Tower of Heaven arc

The Tower of Heaven arc is the seventh story arc of the Fairy Tail series.

As Team Natsu takes a vacation at the popular Akane Resort, Erza's dark past comes back to haunt her when a few of her old friends kidnap her and plan to make her a sacrifice needed to revive the most powerful Dark Mage in history, Zeref. Now, Team Natsu must find a way to rescue her and Erza must come to terms with fighting the man whom was once of of her closest friends...

The Ruined Vacation: Battle At the Casino!
After Loke gives Team Natsu tickets to Akane Resort, they head off for a vacation. When they arrive, Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Lucy Heartfilia, and Happy enjoy some fun on the beach. Elsewhere, Erza unwinds in her room and drifts off into sleep. She dreams of her childhood horrors at the Tower of Heaven where she worked as a slave to build the R-System. She hides in a corner and cries as Jellal Fernandes's voice whispers to her that freedom is just an illusion. Erza wakes up suddenly and looks at herself in the mirror. She changes back into her Heart Kreuz Armor thinking it fit her personality better. Lucy comes in and tells Erza to get dressed to go gamble at the casino downstairs where the others are already present. Erza then Requips into a rose patterned dress and heads out.

At the casino, Natsu Dragneel causes problems when playing roulette since the ball didn't land on his number. As Gray plays at slots, Juvia Lockser reveals herself and admits she tagged along. Natsu starts complaining again, when suddenly, a blocked man, named Wally appears and tells him how to enjoy himself in an adult place. Natsu and Happy are shocked by his appearance. Wally spins around and points a gun to Natsu's head. Everyone in the casino starts running. Gray and Juvia start talking how she left Phantom Lord Guild and became an independent mage. She tells Gray she's interested in joining the Fairy Tail Guild. Just then, another man appears named Simon. He swats Juvia aside and demands to know where Erza is. While that was going on, Erza was playing a card game. One of Erza's childhood friends, Shou comes in to rotate dealer positions, but instead spells out the words DEATH with his cards to Erza. Erza stares at Shou, shocked to see him.

Shou remarks how its been a while since they saw each other. Erza is surprised that Shou is safe. Back where Gray was, Simon asks again where Erza is. Juvia suddenly appears ready to attack in her water form. She tells Simon she won't let him hurt Gray and she will take care of Simon, and tells Gray to go find Erza. Just then, Simon gets told, through his headpiece that Erza was found. He then uses his Dark Moment spell to blind Gray and Juvia. While in the dark, Natsu gets shot in the mouth by Wally, and a bang is heard throughout the casino. When the light reappears Shou is gone but reappears behind Erza and shows her his Card Magic by displaying the trapped people inside his card deck by his spell Card Dimension. Shou remarks how it strange he learned magic too. Just then another of Erza's past friends, Millianna a cat like woman meows and uses her Nekousoku Tube to grab Lucy. Erza gets mad and tell her that Lucy is her nakama (friend). Shou finds it insulting and thought they were friends, but then adds that it was until she betrayed them. Wally then reanimates himself to where Shou and Milliana were and tells Shou to calm down and tells Erza she turned out to be good looking.

Simon then appears as Lucy falls to the ground with her hands and feet tied. Lucy asks Erza why they are calling her sister, but she tells Lucy they were just old friends. Not liking, the remark, Wally points his gun at Lucy who starts freaking out. Erza begs Wally to stop. Wally reanimates his hand behind Erza and shoots her with a sleeping bullet. As Simon grabs Erza, Lucy struggles in her position to get Erza back. Milliana just remarks how she'll be "cat food" in a few minutes. Wally then gets reminded that he has a gift for Milliana and presents Happy to her knowing she loves cats. Shou gets excited and reveals that Erza will be returning to the Tower Of Paradise, where Jellal is waiting for her arrival.

After Erza and her former friends leave, Lucy tries to summon Cancer but fails to reach her keys, when she is suddenly poked by a knife belonging to someone inside of Sho's cards. He ends up cutting the ropes for her and the man is rewarded with a kiss. Once freed, Lucy runs over to Gray and when she touches Gray, his body breaks into pieces and Lucy freaks out. But it shortly revealed to be just an Ice-Make: Ice Dummy. Juvia then gets up and let Gray out of her water body, where she was hiding him. This weirds Lucy out so Juvia gets in her face and says that it was her body and not Lucy's. Gray sheds his shirt and asks where Natsu is. Just then a breath of flame appears and Natsu starts yelling how it was rude for someone to shoot inside his mouth. Natsu runs out the casino wanting revenge on Wally. Everyone else follows as Natsu got a sharpen nose.

At the Tower Of Heaven, Jellal sits on his throne as Vidaldus Taka walks in reporting Erza was sucessfully captured. Jellal laughs to himself and tells Vidaldus why he didn't kill Erza which was because Erza was going to be the sacrifice to the tower. On Sho's ship Erza is tied to a pole. While everyone else is asleep, Sho comes down to Erza. She demands to be released, but Shou denies her calling her a traitor again. Erza starts struggling to get free but Sho tells her its futile because Milliana's ropes can seal magic. Erza states she just wants to just equip her armor so she can feel more secure and Sho says that she looks nice in these clothes. Sho then hugs Erza and tells her he never wanted to do all this, but then screams why she betrayed Jellal. Erza has another flashback of her old friends and her escaping. They are all worried as if they are captured, they would be tortured. But Jellal tells them it will be okay comforting Erza and the others, and that they will have their freedom soon.

Infiltrate! Staircase to Heaven
At the Magic Council, the magic council reacts to the news of Siegrain telling them the R-System still exists. They remember shutting down the R-System projects, but other members point out there was an 8th tower they must have missed and that it is almost completed. Siegrain interrupts the conversation saying the name of the 8th tower is The Tower of Heaven. The others tell him to shut up and to organize an army to take it down. Michello feels they don't have enough information to do that, but they do know that a cult leader, Jellal is in control of the tower.

Gray, Juvia, Lucy, and Natsu travel by canoe to the Tower of Heaven. Gray thinks their lost and Natsu is sick from the transportation as usual, they are all counting on his nose. Juvia says how she's surprised Erza got defeated. Gray gets angry refusing to believe Erza got defeated. Lucy tells Gray to calm down since they don't know much about Erza. Soon they see the tower ahead of them and continue sailing towards it.

Inside the tower,as Erza arrives at the Tower, she is thrown in a prison. Erza then remembers her monstrous past; the guards are asking who is the mastermind behind the plan to escape. Jellal courageously says that it is him but the guard says that it is Erza. Despite that it was Sho who had this idea, Erza accepts the punishment trembling with fear but with a smile to assure the other that she is not afraid. Now in the same prison again after years, Shô tells her she will stay there until the "ceremony" starts tomorrow. Then, he tells her that she will be the sacrifice for "Paradise". Erza tells Shô not to use the R-System to resurrect the dark mage, Zeref because of the consequences it will bring to the Magic World. Shô then says that Jellal is reviving him to bring them to "Paradise" and that they will rule with him. Erza then brings Shô to his knees through kicking him in the face and requips her Heart Kreuz Armor, determined to find and fight Jellal.

Happy wakes up in Millianna's room surrounded by plushie cats and cat pillows looking for Natsu. Milliana asks Happy how it is going, and Happy replies, making her happy that "her cat" can actually talk. Wally then shows up to telling that if it is talking then that makes Happy a cat which Happy says is completely nonsense. Simon then comes in to tell the two Erza escaped. Happy is surprised Erza is here. Simon tells them she's probably going for Jellal and they all set out to find her.In the throne room of the tower, Vidaldus worries of the Magic Councils actions.

At the Magic council everyone is still arguing, about what should be done, until Siegrain says the tower is way too dangerous to let it stand and recommends usingEtherion. Everyone is shocked and refuses claiming the Etherion is their ultimate weapon and is every more powerful than the R-System. Ultear agrees to use the Etherion. Siegrain begs for three more votes to let the chaostic weapon be used.

Back at the tower, Erza continues fighting and looking for Jellal. On the outside, Natsu and co. think there are too many guard to just walk in so Juvia reccomends they swim under to a secret entrance she just found. She makes them all water helmets to give them oxygen underwater. After they go through, Lucy points out how useful the water helmets were. Juvia is surprised Lucy didn't die, after admitting she made Lucy's tank smaller than the others. Guards spot the gang so they attack and quickly defeat the enemies. The door leading to the inside of the tower all of a sudden opens for them. In the throne room Vidaldus asks why Jellal is letting enemies enter. Jellal just claims that everything is a game and they just passed a level. At the Council, Siegrain is able to gain one more vote, which leads him with two more votes needed.

Once Natsu and company get in, Lucy changes her clothes that Cancer gave her. Enemies start running towards the gang as Erza shows up. Erza fights her way through some guards asking where Jellal is. She eventually comes across Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Juvia. Although she is surprised to see them, she tells them to go back and that this is her problem to deal with. Natsu refuses, one reason being because Millianna has Happy. Erza apologizes saying she will lose this fight no matter what. Erza tells them about the Tower of Heaven, otherwise known as the R-System. That when Jellal was captured, Erza and the others decided to fight for their freedom starting a rebellion but by then Jellal completely changed.

Erza's Past: The Battle For Freedom!
A cult tried to build a tower to resurrect the fearful and terrifying dark mage Zeref. This is called the R-system, or Tower of Heaven. They used slaves to build it, of which Erza happened to be one of them along with Wally, Sho, Millianna, Jellal, and Simon. After an escape attempt, Erza was taken to the dungeons and was tortured with such severity, she lost her right eye. Her friend Jellal arrived to save her and told her they have to fight to survive now. Caught by another guard, Jellal gets beaten and Erza gets sent back to her prison.There he was possessed by what he believed was Dark Mage Zeref, supplanting his former kind personality with a more violent one, which made him almost completely insane. No longer able to take the abuse Erza attacks guards and starts the revolt. At its inception, the revolt appeared to be successful.

The sudden presence of Mages, however, begins to dampen their chances at victory. All seems lost the moment a magic blast comes towards Erza, but Rob another slave that was forced to work on the R-System, interferes, saving Erza, but sacrificing his life in doing so. To see Rob, who had nurtured her in the manner of a grandfather, blown to dust in an attempt to save her life seems to unlock something inside of her. She remembers Rob telling her what is magic and that it comes from the heart. She awakens her magic. In vengeful fury she calls to all manner of pickaxe and shovel in her proximity and sends a barrage of steel at her captives; and in that moment of rage she finishes the revolt, defeating all her enemy.

When everyone is on the boat to go home, Erza goes back in the dungeons to look for Jellal. Already possessed by Zeref, Jellal attacks Erza and tells her he is going to complete the R-System to resurrect Zeref's body to find his "true freedom". Jellal finishes off the guards who was torturing him. Erza tries to stop him but in vain. Jellal uses his Darkness Magic and attacks Erza her own comrade. He tells her not to tell anybody about the tower or he will kill everyone. She then wakes up on an island crying about the events just witnessed..

Back in the present Erza wipes her tears infront of her friends, and claims she will be the one to face Jellal.

The Countdown to Death Begins: The Satellite Square, Etherion
Back at the Magic Council, Siegrain continues to try and get two more votes. They argue that by using the Etherion, it would kill everyone in the tower, including the innocent bystanders. Siegrain is willing to take the risk though. Eventually Belno also agree to use the Etherion and so one more vote is needed. In the tower, Siegrains main body Jellal smiles and claims there is one more vote until everything ends.

Meanwhile, Erza and the others discuss Zeref. Erza talks about Zeref and how the R-System is being used to resurrect him. She says he was the cruelest and most powerful dark mage in history. Erza points out that Zeref created the Lullaby a terrifying monster, and she also thinks he created Deliora. Zeref can create these powerful monsters with little effort. Lucy then asks why Erza is considered a traitor to her old friends. Erza doesn't know why, but suspects Jellal made something up. Shô then appears, hearing what actually happened eight years ago and cannot believe that Jellal was tricking them all this time. Shô says that eight years ago Jellal told him that Erza planted bombs in their ships and that if Jellal hadn't noticed everyone would have died. Jellal then made everyone get back to work on the tower claiming it was a sign that the tower must continue to be built. Erza tells Shô she never did that confusing Sho. Simon then appears revealing he knew all along Jellal was lying, Simon always trusted Erza. She then comforts Sho saying she was too weak back then and she is stronger now. They all decide to work together to stop Jellal.

After finally arriving at Millianna's room, he tries on a cat-themed costume head but finds that it is stuck. But when Wally tries to ambush him again, he is saved by Millianna, who believes that he is a real cat, and doesn't want Wally to hurt him. He is nearly killed again when Wally points his gun at Natsu, but Milliana stops him claiming Wally shouldn't shoot cats. Wally convinces Millianna that he is not, in fact, a cat, and the two attack in tandem, but he is saved by Happy's return. He ends up defeating both mages by using a joke-move, the "Ultimate Strike: Kitty in Pain" to invoke Millianna's pity and make her release him from his bonds, allowing his magic to return and beating them with a single attack using his Fire Dragon's Wing Attack.At the tower again, after Natsu defeats Milliana, Jellal goes to his chess board made of pieces that represent all the people in his “game” and knocks Milliana’s and Wally’s pieces over symbolizing their defeat.

He then tells Vidaldus that Simon and Shou have betrayed them but he’s okay with it since that’s how a game should be. Vidaldus just tells Jellal to hurry up with the ceremony. He gives Vidaldus the job of doing it instead, and Vidaldus awakens his true form, and his allies, Fukuro and Ikaruga appear alongside him. Jellal tells them it’s their turn to move.

Natsu and Happy are able to get the cat helmet off Natsu's head. Just as they do, Wally gets up to attack the two again. But Jellal uses magic to send an audio to everyone in the tower. He tells everyone it’s time to begin the Paradise Game. He states the rules are to try to prevent him from using Erza to resurrect Zeref and that they must get past Trinity Raven to get to him. He then informs everyone that the Etherion will also hit them soon and destroy the tower so they have an unknown amount of time. He then states that either way nobody will win and everyone will die. An angry Sho claimed that he well protect Erza and defeat Jellal so he use his magic to trap Erza in one of his cards and run however Simon follows him. After hearing this Natsu and Happy are excited to play a game, but instead decide that it would be easier to cheat; they fly straight to the top, but they are stopped by Fukuro. When they land, they end up with Simon who tells them to run away from Fukuro. Simon uses his Darkness Magic, but since Fukuro is an owl he still saw Simon and beat him. Simon defeated, tells Natsu Fukuro is of Trinity Raven, a guild that goes around assassinating people. Natsu gets angry about hearing about a guild that only kills and prepares to fight him. Natsu and Fukuro send attacks back and forth,but Natsu starts to lose his lead immediately but is determined to win this battle. Somewhere else, Juvia and Lucy wander the tower.

The Tide to Reach your Friends
The battle between Natsu and Fukuro starts, the Trinity Raven mage is not an easy opponent. The battle is tight, Fukuro uses his Jet Magic and Simon realizes the power of one of Trinity Raven and Jellal in his throne room counts Simon as defeated.

While Lucy and Juvia wonder in the tower hoping to find Natsu. Juvia tells Lucy why she have to look for Natsu with her however she remembers that Gray told her that he is worried about Erza so he went after Sho while the girls look for Natsu. Juvia said to herself that she would do it though she would be stuck with her love rival ,later the girls are attacked by one of Trinity Raven's Vidaldus Taka with his rock music Lucy thought he was loud while Juvia said that he is good Juvia fought him for while assuming traps him in her water lock but his hair absorb the water much to Juvia's surprise,Vidaldus said that her want to turn one of the girls into his slave he chooses Juvia for it and eventually turn her into his slave thanks to his Rock of Succubus Magic. During that time Jellal knock Juvia's piece as she is out while he knocks Lucy's piece assuming that she is next to go.

Juvia starts to attack Lucy's with her Water Magic while Lucy tried to reason with her but with no use, Juvia attacks Lucy a couple of times first by ripping her dress off then by whipping her. Vidaldus states that if he turns the two of them into slaves things would become boring so he wanted to see cat fight girls fighting over some boy which make Juvia attack Lucy again while Lucy was under Juvia's water states that she can't defeat her while series. However she hears Juvia's real consciousness speak telling Lucy Juvia isn't doing that to her friend saying it's okay to call her friend despite she sees her as her love rival, and Juvia came to love Fairy Tail, thought that she is finally made friends Juvia called her self a woman of misfortune crying Lucy felt Juvia's hot tears inside her water. While out of the water prepared one last time for one more attack, Lucy summoned Aquarius using Juvia's body while Aquarius attacking everyone including Lucy. Somehow together they join hands as Aquarius attacks and they perform Unison Raid which shocks Jellal to defeat Taka who couldn't absorb the whole water stating it's too much. While they celebrate there victory Aquarius throw a tantrum on Lucy saying how dare she summon her in a place like that and she is going on vacation with her boyfriend so she better not summon her. Juvia tells Lucy that she defeated Taka which Lucy corrects her that they both defeated him during that she reminded her that she called her Lucy that time. Since both of them tired they decide to rest for while and regain their strength. During that time Jellal who said he heard a lot of people tried to use unison raid but it was never achieved he praised the girls by saying they maybe girls but still Erza's friends.

The Owl Assassin
During the council meeting when the members of the council rejects the idea of using the Etherion, Siegrain start to argue by saying the situation that they are in right now and he know what Jellal want to resurrect because he knows him very well and he tells them that Jellal want to resurrect Zeref. The council is all stunned and asks Siegrain to tell them everything he knows.

During that time Natsu who is fighting Fukrou ,Fukrou launches his missile which get holds Natsu resulting his motion sickness to kick in and which Fukuro aware of takes advantage of it and he stunning eats Natsu. Happy tries to attack Fukuro but the Owl Assassin attacks him with no difficulty with Natsu's fire attack since he absorb the Magic of the users' he eats.

Meanwhile the council re-votes in 8 in favor and 1 against so the Etherion is now approved, Shitou Yajima who was against it and tells Siegrain if he’s ready to accept the consequences of firing it. Siegrain says he is, but Yajima then gets very angry and tells him if he’s ready to accept all the death he will be causing. Siegrain says to wait and see.While Jellal during that time knocks Natsu's piece wounder how Erza well win after maybe her strongest piece have gone.

Gray remembers Cana is reading Gray's cards and says he will be lucky tonight but Gray complain that he just lost his wallet and fell in ditches so his day so far have been nothing but trouble. At that time Erza have arrived at Fairy Tail she said that the place that grandpa Rob was talking about.

Gray is running looking for Sho who has Erza trapped and he runs into Simon and Fukuro who tells Gray that he is held up because of Fukuro, Gray indicates that they need to find Erza as soon as possible because as long as she is stuck in his card she is defenseless, Happy told Gray that Fukuro have ate Natsu. Fukuro tells that under ten minutes Natsu's body will dissolve. Gray decides to take the matter in his own hands attacks Fukuro but since he has absorbed Natsu he uses Natsu's fire attack to counter attack Gray's Ice-Make Magic.

Gray remembers again Cana who is talking that Erza always by herself, Gray suggests that she talks to her but Cana tells him that she completely ignored her when she tried. Gray tries to talk to Erza but she ignores him as well which pisses Gray off and knocks Erza off the chair he telling her that this is a mage guild and that you don't go around wearing armors. However she replis by saying why don't he take a look at himself before telling the other what to wear and that is this a guild for perverts, which causes the rest of the guild to laugh at Gray which pisses him off telling. Erza then says not to worry about her.

The arduous fight between Fukuro and Gray continues, with Gray still under Fukuru's fire but luckily Gray manages to freeze the flames and tells Fukuro that this can't be Natsu's flames as it is not that powerful. Fukuro gets impressed by Gray's Magic that he wants to capture Gray as well. But when Fukuro attacks him Gray freezes his mouth, saying they don't have time to play around.

Gray recollects gettting beaten up by young Erza and Wakaba and Macao praising Erza. Which enrages Gray even more saying that he refuses to accept her as one of his nakama. Later Gray finds Erza sitting and he immediately challenges her to another fight but he sees her crying. Instead challenging her, he asks her why is she always by herself. She replies by saying that she likes lonely and does not feel comfortable around others which Gray responds, saying then why does she is crying on her own.

With all these memories powering up Gray, he finishes Fukuro off with his powerful Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance saying that Erza must be with everyone in Fairy Tail, so that she does not even cry again.

The Unbeatable Opponent: The Woman That Can Cut Through Anything
After Gray's battle with Fukuro, Simon praises him saying that he is a lot stronger than the information he had on him, he says that his feelings for his friend has fueled his magic power to a greater level. Gray says that he has to hurry to find Erza before collapsing due to his wounds, Simon adds that Erza has indeed joined a great guild.

Back at Era, where the Council prepares on firing Etherion twenty-seven minutes until it is fired. Org thinks that they may have made mistake on firing it, Michello states that they need to take full responsibility in maintaining order in the Magic World, and this is Zeref that they are talking about so they can't let him be revived. Meanwhile Ultear asks Siegrain if he is happy that his plan is finally going to be achieved after eight years. He asks Ultear if she is afraid but she isn’t and says she will always trust him. Siegrain realizes this is only because her life is not on the line. Siegrain then tells her that he is shaking up a little bit if the Etherion is to fail then he would die. Yajima, who is eavesdropping on their conversation, overhears this.

Back in the tower Jellal knocks Fukuro's piece off on his chessboard, he says it is time to say goodbye to Siegrain. Meanwhile Sho who is running looking for Jellal and still having Erza in his card, Erza tries to reason with him telling to let her out but he tells her that he is going to protect her no matter what. He run into the final member left of Trinity Raven; Ikaruga who greets him. Sho tells her to move out of the way as he is not interested to fight her but she cuts all his cards. She then attacks Sho while Erza tries to reason him that she is not match for him but Sho tells her that the card is protected thus no one on the outside can attack it. However Ikaruga attacks Erza who manages to slice through the card and Erza defends herself inside. Fortunately Erza successfully manages to break free out of Sho's card. She tells Ikaruga that thanks to her slices she made in the fabric space, Erza has managed to get out and she tells her to leave but surprisingly Ikaruga destroy Erza's Heart Kreuz Armor. Ikaruga tells her that she is sort of surprised that Erza didn't notice the attack.

Ikaruga tells Erza that she was too busy concerning about finding Jellal to the point that she didn't notice the attack. The promising battle starts Erza starts to look more serious which is noticed by Sho, soon she requipps in her Heavens Wheel Armor, which results starting a battle. They fight; Erza uses her circle swords which Ikaruga destroys and she even destroys Erza's armor in process. Erza opponent attacks her again using flame attack however Erza requips rapidly the Flame Empress Armor to defend herself. However it as quickly destroyed as the previous ones. Ikaruga praises her that she can requip in instant. She suggests Erza to use her strongest armor, Erza do so by requiping her strongest armor which is the Purgatory Armor. She tells Ikaruga "None has seen this armor and lived to tell the tale." Before Erza begins to use it Ikaruga destroy it in instant, she tells Erza no matter what armor she wears she can't stand a chance against her blade. However Erza stand on her feet and requips a sarashi (long, winding strip of cloth, usually thick cotton, wrapped tightly around the midriff up to the chest) with flamed bottom hakama. Ikaruga feels underestimated since she doesn't feel any magical power coming from her outfit. Sho says that she still have a lot of strong armors left and she is stronger than that however, she replies him as follow "I am not strong...so many of my nakama died before my eyes i failed to protect the people that i cared about...And...I was always crying always trying to make myself look stronger...I locked my own heart in a suit of armor...And cried. Because I am weak that I always hide behind a suit of armor, I could never take it off". Ikaruga tells her that even if my opponent "nake" I could slice them. However Erza continues by saying "I always believed that the armor could keep me safe but that wasn't right, that chink between people's hearts that allowed them to connect and i was just blocking that up, but Fairy Tail taught me the truth that is so much better to be close to people to feel their warmth ...I have no longer any doubts I well change my very being to strength and defeat you".

Preparing for one last attack both Ikaruga and Erza launch one final attack their swords clashing for the final time. Erza's arm gets slashed twice, and her enemy tells her that she has lost. But then, surprisingly, Ikaruga realizes she got slashed too. Blood comes out her heavy wound and she falls to the ground, before Ikaruga loses her conscious she tells Erza that both her and Jellal would lose because 15 minutes is left until the firing off the Etherion. Erza tells Sho to find Simon and take her friends from Fairy Tail out of the tower Sho tells her what about her she told him that she is going to finish things off between her and Jellal.

The Dark Reunion: Erza vs. Jellal
Natsu finally wakes up, he does not remember what happened to him but getting caught by the missile which made him got sick and Simon yells at him for that, Simon tells him that Fukuro ate him and Gray saved him but Gray took a great amount of damage so he told Happy to take him outside of the tower. Natsu is in a state of shock as Gray won and he "lost", so he wanted revenge on Fukuro but Simon pulls him telling him there is no time to do that. He tells Natsu that he got message from Wally and Millianna that they found collapsed Lucy and Juvia along with a Trinity Raven members since they don't know what going on. Simon told them to take the two outside the tower and protect them. He also received message from Sho that the three Trinity members were all defeated, Natsu gets even more surprised thas he is useless but Simon tells him that only Jellal is left and that Erza is on her way to confront him. He adds that the two of them are destined to battle but Jellal is simply more powerful so Simon begs Natsu to save Erza which he quickly refuses.

Erza finally made on the top of the tower where Jellal is, he knocks the Trinity Raven's pieces off claiming that the game is over. Erza asks if playing with people's lives are fun and Jellal asks her she could have fled this place if she wanted so. Erza tells him that she will free her friends, Jellal tells her he doesn't need them anymore, now that The Tower of Heaven is complete, Erza replies him saying that the tower would be destroyed in matter of minute. Jellal tells her that she meant the Etherion. Erza thinks that he is bluffing but Jellal confirms that the Etherion will fall however Erza gets relieved, she says she can delay him enough until Etherion fires however Jellal tells her that she will die as Zeref's sacrifice it's her destiny.

Meanwhile Natsu and Simon argue over why Natsu don't want to save Erza, his friend. Natsu adds that she needs to settle this on her own. That is something that he don't want to interfere in, Simon replies that she has no hope on defeating Jellal. Natsu gets angry and yells at Simon for bringing her down and Simon corrects him saying that he didn't talk about magical power. But that Erza is still trying to save Jellal and she can't hate Jellal as she doesn't have that in her and Jellal is clever and will take advantage of her emotions and it gets even worse reminding Natsu that the council is about to fire the Etherion. If that happens every person in the tower is dead and according to Sho message they have about ten minutes. Natsu shocked, Simon continues Erza headed to face him alone after telling everyone to evacuate. He adds that Natsu know Erza for long enough to see right through her plans, Simon displays his concern that she might take advantage of the Etherion to die and take Jellal down with her. With the idea of his friend's suicidal plan makes Natsu reach boiling point and he asks Simon where did Erza go.

During that time Jellal tells Erza that they have about seven minutes and he hope to have fun together, Erza replies him that she fears nothing even if the Etherion gets shot she will be satisfied as long as bringing him down with her. Jellal attacks Erza with Darkness Magic. She dodges all them and cuts them up. Jellal then attacks her again making her fly out the side of the tower. She manages to get back up by jumping on the crumbling rocks. As she swings her sword she asks why Jellal is damaging his tower so carelessly. Jellal doesn't seem to care, but Erza does because Sho and her friends spent eight years making it. He uses his darkness magic again hitting Erza. She manages to break out of it, slices Jellal who gets surprised by saying is that the same Erza he knew in the past. Erza then pins Jellal down on the ground.

Erza asks Jellal what he is after, she tells him that has searched for the R-system and it has never been completed, there is something still missing in. Jellal repeats himself that she is the sacrifice however Erza tells him that it is not what she meant that's something even more basic the R-system needs is magic. In order to activate a strong magic weapon like that he needs an amount of 2.7 Billion Ideas of sheer Magic in order for the tower to activate. Jellal reminds her that it is now three minutes until the Etherion is being fired. She gets angrily and she tells him that is his dream over? Does he want to die now? He tries to make her give up by saying that his body was being possessed by Zeref and how he is nothing more than a doll doing his bidding. He claims it was all over before it had even begun and that nobody can save him.

Back at the Era the Etherion finishes charging and all the members pray. Outside the tower in the escape boat Happy sees the light, he says that Natsu and Erza to get out of there. At the tower, Jellal says he knew he could not finish the R-System but Zeref would not let him stop. He asks Erza to strike him down but she refuses, and hugs Jellal as Etherion is about to hit the tower. Simon sees the light also, he says that it is too late and Natsu continues climbing the tower looking for Erza, upon the Etherion hitting the tower Jellal unveils his true face.

Outside the tower is destroyed, the escape boat that Lucy, Gray and the others gets caught in the waves. However Juvia protects them by using her water magic. Back at Era Org says how many people was in the tower, Michello tells him that sacrifices must be made which Org replies him that we can justify our action but it well not heal the damage that they done to the families of the people in the tower. On outside the tower Lucy, Gray and the others show there concern that there friends might be dead. Back in the tower,Erza is alive after the blast; back at Era everyone is stunned that the tower is still standing. Outside the tower Lucy, Gray and the others are surprised to see the the outer structure of the tower only got destroyed Lucy displays her concern that is the others who are still inside got to be ok.

Back at the tower Simon surprised that he still is alive while Natsu wonders what just happened. Meanwhile Erza realizes that Jellal tricked her, he explains that it is the true form of the tower a giant lacrima and thank to the council attack he succeeded on gathering the power he needed to resurrect Zeref. Back at Era everyone at the council is surprised to see the tower still standing then everyone asks Siegrain in shock what happened. Yajima yells at Siegrain as he teleports away. Back at the tower Siegrain says that he had no choice since he couldn't have produce this much powers and reminds Erza how they met and it was his biggest mistake ever. Since he finally managed to become part of the council,he later reveals Siegrain and he are one person in order to invade the council and he asks Erza if she enjoyed her freedom because it was part of Zeref resurrection plan all along and he reveals that his powers came back to him.

In Era everyone wants to know what happened during that time the HQ starts to crumple, Yajima sees Ultear using her magic to destroy the council HQ saying Jellal dream has finally been realized. Back at the tower Jellal pushes Erza, Erza tries to fight him a couple times but he dodges her easily. He states that thanks to Ultear his plans is finally realized, Erza tries to fight him back again but he used a Bind Serpent] to stops her from moving. He had put it on her when she hugged him, and all he needs now is a living sacrifice and her body well be composed and decomposed into Zeref's new body, before forcing her into the R-System crystal in order to be sacrificed, he claims that he loved her.

Preparing her as a sacrifice, however Natsu arrives just in time to pull Erza out telling Jellal "Erza belong to Fairy Tail. I won't hand her over to you". Natsu tells her that they need to go back to work, otherwise they won't have enough money to pay Lucy's rent on time. Erza tells him that she can't move which he takes advantage of as he comically tickles her. Erza tells Natsu to leave and not fight Jellal because she is afraid of the consequences that will happen to him. She tearfully begs him to listen to her however, Natsu asks her why she is being like this and he can win surprisingly to even Jellal. Natsu knocks Erza unconscious. As he turns his attention to Jellal who tells him did he enjoy striking his nakama who can't even move, Natsu tells him in a shake voice "Erza...She was crying...And saying depressing things with a shaky voice...I have never seen Erza like that, Erza should be strong, mean and scary...when she wakes up I hope she well be the Erza that I knew that what I well fight for".

Jellal gets excited as he wants Natsu to show him the Dragon Slayer Magic.

The Fight for a Friend's Freedom
As The battle for Erza's freedom starts, Natsu flares up at Jellal, Natsu gets the upper hand, attacks Jellal several times using his fire attacks. However Jellal asks him if this was all he got and tells him he just wanted to test the Dragon Slayer abilities before destroying him. Then Jellal starts to get serious and begins to attack Natsu. Since Natsu can't keep up with Jellal's Meteor spell he tries to predict his movement but fails to do so. Jellal tells him his attacks would never touch him again. After that, Jellal attacks Natsu using his attack Grand Chariot which causes a huge blast on both, Natsu and the tower. Jellal remarks that any further damage would cause the resurrection to become problematic and says he had to hurry up now. However Natsu hears that and starts attacking the tower directly, claiming breaking things to be Fairy Tail's specialty and that he is more fired up than he has ever been before.

As the battle continues Natsu fights off Jellal only to get overpowered by him. Erza wakes up only to see Natsu getting hit by Jellal's Meteor attack again. After several more attacks Natsu asks if Jellal was holding back in order to not damaging the tower any further, since the last attacks were not as powerful as the previous ones. This angers Jellal and he hits Natsu again. Natsu stands up and attacks the tower again. Angered by Natsu's action Jellal launches another attack on Natsu but Erza shelters Natsu and asks Jellal if he was going to kill her aswell, since she was actually needed for the resurrection ritual. However Jellal claims that it wouldn't matter who is the sacrifice anymore due to the tower's fatal damage and prepares to cast a spell named Altairis that would well be able to kill both Natsu and Erza. Gathering up enough magical energy, he launches the spell towards Erza and Natsu, with Natsu telling Erza to move to which Erza responds he has nothing to fear since she will protect him. Erza closes her eyes, prepared to take Jellal's attack, however when she opens her eyes again Simon is standing in front of them, breathing heavily since he just took Altairis in Erza's place. He collapses and she runs to him, absolutely speechless. Simon confesses his love for Erza and dies in her arms. Erza cries and screams in agony but Jellal laughes at Simon for sacrificing his life and states that no one will leave the tower alive anyway. He gets interrupted though since Natsu punches Jellal out of rage in the face and starts eating the lacrima that had absorbed Etherion before, which almost kills him due to the lacrima consisting of the other elements, not just fire. Nevertheless Natsu manages to absorb it reaching the Dragon Force level of his Dragon Slayer Magic for the first time.

Natsu starts to attack Jellal, claiming it was all his fault that Erza's crying and that he had made a promise to Simon that he would take care of Erza. After a fierce battle Jellal shouts that he cannot be defeated and that he must bring freedom because Zeref chose him and he was going to build the kingdom of freedom. He tries to use Abyss Break which surprises Erza because it would destroy the entire tower. Before he is able to launch it he feels the aftershock of a slash Erza gave him during their fight before and his magic fails.

Natsu sees an opening telling Jellal that he will never achieve freedom by taking away other people's freedom and that there is no freedom to someone who is possessed by a ghost and he should free himself first. Natsu charges at Jellal’s chest, punches him as hard as he can and then finishes him off with a huge smash to the ground which then leads to Jellal's defeat.

Erza who had witnessed Jellal's defeat from close up sais to herself: "So this is Natsu's true power... This is Dragon Slayer".

Live on for your Friends
The aftermath of the battle Erza stated that the battle that she was fighting for 8 year is finally over,She said to herself everyone is now free when Natsu turn his back towered her he faint out of exhaustion,Erza quickly embrace him saying that he is truly amazing,at the moment the tower start to goes out of control,Erza took the unconscious Natsu and run hoping to find an exist soon she realize that the tower have a strong magical power it isn't stable and it won't be stable for long it well create a massive explosion which well kill even the people outside,she said she is not give up now it's her turn to protect Natsu, soon she realized that she need to be sacrificed in order to control the tower to prevent it from explosion,She put her arm in the liquefied Lacrima which got work ,at the moment Natsu finally wakes up he saw Erza's half body into the Lacrima and ask Erza what she is doing she told him this is the only way,he told her to stops cause if she keep that she is going to die,However Erza told him "I cannot live without Fairy Tail. I can't imagine a world without my nakama. That's how much all of you mean to me. If doing this can save all of you then I have no regrets even if it take this body...SO BE IT."Offering her body to the R-system she blank out while Natsu calling her to get out ,from inside the vortex she told Natsu to take care of everyone cause she well always be there for them,Natsu was crying calling Erza as the tower explode.

at the time Lucy,Gray and others notice that the tower isn't exploding but is going up to the sky.

At the final flash back Makarov took Erza to Porlyusica in order to fix her damaged eye,When Porlyusica ask Makarov where she is from, Makarov told her that Erza knew Rob,Porlyusica ask where is Rob now Makarov told her that he is dead,Back at Porlyusica's house she took the bandages of Erza and saw her eyes fixed so she told her to leave immediately,Erza shed tear about her eye however Porlyusica notice that Erza crying out of one eye which she tried to look if she made mistakes however Erza replies her by saying "Oh, its okay, I already shed half my tears anyway!".

Out of nowhere Erza finally wakes up in a white dress wounding where she is eventually came in a scene that is her funeral,and every members of Fairy Tail attending it, Makarov was delivering a speech on her behave saying that she was like a daughter to him,during the funeral the council members appeared they award Erza as a member of the Ten Wizards Saints but no one seem to care they are only crying,the funeral was cut short by an angry Natsu who said that is no way that Erza is dead refusing to accept the facts, kicking the flowers on her tombstone,and everyone in fairy tail pin him on the ground,seeing Gray's, Lucy's and Happy's sadness over her loss and mostly Natsu's anger and denial affected Erza and made her cry saying she did sacrifice her life to give them a happy future and that is not the future that she wanted to see any of that.She closes her eyes as she slowly fade away from the vision to reality.

Suddenly Erza wake up don't know where she is,she saw Lucy,Gray and co running towered her relieved that she is ok,she realized that she is alive she notice Natsu carrying her ,Erza realized that Natsu somehow not only find but mange to take Erza out of the vortex alive,as he Lay her down,as he told Erza " We are the same....It's the same for all of us...Don't you ever do a thing like that again...NEVER". Touched by his words she promised him no to risk her life again as she embraced him and give him a genuine thanks,Erza finally said to herself realizing "That's right I don't have to die for my nakama sake, I have to live for their sake. Because that's the only way to bring about a happy future." As for the first time ever since 8 years she cried tears of joy of both eyes.

Farewell
Back at the hotel Natsu slept for three days straight he wake up for seconds once Gray insulted him ,Wally, Milliana and Sho apologize to Erza, she told them since they doesn't have a place to go she invite them to Fairy Tail while she took them to introduce them to her teammates,she heard Jellal voice telling her that she become strong. She turns around and sees nobody denying she heard anything. As Lucy was in her room writing what Erza told her,that Jellal maybe the one who saves everyone once he got released of Zeref's posses,she said to herself that she kinda felt sorry for him since Jellal one of Zeref's victims,as Erza enters the room she ask Lucy's where is Sho and others, she told Lucy's to tell Natsu and Gray to prepare the fireworks.

While Sho, Wally and Milliana decide to go on the journey to discover the outside world,Erza found them and give them Fairy Tail Farewell bash as team Natsu throw for them fire works,as they promise that they well see each other again, as Erza's friends set off on their journey and finally free to live their own lives.

Anime Differences

 * In the manga, Wally originally pinned down Natsu with his gun and shot him in the mouth. Natsu's dragon slayer powers allowed him to survive. In the anime, Wally uses his block powers to pin Natsu to the game machine he was playing at. Then transforms his arm into a cannon and fires at him. Natsu lives through this as well.
 * In the Manga when Simon attacked Gray and Juvia, Simon slaps Juvia away when he first appeared. In the anime, he blows her up, using magic.
 * In the Manga, Jellal spoke to the contestants of the game through the use of mouths that were set up all over the walls and ceilings in the tower. In the Anime, his voice is transmitted through the statues.
 * Originally on the manga, Lucy summons Cancer to fight off the guards and to give her her dress. In the anime, she summons Virgo.
 * We see the child versions of the Oración Seis (minus Brain) during Erza's flashback. They weren't included in the manga.
 * Originally the fate of Trinity Raven was unknown in the manga and it presumed they we're caught in the blast when the Etherion fired down on the tower. In the anime, its shows that the three managed to escaped thanks to Fukuro's jetpacks.
 * The Trinity Raven's battle ground is different in the anime.
 * In Erza's vision when she wakes up in anime, a hand came and pull Erza out of her vision to reality. In the manga, Erza slowly fades away from dream to reality.
 * In the manga, when Lucy Invited Erza to go to the casino, Lucy wore a shirt with a floral design and skimpy shorts. In the Anime, Lucy wore a darkish red long dress.