Chapter XXXVI: Search For The Clock!
Mini-Natsu and the Book's Revelations
The Fairy Tail guild hall had returned to something approaching its usual chaotic energy, though the lingering damage from the Legion Corps assault served as a constant reminder of the threat they faced. Currently, that chaos centered around Natsu Dragneel, who stood at approximately six inches tall atop one of the guild's tables.
"I'm telling you, this is temporary!" Mini-Natsu insisted, his voice maintaining its usual volume despite his reduced size. "Dan Straight's magic will wear off eventually!"
Gray picked up the miniaturized dragon slayer between two fingers, examining him with exaggerated curiosity. "Hey Max, you should open your shop again. Mini-Natsu would be a bestseller. We could make a fortune!"
The guild erupted in laughter, with various members making suggestions about what they could do with a pocket-sized Salamander. Even Happy got in on the action, suggesting they could use Natsu as a Christmas tree ornament.
"Shut up, all of you!" Lucy's voice cut through the merriment with surprising authority. "We have actual important information to discuss!"
The laughter died down, though several guild members continued to snicker quietly. Lucy spread out her notes on the table, having spent the hours since the mansion incident compiling everything she remembered from "The Key to the Starry Heavens."
"The book tells the story of a girl who's promised happiness if she can gather six special keys," Lucy explained, her finger tracing connections on her hastily drawn map. "She searches various locations, collecting the keys one by one. But here's the important part—every location where she finds a key is modeled after a real place in Fiore."
"So the book is basically a treasure map disguised as a fairy tale," Levy observed, her research skills immediately grasping the significance.
"Exactly," Lucy confirmed. "The first key goes on a journey—it's described as traveling from a mountain peak down to the sea. The second is hidden in ancient ruins that match the description of the archaeological site near Clover. The third..."
She continued listing locations, each one corresponding to places they could actually travel to. The final key in the story was found in a church, though Lucy was careful to note it wasn't specifically Kardia Cathedral despite the architectural similarities.
"If the clock parts are hidden in the same locations as these keys," Erza said, her tactical mind already formulating search strategies, "then we can get ahead of the Legion Corps by reaching them first."
"Which means we need to split into teams and search all these locations simultaneously," Makarov decided. "The Legion Corps has multiple members, but so do we. And we have the advantage of knowing where to look before they do."
Team Assignments and Objectives
The guild master began organizing search parties, carefully balancing each team's abilities with the challenges they might face. The Clive family, as the guild's most powerful combat specialists, would be distributed strategically to handle any Legion Corps interference.
"Kizuna and Mirajane," Makarov announced, "you'll take the northern ruins. The terrain there is unstable, and we need your combined strength in case of structural collapse."
Kizuna nodded, his arm automatically moving around Mirajane's shoulders. The physical contact helped center him, kept the overwhelming power of his legendary Super Saiyan heritage from pushing too hard against his control. Without Mira's grounding presence, training sessions had a tendency to become destructive in ways that went beyond normal Saiyan power levels.
"We'll be careful," Mirajane assured, her Satan Soul transformation giving her both the power and the demonic resilience to survive if Kizuna's control slipped during combat.
"Gine and Laxus," Makarov continued, "the eastern cathedral. If the Legion Corps shows up there, your combined power should be enough to hold them off until reinforcements arrive."
Gine's expression showed the same fierce determination that made her the emotional heart of her family. "They're not getting another clock part. Not if I have anything to say about it."
Laxus's hand found hers, lightning crackling softly between their interlaced fingers. "We'll handle it," he said simply, but the confidence in his voice suggested he considered failure impossible when fighting alongside her.
"Cumber and Wendy," Makarov said, his voice gentler for the youngest members of the assignment list, "you'll investigate the mountain temple. It's remote and likely to be one of the safer locations, but we need Wendy's healing abilities available in case any team encounters trouble, and Cumber's power will keep her protected."
Wendy's face flushed slightly at being paired with Cumber, her nervousness evident in the way she fidgeted with her hands. They had spent more time together since Tenrou Island, but she still felt uncertain about the connection developing between them.
"I'll protect her," Cumber said quietly, his characteristic economy of words somehow conveying absolute commitment. "No one will get past me to reach Wendy."
The simple declaration made Wendy's flush deepen, though she managed a small smile. "And I'll make sure you don't overextend yourself. Your combination of ki and crash magic is powerful, but it puts strain on your body that you don't always notice."
"Uruk," Makarov continued, "you'll coordinate information between all teams. Your analytical abilities make you our best tactical coordinator. I want real-time updates on each team's progress and any patterns you notice in the Legion Corps' movements."
"Understood," Uruk replied, already mentally organizing communication schedules and data collection protocols. "I'll establish relay points using Warren's telepathy as a backup to magical communication devices. If any team encounters interference with standard communications, we'll have redundancy built in."
"Teilanne and I will remain at the guild," Gildarts announced, speaking for himself and his wife. "If the Legion Corps tries another direct assault on Fairy Tail, they need to understand that attacking our home base means dealing with both of us."
Teilanne's expression made it clear that any such assault would be... inadvisable. "Besides," she added, "someone needs to coordinate the defensive perimeter and prepare for potential casualties. I have more experience with battlefield command than I'd like to admit."
Panther Lily's Mountain Expedition
In the mountains northeast of Magnolia, Panther Lily led an expedition consisting of Levy, Jet, and Droy. The Exceed had transformed into his battle form, his imposing warrior physique making him an odd contrast to the academic nature of his companions.
"Lily," Levy called out, consulting her map with increasing concern, "we're going the wrong direction. The temple ruins should be to the east, not north!"
"The temple can wait," Panther Lily replied, his voice carrying the determination of someone on a personal mission. "First, we're finding reinforcements."
Droy collapsed dramatically against a tree, his breathing labored from the steep mountain climb. "I'm dying," he gasped. "Jet, tell my family... tell them I loved them..."
"You're not dying, you're just out of shape," Jet replied, though he looked at Panther Lily with growing concern. "Lily, seriously, where are we going? Droy's not going to make it much further at this pace."
"We're looking for someone strong enough to handle whatever the Legion Corps throws at us," Panther Lily explained. "Someone who's been avoiding the guild since his embarrassing retreat from the Laxus fight."
Understanding dawned on Levy's face. "You're looking for Gajeel."
They found him at a waterfall, standing beneath the cascading water in what appeared to be some form of meditation or endurance training. His iron dragon slayer magic had created a metallic sheen across his skin, making him look like a statue as the water pounded down on his head.
"Gajeel!" Levy called out. "What are you doing?"
"Training," Gajeel grunted, not opening his eyes. "Now shut up and go away."
As if to emphasize his point, a bolt of lightning struck down from the clear sky, hitting Gajeel directly. The iron dragon slayer absorbed the electricity through his metallic skin, his body glowing briefly before returning to normal.
"He's training to be struck by lightning?!" Droy exclaimed in disbelief.
"Iron conducts electricity," Levy explained, her scholarly mind understanding the principle even if the execution seemed insane. "He's conditioning his body to handle electrical attacks, probably because he got jealous of Natsu's ability to eat fire and Laxus's lightning magic."
"I can hear you, bookworm," Gajeel growled. "And I'm not jealous. I'm improving. There's a difference."
Panther Lily, without preamble, walked into the waterfall and took up a position beside his partner. "Then I'll improve alongside you. We have a mission, but we have time to train first."
"Lily, no!" Levy protested. "We're supposed to be searching for clock parts, not training under waterfalls!"
But the Exceed had already adopted a meditation pose, determined to prove his worth alongside the dragon slayer he'd once followed into battle. Jet and Droy looked at each other, then at Levy, silently communicating that they had somehow gotten sidetracked from the entire mission.
Gray, Juvia, and Lyon's Uncomfortable Triangle
In a forest to the south, Gray Fullbuster was beginning to question every decision that had led him to this moment. He walked through the trees alongside Juvia, whose water magic created small hearts in the air around them as she daydreamed about their future together.
"Gray-sama and Juvia, alone in the forest," she murmured dreamily. "Perhaps we'll encounter danger and Gray-sama will protect Juvia with his strong arms. Then, overwhelmed by emotion, he'll confess his love, and we'll be married beneath these very trees..."
"Why did I get paired with her?" Gray muttered to himself, desperately wishing he'd volunteered for literally any other search team.
"Because fate has brought us together!" Juvia declared, apparently deciding that Gray's rhetorical question required enthusiastic response. "It's destiny, Gray-sama! The universe itself conspires to unite us!"
Before Gray could formulate a response that wouldn't either encourage her delusions or devastate her feelings, a familiar voice called out from behind them.
"Gray! My friend, my rival! How fortuitous to encounter you on this journey!"
Lyon Vastia emerged from the trees with his characteristic dramatic flair, his ice magic creating small crystalline formations in his wake.
Gray's eye twitched. "Lyon. Why are you here?"
"I heard through Lamia Scale's communication network that Fairy Tail was searching for powerful artifacts," Lyon explained, falling into step beside them. "Naturally, I couldn't allow you to face such danger alone. What kind of rival would I be if I didn't ensure your safety?"
"The kind that stays at his own guild and minds his own business?" Gray suggested hopefully.
Juvia's water magic had taken on a darker tone, storm clouds literally forming above her head as she processed this intrusion on her romantic fantasy. "Lyon-sama is interfering with Juvia's time with Gray-sama," she said, her voice carrying ominous undertones.
"Nonsense!" Lyon replied cheerfully, completely oblivious to the brewing storm. "Three is far better than two! We can protect each other and compete to see who finds the clock part first! It will be a grand adventure!"
Gray's irritation was reaching critical levels. "Lyon, seriously, why are you really here? You didn't just happen to be in the same forest as us."
Lyon's expression shifted slightly, some of his theatrical manner fading. "In truth, I'm worried about you both. The Legion Corps attacked Fairy Tail directly and succeeded in stealing an artifact. That kind of organized assault suggests they're far more dangerous than typical dark guilds. I didn't want either of you facing them without backup."
The admission surprised Gray, though he tried not to show it. Lyon's rivalry had always carried undertones of genuine concern, even when expressed through competition and dramatic gestures.
"Besides," Lyon added, his usual flair returning, "I heard rumors that Juvia might be in danger, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to protect such a beautiful water goddess!"
And just like that, the moment of sincerity evaporated, replaced by Lyon's renewed pursuit of Juvia's affections. Gray's irritation returned full force.
"We're going to find this clock part, avoid the Legion Corps, and get back to our respective guilds," Gray said firmly. "No romantic declarations, no love triangles, and absolutely no competitions over who can be more dramatic. Clear?"
Neither Lyon nor Juvia appeared to be listening, both already lost in their own fantasies about how the mission might develop.
Gray sighed deeply, creating an ice path ahead of them just to have something constructive to do with his frustration. This was going to be a very long search mission.
Natsu's Ship Voyage
On a passenger ship cutting through the waters toward the coastal ruins, Natsu Dragneel experienced his usual transportation-induced misery. Even at his reduced size, motion sickness affected him with full force, leaving him curled up in Lucy's palm looking distinctly green.
"Why... does every mission... involve boats?" Mini-Natsu groaned between waves of nausea.
"Because not every location is accessible by land," Lucy replied patiently, having long since grown accustomed to Natsu's transportation troubles.
Happy floated nearby, his wings beating lazily as he surveyed their group. "I'm just saying, we don't exactly have a lot of combat power right now. Natsu's the size of a action figure, Romeo's still learning advanced techniques, and Lucy's spirits can only stay summoned for limited time. I'm basically the muscle of this operation."
"You're a cat," Romeo pointed out.
"A strong cat!" Happy insisted. "I can carry both Natsu and Lucy at the same time! That's like... double strength!"
"I can use magic too," Romeo said defensively, small flames appearing around his fingers. "I've been training with Totomaru. My fire magic is way more controlled than it used to be."
"Fire magic that Natsu learned from Igneel is still better," Happy replied, though his tone suggested he was mostly trying to provoke a response.
Their bickering was interrupted by four elderly men approaching from the ship's lower deck. They wore the robes and insignia of the Archaeological Society, their weathered faces carrying the knowledge of decades spent studying ancient ruins and historical mysteries.
"Excuse me," the lead archaeologist said politely, "but are you perhaps members of the Fairy Tail guild?"
Lucy's expression immediately became guarded. "Maybe. Why do you ask?"
"We couldn't help but overhear discussions about clock parts and ancient artifacts," another archaeologist explained. "We have dedicated our lives to studying such objects, and we feel compelled to warn you about the dangers of pursuing them."
Michelle, who had been quietly observing the conversation, leaned closer to Lucy. "How do they know what we're looking for? Do you think there's a spy in the guild? I doubt the Zentopia Church would allow information about the clock parts to leak out."
"Everyone knows," the third archaeologist said, apparently having overheard Michelle's whispered concern. "The attacks on churches across Fiore, the raid on your guild hall, the incident at the Heartfilia mansion—such events don't remain secret. The magical community is abuzz with speculation about these mysterious clock parts."
Lucy relaxed slightly, though she remained cautious. "What dangers are you warning us about?"
The lead archaeologist pulled out a worn copy of "The Key to the Starry Heavens," its pages marked with numerous annotations and research notes. "This book isn't just a fairy tale. It's a coded warning passed down through generations of archaeologists and historians. The locations described correspond to sites of immense magical and historical significance."
"I figured that out when I was little," Lucy replied, unable to keep a note of pride from her voice. "The church, the mountain temple, the coastal ruins—they're all real places modeled after locations important to Fiore's magical history."
"But did you understand why they were important?" the fourth archaeologist pressed. "These sites aren't just historically significant—they're convergence points where magical energy naturally accumulates. Hiding pieces of a powerful artifact in such locations isn't just about obscurity. It's about using ambient magical energy to keep the pieces dormant."
"You mean assembling the clock parts in those locations could activate something?" Romeo asked, his tactical training from Totomaru making him grasp the implications quickly.
"We mean that removing them could activate something," the lead archaeologist corrected grimly. "Each piece serves as both component and seal. Taking them from their hiding places may be exactly what whoever wants to assemble this clock is counting on."
The group fell silent, processing this new information. Lucy felt her determination waver slightly—what if pursuing the clock parts was actually helping the Legion Corps rather than hindering them?
"But we have to find them," she said finally, her voice carrying new resolve. "The Legion Corps already has one piece. If we don't collect the others, they will. At least if we have them, we can make sure they're never assembled. We can find new hiding places, better protections, anything to prevent whatever catastrophe might happen if that clock is completed."
The archaeologists looked at each other, silent communication passing between them. Whatever they saw in Lucy's expression—her determination, her guilt over losing the first piece, her commitment to protecting her guild family—seemed to move them.
"Your passion is admirable," the lead archaeologist said softly. "Very well. If you're committed to this path, then we'll help however we can."
A sudden gust of wind swept across the ship's deck, strong enough to lift Mini-Natsu right out of Lucy's palm. The tiny dragon slayer tumbled through the air with a yelp of surprise, heading directly toward the ship's railing and the ocean beyond.
"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, reaching out futilely as her friend sailed past her grasp.
All four archaeologists moved as one, their aged bodies displaying surprising agility as they dove toward the railing. The lead archaeologist caught Mini-Natsu just before he would have cleared the ship's edge, while his companions formed a human chain to keep him from being pulled overboard by momentum.
But something happened during the rescue. As the archaeologists' hands made contact with Natsu, magical energy flowed between them—not attack magic or healing spells, but something older and more fundamental. The shrinking effect from Dan's Sacred Spear unraveled under this contact, and within seconds, Natsu had returned to his full size.
The sudden change in mass sent all five of them tumbling backward onto the deck in a heap of robes, pink hair, and surprised exclamations. When they finally untangled themselves, Natsu stood at his normal height, looking down at his hands in amazement.
"I'm big again!" he exclaimed. "How did you do that?"
"Ancient archaeological techniques," the lead archaeologist replied cryptically, though his smile suggested the explanation was far more complex than he was letting on. "Your friend's speech inspired us. We decided the least we could do was restore you to fighting condition before you face whatever dangers await at your destination."
Lucy helped the elderly men to their feet, her gratitude evident. "Thank you. Really, thank you so much."
"Think nothing of it," the fourth archaeologist said, brushing off his robes. "Just promise us you'll be careful. These clock parts represent more than historical artifacts. They're pieces of something that could change the nature of time itself."
As the ship approached the coastal ruins, the Archaeological Society waved goodbye, their parting words carrying both blessing and warning.
"They seemed nice," Happy observed.
"They seemed knowledgeable," Lucy corrected. "And worried. Whatever we're getting involved with, it's bigger than just stopping a dark guild from collecting powerful artifacts."
Natsu cracked his knuckles, fully restored to his normal size and energy. "Then we better make sure we're the ones who collect them all first. Fire beats everything, including evil clocks!"
Romeo sighed at Natsu's simplistic battle philosophy, but couldn't help smiling. Sometimes, straightforward determination was exactly what complicated situations needed.
Erza's Interrupted Picnic
On a serene grassland that could have been pulled from a painting, Erza Scarlet had set up an elaborate picnic. Blankets were spread across the grass, food was arranged with military precision, and she had even brought flowers to create a aesthetic centerpiece.
"Isn't this perfect?" Erza asked, her voice carrying uncharacteristic softness. "My first real picnic!"
Wendy, Carla, and Cana stood nearby, each displaying varying degrees of bewilderment at this development. They had been assigned to search the western plains for a clock part, not to stop for outdoor dining.
"Erza," Wendy said gently, "we're kind of supposed to be on a mission..."
"Missions require proper nutrition!" Erza declared, gesturing to the spread of food she had somehow packed despite claiming to be prepared for combat. "Besides, when was the last time any of us took a moment to appreciate the beauty around us? Life shouldn't be constant fighting and searching!"
"She makes a good point," Cana admitted, eyeing the selection of food with interest. "And I could use a drink."
Carla's whiskers twitched with annoyance. "We're not here for a vacation. The Legion Corps could be searching these same locations right now!"
But Erza had already begun serving portions, her expression so genuinely happy about the experience that arguing felt almost cruel. This was someone who had spent most of her life either enslaved or fighting—a simple picnic represented normalcy she'd rarely experienced.
The peaceful moment was shattered by a group of bandits emerging from nearby trees, their leader wearing a sneer that suggested he'd interrupted many peaceful activities for profit.
"Hold it right there!" the bandit leader announced. "This is our territory! You want to have a picnic here, you need to pay the toll!"
Erza stood slowly, her expression shifting from peaceful contentment to barely controlled fury. "You're interrupting my first picnic."
The bandits apparently didn't recognize the danger signs. They advanced on the food spread, with several beginning to help themselves to Erza's carefully prepared meal.
"Hey, this is pretty good!" one bandit said through a mouthful of sandwich. "The toll just went up—we're taking all of this!"
Erza requipped into her Lightning Empress Armor, electricity crackling around her in patterns that spoke to barely restrained violence.
"You just made," Erza said, her voice deadly calm, "a very serious mistake."
What followed could only be described as excessive. Lightning bolts struck with pinpoint precision, sending bandits flying in various directions. Erza's sword moved in patterns too fast for the eye to follow, each strike calculated to inflict maximum pain while avoiding permanent injury. The grassland became a battlefield, with the one-sided combat resembling a natural disaster more than a fight.
"Is she going too far?" Cana asked, watching as another bandit sailed through the air with a lightning-induced trajectory.
"Probably," Wendy admitted, "but they did ruin her first picnic. I'd be pretty upset too."
When the dust settled, the bandits lay scattered across the grassland in various states of defeated consciousness. Erza stood amid the wreckage of her peaceful afternoon, her armor still crackling with residual electricity.
"I didn't even get to try the strawberry cake," she said mournfully.
The Ruins Investigation
Gray, Juvia, and Lyon had finally reached the ancient ruins marked in "The Key to the Starry Heavens" as one of the key locations. The structure rose from the forest floor like something from a forgotten age—stone pillars carved with symbols that predated modern magical notation, archways that seemed to bend space in ways architecture shouldn't allow.
"Okay," Gray said, surveying the massive complex, "how exactly are we supposed to search all of this? The place is huge!"
Lyon created an ice bird that flew around the perimeter, mapping the layout from above. "We divide the area into sections and search systematically. Anything that resembles a hidden chamber or sealed vault should be investigated thoroughly."
Juvia's water magic spread across the ground like a searching tide, detecting hollows and voids beneath the surface. "Juvia senses several underground chambers connected to the main structure. The clock part could be hidden in any of them."
They began their search, each using their magic to probe for hidden mechanisms or concealed spaces. The ruins seemed to resist investigation, as if the stones themselves remembered their purpose as a hiding place and refused to yield their secrets easily.
What none of them noticed was the figure watching from the ruins' highest point—Earth Land Coco, her enhanced speed having allowed her to reach this location ahead of Fairy Tail's search teams. She observed their methodical investigation with conflicted expression, remembering Uruk's words about her subconscious resistance to causing unnecessary harm.
The Legion Corps had known Fairy Tail would come here. The question was whether she should engage them, alert her commander, or—
Her communication device crackled to life with Samuel's voice. "All units, converge on your assigned locations. The time to collect the remaining clock parts has come. Use whatever force is necessary to complete the mission."
Coco's hand moved to acknowledge the order, but she hesitated, watching as Gray created an ice platform to reach a high ledge where Juvia detected a hollow space. They were just mages trying to stop something they believed was dangerous. Did that make them enemies worth fighting?
But orders were orders, and the consequences of disobedience in the Legion Corps were severe. She activated her bio-magical enhancements and prepared to intercept them, pushing her doubts aside even as they continued to nag at her conscience.
The race for the clock parts had entered its decisive phase, and across Fiore, Fairy Tail teams were about to discover just how prepared the Legion Corps had been for this moment.
The Temple Trials and Unlikely Confrontations
The Desert Discovery
The desert stretched endlessly in all directions, heat waves distorting the horizon until reality itself seemed uncertain. Lucy's search party trudged through the sand, each step requiring effort as the dunes shifted beneath their feet.
"Are we sure this is the right location?" Michelle asked, shielding her eyes against the sun's glare. "The book mentioned ruins, but all I see is sand."
"The book was written hundreds of years ago," Lucy replied, consulting her notes again. "Structures get buried, landscapes change. If the clock part is here, it might be completely underground by now."
Natsu, fully restored to his normal size thanks to the Archaeological Society, scanned the desert with his dragon slayer senses. "I'm not picking up any magical signatures, but something feels weird about this place. Like the sand itself is hiding something."
"There!" Romeo called out, pointing to something gleaming in a nearby dune. "I see metal!"
The group rushed to where Romeo indicated, digging away sand to reveal a strange device—part mechanical, part magical, its surface covered in symbols that predated modern magical notation. It stood like a monument in the wasteland, clearly designed to be both entrance and guardian.
"This has to be it," Lucy said, examining the device's construction. "Look at these markings—they match the architectural style described in 'The Key to the Starry Heavens.'"
Happy floated around the device, poking at various components with his paw. "How do we make it work? There's no handle or button or anything!"
Romeo's sharp eyes spotted something the others had missed—a small keyhole at the device's center, barely visible among the decorative patterns. "There. We need a key."
"Or someone who can pick locks," Lucy said with a slight smile, summoning Cancer through her celestial magic.
The crab-like spirit appeared with his characteristic enthusiasm. "Time for a haircut, baby? Or maybe—" He noticed the keyhole and his scissors gleamed. "Ah, lock-picking duty! Haven't done this in a while!"
Cancer's scissors worked with surprising delicacy, probing the mechanism's internal structure. After several minutes of careful manipulation, something clicked. The device began to glow, magical circles appearing around its base as ancient enchantments activated.
"That's not good," Natsu observed as the ground beneath them started to shake.
The device opened like a flower, revealing a swirling vortex of sand and magic. Before anyone could react, the vortex's pull became irresistible, dragging all five of them down into the earth itself. Their screams echoed as they fell through layers of compressed sand and ancient stone, tumbling into darkness.
Gray's Temple Encounter
Meanwhile, at the rocky temple in the eastern mountains, Gray's team stood before an imposing entrance carved into the cliff face. The architecture spoke to an age when magic and engineering were inseparable, when buildings were designed as much to channel power as to provide shelter.
"The Zentopia mark," Juvia observed, pointing to the religious symbol carved above the doorway. "This temple must have been important to the church at some point in history."
"Or it was built by whatever organization came before Zentopia," Lyon suggested, his ice magic creating small crystalline formations as he probed the entrance for traps. "Religious institutions have a habit of claiming older sites as their own."
Before they could investigate further, the stone above the doorway began to shift. A massive golem pulled itself free from the cliff face, its body composed of the same rock as the temple itself. The construct positioned itself directly in front of the entrance, its eyeless face somehow conveying hostile intent.
"A guardian," Gray said, ice magic already manifesting around his hands. "Classic temple defense mechanism."
He and Lyon launched simultaneous attacks—Gray's ice and Lyon's own freezing magic converging on the golem from different angles. But their spells simply slid off the construct's surface without effect, as if the rock itself was immune to magical influence.
"It's not working!" Lyon exclaimed, dodging a massive stone fist that cratered the ground where he'd been standing.
"Physical attacks then!" Gray created ice weapons, but they shattered against the golem's hide without leaving so much as a scratch.
Juvia observed the battle with her characteristic careful attention, her water magic flowing around the construct as she searched for vulnerabilities. There—a faint glow in what might have been the golem's head, visible only when it moved in certain ways.
"The eye!" she called out, her water magic forming into a high-pressure lance. "Aim for its eye!"
Her attack struck true, piercing the glowing weak point with precision that spoke to countless hours of training. The golem froze mid-swing, its stone body going rigid before crumbling into rubble that blocked the entrance until Gray and Lyon could clear it away.
"Brilliant, Juvia!" Lyon declared, his admiration evident. "Your tactical awareness is matched only by your beauty!"
Juvia's face flushed with pleasure at the praise, her water magic creating small hearts in the air around her.
"Can you two focus?" Gray snapped, already moving toward the now-accessible entrance. "We're here to find a clock part, not to have a love fest."
The temple's interior was vast and disorienting. Zentopia's symbol dominated one wall, but something about it seemed wrong—the geometric proportions were slightly off, as if viewed from an incorrect angle. More concerning were the massive floating blocks that filled the space, each one marked with orange arrows indicating different directions.
"Don't touch anything," Gray warned, his experience with ancient traps making him cautious. "These blocks are probably part of some mechanism we need to figure out."
Lyon, of course, immediately touched one of the blocks with his ice magic. The block lurched into motion, following the direction indicated by its arrow before stopping in a new position.
"Fascinating!" Lyon exclaimed. "They're magically reactive puzzle pieces!"
"And you just activated them without checking for traps first," Gray said flatly.
While Lyon experimented with moving blocks and Juvia watched with rapt attention, Gray studied the malformed Zentopia symbol above them. The pattern was definitely wrong—rotated or shifted from its proper configuration. And around the symbol, he could see square indentations matching the blocks' dimensions.
"Stop playing with the blocks," Gray commanded. "We need to use them to fix that symbol."
Working together—with only occasional breaks for Lyon to make romantic declarations toward Juvia and Gray to tell them both to focus—they maneuvered four blocks into the indentations around the Zentopia symbol. The moment the final block locked into place, the symbol rotated into its correct orientation and began to glow with intense light.
"Teleportation magic!" Gray realized, but too late to avoid it.
The light consumed all three of them, reality bending as they were transported to somewhere deeper within the temple's mystical architecture.
Lucy's Trap Gauntlet
Lucy's group groaned as they regained consciousness at the bottom of the sand-filled pit. Above them, the device that had swallowed them had sealed itself, cutting off their exit route and plunging them into near darkness broken only by faintly glowing crystals embedded in the stone walls.
"Everyone okay?" Lucy called out, taking quick inventory of her team.
"Define 'okay,'" Natsu muttered, shaking sand from his hair. "We just got eaten by a magic door and dropped into a pit."
"At least we're all still together," Michelle observed, though her voice carried undertones of concern.
A massive stone door blocked their path forward, its surface covered in more ancient symbols. Romeo approached it cautiously, examining the inscriptions for any hint about how to proceed.
"Open sesame?" Natsu tried, addressing the door directly.
Nothing happened.
"Please open?" Happy suggested.
Still nothing.
"Maybe it requires a password in ancient Potamelian," Lucy speculated, trying to remember the linguistic patterns from her research.
Romeo, showing the kind of polite consideration his father had raised him with, simply said: "Excuse me, door, could you please open for us? We need to get through."
The door swung open immediately, as if it had been waiting for basic courtesy this entire time.
"...Of course," Gray would have said if he'd been there. "Ancient magical defenses programmed to respond to good manners."
The chamber beyond was dominated by a central statue, its stone face weathered by time but still recognizable as representing one of the old gods worshipped before Zentopia's rise to religious dominance. Lucy's adventurous spirit immediately took over.
"In adventure stories, statues in secret chambers always have hidden mechanisms!" she announced, grabbing the statue and rotating it clockwise.
The walls exploded open, revealing massive stone columns and additional statues that began moving inward on hidden tracks, clearly designed to crush anyone foolish enough to trigger them. The group scattered, desperately looking for any space that might offer protection.
"The mouths!" Romeo shouted, pointing to the open mouths of the mobile statues. "We can climb inside!"
It was deeply undignified—scrambling into stone mouths and crawling through ancient nasal passages designed for some long-forgotten drainage purpose—but it saved their lives as the crushing trap activated fully. They emerged from the statues' nostrils just as the columns would have reduced them to paste.
"Maybe... don't touch... the statue again," Natsu gasped between breaths.
Lucy, however, had a different idea. "What if rotating it the other way turns off the trap?"
She spun the statue counterclockwise. The trap immediately reset and activated again, columns moving with grinding determination toward their positions.
"That didn't help!" Happy yelled, flying frantically to avoid being crushed.
Virgo chose that moment to summon herself, appearing in her maid outfit despite the chaos around them. "Princess, I detected you were in danger. How may I assist? Would you like punishment?"
"Dig!" Lucy commanded. "Down, straight down, as fast as you can!"
Virgo's earth magic carved through the stone floor like it was soft clay, creating a shaft that the entire group tumbled through moments before the crushing columns would have flattened them. They fell through darkness again, a recurring theme of this particular adventure.
The Labyrinth of Blocks
Gray, Lyon, and Juvia landed in a space that defied normal geometric logic. Massive floating blocks formed pathways that curved and twisted through three-dimensional space, their orange arrows suggesting movement patterns that required careful timing and spatial reasoning to navigate.
"This place is giving me a headache," Gray muttered, trying to orient himself in the disorienting environment.
"We use the blocks to create a path," Lyon suggested, already testing the mechanics. "Apply magic, they move according to their arrows. Simple enough."
They began building a bridge of sorts, moving blocks into configurations that allowed them to explore deeper into the magical labyrinth. The process required coordination and timing, with Juvia's water magic providing the most precise control for positioning blocks at tricky angles.
That's when Sugarboy appeared, his wooden microphone stick gleaming with stored magical energy. The Legion Corps member moved with practiced efficiency, his slime magic erupting from his body to engulf Lyon and Juvia before either could react.
"Gray Fullbuster," Sugarboy said with theatrical flair, "we meet again! Though I must say, seeing you in this mystical labyrinth makes my heart race with artistic appreciation!"
Gray barely dodged the slime attack aimed at him, recognizing the substance from their previous encounter at Fairy Tail. "Lyon, Juvia—don't struggle! The slime drains magic power faster if you resist!"
"How considerate of you to warn them," Sugarboy observed, "but I'm afraid they're quite immobilized. Now, shall we dance through this labyrinth for the prize that awaits?"
Gray realized the tactical situation—Sugarboy was between him and his trapped teammates, but they were on a circular track of floating blocks. If the blocks moved in a circuit...
"Fine," Gray said, beginning to run in the opposite direction from Sugarboy. "Let's dance."
His ice magic struck blocks as he passed, setting them into motion according to their directional arrows. Sugarboy did the same from his position, both mages racing around the circuit while simultaneously trying to use the blocks themselves as weapons against each other.
They met on the opposite side of the circuit, blocks converging from both directions. The final pieces slammed into place, completing the magical circuit that caused the entire labyrinth to glow with activation energy. In the center of the space, a pedestal rose from nowhere, and on it sat a gleaming clock hand—one of the pieces they'd been searching for.
"The prize!" Sugarboy declared. "How fitting that it appears at the moment of our destined confrontation!"
Gray stripped off his shirt with practiced ease, his ice magic manifesting more strongly around his bare skin. "That clock part isn't going anywhere near the Legion Corps."
"Your dedication to your mission makes my heart flutter!" Sugarboy replied, his slime magic forming protective barriers as he moved toward the pedestal.
They both lunged for the clock hand simultaneously, hands closing around it at the exact same moment. The artifact's magic activated immediately, recognizing contact and initiating its built-in teleportation protocol to return searchers to the temple's entrance.
Lyon, having finally used his ice magic to freeze and shatter Sugarboy's slime trap, grabbed Juvia and dove toward the teleportation field just as it engaged. All four of them—Gray, Sugarboy, Lyon, and Juvia—materialized back at the temple's original entrance in a tangle of limbs and competing magical auras.
"You're... still holding it," Sugarboy observed, looking down at where his hand touched Gray's, both clasped around the clock hand.
"Yeah, and I'm not letting go," Gray replied.
"How romantic!" Sugarboy's imagination clearly went somewhere Gray desperately wished it wouldn't. "Our hands touching, fighting over a prize, the destiny that binds us—"
Gray snatched the clock hand free with a burst of ice magic that numbed Sugarboy's fingers, then immediately passed it to Lyon before the Legion Corps member could recover. Lyon and Juvia launched a coordinated attack that knocked Sugarboy backward, giving them time to secure the artifact.
"This isn't over, Gray Fullbuster!" Sugarboy declared as he retreated, his slime magic allowing him to slide away through cracks in the temple floor. "You've stolen my heart along with that clock hand! I'll return for both!"
Gray's cringe was visible to everyone present. "Can we please never speak of this again?"
"Agreed," Lyon and Juvia said in unison, neither wanting to dwell on Sugarboy's romantic fantasies any more than necessary.
Lucy's Underground Encounter
Lucy's group landed in yet another chamber, this one resembling an ancient tomb complex. Stone sarcophagi lined the walls, their surfaces carved with warnings in languages that predated modern written word. The atmosphere was oppressive, heavy with the weight of centuries and the magic that had been used to seal whatever rested here.
"This place feels wrong," Lucy said quietly, her celestial magic reacting to the ambient energy with increasing unease.
Natsu, never one to be subtle or respectful of ancient mysteries, examined one of the sarcophagi that bore resemblance to Gray in its carved features. "This one looks like ice-for-brains!"
He punched it.
The tomb complex immediately activated ancient defenses—a massive boulder began rolling toward them from deeper in the chamber, picking up speed as gravity and magic propelled it forward.
"Run!" Michelle screamed, the group scattering as the boulder bore down on them.
They sprinted down the corridor, feet pounding against stone floors that hadn't been walked on in centuries. Ahead, a narrow bridge spanned a chasm whose bottom disappeared into darkness. Behind them, the boulder continued its inexorable approach.
They made it onto the bridge, but a grinding sound from the opposite direction announced a second boulder rolling toward them from that side. They were going to be crushed between two mobile walls of stone with nowhere to dodge.
"Jump!" Lucy commanded, grabbing Michelle and leaping off the bridge into the chasm below.
Natsu and Romeo used their fire magic to grab rocky protrusions as they fell, creating flames that adhered to stone and halted their descent. Lucy used her whip to catch a jutting rock formation, swinging herself and Michelle to a relatively stable position.
Happy, of course, simply flew.
"This is officially the worst treasure hunt ever," Natsu declared from his position clinging to the chasm wall.
"The clock hand has to be down there somewhere," Lucy reasoned, looking into the darkness below. "Every trap we've encountered has been guiding us deeper. Let's keep going."
They descended carefully, magic and climbing skill carrying them down into the depths of the ancient complex. The darkness gradually gave way to a faint luminescence from crystals embedded in the chasm walls, providing just enough light to navigate.
Finally, they reached the bottom—a vast underground cavern that had once been some kind of ceremonial chamber. At its center stood another pedestal, clearly designed to hold something important, though it was currently empty.
"Everyone feel that?" Lucy asked, her celestial magic detecting powerful presences approaching from multiple directions.
Two figures emerged from passages on opposite sides of the cavern. Dan Straight's armored form was unmistakable, his Sacred Shield already manifesting around him. Beside him walked Earth Land Coco, her bio-magical enhancements visible in the way she moved with inhuman grace.
"My radiant goddess!" Dan declared upon seeing Lucy. "Fate has brought us together again! Though I wish it were under more romantic circumstances than competing for ancient artifacts!"
But before any confrontation could fully develop, a third figure dropped into the cavern from an entrance high above—Uruk, his Saiyan physiology allowing him to survive falls that would incapacitate normal mages.
"Lucy, get back," Uruk commanded, his analytical gaze already assessing the situation. "I'll handle this."
His eyes focused specifically on Earth Land Coco, and something unspoken passed between them—recognition of their previous encounter, awareness of the conflict she carried, and the knowledge that neither of them truly wanted this fight.
"Uruk," Coco said quietly, her voice carrying none of the cold efficiency she'd displayed during the assault on Fairy Tail. "You should leave. Take your guild mates and go. This doesn't have to end in combat."
"You know I can't do that," Uruk replied, equally quiet. "The clock hand is here somewhere, and I can't let the Legion Corps take it."
"Then we have a problem," Coco said, but her combat stance was hesitant, her enhanced speed ready but not yet engaged.
Dan looked between his teammate and the Saiyan warrior with growing confusion. "Coco, why are you hesitating? Our orders are clear—"
"Your orders are clear," Uruk interrupted, his attention never leaving Coco. "But her conviction isn't. She doesn't want to fight because she's questioning whether the Legion Corps is actually preventing catastrophe or causing it."
"How can you possibly—" Coco began, but stopped, recognizing that Uruk's analytical abilities had identified something she'd been trying to hide even from herself.
"Because I observe," Uruk said simply. "Your micro-expressions during our last encounter, the way you've positioned yourself now—defensively rather than offensively—the fact that you warned us to leave before attacking. These aren't the actions of someone committed to her mission at any cost."
The cavern fell into tense silence, all parties aware they stood at a crossroads. Dan's romantic obsession with Lucy, Coco's internal conflict, Uruk's analytical assessment of the situation, and the clock hand they were all searching for—these elements would shape what came next.
And somewhere deeper in the cavern, ancient magic stirred, responding to the presence of so many searchers and the potential for violence that hung in the air like a physical presence.
To be continued in Chapter 37: The Trail of The Myth