"You sure talk big—like you've already beaten us. Let's hope it's not all just hot air," Gray sneered.
Natsu had long since lost his patience. He charged straight at the short man, leaping high into the air as flames wrapped around his fists, smashing down from above.
The short man merely smiled confidently. One hand remained behind his back as he raised the other.
"Wave—Barrier."
A magic circle appeared, and a ripple-like shield formed from white particles in front of him. Not only did it effortlessly block Natsu's flaming punch, it completely extinguished the flames within the barrier.
"The Fire Dragon of Fairy Tail? Just as hot-tempered as rumored. I am Yuka, servant of Lord Bai Ye," the short man said calmly, still standing with one hand behind his back.
"You're pretty good!" Natsu grinned.
Since Natsu had chosen Yuka as his opponent, Gray immediately followed suit. Forming hand seals, he slammed his palm onto the ground, sending icy spikes surging toward the dog-faced man.
"Too slow!"
The man dodged with agility, then lunged forward with clawed hands. His fingernails suddenly lengthened, gleaming with a poisonous sheen as he slashed toward Gray.
The battles quickly split apart, each pair moving farther from the others. Soon, only Lucy and the rose-haired woman remained facing each other at the center.
"I suggest you surrender," the woman said, covering her face with one hand. "Why suffer unnecessary pain? Do not interfere with Lord Bai Ye's plan… because everything is for love~."
"…I have no idea what you're talking about," Lucy muttered, gripping her whip and snapping it through the air with a sharp crack. "But I'm a Fairy Tail mage. There's no way I'm backing down. Come on!"
"In that case, I'll send you on your way. But before that, remember my name—Sherry. Because everything is for love~."
She raised her hand, a red magic circle forming in her palm.
"Doll Attack—Tree Doll!"
Behind Lucy, a thick tree suddenly came alive, its branches twisting and lunging toward her like whips.
Lucy's face changed drastically. She leapt aside just in time to avoid the strike, but Sherry continued her assault relentlessly, controlling the tree to launch attack after attack.
Lucy darted around like a startled rabbit, desperately evading while trying to create distance to summon her Celestial Spirits.
Meanwhile, Erza and Kazami, one of the Four Divine Generals, were locked in an intense clash.
Kazami's wind magic was highly refined—his wind blades were nearly invisible, and their angles were incredibly tricky.
Erza remained calm, relying on her battle instincts and sharp intuition to deflect his attacks with ease.
However, her strength lay in close combat. She had to fend off his relentless harassment while searching for an opportunity to close the distance.
Kazami, of course, knew his weakness. There was no way he'd engage Erza in close quarters. He kept his distance, continuously launching wind blades to stall her while looking for an opening to defeat the Fairy Queen.
"Requip—Heaven's Wheel Armor!"
Magic surged around Erza, enveloping her from below as she instantly donned her versatile armor.
"If you want a long-range battle, I'll oblige. Heaven's Wheel—Swords of the Circle!"
Like a valkyrie descending into battle, Erza raised her hand. Countless magic swords materialized behind her, and with a single swing, they shot forward like beams of light toward Kazami.
"Tch."
Kazami frowned, clicking his tongue. Erza was even more troublesome than he'd expected.
"Storm Magic—Wind Barrier!"
With a push of his hand, raging winds gathered, forming ten invisible barriers in front of him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The magic swords collided with the barriers, producing a dense chorus of metallic impacts.
Seizing the moment, Erza dashed forward at high speed.
"Heaven's Wheel—Trinity Sword!"
She unleashed a rapid three-hit combo in a triangular pattern.
"Damn—so fast! Storm Magic—Infinite Wind Blades!"
Kazami's expression darkened as he rapidly formed hand seals. A magic circle appeared behind him, and with a thrust of both hands, countless wind blades surged forth—blocking Erza's combo while surrounding her completely.
"Heaven's Wheel—Circle Sword!"
The swords behind Erza spun wildly as she slashed downward. A terrifying wave of sword energy swept outward, shattering the incoming wind blades and creating explosive shockwaves and clouds of dust.
"Did it work?" Kazami muttered, magic still coursing through his hands, ready to attack or defend at any moment.
The next instant—
Erza burst out from the smoke.
Her armor had changed. She now wore a black suit of armor, her hair tied into a single ponytail, wielding a dark magic sword as she slashed toward him.
Prepared, Kazami thrust his palm forward, colliding with her blade. The two clashed briefly before Erza forced him back with sheer power.
But Kazami reacted quickly. As he was pushed back, he struck with his other hand, unleashing a powerful spiraling wind that engulfed Erza and blasted her away.
"Tch… As expected of Fairy Queen Erza. Truly formidable," Kazami said, steadying himself and wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "If Lord Bai Ye hadn't sent me, Sherry and the others wouldn't stand a chance against you."
"Heh. You're not bad yourself," Erza replied, switching back to her Heaven's Wheel Armor as she stood atop a tree, facing him.
Small cuts lined her arms, blood faintly seeping from where the wind had torn at her.
"I'll say this again—we bear no ill will toward Fairy Tail," Kazami said, also standing on a treetop, his clothes slightly tattered. "If you leave Galuna Island, we can end this pointless fight."
"What exactly are you planning?" Erza ignored his offer, gripping her swords at her sides, her voice cold but laced with suspicion. "The villagers are innocent. Why involve them?"
"Sorry, but do you really think I'd tell you?" Kazami shook his head. "And as for the villagers… that's not something we can control."
"Then there's nothing left to discuss," Erza said firmly. "Whether for the villagers of Galuna Island—or to stop your scheme—this battle is unavoidable."
"Make your move."
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