The fated encounter between Erza and Irene inches closer and it will soon be revealed what their relationship is with each other. Meanwhile, Fairy Tail members are in a hurry to save Mavis, who is currently facing the Dark Wizard, Zeref.
Last chapter, Zera used her telepathic ability to inform every member of Mavis' whereabouts. However, some of the remaining strong members like Mirajane will likely be stalled by Irene's two lackeys, Heine Lunasea and Juliet Sun. Hence, fans over at Reddit believe the much-awaited return of Gildarts is on the horizon.
With the guild shorthanded due to injuries and Natsu's team being sent in a faraway land, it is time for the strongest mage in the guild to lend his assistance. Although some think that Gildarts will be the one to face Acnologia as he has a bone to pick with the Chaos Dragon. It is worth noting that he lost one of his arms and legs during their first encounter.
The title of the next chapter, however, implies that there will be a big revelation coming up. "Fairy Tail" chapter 492 is entitled "Elder Sister and Younger Sister" which points to Erza and Irene's possible relationship. Initially, Irene is tagged as Erza's mother but looking at her appearance, it can be assumed that she is just around Erza's age.
This could mean that the reason why Erza grew up as an orphan in Fiore is due to her hometown originally being at Alvarez. A tragic incident may have occurred that caused their separation. Should they indeed be siblings, it would be interesting to see if Irene will have a change of heart and help Fairy Tail in their war against Zeref.
As a quick refresher on what transpired in "Fairy Tail" chapter 491, it was revealed that Irene has the power to oversee everything that is happening in Fiore thanks to her currently unnamed magic. She also spotted Erza and her scarlet hair, which caught the Enchantress' attention. Meanwhile, all Fairy Tail members head towards where Mavis is. The chapter is available at Manga Mint and here is a recap of the previous chapter.