Yukino resolutely rushed towards the direction where her companions were calling for help, while Lucy, who had previously separated, now stood before the third support leg of "Nirvana," which resembled a towering giant tree covered in eerie magical patterns.
The air was so thick it was almost solid, with only the low hum of magic flowing through the giant wooden structure, like the heartbeat of a sleeping beast.
"taurus! Cleave it!" Lucy held up taurus's golden key, which hummed in her hand as a massive golden magic circle rotated and expanded on the scorched earth.
In the light, the Celestial Spirit with a peculiar appearance materialized—Taurus, covered in black and white cow-like markings, with muscles as knotted as stacked rocks, and menacingly curved horns on his bull's head.
He held a gigantic double-edged battle-axe, taller than himself, its blade glinting with cold light.
"Moo—! Leave it to me, Lucy!" Taurus let out a deep, powerful roar, his voice shaking the air.
His massive arm muscles instantly bulged, and earthy yellow magic coiled around the axe handle.
Without the slightest hesitation, he took a step forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet, and the giant axe tore through the air with the force of splitting mountains and cracking rocks, slashing fiercely towards the base of the colossal wooden leg!
Where the axe blade passed, the air was extremely compressed, emitting a piercing shriek!
Bang—!!!
A deafening crash exploded!
Sparks and wood chips flew violently!
A powerful shockwave spread out like a tangible force, kicking up a sky full of dust!
However, the anticipated massive break did not occur!
The axe blade was deeply embedded in the rough, tough wooden structure, only penetrating three inches before being firmly stuck!
Even more bizarrely, Taurus's mountain-splitting power was like a mud ox entering the sea; the wood grain around the axe blade merely glowed faintly, twisting and wriggling like a living thing, instantly dispersing and transmitting the power throughout the entire "Nirvana" structure!
The entire giant wooden support leg only trembled slightly, its surface magic patterns briefly lighting up before rapidly dimming.
It was a hundred times tougher than imagined!
"What?! It's this hard?!" Lucy exclaimed in shock. Taurus's strength was top-tier among the Zodiac Celestial Spirits; with this axe strike, even ordinary steel mountains would be split open!
Taurus struggled to pull out the axe, the friction between the blade and wood producing a grating creak that made teeth ache, bringing out more wood chips. "Lucy! This wood is not right! It... it can absorb power! And it's self-repairing!" he roared, reporting, trying to exert force again.
"Heh... Am I a step too late?"
A voice, laced with mockery and icy killing intent, sounded like a ghost behind Lucy!
Lucy's hair stood on end; she instinctively lunged to the side!
"Swish!"
A green figure, too fast for the naked eye to catch, appeared like a teleportation at the end of Taurus's axe handle!
It was Lissanna!
He still bore traces of frost and some disarray from his battle with Yukino, but his eyes were even more sinister and ruthless than before.
With just one hand, enveloped in a faint green magical glow, he firmly grasped Taurus's huge, withdrawing axe handle!
Click!
A crisp sound.
Taurus's powerful pulling motion was abruptly halted!
The massive bull-headed Celestial Spirit felt an overwhelmingly strong force coming from the end of the axe handle, making his arms numb!
He stared in astonishment at the hand, which seemed tiny compared to his own body, yet appeared to contain immense power!
"An ant dares to shake a divine tree?" Lissanna's mouth curved into a cruel arc, his gaze sweeping over Taurus, finally settling on Lucy, especially on the string of sparkling Celestial Spirit keys at her waist.
His brows suddenly furrowed, like a venomous snake whose tail had been stepped on.
"Celestial Spirit keys... Zodiac Taurus... You little brat..." Lissanna's eyes instantly sharpened like knives, carefully scrutinizing Lucy, and the unique pressure of a strong individual surged like a tide.
"The Heartfilia family?! Damn it, today I really stepped in dog poop, constantly running into troublesome Celestial Spirit Mages!"
He had just suffered a minor setback at Yukino's hands, and he was now filled with apprehension and disgust for the profession of "Celestial Spirit Mage."
But then, he released his magic perception, quickly discerning Lucy's magical strength.
That sinister look was immediately replaced by a cruel excitement, as if discovering prey.
"Tch... Her magic fluctuations are as weak as a newborn kitten. Far inferior to that white-haired little girl... No," Lissanna sneered, his voice full of disdain, "not even half of hers! Your age, let me think..."
"You must be the daughter of the rumored Celestial Spirit Mage, Layla, right?"
"I heard Angel mention that Layla was the strongest Celestial Spirit Mage in the Fiore Kingdom during her lifetime."
"Layla's daughter is only this level? Far inferior to that little girl who controls two Celestial Spirits simultaneously! Your magic is so meager that even maintaining two Celestial Spirits at once is difficult, isn't it? You can only pitifully summon a single big oaf?!"
Having confirmed Lucy's "weakness," Lissanna's confidence and killing intent instantly swelled to their peak.
"Good! The frustration I suffered from those troublesome sisters just now, I'll take it out on you!" Lissanna's smile became hideous, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. "One of the Ten God Speeds · Gale Flash!"
Before his words finished, his figure suddenly blurred, leaving a green afterimage in his original spot!
The real Lissanna had already appeared like a ghost blended into the wind, at a terrifying high speed, to Lucy's left!
He pressed his right hand into a blade, his fingertips condensing a highly compressed green wind blade, which, with a piercing whoosh, ruthlessly slashed towards Lucy's slender neck!
This strike was as fast as lightning, intending to decapitate her directly!
"Lucy, look out!!" Taurus roared, trying to pull back his axe to block, but Lissanna's hand gripping the axe handle suddenly pressed down!
Boom!
A mighty force came through, and Taurus's massive body was actually forced to one knee!
The earth cracked again!
Lissanna's other hand, however, had already completed his fatal strike on Lucy!
"Get lost! Annoying ox!" Lissanna's cruel sneer accompanied the whistling of the wind blade.
"Clang!!!"
In the nick of time, a tall, wooden clock-like figure appeared out of nowhere, barely blocking in front of Lucy!
It was horologium, automatically protecting its master!
Boom!
The green wind blade fiercely struck Horologium, erupting in dazzling sparks and a massive blast of air!
Lissanna looked at the suddenly appearing horologium Celestial Spirit, raising an eyebrow, "Hmm? Double opening... No..."
Lucy's magic was not enough to support a double opening; horologium only appeared for a moment to block the fatal attack.
To prevent Lucy's magic from being over-consumed, it returned to the Celestial Spirit World automatically without even having time to greet her.
"Moo! Let go of Lucy!" Taurus seized the moment Lissanna was distracted, unleashing all his brute strength, and finally pulled the giant axe out of the giant wood!
He was enraged, swinging the giant axe in a full circle, and horizontally slashed towards Lissanna's waist with the force of a landslide and tsunami!
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