From his vantage point, Drake's keen eyesight allowed him to monitor the ebb and flow of the entire battlefield. The assaults were progressi
From his vantage point, Drake's keen eyesight allowed him to monitor the ebb and flow of the entire battlefield.
The assaults were progressing smoothly across all fronts, with the exception of Erza's engagement, which had encountered a significant challenge.
Shortly after Erza's arrival, Knightwalker had immediately sought her out, completely disregarding the presence of the other combatants. It was evident that Knightwalker was intent on settling the score with Erza in a decisive duel.
It was noteworthy, however, that the level of destruction wrought by their clash far surpassed that caused by the other combatants, who were primarily focused on creating widespread chaos and disruption.
Drake shook his head, shifting his attention to other areas of the conflict. He had complete confidence that Erza would emerge victorious, even against her counterpart from another world; the Fairy Tail buff was not to be underestimated.
At that precise moment, Drake's attention was drawn to a new development unfolding in Gray's battle.
Gray was initially engaged in combat with Sugarboy, who had been previously defeated by Natsu.
Sugarboy found himself in a rather precarious situation. Following his defeat at the hands of Natsu, he had anticipated facing severe punishment.
Contrary to his expectations, upon his return to the royal capital, not only was he spared any form of retribution, but he also received the best possible medical treatment. Remarkably, the loss of his Rose Sword was not even held against him, and he was even provided with a new magical tool.
Sugarboy was under no illusions that King Faust had suddenly developed a newfound sense of benevolence; he understood that the kingdom's current predicament, characterized by a severe shortage of combat-ready personnel, had necessitated this lenient approach.
Therefore, Sugarboy's immediate priority was to quickly secure a decisive victory, thereby mitigating any potential repercussions from King Faust's subsequent reckoning.
Initially, Sugarboy had briefly entertained a sense of relief upon failing to encounter the flame-wielding individual with the distinctive scarf; however, he soon discovered that this ice-wielding opponent proved to be just as formidable.
Coupled with the fact that the magical tool he currently possessed exhibited a relatively low degree of compatibility with his own abilities, Sugarboy found himself rapidly overwhelmed by Gray's superior combat skills within moments of the commencement of their engagement.
As Sugarboy desperately sought a means of turning the tide of the battle in his favor, he noticed Gray exhibiting an expression of perplexity.
Immediately thereafter, Sugarboy detected the distinct sound of footsteps approaching from behind him.
Sugarboy swiftly turned his head, only to observe a young man, clad in tattered garments, with two longswords strapped to his waist, calmly approaching their location.
The reason for Gray's puzzled expression became immediately apparent upon observing the striking resemblance between the young man's facial features and those of Drake.
However, the young man's face was noticeably thinner than Drake's, exhibiting a pallid complexion suggestive of prolonged confinement from sunlight.
Most strikingly, the aura of intense violence that emanated from the young man was starkly different from Drake's own demeanor. Gray instantly recognized the individual before him as Edolas Drake.
Sugarboy experienced a sensation akin to suffocation, as he too recognized the identity of the young man.
He found himself utterly bewildered and unable to comprehend the circumstances that had led to the young man's release from the kingdom's most secure prison. How could King Faust possibly have been certain that this individual would not betray the kingdom and instead assist the invaders?
Under the watchful gazes of both Gray and Sugarboy, Edolas Drake approached, offering a sardonic smile to Sugarboy. "As expected, you've always been utterly worthless!"
Gray's pupils constricted to mere slits, as he had been unable to perceive the sequence of events that had just transpired.
In the fleeting instant that separated Edolas Drake and Sugarboy's initial confrontation from the subsequent outcome, Edolas Drake had inexplicably drawn his black and crimson longsword and delivered a swift, fatal blow to Sugarboy's chest, causing him to collapse to the ground amidst a torrent of blood.
The actual process of Edolas Drake drawing and wielding his sword seemed to have been entirely excised from the flow of time.
Gray immediately adopted a defensive posture, recognizing that had Edolas Drake's attack been directed at him, he would have been entirely incapable of evading it.
At that very moment, a hand gently rested upon Gray's shoulder.
Gray then witnessed Drake stride past him, positioning himself directly before Edolas Drake, engaging him in a tense standoff.
"Since he's my other-world self, I'll handle this."
Gray nodded in agreement; Edolas Drake's imposing presence was undeniable, and therefore, he chose not to challenge him directly, instead opting for a tactical retreat.
Drake swiftly shifted his body, utilizing his Dragon Slayer-enhanced hand to intercept the blade aimed at Gray.
"Even if you are my counterpart from another world, I will not forgive an attack against my comrade!"
"Comrades?" Edolas Drake responded with a derisive chuckle. "I never imagined my counterpart from another world still clung to such naive notions! Comrades, you see, invariably betray one another in the end!"
Sparks flew as the longsword and Drake's Dragon Slayer armguard collided; both combatants recoiled.
Edolas Drake's profound distrust of others, stemming from a single instance of betrayal, revealed a remarkably sensitive and fragile disposition.
Despite his apparent emotional fragility, Drake was compelled to acknowledge Edolas Drake's exceptional combat prowess.
Drake could sense that Edolas Drake's attack had not relied on the capabilities of any magical tool; it was a purely physical display of swordsmanship, exceeding the limits of human perception.
Drake flexed his wrists, flames beginning to erupt from his hands. Edolas Drake, in turn, drew the second sword from his waist.
Their gazes locked, and both charged at each other.
Drake experienced a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of his battle with the "Twin Dragons"; a flurry of sword strikes descended upon him almost instantaneously.
However, a crucial distinction existed between the two styles of swordsmanship. The Twin Dragons' technique involved an instantaneous transition from zero to maximum speed, lacking any discernible acceleration phase.
In contrast, Edolas Drake's lightning-fast swordsmanship was characterized by a purely physical speed that reached an astonishing three hundred, surpassing the very limits of human capability.
There was no inherent superiority or inferiority between the two styles; both were equally formidable.
Drake exhaled a plume of white breath, his arms moving so swiftly that they appeared as more than a dozen afterimages, each one deflecting a sword strike.
The two combatants collided; Drake swiftly sidestepped the black and crimson longsword aimed at him.
Drake could sense the ominous power emanating from the blade; he suspected it was imbued with curse magic.
Raising his arm, Drake used his Dragon Slayer-enhanced arm to deflect the blade of the second sword.
"[Fire Dragon's Hook Claw!]"
Drake's flame-wreathed foot connected with the crossed swords, sending Edolas Drake reeling backward.
Observing the minute scratch inflicted upon his Dragon Slayer armguard, Drake was able to deduce the capabilities of Edolas Drake's second sword.
Both Dragon Slayer armguards and the Dragon Slayer's arm were inherent spirit armors, the crystallized manifestation of magical energy following the process of soul embodiment. Under normal circumstances, such inherent spirit armors are impervious to damage.
However, Drake perceived that Edolas Drake's attack had not reached such a level of intensity; therefore, the markings on his Dragon Slayer armguard must have been caused by a form of magic that operates on a near-rule-based level.
Edolas Drake, noticing Drake's focused gaze upon his twin swords, raised the blades and declared, "Since you seem so curious, I have no qualms about revealing the truth. These two swords are considered national treasures of Edolas; they are known as the Opening Sword and the Hellish Sword.
The Opening Sword possesses the power to cleave through any tangible object, while the Hellish Sword inflicts wounds that, even if healed, will cause perpetual pain."
Drake raised an eyebrow, somewhat amused by Edolas Drake's tendency to reveal his abilities to his opponents. This habit of divulging one's capabilities to adversaries was certainly an unusual one.
Edolas Drake, seemingly sensing Drake's amusement, remarked, "The reason I have chosen to impart this information to you is that even if you were to gain knowledge of their capabilities, it would prove utterly inconsequential."
Drake understood his point. Were the abilities of these two swords formidable? Undeniably so. However, Edolas Drake's true strength lay not in the capabilities of his weapons but rather in his unparalleled swordsmanship.
The abilities of the two swords merely served to enhance his already formidable skills.
Drake gestured with his hand. "Is that so? Then, I implore you to demonstrate your full potential once more!"
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