"Hey, this isn't what we agreed on, is it?"
After Baggs eliminated the target, he found that the swarm of bees had not disappeared as Rhode had said but had become even more fierce.
However, the good news was that their attacks were no longer as coordinated as before, descending instead into chaos, occasionally even conflicting with each other.
Loka hurried to remind him, "Bro, Mr. Rhode said that if we can't hold out, we should retreat to the Magic Array he drew."
"Here, here!" Gemini stood at the Hex Flying Gate, waving to the group.
When the bees flew to attack, the two of them, dragging golden starlight trails, used their heads to ram into the bees' heads.
Baggs and his two underlings engaged in a fighting retreat, but they also noticed that the bees here were no longer endless as before and were gradually decreasing in number.
At this rate, it wouldn't be unbearable.
On the other side, Rhode noticed that the bees showed no obvious Magic Power fluctuation during their two teleportations.
There was none on the apple tree or the Three-headed Snake either.
Then there's only one possibility: someone else is using Space Magic to help them escape danger.
Yesterday too, that guy probably kept following the Cerberus and then helped it escape at a crucial moment.
Today, the Cerberus was brought here first, and unexpectedly, Asterion also encountered danger, so they had to lend a hand.
Among the discarded Star Spirits, which one has such abilities?
Four spider legs emerged from Rhode's back, and four giant spider webs spread out in all directions.
Countless bees were trapped by these four webs, unable to escape.
When they fell to the ground, they had become four bee balls as large as small mountains.
At the same time, two mists of Void Divination expanded from Rhode and the Swift Crab, and Rhode scanned out all suspicious items in his view.
Suddenly, he turned around, pointing at a strange mechanical body suspended in the sky behind them and asked, "Lucy, what is that?"
Rhode was sure he had seen it in a book related to Celestial Spirit Science, but he couldn't recall its name or use.
Lucy looked up, the sky momentarily clear due to the previous large webs.
She saw a door-like bracket, fan-shaped parts, and other delicate components, such a shaped device...
"It's a Quadrant!"
Lucy blurted out, "This is an instrument commonly used in astronomical observations, for measuring the 'or the zenith distance' of celestial bodies.
"I've heard that similar instruments are also used in navigation for positioning... Ah! The bracket has eyes and a mouth, indicating this is the Star Spirit of Quadrans Muralis Constellation, Quadrans!"
Quadrans Muralis Constellation is also an already abandoned constellation, not part of the current 88 constellations.
Wendy and Carla both heard the name of this instrument and constellation for the first time: "Is there really such a strange Star Spirit?"
"Of course, some classify such constellations as tools, like Pixis of the Compass Constellation belongs to this category." Lucy had the key of the Compass Constellation.
Rhode's attention was still on the Quadrans Muralis Constellation: a tool for measuring and locating, now holding tricky Space Element Magic as a Star Spirit?
He attempted to shoot a blue lightning bolt towards the Quadrans Muralis Constellation.
A bee ball wrapped in a spider web blocked it, and the bees inside were struck by the powerful current and disappeared.
First, any magic with an obvious intent to attack would likely not hit it.
Second, if they appeared too strong, the opponent might flee.
Rhode immediately decided: "Lucy, you know that Quadrant best, I'll leave it to you, and Carla, assist Lucy. Wendy, come with me to handle the Cerberus and Big Bee!"
This was a lie.
However, no one questioned it; the two and the cat immediately began acting according to Rhode's plan.
Wendy followed Rhode towards the mountain where the Cerberus and Big Bee were, while Lucy was carried by Carla towards the Quadrant in the air.
The altitude rose rapidly, and Lucy had already taken out a long whip: "Get a bit closer, Carla."
Carla looked at the suddenly appearing bee swarm up ahead and said, "It doesn't seem to want to just wait for us to approach."
"No problem, Sajidarius!"
Lucy shouted downward, and the Sagittarius Constellation below quickly bent his bow and nocked arrows: "Hey hey!"
A series of nine arrows precisely shot the bees in the air, clearing a path for Carla and Lucy.
Lucy kept an eye on the Quadrant, muttering, "The angle of the quadrant ring is..., the scale of the vernier is..., the position of those bees just now..."
Carla had no idea what Lucy was saying but just carried her swiftly towards the target.
Lucy swung out her long whip, aiming for the main component of the Quadrant, the quadrant ring.
As expected, the move missed, hitting four to five bees that suddenly appeared instead.
Lucy quickly scanned the sky's bee swarm, comparing it to the Quadrant's movements: "Carla, to the left, I want to verify something!"
"Okay." Carla followed Lucy's instructions, evading the bees' attacks while flying rapidly.
Lucy directed Carla to various directions, swinging her long whip repeatedly.
The Quadrans Muralis Constellation kept using Space Magic, sometimes moving its position, sometimes summoning bees to help defend, and other times gathering the swarm to encircle Lucy and Carla.
However, the current swarm lacked proper command, and the Sagittarius Constellation's Sajidarius was providing cover below.
Lucy and Carla always managed to break through.
Upon seeing the Quadrans Muralis Constellation making a move again, Lucy swiftly read the parameters on it, confidently stating, "Okay, this time bees will appear from behind, and there will be 10 of them!"
Carla quickly reacted, evading and then looking back, finding Lucy's prediction spot on.
"Next is the left side, 5 of them!"
"Above, 7 of them!"
"This time the main body tries to escape, at the 3 o'clock direction, 200 meters away!"
Lucy foresaw each of the Quadrans Muralis Constellation's magical moves, predicting them with pinpoint accuracy.
Carla was amazed: "Incredible, it's like you've mastered Divination Magic."
Lucy punched the air with a smile, saying, "It's nothing too difficult, as long as I can see the readings on the Quadrant, nothing can escape my eyes!"
'No, being able to see through the enemy's magic in such a short time is certainly not an easy task.'
Carla re-evaluated her companion; this girl, who seemed silly and always got teased, was definitely not an ordinary mage.
However... this is how it should be; this is Fairy Tail!
Everyone knew that the Quadrant was the core of the enemy's strategy in this battle. Rhode must have trusted Lucy's capability, which is why he tasked her with handling it.
Thus... Carla decided that aside from Wendy, she should also trust and care more for the other members in the guild.
She also wanted to become a qualified Fairy Tail mage... Hmph, she might as well give it a try.
Yes, this was also to support Wendy, that's it.
"Get ready, Carla, let's finish him off in one go this time!"
"Okay!"