Chapter 197: The Golden Lion
Once they all got the hang of the new toy, the "training" devolved into a chaotic free-for-all, with the four dolls brawling on the disk. Noah joined in, but as soon as he did, it became a four-on-one.
Even so, the game board limited his magic power output, so he still lost if he wasn't careful. Every time he lost, Erza and the others would cheer, which only made them more eager to practice and fight. Noah just smiled, good-naturedly admitted his defeat, and started thinking of new ways to improve the game.
Their journey fell into a stable routine. In the morning, they'd make breakfast, followed by a period of physical training. Then they would board the carriage and head to their next objective, subjugating whatever beast was on the list. If they passed a town, they would resupply or stay at an inn. If not, they would camp in the wild.
Of course, thanks to Noah's "Wood-Make: Grand Lodge" spell, their "roughing it in the wild" was incredibly comfortable.
Sorano couldn't help but complain, "This feels more like a vacation than a mission!"
The girls had decided they would all sleep in one large room, so Noah adjusted the spell from his usual "three-bedroom" to a "two-bedroom" model, with him taking one room and the four of them sharing the other.
As for the monsters on their route, Erza and the others handled all of them. They didn't fight solo, however; they insisted on ganging up on every target. They claimed it was to "practice their teamwork" in preparation for their battle with the demon, Sitri.
As a result, every monster on Noah's list, most of which wouldn't even be rated S-Class, was treated to a deluxe "four-on-one" beatdown from four S-Class wizards. It was a brutal sight. Noah could only tearfully collect the valuable body parts they left behind as materials.
With each battle, their teamwork grew sharper. Having grown up in the guild together and trained against Noah, they already had a strong foundation. But now, as they truly cut loose, their coordination became flawless.
At least, that's what they said. Noah just thought they were getting more violent.
Soon, they had cleared most of the requests Noah had picked up. One day, they arrived at a large valley, home to their next target: the S-Class monster, the Golden Lion.
Noah scanned the area with his detection magic and quickly found its location. After trekking through a dense forest, they spotted it.
A massive lion with a coat of pure gold was lazing on the ground, its eyes half-closed as it dozed. As they approached, the sound of their footsteps woke it.
Its eyes snapped open, and it rose to its feet. The thick, golden mane around its neck fanned out, giving it an aura of kingly authority. The Golden Lion stood nearly ten meters high, and its long, tufted tail was almost twenty meters long.
It opened its mouth, revealing razor-sharp fangs, and let out a deafening roar.
"ROOOAR!!!"
The sound shook the valley, and a powerful, foul-smelling wind blasted toward them. They all dodged to the side.
"Alright, let's go!"
Ultear made the first move. She slapped her right fist into her left palm, and a magic circle expanded before her.
"Ice-Make: Ice Arrows!"
A volley of ice projectiles shot toward the lion. It merely swiped its massive right paw, and a gust of wind scattered the arrows.
But in that instant, two figures closed in from its flanks—Erza in her Black-Wing Armor and Mirajane in her full Satan Soul form. They both attacked the lion's right side, their blades and fists aimed at the paw it had not yet retracted.
The lion's reflexes were shockingly fast. It snapped its paw back and swiped twice in a blur, sending both Erza and Mirajane flying.
But as it did, Sorano had already summoned the Angel of Strength behind it, its fist rearing back for a massive blow. Just as the punch was about to connect, a black shadow whipped through the air and slammed into the angel, sending it hurtling away. It was the lion's tail.
Erza and Mirajane twisted in mid-air, landing safely and sliding to a stop to bleed off their momentum. Without a word, all four of them charged in again.
Erza and Mirajane took the front, engaging the lion in close combat, while Ultear and Sorano provided long-range support, bombarding it with magic.
After several exchanges, none of the girls were injured, but they were starting to breathe heavily. The fight was draining their magic and stamina.
The Golden Lion, on the other hand, now had several cuts on its body, though none of them were deep. Its fur was matted and chaotic, and its breathing was much heavier than before. It was clear their coordinated assault was wearing it down.
"Its reflexes and speed are no joke," Mirajane said, landing a short distance away. "And its magic resistance is high. It's much stronger than The Beast King."
"If we were fighting it one-on-one, this would be a nightmare," Erza agreed, her sword held at the ready. She had already requipped into her Morning Star Armor. "But it's not."
The other three also began to gather their magic for a final, decisive strike. The Golden Lion sensed the change in the air. It crouched low, letting out a warning growl as it braced itself.
"Morning Star: Photon Slicer!"
"Soul Extinctor!"
"Ice-Make: Rosen Krone!"
"Angel of Sunlight!"
Four powerful attacks shot at the Golden Lion from four different directions. The lion roared, rearing up on its hind legs. It slammed its two front paws into Erza's and Mirajane's attacks while swatting Sorano's angel with its tail, leaving its body exposed to Ultear's magic.
BOOM!!!
The ground shook as a massive explosion engulfed the lion's position, throwing up a cloud of smoke and dust that obscured their vision.
Though they were confident in their combined attack, they all remained on high alert, especially Mirajane. Her eyes were fixed on the smoke, refusing to relax. She had learned her lesson from The Beast King; one experience like that was enough.
The wind in the valley soon cleared the dust, revealing the Golden Lion's form. It was covered in wounds. Its two front paws were blackened and smoking, pressed against its chest. It hadn't been able to fully block their attacks. Its tail had deflected the angel, but the angel's attack had still struck home. Ultear's magic had completely frozen its lower body to the ground, and they could feel the chill from a distance.
They watched it for a long moment. It didn't move. Only then did they cautiously approach.
"It's dead," Sorano said, after checking for a pulse.
Mirajane did her own check and confirmed it... but she still wasn't satisfied. She wordlessly took the sword from Erza's hand, walked over to the lion's head, and stabbed it several times. Only then did she step back.
Erza glared at her, annoyed, but Mirajane just ignored her. Seeing that, Erza didn't say anything. She knew exactly why Mira had to make sure.
~~~
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