Edolas, a desert not far from the capital.
A magic-powered four-wheeled vehicle sped through the barren land at a terrifying speed, kicking up clouds of dust behind it.
Suddenly, with a loud bang, the vehicle let out a sorrowful groan as black smoke rose from its hood, and it gradually rolled to a stop.
With a thud, the door swung open, and a beautiful white-haired girl stepped out with a slightly frustrated expression, gazing helplessly at the broken-down vehicle.
"Ah, it broke down. Hmm, I should've bought one with better quality."
The door of the back seat creaked open, and a trembling hand reached out.
Slowly, a silver-haired boy with a pale face crawled out, using the car for support as he struggled to steady his unsteady legs.
"…Thank the heavens, it finally stopped."
"Hm?" Mira tilted her head, looking at Noel with a puzzled expression.
"…Please don't act like you don't know anything, Mira. Other people need money to drive a car, but you—you need lives. That speed was way too much!"
Noel's eye twitched as he struggled to suppress the intense discomfort in his body, looking at Mira in disbelief.
"Ah? Was it? I thought it was quite normal?"
"…Mira, I'm deeply curious about what you consider not normal."
"Eh? But I heard that magic cars can break the sound barrier—is that not true?"
"…I don't even know what expression I should be making anymore."
"At times like this, just smile!"
..............
Near the Commercial District Plaza of Edolas Capital.
A massive magic crystal stood silently at the center of the plaza, surrounded by countless fully armed soldiers.
Outside the military perimeter, many civilians had gathered, whispering amongst themselves as they observed the crystal.
Beneath the magic crystal was an ornate, elevated platform.
At this moment, an elderly man with a crown on his head and graying hair and beard stood atop it.
Though aged, the man exuded vitality and carried an air of nobility.
Even those who had never seen him before could immediately recognize him as the King of Edolas.
However, the most eye-catching figure on the platform was not the King, but the young man standing beside him.
His golden hair cascaded down to his waist like a waterfall of gold, and his black armor radiated a murderous aura.
On his back, he carried a long sword wrapped in a bandage engraved with various runes.
Despite lacking extravagant embellishments, his entire presence emitted an icy, overwhelming force.
His handsome face bore a smirk that was both disdainful and arrogant—this was none other than Edolas Noel.
"So, this is the Edolas version of me?" Hidden within the crowd, wearing a white cloak with his hood pulled low to conceal his face, Noel gazed at the figure on the platform and murmured softly to himself.
Mira gently shook her head. "The feeling he gives off… it's completely different."
"Indeed." Noel nodded.
At this moment, he finally understood firsthand what Mystogan had meant when he said that Edolas Noel was his complete opposite.
If Noel was like an unpolished jade, radiating a gentle glow—impossible to ignore yet never overwhelming, drawing people in without them even realizing it—then Edolas Noel was a razor-sharp blade, stained with the blood of countless victims.
Just one glance at him was enough to send a chilling shiver down one's spine, making people instinctively want to flee.
"Noel, look..." Mira tugged at Noel's sleeve, signaling him to observe their surroundings.
Noel was momentarily stunned, then quickly noticed the unusual atmosphere.
The people around them were gazing at the massive magic crystal with expressions of deep emotion and joy.
Some were cheering, some were laughing, and some were even shedding tears of happiness—like drowning men who had finally found a lifeline.
Their expressions were almost... as if they had been saved.
"They must be reacting this way because they've regained magic," Mira said softly, her face carrying a complicated expression.
Edolas was a tragic world.
Here, magic was equivalent to energy, the foundation upon which society's daily life and industries operated.
And yet, despite their heavy reliance on magic, this world was now facing a crisis of magic depletion.
Just the sight of this single magic crystal had made the people erupt with such ecstatic celebration—it was both sorrowful and pitiful.
"In order to avoid suffering themselves, they hurt others. To escape the despair before them, they step willingly into an even deeper despair. This… is Edolas."
Noel lowered his head slightly, pulling his hood down a little more as he spoke in a quiet voice.
"They're afraid—afraid of losing what little they have. If they never take a step beyond this fear… then they will remain trapped, living in this half-dead state forever."
Mira silently nodded in agreement.
At that moment, the King of Edolas, who had been standing on the stage, spoke:
"Children of Edolas! Our sacred kingdom of Edolas has nurtured ten years' worth of magic through [Anima]! Sing together! Laugh together! Rejoice and share in this joy! Every citizen of Edolas has the right to partake in this magic! And only the people of Edolas—our sacred race—are worthy of stepping into the future! No one shall take magic from our hands! And I promise you this—we shall obtain even more magic, so much that this amount here will seem like worthless trash in comparison!"
With no hesitation, the King of Edolas extended his scepter and struck it against the massive magic crystal, causing a small crack to form.
Several tiny shards of magic crystal fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Mira's expression changed instantly, and she was about to rush forward when a hand suddenly reached out and gripped her shoulder.
She turned her head and saw Noel's determined face.
"Mira, stay calm," Noell said in a quiet voice.
"If we don't find Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel first, then taking the magic crystal now would be meaningless. Besides, the enemy's strength here is overwhelming. In a direct fight, we don't have a guaranteed chance of victory. We need to wait for the right moment."
"But..." Mira started to argue, only to suddenly pause.
She noticed that Noel's hand, the one gripping her shoulder, was trembling—trembling with anger.
"Right now, we have to endure…" Noel closed his eyes, as if convincing Mira, or perhaps convincing himself.
"This is indeed not the right time to act."
A sudden voice made both Noel and Mira freeze for a moment.
They turned toward the source of the voice, only to find that at some point, someone had appeared beside them—dressed in a cloak just like Noel, with a hood covering their face.
"You…?"
"It's me."
The newcomer reached up and pulled their hood back slightly, revealing a face with sharp, chiseled features.
"Gajeel?!" Noel and Mira gasped in unison.
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