"Ah—"
Erza's scimitar slashed across Ultear's chest, tearing her clothes and causing blood to flow out.
From the beginning of the fight until now, this was the first time Ultear had suffered such a severe injury.
She covered her chest with one hand and stretched out the other, palm facing Erza.
Erza thought her armor and weapon were about to shatter again, but instead, a block of ice appeared in front of her, rapidly spreading ice spikes in all directions.
Erza hurriedly retreated, but ice spikes still grazed her cheek and left shoulder, leaving scratches.
"Is this... Ice Shaping Magic?"
Erza was very familiar with this magic, and the shaping speed was no less than Gray's.
Upon hearing Erza mention Ice Shaping Magic, an annoyed expression appeared on Ultear's face.
She was actually forced to fight with this kind of magic!
—If that's the case, then losing is not an option!
"Rust to the future!" Ultear's pupils glowed with the light of a clock, and in an instant, Erza's weapon and armor disintegrated, and her fists and palms met. "Ice-Make: Rose Garden!"
"Wah..."
Erza, with no armor on her, was pierced and blown away by the ice roses and thorny vines, landing in the expanding rain, her body covered in blood.
She struggled to support herself to stand, staring directly at Ultear.
Not only mastering the Lost Magic of Time Arc but also using Ice Shaping Magic just like Gray, and perhaps even more powerful than him...
What is this woman's background?
...
"Stop!" Kana threw five cards, flying over Melty's head.
Three transformed into lightning striking downwards, while two embedded in the ground ahead, poised to attack.
Melty halted her steps, waving her hand to send out three blue magic long swords to neutralize the lightning above.
"If you insist on obstructing me, I'll have to kill you." Melty shook the red cloak on her shoulders, and dozens of blue Magic Swords appeared around her, shooting towards Kana.
"Why is it this kind of attack again..." If she hadn't sensed that those swords were made of magic power, Kana might have thought the opponent also had Erza's Celestial Wheel Armor.
She quickly picked two suitable cards, keeping one in her hand and throwing the other: "Sun's Bursting Flame!"
The explosion, several meters in diameter, didn't shatter all the flying swords. Kana then revealed the card she held: "Wall of Strength!"
Clang, clang, clang!
The three flying swords were blocked by the invisible barrier, but the fourth pierced through, cutting Kana's arm.
"Ugh..." Kana bit her lip to hold back a cry of pain. Though it was just a small wound, it burned as if her entire arm were severed!
Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, why does it hurt so much?
"My 'blade' attacks through direct contact with the sense of touch." Melty's eyes were cold. "Kana Alberona, bottom of the hunting list, die here quietly please."
In the blink of an eye, dozens of more swords appeared in front of Melty, and with a wave of her hands, they shot towards Kana.
Kana dodged awkwardly, while pulling various cards from her bag: "Prayer Fountain, Death God's Ice Pillar, Wall of Strength!"
Water, ice, barriers, various magics emerged, destroying or blocking the dozens of flying swords one by one.
Finally relieved, Kana thought, if she were hit a few more times by attacks like that, even if they didn't strike vital points, she might faint from the pain.
This little girl was far more dangerous than she appeared!
Seeing Melty creating flying swords again, Kana threw card after card, some exploding on contact, some transforming into various magical attacks, and some simply embedded in the ground like ordinary darts.
Melty relied only on her flying swords, calmly handling the various attacks.
Two individuals equally skilled in long-range attacks, for once exhibiting the real essence of a mage battle.
Attacking while defending against each other's magic, sometimes with magic, sometimes with physical maneuvering, and always observing the opponent's moves, ready to strike a decisive blow.
Thus, wind, lightning, water, fire, all kinds of magic shone; and flying swords attacked from the front, back, left, and right.
Melty occasionally stabbed Kana with flying swords, making her cry out in pain. Kana sometimes triggered traps set during battle, then seized the opportunity to supplement attacks with a few cards.
After some time of battling, both were covered in wounds, panting and glaring at each other.
"A seemingly inconspicuous role, garbage ranked at the bottom." Melty couldn't understand why this person could fight her until now, why she was so difficult to deal with.
Almost as if... she had no weaknesses.
"Yeah...compared to those monsters, I am indeed not that conspicuous."
Though speaking in a seemingly disheartened manner, Kana smiled, "But even someone like me is trusted by everyone and has a reason that I must defeat you for!"
"I too have a reason I must win, and it's even heavier than yours!" Melty raised both hands, concentrating dozens of long swords.
She swung her hand forward, the swords spreading out and enclosing Kana from all angles, sealing all her escape routes before thrusting inward.
Realizing she was surrounded, Kana sensed the impending danger: "I...have always been bad at Ability Element Magic, but this time, I must succeed!"
She closed her eyes, then suddenly opened them just as the dozens of long swords were about to pierce her, crossing her arms, with palms facing opposite directions: "Smash!!!"
Hmm~~~
A dense, invisible net expanded outwards from Kana, sweeping over the blue magic long swords.
Dozens of long swords seemed to hit a pause button, suspended mid-air, unable to advance further.
Though composed of pure magic power, they appeared tangible, sliced into countless tiny pieces.
Then, like being blown by the wind, those magical fragments scattered, disappearing like stars.
Melty exclaimed, "To completely shatter my magic like that..."
Kana retracted her hands, breathing heavily.
Looking at her hands, she lightly clenched them into fists, opened them again, and smiled with relief, "Finally... I haven't disgraced that absurd father of mine."
"That's it!" Melty thrust her hand forward, pointing at Kana's chest, bursting with pink magic power, "Recall! The person you hold dearest in your heart!"
Kana seemed struck by lightning, uncontrollably conjuring the image of Kildas in her mind.
"Covenant Sensing!" Melty pressed her fingers together, and the pink magic enveloped Kana, eventually accumulating at her wrist, releasing a beam of light that disappeared somewhere on Celestial Wolf Island.
"Ahhh!"
Kana felt a sharp pain, and upon regaining her senses, a chain-like mark had already formed on her right wrist.
"What have you done?"
"Lost Magic, Covenant Sensing." Melty softly replied, "This magic connects your 'senses' with Kildas', meaning the pain you feel will now be transmitted to him."
"..." Making Kildas feel her pain? Kana frowned at Melty, this little brat, does she really not fear death?
Kana could hardly imagine what would unfold if her unreliable father realized his daughter had been beaten so critically...
Her only concern was, if Kildas was currently in a battle himself, this sudden, unexplained sensation of pain might disrupt his fight.