The clash between the two sides was devastating. Aside from the Dragnof Royal City, which was protected by defensive arrays, the surrounding land was riddled with holes, and even the mountains and rivers were shattered and melted by the force.
"Is the Evil Dragon dead?"
Erza's gaze was solemn as she retracted the Dragon Knight and leaned her longsword against the ground to support her exhausted body.
That last strike had not only consumed all of the Dragon Knight's magic power but had also drained her own completely. She found it difficult even to move now.
"What happened to the Purple Evil Dragon?"
"That strike just now felt like it could destroy heaven and earth. No matter how strong the Evil Dragon is, it couldn't have survived that, right?"
Everyone watched the center of the storm nervously, wanting to see the fate of the Evil Dragon. Unlike the excitement felt by Natsu and the others, many soldiers had an inexplicably complex look in their eyes.
Erza noticed the expressions of the soldiers and felt suspicious. From the beginning until now, she hadn't felt any hatred or anger from these soldiers toward the Purple Evil Dragon. Though they cursed it fiercely, their actions didn't match their words.
Furthermore, after the thousand-man squad led by Number Eleven General was wiped out, no other squads had joined the battle.
Was it reasonable for a kingdom to deploy such a small force?
"Damn it!"
With a roar, the Purple Evil Dragon flapped its wings. A violent wind swept through, instantly clearing the dust and smoke, while also knocking Natsu, Gajeel, Erza, and the others back, sending them rolling several times on the ground.
Looking at the three struggling to get up, he didn't continue the attack but spread his wings and flew toward the sky: "When I descend next time, I will destroy you along with this human kingdom!"
After leaving those threatening words, the Purple Evil Dragon disappeared into the horizon.
Natsu looked at the sky, full of frustration: "Damn it, that Evil Dragon took Erza's strongest hit and could still run away!"
Gajeel plopped down on the ground and sighed: "Stop being angry. That's not something we can contend with. Luckily, the Evil Dragon didn't realize our magic power was exhausted, otherwise, he would have delivered a fatal blow before leaving."
Lilly nodded: "That's right. It's already lucky enough that we survived."
He had tried to land a finishing blow earlier, but it had no effect, so he focused on supporting Gajeel. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that besides Dragon Slaying Magic, other magic is basically useless against dragons.
Erza had many thoughts swirling in her mind; she felt an indescribable sense of strangeness, though she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
"Thank you!"
"Heroes! You defeated the Evil Dragon!"
At that moment, the kingdom's generals and soldiers all ran out, surrounding Erza and the others with cheers and exuberant praise.
Number Eleven General, who was thought to be dead, actually walked out again and said in admiration: "Mages of Fairy Tail, you are truly amazing. It is you who saved the Dragnof Royal City."
Natsu looked at this Number Eleven General in surprise: "Weren't you blasted to death by the dragon's breath?"
Not only him, but the entire thousand-man squad was also still alive.
Number Eleven General explained: "We have a Space Mage here who set up Teleportation Magic for us. When there's a life-threatening danger, we can be teleported back to the Royal City in an instant."
"So that's how it is."
Natsu nodded. That made sense; otherwise, who could survive such a terrifying attack?
Number Eleven General looked at Erza, studied her carefully, and thanked them again: "You are the heroes of the Dragnof Kingdom. Now, let me host you properly."
Erza said somewhat bashfully: "Actually, we can't really be called heroes. Without your help, we wouldn't have been able to defeat the Evil Dragon at all."
"And we were at the end of our ropes. That Evil Dragon isn't something we can truly defeat."
Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, and Lilly also nodded in agreement, saying: "We can't accept the title of heroes."
Number Eleven General laughed heartily: "That doesn't matter. Being able to help repel the Evil Dragon makes you the kingdom's great benefactors. We've been oppressed by that dragon for too long, and this is the first time we've made it retreat on its own."
Because Number Eleven General was so enthusiastic, the three humans and two cats couldn't refuse. They were ushered into the Royal City by the soldiers for a celebratory banquet.
The palace offered famous delicacies and fine wines, as well as the fire Natsu loved, the iron Gajeel liked, the fish Happy enjoyed, and the sweets Erza favored—multiple servings were brought out for everyone.
With thousands of delicious, succulent dishes, even big eaters like Natsu couldn't finish them even if they ate for three days and nights.
At the same time, beautiful women sang and danced, and all sorts of entertainment programs were provided.
Natsu and the others were incredibly excited. As expected of a kingdom even larger than Fiore, they had done dozens or hundreds of missions, but this was the first time they had received such a warm reception.
Moreover, the people here were all talented and spoke very kindly, calling them 'brave warriors' and 'great heroes' at every turn, making them feel a bit lightheaded with pride.
Erza could still maintain some restraint, but Natsu, Gajeel, and the two cats were so drunk they could barely walk. They began to make grand promises, saying they would definitely kill the Evil Dragon and save the Dragnof Kingdom from its peril.
"Number Eleven General, don't listen to their boasting. That Evil Dragon isn't as easy to deal with as they think..."
Erza's face flushed with embarrassment, and then she asked: "Where is the Number One Dragon Slayer General? As the one who posted the quest, shouldn't he come out to meet us?"
Hearing this, the smile on Number Eleven's face faded, replaced by a heavy expression: "To tell you the truth, the Number One Dragon Slayer General was seriously injured in the battle with the Evil Dragon and is on the verge of death. To prevent the kingdom's citizens from falling into fear and chaos, he chose to hide behind the scenes."
"That Evil Dragon is too powerful. Even with the Number One Dragon Slayer General's full strength, he could only barely leave a single wound!"
Speaking of this, Number Eleven General pointed to his own heart and whispered: "The Evil Dragon has a fatal wound at this exact spot. No Dragon Slaying Magic is needed, just..."
He paused for a moment and continued: "As long as a sword pierces this spot, the Evil Dragon will surely die."
He took a deep look at Erza, his gaze complex and hard to read: "The Number One Dragon Slayer General firmly believes you can do it!"
Erza frowned slightly. That strange feeling returned, and she couldn't understand what was going on: "Why me?"
Number Eleven General explained: "Our kingdom has a well-known prophecy. When the kingdom is attacked by an Evil Dragon and is on the brink of destruction, a Scarlet-haired girl will stand up, kill the Evil Dragon, and become the hero who saves the kingdom."
He looked into Erza's eyes and said seriously: "The Number One Dragon Slayer General believes that person is you!"
"I had my doubts before, but after seeing your battle with the Evil Dragon, I now believe you can definitely do it!"
"You are the hero of the prophecy!"
And my task is to keep this hero here and have her become the new king of the Dragnof Kingdom!
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