"You're a Fairy Tail wizard?" Kian stared at Levy for a long beat, then shifted his gaze back to Astro.
Astro had settled again, calm as ever. He reached out and rested his hand over Levy's, rubbing her knuckles the way a dad might ruffle a kid's hair — an odd, affectionate gesture given their height difference, but comforting all the same.
Astro stepped forward and faced Kian. "Yeah. I'm Astro Blackmist from Fairy Tail." He could feel Erza and the other woman fighting on top of the mountain. It does not seem like Erza is going to need help for now.
"Blackmist?" Kian's eyes widened when the name clicked. He remembered something someone had said earlier, a detail that suddenly made sense.
One of the figures in the shadows — the one Kian called master — spoke up. "Kian, if you want to join our guild, you'll need Devil Slayer magic. And you have to be strong enough to handle it on your own."
Kian's face brightened with fierce, childish hope. "Master, but there's already a Light Devil Slayer in the guild. Do I have to beat him to get that power?" Kian sounded genuinely confused.
"No," the master replied sharply, a flash of anger in his voice like the thought of that other person irritated him. "You can't steal Devil Slayer power. It can't be taken unless the wielder gives it willingly. And Luthar isn't the type to hand over the only good thing he has."
Kian's expression hardened, then melted into frustration. "So how do I get Devil Slayer power, then? How do I actually get it?" he demanded.
"There's one Devil who refused to interfere with Earthland," the master said slowly. "The Sky Devil — Alvemak Blackmist. If you manage to summon him, then he might be willing to let you wield his power."
Kian blinked, then everything snapped back into focus for him. He'd seen the attack that young man used. And he'd heard the surname. Recognition hit him like a cold splash. He ran a hand through his hair, muttering, "So Alvemak chose an avatar too? Then what was the point of all our training?" He slumped for a second, exasperated.
Deacon glanced at Kian, concerned. "Hey, what's wrong with you?" he asked. He'd never seen Kian lose his composure like this.
Astro narrowed his eyes. "You know the Sky Devil?" That was the first time anyone had spoken the name out loud in his presence — the first time someone knew the being he'd met.
Kian didn't answer politely. He stood up straighter, eyes bright and a touch wild. "I'll beat you," he said, voice flat with determination. "I'll make you give me the power. You'll hand it over to me — willingly."
"Yeah, that is never going to happen.", Astro answered without any hesitation.
"Then let's see how you handle this." Without another word, Kian called out, "Aurora Strike!" He flashed with a blinding yellow light and, before Astro could process what was happening, Kian's attack slammed into him. Astro was thrown backward, crashing through a line of trees, sent tumbling across the underbrush like a ragdoll.
When the dust cleared, Kian was standing where Astro had been a moment before, breathing hard, adrenaline making his voice crack with triumphant madness. He looked down at Levy, grinning like someone who'd just won a private war. "You're Levy, right?" he asked, as if reminding himself of the stake.
Levy looked shaken, she could not even see his attack.
"Yes. And as long as I capture you, he'll give me his power." Kian wasn't talking so much to anyone else as to himself — laughing in that half-mad way of someone who'd let obsession replace commonsense.
Levy froze for a moment, unsure of what was happening. Then, a blur of purple shot into her peripheral vision.
Kian's eyes followed the figure instinctively, bracing himself for whatever was coming. Astro, moving faster than she could follow, swung a punch in Kian's direction—but Kian was already on guard, reacting first.
"Aurora Chains!" Kian shouted, and from his right hand, multiple chains of solid light shot out, twisting and curling toward Astro like living ropes.
Astro barely flinched. In an instant, a burst of purple wind erupted from beneath his feet, spinning him into a sudden pivot. He snatched Levy up in a protective, almost effortless, princess carry, leaping into the air before Kian's chains could reach them.
The chains whipped through the empty air and clattered harmlessly against the ground.
Astro glanced at Levy as they landed a safe distance away, in the now open space where the inn previously was. "I'll handle the light magic guy. You keep the white-haired one occupied. Can you manage that?" he asked, gently setting her down.
Levy's stomach churned with nervous energy. She could barely comprehend the chaos of Astro and Kian trading blows, slashes of light and wind slicing the air so fast it almost blurred. It was obvious they were on a different level entirely. She swallowed her fear and nodded.
Astro didn't look surprised at her answer. Unlike the hotheaded mages of Fairy Tail, Levy had brains, patience, and the rare instinct to know when to step back and let a fight play out. But his thoughts got interrupted by a loud voice.
Kian's gaze snapped toward Astro, sharp and mocking. "You're a failure of a Devil Slayer. I've seen real Devil Slayers in action, and you… you're nowhere close."
Astro ignored the insult, already suspecting that this guy knew of the Devil Slayer guild Abel had mentioned: Abyss Howl.
Deacon, who was observing from the sidelines, realized he was in the middle of two monsters and finally acted. "Snow Step!" The ground beneath him erupted in snow, coating the area as he moved swiftly to the side, safely out of the crossfire.
Astro didn't bother responding to a guy who had already tipped into madness. He surged forward, his figure leaving a purple afterimage as he now matched Kian's speed. Kian, equally fast, raced toward him with a yellow glare in his eyes.
"Tempest Blade!"
"Aurora Strike!"
A purple sword met a fist wreathed in piercing light, and the collision sent a shockwave rippling across the snow and trees. Branches snapped, and dust rose in great clouds, blurring the battlefield.
Astro eased the sword back slightly, angling for a side attack. Kian's reflexes were flawless; he coated his other hand in light, blocking the strike. They exchanged multiple clashing blows, each parrying, twisting, and countering with precision, until finally, they broke the stalemate and fell back a few steps.
Kian summoned a ring of glowing spears around himself, launching them in a sudden, coordinated barrage. "Radiant Lance!"
Astro didn't dodge. He noticed Levy and the white-haired enemy behind him, already engaging in the fight. Kian might not have cared about collateral damage, but Astro couldn't allow Levy to be hurt. He had to take him head-on.
But the enemy was fast, precise, and relentless—a mirror of Astro's own style. Any moment wasted in defense would strip Astro of his chance to strike unless Kian paused.
Astro made his choice: full offense, while carefully shielding Levy. "Tempest Spears!" Several shields of swirling purple wind appeared around him like moving armor. He surged forward, colliding with Kian's light spears in a chaotic burst of dust and energy.
Through the cloud of flying debris, Astro crouched low and dashed forward. Kian only caught a shadowy figure moving through the dust before a flying kick came at him with full force. He crossed his arms to block it, but the momentum slammed him backward, crashing into the multiple trees.
As Kian flew back from the kick, tumbling sideways through the air, he noticed Astro hovering above him, a faint purple glow emanating from his right hand.
A sphere of shimmering energy formed in Astro's palm, pulsing with power. Without hesitation, he prepared to hurl it downward toward Kian, who was still midair and unable to regain control.
Kian scrambled to react. A bright yellow light flared from both his hands, forming dozens of projectiles that darted in all directions before converging on a single point—Astro.
"Starlight Barrage!" Kian shouted, his voice strained as he tried to hit the wizard while flying.
Astro didn't flinch or attempt to dodge. Instead, he countered with precision. "Aero Dominion."
The purple sphere shot forward, slicing through the air. Tens of yellow light bullets slammed into where Astro had been standing—but when they hit, the attack dissipated into a puff of purple smoke. The real Astro had vanished.
Kian, however, had no such luck. With his momentum still carrying him through the air, he couldn't defend himself mid-flight. Astro's purple sphere collided with his chest, erupting into a massive dome of whirling purple wind. Inside the vortex, Kian's body was cut repeatedly by the fierce currents of magic.
Astro landed gracefully on a nearby tree, watching the dome slowly dissipate. The silhouette of Kian emerged, battered but alive. Without wasting a second, Astro leaned backward and fell from the branch, performing a precise backflip in midair. He fixed his gaze on Kian and thought back about his fight with Natsu, or to be precise one of Natsu's attacks..
"Sky Devil's Wing Attack," he whispered under his breath.
The instant his feet hit the ground, the earth cracked beneath him. Two razor-sharp wings of purple wind manifested from his arms, slicing the air like blades. The wings gave him unparalleled speed and agility. He launched forward in a blur, reaching Kian in an instant. With a swift, precise motion, he slashed across Kian's chest with the right wing, sending a trail of blood across his torso.
Astro paused quite a few step behind, catching his breath, only to freeze in shock when he looked back at Kian
Kian had turned to face him—and his wounds were already healing. Every slash, every cut from the attack was closing and mending itself before his eyes.
"Haha," Kian laughed, mockery dripping from his voice. "Do you really think I would fall that easily?"
Astro's eyes narrowed. "You're healing… that's… incredible."
"I've mastered the lost art of light healing magic," Kian continued, pointing at Astro with accusatory intensity. "Only someone like me should wield the Sky Devil's power. There must have been a mistake—why would the Sky Devil choose someone like you instead of me?"
Astro shrugged, a calm expression masking his concern. "Maybe it's because you're not ready. Have you ever thought that maybe you just don't deserve to wield the healing magic?"
"You're not the one to decide that," Kian spat, anger flashing in his eyes flashed with white color. "I'll show the Sky Devil who's truly worthy—by defeating you right here and now!"
Kian positioned himself carefully, placing one palm slightly above the other. A searing white light began to gather between his hands, growing brighter with each second.
"I'll give you one chance," Kian said, his voice chillingly calm as he locked eyes with Astro. "Give me the Sky Devil's magic willingly. If you refuse, I will destroy this entire island. Every friend you have here, every innocent child… will be gone. If you truly believe you're worthy of this power, then hand it over. Save them, if you can."
Astro felt the full weight of Kian's madness pressing down on him. The sheer intensity of the man before him made the hairs on his arms stand on end.
"I'm no martyr," Astro said, his voice steady despite the magnitude of the threat. "I'm not throwing my life away to protect my friends. I want to live… for the sake of my friends." His gaze burned into Kian's, unflinching.
Kian's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Then just die." He thrust his hands forward, and the white light surged like a violent sun, aiming directly at Astro. The brilliance of the attack was blinding, and the island seemed to tremble under its weight.
Astro planted his feet firmly, legs spread, bracing himself. The intensity of the light was almost enough to sear his eyes.
But before the attack could fully connect, he whispered under his breath, a calm determination in his voice:
"When you try to take someone's life, be ready to lose your own as well."
Purple energy flared across Astro's body, his entire form glowing with a potent magical aura.
"Sky Devil's Secret Art."
Kian released the attack in full, and the blinding white light surged forward like a cataclysm. The very ground quaked under its force, and shockwaves tore through the surrounding forests.
Far on the mountain, Erza, still locked in battle with Sumi's endless summoned creatures, felt the waves of magical energy ripple through the air. Goosebumps rose across her skin.
"Looks like your friend has someone who can push Kian to use that attack," Sumi observed, panting slightly. Her summons had kept Erza occupied for a long time, creating a grueling stalemate.
"But with that attack, it is now over.. Unless a miracle happens, your friend is bound to die now."
Erza did not take her eyes off the opponent.
"You will be surprised how much of a miracle a fairy tail wizards can create.", Erza declared as she dashed forward.
"This monster of mine is quite troublesome, but you leave me no choice, Kian will scold me if i can not defeat my enemy before that Deacon," Sumi said with a smirk, summoning her most powerful creature yet.
"Summoning Magic: Astrael."
A massive, white dragon-like monstrosity materialized before Erza, its scales gleaming with a faint inner light. Sumi's grin widened. "This Wyvarn doesn't even listen to me fully, but its defenses are impenetrable."
The monster did not even care for Sumi's order. He lunged, jaws wide and deadly, straight at Erza. Yet she met it without fear. Her lips curved into a smirk as she shifted her armor.
"Re-equip: Black Wing Armor."
Her armor reformed around her, sleek and black with sharp, elegant angles, leaving her more agile than ever. Her long sword materialized in her hand as she dashed at the creature.
"You said your monster's defense is impossible to break? I'll be the judge of that," she called as she powered her sword with the Black Wing Armor.
"Moon Glimpse!"
The armor's magic flowed into the blade, intensifying its sharpness and cutting power. With a single, fluid slash, she cleaved the monstrous wyvern in half. Sumi's eyes widened in shock at the destruction of her prized summon.
"You rely on sheer mana to summon a lot of monsters to overwhelm your enemy," Erza said as she moved instantly in front of Sumi. "But that alone isn't enough to defeat me."
Erza's gaze swept over Sumi, noting the summoner's own lack of defensive skill. She kicked Sumi squarely in the stomach, sending her flying backward. Trees shattered under the force, and Sumi finally landed hard against a jagged rock, unconscious.
Erza's eyes shifted to the scene below. A massive dome of blinding white light stretched across the island, engulfing the surrounding forest. The pure brilliance of Kian's attack ignited many trees, setting them ablaze, the intense light and heat illuminating the whole island like a rising sun.