After Mirajane finished dealing with Evergreen, her Satan Soul slowly receded, and her bat-like wings folded and dissipated.
She brushed the dust off her skirt, just happening to run into Erza, who was also rushing over, at the street corner.
The two exchanged a few words and began to figure out a way to deal with the thunder palace in the sky.
Warren crouched on the roof of a building, pressing his hands to his temples as his telepathy magic covered the entirety of Magnolia.
His voice transmitted simultaneously into the minds of every guild member in Magnolia.
"Can everyone hear me? This is Warren! That thunder palace in the sky is a real threat. If we don't destroy it within the time limit, all of Magnolia will be covered by lightning! Everyone, please help!"
Riyao was crouching by the side of the road, munching on an apple he'd pilfered from somewhere. Upon hearing that Mirajane was going to deal with the thunder palace, he immediately chimed in via telepathy.
"I'll handle it. Even if that thing is destroyed simultaneously, it will still electrocute whoever destroys it. You'll just be getting struck for nothing if you go."
Mirajane's voice came through the telepathy, laced with a hint of worry.
"If all that electricity is concentrated on you, can you handle it?"
Riyao took a bite of the apple and smiled confidently, the upward curve of his lips carrying a touch of roguishness.
"No problem~"
Mirajane's voice softened instantly, her tone filled with trust.
"Then what does my dear want to eat tonight?"
The guild members currently connected via telepathy all rolled their eyes in unison.
"Warren! Cut the connection already! We don't want to be force-fed this PDA!"
"My ears are going to go deaf!"
"Riyao, can you be serious for once!"
Riyao tossed the apple core behind him, kicked off the ground, and shot into the sky like a cannonball, reaching a height perfectly level with the floating lightning orbs.
He hovered in mid-air, emerald magic surging around his body, his dragon-like features becoming even more prominent.
Scales spread from his arms to his neck, his dragon horns trembled slightly in the wind, and his slit pupils scanned the area, taking in the position of every single lightning orb.
Riyao took a deep breath, spread his feet, sank his hips into a stance, performed a Tai Chi opening move, and slowly drew circles with his hands.
The emerald magic flowed with his movements like stirred lake water, rippling outward in circles as his aura climbed steadily.
Crackle, crackle~
The magic condensed around him, forming into the shape of a dragon. Its winding body was suffused with azure lightning, circling and coiling around Riyao, while the sound of a dragon's roar echoed faintly among the clouds.
[Azure Dragon Secret Art: Dragon Fighting in the Wild]
Riyao thrust both palms forward, and the azure dragon phantom roared out from behind him, charging toward the lightning orbs with a destructive, world-shaking momentum.
Wherever the azure dragon phantom passed, the air was torn apart with piercing screeches. One by one, the lightning orbs were shattered by the dragon's body, their fragments blooming in the sky like fireworks.
This spectacular scene caused the residents of Magnolia to look up in awe, and some even began to applaud.
"Whoa! Is this the opening act for the Fantasia parade? It's so amazing!"
A child riding on his father's shoulders waved his little hands excitedly.
"Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be a little dragon person!"
His mother smacked him on the back of the head.
"You little brat, what are you talking about? Did you finish your homework?"
When the last lightning orb shattered and dissipated into specks of light in the sky, the thunderclouds covering Magnolia began to slowly clear, and the crisis of the thunder palace was resolved.
However, the backlash followed immediately.
Countless streaks of lightning surged from the remains of the shattered orbs, madly tearing at Riyao's body.
Electricity crackled around him, his scales hissed and smoked as they were scorched, and his clothes were riddled with charred holes from the electricity.
Riyao, however, grinned, opened his mouth, and swallowed the surging lightning in one go, making a gurgling sound in his throat as if he were drinking a large glass of an iced beverage.
He let out a burp, a wisp of blue smoke escaping his mouth, and patted his stomach with an expression of satisfaction.
A flash of azure electricity.
Riyao's figure instantly appeared at the entrance of the church. His dragon tail was casually wrapped around his waist, and he leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching the battle inside with leisure.
The interior of the church was already riddled with holes; Gajeel and Natsu were joining forces to fight Laxus.
The three dragons were locked in a fierce battle; fire, steel, and lightning intertwined, and the shockwaves had cracked the church's pillars.
"Yo, you guys are at it, huh."
Riyao's teasing voice echoed through the church, his tone lazy.
"You guys aren't really getting anywhere with this fight~"
Laxus was being pushed back a few steps by a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist from Natsu. Hearing Riyao's voice, he turned his head sharply.
"Riyao!!!"
Natsu and Gajeel shouted in unison: "Don't you dare interfere!"
The flames on Natsu's fists burned even brighter.
"He's my opponent!"
Gajeel's iron-scaled fists thudded loudly.
"Stop trying to steal my prey!"
Riyao touched the dragon tail wrapped around his waist, his fingertips sliding along the scales, and a playful arc tugged at the corner of his lips.
"That's no fun. Why don't you three fight me instead?"
Before the words had even faded, a flash of azure electricity sparked under his feet, and he turned into a streak of rainbow light, charging into the trio's battle circle.
His dragon tail lashed out with a "crack," blocking the lightning fist Laxus had thrown with all his might. The collision between the scales and the lightning sparked blinding currents.
Immediately after, he raised his leg to block, his shin taking the full force of the thick steel rod that Gajeel's left leg had transformed into. The sound of metal clashing was deafening.
At the same time, he raised his hand and grabbed Natsu's fire fist. The flames burned in his palm, but they couldn't even burn through his scales.
Riyao took on all three with ease, grinning and revealing a row of neat teeth.
"Did none of you eat today?! You have no power at all."
Natsu, that battle maniac, didn't care who the opponent was. Hearing Riyao's provocation, he became even more excited, his eyes shining like two fireballs.
"Whoa! I'm all fired up!"
For some reason, Gajeel felt pumped up just looking at Riyao's punchable, grinning face. His iron-scaled fists clenched with a creaking sound.
"Since you asked for it, don't blame me for not holding back!"
Seeing Riyao looking down on him like that, veins bulged on Laxus's forehead, and the lightning around his body surged violently.
"Do you think I'm still the same as before?!"
All three attacked at once, surrounding Riyao.
Natsu blasted a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist from the front, Gajeel swung his Iron Dragon's Club from the left, and Laxus struck with a Lightning Dragon's Breakdown from the right.
Riyao, however, seemed to have anticipated the trajectory of all the attacks, shifting his body slightly to the side.
He suddenly grabbed Natsu's wrist and, using his momentum, pushed him, guiding Natsu's fist toward Gajeel's iron club. Fire and steel collided, and both men were knocked back.
Immediately after, he turned with the momentum, grabbed the iron club Gajeel had swung over, and swung it hard.
He smashed Gajeel, along with his club, toward Laxus. The iron body collided with the lightning, and the two tumbled away.
Just as Laxus steadied himself, he blasted a bolt of lightning at Riyao, but Riyao dodged nimbly. The lightning grazed his shoulder and accurately struck Natsu, who was preparing to sneak attack.
Natsu was struck, smoking all over, and glared at Laxus, baring his teeth.
"Why did you strike me!"
Riyao stood in the center of the battle circle, touching his dragon horns, his tail swaying excitedly, arms crossed, smiling with wild abandon.
"Keep going, keep going, don't stop."