The royal guards were puzzled by Knightwalker's words, but they had no right to question her.
She was the captain of the Magic War Unit—who were they to object?
"Is His Majesty inside?" Erza asked.
"Yes, please go right in," the guards replied, quickly returning to their posts.
As the massive, heavy doors slowly lifted, the ground trembled slightly.
Erza continued her act while announcing herself, "Everything is ready. Eternal magical power is finally within our grasp."
'Erza's acting is quite convincing,' Lucy thought.
Following from a safe distance, she couldn't hear the conversation but watched the doors open.
Inside the Dragon Chain Cannon chamber stood nearly a hundred elite royal guards.
'So many soldiers...'
But Erza had anticipated this, after all, it was a highly important weapon.
"Knightwalker! I heard you brought the key. Is it true?" King Faust asked.
"It seems to have been damaged, Your Majesty, but do not worry. I captured a Dragon Slayer whose power can be used as the energy source. The other prisoner is an Ice-Make Mage who can create the key." Erza explained.
"We can threaten the Dragon Slayer's life to ensure the ice mage cooperates."
"Damn it!" Gray cursed angrily, having been casually tossed to the ground by Erza.
"Who is this?" the King asked, looking down at the tightly bound Gray.
"A Mage from Earthland and a companion of the Dragon Slayer."
"So they are the ones causing all these disturbances?" The King nodded in understanding, leaning on his magic staff.
"Yes, you are correct."
"Never mind. It does not matter," Faust dismissed. "Since we have both the magical power and the key, activate the Dragon Chain Cannon."
The chamber had a backup energy slot; once connected to Natsu, the machine could be activated.
After cutting Gray's ropes with her sword, Erza held the blade to Natsu's neck, threatening Gray.
"Get up, Ice Mage. Do not try any tricks," Erza warned, using her sword to lift Natsu's bowed head.
As Gray stood up, he examined the Dragon Chain Cannon from bottom to top.
Despite its name, it looked nothing like artillery.
Instead, it resembled a massive mural with numerous grooves carved from the base upward.
'So this is the Dragon Chain Cannon... It is nothing like I imagined.'
'There must be some kind of hidden mechanism,' Gray thought.
"Hurry up and start," Erza urged once the magical energy conduit was connected to Natsu's hands.
"We have come this far."
Clenching his teeth, Gray pressed his right fist against his palm, materializing an ice key out of thin air.
"Incredible!
"Is this the magic of Earthland?"
"But... why is he naked...?"
'What is this? Are they treating me like some kind of exotic dancer?' Gray thought in annoyance.
Even with his thick skin, being stared at by so many men made him deeply uncomfortable.
Gray stepped forward with the ice key, his true goal being to destroy the machine.
'I only have one chance. I must make it count.'
He continuously scanned the room for the most vulnerable point to attack.
After much thought, only the activation platform seems viable...
"What are you doing? Hurry up!" Faust yelled at Gray.
While inserting the key, Gray continuously channeled his ice magic, attempting to freeze the entire keyhole mechanism.
'It's useless... It seems this activation platform is also made of anti-magic material.'
"Since it's useless, lets take action!" Gray shouted.
In a flash, Gray created an ice sword with a backhand motion and held it directly against Faust's throat, while his other hand completely shattered the ice key inside the activation platform.
Even if the enemy hadn't collected enough of Natsu's magical power yet, Gray knew he had to eliminate the risk.
Without a key, the cannon couldn't fire.
Hearing Gray's command, Erza immediately cut the ropes binding Natsu and pushed him forward.
"Ooh! I'm all fired up!" Natsu yelled as his entire body burst into raging flames.
"What is going on?" Faust watched Erza's sudden betrayal in pure confusion.
"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Natsu roared, blasting the approaching soldiers away.
"How do we destroy this Dragon Chain Cannon?!" Gray asked loudly.
Erza's long sword now rested firmly against Faust's neck, while Natsu dealt with the remaining guards.
"Erza! You..." Faust narrowed his eyes, staring intently at her. "What exactly is happening here?"
"I will leave the King to you, I am going to help Natsu!" Gray charged forward with his ice sword.
"What are you doing, Knightwalker?! Huh?!" the guards yelled.
Golden light shimmered brightly around Erza as she changed out of her disguise and back into her usual armor.
"I am Erza Belserion, the Erza from Earthland."
"Hahaha!" Natsu laughed mid-fight. "This is what we call Operation D! The D stands for enemy disguise!"
"Do not mind me! Hurry up and capture the Dragon Slayer and the Ice Mage!" Faust ordered his men.
"Only then can we activate the Dragon Chain Cannon!"
"What should we do?" the soldiers hesitated, uncertain. "Aren't you Earthland Mages being too despicable? Using hostages as threats?"
"What else did you expect? This is a war," Gray scoffed, looking at the surrounding soldiers as if they were immature children.
"For the sake of our comrades, we are capable of doing anything."
"I said do not mind me! Attack!" Faust bellowed. "Only by activating the Dragon Chain Cannon can we eliminate the Exceeds! Do you not want eternal magical power?!"
"BELSERION!!!" Knightwalker roared furiously as she suddenly descended from above.
"Knightwalker!" Erza had no choice but to release Faust and block the heavy attack.
"His Majesty has regained his freedom! Let's go!" the guards cheered.
"We are here!" Kagura announced as she charged into the room wielding her sword, Archenemy, followed by the rest of the group.
The main gate had remained open since Erza and the others had entered.
"Knightwalker, of all the times to show up..." Erza grunted under the weight of the clash.
"Our battle is not finished yet, Belserion!"
"Retreat for now! They have neither the key nor the magical power anyway!" Erza commanded, making an immediate tactical decision.
The area was far too narrow, which was unfavorable for a group battle.
"Alright!"
"Everyone, gather close to me!" Kagura yelled.
She altered the gravity magic around her to anti-gravity, allowing the non-flying members to float up and follow her out through the Dragon Chain Cannon's massive muzzle.
Covering their retreat, Erza cleverly used the recoil from her weapon clash with Knightwalker to launch herself backward and accelerate her escape.
"Damn it! Belserion!" Knightwalker gritted her teeth fiercely.
She slammed her Ten Commandments spear hard against the ground to vent her furious frustration.
Having always been the victor, she had now lost—and to herself, no less—something her pride simply couldn't accept.
With a swift motion of a small dagger, Knightwalker personally severed her own crimson long hair.
First, it was to cut her hair as a pledge of her fierce determination; second, it was to prevent Erza from ever impersonating her again.
"After them! Second Magic War Division, Legion Squad! Full assault!" Knightwalker commanded.
"Yes, ma'am!"
King Faust stood completely still, his eyes closed in deep thought.
Finally, he opened them and declared, "I am going too! Prepare the Dorma Anim for me!"