Not long after Kenichi, Erza, and the others left the city of Ermina on the magic airship, an exceptionally large dragon, carrying billowing flames, flew over.
Before the giant dragon even landed, the accumulated water on the ground in Ermina evaporated completely.
And the already destroyed houses spontaneously combusted due to the high temperature.
"Water Dragon God-sama…"
The Water Dragon God's envoy was still guarding near the Water Dragon God's massive body.
When she noticed the air temperature had suddenly risen significantly, she immediately looked up.
She saw a fire dragon, its body crimson red and size no less than the Water Dragon God's, descending.
If Natsu were here now, he would surely exclaim: "Igneel!"
However, this fire dragon was not Igneel, but Igneel's son, Ignia.
On the Guiltina Continent, he is revered as the Fire Dragon God.
One of the Five Dragon Gods that Kenichi, Erza, and the others were looking for.
The Water Dragon God's envoy, watching the Fire Dragon God's massive body slowly descend, had eyes full of despair.
At that moment, the Water Dragon God also struggled to open his eyes.
"Mercphobia, I never thought you would be defeated by human mages!"
The Fire Dragon God landed on the ground, looking down at the dying Water Dragon God, and spoke in a deep voice.
"Ignia, have you come to kill me?" The Water Dragon God said to the Fire Dragon God, his voice weak.
Hearing this, the Fire Dragon God said somewhat disdainfully: "Hmph, if I were to kill you, I would only do so at your peak!"
The Five Dragon Gods of Guiltina had little interaction with each other.
They only knew of each other's existence.
However, the Fire Dragon God had fought the Water Dragon God before.
He knew the Water Dragon God's strength well.
In the Fire Dragon God's view, even he wouldn't find it easy to defeat the Water Dragon God.
But now, the Water Dragon God had been defeated by human mages.
And the Fire Dragon God's purpose in coming here was to find the human mage who defeated the Water Dragon God and fight him.
"Oh? The scent of Fire Dragon Slayer Magic... Could it be the human raised by the old man?"
"This is really somewhat interesting!"
The Fire Dragon God glanced around, then spoke to himself.
After speaking, he paid no more attention to the Water Dragon God. The dragon wings on his back flapped violently, and amidst a wave of hot wind, his massive body shot straight into the sky, chasing in the direction Kenichi, Erza, and the others had left.
…
Meanwhile, Kenichi, Erza, and the others were resting inside the magic airship.
Before long, Mirajane, wearing her usual red dress, came out from the cabin holding a tray.
"Here, for you!"
"Thank you!"
Wendy took the teacup Mirajane handed over, then said: "We defeated the Water Dragon God of the Five Dragon Gods, four remain!"
"It's just that we don't know where the other four dragons are. Elefseria didn't give us any clues," Erza said.
Hearing Erza, Kenichi said calmly: "There's no hurry. We still have plenty of time."
Erza didn't quite agree: "You're really taking it easy!"
"It's not that I'm taking it easy. We've finally come to this new continent, so naturally, we shouldn't just focus on completing the mission. Guiltina is completely different from Ishgar, and there should be many sweets we haven't seen before, and many dishes we haven't eaten…"
When mentioning sweets and dishes, Kenichi specifically looked at Erza and Mirajane.
Sure enough, when he mentioned sweets, Erza's eyes lit up.
When he mentioned dishes, Mirajane's ears perked up.
"Sweets I've never eaten before!"
"New dishes!"
Soon, Erza and Mirajane fell into a happy fantasy.
Wendy, watching this scene, couldn't help but give a wry smile.
Even Wendy could tell that Kenichi deliberately mentioned Erza and Mirajane's preferences.
While chatting and laughing, Kenichi's expression suddenly changed, and he immediately stood up from his chair.
"Kenichi-nii, what's wrong?"
Looking at Kenichi, Wendy tilted her head and asked with confusion.
Kenichi didn't answer Wendy's question, only saying: "It's here!"
Soon, Wendy, Mirajane, and Erza all sensed an exceptionally terrifying magic power.
This magic power was, if anything, stronger than the Water Dragon God's.
"What is this?"
"This magic power is terrifying…"
Erza had already stood up, her pretty face full of gravity.
And Mirajane and Wendy also looked very tense.
Soon, a wave of heat roared past, and then a giant fire dragon blocked the magic airship's path.
"A dragon?"
"A fire dragon?"
Looking at the fire dragon wreathed in crimson flames before them, Erza, Mirajane, and Wendy all looked as if facing a great enemy.
Perhaps the three women didn't recognize this dragon, but Kenichi did.
The Fire Dragon God, Ignia.
As Kenichi, Erza, and the others stared at Ignia, the temperature in the surrounding air rose to a terrifying level.
From a distance, the very space seemed to warp.
Kenichi didn't hesitate and immediately used his Ice Magic.
Soon, the air inside the airship changed from scorching hot to icy cold.
Wendy, clutching her small body, exclaimed in succession: "So hot... So cold!"
"Was it you who defeated Mercphobia?"
The Fire Dragon God didn't attack but proactively asked.
Mercphobia… Kenichi and the other three naturally knew this was the Water Dragon God's true name.
However, the four of them didn't answer the Fire Dragon God's question.
Seeing they didn't answer, the Fire Dragon God wasn't angered.
Then, under the watchful eyes of Kenichi and the others, the Fire Dragon God's massive body shrank at a visible rate, soon turning into a human-shaped flame.
After the flame dissipated, a young man wreathed in crimson flames appeared in their view.
Looking at this man, Kenichi's eyebrows raised, and he immediately thought of Larcade, who used Pleasure Magic among the Spriggan 12.
Because Larcade and the man before him looked somewhat similar.
"I am the Fire Dragon God, Ignia!"
The Fire Dragon God scanned Kenichi and the other three with a condescending look and spoke.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of Wendy and Mirajane didn't change much.
It seemed they had already guessed the Fire Dragon God's identity.
However, Erza's pretty face changed.
"Ignia, that name sounds familiar... Ah, right, Igneel!"
"Oh? I am Igneel's son!"
"Igneel's son?"
Erza and Mirajane were both shocked.