"Unlucky?"
Marshall spread his arms and sneered. "Looks like you card mages still haven't realized the seriousness of the situation!"
From the earlier Lightforce Sword and Curse of the Hexagram, he'd confirmed Chase's identity as a card mage.
This instantly inflated his confidence to the limit, because...
The Eighteen Demon Gods Sky Drum, who governed space magic, was the absolute natural enemy of space mages like Celestial Spirit mages and card mages!
"Ne...Ira...Doviergu..."
"Radoka...Supudokurei!"
Sky Drum's mouth chanted ancient incantations. Twisted chaotic green light shot skyward, forming a huge barrier from above that enveloped the entire island.
Within this domain, any space-type magic would be blocked, losing all effectiveness!
This was what separated Marshall, possessing Sky Drum's true body, from counterfeit like Cluny.
——He could use more ancient taboo magic that had never appeared in this world!
"The space here is now under my control. My dear Chase, care to try using your tattered cards now?"
Marshall lowered his head, his face full of mockery as he looked down Chase standing on the beach.
Space under domination?
Chase frowned, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his deck.
Whether monster cards, magic cards, or trap cards, all levitated calmly. The familiar magical connection wasn't affected.
He could still sense the deck's existence, could summon at any time.
That's right—my magic is Duelist Soul. You limit card mages' space—what's that got to do with me?
The bond between duelist and deck—how easily could that be severed?!
Nevertheless, Chase wasn't in a hurry to use cards. Instead, he glanced with his peripheral vision at Mirajane, who stood with clenched fists, her face full of worry.
Perhaps this was a perfect opportunity...
Having decided, Chase took a deep breath, convincingly drew a card and attempted to summon, then his expression changed drastically.
"Damn it! I really can't use them!"
Seeing this, the uneasiness on Mirajane's face intensified.
Marshall, however, was overjoyed. His piercing laughter echoed like thunder.
"Never thought the mighty Fairy Tail S-Class mage would make such a delightful face, hahaha!"
"Since you've made me laugh, Chase—after I catch you, I'll leave you barely alive, to witness with your own eyes how everything you cherish turns to ashes under the demon god's fists!"
With that, fierce-eyed Marshall said no more.
He bent his legs, and with one powerful leap spanned hundreds of meters, his huge foot heavily stomping the area where Chase stood.
Instantly, sand and stones flew, the earth thundered!
Amid the dust, Chase, holding Mirajane, swiftly shuttled through the scattering gravel.
This time he didn't take advantage, retreating to a relatively safe area and gently setting Mirajane down.
"Mira, stay here. Don't move."
"Don't worry. Even if I can't use cards, I still have fists enough to shatter darkness!"
Chase clenched his fists and flashed Mirajane a brilliant smile.
Mirajane started to speak, but her sight held only a resolute departing figure.
"Hey! Marshall! Let me teach you a lesson..."
In mere seconds, Chase appeared before Marshall's huge demon head.
His speed was so fast it completely overturned Marshall's conventional understanding of card mages, leaving him momentarily stunned.
"Fists are also a card mage's deadly weapons!!"
By the time Marshall recovered and tried to counter, Chase's fist, saved up with power and heavy as a comet, had already landed on his cheek!
That unpretentious punch stirred up gales, directly knocking Marshall's head sideways, sending his entire huge body flying, crashing heavily into the island's central basin, stirring up chaos!
Almost instantly, the huge body dispersed the dust, its cast shadow completely covering the airborne Chase.
With the demon's physical form, Marshall's speed had also increased—no longer the clumsy figure from his fight with Dark Magician Girl.
BOOM!
Using the reaction force from a hard punch sideways, Chase avoided Marshall's fatal stomp.
But Marshall immediately switched tactics, twisting his massive body 360 degrees and launching a powerful flying kick straight at Chase.
Though Chase crossed his arms to block, he was still sent flying by that ship-sized foot, smashing through several hills along the way!
Marshall gave him no time to breathe. Magical power converged in his palm as countless space magic spells descended from the sky, bombing Chase's landing point.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Deafening explosions echoed across the entire island.
Chase shuttled through the attacks of chaotic light pillars with flexible positioning.
As he kept closing the distance with Marshall, magical power surged in his right fist.
Marshall instantly discerned his intention. He pulled his arm back to his waist, also gathering strength.
Finally, as Chase leaped high amid the explosions, two fists of vastly different sizes violently collided in midair, exploding into terrifying shockwaves that swept in all directions!!
But alas, the human body couldn't compete with the demon after all god's strange power.
Without his card-summoning ability, Chase was blasted away on the spot. A chaos vortex materialized behind his rapidly retreating form, sucking him in.
"Heh. Now I understand why Cluny failed..."
Marshall's expression
was Yinyi as he slowly walked toward the immobilized Chase. "As a card mage, having this kind of combat ability—you really are a monster!"
He briefly analyzed and contrasted.
If he hadn't awakened Sky Drum in advance, with just his original human power, he'd almost certainly be no match for Chase!
But "if" was just "if."
The current situation was that Chase had unsurprisingly become a lamb to the slaughter!
The more Marshall thought, the more excited he became. A twisted, almost perverted smile on his lips, he reached out his huge arm and squeezed Chase in his palm.
"How should I torture you, I wonder?"
Marshall squeezed slightly, and Chase's entire skeleton felt like it would shatter. He let out a pained scream.
"N-no... don't..."
Seeing this from afar, Mirajane's pupils instantly lost focus. Her delicate body trembled continuously, her heart shattering.
Unlike card monsters, if Chase died, it would be total obliteration.
Just like her sister Lisanna—every trace of existence in this world would be erased!
Including Dark Magician Girl and all the other card monster partners she'd come to regard as younger sisters!
As her consciousness nearly collapsed, the magical power she'd deeply buried and sealed within her began to go berserk.
Wisp after wisp of dark purple smoke drifted out.
"Oh?"
Marshall sensed this violent, oppressive aura. He turned to look at Mirajane, clutching her head with both hands. "Almost forgot about you—an excellent source of magical power."
Believing victory assured, a twisted thought crossed his mind. Still clutching Chase, he walked right up to Mirajane.
He wanted Chase to witness with his own eyes how his beloved woman died before him!
The enormous shadow, filled with despair, completely engulfed the girl on the verge of rampage.
Mirajane stood frozen, motionless.
"Mira... run... quickly..."
Chase coughed up a mouthful of blood, barely forcing a smile, as if he was about to die.
"Damn it... I really wanted... one more cup... of your coffee... with sugar..."
This "last words" completely shattered Mirajane's last nerve.
"AAAAAAAGH!!!!"
Mirajane screamed at the sky. Her white hair wildly danced in the erupting magical storm as gravel floated around her.
As if some long-sealed switch had been opened, black lightning stirred. A dark purple magic circle appeared above her head.
Then, Mirajane's clothes began to melt, replaced by dark-hued Satan Armor.
Black lines crossing her cheeks, a thick powerful tail, jet black sharp demon wings—all emerged in succession.
When the screaming subsided, standing before Marshall was one of Fairy Tail's only two S-Class female mages...
Demon Mirajane!
The surging magical aura made Marshall vaguely sense something was wrong.
——Especially her icy expression, as if she viewed everyone as garbage!
He acted decisively. His huge hand suddenly clenched, about to end Chase's life on the spot.
But instead of the expected blood spray—
"Vanished?! No! Impossible!"
Marshall was greatly shocked. He abruptly looked up to see the white-haired woman, who'd just been at his feet, now standing on a reef a hundred meters away by the sea.
In her arms—Chase, who should have been firmly held in his grip!
"This speed... how is this possible?!!"
***
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