Chapter 206: One Man Against a Nation (II)
Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and the Exceeds watched from a relatively safe vantage point, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and absolute terror.
Below them, the Royal Plaza had turned into a hellscape of warped gravity and magical devastation. Ren, floating effortlessly in the air with his blindfold fluttering in the chaotic wind, was unleashing a one-sided massacre.
This was the first time Lucy had truly witnessed Ren explode with such unbridled aggression. In Earth Land, he was often laid-back, or his fights ended so quickly they barely registered. But here... here, he was a calamity. Magic spells that would normally be considered ultimate techniques for high-ranking mages were being flicked from his fingertips as if they cost him nothing more than a thought.
"He's... he's actually destroying the entire army by himself," Lucy whispered, her hands trembling.
"It turns out that Ren, in this state... this 'Incarnation of Slaughter'... is terrifying to this extent," Carla added, her face pale. She had foreseen chaos, but the reality of Ren's power was beyond her visions.
But this rage was understandable. It wasn't just the guild members who had been turned into Lacrima. Ren's girlfriend, Mirajane, had also been absorbed this time. To Ren, who cherished his bonds above all else, this was an unforgivable transgression. He must be incredibly anxious and furious beneath that cool exterior.
However, when Ren truly got angry, it wasn't a hot, screaming rage like Natsu's. It was a cold, silent, and absolute destruction. It was terrifying.
Boom, boom, boom!
Ren didn't stop moving. He didn't even seem to be trying. He simply walked through the air, and wherever he pointed, devastation followed. Blue spheres of gravitational force imploded watchtowers; invisible walls of force crushed charging battalions.
"Defense! Form the phalanx!" a commander screamed, his voice cracking with fear.
"Raise the Energy Shields!"
Hundreds of Kingdom Army soldiers, desperate to survive, raised their magical staves. Green barriers of hard-light energy shimmered into existence, interlocking to form a massive dome of protection.
Ren merely glanced at it, a scoff hidden beneath his high collar. He pointed a finger.
Boom!
While these Energy Shields might be able to defend against standard magic attacks, facing an attack of Ren's caliber—imbued with the infinite destructive potential of the Gojo Satoru template—they were as fragile as wet tissue paper. The dome shattered instantly, the feedback sending soldiers flying like ragdolls, their armor smoking.
"What in the world is going on?!"
"Why can this guy use magic without a Magic Tool?! Where is his staff? Where are his crystals?!"
"And this guy's magic is way too powerful! It's endless!"
"He's a monster! Run!!"
The morale of the Edolas Royal Army, usually unshakable due to their technological superiority, was starting to break down. Every single one of Ren's attacks was a reminder of their powerlessness. They were fighting a god of destruction with sticks and stones.
High above on the balcony of the Royal Palace, King Faust gripped the marble railing until his knuckles turned white. His face, usually composed and arrogant, was twisted into a scowl of disbelief.
"It's a remnant of Fairy Tail from Earth Land!" Faust spat, his voice dripping with venom.
Being able to use magic internally, without relying on external Magic Tools—only those savages from Earth Land, whose bodies had evolved to contain Magic Power, could do such a thing. It was an abomination to his world's order.
"Your Majesty! The Fourth Division is decimated. I will go resolve him!"
A deep, commanding voice spoke from the shadows. A tall, imposing Exceed with black fur and a muscular, human-like build stepped forward. He wore the armor of a general and carried a massive sword on his back.
It was Panther Lily, the Captain of the First Magic Warfare Division.
"Hmph, how dare a mere individual come here and act so presumptuously in my Kingdom," Faust growled. "Go, Panther Lily. Take him down! Show him the might of Edolas!"
"Yes, sir!"
Panther Lily nodded stoically. He spread his large, feathered wings and launched himself from the balcony, diving towards the chaotic battlefield below like a dark meteor.
"Target acquired," Lily muttered.
He drew his weapon, the Bustermarm Sword. With a mechanical whir, the sword expanded, growing to a colossal size—easily four times the height of a man. The sheer weight of it caused the air to scream as he swung it down.
"Earth Land filth! Disappear!"
The massive blade crashed down towards Ren's position, threatening to cleave him in two.
Whoosh!
Ren's figure blurred. He didn't block; he simply wasn't there anymore. He reappeared ten meters away, floating casually with his hands in his pockets.
"Panther Lily," Ren said, his voice amplified by magic so it echoed across the plaza. "Captain of the Kingdom Army's First Magic Warfare Division. You are a warrior of honor, aren't you?"
Ren tilted his head, the blindfold facing the imposing Exceed. "I won't allow you to act recklessly in the Edolas Kingdom anymore. Your King's reign ends today."
"Ohhhhh!"
"Look! It's him!"
"This is great! It's the Captain of the First Magic Warfare Division! Captain Panther Lily is here!"
The many Kingdom Army soldiers, who were on the verge of routing, cheered as if they had found a savior. To them, Panther Lily was the strongest warrior in the kingdom, invincible and just.
"Lily?" Ren frowned slightly under his mask.
Seeing the other party's appearance—the stern face, the scar, the disciplined stance—he remembered his identity clearly. This was the Exceed who had saved Mystogan, the one who would later follow Gajeel Redfox, and eventually become a core member of Fairy Tail back in Earth Land.
A future ally, Ren mused. But right now, an obstacle.
"If you don't want to die, get out of my way, cat," Ren said coolly. "I have business with the old man on the balcony."
"Arrogant!"
Panther Lily roared, offended by Ren's dismissive tone. "You threaten my King and destroy my city! I will not let you pass!"
He gripped the hilt of the Bustermarm with both hands. Muscles bulged under his fur. He swung the Greatsword horizontally, a strike capable of cutting through solid earth.
"Die!!"
The blade rushed towards Ren's neck.
Ren stood still. He didn't dodge this time. He simply raised his right hand, palm facing outward.
Clang!
A shockwave of dust erupted, but there was no impact.
Panther Lily's Greatsword stopped abruptly, hovering inches from Ren's palm. It hit an invisible barrier—the Infinity. The space between the sword and Ren's hand had been divided infinitely, making contact impossible.
"What?!" Panther Lily was stunned, his eyes widening. He pushed with all his might, his boots cracking the pavement, but the sword wouldn't move a millimeter forward. "It... it won't reach?! What kind of magic is this?"
"Physics doesn't apply to me," Ren stated flatly.
He pointed his index finger toward the stunned Panther Lily. A small, glowing orb of unstable magical energy materialized at the tip—the inverse of Blue.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
Vworp!
A small red orb shot toward Panther Lily. It looked insignificant, barely the size of a marble.
Panther Lily's warrior instincts screamed at him. His fur stood on end. Death!
He quickly retracted his sword, holding the massive flat side of the blade in front of himself as a shield.
BOOM!
The small red orb struck the blade of the Bustermarm.
The result was catastrophic. The repulsive force of the technique detonated on contact. Panther Lily felt a terrifying force, like a mountain being thrown at him. It was a force he could not withstand, overriding his strength, his leverage, and his gravity.
Crackle! Crackle!
Spiderweb fractures appeared on the enchanted metal of the Bustermarm sword.
"Impossible! The Bustermarm... is breaking?!" Lily gasped.
Immediately after!
Bang!
The Greatsword shattered completely into thousands of metal shards. The shockwave continued, slamming into Panther Lily's chest.
"Waaahhhhh!"
Boom, boom, boom!
Panther Lily screamed as his body was blasted backward like a cannonball. He crashed through one, two, three layers of the Royal Palace's outer walls, burying himself deep within the stone architecture of the castle.
Dust settled. Silence reigned.
"Captain Lily!"
The Kingdom Army personnel cried out in surprise, their jaws dropping. They never expected the powerful Captain Panther Lily—their strongest champion—to be knocked flying, weapon destroyed, in just a single, effortless strike.
"What?!"
"That Lily actually..."
King Faust and the other Magic Warfare Division Captains watching from above also involuntarily changed their expressions. Sweat beaded on Hughes' forehead. Sugarboy dropped his slime.
Panther Lily's strength was formidable; everyone knew that. Yet he wasn't even able to withstand a single exchange against the opponent.
"This is bad..." Byro, the Chief of Staff, muttered. "If Lily falls..."
King Faust stepped back, his hands shaking. The fear of death, cold and sharp, pierced his heart.
"Mobilize the Legion Unit!" Faust shouted, his voice cracking. "Erza! Hughes! Sugarboy! All of you! Go take down that guy! Do not let him reach the throne!"
"Yes, sir!" Erza Knightwalker and Hughes immediately sprang into action, though the confidence was gone from their eyes. They were moving out of duty, not belief in victory.
"Just in case..." Faust turned to Byro, his eyes wide and manic. "Hurry and prepare the Trauma Anima."
Byro froze. "Th-that... Your Majesty! That is a Forbidden Technique! Kingdom Charter Article 23 explicitly forbids the activation of the Dragon Knight within the city limits! The collateral damage..."
"Hurry and prepare it!!" Faust roared furiously, grabbing Byro by the collar. "Who cares about the city?! Ren's appearance... this monster... he makes me feel like my life is in danger! These useless troops might not be able to stop him, and I will not die here! I am the King! Do it!"
"Y-yes, Your Majesty!" Byro scrambled away.
At this time, the commotion at the Royal Palace attracted the attention of the entire capital. The explosions, the flashes of light, and the terrifying aura radiating from the plaza caused panic. Civilians screamed as they fled outward, clutching their children.
"What's wrong? What happened?!"
In the panicked crowd, a man with long black hair, iron studs on his face, and a rough demeanor grabbed a fleeing soldier by the collar.
"The Royal Palace! Someone is attacking the Royal Palace!" the soldier stammered. "It's a monster!"
"Attacking the Royal Palace? Could it be..."
A figure flashed through Gajeel Redfox's mind—a certain arrogant, overpowered guildmate. He dropped the soldier and immediately hurried toward the Royal Palace, grinning.
"Gihi. Sounds like a party."
Soon, Gajeel ran near the Royal Palace. He skidded to a halt, looking out over the plaza. He saw a familiar figure in the distance, wildly causing destruction inside the palace grounds, with every move resulting in terrifying devastation.
"Ren! It really is him!"
Gajeel had seen Ren in this state once before, during the Battle of Fairy Tail, where Ren, in a similar overwhelming form, had destroyed the Thunder Palace hovering over the entire Magnolia in a single blow.
Only this man would dare to fight the entire Edolas Kingdom alone. And only he could make it look this easy.
Gajeel watched as a tower crumbled into dust. "He's not leaving anything for the rest of us, is he?"
Despite his grumbling, Gajeel felt the urge to fight. He immediately wanted to rush over and help. Although he hadn't joined the Fairy Tail Guild long ago, and he pretended not to care, he was now a member of Fairy Tail. You mess with the guild, you mess with the Iron Dragon Slayer.
"Gajeel!"
Just as Gajeel was about to turn his arm into an iron club and charge in, a surprised voice rang out.
Gajeel looked to the side, near a crumbled statue, and saw Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and the cats standing there.
"Fire Dragon?"
"Mr. Gajeel!" Wendy waved, looking relieved to see another familiar face.
"Gajeel!" Lucy pouted, crossing her arms; she still remembered Gajeel stealing her mission and stalking them earlier.
Happy flew over. "Gajeel, you came too! How did you get here?"
"That guy named Mystogan brought me over," Gajeel explained, scratching his head. "He sent me to the outskirts. Took me forever to find this place. By the way, Fire Dragon, why aren't you going to help? Are you scared? Or are you just enjoying the show?"
"Scared my foot!" Natsu yelled, frustration evident in his voice. He tried to summon fire, but only a puff of smoke came out. "We can't use magic here! This world is empty!"
"That's right! We want to help Brother Ren too, but we can't use magic in this world," Wendy said sadly.
Hearing this, Gajeel blinked. "Oh. Right."
He dug into his pocket. He finally remembered that Mystogan had given him something before teleporting him. He was originally supposed to give it to Ren, but looking at the one-man army destroying the palace, Ren obviously didn't need any help with his magic reserves.
"Take this." Gajeel threw a small glass vial filled with red pills to Natsu.
Natsu caught it. "What is it? Candy?"
"Mystogan gave it to me. He called them X-Balls," Gajeel explained. "It was originally for Ren, but it looks like he doesn't need it at all. It's a potion... or pills... that lets Earth Land mages use their internal magic in this world. It restores your container."
"What?!"
Natsu, Lucy, and Wendy's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this. They had been incredibly frustrated by their inability to use magic, feeling like burdens while Ren did all the fighting.
"Awesome!"
The few of them quickly opened the vial. Natsu, Wendy, and even Happy and Carla took the X-Balls and swallowed them instantly.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then—
Whoosh!
A violent, roaring column of flames erupted from Natsu's body, melting the cobblestones beneath his feet. The familiar heat returned. The dragon woke up.
Natsu excitedly clenched his fists, feeling the power surge through his veins. He grinned, his canine teeth flashing.
"It's back! Everything is back! Now I'm all fired up!!"
[Akarin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep updating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/AkarinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]