Jellal, who had been smashed into the wall by Ryoma's punch, stood up from the ruins, dusting off his clothes. There was no hint of defeat on his face. Instead, it was filled with the fanaticism and satisfaction of a successful plan.
He ignored the sharp pain in his abdomen, merely gazing with near-maniacal joy at this masterpiece brought forth by Etherion.
"Jellal!" Erza's voice was filled with anger and confusion.
"Haha... Hahahaha!"
Jellal lowered his head, his shoulders shaking violently, before finally erupting into maniacal laughter.
"Did you think you won like this? Did you think you stopped me?" Jellal raised his head, his face twisted with madness.
"Too naive! Too naive!"
Erza stepped forward, her scarlet long hair billowing without wind.
She sharply demanded, "Jellal! What else are you planning now?"
"Planning what else? No, this is just the beginning!" Jellal's wild laughter echoed across the top of the tower.
"This tower, this magic power so vast it could destroy a nation, is merely a vessel. A vessel to welcome the descent of the god!"
Ryoma's brow furrowed slightly. He hadn't expected Jellal to persuade the Council to deploy Etherion so quickly. Fortunately, he had arrived fast. With Jellal right under his nose, any further small moves could be stopped immediately.
Ryoma took a threatening step forward, cold air spreading around him.
"Your plan has failed, Jellal. You, the core, are now in my hands."
"Hahaha, the core? The sacrifice?" Jellal's laughter grew even more arrogant.
"Who told you there was only one choice for the sacrifice?"
Before his voice faded, ancient and complex magic patterns suddenly emerged beneath the skin covered by Jellal's clothes. Those patterns moved across his body as if they were alive.
"I haven't lost!"
Jellal ignored the deadly threat emanating from Ryoma. He spread his arms, his face alight with fanaticism, and slowly leaned back toward the massive lacrima behind him.
"My body! My soul! They will become the sacrifice to resurrect Zeref-sama! I will be the cornerstone leading to the new world!"
His body actually began to merge into the massive tower constructed entirely of lacrima, and the fanaticism on his face reached its peak at this moment.
At this moment, Ryoma felt a sense of relief.
If they had wasted more time fighting the Trinity Raven earlier, if they had arrived even a moment later, and Jellal had truly merged with this system containing an abnormally vast amount of magic power...
Who knew what kind of monster would have been created?
After all, Zeref has been alive and well this whole time.
Using this energy to 'resurrect' the most wicked Black Mage in history, who is already living?
Ryoma dared not imagine what bizarre situation might arise.
Just as Jellal's back was about to touch the lacrima tower, Ryoma moved.
He raised his right hand and made a subtle grasping motion toward Jellal. A barely perceptible ripple spread out from Ryoma's palm.
Immediately, time in the small area where Jellal stood experienced a strange reversal.
His body, which was about to merge into the crystal tower, was forcibly pulled back to reality in a manner that defied physics, then retreated step by step back to the position he held before spreading his arms.
"Hmm?"
The fanaticism on Jellal's face froze for a moment. He stared blankly at his own hands.
Ryoma, however, would not give him a second chance.
"Eternal Ice Coffin."
As the cold words fell, extreme coldness erupted instantly.
Before Jellal could step into the lacrima again, countless ice crystals generated and completely encased him with lightning speed.
The ice rapidly spread, forming an ice coffin that completely sealed Jellal inside.
Having done all this, Ryoma didn't hesitate for a moment. He hoisted the heavy ice coffin onto his shoulder and roared at Erza and the others, who were still stunned, "Go! Now!"
"Go find Simon and the others! Everyone! Get on the boats and leave this place immediately! Hurry!" Ryoma's tone carried an unprecedented urgency and certainty.
"Huh? Ryoma? What's going on? Didn't we already catch him?" Natsu asked, confused.
Erza was also full of doubts.
Watching Ryoma's sudden actions, she couldn't understand why they needed to flee in such a panic when Jellal had clearly been restrained.
But when she met Ryoma's extremely solemn eyes, she swallowed all her questions. She chose to trust Ryoma's judgment.
"Understood!" Erza didn't ask further.
She immediately turned around. "Natsu! Gray! Execute the order!"
The four wasted no time.
Ryoma, carrying the ice coffin, rushed ahead at astonishing speed, followed closely by Erza and the other two, quickly leaving the top of the tower.
Fortunately, halfway down, they encountered Simon and the others leading a large group of people upward. These people were innocent citizens who had been captured and used as laborers, and they had successfully rescued everyone.
There was no time for detailed explanations. Urged by Erza and Ryoma, the group, who had just escaped their suffering, quickly boarded the few boats docked inside the small island, despite their confusion.
As the last group boarded the ships, the mooring ropes were cut, and the vessels immediately raised their sails, desperately trying to speed away from the island.
The ships cut white waves across the sea. Everyone stood on deck, looking back at the lacrima tower that glowed with an eerie blue light in the night.
Just when they had escaped a good distance and felt safe—
A sudden change occurred.
In the distance, from the direction of the former Tower of Heaven, a blinding flash of white light suddenly erupted, even more dazzling than when Etherion had descended earlier.
The light was so intense that it illuminated the entire night sky as brightly as day.
Immediately afterward, a thick column of pure white light shot up from the top of the lacrima tower, tearing through the clouds and piercing the sky.
Several seconds later, a terrifying and unparalleled shockwave violently spread out.
Rumble!!!
The destructive air current swept across the sea, raising monstrous waves.
Even across the vast distance, the shockwave still violently pushed their ships forward an extremely long way. The people on board staggered and cried out in alarm.
Erza gripped the ship's railing tightly to steady herself. She watched in horror as the distant sea area was engulfed by the white light, her heart pounding uncontrollably.
She finally understood why Ryoma had remained so calm when facing Jellal's final plan, yet suddenly fled in such a desperate panic, taking everyone with him, after subduing Jellal.
That massive, uncontrolled magic power, having lost Jellal as its conductor and user, had accumulated inside the lacrima tower for too long without any means of regulation or release. The only possible outcome was self-destruction.