Long chapter enjoy
The sky over the dead city was no longer silent.
It screamed.
The first wave of flying mutants arrived faster than expected wings beating like war drums, shadows blotting out the ashen sky. They weren't mindless. They weren't slow. They moved with terrifying coordination, weaving through the ruined skyscrapers like a swarm of vengeful wasps.
The clones stood their ground atop the shattered remains of a highway overpass, eyes locked on the approaching storm.
"Perfect," one of the leading clones muttered. "Let's greet them properly. Portal team open up, we'll sneak attack from above."
The order was given. A clone in the second row raised his hands, mana surging as a shimmering oval of blue light formed in midair.
Before it could stabilize, one of the flyers swerved sharply and opened its jaws.
SSSSHHHHKKKKKKK!
A spray of boiling-green acid vomit shot forward like a pressure cannon, slicing through the air and directly into the portal.
The next moment, the clone holding the spell screamed as the acid exploded out on their side, splashing across his body. The clone didn't scream. He just dissipated, vanishing in a puff of smoke before the others' eyes.
Silence.
Then, a collective frown spread across the group.
"…Did that zombie just... ?" one clone started.
" ...aim for the portal?" another finished.
No one liked the answer.
"Great," the lead clone muttered. "They're not just mutated flaying zombies… they're smarter mutated flaying zombies."
"Smarter?" another snapped. "They aimed through a portal. That's not smart. That's tactical."
A third clone exhaled sharply. "Long-range bombardment's out. They can counter it.
A different clone let out a breath. "Well, at least we disabled the self-explosion trait in this batch. Otherwise…" He glanced around at the hundreds of gathered clones. "…that could've triggered a chain reaction and wiped us all."
A wave of relief passed through the group. The Self-Explosion ability had been powerful, but too dangerous now. One wrong spark, and the entire clone network could've been wiped.
The lead clone looked at the swarm. They were still distant, but closing fast bat-like wings spanning ten meters, dripping venom, their multiple eyes scanning the battlefield.
"Alright," one clone said flatly, "I vote we run away."
He didn't get far..
SMACK.
The lead clone slapped him across the back of the head. "We're not retreating. We're conducting a strategic withdrawal."
"…Which is the same thing," the first clone muttered, rubbing his head.
The lead clone ignored him. "Here's the split: some groups portal back to safe zones. Others stay here and stall. We need to test their capabilities before committing."
Nods all around.
Then, from the back: "Sooo… what about the dropped card loot?"
Every clone froze.
Then, in perfect synchronization, they all groaned and slapped their foreheads.
Right. The loot.
Thousands of cards had been scattered during the explosion golden, glowing, valuable. Origin Luck, rare skills, maybe even new talents. All of it, lying in the scorched ruins.
If they didn't collect the cards from earlier explosions, all that Cards will be usless after all they never tested how lnmg will the card exist Before disappearing if it did disappear something none of them could afford.
One clone sighed. "If we don't get OL, the main body might just say 'GG' and die. And then we all go with him."
A group volunteered for the risky job open a portal to the blast zone, grab what they could, and come back.
The portal shimmered into existence… and instantly, heat slammed into them like a hammer. The air warped, their skin prickled, and the smell of burning ash filled their lungs.
"Close it!" someone barked.
The portal vanished, the clones stepping back like they'd just touched a hot stove.
"Not an option," the leader said. "But we can't risk retrieving them now. The heat from the blast zone is still lethal. We'd dissipate before we even touched them."
The lead clone shook his head. "We'll collect them later. Only we can see and interact with the cards anyway. Right now, priority one is the flying beasts."
The clones scanned the sky. The flyers were fast, coordinated, and had ranged attacks. Direct fire spells would be risky. Portals were vulnerable to counterattacks.
the Leading clone as He scanned the group, expression tightening.
"I want three hundred clones to portal far away strategic reserve. If all of us die here, you're the respawn point."
The chosen 300 gathered quickly. A portal flared, and they stepped through, pausing only to salute before vanishing.
The lead clone's brow twitched. "…They think we're really going to die."
"Any ideas?" he asked the rest, his eyes landing on the science-minded clone the same one responsible for the oxygen-hydrogen-gasoline apocalypse earlier.
The scientist frowned for a few seconds, then his lips curled into a slow smile.
"Well?" the leader urged. "We don't have time for dramatic pauses."
"Solid Script: [IRON Dust Wide area]," the scientist said. "Blanket the sky in conductive metal particles. Then…" His grin widened. "…Solid Script: [LIGHTNING – Wide Area]."
then they he Added "We just need to stun them then bombard them "
The plan hit the group like a spark to dry tinder.
A perfect, mana-efficient aerial killshot.
The lead clone didn't hesitate. "You're promoted. Leaders of Group Two."
The science clone blinked. "Wait, really?"
"Any objections?" the leader asked the group.
In perfect sync, every clone said: "None."
The leader smiled and pointed at the sky.
"Then let's win this fight!"
——————————————————————————
The Plan: Operation Skyfall
The clones reorganized with military precision.
Group A (300 clones): Conduct a strategic retreat open a portal to a distant safe zone and wait. A failsafe. If the main force fell, these 300 would survive to regroup and inform Lucky.
Group B (1,000 clones): Create IRON DUST clouds in overlapping zones, ensuring full coverage.
Group C (1,000 clones): Hold the LIGHTNING scripts, ready to strike in coordinated waves.
Group D (600 clones): Use [WIND – DISRUPT] to push flyers into the conductive zones.
Group E (500 clones): Create portal and be ready to dodge any counter attack
Final Team (600 clones): Standby with [FIRE – TORCH] as a last resort if any survive the lightning.
The Battle
The flyers descended.
They didn't charge blindly.
They scouted.
One broke formation, diving low only to be caught in a WIND – DISRUPT blast, flung upward into the iron-dust cloud.
"NOW!" the lead clone shouted.
"LIGHTNING – WIDE AREA!"
The sky exploded with electricity.
A dome of blue fire engulfed the battlefield. The air hummed. The ground shook. The very atmosphere burned.
Dozens of flyers spasmed, wings blackened, bodies dropping like stones.
But not all died.
Some survived.
One flyer larger than the rest, with four arms and a carapace of bone folded its wings and dove through the gaps in the dust.
It survived.
"PORTAL – INTERCEPT!" a clone shouted.
A rift opened in front of the beast.
" [WATER – Only Liquid Oxygen]"
"FIRE – TORCH!"
The spell detonated inside the portal, erupting behind the flyer.
It screeched, half its body vaporized.
It fell.
Another tried to vomit acid but a WIND – SLASH severed its head mid-spew.
A third attempted to ram the ground team but an IRON WALL rose just in time, impaling it on jagged metal.
The clones weren't just fighting.
The Clones were Learning how to fight every clone's death cause all of them to learn from past mistake which makes them more experienced in battle.
Wave after wave, they held the line.
But the Flesh Mountain didn't stop.
It kept producing.
More flyers. Bigger ones. Some with armor. Some with multiple mouths.
The clones began to tire.
Mana bars dropped.
Soul Power wavered.
Then a new sound.
Not a roar.
A pulse.
From deep within the mountain, a low, rhythmic thrum echoed through the air.
The remaining flyers changed formation.
They stopped attacking.
They circled.
Above the battlefield, they began to merge.
Two fused midair, limbs twisting together. Three more joined, forming a grotesque, multi-headed horror with six wings.
The lead clone's eyes widened. "They're… fusing."
The science clone cursed. "We need more fire power. Bigger. Faster."
"Impossible," another said. "We're already at max output."
Then, the lead clone smiled.
"Then we cheat."
He turned to the last reserve.
"Clones. Initiate Protocol: Chain Surge."
The clones understood.
They formed a circle.
Each clone linked mana with the next, creating a living circuit.
A feat that only the clones can do not even Lucky can join in
The lead clone stood at the center.
"Channel through me."
Mana surged.
50,000. 100,000. 200,000.
The clones body started to crack after all not even the main body can handle this so they had to be quick
The air crackled with power.
The lead clone cast [IRON DUST – MAX Area].
The entire sky turned black with conductive particles.
This caused his entier Mana To Dissapear and the clone dissapeared as well
Then another science clone jumped into the center [LIGHTNING – Max power].
Not a wide area.
Not a storm.
A beam.
A single, blinding column of lightning, wider than a building, erupted from the science clone's hands.
It pierced the fused abomination.
For a moment, it held.
Then BOOM.
The creature detonated, scattering molten flesh across the ruins.
The shockwave flattened trees. The thunder shook the mountain.
Silence.
Then...
Cheering.
"WE DID IT!"
"THEY'RE DEAD!"
The clones collapsed, gasping, mana drained, bodies trembling.
But they smiled.
They had won.
For now.
The clones looked at the Flesh Mountain.
It was still shaking.
Still producing.
"This isn't over," a clone muttered. "But we bought time."
He turned to the team. "Rest and Recover. Then… we go collect the cards."
"We truly need more Clones"
——————————————————————————
Back in Magnolia…
The gate sealed behind the last clone.
Lucky stood alone in the forest clearing, the sky now dark, stars beginning to pierce the veil.
He exhaled, stretching.
"Come on, guys," he muttered. "Get me so much OL. I'm broke."
Hands in his pockets, he strolled through Magnolia's streets, enjoying the relative peace.
With a lazy grin, he began the walk back home hands in pockets, shoulders loose.
By the time he reached his house, the sun was dipping low. He pulled out his key, slid it into the lock, and pushed the door open
"Lucky!"
He barely had time to react before Erza and Gray came rushing at him, followed by Cana and what? Laxus, standing near the back with his arms crossed.
Lucky froze. "Uh… what's going on?"
They were in his house. On his couch. and on the bed.
"Master told us you were doing better," Gray said.
Erza smiled faintly. "We came straight here."
Lucky's brow furrowed. "Uh-huh. So… how did you get in?"
The room went suddenly still.
Gray coughed and looked away. Cana studied the floor. Laxus's eyes drifted to the ceiling.
Finally, Erza answered. "Through the window."
Lucky turned.
The window was closed. But the wood around it was splintered.
"…Did you punch my window?"
No answer.
He sighed. "You know… I have a door."
They ignored that.
"We were worried!" Cana said. "Master said you collapsed.."
"Anyway," Lucky said, "I'm fine. You don't need to worry."
They didn't believe him.
"What really happened?" Cana asked.
Lucky frowned. "Didn't Master tell you?"
They all shook their head.
Apparently not. Old man could keep a secret, then.
"Too much mana," Lucky said finally. "My body couldn't handle it. Physical backlash. Not fun."
They all stared at him. In the room, Lucky had the lowest magic capacity by far. To them, the idea of too much mana sounded absurd.
In his head, Lucky muttered: 'Unlike other worlds the Mages in Fairy Tail aren't glass cannons… they're diamond cannons. Unfair.'
Erza suddenly stepped forward, hand landing firmly on his shoulder.
"If the problem is your body," she said, "then I have a solution."
Lucky didn't like the gleam in her eyes.
"Let's train together."
A shiver ran down his spine. From behind her, Gray also shivered, shaking his head at Lucky in silent warning.
"I...." he began.
"Tomorrow morning," Erza interrupted. "Don't be late."
And like a thief, she jumped back through the window she'd broken.
Gray walked up next, clapping a pitying hand on Lucky's shoulder. "Good luck," he murmured before following Erza out the same way.
Laxus gave him a single nod, then vanished through the window as well.
Lucky stared. "…I have a door."
Finally, Cana stepped up.
"See you tomorrow, Lucky."
He gestured toward the door. She turned then bolted for the window.
When the room was finally empty, Lucky just stood there for a long moment.
Then he sighed, changed clothes, and went straight to bed.