The Phantom Lord's mobile fortress shook violently under the assault.
Elfman, Cana, and Loke had braced themselves in advance, but most of the Phantom squad stationed beneath the massive magic cannon stumbled and fell as the floor tilted under them.
"Perfect timing!" Cana shouted, flinging a handful of cards. Flas, wind, and lightning burst forth in rapid succession, engulfing the narrow corridor under the cannon's barrel.
The open passage quickly turned into a blazing inferno. Screams erupted from the Phantom mbers caught in the blast, so were burned, so blown back, and others turned to flee in a panic.
"Bad idea to run blindly," Loke warned, flashing the golden ring on his finger. A radiant beam of light burst forth, forcing several enemies to shield their eyes in pain.
"N fight with their fists!" Elfman roared as he activated Beast Soul: The Beast King, barreling forward with devastating strength. His right fist sent a Phantom mage flying through the corridor; his left sweep knocked three more into the wall like they were nothing but trash bags.
The three Fairy Tail wizards seized the opening and stord through the gate beneath the cannon.
"Natsu, let's go!" Gray shouted from below, already charging forward.
"Nah, our way's faster!" Natsu grinned through the nausea. "Happy, full speed ahead!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy grabbed Natsu and soared straight for the cannon's barrel, wings fluttering as they closed the gap.
"Tch... This idiot..." Gray knew what Natsu was planning the mont he veered off-course. Who else would think charging the front of the enemy's cannon was a good idea?
If they fired now, Natsu would be nothing more than vapor.
"Ice-Make: Claw Grapplers!" Gray snapped, summoning two massive ice claws with long chains. The claws latched onto the barrel's supports, anchoring him midair.
With one sharp pull, Gray launched himself up after Natsu, grabbing the end of the chain as he ascended.
He wasn't about to let Natsu go in alone.
anwhile, beneath the Walker, the ground continued to tremble—less violently than before, but still persistent.
Rhodes was systematically smashing one chanical leg after another.
This ti, he wasn't in as much of a rush. They had a small window before the Phantom's forces regrouped—and the voidmites swarm still needed ti to deploy.
Inside the Walker's narrow corridors, Cana, Loke, and Elfman pushed forward.
Loke glanced at the walls, still wary. "It's not shaking as hard this ti. Think he's slowing down?"
Cana hurled a card that exploded into a wave of storm magic. "Even at half power, it's insane. We tested those legs earlier, rember? Not even a scratch."
They'd all tried—Natsu's fire, Gray's ice, Elfman's fists.
At best, they could leave shallow dents. Even that was pushing it.
Two hits and a leg collapses? That kind of strength was on Gildarts' level.
"Don't worry about it," Elfman said firmly, punching a Phantom mage into the wall. "Rhodes knows what he's doing. He'll give us the ti we need. All we have to do is fight."
He'd fought beside Rhodes more tis than he could count. When Rhodes said to focus on the mission, that's what you did. You didn't need to think about anything else.
If Rhodes had been with them, Elfman might have thought he didn't even need to think about defense, just pick a target and fight. That was the kind of reliability Rhodes brought to a team.
anwhile, in the Phantom Lord control room, Jose was growing more and more agitated.
"Gajeel hasn't taken care of things yet? What's taking him so long!"
Just then, a frantic subordinate ran in. "Master Jose! A Fairy Tail strike team has breached the guild's periter!"
Jose didn't look surprised. He expected them to try sothing like this.
"How many?"
"Five entered... but only three remain near Jupiter's chamber. Their target seems to be the cannon. Our n... we can't hold them back!"
As always, Happy was conveniently ignored in the headcount.
Jose scoffed. "Useless. Just three of them? Release the Ghost Soldiers."
He wasn't worried. Jupiter was guarded by Totomaru. Even if the intruders broke into the cannon room, they'd be stopped cold. And if needed, Aria would intervene.
Suddenly, Rhodes' voice echoed in the minds of Cana, Loke, and Elfman through Warren's telepathic link.
"Warren detected a large force heading your way. Look for a choke point to slow them down, but don't hesitate to fall back. Reinforcents will be there soon."
Cana nodded. "Got it... but, uh, are we the main assault team or the distraction?"
"Current situation?" Rhodes replied calmly. "You're the distraction inside the assault team. Gray just reported encountering Totomaru."
Cana's expression lit up with confidence. "Fire elent? Oh, we've already won then."
Both Loke and Elfman smirked. If it was a fire mage, Natsu would wipe the floor with him. No contest.
Or so they thought...
anwhile, inside Jupiter's power core, the reality was very different.
Natsu's flaming punch veered off course at the last second, and slamd directly into Gray, knocking him clean across the room.
Gray hit the wall hard, groaning. He staggered to his feet, fury flashing in his eyes.
"That's the second ti, you flaming idiot! Are you doing this on purpose?!"
"It's not !" Natsu barked, looking flustered. "My body's not listening! Sothing's off!"
Gray clenched his fists but paused, narrowing his eyes. As reckless as Natsu was, he wouldn't pull sothing like this mid-mission.
The culprit could only be the samurai standing before them, his black-and-white hair tied into a topknot, a red haori draped over his shoulders, and a longsword sheathed at his waist.
"I am Totomaru of the Fla Elent," he declared, voice calm and composed. "All flas fall under my command, whether born of nature or conjured by an enemy."
"The only one who commands my flas... is !" Natsu shouted, charging forward. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist—ugh!"
His punch twisted mid-air and slamd into his own face.
The impact sent Natsu flying backward in an arc, landing in a heap at Gray's feet.
"My flas... betrayed ?" Natsu groaned, eyes spinning.
"Flas cannot strike ," Totomaru said coolly. "That is your misfortune for facing ."
"Well, I won't be using flas," Gray muttered, clenching his fists. "Ice-Make: Sledgehamr!"
A massive hamr of ice materialized and swung down from above. Totomaru raised one palm casually.
"Crimson Fla."
A torrent of superheated red fire burst from his hand, halting the hamr in mid-air. The intense heat lted the ice in seconds, steam hissing into the room.
"Ice-Make: Lance!"
Gray launched a dozen ice spears toward him—but they, too, were consud by the swirling red flas.
The air filled with fog as water vapor rolled across the chamber. Totomaru advanced slowly, his arm extended like a living flathrower, fire roaring toward Gray.
Suddenly, Natsu stepped in front of him.
"Gray, back off!" He shoved Gray behind him, opened his mouth wide, and devoured the incoming flas.
"Mmm~ tastes like ketchup. I love it!" Natsu grinned, licking his lips.
Gray stumbled back, exasperated. "You flaming idiot! You can't even control your own fire, stop getting in my way!"
"Shut up! I've got it under control now!" Natsu butted his forehead against Gray's. "I'll show you what my fire can really do!"
"Natsu, Gray!" Happy hovered beside them, sweatdropping. "Now's not the ti to argue..."
Just then, Rhodes' voice echoed telepathically through Warren.
"I'm almost finished on my end. Cana and the others are under heavy pressure. Can you two handle it?"
"Of course!" the two shouted in perfect sync.
"You've got three minutes. If you're not done by then, I'm sending in Mira and Erza."
"Like hell you are!" they both snapped.
"That kind of opponent doesn't need them!"
"Aye," Happy muttered with a sweatdrop. "They're completely ignoring Lucy again." Honestly, he felt a little bad for her.
"Three minutes is too slow, anyway!" Natsu growled, tugging on his scarf with a fiery gleam in his eyes.
Gray smirked, snapping his fingers as his shirt flew off dramatically. "I'll finish it in thirty seconds."
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