CRACK.
The massive iceberg collapsed. Fragments of snow scattered in all directions, bringing a hint of coolness to the devastated battlefield.
"Ridiculous... I lost to mere humans... to you accursed ants that I could crush with a single step..."
Estra the Frost Soul Dragon lay prostrate, its eyes burning with resentment. It tremblingly extended its claws toward the three figures ahead, wanting to continue fighting.
BOOM!
A spatial Ultra-Magic circle erupted, burying all its hatred and fury in a blaze of fire.
The blast wind lifted her torn cheongsam. Future Minerva lowered her arm expressionlessly. "I won't give dangerous creatures like you—who seek to exterminate humanity—a chance to live."
Beside her, Future Erza and Future Kagura's expressions were equally unmoved.
After the battle, they had fully witnessed just how dangerous these opposition dragons' ideology was. If allowed to survive, it would be catastrophic for humanity!
From a certain perspective, was Acnologia—who had exterminated dragons—actually saving the future world?
Future Erza, who had learned the Black Dragon's origins in the Dragon Graveyard, couldn't help but think this.
But soon, she rejected the thought. Acnologia was a monster driven only by slaughter. It could never coexist peacefully with humans!
After the desperate events of Tenrou Island, she was certain of this.
"Yo, you took down your opponent too?"
The sudden voice made the three battle-worn women instantly alert—until they recognized the speaker.
"Laxus, why are you here?" Future Erza asked.
"Heard the commotion and came to support. But looking now, seems unnecessary." Future Laxus surveyed the battlefield with a smile.
His muscular body was covered in mottled blood—whether his own, the dragons', or both.
"Where are Freed and the others?" Future Erza remembered he had been operating with the Thunder God Tribe from both worlds.
"Those guys got in the way, so I sent them back to the Eclipse Gate," Future Laxus said with a casual wave.
In truth, they had all "died" to the Thunder Rage Dragon's roar. But as their leader, he naturally wouldn't admit that. This was his tsundere way of putting it.
"Now that we've met, let's move together while we still have strength to fight," Future Minerva said.
In the past, she would never have suggested teaming up with mages from other guilds.
But now, having rekindled her convictions, the Sabertooth princess was grateful for the opportunity!
"No need for that."
Future Kagura tightened her grip on her Unfearing Heaven. Her sharp gaze lifted toward the distant sky, where massive shadows were rapidly approaching. "They're coming to us."
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The moment the words left her mouth, tearing winds and rolling dust. The first wave of dragons from beyond the primeval forest descended, surrounding them!
On another front, Gildarts, Future Mirajane, and Future Jura—having regrouped after defeating their opponents—also found themselves surrounded by a new dragon horde.
"One after another, they keep coming... these terrible monsters..." Future Jura swallowed hard, his expression grim.
Facing the oppressive aura of dozens of dragons, even a Ten Wizard Saint couldn't help but feel his scalp tingle.
Even with the God Seal's enhancement provided by Chase, he had barely managed to defeat two or three dragons with his full effort.
And that had been with Future Ichiya and Future Bacchus—two S-Class mages—fighting alongside him!
"This is the age of dragons four hundred years ago, after all. More will only keep coming," Future Mirajane said, brushing disheveled hair from her forehead.
Compared to her counterpart with Demon King Take Over, her burst power was decent—enough to hold her own against dragons—but her endurance was severely lacking.
The only reason she hadn't been eliminated like Gray and Gajeel was sheer S-Class resilience.
Though she didn't enjoy fighting, for the sake of protecting her younger siblings in the future, she wanted to persevere to the end and gain as much dragon-fighting experience as possible!
"This trip to Crocus was definitely worth it."
Gildarts clenched his fists excitedly, a smile curling at his lips. "That brat Natsu must be fired up by now, right?"
There was no fear in his eyes—only overwhelming fighting spirit.
Under their father's meticulous protection, the two Canas hadn't "died" to dragon claws like other guildmates. They had chosen to withdraw voluntarily and return to their own era.
Having reached their limits, they knew staying would only hold Gildarts back from fighting freely.
"This is a rare opportunity. Let these flying lizards from the past witness the power of future mages!"
Gildarts stepped forward, unleashing his magic power first.
A white storm erupted like a volcanic blast, shaking the ground and sending debris swirling around him.
Seeing this, Future Mirajane and Future Jura set aside their thoughts and released their magic without reserve.
All three shot forward as streaks of light, charging head-on into the converging dragon horde!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Without a word, the moment they made contact, large-scale magic and dragon roars were unleashed without mercy.
Shockwaves swept in all directions. Flames raged across multiple battlefields, pushing the "Dragon King Festival" orchestrated by Chase to its peak!
Amid all this chaos, the center of the shattered primeval forest was relatively quiet.
Whether out of respect for the Nether Dragon King or fear of its power, the arriving dragons instinctively chose to detour around this area of violent energies.
After another brutal magical clash, Chase and Bahamut separated, facing each other across the broken earth.
Bahamut gasped heavily. Blood seeped from wounds all over its mangled body. From a distance, it looked like a horrifying blood dragon.
After forcibly resetting a dislocated joint, its gaze swept toward the distant sky—where a black cloud of approaching dragons loomed. "Human, the situation seems rather unfavorable for you."
Those arriving were only the vanguard from other regions. Stronger dragons, even Dragon Kings, were still coming.
Sooner or later, some would break through. Then, no matter how powerful Chase was, Bahamut would have the advantage!
"What, you plan to rely on other dragons to defeat me?" Chase wiped the blood from his face with a smile.
He looked no better than Bahamut, covered in wounds and broken bones, steam rising from his body.
Even Slifer's phantom, which had been protecting him, was shattered—only fragments of light lingered around him.
Bahamut paused, then bared its fangs and spread its wings, soaring high into the sky.
"Rely on other dragons?"
"What nonsense! The one to defeat you can only be me—and must be me!!"
BOOM!!
An overwhelmingly dense Nether attribute magic power exploded. The chaotic hurricane violently ravaged everything around it.
In an instant, heaven and earth transformed. Space thundered. Endless black mist surged forth, forming a Netherworld River stretching a thousand miles, suspended above the primeval forest!
This vast torrent of pure magic power blotted out the sun, casting deep shadows. The mere remnant energy made even the battling humans and dragons look up in horror.
As they paused their fighting to gaze upward, crimson and deep blue pillars of light intertwined, shooting skyward—forcing a chaotic vortex into the heart of the Nether River, scattering divine radiance!
"Second Origin release—"
Knowing this was the final strike, Chase held nothing back, using his strongest technique short of summoning the Gods. "Sky Colossus Divine Armor!"
As he stepped toward Bahamut in the sky, the phantom of Obelisk appeared first. Then Slifer's phantom roared forth, transforming into crimson armor that wrapped around him.
With his magic power fueling them, the two divine forces merged into a visually stunning red-blue giant, radiating an ultimate pressure like a walking god!
The divine being and the Nether River stood in opposition. The clashing aura of tearing lightning and savage winds divided them into two separate worlds.
"Fall before this strike, human!"
Bahamut's massive body blazed with black light, drawing the thousand-mile Nether River into a condensed pitch-black energy vortex.
"I was planning to make you my retainer, so don't you dare die on me—"
Chase extended the Sky Colossus Divine Armor's arms, palms together at his waist. Between them, the three powers of Slifer, Obelisk, and Exodia—crimson, deep blue, and dark gold—merged and accumulated.
"Nether Dragon King: River Styx Strike!!!"
"Super Electric God Fist: Demon God Cannon!!!"
With simultaneous roars from dragon and human, the Nether River descended and the Demon God Cannon rose. Two beams of absolute power shattered space itself as they collided midair!
BOOM!!!
The earth-shattering explosion echoed across the entire primeval forest. Shockwaves spread in all directions, mercilessly crushing everything in their path—humans, dragons, trees, mountains, rocks, and earth alike—all annihilated into nothing!
From a bird's-eye view, a colossal mushroom cloud of black smoke and fire bloomed across the vast continent!
***
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