On the ship, the mood was tense.
"Simon, sister, are they really okay?" Sho asked, his voice trembling with concern.
Simon glanced at Sho's worried eyes but struggled to find the right words. Before they left, Ken had given him a clear instruction: keep a distance from the Tower of Paradise no matter what and never leave the ship. It was a request born from a desire to protect them, and now, Simon had no choice but to trust in Ken's judgment.
Suddenly, a panicked voice cut through the air.
"Look over there!" Wally shouted, his eyes wide with horror.
A massive wave of magical power surged through the air. The four of them turned toward the source, fear in their eyes.
The towering black structure of the Tower of Paradise collapsed in a breathtaking, terrifying explosion!
"Tower of Paradise..." Millianna whispered, stunned.
"Where's Erza? Did you see her come out!?" Sho asked, his voice filled with panic.
Silence followed. The echo of the tower's collapse filled the air, a chilling reminder of all they'd just been through.
But then, Millianna gasped in disbelief.
"Wait, look over there... Is that Erza-chan... and her companion from the guild!?"
The others quickly turned their gaze in the direction she pointed, and sure enough, a black shadow was drifting slowly toward them.
"It seems like they are really..." Simon whispered, relief flooding his voice. "It looks like Ken brought her back... alive."
He paused for a moment, awe in his voice. "He really did it. He destroyed the Tower of Paradise, stopped the Dark Ritual, and defeated Jellal... He did all of that... and came back safely."
Ken, with Erza in his arms, hovered into view, his storm dragon wings folding behind him as he gently landed on the deck of the ship.
"Fortunately, I lived up to my fate," Ken said, his voice steady but strained.
Inside the cabin, Ken carefully placed the seriously injured Erza on a bed. The others settled in to rest, while Ken took charge of steering the ship back to the resort. The ship's control panel was a maze of levers and buttons, and Ken found himself staring at it, slightly lost.
"How am I supposed to steer this thing...?" Ken muttered, scratching his head.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Simon entered.
"Simon?" Ken blinked in surprise.
Simon, in a calm voice, gave him a simple but crucial instruction: "Pull the leftmost gate up, and I'll help you with the rest."
Ken chuckled, nodding gratefully. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."
Under Simon's guidance, the ship slowly began to move, sailing toward the distant shore.
As the hours passed, Simon finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Actually... I've been in love with Erza since we were captured together at the Tower of Paradise," he admitted, his voice low and full of regret.
Ken couldn't help but let out a startled laugh. "Wait, wait... You like her? Why are you just telling me this now?"
Simon smiled weakly. "I couldn't bring myself to say anything before, but after all we've been through... I'm glad you were there to help her. The Tower is gone, and Erza is safe. Can you... please take care of her for me?"
Ken blinked in surprise but nodded. "Of course, Simon. I will."
After a pause, Ken asked, "What about you? What are your plans now?"
Simon sighed. "Erza invited us to join Fairy Tail... Xiu has agreed, but we decided that once we dock, we want to leave. We've broken the shackles of the past, and we want to see the world and find our own freedom."
Ken nodded, understanding. "I get it. But... you know where we are if you change your mind."
"Please take care of her, Ken. She's been through so much," Simon said once again, his tone full of sincerity.
"Definitely," Ken responded.
A little while later, Ken stood on the beach, gently holding the sleeping Erza in his arms. Thanks to Simon's magic, she was able to rest peacefully, free from the torment of her past.
"I'm sorry for what happened earlier, Ken," Wally said, his voice filled with regret. "Thank you for showing us Jellal's true face."
Millianna added, "And thank you for saving Erza."
Ken smiled faintly. "You don't have to thank me. It was all part of the mission."
As the ship with Simon and the others disappeared over the horizon, Ken felt a sense of finality. The Tower of Paradise was gone, and so were the chains that had bound Erza for so long.
Erza slowly stirred in his arms as the first light of dawn touched her face.
"Where... where are we?" Erza asked, still groggy from sleep.
"After Simon and the others left, we came back to the resort. They needed time to heal, and so do you. You're free now, Erza... truly free."
She looked up at him, her eyes soft and grateful. "Thank you, Ken. I never thought I'd be able to escape that place, but... you helped me."
Ken smiled softly, feeling the weight of her words.
As the two of them walked toward the resort, they were greeted by familiar voices.
"Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Happy..." Ken smiled warmly, recognizing his guildmates.
Lucy rushed over, concern etched on her face. "Where have you been? We haven't seen you since last night. Why are you covered in wounds?"
Ken waved it off. "It's nothing. Erza asked me to fight, and well... the fight just ended."
Erza, her expression unreadable, glared at Ken, causing him to cough nervously.
"Maybe you think there's no need to hide these things between partners, but... we'll have plenty of chances to talk later. Let's rest first; after all, we only have three days here for a vacation."
Erza gave him a tired but understanding smile, her voice soft. "Sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean to worry you. I'm a little tired. I'll go back to the hotel with Ken."
"Okay..." Lucy nodded, but as she watched them walk off together, a small blush spread across her face.
Natsu, completely oblivious, scratched his head. "Is there something wrong with those two?"
Lucy sighed and shook her head. "I don't think you'd understand, Natsu."
Happy, who had been flying nearby, grinned mischievously. "Hey Lucy, do you want Ken to carry you like a princess too?"
Lucy immediately turned bright red. "No!"
And as the sun rose over the horizon, the shadows of the past began to fade, leaving the future open for new adventures... and for Erza to finally begin the healing process she so desperately needed.
(Next Chapter: The Aftermath of the Tower of Paradise)