ROAR!!!
Acnologia's murderous roar cut off Chase's thoughts.
It couldn't refute Natsu's words—"Why don't you just kill yourself?"—and it was even more enraged that, even now, these ants still dared to muster the will to resist!
Even a common roar in its heavily wounded state was not weak. The gale-force wind kicked up fallen leaves and dust, bringing with it a dangerous, blood-filled aura.
"I'll hold it off. You guys find a chance to retreat!"
Chase grabbed a Nutrient Z from a Trap Card array and downed it in one go. Under his comrades' confused gazes, he walked to the front of the group.
Though steadfast bonds could allow his exhausted comrades to burst into incredible potential, that power would be insufficient against Acnologia's magic immunity.
There was even the negative possibility of firing a spell and having it eaten on the spot.
Moreover, Acnologia's physical body was simply too strong.
Even if it couldn't use its roar, its mere claw swipes and tail whips were definitely not something ordinary mages could stand!
They only needed to hold out until Igneel and the other two dragons emerged. No one else needed to risk their lives.
As the Trap Card's effect activated, Chase's depleted magic power was instantly replenished.
At the same time, the Heart magic activated, beginning to repair his torn wounds and stop the bleeding.
Dark gold magic power gushes out, creating a barrier within the storm of despair stirred up by Acnologia's roar.
Unlike the original story, where Azuma broke the Tenrou Tree and caused everyone's magic power to disperse, the Tenrou Tree—or rather, Tenrou Island's stored natural energy—had been completely exhausted.
So, neither the normal gain buff nor the post-collapse weakening buff was present.
"Like hell! We said we'd go back together! I absolutely—" Natsu shouted. He simply couldn't abandon his comrades and run away.
Before he could finish his protests, Chase's shout cut him off.
"There's no time to explain! If you don't want any of us to die, then get out of here right now!"
Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy were now the key to ensuring Acnologia's defeat. They absolutely couldn't have any accidents.
Besides, he couldn't reveal the information about Igneel and the other two dragons in front of Acnologia.
"But—" Natsu wanted to say more. But the moment he locked eyes with Chase, he immediately shut his mouth.
No words were needed. The look in their eyes said it all.
"Dammit! DAMMIT!!"
Natsu ultimately chose to trust him. He turned and ran toward the relatively safer side of Tenrou Island, cursing the entire way.
If even he could be convinced, Happy, Gray, Freed, and the others naturally didn't linger. They began to withdraw according to Chase's instructions.
Now was not the time for sentimentality.
However, several people still stood motionless behind Chase.
The S-Class mages.
"Pretty impressive, Chase. That's why I suggested to the old man that you should be the next master." Gildarts's tattered cape swayed as he clenched his fists. "But before that, as a guild senior, even I want to have a little moment in the spotlight..."
"Since magic gets eaten, then using pure physical attacks should be fine, right?" Erza switched to her defense-sacrificing Purity Robe. Her twin blades glinted coldly, pointed directly at Acnologia. "Let us fight alongside you until the very end, Chase!" Mira, having taken in the Demon King's soul, waved her hand.
At her command, from deep within the collapsed forest, countless demonic magical beasts, their physical strength enhanced, opened their fierce eyes and began to converge on their position.
"If physical attacks work... I... I should be able to help too!" The Gate of the Celestial Spirit opened. Lucy, for the first time, used her Combination Celestial Spirit Dress, combining the close-combat focused Capricorn with the monstrous strength of Taurus.
As Layla's daughter, her Celestial Spirit talent was certainly not low. In this desperate situation, she had grasped a higher-level application of Celestial Spirit Dress!
"I'm not quite ready to retire just yet, you brat..." Golden light flashed. Makarov transformed into a giant. His aged eyes shimmered with unwavering determination. "At least give an old man a chance to show off a little, right?"
"Even the old man..." Chase looked at them in surprise.
Understanding their resolve, he stopped persuading them. He clashed his fists together, the corner of his mouth slightly curling up.
"In that case... let Acnologia witness the power of Fairy Tail's S-Class mages!"
"OOOOOHHHHH!!"
On the other side, feeling this strong fighting spirit, Acnologia let out a laugh.
"You've kept me waiting this long, and this is all you've got? Ants will always be ants..."
The Black Dragon lowered its body. Endless murderous light burst from its blood-red dragon eyes.
The terrifying pressure from the giant bore down on them, completely kicking off this final battle!
The first to charge were the demonic beasts controlled by Mira.
Steel-fanged boars, humanoid giants, ship-sized mutant crocodiles...
The dense horde of beasts, fearless, bared their fangs and claws, surging toward Acnologia like a black tide, engulfing it in an instant, crazy tearing.
However, even with Mira's demonic enhancements, there was still an insurmountable gap between these beasts and Acnologia.
They couldn't even break through the defense of the severely wounded Acnologia.
On the contrary, Acnologia's every claw swipe and tail whip easily tore through their hardened skin and pierced their bodies!
This was naturally within Mira's expectations. The beasts' assault was merely a distraction.
Gildarts seized the opportunity to launch his Crash magic. But his target wasn't Acnologia itself—it was the ground beneath its feet.
A neat arc of magical light flashed. The earth cracked like cut tofu.
Acnologia stumbled, its center of gravity inevitably shifting.
"Now, Lucy!" Gildarts shouted.
Without needing further explanation, Lucy in her Dual Celestial Spirit Dress immediately understood. She plunged her arms into the cracked ground, concentrating all of Taurus's monstrous strength into her palms.
"Earth Wave!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
With Lucy's all-out cry, the shattered earth within a radius of hundreds of meters was actually forcibly lifted!
Acnologia, surrounded by the swarm of beasts, found its footing gone. Its massive dragon body, losing its support, completely lost balance and tilted to one side.
At the same time, Chase grabbed three cards and hurled them with tremendous force toward Acnologia.
A Fusion array appeared in midair, drawing Dark Magician and Buster Blader, who had transformed into streams of light, together in a merging embrace.
Against Acnologia's maxed-out magic resistance and abnormal physical strength, most cards would be useless.
But Dark Paladin, with its anti-dragon specialization and expertise in physical attacks, was an exception!
***
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