Hashana blushed so hard from the name, he looked like a little boy again, all shy and embarrassed. An overwhelming sense of embarrassment that he quickly used to challenge the dragon chasing them. He really, really wanted to forget all about it.
…
Astraea familia gave chase to another group of dragons that fled in the direction Bete had gone, none of them were insane enough to think Bete could handle it on his own.
"Alise, what's the game plan now?"
"Attack formation D, then into strike sequence E."
"But, Neze is with her sister wives right now preparing for that one spell."
"I know, but we've got Bete there, see. Surely he isn't so weak we can't count on him to act?"
"Oh yeah, that's right, he did get some brutal training from Shurry directly, didn't he?"
This time Bete heard them. "If you call that training you're all insane!" He snarled.
"Really? Do you know formation D, into sequence E?"
Bete clicked his tongue…
"I'll take that as a yes. Get into formation."
"FINE! But I'm not going like this one bit!"
"Suit yourself, we'll have the pleasure of slicing through those monsters on our own then."
"NO! Those are my prey!"
"Then fall in line, like a good puppy. Maybe we'll pat your head as a reward later."
"You…Tch!" Bete started grumbling under his breath.
Alise's flames began to grow brighter… "Afterburn." And just like that she, like Hashana, overtook the escaping dragons… Only she was faster, much, much faster.
With a sudden disruption in the dragon's escape, the thunder had basically all but been put into a frenzy. A battle amid the air began, though…
With the dance of flickering flames, floating in the center of the battle, Alise had successfully taken full attention of the dragons, she was their target. Or so they thought… For also around Alise was a zone where her blade would always hit. Only 3 people alive had ever breached it with 1 injury or less. Those three were Leon, Zald, and Shurry. Alfia might have managed as well, but she prefers to end things with a single Gospel… Her magic was always super effective.
"Come, let's see if I can push Dragon Slayer up a rank or maybe even two?" Alise smiled, with her cheerful self, just like the light of a star, burning ever bright despite the looming darkness. "Some of these dragons really are quite strong, easily level 10… I'm glad I'm at the center…"
One daring dragon got tired of waiting and charged straight for Alise, apparently this dragon was hungry, however, it was weak, far too weak to challenge her. Only a mere level 6, in one decisive and curved slash it was cleaved into pieces, the head & neck were one, the body another, each wing, its legs, and finally the tail. Though, the only thing that landed was the magic crystal which was left in next to pristine condition.
The brutality shown was enough that the dragons now feared the flaming ball more than before. Dragons of a similar level along with a handful of level 7s fled in terror, or to go somewhere else to terrorize.
"What's with these prey!? They're too strong!!!! Why isn't mother helping…" Were the last thoughts one fleeing level 7 had as it crossed paths with a woman in black, with what seemed like a single movement the dragon literally fell to pieces.
"Thanks, for the foot holds. You should be grateful that you were useful, even in death." The woman grinned, with a single sword drawn in her right hand, while her left was firmly placed on a sheath. She used the little chunks of the dragon's body as stepping stones, somehow choosing the right ones before they would crumble into ashes.
Asta arrived in the center of the battle grounds, with a single word of release, her barrier spell sounded out. The ear rose from the ground, forming a thick, durable dome around the fighting. However, unlike her other defensive spell, this one deployed far slower.
Bete, and the others did their best to keep the dragons in place, but no matter how good they were, it wouldn't be possible to keep them all present.
"Everyone, focus, we will deal with the ones still on me. Don't worry about the stragglers, Remember, we have allies at key places around the world. Let them do something too." Alise commanded, as she dodged a level 10 dragon… Barely…
"Hey captain, is it just me or did that dragon get faster?"
"It got faster… The moon light!? It won't be affected by it… Quick count the level 10s!"
"I count 2, and a third if Bete slows it down."
"BETE! Let it go! That's an order!"
"Tch!" Bete reluctantly followed the order, allowing the third level 10 to escape. He came down from the top of the dome, hitting the face of a level 8 as he came down. "Huh?" He blinked. "Hey, this one isn't level 8. It's worse…"
"Yeah, idiot!" Kaguya returned with snark. "The moon light is gone from this dome."
"Oh shit! QUICK! Kill them before the effect completely wears off!!!" Bete yelped, as if he'd been whipped on the behind.
"Ryuu! Help fan my flames. We're going to need all the fire power we have to deal with this."
"Do you want me to open the dome again!?"
"No! Leave it as is, just be prepared to do so at a moment's notice."
"Got it!"
Astraea familia, plus Bete, minus Neze were right, they needed to act quickly. The moonlight debuff Shurry's moon gave them was no small matter, in fact it was so important, there wouldn't be a question that war against the dragons would be borderline impossible otherwise. Zald and Alfia would be ready for it, but that's about it, even Leon is still just shy of being truly capable of standing on that field otherwise.
"Now!"
"Luminous Wind!"
Balls of wind formed, and pelted like rapid fire explosions, each one designed for distraction & interruption of the enemy, or a boost for Alise, one she desperately needed now that the dragon before them was rapidly strengthening. It was easily already towards the middle of level 11… fortunately there was still time to act.
"Let's move onto the next one!"
"Right!"
…