Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Sho glaring at Erza with a fierce expression.
"Are you trying to manipulate us by using those people to gain sympathy?!"
"Stop joking around!"
"The truth is, you planted explosives on our ship and blew up all the ships—did you think you could escape alone?!"
"You didn't expect us to survive, did you? You thought we'd be dead when we appeared!"
"You didn't realize that Jellal detected your actions before you blew up the ship. He rescued us, and that's how we survived the explosion!"
"Jellal told us that this is the consequence of not learning magic properly."
"My sister has become addicted to the power of magic and wants to erase all memories of our past!"
"That's the truth, isn't it?!"
Kyros looked at Sho calmly and asked, "What did Jellal tell you?"
Natsu and Gray both fixed their gazes on Sho, their expressions intense.
Sho suddenly felt his breath catch in his throat, and the earnest look on their faces made his heart pound.
"Are you saying that what sister said is true?! Is Jellal lying to us?!"
Gray asked, "Is the Erza you know really someone who would do something like that just to forget the past?"
Sho's face was drenched in sweat, and he shouted in desperation, "What do you know about us?! Why are you questioning us when you don't know anything about our past?!"
"It's because of what Jellal said that I'm still here today!"
"It took us eight long years to complete the Tower of Heaven, all for Jellal!"
"But you're telling me now that it was all a lie?! This can't be real!"
Wally and Millianna looked equally bewildered, unsure of who to believe.
With a look of guilt on Erza's face, she felt that her own weakness was the reason why Jellal had kept these talents hidden.
Kyros remarked indifferently, "At this point, it's unclear who's telling the truth and who's lying. You're so naïve and hopeless."
"What did you say?" Sho glared at Kyros angrily.
"To determine who's right and who's wrong, consider what's happening," Kyros continued. "Erza was driven away, and she did nothing to protect you. Jellal, on the other hand, confined you all to this island, depriving you of freedom while continuing his work with the Dark Cult, constructing the so-called Tower of Heaven."
"That's because Jellal believes that everything outside is an illusory freedom. Only by resurrecting Zeref can we obtain true freedom!"
"What is true freedom?" Sho asked, his expression wild with fervor. "True freedom means revealing the truth to the entire world."
"I will punish the remnants of the one who once stole our freedom, the traitors who betrayed us, the ignorant people living in this world, and the incompetent Council members!!"
"We'll bring fear and sorrow like never before! We'll strip away all freedom in this world!!"
"We are the rulers of this world! Ahahahahaha—!!"
Sho laughed maniacally, his face contorted with madness.
"Bang!!" Erza moved swiftly to Sho, grabbing him by the shoulder and headbutting him in the face.
"Ahhh!" Sho screamed as he fell backward to the ground.
"Sho!" Wally and Millianna shouted in alarm.
Bleeding from his nose, Sho looked at Erza in disbelief. "Sister, did you… did you just hit me?!"
Erza glared at Sho with anger. "That's not true freedom!!"
"What's the difference between your vision and the Dark Cult that once deprived us of our freedom? Is becoming like them your idea of true freedom?!!"
"Sister…" Sho had never seen Erza this enraged before and was momentarily frightened.
"You, who were once so kind, are now so twisted. Jellal, is this all your doing?!"
Gray said, "With such malicious intent in your words, you still can't discern who is right, and you deserve to be deceived."
At this moment, the larger Simon stood up and declared, "Sho, Wally, Millianna, you've all been deceived by Jellal."
"Simon?! You don't believe what sister said?"
"I've never doubted Erza. I've been waiting for eight years, and it's wonderful to see you again, Erza."
Erza felt a surge of happiness upon hearing Simon's words, her eyes moistening. Among her former companions, there was still one who had always believed in her.
Millianna, slightly embarrassed, hesitated but ultimately chose to believe in Erza.
Erza gently patted Millianna's head with a smile and said, "It's alright. I'm sorry it took me so long to come and rescue you."
Millianna, moved by Erza's words, started to cry, "Oh! I'm so sorry, Erza! I believe in you, but I didn't know what to do."
Wally, with an apologetic look, said, "Sorry, Erza. I didn't want to believe it either, but…"
"I understand."
Seeing his companions gradually believe in Erza, Sho trembled with anguish, his face contorted in pain. "Why can everyone trust sister so much? Why can't I trust her? Damn it!"
"What's the truth?! Who should I believe?!"
Erza looked at Sho with sympathy and said, "I know it must be hard for you to accept all this now, but I want you to know that I've never forgotten you in these past eight years."
"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you because I was too weak."
Simon smiled and said, "But things are different now. I've been waiting for this moment—waiting for the powerful wizards to unite and overthrow Jellal, destroy the Tower of Heaven, and free the people held captive there once again."