In a mountainous forest…
"Dragon-Slaying Magic—Roar of the Fire Dragon!"
A torrent of flames erupted from Kael's mouth, forming a massive pillar of fire. The pillar twisted and rolled through the air, spawning enormous fireballs that crashed violently into the ground, sending shockwaves and debris flying in all directions.
Under the fiery onslaught, the earth turned blackened and charred. Even creatures in the distance could feel the scorching heat and the tremors shaking the terrain.
As the flames slammed into the earth, shockwaves propelled the air upwards, forming towering fireballs that tumbled and twisted midair, creating a breathtaking cascade of fire.
The magical beasts driven by the Beast King were decimated by the attack, though many still surged forward relentlessly.
"Lisanna, go help evacuate the nearby villagers! We've got this here!" Mirajane shouted after unleashing a blast of dark energy, turning toward Lisanna, who had just blasted a massive wolf into the air.
"Got it! Be careful, Nee-chan!" Lisanna responded, transforming into a sleek cyan-blue bird. She flapped her wings furiously, rushing toward the surrounding villages.
"Damn it… when will this ever end? Thank goodness I invited Natsu along, or the consequences would've been disastrous." Mirajane gritted her teeth as she watched the endless waves of beasts charging at them. Privately, she felt relieved.
While she could handle the beasts alone, her magic would be severely drained, leaving her vulnerable if the Beast King reappeared.
"Natsu, Elfman, you have to hold this line! Not a single beast can escape. I'll handle the Beast King." Mirajane soared into the air, extending her hands toward the approaching monsters and releasing a wave of dark energy. She then vanished in a blur, flying at breakneck speed toward the roaring Beast King at the back of the horde.
"Mission accepted!" Natsu clenched his fists and shot through the battlefield, each punch and flying kick sending dozens of beasts flying.
"This is what a man's supposed to do! Don't worry, Nee-chan!"
"Full-body Sync—Beast Soul: Giant Ape!" Elfman transformed into a colossal gorilla, his body swelling to several times its normal size. A single sweep of his hand obliterated a large group of beasts.
With Natsu and Elfman's precise coordination, not a single beast broke through. Their excitement and combat power only surged higher.
Meanwhile, Kael hovered high above, eyes closed, his Observation Magic reaching its absolute limit. He scanned the entire region—sky, earth, rivers, and forests.
So far, he detected no spatial magic, no disturbances in the dimension.
"What exactly are the conditions required?" Kael murmured, opening his eyes, arms crossed, one hand propping his chin in thought.
"Boom~"
The ground-shaking roar interrupted his musings, drawing his gaze to the battlefield below.
A few minutes earlier…
Mirajane had sprinted above the Beast King, her right claw brimming with concentrated dark energy. She slammed it into the Beast King's jaw, sending the massive creature soaring into the sky.
Kael watched as she followed with lightning-fast punches. From the distance where Natsu and Elfman stood, all they could see was the Beast King's body twisting midair, uncontrollably flung by her overwhelming force.
"Amazing… so powerful," Natsu said, eyes sparkling after a wing-flap attack sent a group of beasts flying.
"Dark Rampage!" Mirajane conjured a massive dark claw, striking the Beast King down to the ground with immense force. Dust and debris erupted, and the earth itself trembled.
The remaining beasts, their darkened eyes clearing, glimpsed the destruction and fled back toward the mountains, terrified.
Seeing the Beast King subdued so effortlessly, Mirajane felt a surge of pride. She hadn't even used her Observation Magic to gauge the Beast King's true state.
But Kael, observing from above, noted that though injured, the Beast King's vitality remained immense. It was feigning weakness, gathering strength in its right fist, preparing to ambush Mirajane.
Kael shook his head, letting her continue. This would teach her a lesson: in battle, pride and underestimating enemies often lead to one's own defeat.
As Mirajane descended toward the Beast King, ready to call Elfman over to absorb the creature's power, an unexpected threat emerged from her right. Instinctively, she raised her defensive magic, crossing her hands.
The Beast King struck with full force. Mirajane's barrier held momentarily, then she was sent hurtling backward.
"Roar~!" The Beast King unleashed a furious roar, ignoring its wounds, venting all its anger.
Elfman caught Mirajane, sliding her a safe distance away. Both stared in shock at the Beast King. Mirajane had used her full strength—and yet its defense and raw attack were far greater than expected.
"Nee-chan… are you okay?" Elfman called, worry etched across his face.
A familiar voice called from above. Lisanna swooped in, transforming back into her human form, landing in front of her sister with concern.
"Villagers are fully evacuated, Nee-chan."
"Good… cough… Natsu, take Lisanna and Elfman ahead. I'll stop it here," Mirajane coughed blood, speaking to Natsu firmly.
"No way! I won't leave any of my comrades behind!"
"I won't go either, Nee-chan," Lisanna, Elfman, and Natsu insisted, refusing to move ahead of her.
Happy hovered nearby, worry clear on his face.
"You've misunderstood. I'm not sending you ahead out of fear—you're safe. I just can't risk my next attack affecting you," Mirajane explained, almost exasperated. Her remaining magic was sufficient to finish the Beast King, but the next form she intended to absorb would unleash devastating power.
"Stay here… this will be over soon."
"Full-body Sync—Demon God Harphas!" Her aura exploded outward, terrifying in scale. Mirajane ascended, gauging the height to ensure safety below. Then she thrust downward with sonic speed, landing before the Beast King.
Her right hand formed a radiant, multicolored energy sphere, striking through the Beast King and hollowing out its body. The unleashed energy waves obliterated the surrounding mountains.
"Done."
"Is… is this the form used in the previous S-Class exam?"
"Incredible," Kael murmured, nodding. The training had been effective, though the form lacked full endurance.
Mirajane bent over, gasping for air, having just released her form.
At that moment, Kael sensed a strange magical fluctuation in the sky… Ultra-Dimensional Magic. A tremendously powerful spatial spell.
"Lisanna… what's happening?" Elfman cried out, alerting Mirajane. She turned quickly, eyes widening…