"Adamantine Barrier!"
The twin shields fused together, forming a dense green magical wall that completely enveloped Erza. The massive storm drill slammed into it head-on, only to grind to a halt as if striking an unbreakable gate. Its power bled away second by second until nothing remained.
"How is she this strong?" Erigor hissed through clenched teeth.
For the first time, doubt crept in. After this exchange, he understood the truth clearly. He could not defeat the Fairy Queen. He had already pushed himself to the limit, while she remained composed. Prolonging the fight would only end one way.
But that didn't matter.
His goal had never been Erza.
All he needed was a few seconds. Trap her, snatch the Cursed Flute from that insignificant cat, and escape to the northern district. The plan could still succeed.
"Demonic Wind Cage!"
He burned through what remained of his magic, unleashing a spell designed not to kill, but to restrain. Violent winds spun into a prison around Erza. Even mages stronger than him would struggle to break free immediately.
The moment the spell completed, his magic dipped dangerously low.
That was when it happened.
From his blind spot, a transparent blade tore through the air.
"Severing Charm."
Rowan struck without hesitation.
Erigor was an assassin by trade. His instincts screamed danger even now. He tried to summon his Storm Armor, but his magic hadn't recovered. He turned, attempting to locate the attack.
There was nothing to see.
A heartbeat later, his head fell from his shoulders.
"So… I died to you…" were his final, disbelieving thoughts.
Rowan exhaled softly. "That's what you get."
He didn't believe in waiting years for revenge. If an enemy stood in front of him, he ended it cleanly.
With Erigor's death, the wind cage collapsed. Erza stepped out, reverting to her standard armor. She looked down at the body, expression solemn.
"You were a capable opponent," she said quietly. "You just chose the wrong path."
Then she turned to Rowan, giving him an approving nod. "That spell was well-timed."
At the same moment, the remaining dark mages were wiped out.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
"Ice-Make: Lance Cavalry!"
Natsu and Gray unleashed sweeping attacks, ending the battle decisively.
Moments later, royal troops flooded in, followed closely by the guild masters who had been attending the council meeting. What greeted them was not a massacre, but a battlefield. Dark mages lay defeated across the streets, and a large section of the southern district had been reduced to rubble.
Not the entire city.
But close enough to make anyone's heart stop.
Makarov stared at the devastation, panting. "It's fine… it's fine… Rowan's here… it can be fixed…"
Without that reassurance, he might have collapsed on the spot.
While attention shifted elsewhere, Rowan examined the Cursed Flute in his hands. The wood thrummed with immense power.
"This would make an excellent wand core," he murmured.
He pulled a small knife from his bag, intending to carve off a section before anyone arrived. If questioned later, he could simply claim it had been damaged during the chaos. After all, retrieving it counted as his contribution.
Just as the blade touched the surface, the three-eyed skull carved into the flute began to glow an eerie violet.
A voice seeped out, cold and contemptuous.
"How laughable. A group of incompetent mages. Very well. I'll act personally."
"All the souls in this city… they're mine."
A colossal magic circle exploded into existence above the streets, covering half the skyline. The flute vanished from Rowan's grasp.
Then, a towering three-eyed demon descended from the circle, standing nearly a hundred meters tall.
"So the flute itself was a demon," Erza said grimly as she and the others rushed to Rowan's side.
Rowan quietly pocketed his knife. He hadn't seen that coming. And judging by its size alone, this was no easy opponent.
"Archers, fire! Cavalry, charge!" the commanding officer shouted as the royal army surged forward.
Arrows rained down. Armored riders thundered through the streets.
The demon laughed.
"Pathetic. You dare challenge me?"
The arrows shattered harmlessly against its hide. Then it opened its mouth.
A massive beam of condensed magic roared outward.
Rowan's eyes widened. That attack carried at least ten times the power of Erigor's final spell. If it hit the charging soldiers, thousands would vanish instantly.
"Gray!" Erza shouted.
She grabbed him and hurled him forward with all her strength. Gray shot through the air like a missile.
"Ice-Make: Shield!"
A massive wall of ice formed just in time, intercepting the blast and holding it back—barely.
At the same instant, Natsu launched himself skyward, flames wrapping around his fist.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
He smashed into the demon's face, staggering it and cutting off the beam.
Erza didn't hesitate.
"Requip: Heavenly Wheel Armor!"
Her armor transformed once more, reshaping into an elegant, winged set with four steel wings spread wide behind her, radiant and imposing.
The real battle had only just begun.