As the two flew away, Riyao, in Mirajane's arms, raised an eyebrow and grinned, a cunning glint in his eyes: "Watch me pull off something big for you."
Mirajane rolled her eyes dramatically, her tone full of disdain: "I think you just want to take a big dump."
"Taking a big dump works too, I'll arrange it right now." Riyao laughed even harder, pretending to strain.
"Don't mess around, be serious!" Mirajane quickly interjected, fearing he might actually cause trouble.
Before she could finish, a thick, earthy-yellow magic circle lit up in Riyao's palm, its ancient patterns swirling. Simultaneously, an identical, massive magic circle appeared in the sky, its interwoven patterns resonating with the one on the ground.
"Heavenly Movement of Myriad Phenomena!"
With his low shout, an eight-meter diameter meteorite burst out of the magic circle. Sparks flew from its surface due to high-speed friction, and the searing heat waves distorted the air as it plummeted toward the Stone Titan with world-destroying momentum.
The Stone Titan's clumsy stone body tried in vain to turn, but its sluggish movements were useless against the meteorite's extreme speed; it had nowhere to hide.
Boom—!
The deafening sound shook the heavens, and the shockwave kicked up clouds of debris and dust, like the apocalypse descending.
The dust didn't settle for a long time. Riyao waved at Mirajane, signaling her to land.
After they landed, Mirajane flapped her wings vigorously. A powerful gust of wind swept away the dust, revealing the Stone Titan's miserable state. Shattered stone debris littered the ground, and dark purple blood gushed from its broken stone body, pooling into a dark blood lake along the crevices of the giant crater.
Surprisingly, this giant beast was still clinging to life, its only remaining stone eye staring fixedly at the two.
Seeing this, Mirajane tightened her grip on her firewood stick. Using the momentum of her dive, she smashed it hard against the Stone Titan's already cracked skull. With a crisp "crack," the stone skull shattered completely, and the Stone Titan finally met its end.
"Done, Mirajane, time to clock out." Riyao clapped his hands, the star map patterns around his body gradually fading. His pink hair receded like a tide, returning to its original dazzling gold. He rubbed his fingertips against his hair tips, his eyes full of reluctance.
Mirajane also deactivated Satan Soul. The two sat back-to-back on the ground, their chests heaving slightly from rapid breathing, their faces filled with the exhaustion of being drained.
If Riyao had only maintained his Celestial Spirit form, a slow fight wouldn't have consumed so much.
But he insisted on replicating "Heavenly Movement of Myriad Phenomena," causing his magic power and life energy consumption to skyrocket.
Mirajane calmed down from the exhilaration of her Take Over, her eyes unfocused, with nonsensical thoughts like "why do birds fly" inexplicably circling in her mind.
Riyao struggled to pull out a few seeds and tossed them on the ground. A green light flashed, and several lush fruit trees instantly took shape. He then pulled out a celestial spirit key and shook it. With a flash of light, Virgo appeared, crouching on the ground and drawing circles.
"Boss, you didn't call me for the fight. My colleagues are making fun of me; I can't hold my head up anymore." Virgo's voice was aggrieved, her head buried even lower, drawing circles rapidly.
"Hahaha, next time I'll definitely call you to charge to the front!" Riyao laughed guiltily.
Mirajane poked at a pomegranate on a branch, eventually picking a plump peach. She took a big bite, juice running down the corner of her mouth, and said indistinctly: "It's a real waste for Virgo to be a celestial spirit following you."
Virgo nodded like a chicken pecking at rice beside her.
Riyao glanced at her, and Virgo immediately fell silent, continuing to lower her head and draw circles.
"Stop drawing, go get the Stone Titan's stone heart; that's the proof of the mission."
"Okay, Boss!" Virgo immediately got up and burrowed into the ground, disappearing from the spot.
Seeing this, Riyao pretended to be weak and groaned, letting his head lean onto Mirajane's shoulder. His weight made her sway slightly. Mirajane muttered disdainfully: "Get off, you're as heavy as a rock." But her body didn't move; she even quietly adjusted her posture to make him lean more comfortably.
Riyao pushed his luck and refused to get up, his tone deliberately exaggerated: "Mira, your look just now with the full-body Take Over was so cool. I was mesmerized. That slender waist, those long legs..."
Before he could finish, Mirajane's cheeks instantly turned bright red. She raised her hand to cover his mouth tightly, though a hint of imperceptible shyness hid in her eyes, and she said viciously: "Don't say any more! If you talk nonsense again, I'll beat you up!"
Just then, Virgo burrowed back up. She peeked out, caught a glimpse of this scene, immediately showed a knowing, auntie-like smile, quietly set down the stone heart, turned into light, and retreated to the Celestial Spirit World.
Mirajane pulled her hand back as if electrocuted, her cheeks flushing even deeper. Riyao looked at her reddened ears, the smile in his eyes deepening. He slowly pulled a crystal-clear key from his pocket. The handle of the key was meticulously carved with the Fairy Tail guild emblem. He handed the key to Mirajane: "Mira, this is my key. Do you want to sign a contract with me?"
Mirajane's pupils dilated slightly. Her fingers stiffened as she took the key. The cold touch made her shiver, yet the key seemed to carry a searing temperature, making her subconsciously grip it tight. Her cheeks were red enough to smoke, her mind went blank, and she stuttered: "W-what kind of contract?"
A tumbleweed passed by.
Two tumbleweeds passed by.
Three...
Silence spread over the battlefield, leaving only the sound of the two's slightly rapid breathing.
After who knows how long, Mirajane took a deep breath, squeezed the crystal key in her hand, suddenly lowered her head, and bit down hard on Riyao's shoulder. The force wasn't heavy, but it carried a full sense of venting. When she let go, she glared at him angrily: "If you dare to abandon me, I will Take Over you!"
Riyao was stunned for a moment, then ecstatic: This was an absolute win; a basic attack actually baited out an ultimate.
He didn't mind the blood seeping from his shoulder at all. He raised his hand and hugged Mirajane tightly, his voice gentle and smiling: "How could I dare? You are my big sister Mira, but being Taken Over by you doesn't sound too bad either."
Hearing this, Mirajane jerked her head up, her forehead slamming solidly into Riyao's chin. He groaned in pain, almost biting his tongue. She reached out and pinched his cheeks, pulling them gently, her tone fierce but coquettish: "Don't call me big sister, it sounds horrible!"
He still wasn't quite sure, in case he misinterpreted, so he prepared to ask boldly.
Riyao's cheeks were pinched out of shape, but he still smiled brightly, asking indistinctly: "Then what should I call my dear?"
Mirajane felt her face must be as red as a ripe apple, so she simply buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled, carrying a hint of imperceptible softness: "Whatever you want."
Riyao gently stroked her long hair, his movements as tender as if soothing a bristling kitten. The smile on his face was too bright to hide, and he seemed to have forgotten the pain of the wound still bleeding on his shoulder.
At an angle he couldn't see, Mirajane's lips slowly curled up, a hint of cunning revealing itself in her eyes.
Hunters often appear in the guise of prey.
The two rested like this, embracing under the fruit tree. The fruit tree beside them, nourished by the life energy Riyao continued to infuse, had lush branches and leaves, plump fruits, and was vibrant green, with no signs of withering at all.
Only the shoulder that was still bleeding profusely seemed to be silently protesting: Excuse me?
Virgo secretly came back on her own, shipping the couple in the shadows.