With the return of the main members of Fairy Tail and the news of the Grand Magic Games, Lucy and the others planned to train seriously for the next two to three months.
However, halfway through their preparations, they received an invitation from the Celestial Spirit King. As a result, Lucy and a group of guild members traveled to the Celestial Spirit World.
In the vast cosmic sky, Lucien appeared out of nowhere. His cold gaze settled on the dazzling planet before him. Its vitality and sheer scale far surpassed Earth.
Within a few breaths, his perception spread across the entire world.
Two energy signatures immediately stood out to him, one weak and one overwhelmingly powerful. Without hesitation, Lucien identified them as the strongest beings in this world, Acnologia and Zeref. There was also another presence, one that felt strangely familiar.
That presence was injured.
At his current level of strength, Lucien could easily destroy the entire Fairy Tail world. He could wipe everything out in an instant instead of wasting time hunting individual targets.
But that approach did not interest him.
What caught his attention were the dragons, or more accurately, oversized lizards. There was also the Eclipse Gate, which might offer greater rewards if explored properly.
"Parallel worlds… dimensions connected to this one?"
Lucien shifted his gaze toward the empty void surrounding the planet. To ordinary eyes, there was nothing there. But to him, two separate worlds existed beyond the surface.
One of them radiated a powerful aura, comparable to Zeref and Acnologia.
That had to be the Celestial Spirit World, ruled by the Celestial Spirit King.
The other world was far weaker. It lacked energy and was slowly degrading into something ordinary. That could only be Edolas, the parallel world tied to Fairy Tail.
"Boom!"
Golden-white flames ignited around Lucien's body, flowing like liquid light. He entered Life Evolution Level 1, clenched his fist, and struck the void.
The ability One Force Breaks All Laws activated.
The space in front of him shattered instantly, forming a crack. Without hesitation, Lucien stepped through it.
He had forcibly broken the spatial barrier between worlds.
A brutal method, but effective.
Without that ability, even someone as strong as Lucien might not have been able to tear open space so easily. It was easily his most powerful skill, even if it appeared passive.
As long as his strength was high enough, no law, whether spatial or temporal, could restrain him.
"He actually forced his way into the Celestial Spirit World…"
On a bustling street in Earthland, a handsome young man with black hair and dark eyes looked up at the sky, his expression heavy. He wore black clothing, with a long white cloth tied at his waist and a pendant hanging from his chest.
Zeref, the legendary founder of Black Magic.
In another desolate region, a man with long, messy hair reaching his waist stood barefoot before a cave. His black cloak fluttered slightly, revealing his bare chest. His eyes were filled with violence as he stared upward.
Acnologia, in human form.
Across the world, powerful mages at the peak of strength all sensed it. One after another, they raised their heads toward the sky.
That overwhelming aura carried no attempt at concealment.
It was suffocating.
"Master, what are you looking at?"
At the entrance of the worn-down Fairy Tail guild hall, Mavis and Makarov both gazed upward.
Behind them, Macao and the others followed their line of sight, but saw nothing more than a bird passing by.
"He's back."
Mavis clenched her small fists, her expression filled with fear and unease.
The man who had devoured her flesh had returned.
And this time, she could feel it clearly. Her body had been completely consumed. Only faint remnants of her aura remained.
Makarov said nothing. The sheer scale of that presence was beyond anything he could comprehend. Even a casual motion from that being could erase him instantly.
The Celestial Spirit World was a realm unlike any other.
The entire world seemed suspended within a star-filled sky. Countless glowing stars of varying sizes formed shifting constellations, creating a surreal and beautiful landscape.
Strange crystalline structures floated in the air, bathed in alternating light and darkness. They shimmered with colors like fragile bubbles, radiating an enchanting charm.
At that moment, what should have been a lively banquet came to an abrupt halt.
"Everyone, you must leave now."
The Celestial Spirit King rose to his feet. Radiant armor formed over his body, and a massive sword appeared in his hand. His usually calm and dignified face had turned completely serious.
"Old man, what are you talking about? The banquet just started."
Lucy frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
"Lucy, you need to leave immediately."
Leo, leader of the Twelve Zodiac Spirits, stood up as well, his gaze fixed on the sky.
One by one, the other Celestial Spirits sensed it. Aquarius and the rest looked upward, their expressions changing.
Before Lucy could ask anything else, the sky shattered.
A golden-white figure stepped out of the fractured void.
The moment he appeared, the entire Celestial Spirit World trembled. A crushing pressure descended, forcing everyone to the ground.
Only the Celestial Spirit King remained standing, bracing himself with his sword.
Lightning crackled around the figure, golden energy dancing violently in the air.
Lucy's body trembled as she lay pinned to the ground, terror filling her eyes.
"What the hell is this…"
Natsu ignited his flames, trying to stand. His muscles strained, but it felt as though an entire mountain was pressing down on him. His face slammed back into the ground.
Gray and Erza struggled as well, but the result was the same.
They could not move.
Their minds filled with disbelief.
What kind of existence could tear through space itself and still possess such overwhelming power?
Was this a god?
"A fascinating world."
Lucien observed everything calmly.
He had initially intended to kill the Celestial Spirit King, but after seeing the nature of this world, he changed his mind.
This realm was directly tied to the King's existence. If the King died, the entire Celestial Spirit World would begin to collapse. The other spirits would weaken as well unless a new king took his place.
That was unacceptable.
The Zodiac Spirits were essential keys to opening the Eclipse Gate. He could not afford to let them weaken.
His gaze briefly swept over Lucy, Natsu, and the others.
Then, without warning, he struck the air beside him.
Space shattered again.
Lucien stepped into the crack and vanished instantly.
For reasons unknown, he did not attack.
The chosen ones and several key figures had been right in front of him, yet he chose to leave.
As his presence disappeared, the crushing pressure lifted.
The Celestial Spirit World slowly returned to normal.
The Celestial Spirit King exhaled deeply, tension leaving his body.
Erza and the others pushed themselves up from the ground, their faces pale, their bodies still trembling.
After a long silence, Lucy finally spoke, her voice shaking.
"What… was that?"
From beginning to end, she had only seen a flowing golden-white light surrounded by lightning. It was impossible to describe fully.
Mysterious, overwhelming, untouchable.
"The aura that has covered Earthland for eleven years… that was him."
The Celestial Spirit King lowered his sword. He knew very well that he could not stop that being. If Lucien had wanted to destroy this world, it would already be gone.
"Was that a god?"
"Isn't there God Slayer Magic?"
"You really think something like that can be killed?"
The group fell into uneasy chatter.
That level of power was beyond reason. Just its presence alone had rendered them completely helpless.
"That was insane…"
"What do we do now?"
"Should we even continue the banquet?"
"Let's go back. I've got a bad feeling."
In the end, they chose to leave.
After saying their farewells to the Celestial Spirit King and the other spirits, Lucy and the group returned to Earthland ahead of schedule.
Time flowed differently between the two worlds.
Originally, a single day in the Celestial Spirit World equaled three months in Earthland.
Now, by returning half a day early, nearly half that time had already passed.