Rhodes calmly explained his plan.
The core idea was simple: prepare to close the Eclipse Gate before opening it, then open it only briefly to verify its function, and immediately seal it again.
If an uncontrollable situation arose, the Eclipse Gate could even be used in reverse, to send the King or Princess back to the present, preventing the gate from being opened at all.
This approach minimized risk to the greatest extent possible.
"I object," Danton said firmly. "Since it has already been confirmed that the Eclipse Plan itself is fundamentally flawed, there is no reason to open the gate again. We should secretly destroy it immediately."
"No," Arcadios said at once. "I agree with Mr. Rhodes's plan."
This time, he stood firmly on Rhodes's side.
He had devoted years of his life to this project. Countless preparations, endless effort, he could not accept abandoning everything without even confirming the truth with his own eyes.
Princess Hisui nodded. "I also believe this is the safest option."
Her thoughts were similar to Arcadios's. A plan prepared for so long had to be verified somehow.
Moreover, if the Dragons truly had nothing to do with the Eclipse Gate, then opening it briefly might allow travel to an even earlier past, giving her past self more time to prepare.
The King shared their reasoning, but one concern still troubled him.
"May I ask," he said slowly, "what is the actual level of a Dragon's power?"
"A Dragon's power…" Rhodes paused, searching for the right comparison.
"Do you remember the battle between Mr. Jura and myself?"
"Yes," the King replied.
"The level of destruction in that fight," Rhodes said calmly, "was roughly equivalent to Dragons playing."
The room fell silent.
All four of them recalled the opening day of the Grand Magic Games, mountain-sized earth formations rising and shattering, streets collapsing, tremors rippling through the capital.
And that… was merely play?
The King's expression hardened. "Then how many Dragons are you confident you can handle, Mr. Rhodes?"
Rhodes answered carefully.
"If one or two ordinary Dragons appear, I can guarantee there will be no casualties."
"If four or five appear, I can still control the situation, but the fighting will be fierce, and the city will inevitably suffer damage."
"If more appear, then it will be a hard battle. I would have little energy left to protect others. Anyone nearby would need to rely on themselves to survive."
In other words, Seven or eight Dragons.
The Knight Commander and the Minister of State both realized it at the same time.
Seven or eight beings on the level of Jura.
The King pondered in silence for several seconds, then nodded.
"If what you say is true," he said, "then I agree to briefly open the Eclipse Gate."
Princess Hisui looked at him in confusion. "Father, why did you ask about Dragon strength first?"
"Because," the King replied slowly, choosing his words with care,
"if the Dragons truly come from the Eclipse Gate, even opening it for an instant may allow multiple Dragons to emerge."
"I have information suggesting that the number able to pass through at once may be five or six. I cannot explain the source, but I believe it to be reliable."
Rhodes immediately understood.
Fourteen years ago, when the gate opened, Anna had likely crossed with several companions.
Rhodes nodded. "Six Dragons is still within my ability to handle."
He added, "At that time, all non-combat personnel must stay far away from the gate."
"Then it is decided," the King said, glancing at the time. "Are there any further objections?"
Danton hesitated, then said, "I still oppose opening such a dangerous artifact. However, since this is His Majesty's order, I will comply fully."
"Additionally, I request to personally oversee city security and remain vigilant against any malicious interference."
"Very well," the King said decisively. "Begin preparations immediately."
"Danton, notify the evacuated citizens outside the capital that the festival's duration and scope have been expanded. They are to move to the outer shelters at once."
"After that, lead the guards in a full patrol of the city. Report any abnormalities immediately."
"Yes."
"Arcadios, lead people to transfer the Eclipse Gate to the ground, set it up behind the royal palace, and then lead the Knight Guard to strictly guard it, prohibiting unauthorized persons from approaching."
"Yes."
"Hisui, coordinate with Sergeant Yukino to prepare for both opening and forcibly closing the gate."
Princess Hisui looked a bit troubled: "Father, if we are to open the gate and also be responsible for forcibly closing it within a short time, Yukino and I might not have enough Magic Power."
"This..." The King looked at Rhode.
Rhodes nodded: "I will bring Lucy, but since she was attacked last night, I will bring a few people to ensure Lucy's safety."
"I also ask His Majesty the King to consider the safety of the Princess and Yukino, especially at the moment the Eclipse Gate opens."
"Such a thing happened?" The King looked at Arcadios.
Arcadios quickly declared: "The Knight Guard swears to protect Her Highness the Princess with their lives!"
"Hmm," the King nodded, "I will have the Knights assist you to ensure everything is foolproof."
"Yes!"
Danton and Arcadios each departed, and Princess Hisui also went to find Yukino to finalize the details of opening the gate.
Rhodes returned to the guild's headquarters to discuss the evening's actions with everyone.
Unexpectedly, just as night fell, soldiers suddenly came to notify them that the King was summoning all Magicians in the capital to the Lee-en-Cristo Plaza.
"I understand, I'll bring the guild over right away," Makarov replied to the messenger and returned to ask Rhodes.
Rhodes shook his head: "This wasn't discussed earlier."
"Hmm..." Makarov pondered for a moment, "The King's summons cannot be ignored, let's go see first."
When Fairy Tail arrived, the plaza was already packed with people, at least two or three thousand at a glance.
Considering that there were 182 competing teams in this festival alone, that's nearly a thousand contestants.
Even if not every team came with their entire guild as a support group like Fairy Tail, there must have been many spectators.
It was perfectly normal to gather a few thousand Magicians.
As the champions of this Grand Magic Games, Fairy Tail was noticed as soon as they appeared, and even immediately received preferential treatment; the Magicians who had arrived earlier actively made way for them to go to the front row.
Rhodes motioned to the two Lucys to stay close to him, to avoid being ambushed. Their 'bodyguards' were also vigilant of their surroundings.
A moment later, the King and his guard appeared on the high platform in the center of the plaza.
The noisy plaza quickly quieted down, and the Magicians' gazes towards the King were mostly filled with respect.
Even with powers far surpassing ordinary people, Magicians still respected the monarchy.
The Council's team stood on the periphery, watching the Magicians with some solemnity.
Such a large-scale gathering of Magicians put a lot of pressure on them.
Lahar and Doranbalt almost thought that the peace-loving Fiore Kingdom wanted to wage war.
Seeing that the number of people was sufficient, the guards adjusted the microphone, and the King began to speak: "Everyone, I have a request for you at this time."
...
You can support me and read chapters ahead @Keepsmiling 818 p@reon