The aftermath of the battle left the battlefield scattered with unconscious enemies and smoldering debris. Smoke curled into the air as I flicked my guns back into their holsters and rested Rebellion on my shoulder.
"Alright," I exhaled. "That was fun."
"Fun?" Macao wiped sweat from his brow. "You got stabbed, smashed through crates, and nearly turned into a stain on the floor."
"And I walked it off," I said with a smirk.
Wakaba lit a fresh cigarette. "He's got a point. I mean, he's still standing."
NIMO hovered beside me, scanning my body. "Correction: Aiden is standing with several fractures, a punctured lung, and bruised ribs."
Macao blinked. "You punctured a lung!?"
I rolled my shoulders, wincing a little. "Eh, it's fine. It has already healed."
Wakaba exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Man, watching you fight is like watching someone deliberately try to kill himself."
I grinned. "What can I say? I like the challenge."
The ground suddenly shook, a deep boom echoing from the fortress ahead.
"That's our cue," I said, my expression shifting to serious. "We're moving in."
Macao nodded, signaling to the others. "Alright, you heard him! The plan's still on. We take the lower levels, disable their defenses, and give the main force an opening!"
The rest of the team gathered, weapons at the ready. The battlefield was a chaotic mess—mages clashing, spells exploding, and the fortress loomed ahead, its massive stone walls, dark towers, and arcane artillery glowing ominously atop the battlements.
Wakaba raised an eyebrow. "So… we're just gonna waltz right in?"
I smirked, spinning Ebony in my hand. "Of course! No other flashy way."
Then, without warning, I broke into a sprint, weaving between fighting soldiers, dodging spells and stray arrows as I charged straight toward the fortress gate.
Macao groaned. "He's doing it again!"
"At least he's consistent," Wakaba muttered before rushing after me, firing smoke bullets to cover our advance.
The battlefield was pure chaos—mages clashing, spells exploding, and debris flying everywhere. The air buzzed with magic, the ground trembled beneath the force of battle, and ahead of us, the fortress stood tall and menacing, its massive gates still sealed shut.
I didn't slow down. Ducking under a fireball, leaping over a fallen soldier, I closed the distance with reckless speed. Behind me, Wakaba and Macao struggled to keep up.
"Hey, Aiden!" Wakaba shouted, dodging a lightning bolt. "You wanna maybe NOT charge straight into death?!"
I grinned. "You guys worry too much!"
I raised Rebellion, its massive blade catching the glow of the battlefield, and with one powerful swing, I sent a shockwave tearing through the enemy ranks, blasting several dark mages off their feet.
"Subtle," Macao muttered, kicking an enemy in the face.
Before I could reply, a dark-robed mage lunged at me from the side, a jagged dagger coated in poison gleaming in his hand. I barely had time to twist away, but the blade plunged into my side, sinking deep.
Pain exploded through my body. I hissed through my teeth, gripping the hilt of the dagger, but the mage sneered.
"That poison will eat you alive," he taunted.
For a second, I staggered. My vision blurred, and the pain was intense—but then, I felt it. A familiar heat spreading through my body. My wounds knit themselves back together rapidly, forcing the dagger out as my regeneration kicked in.
The dark mage's smirk faded as he saw the wound vanish before his eyes.
I cracked my neck. "Yeah, that still hurt like hell."
Then, before he could react, I spun and fired Ebony right into his chest.
Wakaba gaped. "He just got stabbed and shook it off like a bad meal."
Macao sighed. "Remind me never to bet against this kid."
NIMO's voice rang in my head. "Might I suggest dodging next time?"
"Noted," I muttered before launching myself back into the fight.
I holstered my pistols and reached the massive iron gate. A thick magical barrier shimmered over it.
Barrier, huh?
NIMO appeared at my side in his floating form. "I suggest we analyze the magic before you do something reckless."
"Reckless?" I smirked. "Come on, NIMO. When have I ever—"
"—constantly," NIMO interrupted. "Every single time."
I ignored him and unsummoned Rebellion. With a thought, I summoned Yamato instead. The katana hummed with a quiet, deadly power as I drew it from its sheath.
"Alright, let's see how strong this thing really is."
With a precise slash, Yamato's blade cut through the air, distorting space itself. A silent shockwave rippled forward, severing the barrier at its core. For a brief moment, nothing happened—then the magic split apart, unraveling like fractured glass before vanishing in a burst of energy.
"That works too," NIMO muttered.
The moment the barrier dropped, I kicked the gate with full force, blasting it open.
"Alright, boys," I called back. "We're in!"
Macao and Wakaba rushed to my side.
Wakaba whistled. "You sure know how to make an entrance."
Macao peered inside. "Let's just hope the rest of them didn't hear that."
An alarm instantly blared through the fortress.
I grinned. "Oops."
Wakaba groaned. "Why do I even bother?"
The moment we got inside, I rolled forward, blasting an incoming soldier square in the chest.
Wakaba landed beside me, firing a barrage of smoke bullets that detonated on impact, sending several guards crashing into walls.
"Alright, what's the plan?" he asked, ducking behind cover as a bolt of magic whizzed past his head.
I crouched beside him, checking the layout. The fortress was packed with soldiers, their forces scrambling to respond to our sudden breach.
"The plan," I said, kicking a crate toward an enemy and shooting it midair, sending wooden shrapnel everywhere, "is to make a mess."
Macao groaned as he caught up. "You call that a plan!?"
"Would you prefer something more detailed?"
"YES!"
"Too bad!"
I dashed forward, sliding beneath a swinging axe, then flipped up and pistol-whipped the attacker across the face. The poor guy did a full spin before collapsing.
NIMO hummed. "Aiden, perhaps some strategic coordination would be wise."
"Strategic coordination?" I leaped onto a railing and kicked off the wall, vaulting over an enemy before driving Rebellion down into his shoulder. "That's just a fancy way of saying 'hit them really hard!'"
"Incorrect. Strategy involves calculated mov—"
A massive explosion cut NIMO off as Macao ignited a wave of fire, sending a squad of guards scattering.
Wakaba nodded in approval. "I like his strategy."
Macao adjusted his gloves. "Thank you!"
We pushed forward, weaving through enemy fire, moving deeper into the fortress.
But then—
BOOM!
A massive steel gate slammed shut, cutting off our path.
"Uh-oh," Wakaba muttered. "That can't be good."
The air rippled as a figure landed with a heavy thud. A tall man in a dark cloak stood before us, lightning crackling around him. His red eyes locked onto us.
"That's definitely not good," Macao muttered.
The man cracked his neck, chuckling. "Fairy Tail… I was hoping you'd show up."
I twirled Ebony, grinning. "Great. I was hoping for a decent boss fight."
Wakaba sighed. "Can you not taunt the scary guy for once?"
"Nope."
The mage flicked his wrist, and a bolt of lightning shot toward me. I vanished in a blur, reappearing behind him with Yamato drawn. A thin blue slash shimmered as the ground split beneath him.
"Tch. Fast," he muttered, dodging back.
Lightning flared, and he lunged. I barely sheathed Yamato before he reappeared, fist crackling with energy.
"Too slow," I said, unsheathing in a flash.
A series of rapid slashes tore through the air, forcing him back. Sparks flew as lightning met steel, the battlefield flashing with blue and white streaks.
He suddenly vanished.
I turned just as he reappeared behind me. "Gotcha," he grinned, palm inches from my back. A massive bolt exploded, launching me forward.
I flipped mid-air, landing hard. Smoke curled from my jacket. "Not bad."
The lightning mage smirked, electricity crackling around his body. "What's wrong? Losing your spark already?"
I scoffed, rolling my shoulders. "You talk too much."
He vanished in a flash of blue light. I barely had time to react before he reappeared above me, a spear of lightning forming in his hand.
"Die."
I flicked Yamato's sheath with my thumb.
Slash.
In an instant, I was behind him, my blade already sheathed. A thin blue line split the air where he had stood.
His eyes widened as blood spattered the ground. "Wha—"
A second later, the shockwave hit. The air tore apart, a massive gash forming in the earth. The lightning mage was flung back, skidding across the battlefield before slamming into a boulder.
He coughed, pushing himself up, electricity flickering around his wounds. "Not bad," he admitted. "But—"
I was already in front of him.
His breath hitched.
Slash.
Yamato cut through the air, distorting space itself. A deep gash appeared on his chest before he even realized he'd been struck.
He staggered, eyes wide. "No… way…"
I exhaled, sheathing Yamato.
He fell to his knees. The lightning flickered… then faded.
Silence.
Macao whistled. "Damn. Remind me not to piss you off."
Wakaba sighed. "You could've ended that sooner."
I shrugged.
A loud explosion shook the ground beneath us. Dust and debris rained from the ceiling.
NIMO hovered beside me. "Aiden, the alliance forces have breached the fortress from the east. They're engaging heavy resistance."
I smirked. "Perfect. That means we've got their attention."
"Macao, Wakaba! I'll take the middle—spread out and cause chaos everywhere!"
Macao smirks, cracking his knuckles. "Heh, now that's my kind of plan."
Wakaba exhales a puff of smoke, giving me a sideways glance. "Just don't get yourself killed, kid. We ain't got time to bail you out."
I let out a short laugh. "Please, I should be saying that to you two. Just keep 'em busy and make it loud—I don't want them knowing where to focus."
Macao nods. "Got it. Burnin' everything in sight, right, Wakaba?"
Wakaba grins. "I'll make sure they choke on my smoke before they even see me."
"Good," I say, adjusting my grip on my weapons. "We hit hard, we hit fast, and we don't stop. See you when it's over!"
Macao gives me a two-finger salute before sprinting off to the left, flames already dancing at his fingertips. Wakaba exhales another cloud of thick smoke, then disappears into it, vanishing like a ghost.
I turn my attention forward. The enemy is scattered but organized enough to be a problem. That won't last long.
I tighten my grip on Ivory and Ebony, my twin handguns, and break into a sprint. The moment I get close, I leap high into the air, flipping over a group of dark mages.
They barely have time to react before I unleash a volley of bullets. Explosive shots strike the ground beneath them, sending them flying in every direction.
A shout rises over the chaos. "We're under attack!"
Yeah, no kidding.
I land, rolling forward and twisting my body as a spear-wielding mage lunges at me. I sidestep, slamming my foot into his stomach and sending him skidding backward.
More enemies close in. I grin. Good. Let them come.
A flash of fire erupts to my left as Macao tears through a row of enemies, his flames igniting their robes. He laughs wildly, launching another wave of destruction.
On the right, Wakaba's smoke slithers through the battlefield, obscuring vision. Coughing and shouting fill the air as enemies struggle to breathe.
This is perfect.
I flip Rebellion off my back, the greatsword's weight familiar in my hands. Time to make a mess.
With a quick spin, I bring the blade down, sending a shockwave of force through the ground. The nearest mages are thrown off their feet, and before they can recover, I dash forward, slashing through them like a storm.
One of them tries to cast a spell—too slow. I plant a bullet between his fingers, shattering his focus before driving my knee into his jaw.
The battlefield is in complete chaos now, just the way I wanted. I steal a glance toward my allies.
Macao is grinning like a madman, his flames spreading fast. Wakaba's smoke has turned into a full-blown cover, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.
I reload my guns with a flick of my wrist and exhale.
---
Author here!,
It's been over a week since I started writing, and I just want to say thank you for all the support! Your encouragement keeps me motivated, and I truly appreciate every comment, read, and interaction.
Starting today, I will be posting eight chapters per week on a regular schedule. While I would love to release two chapters per day, doing so might compromise quality, and I want to ensure that every chapter meets my standards.