Under the blazing sun, the beach had turned into a battlefield soaked in blood.
The stench of death hung thick in the air.
When the last enemy fell, Arlen finally exhaled slowly. He flicked the blood from Alaya Shiki and stood alone amid the carnage.
Bodies—over a hundred—lay scattered across the sand.
Broken weapons, severed limbs, shattered armor.
A scene straight out of a nightmare.
"…Still not enough."
Arlen glanced at his hand.
"Just cutting down trash like this… and I'm already a bit tired."
"Looks like I need to push my training further."
—
Suddenly—
A violent gust of wind swept across the battlefield.
His silver hair and blood-stained cloak lifted in the air.
Arlen looked up.
A green energy projectile came crashing down toward him.
He leapt back instantly.
Boom!
The impact left a half-meter crater where he had stood.
His gaze sharpened.
Ahead—
A black-haired, middle-aged man in dark robes stood there, eyes filled with killing intent.
Beside him, another man trembled in fear at the sight of the battlefield.
"…You did all this?" the middle-aged man asked coldly.
"Who are you?" Arlen replied calmly.
He could feel it.
This man—
Was strong.
On par with him.
Maybe even dangerous.
—
"My name is Canris."
"The overseer of this place."
"You're strong, kid. I'll admit that."
"But you should've stayed alive."
"Now… you die."
His killing intent surged.
Magic power exploded outward, pressing down on the surroundings.
Even his subordinate collapsed to his knees under the pressure.
—
"…You talk too much."
Arlen released his own magic.
The air trembled.
Their powers collided—equal in intensity.
But battle wasn't decided by magic alone.
—
"You're from Fairy Tail…" Canris muttered, noticing the guild mark.
"Arlen. Fairy Tail mage."
—
Silence.
Then—
Both vanished.
—
Clang!
Steel met steel.
Arlen's blade descended.
Canris met it head-on—with his fist.
A strange gauntlet absorbed the strike.
The sound of metal collision echoed across the beach.
To an outside observer, only blurred afterimages remained—
Their speed too fast to follow.
—
Arlen felt exhilarated.
Finally—
Someone who could match him.
But Canris—
Was growing uneasy.
"This kid… his technique is rough…"
"But he's adapting mid-fight?!"
"What kind of monster is this?!"
—
Arlen deflected a punch—
Countered with a slash.
Canris twisted his body, barely avoiding a fatal hit—
Then drove a heavy punch forward.
Arlen raised his blade to block—
BOOM!
He was sent flying.
Crashing into rock with a thunderous impact.
—
"Got you!"
Canris seized the moment.
Both hands extended.
A green magic circle formed.
"Storm Magic—Emerald Gale!"
A massive storm of wind blades surged forward.
"Be torn apart!"
—
Arlen stepped out from the rubble.
Unharmed.
—
Canris' pupils shrank.
"…You're kidding."
Then he laughed wildly.
"Doesn't matter!"
"You'll still be shredded!"
—
Arlen said nothing.
His expression turned cold.
A blue magic circle formed beneath him.
Lightning erupted.
His blade shifted—
From icy blue to deep azure.
Electric arcs coiled around it.
Behind him—
A massive lightning dragon formed.
Dozens of meters long.
Roaring.
Its cry seemed to pierce the soul.
—
"Trash like you… shouldn't bark."
"Secret Art—Azure Dragon Break."
—
He swung.
—
The dragon surged forward—
Splitting into two colossal lightning beams.
They tore through the air, dragging thunder in their wake.
—
The moment they collided with Emerald Gale—
The storm shattered.
Within seconds—
It was obliterated.
—
The lightning didn't stop.
It kept going.
Straight toward Canris.
—
His face twisted in disbelief.
"…Impossible…"
"That attack… I used most of my magic!"
Yet—
He reacted.
Two spells activated instantly.
"Storm Armor!"
"Wind Waltz!"
—
He braced.
He couldn't dodge.
No one outruns lightning.
—
The beams struck.
—
Destruction erupted.
The ground trembled.
The air screamed.
—
Canris struggled.
Roared.
Cursed.
"…DAMN IT!! WHY IS THIS SO STRONG?!"
—
Arlen watched calmly.
"…You blocked it?"
"But it doesn't matter."
—
The lightning intensified.
Merged.
Overwhelmed his defenses.
Shattered his magic.
—
"AAAAAAHHHHH—!!!"
—
And then—
Nothing.
—
Canris was erased.
Not even ashes remained.
—
Silence returned.
—
Arlen exhaled.
That attack had consumed nearly 80% of his magic.
But the result—
Was absolute.
—
The battlefield, however—
Was devastated.
A massive trench carved through the land.
Dozens of meters wide.
Bottomless.
The surrounding terrain had been completely destroyed.
—
Arlen sheathed his blade.
Shook the dust from his clothes.
Adjusted his cloak.
—
Then—
He began walking.
Toward the island's center.
Toward the R-System.