During the Seven Years

Chapter 30

The moment Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy step into the room, a surge of relief floods through me. My legs feel like they might give out, but I stand tall, meeting Jellal's gaze as he nods, a silent promise of support in his eyes. Beside him, Ultear's cool, assessing gaze sweeps over the room, and Meredy's fierce determination is clear as she steps forward, already sizing up the mages facing us.

The three powerful women who confronted me exchange glances, a flicker of worry breaking through their confident facade. But it's the teal-haired female who steps forward, her hazel eyes hardening as she takes a defensive stance. "I suppose the odds have evened," she mutters, her fingers twitching as her thorny vines bristle with energy.

Meredy narrows her gaze, assessing her opponent. "Evened? You're outmatched, and you know it."

The black-haired woman smirks, raising her glowing hand as if to show she's not intimidated. "Then let's see if you can keep up."

Without another word, the battle erupts into chaos.

Ultear moves first, weaving her Time Arc magic around her hands. She stretches out her arm, sending a wave of temporal energy surging toward the teal-haired woman, who meets it with a dense thicket of vines that whip and coil to intercept the attack. Ultear's magic warps around the vines, slowing them momentarily before shattering the outer layers. Undeterred, the teal-haired woman raises her hand, summoning a fresh wave of petals and thorns that surge toward Ultear in retaliation.

Across the room, Jellal and the purple-haired woman are already locked in a fierce exchange. Jellal's Meteor magic blazes, his speed unmatched as he dodges her blows and retaliates with powerful arcs of energy that force her back, her sneer turning into a grimace. She counters with blasts of dark magic, each pulse tearing through the air, but Jellal twists gracefully, narrowly evading her attacks and launching his own barrage of celestial energy.

Meanwhile, Meredy takes on the black-haired mage, whose explosion magic fills the air with fiery blasts that rock the guildhall's foundations. Meredy darts between the attacks, her agility and reflexes sharp as she closes the gap between them. Her fists glow with her Sensory Link magic, and with every punch she throws, her magic traces a path toward her opponent, linking their senses and disrupting her focus.

Scorpio stands by my side, and together, we flank the other mages, directing a fierce sandstorm toward them. The black-haired woman manages to dodge most of the attack, her explosions scattering the sand, but she's momentarily blinded, giving Meredy an opening. She dives forward, striking with precision, forcing her opponent to stagger back.

Amid the chaos, I keep my gaze on the three females. They're powerful, but I can see how much they care about each other. Each time one of them falters, the others move in to cover her, weaving their magic together seamlessly. There's a bond between them—a fierce loyalty that mirrors what I feel for my own friends.

"Hold on!" the purple-haired woman calls, rallying her allies. Her voice is strained, but there's a fire in her eyes that refuses to die. She channels her dark magic into a massive wave that surges toward Jellal, forcing him to jump back and regroup. At the same moment, the teal-haired girl's vines twist and extend, reaching for Ultear and Scorpio, while the black-haired mage sends explosions roaring across the room, forcing Meredy and me to scramble for cover.

Just as I begin to catch my breath, the heavy sound of footsteps echoes down the hall. I freeze, dread pooling in my stomach as I recognize that familiar aura. The leader of Crimson Blood emerges from the shadows, his silver hair glinting as his icy blue eyes lock onto us with a predatory gleam.

"So, reinforcements arrived." His smirk is chilling as he strides forward, hands clasped casually behind his back. "Four against four, then. This will be... interesting."

Jellal clenches his fists, his gaze hardening. "You're underestimating us. We're here to put an end to Crimson Blood."

The leader lets out a laugh, low and menacing. "And you think you can accomplish that? Let's see how strong you really are."

The entire room is on edge as he joins the fray, his powerful aura sending shivers down my spine. This is the moment we've been dreading—a battle not just against the three females, but now their leader, too. The tension is thick as we ready ourselves, knowing that any mistake could be fatal.

Jellal charges forward, his body lighting up with Meteor as he blurs toward the leader in a flash of speed. The leader raises his hand, deflecting Jellal's attack with a burst of divine weaponry magic, successfully blocking his attack. Ultear jumps in, her Time Arc warping the divine sword mid-air, causing it to shatter harmlessly before it reaches Jellal. They work in perfect sync, Jellal striking with lightning-quick movements while Ultear manipulates the time around their attacks, making it nearly impossible for the leader to keep up.

Meanwhile, the three female mages press their attack, refusing to relent. The teal-haired woman's thorny vines lash out toward me, each one tipped with razor-sharp petals. I duck and roll, narrowly avoiding the deadly strikes. With Scorpio beside me, I counter, sending blasts of sand toward her in hopes of slowing her down.

But she's fast—too fast. Her vines weave through the sandstorm effortlessly, coiling and striking with precision. I'm forced to stay on the defensive, each dodge draining my energy bit by bit.

The black-haired mage isn't making things any easier. Her explosions fill the air with searing heat, and every blast seems to get closer, forcing me and Meredy to split up and divide her attention. Meredy throws herself into the fray, linking her senses with the black-haired mage, which disorients her just enough for me to land a glancing blow with Scorpio's sandstorm.

The purple-haired woman, meanwhile, has locked onto Jellal with fierce determination, matching his celestial energy with blasts of dark magic that fill the room with shadows. She grins, clearly relishing the challenge as her magic clashes with his, filling the air with crackling energy.

I'm running out of options. Loke, Taurus, and Sagittarius are out of commission, and Scorpio is nearing his limit. But a new sense of resolve burns within me, a determination not to let Crimson Blood win. I have to try something drastic.

Taking a deep breath, I clutch Pluto's key, feeling its cold metal press into my palm. I close my eyes, focusing on the deep bond I share with my spirits. I think back to how I've connected with my spirits over the last few months and how we've gotten stronger over time.

"Please, Pluto," I whisper, pouring every ounce of my will into the key. "I need you."

For a moment, nothing happens. My heart sinks, but I refuse to give up. I focus harder, reaching out to Pluto with all my might, feeling the energy surge within me, like a spark catching flame.

Then, there's a shift—a powerful presence answers my call, filling the air with an energy that sends shivers through the room. A swirling black mist materializes in front of me, condensing into the towering form of Pluto, her eyes blazing as she regards the scene.

I stare, momentarily stunned. I did it—I actually summoned her. Relief floods through me, and I let out a shaky breath. If anything, I'm relieved I was able to summon her. Not only does her presence on the battlefield increase our chances, but this means my power has increased!