Fairy Tail. New edition Vol. 45

Fairy Tail has so many characters with unique powers; I wonder what the process is behind choosing who shines in key moments.

The tension really ramped up, but I was surprised by how quickly certain conflicts escalated. Was that intentional to keep the pace lively?

The creativity behind the magic feels so inventive. I'm curious whether Mashima draws from existing mythologies or creates everything from scratch.