Time, a concept Arthur had largely mastered, flew by quietly in the burgeoning atmosphere of Magnolia Town.
The initial shockwave of the Celestial Forge's establishment—fueled by Arthur's display of power and Mavis's diplomatic intervention—had subsided, replaced by rapid, organic growth.
The Celestial Forge was now immensely popular.
Mages and civilians alike, drawn by the guild's incredible wealth, its high-paying, safe missions, and the miraculous quality of its potions, clamored to join.
Arthur, maintaining his standards, checked every applicant with his Soul Magic to ensure they had clean, honest intentions and no hidden Dark Guild affiliations before accepting them.
The guild was expanding indefinitely.
Inside his bustling new guild hall, Arthur had just finished teaching a group of newly recruited mages the fundamental steps required to reliably create the high-grade potions.
Rimuru approached him, holding a massive ledger detailing their escalating profits.
"We've created our guild, and it will expand indefinitely. We're stable, rich, and ridiculously powerful. Then what are we going to do next? Going to the next floor?"
Arthur smiled, shaking his head.
"Nope, we won't go to the next floor yet. We'll wait and see. Things are going to happen soon."
He had integrated perfectly into the timeline, and he knew the canonical sequence of events would soon demand his attention.
The moment Arthur finished speaking, the main doors of the Celestial Forge burst open, and Erza Scarlet rushed in.
Her signature composure was momentarily fractured by a look of frantic urgency.
She scanned the room, spotted Arthur, and rushed straight toward him, remembering his ability to instantly traverse massive distances when they were dealing with the Dark Guild.
"Please help me, Arthur-san! I need your teleportation!"
Erza pleaded, her voice sharp with desperation.
"What is the emergency, Erza?"
Arthur asked, his focus immediately shifting.
"Natsu had secretly taken an S-Class mission with Gray, and they dragged Lucy with them! It's completely unauthorized!"
Erza explained, clearly furious and terrified for her friends' safety.
The mission was too dangerous for them, especially an S-Class mission.
Rimuru sighed, pressing the heels of her hands against her temples.
"That's why we haven't seen Lucy anywhere. She was dragged with them. I guess I have to prepare for overtime paperwork then."
Arthur nodded, recognizing the exact pivotal moment.
'So, it is the Sub-Zero Emperor Lyon Arc…'
This was the infamous Moon Drip mission, the catalyst for significant character development and a major escalation of threats.
It was the perfect time for the Celestial Forge to intervene again.
"Let's go,"
Arthur said simply, standing up. He had access to all the dimensional coordinates of this world through his knowledge of the source material.
He knew exactly where the trio was heading.
He knew the island's name was Galuna, and its location was remote and volatile.
He looked at Rimuru and his other allies.
"Stay here, Rimuru, keep the guild running. Shion, Shuna, guard the guild in case something happens."
Rimuru nodded seriously.
"Be careful, Art. This world's plots are annoying even when you know them."
Arthur didn't waste another second.
He placed a hand on Erza Scarlet's shoulder, anchoring their connection.
He didn't use a flashy spell.
He used his conceptual power to redefine the space between Magnolia and Galuna Island as zero.
With a sharp intake of breath from Erza, the duo vanished in a flicker of golden-green light, bypassing all physical distance and dimensional resistance.
They reappeared on the remote, crescent-shaped shore of Galuna Island.
The air here felt thick with primal, chaotic magic—the result of the cursed moon that was slowly turning the island's inhabitants into demons.
Erza staggered slightly, catching herself. She was shocked.
"That… that was not teleportation magic like last time,"
Erza whispered, recovering quickly.
"You simply removed the distance."
Arthur merely shrugged, his eyes already scanning the rocky coastline.
Botamon, tucked securely into his Guild Master robes, poked his head out, his digital sensors picking up on the strange magical environment.
"It's faster this way,"
Arthur confirmed, his gaze intense.
"Now, where are our errant friends?"
He located them instantly. Natsu, Gray, and a very unhappy Lucy were not hard to find—they had already encountered the bizarre, mutated state of the villagers and were headed toward the ruined temple that held the core of the curse.
"They're up ahead, near the ruins,"
Arthur informed Erza.
"Looks like they've already encountered the locals. And there's someone else there—a powerful Ice Mage."
Erza's eyes hardened.
She knew who the ice mage was.
It was Lyon, the dangerous, talented mage from Gray's past.
"We need to split them up before the situation escalates further than a simple unsanctioned mission,"
Erza stated, drawing her sword.
"Arthur-san, I will deal with Natsu and Gray and force them to abandon the mission. Can you stop Lyon and the source of the curse?"
Erza trusted in his power. She had never seen anyone as strong as him before.
"Consider it done,"
Arthur replied, his eyes already focused on the path to the ruins.
'Maybe I can stop the tragedy. I will save Ur.'