Mystogan's eyes widened in disbelief.
He seemed to have seen this thing before, but it didn't have such great power back then, did it?
Could it be that, when casted on a stronger, this magic became even more powerful?
Compared to him, Faust was even more shocked.
"Impossible! Dorma Anim is Edolas's ultimate magical weapon. No spell should be able to damage it!" he cried out.
Gildarts tilted his head back slightly and replied with a cool shrug, "Huh? Then what do you call that crack?"
His calm voice hit like a slap to the face.
Faust trembled with rage. "Black Sky!"
A new surge of magic flared from the silver-white metal dragon. The damaged jaw began to mend itself, plates snapping back into place as the armor's entire body darkened to black.
"Witness the full force of Dorma Anim, Black Sky!"
The earth trembled violently beneath it.
The dragon's feet sank into the ground, forming a crater of crushed stone, as it began drawing in the remaining magic power of Edolas. Its strength surged, magic circuits glowing with pulsing energy.
Then, the dragon opened its maw again.
This time, the beam it unleashed was thicker, darker, and far more destructive. The black light wave crackled with unstable energy as it hurtled toward the group.
One look, and it was clear. This was no ordinary blast, it had power enough to level the city.
But Gildarts didn't even flinch.
He stepped forward and threw another ordinary-looking punch.
The massive black light wave shattered on contact, crumbling into a swarm of glowing squares. Unlike before, they didn't vanish quietly. Instead, they exploded one after another, like a chain of firecrackers going off in rapid succession.
The world shook.
Watching from behind, Rhodes finally understood why Gildarts was called the strongest Earth Mage in Fairy Tail.
Crush Magic might appear to be raw destruction, but in Gildarts' hands, it became something elegant. Each move seamlessly combined overwhelming power with perfect control.
No matter how many spells the enemy hurled, he would counter with a simple punch.
No matter how strong the opponent's armor, he would respond the same way.
And all this time, while Mira and Erza had paused occasionally to catch their breath, even without the aid of the buff, Gildarts hadn't slowed down at all.
Not once.
That could only mean one thing, his magic reserves were on a completely different level.
So powerful, in fact, that the so-called ultimate weapon of Edolas had become little more than an oversized punching bag.
Then came another thunderous impact.
Bang!
With a single punch from Gildarts, the Dragon Knight's blackened chin shattered, and the cannon barrel lodged in its mouth snapped clean off.
As the two ammunition compartments on its back opened, Mira and Erza had already taken flight. With precise timing, they swooped in from either side and forced the compartments shut, warping and jamming the covers.
The missiles detonated inside, and thick black smoke erupted from the Dragon Knight's back, leaving it battered and scorched.
Just as it tried to gather strength for a counterattack, Erza's serrated greatsword cleaved into its left leg, while the Mira struck the right with a thunderous fist.
A red gleam flashed, followed by cracking sounds from both joints. The Dragon Knight lurched, its balance broken, both hind legs damaged beyond repair.
At that moment, Gildarts stepped in again and launched a fierce uppercut into the Dragon Knight's chest.
To Rhodes, it looked no different from an ordinary punch, but the surge of magic that burst forth in that instant carried overwhelming force.
The Dragon Knight's chest split open, shattering with a metallic crash. Its back caved in under the pressure, bursting into fragments of twisted black metal.
Inside the cockpit, Faust was hurled through the opening, tracing a slow arc through the air before crashing down at Mystogan's feet.
The rest of the Dragon Knight Armor collapsed, its massive frame disintegrating into neat square shards as if reduced by Gildarts' magic to a mere blueprint.
Gildarts rubbed his knuckles and grinned.
"That thing was tough enough."
Faust's frail body trembled. He coughed violently, and the blood soaked into his beard as he stared up at the sky in a daze.
"Mon… monster," he murmured.
Mystogan looked down at the man who had once been his father, a complicated look in his eyes.
There were more than just these few monsters in the guild.
Edolas had made a wrong decision, provoking enemies that should never have been provoked.
Without a word, Rhodes strode forward and plunged the flagpole into the ground beside Faust's head. The tip pierced the earth with a solid crack.
"You lost, King of Edolas."
Faust's eyes widened. The red-trimmed, gold-edged, white-patterned flag fluttered above him, dancing like a Fairy in the heart of the blaze.
He lifted his gaze. Gildarts, Erza, and Mira were walking toward him, and fear crept into his expression.
He tried to crawl back, but after just one step, he bumped into Mystogan's leg.
The runaway prince. The mountain-sized magic crystal. The fallen Exceed. The shattered Royal Army. The destructive dragon that tore the sky. The ruined capital. The broken Dragon Knight Armor.
One scene after another flashed through his mind.
And then, only that flag remained, swaying like a judgment rendered by fate.
Were Earth Land's mages really this powerful?
Had the Anima Plan been a mistake all along?
Was the dream of infinite magic power just an illusion?
Faust's strength drained from his body. He collapsed in place and whispered weakly, "We… we lost…"
The battle was over.
Rhodes couldn't bring himself to kill Mystogan's father in front of him. Gildarts and the others didn't press the matter either.
But now came the question of how to properly end it.
For the moment, Rhodes turned to something more urgent: helping the members of Edolas' Fairy Tail.
Although those fighters all wielded magical tools, they were nothing compared to the armor of the Dragon Knight and had suffered severe injuries.
If Rhodes and the others had arrived any later, dozens of lives might have been lost.
"Rhodes!"
"Gildarts!"
"Erza!"
"Sis!"
Familiar voices echoed as their guildmates arrived, even the Master among them.
Rhodes glanced at the crowd and blinked in surprise.
"You're all here? What about Magnolia?"
Makarov smiled and replied, "The city and the townspeople have already been sent back. Mystogan found what was left of Anima and helped us get everyone out safely."
As it turned out, the group had run into Mystogan not long after setting out. After some quick discussion, they decided to return the town and civilians first, then come support the others.
Thanks to his flying mount, Mystogan had arrived ahead of them. The rest, despite hurrying, hadn't made it in time for the fight.
When they saw the state of the capital, most of them looked away awkwardly.
None of them had caused this destruction, yet the sight felt oddly… familiar. Almost nostalgic.
"Damn it, is it over already?" Natsu grumbled, leaping down from a rooftop. "I didn't even get to throw a punch!"
Gajeel let out a sigh. He understood the feeling.
Still, with Gildarts, the Fairy Queen, and the Demon Head involved, this result made sense.
The capital falling in such a short time? It was hardly surprising.
"Enough chatter. Help the wounded," Rhodes called, pointing to the unconscious and injured fighters nearby. "Go heal yourselves. And if you're fine, help someone else."