Boom! Boom! Boom...
The 'Big Spider' marched forward step by step, causing a rhythmic tremor on the ground, and creating fine ripples on the water's surface starting from the lake's edge.
A long cannon barrel extended from the front of the 'Spider', gleaming with a metallic sheen in the sunlight.
Tremendous magic power gathered within the barrel, and the muzzle emitted an ominous blue-black glow.
This caliber of magic-guided cluster cannon could level a guild with a single shot, and now, it was aimed at the Fairy Tail members advancing towards Ghost.
Kana warned, "Be careful, getting hit by that could be fatal."
Natsu puzzled, "Huh? Didn't Rhode say he'd take care of the first shot?"
"But he also told us to be prepared to be dragged underground." Loki adjusted his glasses. "Though I believe we can dodge before the shot fires."
"A real man can't be careless!"
The running group kept a close eye on the cannon while also searching for Rhode.
Simultaneously, in the Ghost President's room, which also served as the operational room, the pilot reported:
"President Joseph, Jupiter is ready, they have entered firing range."
Joseph revealed a cruel smile, "Send them to the afterlife."
He spotted Lucy within the small squad at the back, but Joseph suspected it must be a fake.
Knowing he wanted to capture Lucy, they wouldn't send her to the front lines, surely it was a tactic to prevent him from using high-damage magic.
Thus, he issued the firing order without hesitation.
"Yes!" The pilot pulled down the lever.
Buzz~~~ A large amount of magic power gathered at the muzzle, forming a visible blue-black vortex.
The vortex shrank smaller and smaller, compressed into a magic ball of blue-black magic power, the oppressive feeling palpable even without sight.
At this moment, a violent tremor occurred in the operational room, indeed the entire Ghost Guild building shook violently.
The muzzle was slightly affected, tilting subtly.
Joseph shouted, "What happened!"
"President Joseph, it's a purple monster!" The observer reported, "A purple monster is attacking the 'Walker'! It's the Fairy Tail Strategist!"
"What?"
...
Rhode's Swift Crab mode allowed him to move quickly in the water, reaching the shore even before his companions despite setting off a step later.
Once ashore, he switched to Stone Beetle mode, stealthily approaching Ghost from behind underground, then struck decisively with the Canyon Vanguard, guided by Wolian's coordination.
The Vanguard, leaving a purple trail, crashed into the right rear leg of the 'Walker'.
Cracks began to spread from the impact point and soon covered the mechanical leg.
The point of impact visibly dented, and the Canyon Vanguard continued to clobber with its large pincers relentlessly.
The mechanical leg creaked under the strain.
"Too slow, we'll be late at this rate!" Rhode emerged from the ground, "Receive·Canyon Vanguard!"
A flash of light enveloped Rhode, coating him with a purplish exoskeleton armor, a mask of purple and gray on his head, and eyes shining purple just like the Canyon Vanguard.
The chest armor formed an exaggerated inverted triangle, adorned with purple eyes, and a pair of hard wings sprouted from his back, trailing a purple tail.
His arms transformed into oversized purple pincers, and his legs, under the armor's cover, appeared robust and powerful.
Looking from a distance, he resembled a small Canyon Vanguard, strikingly similar to a B-series robot scorpion, Leilei.
The wings on Rhode's back vibrated, and he pushed off the ground, leaving a shallow pit, his whole body forming a purple streak heading for the mechanical leg, shoulder first.
Bam! Crunch...
Rhode crashed a deep dent into the mechanical leg.
Cracks radiated from the dent, intersecting and connecting with those made by the Canyon Vanguard, forming an irregular web pattern.
Though it seemed like mere additional patterns on the outside, internally, it was also riddled with crisscrossing cracks.
Each small grid began shedding unknown metal materials and construction debris.
Rhode decisively retreated just as the mechanical leg disintegrated in an instant.
Both the outer shell and the intricate inner mechanical structures, drives, and power lines fragmented into pieces, scattering everywhere.
The entire mechanical leg collapsed like a detonated building, a tremendous sound followed by rapid disintegration, generating plumes of smoke and dust in midair, stirring a massive cloud of dust surpassing the height and breadth of the building upon hitting the ground.
The Canyon Vanguard's massive silhouette vanished within the dust, leaving even its outline indistinct.
As the mechanical leg began collapsing, the building above lost its balance, suddenly tilting towards the direction of the severed leg.
Unprepared, the Ghost members within the guild fell in disarray, tumbling into disarray.
Many rolled from one side of the tilted floor to the other, squished faces against walls, further burdened by companions falling onto them.
Usamaru, representing the Fire Element, drew his sword and thrust it into the ground, and Aliya, representing the Wind Element, plunged her hand into a wall.
Iron Dragon Gajeel sprouted spikes beneath his feet, effortlessly anchoring himself.
The pilot in the operational room, seated securely, was spared, and Joseph saved his dignity as President by grabbing the back of a chair in time.
"Damn it! The mechanical leg is made of specialized magical materials, how was it destroyed?"
Perplexed, Joseph roared, "Quickly adjust the posture and regain balance! Get Gajeel to take care of that guy!"
Thud!
Jupiter had already fired, but the muzzle now tilted towards the sky.
Blue-purple magic beam shot from the ground into the sky, piercing the clouds above.
When the glow faded, a hole remained in the white clouds, surrounded by vapor slowly converging towards the center.
The crowd cheered, "Rhode did it!"
"Well done!"
"Managed to deal with such a giant in one go!"
Rhode's voice echoed in everyone's minds once more:
"Assault team push forward now! Mobilization team, come to me, Wolian guide them!"
"Understood!" Elfman and others shouted, accelerating towards the adjusting 'Walker'.
"On our way!" Erza and Mira guided by Wolian rushed towards Rhode with Lucy.
Rhode's location nearly swallowed by dust, he used the River Crab's peripheral vision to pinpoint the next mechanical leg, and leapt onto the Canyon Vanguard's back, racing ahead.
If he ruined another leg, the 'Walker' would become the 'Crawler'.
Amidst the dust clouds, an iron rod descended from the sky, aiming straight for the back of Rhode's head.