Newborn City, West Lake.
A gentle breeze ruffled the lake, creating ripples like a serene painting.
A bald man in a white kimono stood barefoot on the shimmering lake surface, his golden vertical pupils gleaming with cold light, fixed intently on the shore.
The air by the lakeshore twisted, as if space was being torn, and a young girl with long red hair, clad in silver armor, appeared out of thin air.
Erza landed steadily, her movements light and graceful, like a falling petal.
With a flick of her wrist, a longsword instantly appeared in her hand.
"Newborn City's Hydra," the bald man in the center of the lake courteously bowed to Erza, "Welcome."
Erza held her longsword, her eyebrow slightly raised, her gaze like a torch on Hydra in the center of the lake.
His expectant posture surprised her, and she couldn't help but say, "It seems you already knew someone would break in."
"Life always has an end. War always reaches its conclusion," Hydra said expressionlessly, his snake-like golden pupils showing no emotional fluctuations.
Erza looked at him, feeling that he seemed to have a hidden meaning in his words.
"More words are useless. Please enlighten me," Hydra bowed slightly to Erza.
As soon as he finished speaking, he beckoned with one hand, and the surrounding lake water instantly boiled, as if stirred by an invisible giant hand.
Countless water snakes, formed from streams of water, shot up from the lake, baring their fangs and claws, rushing towards Erza with breathtaking speed.
"Water magic? In that case..." Erza's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight.
"Re-equip: Sea King Armor!"
She let out a soft cry, and her silver armor instantly transformed, changing into the Sea King Armor in the blink of an eye.
This armor was green with fins, and when Erza wore it, her outfit became a mermaid's, her ears also turning into fins, as if she had merged with the water.
Abundant water elements formed a circle of illusory mist around her body.
The shining silver longsword in her hand also transformed into a light green Ice Sword, its blade emanating waves of cold air.
Facing the incoming water snakes, Erza's figure flashed, and she, too, defied gravity, stepping on the water's surface, dashing like lightning towards the swarm of water snakes.
The Ice Sword in her hand danced impenetrably, each swing bringing a bone-chilling gust of wind.
The Ice Sword collided with the water snakes, making a sizzling sound. Upon being struck by the Ice Sword, the water snakes instantly turned into a puddle of icy water, scattering everywhere.
"Armor that counters water magic?" Hydra's pupils constricted when he saw the water snake attack easily neutralized, but they quickly returned to normal.
He made a grasping motion with one hand, and the lake water surged again. This time, the lake water no longer transformed into water snakes, but formed a gigantic water curtain that swept towards Erza.
Wherever the water curtain passed, everything was submerged, its power astonishing.
Erza felt the immense pressure of the water curtain, and she plunged her Ice Sword into the ground.
In an instant, an Ice Wall rose from the ground with her at the center. The Ice Wall was crystal clear, emanating a cold aura.
The water curtain collided with the Ice Wall, producing a loud bang, and the immense impact forced Erza back a few steps.
However, the Ice Wall firmly blocked the water curtain's attack, showing no signs of breaking.
"As expected of someone called the Fairy Queen," Hydra gazed at Erza, slowly taking off his kimono, revealing his bare upper body covered in eerie white scales.
"If my opponent is you, reserving strength would be overestimating myself."
Hydra's body twitched strangely, the snake scales on him suddenly bristled, then detached from his skin, flying in all directions.
In the blink of an eye, these white scales transformed into countless Hydras, surrounding Erza.
Erza looked at the dense multitude of Hydra clones around her, her brows slightly furrowed.
Her gaze passed through the vast number of clones and fell upon Hydra himself, a little surprised, "This many clones?"
Hydra, who had cast the cloning spell, was not in good shape. Because his scales had left his body, his skin was bleeding profusely, dripping into the water.
He looked as if he had just endured the Lingchi torture, yet Hydra remained expressionless.
There was only a calm stillness in his golden snake eyes.
Hydra's hands hung at his sides, his palms loosely cupped, and a large amount of water vapor evaporated from the lake water beneath him, enveloping his entire body.
The wounds on his skin healed rapidly at a visible speed; in just a blink of an eye, his skin was completely restored to its original state.
Hydra raised his hand and pointed at Erza, "Kill her!"
Before his words finished, the Hydra clones attacked simultaneously.
Some manipulated water currents, forming sharp water blades that shot towards Erza; others directly charged at Erza, swinging their fists, attempting close-quarters combat.
Erza's figure flashed rapidly across the lake surface, like a silver lightning bolt, weaving between Hydra's clones.
Each swing of her Ice Sword brought a bone-chilling gust of wind. Wherever the sword's edge passed, water blades shattered, turning into ice crystals that scattered onto the lake surface.
Although Hydra's clones were numerous, under Erza's precise attacks, they turned into water stains one after another, mixed with white snake scales, sinking to the bottom of the lake.
"Fairy Queen, truly living up to her name," Hydra's voice came from all directions, carrying a hint of cold killing intent.
His main body still stood in the center of the lake, his hands slowly rising, and the lake water beneath his feet boiled again.
This time, the lake water was no longer simple water snakes or a water curtain, but formed a gigantic water dragon, baring its fangs and claws, lunging towards Erza.
Erza's eyes narrowed, and she plunged her Ice Sword into the lake surface.
In an instant, with her at the center, the lake surface rapidly froze, the ice layer spreading quickly, freezing the water dragon's assault mid-air.
The water dragon let out a silent roar, then shattered into countless ice blocks, falling onto the ice surface.
"The Sea King Armor is specifically designed for water-attribute Mages."
"Your water magic is ineffective against me," Erza said coldly, her voice echoing on the ice surface, carrying an undeniable authority.
Hydra's pupils constricted slightly, but he showed no sign of panic.
His body twitched again, and the newly grown snake scales on his skin quickly detached, transforming into more clones.
These clones no longer simply used water magic, but began to construct magic circles. Transparent, water-colored magic circles opened one by one, and the water mist on the lake surface rapidly condensed into countless tiny water needles, shooting densely towards Erza.
"White Snake Spits Tongue: Water Needle Rain!" Hydra growled, and the water needles poured down like a torrential rain.
Erza snorted coldly, and with a fierce swing of her Ice Sword, an Ice Wall instantly rose before her.
The water needles impacted the Ice Wall, making a dense clinking sound, but they could not penetrate the Ice Wall's defense.
Erza's figure flashed, bursting out from behind the Ice Wall, her Ice Sword pointing directly at Hydra's main body.
Hydra's clones quickly blocked in front of his main body, attempting to obstruct Erza's assault.
However, Erza's speed far exceeded their reactions. The Ice Sword sliced through like lightning, and the clones turned into water stains one after another.
Hydra's main body was forced to retreat, and the lake water beneath his feet surged again, forming a water curtain to try and block Erza's approach.
"Useless!" Erza growled, plunging her Ice Sword fiercely into the water curtain.
The water curtain instantly froze, then shattered into countless ice blocks.
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