Three days later — Akane Beach Resort.
The kingdom's most popular seaside paradise — a shimmering coastline of golden sand, dazzling sun, and a vast, endless blue sea that stretched all the way to the horizon.
It was the kind of place one could visit once and never forget.
Here, under the clear skies, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Lucy, Erza, Cana, and Kael were all enjoying a well-earned vacation together.
Why was everyone here? Simple — Kael had invited them.
He had somehow "won" several resort tickets and thought it would be the perfect chance for everyone to relax after all their recent hard work.
The moment Erza heard the word "vacation," she packed up everything in less than five minutes — gear, clothes, snacks, and even changed into her swimsuit.
The others were left speechless by her lightning efficiency.
"Cana," Kael called from beside her lounge chair, holding up a bottle of sunscreen. "I brought a special brand of sun lotion for you. How about I help you apply it?"
Cana stretched lazily, resting her chin on her folded arms. "Sure~ right here… and here. Oh, and maybe massage a bit while you're at it. I'm exhausted from all the guild work lately."
"As you command, my princess."
Kael bowed dramatically like a knight, then knelt beside her, squeezing lotion into his hands before gently pressing them to her back.
Cana smiled and closed her eyes, clearly enjoying the treatment.
Their playful intimacy drew teasing looks from everyone around. Lucy and Erza, especially, were overwhelmed by how sweet the scene was — so much so that they ran straight into the water to cool off.
Meanwhile—
"Natsu! Give me back my underwear!"
"Gray! Why are you using Happy to cover yourself?!"
The peaceful beach atmosphere was immediately broken.
Apparently, Gray had, as usual, stripped off completely without noticing, and his trunks had been tossed into the sea — only for Natsu to snatch them up and taunt him mercilessly.
"Ahhh~ Gray-sama, how bold… Juvia likes that," a familiar voice said dreamily.
Juvia had secretly followed them to the resort, her eyes sparkling with adoration.
To her, Gray could do no wrong.
Nightfall — The Paradise Resort
When the sun set, the beach transformed into a lively carnival of lights.
The underground floor was full of entertainment — glowing arcades, games, and music echoing from every corner.
"Alright! I'm gonna win this round!" Natsu yelled, hammering buttons on a rhythm machine next to Happy, who was cheering wildly.
Across the room, Juvia clung happily to Gray's arm, eyes filled with stars.
Earlier that day, Kael had personally spoken to her — telling her that she'd soon be recognized by Master Makarov and officially welcomed into Fairy Tail.
That encouragement had sent Juvia's heart soaring.
Now, more than ever, she refused to leave Gray's side.
It was Kael, after all, who had first noticed her watching Gray from a distance that afternoon.
Seeing the lovestruck look in her eyes, he decided to give her a push — quite literally dragging her into the open and declaring before everyone that he'd personally recommend her to Fairy Tail.
Meanwhile, Erza and Lucy were playing at a quiet game booth nearby, enjoying a rare moment of calm.
But even as she laughed, Erza's eyes occasionally darkened — the weight of old memories still clinging to her heart.
That afternoon, she had dreamt of the Tower of Heaven again.
And even in this paradise, the pain of the past wouldn't leave her.
Magic Council Headquarters — Earlier That Day
At the same time, far away from the laughter and sunlight, a far more serious meeting was taking place.
Within the floating chambers of the Magic Council, a massive glowing magic circle projected a live discussion among the top members — and a projected astral form of Kael stood among them.
"Impossible… there's still one left?"
"A remnant of the R-System?"
"Yes. Ten years ago, a cult of dark wizards attempted to construct seven towers to resurrect the forbidden magic. We destroyed them all… or so we thought."
"It seems a new, eighth tower has appeared."
The words sent ripples of alarm through the chamber.
In the center of the circle, an image flickered to life — the last visual transmitted before a reconnaissance team vanished.
"It's been completed…" murmured Ultear, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the image.
"This magic is forbidden. Even the mention of it spreads panic," another councilor said grimly.
"Then we must suppress it immediately. Deploy a strike force."
"The reports claim the one responsible calls himself Jellal."
"Jellal?" a voice barked. "Isn't that your brother, Siegrain?"
Siegrain lowered his gaze calmly, his expression unreadable. "I've already heard about it," he said quietly.
Kael's sharp eyes flicked toward him.
"Oh? Then that makes our target your own brother, Siegrain. Think you can handle that?"
Siegrain smiled faintly. "It can't be helped. I'll leave it in your capable hands, Kael."
Kael smirked but held back his laughter. Watching Jellal pretend to be his own twin was almost too absurd to bear.
If he broke character now, he'd have too much explaining to do later.
"Fine," Kael said coolly. "I've been wanting to see your brother's strength for myself. Don't disappoint me."
The council murmured in agreement.
The meeting concluded shortly afterward, though Jellal had tried to propose something dangerous — a motion to activate Etherion, the weaponized magic satellite.
Kael immediately objected.
He declared he could handle the situation alone.
Given Kael's proven power, the other councilors didn't argue.
Jellal said nothing — but Kael could clearly feel his fury boiling beneath the surface.
After the Meeting
Within a hidden corridor of the Council, Jellal slammed his hand into a marble railing. The stone cracked and crumbled under his grip.
"Damn it! Why is Kael here?!" he snarled.
"Calm down," Ultear said quickly, waving her hand. The fractured marble instantly reformed under her Arc of Time magic. "We're still in the Council. If someone hears—"
Jellal exhaled sharply, forcing himself to steady his voice. "Looks like we'll need a new plan. I can't let Kael ruin what I've spent years building."
Ultear nodded quietly, pretending to agree.
But in her heart, she whispered an apology he would never hear.
It wasn't just about her role as a double agent — it was about everything she'd done to manipulate him, all the lies, all the sins.
She hoped, somehow, to set things right this time.
To stop the tragedy before it happened.
That had been her promise to Kael.