"What?!"
Loke was slightly stunned. "Takeshi, what do you mean by that?"
Takeshi said, "It means exactly what it says. You're dying because you can't return to the Celestial Spirit World, right? If I send you back to the Celestial Spirit World, won't that solve it?"
"What?!"
"Send me back to the Celestial Spirit World?!"
Loke and Lucy were both a bit bewildered.
"I can open gates, but I don't have Loke's key, nor am I his owner, so I can't open a gate for him."
Lucy thought Takeshi had brought her here to open a gate for Loke, but she knew her own strength. Opening a gate for a Celestial Spirit that didn't belong to her was almost impossible.
Takeshi said, "No need. You can just open a gate and summon any Celestial Spirit. I have a way to send Loke back to the Celestial Spirit World."
"This... alright."
Although Lucy was still a bit confused, listening to Takeshi right now was the right thing to do.
Lucy pulled out a golden key.
"O spirit, answer my call and pass through the Gate!"
"Gate of the Maiden, I open thee!"
"Virgo!"
A golden magic circle lit up, and Virgo appeared, with pink hair, wearing a maid outfit, and looking very cute. However, her appearance was a bit undignified, as her entire body was bound by ropes.
"Do you want to punish me, princess?"
"Eek!"
Lucy was startled when she saw her.
"Why are you like this? Doesn't this make me look strange?"
"I never thought you had such a fetish, Lucy."
"No, I don't!"
Snap!
Takeshi snapped his fingers.
Buzz!
Space vibrated, and then a crack appeared at the exact spot where Lucy had just summoned Virgo.
Following that, space began to tear apart like a piece of cloth.
"Wh... what is this?!"
Everyone was stunned by this sight.
"Descorrer. It can tear space apart and move freely between different worlds. It's also one of the abilities I can use in this form."
"I asked you to summon a Celestial Spirit earlier because I wanted to pinpoint the space of the Celestial Spirit World. This makes it more convenient, so I don't get lost in the spatial gaps."
"How amazing!"
Although they already knew Takeshi was powerful, being able to cross worlds at will was perhaps a bit too extraordinary.
Soon, a dark void formed.
"Alright, Loke, just go through here, and you can return to the Celestial Spirit World."
"This..."
Loke was a bit bewildered. He hadn't expected the path home, which had caused him such despair, to be accomplished so easily with the cooperation of Takeshi and Lucy.
He could feel the unique Celestial Spirit power of the Celestial Spirit World coming from the dark void passage. The other side really was the Celestial Spirit World.
"That's great. Loke, you can return to the Celestial Spirit World. You don't have to die." Lucy jumped up happily.
Loke's feelings were complex and excited. He seemed resigned, willing to accept the punishment of death, but how could he truly be content? He still had many, many things he wanted to do, and he couldn't bear to leave everyone in the Guild.
Suddenly—
A majestic shout rang out.
"Who goes there?!"
The sky changed dramatically, and the flowing river water began to still. Then, the waterfall began to flow backward, rushing towards the sky, forming a giant vortex. Within the vortex, a giant figure in armor appeared in mid-air.
Loke saw his figure and couldn't believe it. "No... this is... the Celestial Spirit King!"
"The King... is he the strongest Celestial Spirit?"
Lucy, as a Celestial Spirit Mage, hadn't expected to see the Celestial Spirit King here.
"How... how did he appear here?!"
Loke couldn't believe it. The Celestial Spirit King was the King of the Celestial Spirit World, yet he had appeared in the Human World.
The Celestial Spirit King said, "I sensed someone tearing the space between the Celestial Spirit World and the Human World, so I came to investigate. It turns out to be you, Leo."
"Leo, we have a contract with humans not to harm the key owner. Although you didn't directly kill the owner, you indirectly caused her death, so I refuse your return to the Celestial Spirit World."
"Wait, isn't this ridiculous?!" Lucy bravely stood up at this moment.
"For his comrade, for Aries, wasn't this a necessary act?"
The Celestial Spirit King looked at Lucy and said, "I understand my old friend's feelings, and I am pained by it, but this rule cannot be changed."
Lucy said, "Don't talk about old friends. We need to talk about the friend in front of you. Listen to me, old man with the long beard."
"This was a tragic accident. What crime do you say Loke committed? I cannot accept the idea that he is guilty."
"If you are also a Celestial Spirit, you must understand Loke and Aries' feelings."
"Thinking of his comrade, where is the crime?!"
Loke quickly stopped Lucy. "Idiot Lucy! That's the Celestial Spirit King. Don't anger him."
Then Loke looked at the Celestial Spirit King and said, "Your Majesty, Karen's matter was my fault. I am willing to accept the punishment of death."
He didn't want to implicate Lucy and Takeshi because of his own situation.
Suddenly—
Takeshi's voice rang out.
"I refuse."
"Takeshi?!"
Everyone looked at Takeshi.
Takeshi said indifferently, "That person's death, she deserved it, it has nothing to do with Loke. If you want to talk about punishment, Loke's three years in the Human World are enough."
"Now, Loke is a member of Fairy Tail. I am sending him back to the Celestial Spirit World. If you dare to interfere, then you are an enemy of Fairy Tail."
Takeshi's figure flashed, appearing in mid-air in an instant. He stood in front of the Celestial Spirit King, looking directly at him and saying, "Celestial Spirit King, if you don't want to die, get out of my way."
To be honest, he had seen enough giants recently, and he didn't like looking up at people when talking.
Loke was in mortal danger now, and he didn't bother with idle chatter with the other party.
"Wait... Takeshi! That's the Celestial Spirit King!"
Loke's expression changed dramatically upon hearing Takeshi's words. The Celestial Spirit King was the strongest among the Celestial Spirits, with unfathomable power. It would be terrible to anger him.
"Yes! Takeshi, don't be impulsive!"
Lucy also quickly tried to dissuade Takeshi. Celestial Spirits were actually very strong. The reason they displayed weaker power was due to her insufficient training and lack of magic power.
The Celestial Spirit King looked at Takeshi and a slight smile appeared on his lips. "Haha, it's been many years since I've seen such a bold young man. Since you and my old friend both say so, I will give Leo a chance. As long as you can defeat me, I will allow Loke to return to the Celestial Spirit World."