Wall raised his palm, releasing a violent shockwave of energy.
"Boom——!!!"
The blast smashed into Laxus, erupting into a thunderous explosion that shattered every stained-glass window of Kardia Cathedral.
But through the smoke, a deep voice rang out.
"Arrogant? You're the one talking. You march into Fairy Tail with a few stinking pawns and dare to say you'll destroy us? Tell me—was it Zeref who gave you that courage?"
Golden lightning flickered across Laxus' body, crackling louder with each passing second. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, reappearing directly before Wall. His hand clamped down over the machine's head.
"Don't get too full of yourself."
A blinding surge of lightning erupted. Wall's head was vaporized instantly, his body collapsing to the floor in a pile of smoldering scrap metal.
"Smashed to pieces!!"
The Fairy Tail mages watching from afar shouted with relief.
"As expected of Laxus!!"
"Unbelievable!!"
But Laxus didn't share their excitement. His eyes narrowed. The fight had ended far too easily.
"This thing… too weak. Unworthy of being called one of the Twelve Shields."
Sure enough, the wreckage began to twitch. A distorted voice emerged from the headless shell.
"Impressive. To think Fairy Tail has another monster besides Su Yan… this is valuable data. Losing a puppet body is a fair price for such information."
Laxus' eyes hardened.
"A puppet, huh?"
"Fairy Tail will be erased soon enough," the machine crooned. "Consider this your last—"
BOOM!
Golden lightning slammed down, obliterating the shell completely. Laxus stood over the smoking fragments.
"I don't have time for your nonsense. In war, enemies aren't data—they're things to be destroyed."
Reports began flooding in.
The Alvarez Empire's vanguard had been crushed. Fairy Tail had stopped their first raid.
"Good!!!"
"Wipe them all out!!"
Fifty warships—enough force to rival fifty guilds—had struck, and without Su Yan in the guild, the pressure had been immense. But Fairy Tail's other pillars—Natsu, Erza, Mira, and Laxus—had proven themselves.
Makarov's face softened as he processed the news.
"That brat… Laxus has grown this much? To tear through a Shield's guardian in a single strike… he's surpassed even me now."
Beside him, Mavis smiled knowingly.
"Not only Laxus. Erza, Mira, Natsu… all of them have grown. Perhaps it's the influence of Su Yan, or perhaps the threats of Acnologia and Zeref themselves. Hardship forges strength. These children are no longer the same. This war… we will win."
Indeed, Erza and Mira had defeated Ajeel, while Su Yan himself had already erased God Serena. With the Shields down to nine, and Ishgar's other guilds and Ten Wizard Saints also joining the fight, the balance of victory was tilting ever so slightly toward their side.
Meanwhile, at Hargeon Port…
The Alvarez fleet loomed, Wall's true body standing on deck.
"Ahahaha… ahahaha!!"
"Would you stop that disgusting laugh?" Dimaria snapped, folding her arms. "I can't even hear the waves over you."
"Forgive me, forgive me," Wall chuckled, still shaking with amusement. "It's just… things are turning out far more entertaining than expected. My puppet was defeated. Ajeel too, by two women no less. Fairy Tail truly is full of surprises."
Dimaria's eyes narrowed. "Ajeel, defeated? Hmph. He always boasted the loudest. Looks like he's also the first to fall. What a disgrace to the Twelve."
Wall's grin vanished into a scowl. He remembered Laxus' words, that contemptuous tone.
"…Don't worry. Fairy Tail won't be laughing long."
He clapped his hands together. Machinery unfolded from his body, transforming into a massive cannon.
Dimaria arched a brow. "What are you planning? The port is still thirty kilometers away."
Wall's eyes gleamed. "The port? No. My target is Fairy Tail itself."
A weapon larger than a battleship rose above the deck—an ultra-long-range anti-object magic gun.
"More than 400 kilometers… you can't seriously—"
"Don't underestimate me," Wall interrupted coldly. "This is the pride of the machine race."
BZZZT!
The barrel glowed, then fired.
"Fwooooom——!!"
A searing magic round ripped across the sea, streaking toward Magnolia from hundreds of kilometers away.
At Hargeon, soldiers and guild wizards gawked.
"W-what?!"
"They fired from thirty kilometers out?!"
"DEFENSE! DEFENSE!!"
Then came the chilling realization.
"No… it's not aimed at us."
Their faces paled.
"It's headed straight for Magnolia—straight for Fairy Tail!!"