The sky was thick with dark clouds, and thunder rolled continuously; every flash of lightning that streaked across the sky was accompanied by a deafening Roar.
Under this night sky, countless Evil Dragons circled, their iron-like scales shimmering with a cold, eerie luster under the reflection of the lightning.
The Evil Dragons looked down at the fires of war and the fleeing humans, their terrifying pupils flickering with mockery.
"Hahaha! Run!"
"The Phylos Kingdom is destroyed, and the human race no longer has the ability to resist. All of humanity will go extinct right here!"
The Evil Dragons let out furious Roars that shook the soul, and one after another, destruction Roars pierced the earth, leaving the entire continent riddled with holes.
"Damned dragons, I'll fight you to the end!"
An elderly Mage, seeing so many people dying unnatural deaths, could no longer restrain himself; he cast Water Magic, firing a Water Stream Cannon at one of the Evil Dragons.
However, the Evil Dragon receiving the attack didn't even budge, its massive pupils full of ridicule: "Little thing, are you giving me a bath?"
An Evil Dragon nearby laughed loudly and leaned forward: "Come and give me a wash too! I'm covered in human blood, it stinks too much!"
"I want a wash too! Little thing, you'd better put some effort into it!"
Seeing the Evil Dragons' mockery, the elderly Mage was overcome with rage; his eyes bulged, and he collapsed to the ground clutching his chest.
"You look like you're in a lot of pain, let me help you out!"
Seeing him half-dead, an Evil Dragon laughed and stomped down, instantly shattering the very earth.
At that moment, a black figure appeared on its head at some unknown point; just as the dragon was about to swipe at it, it lost consciousness—its head had exploded.
Another Evil Dragon's eyes widened, and after seeing the figure's appearance clearly, it let out a terrified Roar: "It's the Black Dragon Acnologia!"
"What are you afraid of? There are so many of us, let's kill him together!"
"That's right, what is there to fear? Even a Dragon King cannot escape our encirclement!"
Acnologia laughed heartily, his voice overbearing and arrogant; his magic power erupted, and dark wings unfurled behind him.
"Evil Dragons, perhaps you do not understand who holds the mandate of heaven in this era!"
"I am Acnologia, the true world-ending dragon king!"
As his words fell, he had already transformed into his Black Dragon form; his terrifying aura swept in all directions as he threw back his head and let out a Roar, instantly charging out and violently tearing an Evil Dragon to shreds!
"Die, die, die!!!"
Countless dragon shadows collided, flesh and bone shattered, and the sky turned a bloody hue... Irene brought Little Erza to the Fiore Kingdom; to her surprise, this kingdom had not suffered any attacks from Evil Dragons, and compared to the war-torn world outside, it was somewhat quiet.
"Is it because the kingdom is too small?"
Perplexed, Irene stopped a passing girl and asked, "Do you know Anna Heartfilia?"
Upon hearing this, the girl said enthusiastically, "Of course I do! Lady Anna is the kingdom's strongest Celestial Spirit Mage, and also the most beautiful and gentle woman in our kingdom."
No one in the Fiore Kingdom didn't know that name; not only was Anna Heartfilia's magic powerful, but she was also knowledgeable and kind, having helped the kingdom repel Evil Dragons many times, saving it from peril.
"She seems like an easy person to get along with," Irene thought to herself.
She continued to ask, "I want to see her. Where should I go to find her?"
The girl, having little guard up, turned and pointed toward the lush green mountains in the distance: "The castle over there is Lady Anna's home. You can look for her there, but there are many kingdom guards; unless it's something important, commoners aren't allowed through."
"If you must see Lady Anna, you can try asking the guards at the gate first."
Irene nodded slightly: "Thank you!"
After bidding the girl farewell, she cast Enchantment Magic on herself, turning into a streak of light and flying toward the distant mountains.
Soon, she saw a luxurious grand castle, second in scale only to the royal palace; at the gate, three to five maids were standing guard, all of them Mages with extraordinary magic power fluctuations.
"The scent of dragons, and scorching magic power?"
As a Dragon Slayer Mage, Irene was very sensitive to the scent of dragons; the scent in the air indicated that at least five dragons had stayed here recently.
"Who goes there?"
Seeing Irene walking over while holding a small child, the maids stepped forward alertly and surrounded her; the magic power of the person before them was terrifyingly strong, making them tremble uncontrollably.
Irene stood her ground, her gaze falling on the head maid as she said, "I am Irene Belserion from the Dragnof Kingdom. I would like to meet with Ms. Anna Heartfilia; please announce my arrival."
The maid was startled: "You are Queen Irene of the Dragnof Kingdom?"
Irene nodded slightly: "Yes!"
Perhaps the kingdom no longer existed, but she still needed to use the title of Queen.
"Please wait a moment, Your Majesty!"
The maid did not doubt her; after a respectful bow, she hurried inside the castle.
Soon, a blonde woman came out leading five small children; she was extremely beautiful, with a smile like the rising sun—warm and bright, giving off a friendly feeling at first sight.
The blonde woman had a dignified and elegant temperament as she bowed with a smile: "Anna Heartfilia, greetings to Your Majesty!"
"May I ask what business Your Majesty has with me?"
"Just call me Irene..."
"I have come to ask about the Eclipse Gate. You are planning to go to the future, correct?"
Irene looked down at the five children behind Anna, thinking to herself, 'Are these the five children Acnologia mentioned?'
Five little Dragon Slayer Mages?
Anna was slightly taken aback and nodded: "Yes. Would you like to go to the future with us?"
"I won't be going..."
Irene looked down tenderly at Little Erza in her arms: "This is my child. I hope you can take her with you. I beg of you!"
She gently knelt on the ground and then reached out to hand Little Erza forward.
Anna was startled and hastily helped Irene up: "What are you doing? I am just a commoner, how can I accept you kneeling to me?"
She looked into Irene's eyes and said very seriously, "Rest assured, I will take the little princess safely to the future. She will be with Little Natsu and the others; she won't be lonely in the future."
"Thank you!"
After Anna took Little Erza, Irene stood up.
"Actually, you could go to the future as well; that way, you could raise the little princess yourself."
Anna spoke, as she hadn't heard Zeref mention any limit on the number of people traveling; one more person shouldn't be much of a problem.
Irene shook her head slightly: "There is still someone in this era I cannot leave behind. Next, I will end this era of Evil Dragons together with him."
She never had the intention of leaving; as long as her daughter could grow up safely, she was willing even to face death.
Seeing the determination in Irene's eyes, Anna fell silent and nodded gently.
Everyone has things they must do, some of which are more important than life itself.
----------------------------------
I've already posted 40 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Kazenova223]
Thank you very much!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"