Chapter 561: Mira
The Purgatory Armor was known for its devastating offensive capability and formidable defense, making it one of Erza’s most well-rounded armors. But its flaw was equally apparent, it lacked flexibility.
And against Rhode’s speed, that flaw was glaring.
Even her earlier attacks, which shattered the battlefield and sent the massive golem flying, had failed to leave so much as a scratch on Rhodes. Meanwhile, poor Wendy had stumbled twice over flat ground, yet Rhodes remained unscathed.
"Re-equip: Lightning Empress Armor!"
With a flash of light, Erza’s armor changed. Her new outfit shimmered in soft green, embroidered with golden lightning patterns that crackled faintly with magic. Her hair was now braided into a thick plait that swayed with her movement. In her hand gleamed a long spear, its tip crackling with arcs of electricity.
This was one of her speed-type armors, one that also boosted her magical attack power. But it came with a trade-off, her back was almost completely exposed, and she had little resistance against anything that wasn’t lightning-based.
"Azure Lightning!"
She twirled the spear with precision, and a streak of piercing blue lightning shot from its tip.
ZAP! ZAP!
Rhode nimbly dodged the first two bolts. But the third struck him squarely in the chest—he didn’t evade it, because doing so would have endangered Wendy, who stood just behind him.
He winced slightly as electricity coursed through him.
BZZZZT!
Light blue arcs flickered across his body, but that was all, it barely did more than make his limbs tingle.
Seeing her chance, Erza dashed forward, thrusting her spear directly at him.
The tip came within a foot of Rhode’s face, and stopped.
She tried pushing harder. The resistance grew stronger.
"Wind?"
Rhodes calmly spread his arms, and a swirling current surged outward. A spiraling whirlwind enveloped the space in front of him, thickening rapidly until Erza couldn’t even see his silhouette behind it.
The gale roared louder by the second.
"This feels familiar... Is this... Erigor’s Wind Wall?"
"Yes, and no."
Rhode’s voice echoed through the swirling currents, carried on the wind itself. It seemed to come from everywhere at once.
"This is my own magic," he explained. "I drew inspiration from Erigor’s Wind Wall, other wind spells, and the early stages of Wendy’s Dragon Slayer Secret Art."
Wendy, peeking from behind a stone wall with wide eyes, looked both proud and guilty.
In truth, most Fairy Tail wizards were generous about sharing their magic. If someone wanted to learn, they just had to ask, whether they could master it was a different story.
As for the rest, Rhodes had spent long nights poring over scrolls in the guild’s library. The deeper he delved, the more convinced he became, it was a treasure trove.
Erza struck with her spear again, left jab, right sweep, overhead slash, but every move was bounced back by the dense wall of wind. The tip couldn’t pierce it, nor could her strength overpower it.
Meanwhile, Rhode’s silhouette merged with the storm. The dragon-like pattern of his feathered, blue-and-white scales shimmered faintly in the vortex. He drifted through the wind like a dragon gliding through the clouds, his presence flickering in and out of sight.
"This barrier is difficult to break from the inside," he said. "But I can ride the wind, pushing my speed to the limits of my reflexes."
Against outsiders, Rhode would’ve rushed in and ended the fight swiftly. But against his own guildmates?
Well, a little dramatic flair was fine.
"Cloud Dragon: Shadow Flash!"
Erza suddenly turned her head toward the flicker of a shadow, only to be met with a heavy punch to her back, knocking her forward.
She swung her long spear backward blindly, but another strike hit her square in the chest, sending her stumbling again.
Then came another blow from the left, then the right, then from behind, Rhodes seemed to be attacking from everywhere at once, his figure elusive like a ghost in a storm.
Shallow cuts now covered Erza’s exposed skin, and her grip on her spear finally failed. The weapon clattered to the floor, skidding away.
At last, the whirling wind barrier dissipated.
With a final blow, Erza was launched backward, crashing through a stone pillar before slamming hard against the wall behind it.
Rhodes reappeared in front of her in a blur, his fist stopping just a breath away from the tip of her nose. The gust from his punch lifted her crimson bangs.
Despite her bruises and the pain across her body, Erza smiled.
"I lost."
She’d realized something during that last exchange.
If all those lightning-fast attacks had carried the eerie supplementary magic of the buff, she probably wouldn’t even be conscious now.
Then again... it seemed Rhodes hadn’t used it at all.
Was it because they were guildmates? Because he didn’t want to go too far unless absolutely necessary?
Whether it was his strength or his sense of camaraderie, Erza silently gave Rhodes top marks.
Her armor reverted back to its standard form as she straightened her posture.
"Rhodes, Wendy, you pass."
"That’s awesome!" Wendy cheered and bounced up in joy.
Rhodes chuckled and reached out a hand to help Erza to her feet. "Wendy, could you help patch her up?"
"Right away!"
But Erza waved a hand lightly. "I’m alright. You should conserve your magic. The next round might be much tougher."
Rhodes grinned and turned to the Blue Sentinel nearby. "Come on, give Erza your cutest pose!"
The golem tilted its blocky head, clearly puzzled by the command. It scratched its face awkwardly, then walked over and gently transferred the buff from Rhodes to Erza.
And Wendy carefully healed Erza’s wounds, Rhodes stood in silence, his gaze drifting toward the distant battlefields.
He wondered who Mira was facing right now... and what if she was the one getting hurt?
His pupils sharpened.
...
"Soul Extinction!"
The very person Rhodes had been thinking of had already entered her Take Over form: Satan Soul.
Mira pressed both hands forward, and a wave of terrifying dark magic gathered between her palms before erupting in a devastating blast that engulfed the pair standing in her path.
"Ahhhh!"
"Wahhh!"
Cana and Lily screamed in unison as the force sent them flying, tumbling across the shallow surf like skipping stones. They shot clear across the bay and crash-landed on the opposite beach.
Still hovering above the waves, Mira rested one hand delicately against her cheek and said with a sheepish smile, "Oh no... did I overdo it?"
That gentle, bashful gesture, coming from someone clad in the demonic Satan Soul form, would have made Rhodes swoon on the spot. He always found that contrast between ferocity and cuteness absolutely irresistible.
But Cana had no time for that kind of sentiment.
She groaned, struggling to rise as she clutched her left arm with her right hand. "Seriously, even after two years out of action, Mira’s still this terrifying..."
Lily, leaning heavily on his greatsword and panting, nodded grimly. "As expected of an S-Class Mage. Her power hasn’t faded one bit."
Both of them looked worse for wear. Cana’s clothes were torn in several places, and Lily’s normally pristine fur was singed and smoking from the blast.
Even so... they both knew Mira had been holding back.
Cana sighed after a moment, her tone filled with mock blame. "This is all Rhodes’ fault."
If he hadn’t dragged Mira out to train with him every single day...
That guy! Making his wife so absurdly strong, wasn’t he worried about the future of his own domestic life?
"Looks like they’re not giving up just yet," Mira said softly, her black wings fluttering as she descended in front of Cana and Lily once more.
Cana fell back a step, launching three glowing cards from each hand, six in total, shining gold as they flew toward Mira.
Mira calmly lifted her left hand, conjuring a dense black magic sphere that obliterated two of the cards mid-air before continuing straight toward Cana.
Boom!
"Woah!" Cana dodged with a quick sidestep, but the resulting shockwave left her windswept and staggering when she landed.
Lily took flight again, flapping his wings hard as he swung his greatsword down toward Mira to halt her advance.
Mira caught the sword’s tip with just one hand, stopping it cold.
Then with a fluid motion, she brought her leg up and kicked Lily square in the abdomen, sending him hurtling back through the air.
Lily spread his wings in an attempt to slow his fall, and Cana rushed forward, catching him from behind, but even then, she was forced back several paces from the impact.
Mira followed, her wings slicing through the air as she flew in pursuit, but just as she reached the spot where Cana had been standing.
Flash!
A glowing magic circle triggered beneath her feet, and light burst forth, wrapping around her like chains of energy.
When the light faded
Mira was encased in ice.
Cana twirled a card between her fingers with a smirk.
"Death God’s Icicle. Checkmate, Mira."
.....
Stones Plzz
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