It was a creature resembling a centipede.

Its body, over a meter long, was encased in layers of dark purple chitin, with faint violet light seeping through the gaps.

Unlike a normal centipede, its head lacked eyes or pincers—only a pair of quivering antennae and a spiraling, vortex-like mouth.

Seemingly disoriented by its unfamiliar surroundings, dozens of segmented legs trembled beneath its abdomen.

The sharp tips of its feet tapped against the cobblestone with a crisp, rhythmic clatter.

"Rift Crawlers?"

Mystogan exhaled in relief at the sight of the ejected creature, though a headache quickly followed.

The fact that no innocents had been harmed eased his mind, but the appearance of these monsters was its own problem.

Rift Crawlers.

Subterranean magical beasts that hunted by sensing vibrations through the ground.

Their maws could spew highly corrosive fluids.

And because they lacked eyes, they were acutely sensitive to magic.

Attempting to re-activate the sealing magic for the 『Soul』 would undoubtedly draw their attention.

Their acidic spray could even erode magical arrays, and their chitinous shells offered considerable resistance to spells.

In short, they were a troublesome foe.

Under normal circumstances, he could take his time dealing with them—but now, with the 『Soul』 to seal, time was a luxury he didn't have.

Worse, the commotion had already drawn the attention of nearby residents.

Mystogan spotted doors creaking open, curious faces peering out in confusion.

"Fairy Tail is handling an official request! A magical beast has appeared—please stay indoors for your safety!"

A booming voice rang out from above.

"Whoosh—"

A heavy object tore through the air with a deafening howl, spinning like a windmill as it hurtled toward the Rift Crawler.

The disturbance in the air alerted the creature faster than even Mystogan could react.

Its dozens of legs scuttled in a blur, carrying it away just as—

"BOOM!!!"

—the 『windmill』 crashed into the ground with enough force to shatter the cobblestones, sending debris flying.

Fragments struck the fleeing Rift Crawler, but its dark purple shell remained unscathed.

The impact was so violent that Mystogan felt the tremor through his boots.

"A greatsword?"

His eyes narrowed at the massive blade embedded in the rubble.

The white cloth wrapped around its hilt fluttered wildly in the disturbed air.

Two figures landed moments later.

The larger of the two—though still smaller than the sword itself—gripped the hilt and effortlessly wrenched it free, slinging it over his shoulder.

A black, intricate emblem on the back of his hand caught Mystogan's attention.

"Tch. Fast little buggers, aren't they?"

Rayne clicked his tongue, glaring at the regrouping monsters.

He'd hoped to thin their numbers quickly, but their reflexes were sharper than expected.

"They live underground—hyper-sensitive to air currents."

"And watch their mouths. They spit lethal acid."

Though the situation had escalated in seconds, Mystogan recognized potential allies when he saw them. He quickly relayed warnings in his usual disguised voice.

"Got it. Then leave this to me."

Rayne jerked his chin toward the distorted space—signaling for Mystogan to handle that while he dealt with the beasts.

"Kanade, get clear."

Patting the little girl's head, Rayne grinned as mana surged through his body.

"Mm! Go get 'em, Rayne!"

Kanade pumped a tiny fist before scampering off.

The vibrations of her movement instantly drew the Rift Crawler's attention.

Its antennae twitched, locking onto her position.

"Hmm—!"

Rayne swung the greatsword down with a resonant hum, its weight carving through the air as a primal aura erupted from him.

The overwhelming threat forced the Rift Crawler to abandon its original target.

The sinister glow between its chitinous plates intensified—

—and deep within its spiraling maw, violet light flickered.

"CRACK!!!"

Rayne didn't wait.

His knees bent—then, with an explosive burst, the ground beneath him fractured as he launched forward like a fired arrow, sword in tow.

The Rift Crawler's antennae trembled.

A thick, putrid stream of purple acid erupted from its maw.

Droplets splattered onto the stone, hissing and smoking as they burned tiny craters into the ground.

Rayne's eyes narrowed.

He could block the spray with his sword—but the corrosion would ruin the blade in seconds.

And he wasn't about to let his brand-new weapon turn to scrap before its first real fight.

"Dodging it is."

Planting his foot, he vaulted into the air as the acidic jet streaked beneath him.

The plaza erupted in a chorus of sizzles, the stench of rot and burning stone thickening into a noxious black haze.

But Rayne was already descending, his grin wild as he raised the greatsword high—mana coiling around the steel.

His target?

The same Rift Crawler that had dodged his initial throw.

At this range, even if it sensed the air displacement—

—its body couldn't react fast enough.

The blade came down like a guillotine.

The chitin, harder than obsidian, shattered instantly.

"CRUNCH—!"

Shards of shell sprayed outward as the sword cleaved through flesh, sending the bisected halves of the creature flipping into the air.

Foul green blood rained down.

"BOOM!!!"

The sword's momentum drove it into the ground, spiderweb cracks racing outward.

Rayne didn't pause.

His eyes flicked across the battlefield—five remaining Rift Crawlers, their maws already glowing again.

"Five left."

Snatching a severed chunk of the first Crawler mid-air, he pivoted and hurled it like a discus at the nearest foe.

His right leg snapped out in a whip-like kick, sending another chunk flying like a soccer ball.

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