"Eden."
"It seems your magic worked out successfully in the end."
"All members of our Fairy Tail Guild managed to escape from Tenrou Island..."
"Although, admittedly, we've escaped quite far."
"So far, in fact, that we can't return for a short while."
Erza said these words, jumping down from the deck to stand in front of Eden, playfully teasing him.
"Erza, stop mocking me."
"I initially intended to teleport that black dragon away."
"Who knew he'd be immune to my magic?!"
Eden sighed helplessly as he spoke.
"Don't put it like that..."
"If it weren't for you, everyone would have perished on Tenrou Island long ago."
Erza comforted Eden gently.
Then, turning serious, she said, "In any case, our top priority now is to gather all our scattered guildmates from around the world."
"About that..."
Eden nodded lightly, paused briefly, then continued, "I've already found Natsu, Juvia, and Happy."
He quickly added the names of new members he intended to introduce to Erza, "Besides, I have a few new members here I'd like you to meet."
"They're my navigator Nami, and those who promised to join Fairy Tail in the near future: Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp."
Usopp immediately protested, "Huh? Did I ever say I was joining the wizard guild Fairy Tail?"
Buggy sarcastically remarked, "So, I don't even count as a Fairy Tail guild member, Eden? Really, thanks a lot!"
"Oh?!"
"Our Fairy Tail guild finally has new members joining?"
"That's wonderful."
Upon hearing Eden had successfully recruited new members, Erza was deeply touched.
Due to their guild's overly lively reputation, many prospective members had been scared away.
This past year...
Other than Gajeel the 'Iron Dragon,' who was poached from their old rival Phantom Lord, Juvia from the Four Elements, Wendy and Charle entrusted by the disbanded Cait Shelter, and Panther Lily left by Mystogan who departed to rule another world...
Fairy Tail hadn't had new members join for a long time.
Hmm, counting carefully, that's just three members and two cats.
Though not present, Lucy mentally remarked sarcastically, "So, they forgot about me again? Members who joined voluntarily aren't worth remembering, huh?"
"Oh, right."
"I've only heard your updates so far."
"Apart from Natsu, Juvia, and Happy you've found, I've gathered Gajeel, Cana, and Levy from the West Blue..."
"Currently, we've all joined the navy."
"Our ranks are Rear Admiral, Commodore, Commander, and Lieutenant Commander respectively."
After expressing her emotions, Erza reported their group's progress.
"In other words, aside from Gray, who we know is imprisoned in South Blue..."
"We're still missing Master, Gildarts, Laxus, the Thunder Legion, Wendy and Charle, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, and Lucy."
Eden pondered briefly before listing their scattered companions.
"However..."
"Master, Gildarts, Laxus, Mirajane, and the Thunder Legion don't really need us to worry, right?"
"Rather than worrying about their safety, perhaps we should be more concerned about those poor fools who accidentally provoke them."
"Especially Laxus and Mirajane—given their fiery tempers, they're likely to cause some globally shocking incidents."
Eden spoke lightly and casually.
"That makes sense."
Erza finally relaxed, visibly relieved.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Lucy thought desperately, "Could you at least worry about me a little?! I'm feeling extremely insecure!"
"Oh no!"
"We're in big trouble!"
On the other side, Fullbody, initially planning to regain his dignity upon Erza's arrival, was now sweating nervously...
He stared at Eden and Erza chatting nonchalantly at the restaurant entrance, his body trembling, face pale.
Good news: reinforcements arrived.
Bad news: reinforcements seemed to know the enemy.
Worse news: not only did the reinforcements know the enemy, they were actually allies.
"Keh heh\~"
Amid Fullbody's panic...
With a cold laugh, a man clad in a navy justice coat, around 1.9 meters tall, suddenly landed before the Baratie restaurant and confidently entered.
"Oh no, it's the navy?!"
Instantly, everyone inside, including Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Buggy, and Kuro, tensed up defensively.
Ignoring Luffy and others, the man approached Natsu, who was still busily devouring food, cuffed him with alloy handcuffs, and sneered, "Keh heh\~ Bounty of twenty million, the ruthless 'Fire Dragon' has been arrested."
"Huh?"
Natsu stared dumbly at the cuffs on his wrists.
The man continued aggressively, cuffing Juvia, Happy, and Nami in turn, declaring arrogantly, "Bounty fifteen million 'Rain Woman' Juvia, 'Vicious Cat' Happy, and an orange-haired woman without a bounty, you're all arrested! You're all headed for Impel Down!"
"Natsu, I've been caught!"
Happy cried tearfully toward Natsu.
"Why am I being arrested without even having a bounty?"
Nami asked, utterly baffled.
"Because you're comrades of Natsu and Eden."
"So just accompany them to hell!"
The punk-styled navy man coldly mocked Nami.
"Boom!"
But suddenly...
Natsu effortlessly melted his cuffs, lunged toward the punk-styled man, punching furiously and roaring, "Gajeel, what the hell are you doing? How am I supposed to eat if you restrain my hands?!"
"Is your biggest concern really about not being able to eat?!"
Onlookers finally erupted in disbelief.
"Bang!"
The outcome between Natsu and Gajeel was quickly decided.
Amid blazing flames...
Navy star Commodore 'Iron Dragon' Gajeel was blown away by Natsu's punch.
Gajeel's body flew like a metal cannonball straight outside.
At Baratie's entrance, Erza and Eden smoothly stepped aside, anticipating this outcome, allowing Gajeel's fiery figure to hurtle towards Mihawk, approaching slowly in his small boat.
"Hm?"
"Coming at me?"
Mihawk was momentarily startled, astonished that a mere whim to watch the show would lead to such a situation.
Thus, Mihawk finally drew his black sword.
The world's greatest swordsman finally took action.
~# Every 20 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter