Chapter 110: Playing with Fire
Back at the villa, only Ichiya and Jura remained. Ichiya turned to the taller mage with a curious expression. "Mr. Jura, I've heard you're one of the Ten Wizard Saints—strong enough to rival even Guild Master Makarov and Dino."
Jura shook his head humbly. "No, that's far too generous. I'm merely the lowest ranked among the Ten Wizard Saints. I couldn't possibly compare to President Makarov. As for Dino… his strength far exceeds mine."
"Oh? Is that so!" Ichiya's expression shifted strangely. "Then I suppose I have nothing to worry about."
Jura blinked in confusion. Then his nose caught something—a sickeningly sweet scent permeating the air. "What is this smell?" His limbs suddenly felt heavy, his magic power draining away.
"A perfume that saps one's will to fight," came the reply as Ichiya drew a knife and plunged it into Jura's abdomen.
Jura reached out in disbelief, trying to grab his attacker.
Ichiya's form suddenly rippled and split apart. Two small, blue-skinned creatures emerged from the dissolving illusion.
"We're back!" the twin Gemini spirits chirped happily.
"The real Ichiya just wanted to enjoy himself at the resort!"
"He never suspected a thing—what a fool!"
"Enough complaining, you two."
The bathroom door creaked open. A young woman with blonde hair and white feathered clothing stepped out—Angel, the only female member of Oración Seis that Hibiki had shown them earlier through his Archive Magic.
"You…!" Jura's eyes widened in recognition despite the pain.
"I copied that man's form to learn all your battle plans," Angel said coldly.
The Gemini twins nodded enthusiastically. "When we transform, we can access the target's thoughts and memories!"
"Damn it…!"
"Perfect. Two down already." Angel smiled cruelly.
Jura struggled to speak through gritted teeth. "It's… useless… even if you know our plans… As long as Dino is here… you have no chance…"
Angel's expression soured at the mention of that name. "Dino is certainly dangerous, but even the most dangerous person can be dealt with using the right methods."
Despite his grievous wound, Jura managed a pained smile. "You… don't understand anything… about him…"
Thud! Jura collapsed to the floor.
Angel's face twisted with irritation at Jura's final words. "Hmph! What could you possibly know about us? You mages who bask in the light will never defeat those who've dwelled in darkness!"
Meanwhile, on the forest path…
"Why aren't you running faster? Your companions have already rushed ahead!" Carla complained, her white wings fluttering as she flew alongside Dino.
Dino maintained his leisurely pace, hands behind his head. "If you sprint the whole way, you'll be exhausted before the real fight begins. Since I'm already here and their fates are sealed the moment they face me, what's the rush?"
"Such arrogance…" Carla muttered with a sweatdrop.
Wendy glanced between them nervously. "Carla, don't talk to him like that! Dino obviously slowed down for us."
"Don't give him too much credit. I think he's just lazy," Carla retorted with a huff.
Dino chuckled at the exceed's tsundere attitude, completely unbothered. Then his expression became more thoughtful. "Hey Wendy, how old are you?"
"Fourteen!"
Dino blinked in surprise. "Fourteen?! You need to eat more—lots of protein and drink plenty of milk."
Wendy's shoulders slumped, a gloomy aura surrounding her. "I do eat a lot, but nothing changes… Am I going to stay like this forever?"
"No way! Maybe it's just because—"
Dino's expression suddenly sharpened. In a blur of motion, he scooped up both Wendy and Carla, stomping down hard on the ground.
BOOM!
A crater exploded beneath his feet as he launched them all skyward.
At the exact instant they left the ground, a massive beam of destructive magic energy obliterated the spot where they'd been standing.
BOOOOM!!!
The explosion was catastrophic. A hemisphere of raw magical power expanded outward, consuming everything within its radius. Trees were instantly vaporized, boulders shattered into dust, and the shockwave rippled across the forest.
The devastating blast naturally caught the attention of the entire Allied Forces.
"What the hell was that?!"
"That destructive power is insane!"
"It came from behind us!"
"Is that Nirvana?!"
The Blue Pegasus trio recognized the magical signature immediately, their faces going pale. "No! That's Christina's Magic Bomber Cannon!"
"Blue Pegasus's bomber cannon?" someone shouted in confusion.
"Why would it fire at a time like this?!"
"Who was the target? Is there an enemy approaching from the rear?!"
Dino landed in a clearing far from the blast zone, gently setting down Wendy and Carla. Both were drenched in cold sweat.
"We would've been obliterated…" Wendy whispered, staring at the smoking crater in the distance.
Carla, who had been snarky just moments ago, now looked at Dino with genuine gratitude mixed with embarrassment. "Thank you… I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
"What was that attack?" Wendy asked, her voice shaking.
"I've been on the receiving end of Christina's Magic Bomber Cannon before, so I recognize it," Dino said, his voice taking on a darker edge. "I was training in the mountains when Blue Pegasus was chasing a monster one day. Ichiya fired without looking and nearly blew me up."
His expression grew distant, remembering. "I was so pissed I destroyed half of Christina and dragged Ichiya out for a 'discussion.' Once I calmed down and heard it was an accident, I let him off… mostly because Master Bob is friends with Gramps."
Carla's eyes widened. "But why would Blue Pegasus's ship attack us now?!"
Wendy looked equally confused and frightened.
Dino's eyes narrowed dangerously. "If I'm not mistaken, Christina has been hijacked by Oración Seis."
The massive flying ship emerged from the clouds, slowly drifting into view.
"Is that Blue Pegasus's Magic Bomber?! It's huge!" someone from the Allied Forces exclaimed.
"Wait… it's not heading toward us?"
"Are there enemies in that direction too?"
Hibiki's face went white as he stared at his Archive screen. "Something's wrong… Christina's exterior is covered in different colored magical signatures!"
Eve's voice cracked with panic. "The only Blue Pegasus members who came on this mission were Master Ichiya and the Trimens!"
"No…" Ren's face drained of color. "Christina's been captured! We've been attacked from within!"
Back in the clearing, Dino watched Christina drift overhead. His jaw clenched. No one enjoyed being the target of a sneak attack—especially not one powerful enough to vaporize him if he'd been a second slower.
"Looks like someone's playing with fire," Dino muttered.
His fists clenched. White spherical auras materialized around them—the telltale sign of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power.
The air itself began to crack like glass.