Mirajane turned sharply and saw Lisanna surrounded by a dissipating aura of magic. Her body seemed shrouded in this energy, becoming semi-ethereal, almost unreal.
Instantly, Mirajane activated Rokushiki—Shave, leaping several times in succession until she reached Lisanna's side. She scooped Lisanna into her arms from Elfman and shouted, her face pale with fear: "Li… Lisanna! What's happening to you?! Don't scare Nee-chan like this!"
"Nee-chan… I feel so sleepy… I just want to sleep…" Lisanna murmured, her voice weak.
"Don't sleep, Lisanna! Look at Nee-chan! Stay awake! What's going on? You were fine just a moment ago!" Mirajane's voice trembled as panic gripped her. Tears began forming, her body stiffened as she forced her remaining magic into a protective barrier around Lisanna, unsure what else to do.
Natsu stared dumbfounded at Lisanna's semi-ethereal form. His mind raced, replaying the events in his head. She had been fine just moments ago—what went wrong? Where did it start?
Don't panic… focus… think carefully…
He remembered—it began when Lisanna had glanced at the sky. The clouds had moved unnaturally.
Right—after noticing the anomaly in the sky, that's when it happened. The sky…
Natsu's gaze snapped upward. The clouds were spinning slowly, forming a visible whirlpool.
"Roar—!"
A sudden, furious roar echoed through the forest.
Everyone noticed the Beast King struggling, bracing itself on its hands and trying to lift its massive upper body. Blood flowed from the large gash in its chest, and a growing sphere of energy formed in its mouth—clearly, it intended to take everyone with it in a final attack.
"Damn it… now of all times," Natsu clenched his fists. He looked between the swirling sky and the Beast King, unsure which threat to tackle first.
"Natsu, you take care of the sky! I'll handle the Beast King," Elfman said, dabbing at the corner of his eyes. He had noticed Natsu's distracted expression and also glimpsed the ominous sky, understanding the danger.
Patting Natsu on the shoulder, Elfman turned to see Mirajane, still partially entranced, and said gently, "Nee-chan, let me protect you this time!"
Without hesitation, Elfman sprinted toward the Beast King, using Shave at full speed. He reached its feet and wrapped the weakened creature in a surge of his magic.
"Ah—!"
"Absorption Magic—Full-Body Sync: Beast King Form!"
Lisanna's eyes fluttered open weakly, and she whispered toward Elfman, "Brother Elfman…"
Meanwhile, Natsu and Happy didn't waste a moment. Happy sped into the sky with Natsu, shouting, "Lisanna! Hang on!"
Kael was struggling to resist the pull of the intense gravity above. His magic was being drawn away, but he fought with everything he had, using his remaining reserves in a desperate tug-of-war. Glancing down, he saw Lisanna's magic slowly slipping from her body, her form fading further.
"Damn it… too close to the sky… just a little more… move, body!" Kael muttered, pushing his magic to its limits.
"Take this! Fire Dragon's Blazing Flame—Kai!"
A massive column of superheated fire erupted, shooting skyward and striking the center of the cloud vortex.
"Natsu, now!" Kael took the opportunity, breaking free of the pull and instantly teleporting behind Natsu. Before Natsu could react, Kael guided the three of them directly to Lisanna's side.
"Kael!!! Quick, look at Lisanna!" Natsu and Happy exclaimed with relief, dragging Kael down to her side.
"Kael? Kael, come see Lisanna!" Mirajane's stiffened body seemed to regain some awareness at the news, shifting her focus from Lisanna slightly.
"Don't worry. Once we leave this area, we'll be safe. Where's Elfman?" Kael cocooned Lisanna in a defensive magic shell. Once her condition stabilized slightly, he turned to find Elfman.
Elfman lay on the ground, his body blackened from overexertion. Kael's Observation Magic confirmed the injuries were from magical backlash, not fatal wounds. He had simply pushed his magic to its limit. Elfman had clearly grown stronger through this ordeal.
After transferring Elfman to safety, a golden magic circle appeared beneath them. Kael maintained it with difficulty as his magic slowly leaked away.
"Let's go."
A flash of light enveloped them, and they disappeared from the range of the Ultra-Dimensional Magic.
They reappeared on a flat section of mountainside. Kael withdrew all magic, and the glowing cocoons around Lisanna and Elfman faded. Lisanna's body was no longer ethereal, though her face remained pale as she slept deeply. Elfman's injuries were stabilized under Kael's magic; he remained unconscious from exhaustion but was no longer in mortal danger.
Mirajane gently tended to the two, her usual fiery temper replaced with quiet relief and protective love for her younger siblings. Happy hovered near Lisanna, worry etched on his face.
"Lisanna… Elfman…"
"Stay here. Something's falling from the vortex," Kael said, eyes fixed on a rapidly descending object in the sky. He took off immediately, leaving the others no time to react.
"Another Lisanna… from another world?"
Kael caught the falling figure and was stunned to realize it was Lisanna from the Edelas world. She was gravely injured, with internal damage so severe she was close to death.
Kael enveloped her in every ounce of magic he had, propelling himself through the air at incredible speed with Moon Step. He raced against time, planning to teleport once her magic recovered slightly.
Once reunited with the others, despite the shock of encountering two Lisannas, they immediately headed for the nearest town to ensure all the injured received treatment as quickly as possible.