"Ice-Make: Wild Geese."
Kōri-mi was the first to launch an attack. Forming hand seals, dozens of ice-forged geese shot toward Ultear.
"How interesting—Ice-Make magic, and the dynamic type at that. If Lyon hadn't written to me recently, I might've thought you were him."
Facing the incoming flock, Ultear showed no fear. Instead, a hint of intrigue curled on her lips.
She raised a hand, a silver-gray magic circle forming before she casually waved it.
"Send the attack into the future… evaporate."
"So this is your magic… time-based magic," Kōri-mi said, his gaze locked tightly on Ultear.
"Multi Water Arrows!"
At that moment, Ame-mi joined in, launching countless water arrows toward her. Ultear swiftly formed hand seals, cold air gathering in her palms. Crossing her arms, she said coldly:
"Ice-Make: Rose Crown."
Pale violet ice blossomed into elegant yet deadly vines and massive roses, blocking the incoming arrows while surging forward to entangle both opponents.
Their pupils shrank in shock. They hadn't expected Ultear to also be an Ice-Make Mage.
"Ice-Make: Giant Ape!"
Kōri-mi immediately stepped in front of Ame-mi, creating a massive ice ape to block the attack.
"Future Flash."
Ultear smirked slightly and waved her hand. Dozens of crystal spheres surrounded the two, unleashing a barrage of high-speed impacts the next instant.
"Not good—when did that happen!?"
Kōri-mi's face changed drastically as he noticed the spheres.
"Water Barrier!"
Ame-mi reacted quickly, forming a protective layer of water around them, barely withstanding the assault.
"What a terrifying woman… Is this the power of a Fairy Tail S-Class Mage? If there weren't two of us, we'd already be defeated," Kōri-mi said grimly.
Ame-mi's expression was just as dark. They had planned to finish this quickly together—yet now, they were the ones nearly overwhelmed.
"No matter what, we have to take her down fast. Otherwise, Agol and Rai-mi will be in danger," Ame-mi said in a low voice.
Meanwhile, on the other side—
Arian stood expressionless, staring at the cautious Agol and Rai-mi. Slowly, he drew his blade—Alaya Consciousness (Ālàiyéshí)—his voice calm and indifferent.
"Come at me together."
Agol and Rai-mi exchanged a glance, both seeing the same tension—and faint fear—in each other's eyes. The pressure Arian exuded was overwhelming, far beyond anything they had ever experienced—even surpassing Lord Byakuya.
They both knew: after this battle, survival was unlikely.
But neither regretted it.
After all, they shared the same goal.
"Full Body Takeover — Ironclad Poison Scorpion!"
Agol's magic surged, enveloping him in dark violet energy. When it faded, he had transformed into a massive purple-black scorpion.
His metallic exoskeleton gleamed with durability. Jagged spikes lined his body, and a thick, ominous tail swayed behind him, its stinger radiating danger.
"Lightning-Make Magic — Wyvern!"
Lightning crackled around Rai-mi as he formed hand seals, creating a four-legged thunder wyvern that circled in the sky.
"Now this is more like it. One with Takeover magic, the other with the rare Lightning-Make… Don't disappoint me."
For the first time, a trace of interest appeared on Arian's otherwise indifferent face.
"Go—devour him!"
With a push of his hands, Rai-mi sent the thunder wyvern diving toward Arian.
"Toxic Surge!"
Agol raised his tail, a dark magic circle forming at the tip as a thick stream of foul, black poison shot toward Arian.
Arian remained calm. He leapt back, dodging the poison, then swung his blade midair, slicing cleanly through the wyvern's neck.
The lightning construct dispersed instantly.
The poison struck the ground, hissing as it corroded everything into a massive crater.
"Wind Scar."
Landing smoothly, Arian pivoted gracefully. A golden magic circle appeared beneath his feet as he slashed forward.
Three golden, flame-like wind blades tore through the air toward his enemies.
"Flash Step!"
Rai-mi's legs crackled with lightning as he vanished sideways, narrowly dodging.
"Full Body Takeover — Azure Eagle!"
Agol transformed again, becoming a massive blue eagle soaring into the sky, easily evading the attack.
"Thousand Feather Arrows!"
Agol folded his wings before unleashing a storm of razor-sharp feathers.
"Lightning-Make — Azure Thunder Cannon!"
Rai-mi gathered electricity and fired a massive beam of lightning.
"Gravity Magic — Gravity Impact."
Arian spread his hands. An invisible gravitational wave burst outward, blocking both attacks midair.
"Secret Art — Adamantine Lance Break."
His blade shone like diamond as he swung it, releasing dozens of crystal-like lances that shot forward with overwhelming force.
Agol and Rai-mi's expressions changed drastically. After trying to block a few, they were forced to abandon defense and dodge—the attack's piercing power was simply too great.
When the dust settled, the battlefield was in ruins.
Agol had reverted to his scorpion form, parts of his armor shattered. Rai-mi wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. Both looked battered and exhausted.
"If this is all you've got… then this battle ends here."
Arian stood completely unharmed.
At that moment, a strong wind swept through, lifting his silver-white hair and fluttering his gray cloak.
Resting both hands on Alaya Consciousness, he gazed down at them—
like a king judging the defeated.
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