As for Zeref, everyone indeed knew about him, but information about Zeref was limited to the Council and some powerful kingdoms, as the Council needed the armies of these powerful nations to assist in the search.
"Then, do you have any special purpose for hosting the Grand Magic Games?" Raizel asked.
Arcadios slowly shook his head. "No. If I had to say, it's simply because His Majesty wants to watch it. Moreover, the Grand Magic Games can increase the kingdom's revenue, so why not do it?"
Since Magnolia built the Fiore Garden Square and hosted the Harvest Festival battles, along with regularly hosting concerts, plays, and various other events, Magnolia's tax revenue had skyrocketed, nearly catching up to the capital, Crocus.
"But the Eclipse Gate is absorbing the magical power of the participants in the Grand Magic Games."
Arcadios's expression suddenly changed.
"What? Are you sure you aren't joking?"
"No."
"Come with me to see His Majesty now!"
Seeing that Raizel's expression didn't seem feigned, Arcadios finished speaking and hurriedly strode toward the inner hall.
It wasn't very late yet, and King Toma was still handling official duties.
As two of Toma's most trusted ministers, Arcadios and Defense Minister Darton held high status—when Princess Hisui was young, Arcadios had also served as both her guard and teacher.
Under such circumstances, Arcadios enjoyed privileges such as not having to hasten his steps when entering court, not being announced by name when paying respects, and being allowed to wear his sword and shoes in the hall—treatments befitting a powerful minister.
However, he usually adhered strictly to propriety, waiting when he should wait and showing respect when it was due.
Normally, he would wait in the outer hall for an announcement before entering the inner hall.
But today, he had no time to wait.
Following the messenger who announced him, he arrived outside the inner hall.
"Your Majesty! Lord Arcadios and the Mage Raizel Bael from Fairy Tail await outside the hall!"