Natsu rallied his spirits and shouted loudly, but unfortunately, few could respond to him anymore, leaving Natsu somewhat stunned.
He glanced around at his companions in the "Expedition Force."
To coordinate with Gajeel earlier, they had already exhausted their last reserves of magic and now only a handful could still launch an attack.
Gajeel, who had just accomplished a great feat, now lay motionless on the ground.
It was clear that the previous strike had completely drained him.
"It looks like they can't win."
Seeing this, Laxus spoke up.
This time, however, there was no trace of mockery or sarcasm in his tone.
Instead, there was a hint of regret.
The efforts and achievements of the "Expedition Force" made it impossible for Laxus to comment with his usual mockery.
"Don't rush, it's not over yet." Marco shook his head.
He didn't believe this was the end.
With "Dorma Anim" now missing an arm and crippled in one leg, both its attacks and mobility were severely limited, rendering it practically useless.
If the "Expedition Force" could muster one last burst of energy, they could secure final victory.
This time, Laxus didn't respond.
He had been proven wrong several times already and had finally learned his lesson.
Until the matter was settled, he would refrain from making any direct comments.
"Damn it! Then I'll do it myself!"
Seeing that his companions were all running low on magic, Natsu felt no discouragement.
He bravely faced the nearly crippled "Dorma Anim," flames burning in his hands like a knight about to challenge a vicious dragon.
"Don't think you're going alone. I won't let you steal all the glory."
Gray struggled to his feet, gasping for breath as his magic slowly recovered.
Lucy, Hisui and Hibiki Lates also rose one after another, standing together to face "Dorma Anim."
They all shared one thing in common: they were wearing the "battle suits" given by Marco, and they all used "New Celestial Spirit Magic."
Even in this otherworld, the stars in the sky could still supply them with magic power, no matter how faint it had become—or how much fainter it was growing.
"I'm all fired up now!"
Seeing his companions beside him, Natsu felt encouraged.
Flames seemed to blaze in his eyes, and his mind was set on one thing: destroying this "Dorma Anim" immediately.
It had to be said that Natsu's personality was truly "flammable."
Even the smallest things could ignite his spirit instantly.
This was one of the reasons he never stayed down for long—he could always motivate himself to stand back up, even with reasons that sounded far-fetched.
"Die!"
Seeing the tenacity of Natsu and the others, King Faust launched another attack.
"Dorma Anim" swung its intact arm, its long blade-like fist slashing toward the group.
However, the movement appeared incredibly clumsy—unsurprising, given its crippled arm and leg.
Natsu and the others easily dodged the slash and immediately counterattacked.
Gray and Lucy unleashed the "Diamond Dust Fist," both of them draining the magic of the "Cygnus Constellation" almost completely.
Hisui strummed her lyre, continuously unleashing string-like slashes.
She felt utterly powerless, as her magic was primarily "energy-based," making it severely countered by this "magic eradicator."
Meanwhile, Hibiki Lates frowned intently at his Archieve, searching for information and potential solutions to break the deadlock.
However, his efforts ultimately proved futile, as the battle concluded swiftly.
Natsu had a sudden inspiration.
He charged directly into the frost surge jointly unleashed by Gray and Lucy.
Harnessing the overwhelming force of the "Diamond Dust Fist," he shot toward the chest of "Dorma Anim," enduring the icy assault as he ignited the last flicker of flames on his body.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
Natsu rocketed toward "Dorma Anim" like a missile, crashing headfirst into the silver-armored monster's chest.
"BOOM!!!"
A deafening explosion echoed as Natsu burst out from "Dorma Anim's" back, simultaneously dragging out a silver-haired old man.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Natsu tumbled several times on the ground before lying still, while the old man who had been flung out with him also lay motionless.
The scene plunged the area into silence.
"Dorma Anim" ceased moving, its magical energy gradually fading.
"Did... did we win?"
Hibiki Lates, who had been studying his Archieve was stunned.
It had all happened too suddenly—he hadn't even processed it.
"We won!!!" Gray was the first to react.
He leaped up with a roar, injecting a surge of energy into the "Expedition Force."
Many struggled to their feet, supporting one another.
As they gazed at the motionless "Dorma Anim," joy spread across their faces.
They raised their arms in cheers, celebrating the victory.
"We won! That's fantastic!"
Makarov happily jumped up, exchanging high-fives with Goldmine and Bob beside him.
The three old-timers had been anxiously monitoring the situation, nearly intervening several times, only to be stopped each time by Marco.
Marco served as the emergency responder using his "Crystal Wall" and "Teleportation" abilities.
Whenever someone was on the verge of collapse, he stepped in to assist.
His reliability ensured no one sustained serious injuries, especially since those at the forefront were tough and resilient.
"See? I told you they could do it."
Marco glanced at Laxus, pride evident in his tone.
This was a victory of principle, proving Laxus's assertions too arbitrary.
Laxus had denied the significance of the other guild members, but every individual in the guild had their purpose.
"Did you help them?"
Laxus frowned, having noticed something amiss.
At the final moment, the magical energy radiating from Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Hisui and Hibiki far exceeded their normal capacities.
The descent of the starlight had been unusually rapid.
"Haven't I been helping all along? I've been assisting from the very beginning."
Marco smiled without denying it.
He had indeed tampered with the process, accelerating the response of the celestial stars to grant his disciples more magical energy—even draining the remaining power of several constellations.
However, this was not the main reason why Natsu and the others ultimately emerged victorious.
It was their indomitable spirit of never giving up and their flexible adaptability in battle that truly defined Natsu and enabled the "Expeditionary Force" to finally defeat "Dorma Anim."
After all, "Dorma Anim" was already at the end of its strength.
...
"All of our sins... will finally come to an end."
Gazing at his father lying on the ground, Mystogan sighed with mixed emotions—yet what dominated his expression was relief.
His entire life had, in truth, been constantly influenced and bound by this very matter.
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