The anger in Laxus's heart surged uncontrollably like magma, and he threw his head back and let out a roar.
His figure suddenly expanded, the force of his swelling muscles shattering his shirt into pieces. As fabric scraps flew, his Dragon Force fully manifested.
Rough dragon scales emerged from beneath his skin, spreading from his arms to his chest and climbing up his neck, with lightning crackling between the gaps in the scales.
They outlined his silhouette like a thunderous dragon.
[Lightning Dragon's Crushing Fist]
He charged his right fist with lightning, currents wrapping around his knuckles into a sphere. He stomped forward, and the ground cracked beneath his feet.
An uppercut slammed into Riyao's chin, the massive impact launching him into the air like a cannonball. He traced an arc in the sky, crashing through the cathedral's dome, sending debris raining down.
Natsu looked up at the blasted-away Riyao, not worried at all, but instead trembling with excitement, his fists clenching until they cracked.
"Riyao, watch out!"
Gajeel also shouted at the top of his lungs without holding back.
"You better be able to take it!"
Laxus's emotions had reached their peak; the resentment, unwillingness, and anger accumulated over the years all poured out in this moment.
"Riyao!!!"
The three dragons took a deep breath simultaneously, their chests expanding rapidly as magic power condensed in their throats into a world-destroying torrent.
[Fire Dragons Roar]
[Iron Dragons Roar]
[Lightning Dragons Roar]
Three roars erupted simultaneously: orange-red flames, scorching and hot; dark gray iron filings, sharp as knives; and golden lightning, domineering and violent.
These distinct powers mixed together to form an immensely thick, combined torrent.
Carrying an aura of total destruction, it blasted toward Riyao in the air, distorting the air in its wake and causing it to emit sharp, mournful cries.
Riyao steadied himself in the air, watching the triple roar coming his way. Instead of dodging, he smilingly opened his arms, his tone as relaxed as if he were welcoming a spring breeze.
"You guys are really not holding back, but you're still underestimating me!"
Boom!!!
The moment the three forces struck Riyao, they didn't explode directly. Instead, they clearly separated into three layers—orange-red, dark gray, and golden-yellow—intertwining and wrapping around each other.
They gathered to form a massive, spiral-shaped energy sphere, engulfing and wrapping Riyao inside. On the surface of the sphere, electric arcs jumped, flames licked, and iron filings rotated and cut, radiating a suffocating pressure.
The violent energy fluctuations shocked all the Mages present; debris on the ground was shaken into the air, and the glass of nearby buildings shattered one after another.
Erza stood on the street, looking up at the constantly expanding energy sphere. Her brows furrowed as she turned to ask Mirajane beside her.
"Aren't you worried about Riyao?"
Mirajane crossed her arms over her chest, proudly lifting her chin, a confident smile playing on her lips, her tone full of certainty.
"I believe in my Riyao; he is invincible in Magnolia."
Lucy clasped her hands in front of her chest, looking at the terrifying energy sphere in the sky, her voice filled with unconcealable worry.
"Hey... this won't cause any problems, right?"
Makarov's reaction was the most intense. He looked up at the buildings affected by the energy sphere, tears streaming down his face, pounding the ground in pain.
"That's all money, you brats! Do you know how much it costs to repair all this?!"
The energy sphere in the air suddenly contracted, as if it were about to explode the next second. The air pressure plummeted, and everyone instinctively took a step back.
Then, Riyao opened his mouth.
That energy sphere, enough to raze half of Magnolia, was pulled as if by an invisible vortex.
Centered on Riyao's mouth, it was sucked in while spinning rapidly. The massive torrent of energy poured into his body, and his throat made a gurgling sound, as if he were chugging a giant barrel of strong liquor.
"Hahahaha..."
Riyao laughed up at the sky, his laughter filled with exhilaration and satisfaction. His whole body erupted with an aura so powerful it was suffocating, cyan lightning crackling and surrounding him.
The cyan magic power emanating from his body surged and leaped like flames.
Under the reflection of the magic flames, the dragon scales emitted a cold, metallic luster. Electric arcs jumped on his dragon horns, and his dragon tail flicked excitedly behind him.
He looked like a dragon god awakened from ancient times.
Seeing this, Natsu and Gajeel's mouths hung wide open, their jaws nearly hitting the ground.
Gajeel rubbed his eyes hard, his face full of disbelief, his voice trembling.
"This is impossible! How could he swallow three completely different attributes at the same time?! Even if a dragon came, it would get a stomachache from swallowing different attributes of magic!"
Natsu, on the other hand, looked envious, stars in his eyes, his hands clenched into fists raised above his head.
"Coach, I want to learn this!"
Riyao didn't give them more time to react; he turned into a cyan meteor and dove down from high altitude.
His speed was so fast that it left a sonic boom cloud in the sky. A turquoise magic circle appeared under his feet, its emerald green light illuminating the surrounding ruins.
His right leg rapidly extended in mid-air, transforming into a thick, jade-like iron staff, slashing toward Gajeel with a piercing whistle as it broke the air.
[Azure Dragons Jade Staff]
Gajeel didn't have time to dodge; his whole body instantly turned to steel, his arms crossed to protect himself, his hands transforming into two steel pillars to block desperately.
Metal collided with metal, emitting a deafening roar, sparks flying everywhere.
But the terrifying impact still knocked him flat, sending him flying and plowing a long trench into the ground, soil flying and debris scattering.
Finally, with a "bang," he crashed into a roadside fountain, water splashing into the sky. Gajeel soaked in the water, his eyes rolled back, sleeping peacefully.
Riyao landed, his toes lightly tapping on the rubble, his figure flashing in front of Natsu like a ghost.
He waved his hand, and turquoise magic rapidly unfolded under Natsu's feet, the emerald green patterns spreading like ripples.
Natsu didn't have time to react before cyan flames rose from the magic circle.
They transformed into a giant lotus flower, wrapping him inside. The petals layered over one another, continuously burning Natsu's body, the cyan firelight coloring the entire street.
[Azure Dragons Fire Lotus]
Natsu grimaced in the fire lotus; this was the first time in a long while he had felt such scorching heat, the temperature was even a bit too much for his Dragon Slayer constitution.
He tried to open his mouth to swallow the flames, but the cyan fire seemed to have a life of its own.
"Oh my, oh my."
Riyao tilted his head and looked at Laxus, his tone as casual as if he were chatting about the weather.
"Laxus, it's about time you woke up, right?"
Laxus looked at Riyao in disbelief, his pupils contracting violently, his hands clenching so hard his nails dug into his palms, blood dripping from between his fingers as he roared hideously.
"I still have a chance!"
He suddenly put his hands into the starting stance of Fairy Law, fingers crossed, golden light pouring out from between his fingers, illuminating his twisted face.
The light grew brighter and more blinding, as if he were pouring all his magic power into it.
High in the sky, a massive golden magic circle slowly emerged, its patterns complex and precise, with the Fairy Tail emblem printed in the center, dyeing the entire sky gold.
Riyao crossed his arms, his dragon tail swaying leisurely. He watched Laxus's movements with an amused expression, showing no intention of stopping him, a faint smile even hanging on the corner of his mouth.
Laxus thought he didn't understand the horror of this magic and shouted, his voice filled with hysterical madness.
"This is one of the guild's three great super-magics! Fairy Law! The old man used this move to destroy Jose! And you still dare to stand there!"
However, in the world through Riyao's eyes, everything was different.
He saw clearly that the golden light between Laxus's hands, while grand in momentum, was like a tree without roots, locked onto no target.
The core of Fairy Law lies in judgment; law without a target for judgment is nothing but a flashy light show.
He raised his hand to cover his mouth and yawned, his tone indifferent.
"I know, I was there at the time."
He silently added in his heart, "What a tsundere!"
Laxus was so angered by Riyao's indifferent attitude that veins bulged on his forehead and his temples throbbed.
He roared, driving all his magic power, pouring the last bit of strength into it, and fully activated it.
[Fairy Law]
Dazzling light descended from the sky, enveloping all of Magnolia. Golden pillars of light shot into the sky, illuminating every inch of land, every building, and every person's face, as if daylight had descended.