"This means EZ's Dimensional Summoning space… isn't completely sealed off!"
"Or rather, Yuumi's very existence is a loophole! A living 'spatial anchor' that maintains a connection with that space!"
Makarov's voice trembled slightly with excitement. His short body seemed to be re-infused with surging vitality, and he straightened his back abruptly, his eyes gleaming with ecstatic joy. "I remember now! Dimensional Summoning Magic is an extremely special summoning system among ancient magic! It is fundamentally different from ordinary Summoning Magic or contract summoning!"
He looked around at the breathless crowd, illuminated by the light of hope, and explained rapidly, every word like a heavy hammer striking their hearts:
"The essence of Dimensional Summoning is for a Mage, relying on powerful spiritual strength and spatial talent, to find a unique, relatively stable 'domain' or 'small world' within the vast dimensional rifts!"
"Then, to summon the Summoned Beast residing in that world!"
"This summoning space is both the Summoned Beast's dwelling and a core extension of the Mage's power!"
"Most critically—Summoned Beasts successfully summoned to the real world can remain for a long time, even permanently!"
"They have the right to choose whether or not to return to the summoning space! The connection between them and the summoning space is not a forced, one-way 'summon-repatriate' channel, but a 'spiritual coordinate' link that allows them to sense and return at any time!"
"As long as the Summoned Beast itself is willing, and the Mage does not forcibly recall it, they can remain in the real world indefinitely!"
Makarov's gaze fixed on Yuumi, who was still a little dazed but seemed to have quieted down, sensing the change in atmosphere: "Yuumi is still here, lively and energetic, even still thinking about her fish!"
"What does this mean?"
"It means EZ's Dimensional Summoning space has not completely collapsed its channel or been entirely cut off from the outside world due to his self-sealing!"
"Yuumi's existence is an 'anchor point' of that space in the real world!"
"A living 'lighthouse' that can clearly perceive the specific coordinates of the summoning space! A… 'door' to EZ's resting place!"
"Master! You mean…" Erza's voice was filled with unprecedented hope, her eyes astonishingly bright.
"We can use Yuumi!" Makarov said decisively, his small stature erupting with a powerful aura. "Use her as a spatial anchor to forcibly open a stable passage to EZ's Dimensional Summoning space!"
"As long as we can enter that space, find the sealed EZ, we might be able to rescue him! Along with that cursed Nirvana crystal ball! Then…" He clenched his fist abruptly, golden light flashing in his eyes, "We can use 'Fairy Sphere'! Fairy Sphere is Fairy Tail's strongest absolute sealing magic! It's enough to completely seal that crystal ball, thoroughly tainted by darkness, and eliminate future troubles forever!"
"Rescue EZ!"
"Bring him back!"
"That's great, Master!"
"There's hope! There's really hope!"
The desperate gloom, like dark clouds scattered by a strong wind, was instantly shattered by the light of ecstatic hope!
A deafening roar, mixed with cries and cheers, erupted in the guild hall!
Tears still flowed, but this time, they were tears of hope, of wild joy at a narrow escape from despair!
"Alright! What are we waiting for! Let's go drag that EZ guy out right now! And beat him awake!" Natsu was the first to jump up, his fists colliding, and a scorching flame "whooshed" skyward, dispelling most of the hall's chill!
His eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit and eager longing.
"Right! Let's go together! Bring EZ back! This time, it's our turn to bring him home!" Gray also clenched his fists, the chill around him no longer biting, but instead carrying a sharp edge, like breaking through ice!
Ice crystals condensed into sharp spikes at his fingertips.
"Count me in!"
"I'll go too!"
"Take me with you! We must bring EZ back!"
"Me too!"
The crowd was stirred, their blood boiling!
Everyone wished they could immediately join the rescue team, rush into that unknown space, and bring their companion back!
"Quiet!" Makarov's low roar, imbued with magic, was like a great bell, instantly quelling all the noise.
His gaze, serious and solemn, swept over the flushed, excited faces. "Children! I know how you feel! I want to bring EZ back more than anyone!"
"But, the Dimensional Summoning space is EZ's personal domain, the core manifestation of his spirit and power!"
"Forcibly opening a passage itself is fraught with unknown risks and spatial turbulence! Moreover, the stability of the spatial passage is extremely limited; not everyone can pass through safely!"
He said in a deep voice, with an unquestionable authority: "Spatial teleportation, especially entering an otherworldly dimension that is self-sealed by powerful magic and filled with unknown energy turbulence, places almost harsh demands on the time traveler's mental fortitude, soul stability, and… the closeness of their 'connection' to the target, EZ!"
"Only those with the closest connection to EZ, who know him well enough, whose will is as firm as steel, and whose soul is stable enough, can maintain self-awareness during the crossing process, without being torn apart by chaotic spatial forces or lost in eternal nothingness! Otherwise…"
His voice suddenly sharpened, "Not only will you fail to save him, but you will also fall into an abyss of no return, and may even cause irreparable consequences!"
Makarov's words were like a basin of ice water poured on their boiling blood, instantly calming them down.
Everyone looked at each other, not recoiling from fear of danger, but out of concern that their own strength might be insufficient or their connection not close enough, and rushing in might only make them a burden, or even… harm EZ.
A brief silence, like the calm before a storm.
Cana was the first to step forward. Tears still streaked her face, but her swollen eyes were unusually bright, like burning stars.
She tightly clutched a few golden fairy cards in her hand, their surfaces glowing faintly at her fingertips.
"I'll go." Her voice was calm, yet carried a decisive resolve, "That EZ guy… he owes me a lot of bar tabs he hasn't paid off yet. And…"
She gently caressed the cards in her hand, a bitter yet tender smile gracing her lips, "The inspiration for my fairy cards, he was the one who first suggested it to me. He said my card magic shouldn't just be supportive, it could be more interesting, more… If he just disappeared like this, my life would lose a lot of fun, and my cards… would also lose their luster."
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