Chapter 315: Shadow Clone
BOOM—!!
A terrifying slash slammed into Earth Build, forcefully shattering the thick, jagged rock covering its massive body. The kinetic force reverberated through its ancient bones, crushing the adamantine-like stone plates that served as its impenetrable armor.
"AHHH—!!"
The Rock Dragon, Earth Build, howled in sheer agony. The deafening sound of its pain sent a shockwave across the ruined streets of Crocus, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and debris that momentarily blotted out the sun.
"What?!"
The Mages of Lamia Scale were completely stunned by the sudden display of overwhelming power. They shielded their eyes from the flying shrapnel, their mouths hanging wide open in absolute disbelief.
None of their earlier, desperate attacks had managed to leave even a single scratch on the Rock Dragon's armor. They had thrown their most destructive spells at the beast, only to watch them fizzle harmlessly against its scales. Yet, someone's single strike had just wounded the behemoth outright, drawing genuine cries of pain.
They quickly spotted the source through the clearing smoke. It was a lone figure battling fiercely against multiple colossal dragons in the distance. The sheer scale of the conflict was breathtaking, looking less like a fight and more like a mythological war.
"It's Mister Ren!!"
Unlike the other guilds present on the battlefield, the veteran Mages of Lamia Scale knew far more about this monstrous strength. Many of them had even seen Ren's transformed states with their own eyes during the brutal matches of the Grand Magic Games. They knew that when Ren stepped onto the battlefield, the very laws of magic seemed to bend to his will.
"What is Mister Ren doing?! Is he planning to take on every dragon alone?!"
Lyon Vastia's eyes bulged in absolute disbelief, the frigid ice magic trembling wildly at his fingertips. A cold sweat dripped down his forehead as he calculated the impossible odds. Their entire guild couldn't handle a single dragon working together, yet Ren was facing them all without taking a single step back.
High above the chaotic battlefield, Future Rogue looked down from his imposing aerial perch. He sat casually atop the dark, unyielding scales of Motherglare, the cold wind whipping through his hair. His dual-colored eyes narrowed dangerously as he observed the human's futile resistance.
He sneered, a cold and deeply mocking sound that echoed over the devastation. "Impressive monster. Holding out against so many dragons is a feat worthy of praise—but he'll still fall in the end."
The gap between humans and dragons was an absolute truth in his ruined timeline. Magic power alone could never bridge the chasm of biological supremacy.
"Motherglare, release the Miniature Dragons. If he wants to protect the others, I'll wipe them out first."
At Future Rogue's absolute command, the massive beast beneath him let out a low, guttural roar. Grotesque, pulsating eggs formed rapidly along Motherglare's armored belly, glowing with a sickening purple light. With a wet, tearing squelch, they detached from the dragon's flesh.
The heavy eggs shot toward the ground like a meteor shower of nightmares, leaving trails of dark magic in their wake.
"What are those?!"
"Dragon eggs?"
The Mages on the ground pointed at the sky, blind panic rising in their throats as the dark projectiles rained down upon the crumbling city. The sheer volume of the falling eggs blocked out the remaining daylight, casting a terrifying shadow over the survivors.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!
The heavy eggs cratered the earth with the force of artillery shells. They obliterated the remaining cobblestone streets, crushing fallen buildings into fine powder and kicking up towering plumes of dirt.
"What is this?!"
Everyone stared at the steaming, blackened craters, utterly bewildered by the sudden aerial bombardment. They clutched their staves and readied their magic, unsure of what nightmare was about to unfold.
A chilling, wet crackle echoed through the silent ruins. The thick shells began to fracture from the inside out. In the blink of an eye, nightmarish Miniature Dragons poured out in a vile, screeching swarm.
"What the heck?!!"
"Even more monsters—!!"
"One dragon was already hard enough to deal with! This is a nightmare!"
The swarm of Miniature Dragons shrieked, their jaws unhinging to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. They opened their mouths wide, and blinding, superheated laser beams streaked out into the panicked crowds of Mages.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!
"Hey, hey! They're just Miniature Dragons—how can their blasts be that strong?!"
Everyone recoiled in terror, scrambling desperately to throw up defensive barriers. The devastating laser fire tore through buildings and magic shields alike, melting solid stone into glowing glass in mere seconds.
Before the humans could even catch their breath, another wave of grotesque eggs appeared in the bleeding sky. More Miniature Dragons landed heavily upon the rubble, multiplying the deadly threat exponentially.
Zzzt-zzzt-zzzt—!
A concentrated volley of blinding lasers locked onto Ren, firing at him from multiple angles with flawless, predatory coordination.
BOOM-BOOM!!
Ren's face twitched slightly as the searing beams connected with his body. The hits actually hurt, stinging his skin with an intense, burning heat despite his monstrous physical endurance.
He brushed a speck of burning ash from his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. If those concentrated beams struck ordinary Mages, the casualties would be catastrophic in a matter of seconds. Flesh and bone would be instantly vaporized.
"Motherglare's Miniature Dragons? A swarm of them is a real pain—perfect for wiping out humans, though," Levia, the Life-Sealing Dragon, noted with a cruel, rumbling chuckle.
She recognized the little beasts at once, her massive aquatic tail swaying lazily behind her. To full-grown dragons, the Miniature Dragons were completely harmless pests; a single, lazy breath attack could clear them away like dust.
But to humans, they spelled absolute doom. Levia had once seen Motherglare annihilate an entire human nation overnight, reducing sprawling kingdoms to ash using nothing but her relentless brood.
"Human, you're formidable—the strongest Mage we've seen—yet your comrades will soon be slaughtered by Motherglare's brood," Scissor Runner, the Sound Dragon, smirked at Ren. His metallic jaws glinted menacingly under the apocalyptic sky.
"Exactly! Once they're dead, you're next!" Levia added, her massive wings casting a dark, oppressive shadow over the ruined plaza where Ren stood.
"Human brat, stop struggling. Humans can't defeat Dragons," the Jade Dragon, Zirconis, sneered down at him. His voice dripped with condescension, treating Ren like an annoying insect that refused to be swatted.
"Your attacks wound us, but you can't kill us. When your magic runs dry, you're finished," Earth Build joined the psychological assault, shaking off the residual dust from Ren's previous slash. The rock plates on his massive body were already beginning to reform and harden.
The ancient beasts knew exactly how to break a warrior's spirit. Dragons surpassed most humans not just in physical body and raw magic, but in predatory mind games and intimidation.
"Why waste words? Just crush him," the Sea-Prison Dragon, Anca, growled impatiently.
Anca found the idle chatter deeply tedious and insulting. A human, no matter how strong, should be squashed under their claws without a second thought. To converse with their prey was beneath their divine status.
Levia laughed, a horrifying sound like grinding tectonic plates. "Why rush? Let him watch his friends die first. The despair in their eyes always makes their flesh taste sweeter."
Earth Build grinned wickedly, revealing rows of boulder-like teeth. "Right. I love the sight of absolute despair on human faces. It reminds them of their place in this world."
The five dragons shifted their massive, imposing bodies, tightening the perimeter. They ringed Ren completely, acting as an impenetrable wall of flesh and magic, giving him no chance to break away and assist the struggling Mages below.
Ren stood his ground, seemingly unfazed by the encroaching shadows of the five behemoths. The overwhelming pressure radiating from the dragons would have crushed an ordinary man's lungs, but Ren merely casually cocked an eyebrow.
"Think you've got me cornered?" Ren asked, his tone perfectly even.
"Of course. However strong you are, you're still human—food for dragons. Resistance is pointless," Anca's voice was icy and resolute, leaving no room for debate.
"Tch. I was just playing with you, and you took it to mean I'm helpless," Ren sneered, a highly dangerous glint flashing in his deep eyes.
He looked up at the towering reptiles, a confident smirk spreading across his face. "Dragon Clan? So mighty? Then why are you all but extinct in my era?"
The five dragons snarled simultaneously, the ground trembling violently under their sudden, explosive fury. Ever since their Transmigration through the Eclipse Gate, Future Rogue had told them the bitter truth of this era.
Every dragon had been mercilessly slain by a human-turned-Black Dragon named Acnologia, forcibly ending the golden age of dragons. The mere mention of their near-extinction was an unforgivable insult.
[Akarin's Note: Acnologia, known universally as the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse, was originally a human Dragon Slayer. He bathed in the blood of countless dragons during the Dragon King Festival, eventually turning into a dragon himself and driving the entire species to near extinction out of pure hatred.]
"It's the fault of the coexistence faction. Without their foolish ideals, this world would still belong to dragons!" Zirconis roared, his jade scales bristling with ancient, unquenchable hatred.
"They created Dragon Slayer Mages and ended up wiped out themselves—serves them right for trusting lower lifeforms," Scissor Runner hissed, his sonic vibrations distorting the air around him and shattering the remaining glass in the vicinity.
"Human boy, Dragon Slayers beat dragons only because they gained Dragon Force from us. You're no Dragon Slayer—you can't kill dragons," Earth Build declared fiercely, slamming a massive, stone-clad claw into the earth to emphasize his absolute authority.
Ren's lips curled in pure contempt. The sheer arrogance of these oversized lizards was truly astounding. They were clinging to their past glory while completely underestimating the anomaly standing before them.
"Who says only Dragon Slayers can kill dragons?" Ren challenged, his voice cutting through the dragons' roars.
Ren had already made his physical calculations during the brief exchange. He had no choice but to switch his combat tactics; dragon hides were simply too thick and magically resistant for conventional brawling. Their bodies naturally dispersed magical energy, acting as the ultimate defensive armor.
A standard physical punch, even fueled by immense power, only made them flinch. It barely left a lasting mark on their magic-resistant scales.
Worse, these ancient predators were exceptionally cunning and coordinated. They constantly covered each other's blind spots, never giving him the necessary time to charge up a truly devastating attack. Whitebeard's form, while incredibly powerful and destructive, wouldn't cut it. The Tremor-Tremor powers required a slight wind-up, which the highly mobile dragons would easily interrupt.
He had to play a different trump card. One built for blinding speed, precision, and unparalleled crowd control.
[Full Body Take Over: Minato Namikaze!]
A sudden, blinding burst of golden chakra erupted from Ren's body like a miniature sun, instantly illuminating the darkened, ash-filled skies of Crocus. The majestic energy swirled around him in a protective vortex, radiating a warmth that stood in stark contrast to the dragons' chilling malice.
He assumed Minato's iconic appearance. His hair turned into spiky, golden-blonde locks, and a pristine white haori materialized, fluttering wildly around his shoulders. The hem of the cloak bore the distinctive red flames, dancing as if they were truly alive.
[Akarin's Note: Minato Namikaze is a legendary character from the Naruto universe, famously known as the Yellow Flash of the Hidden Leaf. He is revered for his unparalleled speed, his absolute mastery of space-time ninjutsu, and his flawless execution of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.]
"Change all you like—those Mages are still doomed," Future Rogue said flatly from atop Motherglare, completely unimpressed by the glowing, golden transformation. He believed firmly that no human magic could alter destiny.
He pointed a commanding, shadow-draped finger toward the Fairy Tail guild members in the distance. "First, wipe out the Miniature Dragons."
Future Rogue intended to deal with the big targets later; right now, the sheer, overwhelming number of Miniature Dragons directly threatened Fairy Tail and the remaining human resistance.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Ren's hands flashed through a complex series of hand seals. The movements were so fluid and fast that they blurred together, moving much faster than even the dragons' advanced kinetic vision could properly track.
POP-POP-POP!!
Thick plumes of white smoke erupted violently across the entire skyline, accompanied by the rapid-fire sound of displaced air. The smoke blanketed the ruined city square, hiding the golden glow for a fraction of a second.
In an instant, over a thousand golden-clad Rens filled the sky. They hovered effortlessly in the air, each one crackling with pure, focused chakra, completely blotting out the dragons' imposing shadows.
"WHAT—?!!"
The five dragons and Future Rogue gaped in absolute, unfiltered horror. Their confident smirks vanished, replaced by sheer shock as they stared at the impossible sea of golden warriors.
"What magic is this?!" Anca roared, whipping his massive head around frantically to track the impossible numbers surrounding them.
"Clones?!" Zirconis shouted, his jaw nearly hitting the floor as he sensed the exact same overwhelming magical pressure coming from every single copy.
"There's too many!!"
With a thousand golden flashes illuminating the despair-filled battlefield, Ren barked his absolute, unwavering command.
"Eliminate every Small Dragon!"
[Akarin Note:
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