"What are you talking about, sister Mira?"
Lisanna asked in a panic. "We actually saw everything from the beginning… You're not really our sister, right? But you're as kind as our Lisanna."
"We're willing to be your brother and sister," Elfman added with a smile. "But now, your real family is here. You should go back to them."
In the beginning, they couldn't accept the death of their own Lisanna. So when another Lisanna from a parallel world appeared, they had placed all their hopes and longing for their sister onto her. But over time, they had come to terms with the truth.
They had talked it through.
If this Lisanna wanted to stay, then she would be their sister.
If she ever wanted to leave, they'd be ready.
And now, that moment had arrived.
Though it still hurt to let go, they had experienced loss once—and they didn't want others to suffer the same pain.
"What… what are you talking about?" some of the surrounding Fairy Tail members asked in confusion.
"Let's go inside and talk," Lucy said, ushering Zed and the others into the guild. "Mira, Elfman—tell us what you know."
Back inside the guild, both Mirajanes—Edolas and Earthland—explained their respective experiences. After piecing their stories together, everyone finally understood the truth.
"So, the Lisanna on our side… died long ago. I can't believe it—there's another Fairy Tail out there," one of the members murmured in shock.
"I understand what happened," Lucy said. "But how did you all manage to cross into our world?"
"It's thanks to Mr. Zed," Mirajane said, clutching Lisanna's hand tightly, as if afraid she would vanish again. "He detected the existence of this parallel world and opened a portal between dimensions."
"What?! He opened a dimensional gate just like that?!" one member exclaimed.
While their own guild could only perform space transfer using advanced, energy-consuming magic devices, Zed had pierced the veil between worlds seemingly at will. That level of control stunned everyone.
"So that means… even if Lisanna returns, we can still visit each other in the future?" asked Edolas Mirajane, her eyes lighting up with hope.
"If I'm around, there's no problem," Zed replied. "I'm not yet proficient enough in this magic, but eventually, I should be able to establish a stable and permanent gateway."
"Speaking of which, where's the master of your guild?" Makarov asked. "I don't see him."
"Our guild master is Laxus," Lucy replied with a heavy sigh. "But… he died during one of the earlier Fairy Hunts."
That battle hadn't just claimed Laxus—it had taken the lives of many in the guild. A wound so deep, no one liked to speak of it.
"Laxus is dead?!"
Makarov's fury ignited instantly. Though this Laxus wasn't his blood relative, he was still Laxus. And the news of his death—along with the loss of many Fairy Tail members—hit him like a hammer.
A golden surge of overwhelming magic exploded from Makarov's body.
Makarov was one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and among them, he was second only to the Four Emperors of Ishgar. The eruption of his magic was suffocating.
"Master Makarov, please calm down," Zed said, noticing the people around them collapsing under the pressure. "These people can't endure your magic shockwave."
Makarov quickly came to his senses and retracted his aura. "Ah… forgive me. As the master of another Fairy Tail, I just couldn't accept it."
"No, it's okay," Lucy said, wiping cold sweat from her brow. "But your magic pressure just now… I've never felt anything like it, not even during the Fairy Hunts."
"I thought the sky was about to fall," someone else muttered. The sheer difference in magical power had left them all shaken.
"There's something wrong with this world," Makarov said gravely. "Can someone explain in detail what's going on here?"
Lucy gave a full account of the Edolas continent and its unique properties. No internal magic sources. Magic being drained. Anima.
"They're siphoning our magic?" Makarov was stunned. "If the Council finds out, it'll be catastrophic."
He could already imagine it. The Council had the capability to open a passage between worlds—and if they learned that an entire world was draining magic from Earthland, they would retaliate immediately.
Because for magicians, magic wasn't just power—it was life itself.
Unlike the people of Edolas, Earthland mages couldn't survive without their magic for long.
"We have to stop them," Earthland Mirajane said solemnly. "If they keep doing this, it could destroy your world."
"Is it really that serious?" Lucy asked in disbelief.
"Of course," Makarov replied. "Our bodies contain magic as a life source. If it's drained, we die. And if the Council finds out, they won't negotiate—they'll attack."
"I can sense it too," Zed said, narrowing his eyes. "A large amount of magic is gathering again."
"Right. It's not just magic that was stolen," he added.
Suddenly, Zed vanished—only to return a moment later with a massive crystal several meters tall.
"A Lacrima?! Where did you get this?" Lucy gasped.
"This was just stolen by the Edolas kingdom," Zed explained. "So I took the entire crystal from them."
"But… there's a soul inside it!" Rukia exclaimed, stepping forward.
"And life energy too!" Erina added. "This isn't a simple Lacrima—it's alive!"
"In Edolas, when magic is stolen from Earthland mages, their entire beings can be crystallized like this," Zed said grimly.
With a light tap, the Lacrima shattered and collapsed inward, revealing five unconscious individuals.
"They're from the Earth Tremor Guild," Makarov noted, recognizing their insignias.
Then came the sound of clattering objects.
Everyone turned. It was the magic devices Fairy Tail had been using—dropping from the tables and shelves.
"Wait… you mean… these devices we've been using…" Lucy's face paled.
"They're powered by those Lacrima?" someone asked, trembling.
"We've been burning human lives…?"
The realization crushed them. Every spell they'd cast could have cost someone else their life.
"You didn't know," Makarov said quietly. "It's not your fault."
"But now that we do know," he continued, "we must act. These devices must be destroyed."
He clenched his fist. "They're not just stealing magic—they're harvesting lives."
"No wonder so many magicians have gone missing recently," he muttered. "We thought it was dark guild activity. But they were being pulled into Edolas… turned into fuel."
"This is no longer a simple conflict. The gap between worlds is bleeding into war."
"Leave this to me," Zed said. "We need to finish this quickly. I still have other realms to visit."
Makarov glanced at Mirajane, who nodded.
"If Mr. Zed is willing, then we can trust him."
"Alright. Then I leave it to you."
Zed turned toward the window, eyes narrowing.
"Before that… we have guests."
From the skies, a group of figures riding strange flying beasts approached rapidly.
"The Fairy Hunters! Levy, get ready to evacuate!" Lucy cried.
"There's no need."
Zed stepped forward, opening the doors.
And then…
A massive demon shadow loomed behind him.
The moment Zed unleashed his Soul Power, pressure swept out in every direction. The approaching Demon Unit fell from the skies, many dying on impact. Those who survived were paralyzed, unable to move.
All the birds in the forest dropped from the air. The beasts lay unconscious.
His demonic pressure blanketed the entire forest.
"Is that… Erza? She's their enemy here?" Mirajane asked, stunned. "It fits. In a reversed world… Erza would follow the kingdom."
"It doesn't matter anymore," Makarov said grimly, eyes on the colossal phantom behind Zed. Though Zed's aura bypassed allies, the sheer sight of the demon sent a chill into Makarov's bones.
Not from magic—but instinct.
"Aha… I see it," Zed murmured, extending his senses. "The Anima core. That's the heart of this entire operation."
He locked onto its location.
"That distance won't be a problem."
He vanished—off to dismantle the core that had doomed so many.