"In terms of swordsmanship alone... Erza is completely outmatched."
Selene raised an intrigued eyebrow at Irene as she spoke.
Irene responded softly, without expression, "A swordsmanship genius who trained relentlessly through harsh winters and brutal summers, regardless of the weather... If Erza could still win, wouldn't that be a bit unfair? Besides, you said it yourself—this is only about swordsmanship."
The moment Irene's words fell, Erza had already reequipped into the Celestial Sound Dragon Armor, and what had begun as one-on-one duels had now turned into a free-for-all battle.
In the blink of an eye, the sound of sonic booms exploded behind Erza.
Her wings, powered like the jet turbines of a supersonic fighter, left a trail of red flame in her wake, making her look like a red comet. With claws glinting coldly, she first targeted Mira, then Kagura.
Erza's speed was extraordinary, but Mira, who had taken on the form of Demon Halphas, wasn't slow either.
Kagura, using her remarkable dynamic vision, responded just as Erza's claws were about to strike. The blade of her sword, still sheathed, shimmered faintly under the night sky, catching the light.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
In an instant, despite their fleeting clash, Kagura and Erza had exchanged three blows.
As for Misaki and Kiria, sensing that the situation was getting out of hand, they immediately pulled Kiria into the Blue Dimension.
Mira and Erza, both possessing the ability to fly, had a clear upper hand.
Among them, Kagura's magical power wasn't the strongest, but her unwavering spirit and razor-sharp reflexes allowed her to hold her own.
The battlefield soon became a two-on-three fight. Of the trio—Misaki, Kiria, and Kagura—it was Kagura who stood out the most. Her sword, infused with blood, emanated a strong, sinister aura with every swing, and her attacks were lightning-fast and brutal.
Misaki didn't even attempt to pull Erza into the Blue Dimension. The Heaven's Wheel Armor, imbued with spatial abilities, was too much of a cheat. Erza could freely enter and exit Misaki's Blue Dimension at will.
As Erza and Mira were pushed to their limits by the trio's combined efforts, their eyes gleamed coldly. In perfect synchrony, their bodies surged with magic power. Their claws, brimming with magical energy, launched a barrage of strikes like a raging storm.
Even though Kiria tried to counter with her hand blades, she couldn't keep up with the relentless onslaught. She was struck by Mira's claws right in the chest. Mira's attack carried immense demonic power, causing Jellal to groan in pain, nearly coughing up blood.
Mira was about to press her advantage, but at that moment, Kagura, who had been continuously pouring her magic into her Blood Rose, unleashed an attack. The crimson veins on the blade had become more prominent, glowing fiercely. Without holding back, Kagura struck down with a massive, overwhelming blood-red sword slash!
Mira's pupils shrank in shock. There was no way her defenses could withstand such a blow.
"Clang—" A deep, resonant sound echoed.
Erza, now equipped with her Adamantine Dragon Armor, crossed her fists, summoning a large magic array to block the attack for Mira.
Kagura's full-force strike sent shockwaves through her arms, making her hands tremble. Her grip on the sword wavered slightly, but even so, she refused to let go.
"Get into the Blue Dimension. Five seconds—no more than five."
With a wave of her hand, Misaki summoned a swirling blue vortex next to Kagura.
"Azure Dragon's Roar!"
A blue dragon's breath, towering over Misaki herself, roared forth from her mouth.
Mira and Erza maneuvered around the blue torrent, but by the time they reached its end, Misaki had disappeared.
Misaki's declaration of "five seconds" was because she believed that under the combined assault of Mira and Erza, she could only last five seconds at best...
So, her chosen strategy was to flee.
Awaiting them was...
"Blade Dragon Overlord Sword!!!"
The ground cracked open, the earth suddenly surged upward, and a golden sword shot toward Mira and Erza!
The attack, into which Kiria had poured every ounce of her magic power, caused both Erza and Mira's eyes to widen in surprise.
"Dragon Meteor Cannon!"
"Soul Extinguisher!"
Both responded at lightning speed, each unleashing their respective skills. A crimson energy beam shot out from Erza's Celestial Sound Dragon Armor, while a torrent of dark magic exploded from Mira's claws!
The three different magical energies collided violently, sending shockwaves throughout the battlefield. Even those watching from a distance, including Aegon and the others, felt a sudden chill as the temperature dropped.
Kiria was blasted away by the explosion, rolling across the grassy field before finally passing out.
At the same time, Kagura emerged from the Blue Dimension. Misaki's dimension worked on a different time scale—one second inside equaled an hour in the outside world. After spending five seconds in there, which equated to five hours, Kagura returned, her hands no longer trembling. She gripped her sword tightly.
The four fighters exchanged glances...
The chaotic four-way battle between Misaki, Kagura, Mira, and Erza lasted for almost half an hour before finally coming to an end.
---
Year X780—
A new year, and new rankings. Erza, Mira, and Misaki were all in the same tier. Kagura was slightly stronger than Kiria in this tier.
As for Jenny and Lisanna, Jenny's Mechanical Soul was decent, but her battle awareness left much to be desired. Lisanna, while talented, was somewhat average in combat. Even when she took on the White Tiger form, which granted her speed and strength, she couldn't fully harness its potential.
Lisanna felt a little down, but Jenny wasn't bothered in the least...
Jenny wasn't disappointed by her low ranking. Standing beside Aegon, she waved dismissively. "As long as I can stay by Aegon-sama's side, there's no need for me to be so strong."
Selene delivered a blunt strike to her pride: "But he could blow you away with a single breath."
"Aegon-sama would never do that to me, right?"
Jenny clung to Aegon's arm, rubbing her face against him affectionately.
"I can't guarantee that."
"Ahh~~ Aegon-sama, you're so mean!"
Jenny, well aware of her opponents' strength, had no delusions about defeating any of them.
She didn't have any grand ambitions. Her priority was to secure a place in Aegon's heart.
---
After the commotion, Mira and Lisanna, freshly showered, approached Aegon in the backyard. "Aegon-sama, I'd like to take the night off."
Lisanna added, "To meet up with our brother, Elfman."
Aegon nodded. "I've already told you—you're free to go."
Mira smiled sweetly. "Then I'll take Lisanna and head out."
Though Aegon had previously told Mira she could visit Elfman whenever she wanted, she still felt the need to formally inform him. She didn't want any misunderstandings or gaps forming between them.
These days, the three siblings saw each other about once a week, and since today was New Year's, they planned to have a reunion.
Elfman, having left Mira's care and joined Fairy Tail, was doing quite well for himself. Now 14 years old, he was a muscle-bound young man who constantly boasted about being a "real man." He had also grown significantly taller, nearing 190 cm in height.
Aegon was quite familiar with Elfman, as he was now Aegon's subordinate—just another tool for Aegon to gain experience...