The building where Erza and Knightwalker were fighting crumbled continuously, with bricks and stones falling from above.
"The same face, the same voice. It is truly unbelievable."
Even after fighting for so long, Knightwalker couldn't help but marvel.
"And your strength is equally formidable. This is interesting."
It wasn't that Erza wanted to hold back; it was that Knightwalker's Magic Spear, the Ten Commandments, was genuinely powerful.
Some of its forms were even stronger than Erza's standard armors.
Combined with Knightwalker's formidable physical combat skills and years of hunting experience, Erza couldn't defeat her immediately.
"I have enough! I've decided to end this!"
...
[Mystogan and I have found the Anima. Mystogan is attempting to reverse it, but it will take some time. I am guarding him here. The rest of you, go find the King.] Raizel's voice transmitted directly into the members' minds.
"To actually block my giant sword bare-handed... The magic of Earthland is indeed astonishing."
Lily now considered Gajeel a true opponent.
Gajeel was at a disadvantage but refused to give up.
Furthermore, Gajeel had to split his attention to protect the Magic Crystal—a concern Lily didn't share.
If Lily wanted to play dirty and attack the crystal, Gajeel would definitely block it, but Lily had no intention of doing so.
That would mean looking down on both himself and Gajeel.
Gajeel tightly gripped his right arm, blocking the greatsword.
"You got one thing wrong. It is not Earthland's magic, it is my magic! I am the Iron Dragon Slayer! Taught by Metalicana himself!"
"Instead, let me ask you this. You are clearly a companion of cats, so why did you join the Royal Army?"
"I... I want to ask you... Are you an Exceed too?" Happy timidly peeked his head out from behind the Magic Crystal, asking fearfully.
"Like me, right? Do you want to eat some fish?" As he spoke, Happy pulled a fish from the backpack behind him.
"That is all in the past! I have abandoned my homeland, that false nation!"
Bringing this up again made Lily unable to control his rage!
He swung his sword down with immense force.
The ground beneath Gajeel's feet cratered deeply. Gajeel crossed his arms in front of him, blocking the heavy strike.
"Not bad! I have decided to make you my cat!" Gajeel yelled.
Gajeel's magical power surged continuously.
Lily's greatsword began to shatter section by section until only the hilt remained.
"Nani?!!" Happy squeaked, sounding as if he had just heard a ghost story.
"My Mother of Destruction..." Lily stared blankly at his destroyed weapon.
Seizing the moment, Gajeel leaped forward with several bounds and landed a heavy punch squarely on the stunned Lily's face.
"But before that! I must make you understand who is stronger!" Gajeel roared.
"Why does he seem to be getting more into the fight... Weren't we just supposed to change the Magic Crystal back?" Happy shrugged helplessly.
"Doru doru doru doru doru!"
'Ora ora ora ora ora!"
The man and the cat began close-quarters combat, exchanging a rapid flurry of punches and kicks.
"With this, I won't lose to that Salamander and that little girl anymore!" Gajeel punched Lily down from the sky to the ground.
"Iron Dragon's Roar!"
The shockwave of the roar mercilessly slammed into Lily.
"Hahaha!!!"
"Gajeel's expression is really terrifying..." Happy muttered.
Lily slowly got up from the ground and casually tossed aside his already tattered cloak.
"This is how it should be." Gajeel looked excitedly at Lily standing back up.
"Ora ora ora ora ora!"
"Muda muda muda muda muda!"
The two began another round of close combat, this time heavier and more ferocious.
A punch to the chin, a punch to the cheek—fighting injured yet absolutely determined to win was the only thought in both the man and the cat's minds.
"Gajeel... has completely forgotten why we came here..."
Bam!
The man and cat simultaneously landed punches on each other's cheeks, yet both wore broad smiles.
...
Meanwhile, Coco handed the Dragon Chain Cannon key to Kagura.
"Let's go destroy the Dragon Chain Cannon!" Kagura decided immediately.
After receiving the key, Kagura's group also learned the location of the cannon from Coco.
Coco had been keeping the key safe all along.
However, after the Fairy Tail members caused this commotion, she finally saw the Anima's true nature—exchanging the lives of people from another world for magical power was something her conscience simply couldn't accept.
"But there is still a big problem—we can't get into that room."
"Simple, just break the door down." Natsu declared that brute force could solve everything.
"It is not that simple. Didn't you hear Coco? That door is made of anti-magic crystal, a substance specifically resistant to magical power. So magic won't work on it."
"How would we know without trying!"
"Let's make a battle plan first."
The sound of approaching footsteps suddenly drew the members' attention.
Appearing before them was a panting Knightwalker.
"Erza... lost?" Lucy unconsciously took two steps back.
"No way?" Gray shook his head, unwilling to accept this fact.
'But if Erza won, she would have contacted us through telepathy.'
Gray stood ready, prepared to use Ice-Make magic at any moment.
At first, Natsu was also shocked, but he quickly felt something was off.
"It's Erza." Natsu and Kagura said simultaneously.
Although her outfit had changed, her scent hadn't—Natsu could tell after a careful sniff.
Kagura recognized her through their long-developed tacit understanding, able to distinguish subtle differences in her mannerisms.
This outfit looked very similar, but the person wearing it lacked Knightwalker's killing intent.
"It really is Erza-san." Wendy also stepped forward and sniffed twice.
"I failed. I wanted to scare you all." Erza panted, placing her hands on her hips.
The battle with Knightwalker had consumed much of her magical power and stamina, but she had ultimately emerged victorious.
"It was really convincing. If not for your scent, I wouldn't have noticed." Natsu sniffed hard twice.
"This is perfect, then we have a way in."
This was Erza's test—if she could fool her own comrades, deceiving the royal guards would be easy.
This was also why Erza hadn't sent back any telepathic messages.
"Everyone gather closer and form a circle."
...
"So you are alright, Captain Knightwalker."
"Does she look alright to you?" another guard whispered.
The guard quickly greeted her upon recognizing her armor. "Might I ask how you ended up with so many injuries?"
Erza dragged the bound Natsu and Gray into the room where the Dragon Chain Cannon was secured.
"It is nothing serious. I just encountered some troublesome opponents."
"These two... who are they?"
"They are the keys to the Dragon Chain Cannon."
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