"I'm sorry I'm late."
Chase let out a long breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
The moment he learned that Marshall's target was the Island of Demon Ruins, he acted without hesitation. Thanks to the special bond he shared with the Dark Magician Girl, he was able to instantly sense the danger she was in. Without wasting a second, he summoned his newest companion the Sky Guardian Wyvern and took to the skies at full speed.
In terms of raw speed, the four-star Sky Guardian Wyvern flew even faster than the five-star Cursed Dragon, and it consumed significantly less magic power too. But the journey had stretched across half the ocean. Even with his endurance, Chase found himself completely drained.
Still, he made it. And that was all that mattered.
"Perfect timing," the Dark Magician Girl teased, glancing up at him with a playful grin. "If you didn't have that special link with Master, I would've thought you were trying to play the hero and rescue the damsel in distress!"
Her words were light, cheerful her voice enough to melt the lingering tension in the air.
For her, the moment her Master appeared, the world could be falling apart, and she still wouldn't feel afraid.
Chase looked down at the girl who now clung to his arm like a worn-out doll.
Her body was battered and bruised, her breathing shallow. The magic robe that had once flowed around her with elegance had been torn to shreds, barely clinging to her form. Even the magical energy that usually shimmered around her was faint and unsteady.
He didn't need to ask. Just one look, and he knew the battle she'd fought had been nothing short of brutal.
"You've done enough," he said softly, placing a gentle hand on her head.
"Thanks for holding on."
He spoke gently, raising his eyes to the towering monster looming over the island."Leave the rest to me."
"Mm!"The Dark Magician Girl nodded firmly, puffing up her cheeks."You better protect Sister Mira and give that ugly, disgusting demon a proper beatdown!"
Clenching her small fists in a show of stubborn determination, her figure began to dissolve into particles of light. Slowly, she faded away returning to Chase's deck in a gentle shower of stardust.
"Chase, please be careful."
Mira's voice trembled with worry. She didn't know why Chase had suddenly appeared here of all places, but she wasted no time in quickly filling him in on the situation.
"That monster might be one of the infamous Eighteen Fighting Gods of the Underworld," she explained. "He's using some kind of Lost Magic that warps space."
"I figured as much. He's not even the main threat," Chase replied, his voice growing more serious.
"He's not?"
"No. I came here tracking the one pulling the strings from the shadows."
"The one behind all this?" Mira's brows furrowed.
"It's someone named Marshall. He claims to be descended from some ancient demon," Chase answered grimly.
"Marshall...? Wait wasn't he the sea adventurer who discovered this island of ruins in the first place?!"
Mira's eyes widened in shock. The name struck a chord she remembered it clearly.
"So that's it. That old bastard's been wearing too many masks."
Chase blinked, then let out a quiet sigh as the puzzle pieces finally clicked together in his mind.
Everything made sense now.
"Let's save the long story for later. First, we've got to take care of the giant troublemaker in front of us."
Seeing the concern still lingering in Mira's gaze, Chase gave her a small smile.
"Mira… step back. I'll handle this."
Hearing those words, Mira fell silent, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink. She glanced down at her waist still wrapped tightly in Chase's arms.
"…Before anything else… shouldn't you put me down first?"
"Huh? Oh sorry, sorry!" Chase chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "I was too focused on Marshall and didn't even notice."
He quickly released her and gently helped her back onto her feet.
Mira narrowed her eyes at him.
I don't believe a word of that!
Just then, a chilling presence swept over the island like a shadow.
At the center of it all, Marshall who had briefly fallen silent suddenly stirred. Connection restored, he opened his scarlet eyes, locking his murderous gaze on Chase.
"You came all the way from Asroba in such a short time, Chase…" Marshall's low, raspy voice echoed from the massive form of the Drum of Emptiness, rumbling through the island like a demon's whisper. "To be honest… you've truly impressed me."
"I didn't expect to see Mr. Marshall like this after being gone for barely fifteen minutes," Chase muttered, his eyes narrowing.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward, unleashing his magic without restraint. A powerful aura surged from his body, distorting the air around him.
What he felt radiating from the Drum of Emptiness was overwhelming an oppressive magic far beyond even what Clooney, the president of the Dark Guild, had displayed!
"Hahaha! You've come right to me!" Marshall cackled.
His monstrous expression twisted into something cruel and gleeful. With a flick of his massive hand, he summoned a swirling dark green vortex in midair, distorting space with terrifying force.
The earlier sacrifices had only partially restored the Drum of Emptiness's strength. To fully awaken its body, more fuel was needed.
So rather than strike Chase immediately he turned his sights on the panicked tourists fleeing along the beach, and the crowded magic boats bobbing at sea.
He wanted more chaos. More terror. More power.
And deep down, this was also a test.
A test to see what Chase would choose to protect.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Bursts of chaotic light exploded in the sky like twisted, corrupted fireworks. Trails of energy screamed downward, hurtling toward the crowd below with terrifying speed each blast aimed directly at the helpless people watching from the beach.
Chase's eyes sharpened. Without a second's hesitation, two cards flashed into his hands.
Time seemed to freeze.
In the span of a breath, those despairing beams of chaotic magic had already descended upon the stunned crowd faces frozen in fear, no chance to escape.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A chain of thunderous explosions erupted across the shoreline. The beach trembled under the onslaught.
And then… silence.
As the smoke gradually cleared, everyone braced for the worst.
But
Not a single life was lost.
One by one, people opened their eyes and found a small, fuzzy creature floating protectively in front of them. Round, wide-eyed, and glowing faintly with magical energy, these cute furballs had formed a living wall between them and certain death.
They were safe.
And the reason why?
Chase stood firm, cards still glowing in his hands.
He had activated the perfect defense the combination of Monster Card [Kuriball] and Spell Card [Multiplication]!
Hundreds of tiny Kuriballs had multiplied instantly, scattering across the battlefield and shielding every single innocent person.
Marshall's twisted grin faltered for a second. Then he sneered, voice low and mocking.
"Ha… pretending to be calm while scrambling to save others?"
"You're no different from those fools in the Guild of Light!"
To someone like Marshall, whose heart had long since rotted with selfishness and cruelty, Chase's actions were laughable.
He simply couldn't comprehend it.
The corners of his massive mouth curled into a dark, feral smile.
"Go on, Chase. Keep trying to protect them… if you've got the guts."
Above Marshall's head, a massive vortex of chaos began to swirl, devouring the sky with its growing power. The dark energy surged wildly, far more potent than before.
His intent was clear use the fleeing civilians to exhaust Chase's strength, then finish him off without lifting a finger in direct combat.
"Tch… this kind of battle really doesn't suit me," Chase muttered with a sigh.
Then, he stepped forward.
In that instant, his aura sharpened like a blade drawn from its sheath.
Originally, he had no intention of getting involved. He was only here to complete his commission, and after defeating Clooney, he had planned to let the Magic Council handle the cleanup.
He wasn't the kind of idealist who charged into every chaotic situation just because it was the right thing to do.
But this this was too much.
He couldn't just stand by and watch innocent people be slaughtered in front of him.
Even if it meant burning through what little magic he had left.
Buzz.
With a flick of his wrist, a glowing card traced a brilliant arc through the air.
Then, without warning, a radiant pillar of holy light burst into the sky above the Drum of the Evil Sky.
Three gigantic swords of light descended from the heavens like divine judgment, stabbing deep into the earth and anchoring themselves around the towering demon.
From three directions, beams of sacred energy formed a glowing triangle, sealing Marshall in place and halting his next wave of attacks.
The magic surged with purifying force, pinning the beast down like a creature caught in a celestial trap.
Marshall narrowed his eyes, a flicker of surprise in his gaze.
"A card that restricts movement, huh? Not bad. No wonder Bruni lost to you…"
"But…"
His voice dropped low, eyes flashing with growing madness. His fists clenched tightly, and violent energy spiraled around them.
"You think something like this can stop me?"
"You're far too naive, Chase."
"I am the Drum of the Eighteen Fighting Gods of Evil now!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions of force erupted around his body as he began to push against the holy restraints, shaking the earth and splitting the sky.
Under the crushing force of the distorted space, the holy light surged violently. The three radiant swords summoned by Chase flickered wildly on the verge of shattering.
The immense pressure traveled down through the swords and struck back at Chase himself. His bones groaned with audible cracks, his body straining under the weight of the magical backlash.
But he didn't retreat.
Not a single step.
Clenching his teeth, Chase drew a second card, his fingers trembling from the force pressing against him.
"Trap Card: Hexagram Curse Activate!"
A radiant golden glow bloomed at the waist of the massive Drum of Emptiness. It traced itself into a glowing six-pointed star an ancient magic circle burning with power.
The trap card's sealing magic merged with the lingering power of the light swords, and for a moment, the monstrous titan was frozen. The dual layers of restriction locked Marshall's twisted creation in place.
But Marshall wasn't about to be caged so easily.
Feeling the resistance, he snarled eyes flaring with hate.
With a deafening roar, he erupted with an even greater surge of chaotic magic. Power erupted from his core, striking violently against the glowing swords and the golden hexagram.
Winds howled. Thunder roared.
The force of their clash shook the entire island to its foundation. The surrounding sea churned like a maelstrom, and the sky overhead darkened into a rolling mass of clouds.
It was like the end of the world.
And the Drum of Emptiness… would not remain trapped for long.
A vicious hurricane slammed into Chase's body, forcing him to brace as he was pushed backward across the fractured ground.
His arms, still holding the glowing cards, trembled violently. Blood seeped through the skin of his hands, dripping onto the already-splintered earth.
At his feet, the ground cracked again and again, spiderweb fractures spreading outward like glass under pressure.
But his voice never wavered.
"Don't even think about taking another step forward…"
He stared into the heart of the storm, into the eyes of the demon.
"I will protect the people on this island!!"
Chase roared with all his strength, pouring his soul into that single cry, as if anchoring his will to protect.
Through his relentless effort, the very last group of terrified tourists finally made it safely onto the departing magic boat.
Among them was a familiar face the little girl who had been saved earlier by the Dark Magician Girl.
Despite her mother's desperate attempts to hold her back, the girl broke free and dashed to the edge of the railing, her voice rising above the crashing waves and storm winds.
"Come on! Big brother riding the flying dragon!!"
Her innocent cheer echoed across the waters.
Moved by her courage, the other passengers once paralyzed by fear slowly began to join in. One by one, their voices rose together in a chorus of hope and support.
"Let's go, big brother flying dragon!!"
"Don't give up!!"
Chase, battered and bloodied, heard the sound and turned his head with great effort.
And when he saw who was calling out to him… that small, bright-eyed girl… he smiled softly, tenderly.
Then his expression twisted into his usual annoyed glare.
"What are you shouting for, you little gremlin? Go home and suck your bottle!"
His voice was sharp, but his tone was laced with teasing affection.
The girl's mother quickly pulled her back, clearly frightened, but the child showed no fear at all. Instead, she stared at the emblem on Chase's arm with shining eyes.
There, inked into his skin, was the symbol of Fairy Tail a fairy in mid-flight, full of spirit and magic.
And in that moment, it etched itself into her young heart forever.
Buzz!
The magic power array flared to life, and the boat surged forward at full speed, vanishing into the misty horizon of the vast sea.
At that same moment, the glowing swords of light and the golden hexagram formation let out a final, high-pitched crack
Crack!!
They shattered into a storm of glimmering shards, fading into the air like stardust.
"You've ruined my plans again, Chase! I'll tear you limb from limb!!" Marshall bellowed, his rage boiling over. He stomped with such force that the entire island trembled beneath him.
Chase wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and let out a tired sigh.
"Well, what can I say? You picked the wrong day to mess with the King of Destruction from Fairy Tail."
With nothing left holding him back, he gave a crooked grin.
Then, without hesitation, he raised his hand flipping Marshall off with a bold middle finger.
"When it comes to destruction…" he smirked.
"I'm Number One in all of Fiore."
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