Fairy Tail Team A, Rest Area.
"Grandeeney... is Natsu going to be okay?"
Future Wendy sat on a small stool, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at Future Natsu lying on the hospital bed.
After crossing the finish line, Future Natsu had finally succumbed to the dizziness and fallen asleep. He looked even worse than after a major battle—after all, he had gone head-to-head with a Dragon Slayer's natural enemy: moving vehicles!
"He's fine. It's just his body not being used to it. He should recover after some rest," Future Porlyusica said, shooting Future Wendy a dismissive glance and stressing, "And don't call me by that name!"
As Fairy Tail's chief pharmacist, she had been invited by Makarov to ensure that injured contestants could receive treatment immediately.
"But the scent and voice are exactly like Grandeeney's—"
Future Wendy tried to explain, but the moment she met Future Porlyusica's fierce glare, she shot to her feet and bowed: "Yes! I'm so sorry! I understand!"
"Still, for him to push himself that far... truly worthy of Natsu!" Future Lucy, who had stayed by the bedside, said with a smile.
She and Future Wendy were both a little worried about Future Natsu, so they had come along.
"I'd say 'truly worthy of being an idiot,'" Future Carla added.
Just then, as if seeing something terrifying, her pupils contracted sharply, and her expression changed drastically.
A fragmented vision appeared in her mind: a dark, overcast sky; a cracked and broken earth; countless dragons filling the horizon; and mages drenched in blood, bearing different guild emblems!
"What's wrong, Carla?" Future Wendy noticed the fear on her face.
"I suddenly... have a bad feeling..." Future Carla trembled, clutching her head.
The horrifying image of war and smoke—as if the very heavens and earth were being torn apart—had dealt a severe blow to her psyche.
Just then, the half-closed door to the rest area was pushed open.
Future Lucy turned toward the sound and was surprised to see who it was: "Chase? Aren't you supposed to be with Team B?"
"Just came to check on how this idiot Natsu is doing. Also, I need to bother Porlyusica to take a look at Gajeel's condition over on our side," Chase said as he walked into the room.
"Same symptoms. Don't worry, they won't die."
Despite her harsh words, Future Porlyusica's soft heart won out. She stood up, grabbed her medical kit, and headed out without even a goodbye.
Future Lucy's lips twitched. "Wh-What a reliable old lady..."
"Just like the one on our side," Chase said with a helpless shake of his head.
Then he walked over to Future Carla and asked seriously, "So, Carla—can you tell me in detail what you saw?"
The real reason he had come wasn't to check on those two tough idiots.
If he wasn't mistaken, the royal family was about to make a move on Lucy as a Celestial Spirit Mage. He wanted to use this opportunity to scout out the Eclipse Gate at Princess Hisui's location.
Future Carla organized her thoughts and described her vision in detail.
"T-Tens of thousands of dragons?!" Future Lucy and Future Wendy gasped in shock.
"It might just be an illusion. After all, my future-predicting ability has been wrong before," Future Carla said quickly.
"When two people see the same vision, it's more than just an illusion," Chase said gravely.
Just moments ago, he had contacted Carla inside the card carried by Éclair and received exactly the same information.
This doesn't quite match the original scene of Lucy singing beneath a collapsed castle...
Could his presence have caused the future to change?
To test this theory, after a few seconds of thought, Chase continued: "Were there any collapsed buildings in the vision? And what expressions did the mages facing the dragons have?"
Future Carla blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected him to believe her "ramblings" without hesitation, nor did she understand why he was asking these specific questions.
"No. The place looked like a primeval mountain range—broken giant trees and massive rivers burning with war."
"As for the mages' expressions... I couldn't see clearly, but it felt like—"
She frowned, straining to recall the image, and used an uncertain tone: "Excited?"
"I see." Chase let out a small sigh of relief.
Since neither Carla had sensed sadness or despair, it was probably not a major problem.
But was this scene—outside the original storyline—a "future" that was about to happen, or a "future" that could still be changed?
That question would likely only be answered after meeting Princess Hisui—or perhaps after the Grand Magic Games ended.
As he was pondering this, the arena outside suddenly erupted in cheers. He could faintly hear Chapati's passionate commentary.
"Looks like today's battle rounds are starting!"
The thick-skulled Future Lucy's attention was immediately hooked.
"Don't worry. With me here, nothing major will go wrong," Chase said, patting Future Carla's head reassuringly before turning to Future Lucy and Future Wendy. "I'll keep an eye on Natsu here. You two go watch if you want."
"Really? Thanks, Chase!"
And so, Future Lucy led Future Wendy and the slightly more at-ease Future Carla out to watch the matches.
Once they were gone, Chase threw a punch that knocked the semi-conscious Future Natsu into a deep, peaceful sleep. Then, he used Transformation Magic to take on Lucy's appearance.
Transformation Magic wasn't advanced magic in the Fairy Tail world—even Mira, during her magic-sealed period, could use it. For him, it was no trouble at all.
"Now then—"
"Lucy" grinned wickedly. "Time for this 'me' that's being targeted to deliver myself right to their doorstep~"
He stepped out of the rest area and headed in the opposite direction from the Grand Magic Games arena.
As expected, he hadn't gone far before several masked, red-robed figures started tailing him.
The lead one used a magic gun to "knock him unconscious," hoisted him onto his shoulder, and ran toward Mercurius Palace.
As he ran, he couldn't help but mutter: "S-So heavy!"
"Just what did this girl they told us to bring eat to grow up like this?!"
***
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