After getting the reward from Warrod, Karna immediately began flying straight towards Fiore's capital, where the Grand Magic Games were supposed to be happening right now.
In the original timeline, the games were held near the Fiore Castle so as to siphon the excess magic released by the wizards to charge the Eclipse Gate.
But ever since Karna changed the timeline and informed Layla about the future, the timeline in which the dragons appeared from the Eclipse Gate was completely prevented. So the chances of it happening again were really low.
'But even then, what happened to those hundred thousand dragons that suddenly went missing?' Karna thought as he glided through the sky.
Igneel, Grandine, and the others had mentioned that almost a hundred thousand dragons had gone missing a few days before they went through the Eclipse Gate.
Remember that in the original timeline, there were only 800 dragons who were planning on coming from the other side. Karna had no idea how such a large number of dragons were mentioned this time.
'If such a large number of dragons existed, how did humans win the war hundreds of years ago? Or were the Dragon Slayers that strong compared to the Dragon Slayers of today?'
[Host, the dragons were just as numerous in the original timeline. They were taken care of by the dragons on the side of the humans.] the system suddenly replied.
'Huh, I guess they might have reduced their numbers by killing each other. And the dragons who were left were killed off by humans, irrespective of whether they were on the side of humans or man-eating dragons.'
[Yes sir. There is not enough information about what happened to the dragons that disappeared. So it is better to keep your eye out.]
'Got it,' Karna replied as he was about to reach the capital, where they were celebrating the start of the festival.
'Let's see if I can find any of the canon incidents that must have changed,' he thought as he stealthily joined the crowd without revealing his identity.
Somehow or another, his battle with Acnologia was revealed to the entirety of Ishgar, thereby cementing him as the strongest human wizard in the world.
And since he had come back alive, many people were eager to get in contact with him. Even though the world had developed greatly in the last seven years, there was no mage who could claim that they could battle the Dragon of Apocalypse the same way he did seven years ago.
'Well, there are still a few idiots who will try to get some fame,' Karna thought as he reaffirmed his idea of hiding himself in public places. His training to hide himself without magic all those years ago was finally becoming useful in his everyday life.
As he moved through the celebration, he sensed familiar auras in the distance ahead of him.
'Oh, that seems interesting.'
At the same time, in the distance.
Sting wanted to prove that he was stronger than Natsu, whom he had worshipped as an idol all those years ago. He might have been a bit hot-headed, but he was not an idiot.
He might have boasted in front of Lector, Rogue, and Frosch about how he could take care of Karna. But deep down, he knew the truth.
Karna Vermillion was a monster with no equal.
He remembered the battle with Acnologia he had seen on Lacrima screens. He also had a recording which he had rewatched thousands of times over these seven years. But every time he imagined himself in the same fight, death was the only outcome that appeared before him.
Even now, after getting the Dragon Lacrima and completely mastering Dragon Force, he could not imagine himself getting anywhere near that level.
The only thing that calmed him down was telling himself that, as a Dragon Slayer, his magic would work better in such a battle. But it was shallow reassurance at best.
But Sting believed in one other thing.
He believed that he was stronger than Natsu Dragneel.
Even if Karna Vermillion was stronger than him, Natsu was still someone he had already surpassed.
And on this day, before the start of the Grand Magic Games, he was going to prove it beforehand.
It did not take long for the two Dragon Slayers to reach the area where Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and Lisanna were enjoying the festival.
Sting noticed the presence of the two Exceeds as well, but he signaled Lector to handle it along with Frosch.
As soon as Natsu turned to walk in another direction, Sting put his foot in the way to trip him. It might have been copying what they had tried to accomplish when they invited Gildarts, which had failed in an extraordinary manner. But he knew that Natsu Dragneel would not do anything similar.
But the next thing he knew, Sting's vision of the world went sideways, and he suddenly felt cold on one side of his body.
"!!"
For a moment, confusion appeared on his face, but then he realised what had happened.
He looked down and found that instead of his leg tripping Natsu to the ground, the strength of Natsu's own leg had caused him to trip onto the floor.
Rogue, who was right behind him, had a startled expression on his face. Unlike Sting, he had a clear view of everything that happened. He realised that Natsu had done it unknowingly. He had no idea at all that Sting was trying to trip him.
At the same time, with the Exceeds.
"Hey Carla, what were they trying to do?" Happy asked, confused.
The two Exceeds had appeared near them with haughty expressions, but the moment they got close, they started shivering in fear.
Carla just sighed. Unlike innocent Happy, she realised what the Exceeds were aiming to do when they walked towards them, and she also knew what had caused their reaction as well.
They were trying to put them down, but the two Exceeds had no idea that due to the training they underwent on the island, Happy and Carla were unconsciously releasing an aura that was scaring off any animals from coming close to them.
A/N - Hope you like it.