Chapter 186: With Our Flesh, Blood, and Souls, We Offer...
Chapter 186: With Our Flesh, Blood, and Souls, We Offer...
"What's so great about the Fairy Queen? She's just a woman!"
"We have fifty of us! Charge!"
"Wheel of Heaven: Cycling Blades!" Erza summoned sixteen swords that spun around her in a circle.
The white sword light formed a glowing wheel, which she directed to form a circular slash, striking out in all directions.
"Ahh!"
Whether they were charging head-on or trying to flank her, the black-robed figures were sent flying with screams of pain.
"Wheel of Heaven: Triad Blades!"
Erza swung her dual swords, creating a triangular slash that cut down the few remaining attackers who had gotten close. Blood bloomed from their chests as they fell.
"This is... the Fairy Queen!"
"Don't just stand there, attack now!"
In the rear, the black-robed figures raised their staves, but several of them felt a sharp pain in their legs, and half their bodies sank into the ground.
"What's happening!"
"Watch out for the ground, there's an earth mage!"
"Ahhh! Wolves!"
"Why would wolves attack us... Die, you beasts!"
Some tried to attack the Shadow Wolves but were suddenly splattered with a purple poison, clutching their faces in agony and falling to their knees.
"What is this? Ahhh..."
"It's poison, it's poison!"
"Damn it..." Phantom Lord watched in rage as Erza cut through the crowd, and a pack of beasts attacked their ranks.
"Flesh dissolve, bones crush, this is the wish of the dark mage... Die, Bonkraash!"
A dark, ominous light shot from Phantom Lord's staff, aiming for Erza, but it struck a Shadow Wolf that had lunged at her.
"Auuu~"
The Shadow Wolf let out a mournful cry as its flesh and bones melted away, collapsing like a deflated balloon.
The primary command to the wild beasts was to protect Erza from ambushes.
"Troublesome pests... Bonkraash...!"
This time, two Mini Stone Beetles bit down on Phantom Lord's calves, causing his spell to hit his own men.
Erza cut down two more with a swift left and right slash, and three blue light patterns appeared around her.
At the same time, a four- to five-meter-tall Blue Carved Golem thundered down the hill.
"Is this the 'Crown of Insight' Rod mentioned?" Erza felt her magic power rapidly replenishing. "In that case... I'll end this in one go!"
Knives, spears, swords, halberds... nearly a hundred different weapons materialized and hovered in the air behind Erza.
Paired with her stern expression, she exuded the aura of a single warrior capable of taking on an army of a million.
Even Rod's Shadow Wolves were a bit intimidated, unsure if they should retreat from the battlefield.
The weapons adjusted their aim according to Erza's will, and each standing black-robed figure was targeted by at least three.
The black-robed figures were in a state of shock, their mouths agape, and they could barely hold their own weapons.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...
The weapons shot down with whistling sounds, and even if someone managed to dodge the first one, they couldn't avoid the second and third.
Erza's strength lay in her ability to precisely control the landing points of nearly a hundred weapons.
The weapons rained down like a storm, creating explosions on impact, pinning some black-robed figures to the ground and sending others flying.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Wolves and Stone Beetles weaving through the chaos remained unscathed.
As the leader, Ghost had a certain presence, receiving six Celestial Wheel Swords for himself. Four were nailed into his limbs, and two were crossed at his neck.
Rod had summoned the golem to help, but it lumbered over to Erza only to find that the battle was already over.
The golem scratched its head with its massive arm, unsure of what to do next.
Erza glanced at it, finding the big guy rather cute. "That's your magic, right? You were a huge help."
"Ha, hahaha! You can't stop it, you can't stop Lord Carnival from descending!" Ghost suddenly laughed, his face contorted in a grotesque expression. "With... our flesh and souls, we offer..."
Bang!
A fist as large as a sandbag slammed into Ghost, sending him crashing into the ground and leaving cracks in the earth around him.
The Celestial Wheel Swords that had been embedded in him were knocked loose and quickly retrieved by Erza.
The golem had taken action, following Rod’s instructions: if anyone lying on the ground made strange movements or said strange things, don’t hesitate—punch them first.
But as soon as Ghost was silenced, another black-robed figure began to chant: "With... our flesh and souls..."
Boom!
"With... our..."
Boom!
The golem moved swiftly, slamming each of the mouthy black-robed figures into the ground.
Finally, the valley fell silent, and the golem’s form vanished.
Rod arrived on the back of a Swift Crab, directing the Stone Beetles to give each of the fallen black-robed figures a solid kick to the head, ensuring they wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
"I'm fine," Erza replied, returning to her usual attire. "What about the children?"
"They're sheltering behind the mountain, and I left Worm and the Beakbirds to keep them warm," Rod said. "But we need to hurry back. The children have been cold and hungry for days, and they might have fevers when we get back."
"Those scumbags!"
Erza cursed, and together with Rod, they began to handle the aftermath.
Ghost, the leader, would definitely be taken back. The others were tied up, gagged, and dragged to a spot farther from the altar, where they would wait for the Council to collect them.
As for their injuries, there was no time to deal with them. If they died, it would be their lucky break.
On the way back, the children were carried by the Beakbirds, which could spread their wings to keep the children warm.
Rod and Erza, however, had to endure a bit more hardship, taking Ghost with them on the river crab.
"Can you keep up with the magic?" Erza remembered that the golem was quite draining.
"I can manage. I put a Crown of Insight on myself earlier, so we should make it to town without a problem."
Compared to the S-Class exam last month, Rod had made a small but significant improvement.
The most noticeable was that he could now maintain the golem in battle for a longer period without immediately dismissing it.
If he pushed himself, he could even summon the Tree Monster for a bit of fresh air.
The idea of giving Erza both red and blue buffs simultaneously wasn’t just a fantasy; it was a last-resort tactic.
He believed that before long, these two highly practical creatures would become regular combatants.
Then, he could start researching his next target.
Logically, the next target should be the Rift Herald, but the figure Rod saw through the mist looked more like a bug.
This made him hesitant to act rashly.
(End of Chapter)
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