To be honest, Erza was actually feeling a little flustered now.
In just one month, things had already reached this point. Hugging, leaning close, even casually clinging to each other—it had all become natural.
If this kept going… what was she supposed to do next?
Another month… would kissing casually become normal too?
And if two more months passed… would she really be completely taken down?
No matter how she thought about it, the journey of Rain and Erza was continuing in a direction that made her heart feel dangerously restless.
"Aaaa—!!"
Inside her own residence, Brandish suddenly sat bolt upright on her massive bed, her expression dark and irritated.
"Damn it…!"
She grabbed her hair with both hands, fingers digging in as frustration overflowed.
"…Forget it. I'll take a bath."
In the end, Brandish decided to soak and calm herself down.
But even as she lay submerged in the warm bath—something she usually loved more than anything—her mind refused to cooperate.
That damn man's face kept flashing through her thoughts.
"…Why do I keep thinking about him?"
Brandish frowned deeply.
She didn't understand it herself, but it felt like something buried deep inside her had been stirred awake during that encounter.
The sensation made her uncomfortable… and confused.
"No. I have to get my pride back."
The next moment, Brandish stood up straight out of the bathtub, water splashing over the floor as her expression hardened.
She still didn't believe she'd lose again.
Not if she went in prepared.
After getting dressed, she immediately contacted the Intelligence Bureau, gathering information on Rain before tracking his movements.
Someone of his level couldn't possibly pass through cities without being noticed.
And sure enough—it didn't take long.
"…North?"
Brandish narrowed her eyes.
Without hesitation, she set off.
North of the western continent.
An endless desert stretched as far as the eye could see.
After preparing large quantities of supplies, Rain compressed all the food and water with magic and stored them away before stepping into the desert together with Erza.
"According to the locals," Rain said, "what we're looking for is deep inside the desert. At our pace, about seven days."
The two of them sat side by side on a magic-powered four-wheel vehicle, Rain steadily supplying magic power to keep it moving forward.
"Seven days… That's not too bad," Erza nodded.
But the closer they drew to their destination, the heavier her heart felt.
"…Still, with Rain's current strength, there shouldn't be any real danger, right?"
She remembered the terrifying magic power she'd felt erupt from him not long ago.
It was already far beyond Makarov's level.
Of course, Erza had never personally witnessed the Four Gods of Ishgar or the Spriggan Twelve, so she didn't know exactly where Rain stood among the world's strongest.
"Don't worry, Erza."
Rain smiled and gently took her hand with his free one, the other still controlling the vehicle.
"Trust me. Nothing will happen."
"…Mm."
The moment their hands touched, Erza's lingering anxiety melted away.
She'd grown used to it—so used to Rain holding her hand that it felt completely natural now.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
When towering structures finally appeared on the horizon, Rain slowed the vehicle.
As they drew closer, both of them fell silent.
The ruins were enormous.
Each building resembled a grand temple. Though heavily damaged by time, it wasn't hard to imagine how magnificent they must have been in their prime.
"That's incredible…" Erza murmured.
"It really is," Rain agreed.
Eleven palace-like structures formed a perfect circle, surrounding a towering spire at the center—like guardians standing watch over it.
"That tower must be our destination."
Rain could already feel it.
A presence.
Powerful.
"There's someone inside," he said quietly. "Strong. About the same as Brandish… maybe slightly higher. But still not at the level of a top Spriggan."
Hearing that, Rain felt more at ease.
"Let's go, Erza. The target's in the central tower."
"Understood."
Erza nodded, her hand already resting on the hilt of her demon blade, ready to draw at a moment's notice.
Together, they headed toward the tower.
At the same time, Brandish, who had chased them all the way here, stared at the ruins in front of her, her expression growing strange.
"…Isn't this Mary's homeland?"
Why would Rain come to a place like this?
No matter how she thought about it, only one possibility came to mind.
"…Looking for trouble?"
She snorted lightly.
"Well, whatever. I'll see for myself."
Picking up her pace, Brandish followed.
Central Tower
Like Brandish, someone else was preparing.
Inside the tower, Dimaria Yesta—a member of the Alvarez Empire and one of the Spriggan Twelve—finished purifying her body and steadying her breathing.
Her condition had reached its peak.
"…It's time."
Her eyes sharpened with resolve as she stepped forward, ascending toward the top floor.
At the summit stood an ancient altar.
And upon it…
A statue of a grotesque demon god with six arms.
The God of Time.
Chronos.
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