The Southern Battlefield
Southern battlefield, outside Hargeon port.
The rolling hills were completely submerged by the dark, overwhelming battle flags, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The vibrations from the iron boots pounding the ground traveled through the soil, causing the entire port to tremble slightly.
The imperial army pressed forward relentlessly, the overwhelming tide of people like a rising black tsunami; the army on this side outnumbered the one in the north.
Hargeon Port was originally built for trade, with a flat and open terrain backed by plains and facing the deep sea.
Nearly half of the Alvarez Empire's army landed from this side.
The allied defense line, composed of Fairy Tail, Lamia Scales, and Mermaid Heel, appeared as flimsy as a straw in Tempester before the seemingly endless Imperial army.
That's why, when Mavis was deploying troops in front of the guild's sand table, she sent most of her main force to this meat grinder-like front.
Boom!
Crimson and black magic tore a gap open in the center of the army formation.
Fairy Tail spearheaded the frontal assault, while Mirajane and Erza, back to back, charged into the heart of the enemy formation from the left and right.
The two leaned on each other, tearing a huge gap in the enemy's impenetrable formation, and the Fairy Tail members immediately followed up through the opening to launch a surprise attack.
Led by Lyon Lamia Scales were responsible for the right flank, with countless materialized ice and snow beasts roaring as they intercepted the enemy's heavy cavalry.
Under Kagura's leadership, Mermaid Heel was responsible for the left flank. Even without drawing its sword, the heavy gravity storm it generated made it difficult for the enemy forces flanking from the left to make any progress.
"Where's Natsu?!"
"Huh? I didn't notice, when did he disappear?"
"Never mind him for now, watch out behind you!"
Erza a sharp shout, swung her longsword back, and knocked down several enemy elite captains who had sneaked up from behind.
The group stopped trying to figure out where Natsu had gone. The battle on the battlefield allowed no room for distraction, so they had to grit their teeth and focus on dealing with the endless enemies before them.
Just as the allied forces regained their footing, a slender, tall figure appeared atop the cliffs on the distant coast.
The Spriggan 12 – Battle Empress Dimaria Yesta.
Her sleek blonde hair billowed in the sea breeze. She crossed her arms, her golden eyes casually scanning the chaotic battlefield below, a sickly yet amused smile playing on her lips.
"So many cute girls!"
Before the words were finished, the figure on the cliff top swayed slightly like ripples on water.
Without any sound of air being torn apart or any trace of magical energy flowing through her, she instantly appeared on the most central position of the battlefield.
Even top mages like Erza and Mirajane couldn't figure out how she managed to overcome all obstacles and appear out of thin air.
Except for Ultear.
Ultear, who was standing on the rear position, suddenly trembled, and the crystal ball that had been floating in his hand burst out with a violent and dazzling white light.
Her pupils suddenly dilated, and she screamed at the top of her lungs towards everyone in front of her.
"Watch out! The Spriggan 12 have appeared; they're using Time Magic."
The piercing screams carried by the gale-force winds throughout the entire combat zone.
Dimaria raised an eyebrow in surprise, her steps faltering slightly, clearly not expecting anyone to see through her.
"Let me think... Your name is Ultear, right? The one who masters the Arc of Time."
She tilted her head and thought for a moment.
The Alvarez Empire's General Staff did issue a detailed file on Ishgar mages before the war, but the Spriggan, confident in their overwhelming power, had no interest in even glancing at that pile of worthless paper.
If it weren't for the fact that Ultear also possessed an extremely rare branch of time, Dimaria wouldn't even have a trace of this name.
Dimaria chuckled softly, slowly raised her right hand, and lightly snapped her fingers with her slender middle finger and thumb.
[Time Seal]
In an instant, the whole world came to a complete stop.
The charred, blackened soil, shattered in mid-air, remained frozen two meters above the ground; the flying sparks condensed into glittering red dots; and the oncoming sea breeze was abruptly transformed into a still, transparent wall.
All the soldiers, mages, and even Erza, who was halfway through swinging her sword, froze in that instant.
The entire world was utterly silent.
In this gray, frozen spacetime, the crystal ball in Ultear's hand suddenly emitted an extremely faint halo.
Her eyes moved slightly, and her fingers surprisingly began to move with great difficulty.
"You can actually stop time? Just who are you?"
Ultear gritted his teeth, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"You're very perceptive, little cutie."
Dimaria tilted her head and walked slowly through the frozen air, a mocking smile on her face.
"This is certainly not a realm that ordinary people can touch. You should feel honored to have witnessed this."
She casually drew her sword from her waist, the tip pointing idly at Ultear's throat, her posture as nonchalant as if she were teasing a young animal in a trap with a twig.
Buzz!
Dimaria's figure vanished from Ultear's sight as if out of thin air.
The next instant, a crisp metallic clang rang out behind Ultear. Dimaria, with her back to her, was slowly sheathing her longsword.
Click.
The moment the longsword was fully sheathed, the previously peaceful space was suddenly torn apart by hundreds and thousands of dazzling white sword arcs!
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Countless deep, bone-revealing gashes burst open simultaneously on Ultear's body, spraying blood like a fountain into the still air.
Even now, Ultear hasn't even seen how the other party made their move.
She felt as if her meridians were being slowly sliced apart by thousands of steel knives. The intense pain drained all her strength, and with a muffled groan, she collapsed heavily to her knees.
This person can not only stop time, but also accelerate their absolute speed within a frozen spacetime?
Despite the excruciating dizziness that seemed to explode in her mind, Ultear bit her tongue, trembling, and used the intense pain to channel the remaining magic within her body, raising the crystal ball high in her hand.
Buzz--
A semi-transparent ripple of time spread outwards from the crystal ball with great difficulty.
Dimaria stood a few steps away, one hand on her hip, a cruel mockery on her lips, making no move to interrupt.
In her view, the most pleasing part of the game was the sight of the prey struggling Despair.
Ripples spread slowly through the frozen air like water, and wherever they passed, faint cracks in time collided with Mirajane and Erza stood frozen in front of them.
Click!
An invisible barrier was forcibly broken open, and the two people shuddered, finally breaking free from their absolute stillness.
"What's going on?!"
Erza turned around abruptly, only to be met with a still battlefield and a bizarre scene behind her.
"Ultear!"
Mirajane spotted Ultear kneeling in a pool of blood at a glance. His pupils contracted, and without thinking about what was happening around him, he transformed into a blur and rushed over.
Erza turned to look at Dimaria, who was standing with her arms crossed and sneering, her eyes instantly turning icy cold.
Did you do this?
[Heaven's Wheel Armor]
A silver-white magic circle rose from beneath her feet, and magnificent silver armor instantly covered her entire body.
However, just as she instinctively tried to summon the dozens of longswords floating around her to launch a devastating attack, she was horrified to find that the accompanying flying swords were frozen in place, completely unable to be activated!
Erza acted decisively, and her magical light flashed once more.
[The Pure Heart Clothing]
The heavy armor instantly transformed into a light robe and bodice. She gripped the Edgeless wooden sword tightly with both hands, shattered the ground, and charged head-on towards Dimaria!
On the other side, Mirajane knelt down and half-embraced Ultear.
Mirajane was frantic as he looked at the horrific wounds covering the woman in his arms, so numerous that her internal organs and bones were faintly visible.
"If this continues, you'll die. Can't we bring the All-Creation Giant Dragon in?"
As long as the Life Magic creation of the Riyao is pulled into this time rift, its immense healing power can instantly stabilize the injury.
Ultear coughed up a mouthful of blood weakly, and shook his head, his face pale.
"No... that's too big. I don't have enough magic. I can only keep the two of you moving right now."
Blood seeped into the soil from Ultear's body, flowing more and more, and her pupils began to dilate; she didn't have much time left.
Mirajane glanced anxiously at Ultear, who was hanging by a thread in her arms, and then looked up at Erza, who was being toyed with by Dimaria and was in grave danger not far away.
In this world that has been put on hold, even a distress signal cannot be sent out.
There wasn't enough time.
"There's enough time this time, don't worry, I'm here."
A familiar, indifferent voice rang in Mirajane's ears without warning.
Mirajane froze.
Ta~
The sound of the staff striking the earth rang out, and a vast and warm, verdant vitality surged forth like a tide.
The torn muscles and severed blood vessels on Ultear's body healed rapidly under the green light, at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Even the scorched, blood-stained soil beneath them miraculously sprouted clusters of tender green grass and delicate flowers.
Mirajane's tense heart suddenly relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face, but she suddenly froze on the spot.
Wrong.
Mirajane stared intently at the profile of the young man beside her; the face and the magical energy fluctuations were exactly the same.
The person in front of me had eyes as calm as a stagnant pool.
This is not my own Riyao.
Riyao struck the earth once more with his staff, and the world shattered as if a mirror had been laid.
Time begins to flow again...