As a mage, Rowan didn't rely on close combat, but defense was non-negotiable. In any world, having reliable armor that could be summoned instantly was the difference between surviving a crisis and becoming a footnote. Watching Erza's transformation, he began quietly comparing it to his own methods.
The expanded spaces created by extension magic were vast, capable of holding anything from supplies to living creatures. But they came with risks. Lose the container, lose everything. The larger the space grew, the longer it took to retrieve items, even with summoning magic. And without an existing hollow, such magic couldn't work at all. There was a reason Newt Scamander still carried a suitcase instead of a ring.
Requip magic had the opposite problem. The storage space depended entirely on the user's magical strength. Even Erza's capacity was limited, and most mages could only store one or two weapons. Living beings couldn't be kept inside either. But the advantages were undeniable. The space couldn't be stolen, access was instantaneous, and in other worlds it wouldn't attract unwanted attention from magical authorities.
Rowan's gaze lingered on Erza.
"Looks like I should find time to ask her about this," he thought. "If she's willing to teach it, anyway."
Standard Requip spells were easy enough to learn from books. Erza's Knight Requip, however, clearly went far beyond that.
"So cute!" Lucy blurted out, eyes sparkling as she watched Erza's new form.
Lucy had always seen Erza as commanding and imposing. Seeing her suddenly clad in winged ornaments and flowing robes hit her right in the heart.
"That's the Wind God Armor and Wind God Sword," Happy said smugly. "Erigor's finished now."
Lucy glanced over. "What makes them special?"
Happy puffed out his chest. "That armor was made specifically to counter wind mages. Wind spells lose at least half their power against it. And that sword? It's one of Erza's strongest wind-based weapons."
Right on cue, Erza swung her blade.
A violent surge of wind burst forward, cleaving straight through the incoming tornado and dispersing it instantly. Without slowing, she closed the distance in a blink, launching into relentless close-range attacks.
Erigor barely managed to block with his scythe. In direct combat, he was completely outmatched. Every attempt to regain altitude was crushed, Erza forcing him down again and again.
Seeing Erza dominate the battlefield while Natsu and Gray held off most of the dark guild, Lucy felt her nerves steady.
"Everyone's doing their part," she told herself. "I can't stay on the sidelines."
She drew a golden key and raised it.
"Open, Gate of the Crab. Cancer!"
A blue magic circle flared to life, and a stylish figure wielding twin scissors emerged, crab claws extending from his back.
"Celestial Spirit Magic," Rowan noted calmly. "Pass."
The spell intrigued him, but not enough to pursue. Celestial Spirit Magic wasn't weak. With powerful spirits, a summoner could dominate a battlefield. But Rowan prioritized magic that worked across worlds. This kind of summoning relied on systems that didn't exist outside this one.
Still, the underlying principle caught his attention. Contracts across dimensions. Summoned allies bound by magical agreements. That concept alone was worth studying someday. Just not now.
"Cancer, stop them!" Lucy commanded.
Several dark mages slipped past Natsu and Gray, aiming straight for Rowan and the Cursed Flute. Cancer charged them head-on, moving with startling speed. In moments, their weapons were severed, and their pride was further wounded by freshly trimmed bowl cuts.
"Useless trash," Erigor spat.
His men were falling, his Storm Armor shattered by Erza's blade. If he didn't go all out now, everything would be lost.
What he didn't notice was Rowan quietly repositioning behind him.
"Storm Breaker!"
A sudden explosion of wind blades forced Erza back. Erigor shot into the air, crossing his arms as six purple magic circles flared into existence around him.
"Die," he snarled. "Emerald Burst!"
Six violent storms erupted and twisted together into a massive spiraling drill of wind. Even a small mountain would have been pierced clean through.
"Adamantine Armor," Erza said calmly.
Her Wind God Armor vanished, replaced instantly by a massive blue-and-white suit of heavy armor. Her sword transformed into twin shields just as the storm descended.
The clash shook the air.