Erza used the momentum to dive down, her twin swords condensing into streams of light in her palms, aiming directly for Ikaruga's throat—this was her most adept surprise attack rhythm, using the complex and varied Re-quip magic to seize the initiative.
Ikaruga's figure, however, retreated like a phantom, her white robes fluttering, her tachi flicking a backhand slash, unleashing three bright sword auras. The blade's gleam carried a chill, aiming directly for Erza's wrist joints.
Erza spun around and retreated rapidly, the magic patterns on her armor's surface suddenly lighting up. The silver armor instantly glowed with an inky luster: "Re-quip: Black Wing Armor!"
Steel wings unfolded behind her, and she glided and dodged like a night hawk. The sword aura grazed her wrist guards, leaving three shallow gray scratches on her armor.
"Lightning Empress Armor!" Erza completed her second Re-quip the moment she landed, a form-fitting blue-purple armor covering her entire body. Azure-purple lightning struck down along her swinging arm, plowing charred, deep grooves into the ground.
Ikaruga's tachi danced swiftly, her sword aura condensing into a massive white vortex, which shredded the falling lightning like a whirlpool. Splashing electric light exploded around her, yet did not harm her in the slightest.
Before Erza could adjust her offense, Ikaruga had already transformed into a white shadow, closing in. Her tachi stabbed at a tricky angle towards Erza's ribs—a weak point in the armor's joints.
Erza reacted extremely quickly, blocking with her crossed swords.
The moment the blade and swords collided, sparks shot out like a meteor shower, and the ground beneath their feet cracked with a roar.
Erza used the force to leap backward, the Lightning Empress Armor disintegrating in mid-air. Azure water elemental magic enveloped her like a tide: "Re-quip: Sea King Armor!"
A turquoise mermaid armor covered her entire body, and azure water surged from the armor's seams, instantly forming a hundred-meter-tall water spouts, sweeping towards Ikaruga, carrying ice cones.
Wherever the water dragon passed, the ground froze with ice crystals, and dew drops on the grass blades condensed into sharp ice thorns.
Ikaruga, however, advanced instead of retreating, her tachi stirring the air. Countless white sword auras transformed into a sky full of silver serpents.
"Mugetsu Style · Ghost Needle Punishment!"
She uttered a cold, low cry, and the sword aura became as dense as a downpour, actually tearing the water spouts into a sky full of mist. The shattered ice crystals refracted a rainbow of colors in the sunlight.
Erza landed, panting heavily, a golden magic circle lighting up beneath her feet again. The Heavens Wheel Armor instantly covered her entire body upon landing: "Heaven's Wheel · Sword Array!"
Hundreds of silver magic swords emerged from the void, converging like a swarm of silver bees into a circular cage. The blades hummed, compressing the air, and continuously shot towards Ikaruga.
A needle-like sharpness assailed her, yet Ikaruga remained expressionless. She gripped her tachi with both hands and plunged it into the ground. A even sharper white sword aura erupted around her, soaring into the sky: "Mugetsu Style · Forbidden Zone for the Living!"
The ground was instantly torn apart by the chaotic sword aura, cracks spreading outwards from her. The rampaging, pale white sword aura collided with the incoming energy swords. In just an instant, bright light and shockwaves spread out, and the surrounding grass could no longer be seen with a single intact blade.
The air emitted a piercing shriek, and the rocks on distant hills were actually ground into powder by the sword aura, falling like white sand rain.
Erza's silver-white iron wings spread behind her, and she vanished from her original spot. Holding a magic sword in each hand, she charged at an imperceptible speed, her twin swords slashing towards Ikaruga.
Ikaruga's pupils constricted slightly. She lowered her body, sheathed her tachi, and just as Erza was about to close in, her dark red tachi flashed out: "Mugetsu Style · Ghost Slash!"
A nearly transparent sword aura suddenly burst forth, faster than light, directly severing the twin swords in Erza's hands. The sword aura, its momentum undiminished, was about to cleave towards her forehead.
Erza's pupils constricted. She urgently Re-quipped into the "Adamantine Armor." As the heavy golden armor just covered her entire body, the sword aura had already slashed at her shoulder plate. Amidst the showering sparks, a deep, bone-visible crack actually appeared on the armor's surface.
Erza herself was sent flying backward by the sword aura.
"Give it your all," Ikaruga's voice came.
Again, three pale white sword auras were unleashed in quick succession.
Erza gritted her teeth. The Adamantine Armor disintegrated with a roar, and she Re-quipped back into the Black Wing Armor, which excelled in speed.
The inky wings on her back suddenly unfurled, transforming into sixteen sharp feather blades. "Black Wing · Winged Dance!"
The feather blades swept out like a rainstorm, each imbued with astonishing power.
Ikaruga raised her tachi and slashed continuously, her tachi dancing into a circular light shield. White sword aura collided with the feather blades, erupting in a series of roars.
The two moved at high speed within a hundred-meter radius, the ground trampled with countless deep pits. Each clash ignited dazzling light, as if two light clusters were fiercely colliding.
"Mujoryu: Shishōkōdan · Consecutive Slashes!" Ikaruga suddenly changed her move. Four sword auras spread out in a cross shape, then divided into twelve, slashing towards Erza.
Erza couldn't dodge in time, her shoulder plate torn open by the sword aura, blood staining the armor's lining.
However, she took the opportunity to close the distance with Ikaruga, pressing her palms against the other's tachi sheath: "Re-quip: Knight Armor!"
Heavy silver plate armor instantly covered her entire body. Erza exerted force like an iron tower, ramming Ikaruga with her shoulder plate.
Ikaruga was sent flying backward by the impact, but the moment she landed, she unleashed three sword auras, preventing Erza from easily pursuing her.
Erza sidestepped and moved along the ground to create distance, avoiding the sword aura. A golden magic circle lit up beneath her feet again, and the Heavens Wheel Armor reattached itself. The twelve magic swords floating behind her suddenly merged into a gigantic light sword, descending with the momentum to split mountains and rocks.
Ikaruga drew a circular light array in front of her with her tachi: "Mugetsu Style · Ring Cut!"
The light ring formed by the sword aura directly met the gigantic light sword. The two forces stalemated, and the ground beneath the pressure collapsed into a ten-meter-deep pit.
Erza knew that victory or defeat hinged on this one move. Her magic power erupted, a brilliant golden light dazzling the eyes. The runes on her armor's surface lit up like stars: "Re-quip: Star Dress!"
A sacred halo illuminated the entire battlefield. A form-fitting white-gold armor covered Erza's entire body. Countless tiny starlight particles in the air condensed into a golden energy sphere at her fingertips—that was her "Sacred Rage," a culmination of all her magic power.
Ikaruga's aura was also rapidly rising, white magic power transforming into tangible sword aura. Her tachi remained motionless like still water, the dark red blade growing deeper in color.
She slowly raised her tachi, the blade forming a perfect right angle with the sunlight. The surrounding air was severed by the sword aura: "Mugetsu Style · Bai Zhan (Moonless Style · Hundred Slash)!"
Hundreds of pale white sword auras burst forth. All that could be seen was sword light. The trajectories seemed chaotic and disordered, yet they precisely covered all possible evasion routes for Erza.
Wherever the sword aura passed, the air was torn into countless fragments.
Erza forcefully threw the energy sphere in her hand. A golden energy wave streaked across the sky like a meteor. Wherever it passed, the air warped, and the ground was scorched with black trails.
Ikaruga's hundred sword auras also poured down like the Milky Way, each trailing a long white tail.
The two world-destroying forces collided with a roar in mid-air. The resulting energy storm kicked up air currents dozens of meters high, and the light was so dazzling that people couldn't open their eyes.
Amidst the violent roars, the earth continuously cracked and collapsed. The surrounding rocks were shattered by the aftershocks, and debris fell like a rainstorm.
The shockwave generated by the energy clash spread for hundreds of meters, even stirring up towering waves in the distant lake.
As the light gradually dissipated, wisps of smoke rose from the bottom of the giant pit.
Erza knelt on one knee, her Fairy Armor dim and lifeless, the runes on its surface almost extinguished. Her hair, matted with sweat, clung to her pale face, and blood seeped from a crack in her chest armor.
Ikaruga leaned against a half-destroyed boulder, her white kimono in tatters, her cherry-colored hair scattered messily over her shoulders. Her tachi was broken in two, stuck beside her, and blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth stained her collar with a pattern like red plum blossoms.
The two exchanged glances, a hint of respect flashing in their eyes.
Erza was the first to smile, raising a hand to wipe away the blood from her face: "Your sword is the fastest I've ever seen."
Ikaruga nodded slightly, her fingertips tracing the broken tsuba of her tachi: "Your Re-quip speed is also the fastest I've seen."
Before her words finished, both of them simultaneously fell to the ground. Above the giant pit, golden sunlight pierced through the dust, casting a soft halo over them.
This duel ultimately ended in a draw, with both sides severely injured.
In the distance, Gajeel lay sprawled on the edge of the pit, looking at the two at the bottom. A muffled laugh squeezed through his iron teeth: "These two lunatics..."
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