"Heaven's Wheel—Pentagram Sword!!!"
Clad in her Heaven's Wheel Armor, Erza unleashed her most powerful technique.
The twin blades in her hands carved a massive pentagram across the sky, its brilliance blazing like a constellation brought to life.
"Ah… farewell, that winter…"
Okama fighter Bentham—Mr. 2—collapsed at last.
The flamboyant warrior's flower had withered.
"Tch, that idiot. Charging in like that when he knew he couldn't win."
Mr. 3 sneered coldly, though his eyes betrayed unease. Silently, he moved to stand beside the silent figure of Mr. 1, Daz Bonis.
"Mr. 1, let's work together. You attack head-on, I'll provide support. At the very least, we should take one of them down as leverage!"
But Daz Bonis, the stoic, green-skinned monk-like assassin, did not answer. He stood unmoving, as though the chaos around him meant nothing.
Mr. 3 scowled. Before he could speak again—
Swish!
The sound of a blade tearing through the air cut him off.
"Candle Wall!!!"
Reacting instinctively, Mr. 3 threw up a solid wall of wax, barely deflecting the storm of swords raining down from Erza.
"Don't think you can just push me around!" he roared, his face twisted in rage.
The power of the Wax-Wax Fruit surged. Liquid wax gushed from his body, hardening under his will until it formed a massive white titan of armor, encasing him completely.
"Behold! My greatest masterpiece—Candle Champion!!!"
Enclosed in his wax titan, Mr. 3 laughed with manic pride.
Erza's response was silence. She merely lifted her hands, and her blades once more whirled through the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as steel struck wax again and again.
"It's useless! Your blades can't harm me anymore!" Mr. 3 boasted. "Even if it's just wax, its hardness rivals steel itself!"
Erza's eyes narrowed, acknowledging the truth of his words. Her swords had indeed failed to pierce the armor.
But she was far from out of options.
The Heaven's Wheel was only her most basic set of armor—meant for wide-range attacks, not piercing defense. Against a single powerful opponent, it was hardly her sharpest weapon.
"You think this is all I have?"
Her voice was calm, steady.
"Then allow me to show you."
With a flash of light, her armor transformed.
The graceful silver of the Heaven's Wheel melted away, replaced by a set of blazing crimson armor. Flames danced along its edges, a burning sword in her hand radiating heat so intense it scorched the air.
"Flame Emperor's Armor!"
"Ohhh—she transformed again!"
Nami's eyes went wide, sparkling in shock.
"So cool…!" Vivi gasped, unable to look away.
"Where is this even coming from?" Nami cried.
"Erza has dozens of armors like this," Mirajane said with a knowing smile.
Juvia nodded in agreement.
"What?!" Nami and Vivi exclaimed together, stunned speechless.
On the battlefield, Mr. 3's grin faltered. His eyes bulged as the heat of Erza's aura washed over him.
"Wait… wait a second! Fire? How can you also use fire?! That's cheating! That's—ahhhhh!"
Before his protests could finish, Erza lunged forward.
Her flaming blade struck.
The Candle Champion armor ignited in an instant, wax melting and dripping in great chunks as flames consumed it.
"Ahhh! It's burning, it's burning!!!"
Mr. 3 screamed, rolling desperately across the ground to douse the fire, his once-proud creation reduced to molten ruin.
"What other tricks do you have? Use them all."
Erza's cool words mirrored his earlier taunt.
"W-wait! Give me a moment, I still—still have something!"
Panicked, Mr. 3 unleashed his power again.
"Wax Museum!!!"
Wax poured out of him in torrents, molding into dozens, then hundreds of human-shaped clones. In moments, the battlefield was flooded with figures, crowding every inch of space.
Erza's eyes sharpened, her interest piqued.
In her world, animated constructs like these might have posed a real threat.
But Mr. 3's creations… were nothing but lifeless wax dolls. They had no movement, no attack power—mere hollow shells.
All for show.
He wasn't fighting anymore. He was buying time to flee.
Understanding that, Erza's expression dimmed in disappointment.
With a single sweep of her flaming sword, she unleashed a roaring blaze.
The wax dolls melted away, reduced to puddles in seconds.
She did not even spare Mr. 3 another glance.
With a fluid motion, she released the Flame Emperor's Armor, her form shifting back to normal. Her gaze settled instead on the last remaining foe.
Mr. 1, Daz Bonis.
At last, the silent warrior spoke.
"The distractions are gone. Good. They were only in my way."
"…Aren't they your comrades?" Erza's voice was low.
"Comrades? Hmph. They're nothing but weaklings who slowed me down."
Disdain dripped from his words.
Erza's face darkened.
Fairy Tail valued one thing above all else—companions. To hear someone discard allies as trash kindled a fire of anger within her.
"Fine. Forget them. Face me with your strongest attack. Just don't fool yourself—victory isn't yours to claim. Defeat is the only outcome awaiting you."
Daz Bonis's tone was calm, yet sharp as steel.
"Tch! You sound just like the last one. He thought Erza couldn't hurt him either—and now he's ashes. Erza, kick this arrogant bastard's ass!"
Nami clenched her fist and shouted encouragement.
Erza didn't answer. She simply stepped forward, her eyes unwavering.
No armor summoned. No transformation.
Just herself, wielding her blades with simple, unadorned strength.
Daz Bonis didn't flinch. His steel body met her attack head-on, arms raised like shields.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sword clashed against steel flesh, sparks flying with every strike.
At last, they parted, each retreating a few steps.
Erza's gaze was steady.
"I understand now."
Her voice was calm, but her grip on her sword tightened.
"Your body is steel. If I cannot cut through steel… then I cannot cut you."