"?!"
Finn's words brought stunned silence.
"Laxus is a Dragon Slayer?" Erza asked, her eyes showing confusion.
"Never heard of it!" Lucy added, equally bewildered.
"Details later. You go, we'll handle this!" Finn cut them off.
"But there are so many behind us…" Lucy's voice was laced with worry.
At that moment, an invisible shockwave dispersed the flames, revealing a massive army behind them: thousands of winged cats, hundreds of giant flying beasts, and the mage squads on the ground.
"That's Extalia's Royal Guard, and... the kingdom's Legion!" Nancy said grimly.
But Finn wasn't focused on the Legion or the Royal Guard. His gaze was locked on the crimson-haired woman standing atop the Legion—a woman who was Erza's exact double.
"That's Erza Knightwalker," Finn murmured.
Edolas Erza's spear pointed at them. She was the one who'd shattered Finn's flames.
"Erza Knightwalker. She captured us," Lucy said.
"I never thought my other self would be in Fairy Tail," Edolas Erza said, looking at Earthland Erza beside Finn.
Earthland Erza said coldly, "I never thought my other self would be Fairy Tail's enemy!"
She looked at Finn. "Finn, I'll take this one."
Finn nodded. Fighting someone who looked exactly like Erza was difficult.
"You want to fight me? Good. Let's see which Erza is stronger!" Edolas Erza tightened her grip on her Ten Commandments spear, and with a light spring from the Legion, launched herself into the air.
"Bring it on!" Earthland Erza met the attack, her wings unfurling.
Sword and spear clashed in a spectacular aerial duel, the force of their blows creating a shockwave that rippled across the battlefield. A full-scale battle erupted instantly.
"Erza vs. Erza!" Happy cried, covering his face in terror. One Erza was terrifying; two were even worse!
"Go! We'll handle this," Finn said, shaking his head at Happy's fear.
"Aye!" Happy took flight towards the capital.
"Be careful…" Lucy said worriedly before flying towards the palace with Carla.
"Fallen Angels, don't run!"
A greasy voice made Finn's hair stand on end.
"That's…" Finn followed the sound. At the front of the flying Exceeds, despite the yellow fur, was a familiar face, still posing mid-air.
"Sugarboy?!" Finn exclaimed in disbelief.
"No, that's Sugarboy, captain of the Royal Guard," Nancy corrected him.
"We're chasing—" Sugarboy struck a pose and shouted.
The Exceeds flapped their wings in pursuit of Happy and the others.
"I said, you're not getting away!" Finn, forcing down his unease, unleashed a powerful right punch.
A terrifying wave of flames engulfed the battlefield, halting everyone's advance.
"You dare defy the Exceeds?!" Sugarboy roared at Finn.
"I'm fighting you!" Finn and Nancy flew towards Sugarboy, and with a mighty kick, sent him plummeting to the ground.
"Ah, that feels much better. I've been wanting to do that for a while," Finn remarked with satisfaction.
"You seem to have a serious grudge against him…" Nancy observed, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Finn waved his hand dismissively. "That's because Erza isn't here. Otherwise, he'd be far worse off."
Nancy's gaze drifted towards the two Erzas, locked in an increasingly intense battle in the distance.
"Really? Aren't you worried? Strictly speaking, Erza Knightwalker is arguably the strongest in this kingdom," Nancy voiced her concern, her expression betraying her apprehension.
Having resided in Edolas for many years, she had heard countless tales and rumors regarding Erza Knightwalker's unmatched prowess. Therefore, Erza Knightwalker's reputation as the kingdom's strongest warrior was not merely unfounded speculation.
Within this world, aside from perhaps a few forbidden weapons, there was virtually no human who could hope to defeat Erza Knightwalker—a testament to her years of relentless combat and unwavering victories.
Finn offered a reassuring smile. "Rest assured, our Erza is incredibly strong as well!"
He then shifted his gaze towards the densely packed ranks of their enemies. "Let's not waste any more time on idle chatter. Let's eliminate these troublesome obstacles before us," he declared resolutely.
"Agreed," Nancy nodded, propelling herself and Finn towards the enemy forces.
The Legion responded with a ferocious charge, the sheer number of colossal beasts creating an overwhelming sense of pressure that permeated the entire battlefield.
From behind, Sugarboy, having dusted himself off after his unceremonious fall, watched in stunned disbelief as Finn audaciously launched a counter-offensive.
As the sole superior species within the realm of Edolas, all humans were expected to submit unconditionally to the authority of the Exceeds.
However, Sugarboy could scarcely believe his eyes, witnessing the audacious defiance of the man before him—a man who dared to openly resist the Exceeds, and that too in the presence of such an overwhelming force, both in the air and on the ground.
The sheer audacity of his actions left Sugarboy utterly speechless. Just how utterly reckless and defiant was this man…?
Within the Edolas Royal Palace…
Faust peered out the window, observing the numerous Exceeds soaring through the skies outside.
"What in the world is happening out there?" he murmured, his voice low and ominous.
"It appears that Extalia's Royal Guard has launched a full-scale attack in an attempt to apprehend the 'Fallen Angels'," Coco, the highly esteemed and exceptionally swift chief of staff of the Royal Army, reported.
Upon hearing this explanation, Faust's expression darkened considerably.
His grip on the windowsill tightened to the point that veins bulged prominently on his hands.
The audacity of these self-proclaimed deities to freely enter his capital, armed and unhindered, filled this ambitious and far-sighted king with uncontainable rage.
He remained silent for a moment, his mind seemingly grappling with a difficult decision.
However, as his gaze fell upon the multitude of Exceeds outside the palace windows, a glint of avarice flickered in his eyes.
"Byro!" he suddenly called out, his voice sharp and commanding.
In response to the king's summons, Byro, the chief of staff of the Royal Army, swiftly approached Faust.
"What is the current status of the Dragon Lock Cannon?" Faust inquired, his voice measured and controlled.
"Your Majesty, the cannon is currently in the final stages of charging and will be fully operational shortly," Byro reported.
Upon hearing this report, a look of unbridled madness spread across Faust's face.
"In that case, initiate Operation ETD!" he bellowed, his voice ringing with a chilling intensity. He could no longer tolerate the constant threat posed by the Exceeds.
Coco's face was etched with sheer terror.
Woo————
Woo————
A series of horns blared throughout the royal capital, their sound echoing through the streets.
Immediately following the sound of the horns, countless black and crimson flags billowed in the wind, their colors stark against the sky.
A multitude of devices, resembling massive cannons, were trained upon the Exceeds soaring through the air.
"Of all times…" Panther Lily, who had just received his orders to safeguard the magic crystals on the floating island, exclaimed in astonishment.
"Operation ETD?!" Edolas Erza, engaged in a fierce battle with Earthland Erza in the distance, instantly recognized the significance of the horn blasts.
Witnessing the unfolding events, Finn ceased his combat, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.
"Nancy, do you have any knowledge of what this 'Operation ETD' entails?" Finn inquired, turning his attention towards Nancy.
Nancy shook her head in response. "I'm afraid I have no information regarding this operation. It's likely a highly classified initiative of the kingdom," she replied.
"Code name ETD! Initiate!" a soldier bellowed, his voice strained and filled with urgency.
As the soldier's words trailed off, a brilliant azure light erupted from the muzzles of the cannons that were trained upon the Exceeds, followed by a thunderous barrage of energy blasts.
From all directions, towering azure beams of energy converged upon Extalia's Royal Guard, completely engulfing them.
"Waaaaah!"
"It hurts…"
Cries of agony and pain echoed from the ranks of the besieged Exceeds.
"You humans! What in the world are you doing?!" Sugarboy roared, his voice filled with fury and disbelief.
"Why are they attacking the Exceeds?" Nancy questioned, her voice laced with confusion and bewilderment.
"Is this their Operation ETD? Or is this… a rebellion against the Exceeds?" Finn murmured, his mind racing to comprehend the unfolding events.
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