Rhodes was indeed somewhat troubled.
Not only was he worried about accidentally injuring the people below, but he was also concerned that continuing to fight like this might damage the Eclipse Gate itself.
If that happened, Future Lucy could disappear entirely, and the tragedy of her timeline would become impossible to change.
He needed to shift the battlefield, but his intentions could not be too obvious.
Coincidentally, Future Rogue wanted the same thing.
He was equally afraid of damaging the Eclipse Gate. If it were destroyed, his own existence might vanish along with it.
Moreover, the battles involving the other Dragons showed no sign of ending anytime soon. The Earth Mother Dragon was his only remaining advantage, and he could not afford to waste it fighting this monster of a man.
Naturally, he also did not want Rhodes to see through his intentions, because that would expose his weakness.
Thus, the two individuals, each harboring different schemes yet sharing the same objective, arrived at a tacit understanding.
One subtly pulled the battle away from the palace, while the other quietly directed the Earth Mother Dragon to lure Rhodes outward.
Neither Rhodes nor Future Rogue expected things to go so smoothly. After only a few exchanges, they had already moved into the southern district of the capital, far from the palace.
Both felt a surge of relief.
Future Rogue was especially delighted. After several rounds of combat, although Rhodes remained unharmed, he appeared unable to inflict decisive damage on the Earth Mother Dragon.
That meant something important.
This Ten Wizard Saint was terrifying, but he still could not defeat a Dragon.
With that conclusion, Future Rogue believed the outcome was settled.
"Give up," he declared confidently. "Humans cannot defeat Dragons. You are absolutely no match for Motherglare."
Rhodes did not reply.
Instead, he shifted into his Purgatory Dragon Soul form and, just like at the beginning of the battle, drove his fist into the Earth Mother Dragon's neck.
Future Rogue watched flames burst across the Dragon's thick, wide scales and said indifferently, "I already told you. Motherglare possesses a body of steel. She..."
He stopped mid-sentence.
His footing wavered, and he nearly fell.
"Oow."
The Earth Mother Dragon let out a pained cry. Its neck bent sharply to one side at the point of impact, forming a clearly visible arc.
Its massive body trembled violently, and its flight path veered uncontrollably.
Future Rogue stared in disbelief.
The scales where Rhodes had struck were cracked and blackened, spiderweb fractures spreading across their surface.
The Earth Mother Dragon struggled to stabilize itself, then twisted its massive body and swung its thick tail toward Rhodes with a deafening whoosh.
Bang.
Rhodes attempted to seize the tail with both hands, but the sheer force behind the strike overwhelmed him, sending him skidding backward dozens of meters.
"So this Dragon invested everything into strength and defense," Rhodes muttered. "Its breath power doesn't match its physical might."
Thud. Bang.
Another heavy collision echoed through the air.
Rhodes turned his gaze toward a Mountain Dragon battling a noseless Stone Dragon.
Each impact between them resembled mountains colliding midair. The scale of the clash was immense, raw power shaking the surroundings.
Chunks of stone frequently rained down from the sky.
Future Rogue observed that battlefield as well.
The Mountain Dragon bore minor injuries, but the Stone Dragon's scales were clearly more damaged.
Below them, Magicians continued launching spells skyward.
This area was guarded by Shining Sun.
Their Guild Master, Bryliens, quickly realized that conventional attacks were ineffective. Instead, he ordered the use of magic designed to interfere with vision and hearing.
The Stone Dragon grew increasingly agitated, repeatedly giving the Mountain Dragon openings.
"Is Animus falling behind?" Future Rogue narrowed his eyes. "Then I'll have to..."
"Oow!"
The Earth Mother Dragon screamed again, louder than before, its back arching sharply.
Future Rogue was thrown flat against its back.
Without looking, he knew exactly what had happened.
Rhodes had attacked the Earth Mother Dragon's abdomen from below.
"Damn it," Future Rogue snarled, scanning the battlefield. "I need to break this entanglement first."
His gaze sharpened.
"Motherglare, release the sub-types."
The Earth Mother Dragon roared, spreading its wings to their fullest extent.
Rhodes suddenly noticed movement beneath its belly.
From the four rows of dense pores, rounded, pointed objects began emerging.
The sight made his pupils constrict.
They looked disturbingly similar to missile launchers.
In the next instant, countless oval-shaped objects, each taller than a person, were expelled like buckshot.
Rhodes dodged continuously, unwilling to take unnecessary risks.
The objects smashed through rooftops and outer walls with ease. Some cratered the streets upon impact.
Fortunately, the Magicians below reacted quickly and avoided direct hits, preventing casualties.
Then the shells cracked open.
Small, dinosaur-like creatures crawled out in waves.
Their bodies resembled metallic constructs. They tore through walls, shattered stone statues, attacked anything that moved, and rampaged mindlessly when no targets were present.
The Magicians on the ground were quickly overwhelmed and forced into defensive formations, temporarily unable to interfere with Animus.
"Army tactics," Rhodes realized. "So those weren't weapons. They were Dragon Eggs."
For someone who often relied on overwhelming numbers himself, this was an ironic turn.
What goes around truly comes around.
"This is only the beginning," Future Rogue sneered, convinced he had found Rhodes's weakness. "Motherglare, move in that direction."
Rhodes raised both hands toward the cluster of sub-type creatures below and cast Fire Meteor.
Dozens of molten spheres, each the size of a basketball, rained down like falling stars, instantly incinerating the creatures they struck.
Rhodes observed their evasion patterns and the scale of the destruction, then calmly assessed the situation.
"They are slightly stronger than the D-class monsters in the Demon Subjugation Hall, and their intelligence is comparable to C-class.
"If their numbers increase, they could cause serious trouble for ordinary Magicians. If they also possess ranged attack capabilities, then they would become genuinely dangerous."
Bryliens noticed Rhodes nearby and, assuming he had stayed to assist, shouted loudly, "We can handle enemies at this level!"
"Be careful," Rhodes replied briefly, before immediately turning to pursue Future Rogue.
The Earth Mother Dragon was flying toward the sector guarded by his own guild, continuously spraying Dragon Eggs as it moved.
Although Future Rogue looked overly dramatic and chuunibyo on the surface, his actions over the past few days proved he was not stupid. This move was clearly deliberate.
And that assessment was correct.
Future Rogue understood Fairy Tail's core weakness. To them, comrades mattered above all else.
As long as he created enough chaos around Fairy Tail, Rhodes would be forced to remain behind to protect them.
That would give him the opportunity to eliminate the disobedient Dragons one by one.
Dragon Eggs continued to rain down across the capital, especially around the plaza defended by Fairy Tail.
Future Rogue was cautious. He was wary of Makarov and the Ten Wizard Saints, so he avoided approaching too closely, instead ordering the Earth Mother Dragon to release Dragon Eggs from a safer distance.
Before long, Fairy Tail's defensive zone was swarmed by mechanical dinosaur-like creatures.
The main defenders were currently Makarov, Mira, Elfman, Macao, Wakaba, and Levy.
Other core members were either engaging the Jade Dragon or had been dispatched to deal with Dragons Treasure. Those remaining had to fight while also protecting Asuka.
Chico also required protection.
Due to severe magic restrictions, her strength had dropped significantly after leaving Magnolia, leaving her reliant on the martial arts she had refined within the guild.
Makarov transformed into a giant, stomping and swatting enemies aside. However, seeing the seemingly endless tide of monsters, his temper flared.
He clasped his hands together, clearly preparing to unleash Fairy Law in anger.
Mavis immediately intervened, ordering the guild members to form two rotating defensive circles.
Under her guidance, everyone took turns attacking in a disciplined rhythm.
Wakaba launched several smoke-formed fists, smashing two mechanical dinosaurs, then grumbled, "This never ends."
Macao scoffed. "If you can't keep up, just say it. I'll have Romeo replace you."
"Bastard, are you saying I'm worse than your kid?"
"No, no. I'm saying you're about the same."
"What did you say?!"
Romeo sighed with unexpected maturity. "Please fight seriously, Dad. Uncle Wakaba."
In truth, neither of the two veterans let the argument affect their combat. If anything, their rivalry made their attacks even more precise.
Mavis called out, "Everyone prepare. The next wave is massive!"
The guild members tensed, and at that moment, a cascade of blue lightning descended from the sky.
The first dozen small dinosaurs struck by the lightning collapsed instantly. The electricity then branched out, splitting into three additional bolts from each target.
When the second wave landed, each bolt divided again, forming crackling streams of power.
In seconds, a massive net of blue lightning enveloped the plaza, wiping out the nearby swarm.
"It's Rhodes," Makarov said, recognizing the technique. He looked up and saw Rhodes descending from the sky, blue wings spread behind him.
"Brother Rhodes!" Romeo's eyes sparkled in admiration.
Mira said nothing, only waving him forward, urging him to act.
Rhodes nodded. "Is everyone alright?"
Mavis answered, "We're fine. That attack relieved a lot of pressure. How is the situation elsewhere?"
"Under control for now. That guy is just very cunning," Rhodes replied, summoning three Voidgrubs. He only felt comfortable deploying them within his own guild's territory.
"So scary," Asuka whispered, frightened by their appearance as she hugged Chico's leg and hid behind her.
As purplish-red insect eggs swelled and cracked open on the Voidgrubs' backs, Worms poured out and joined the fight.
Chico gently patted Asuka's head. "These are extremely powerful summoned creatures. With them, we won't lose in numbers."
Levy hesitated. "This helps a lot, but if I remember correctly, each onr only produces sixty Worms per minute. Catching up to the enemy's numbers will take time, and their strength still…"
"It's fine. I can enhance them," Rhodes said, plucking the spider-silk-wrapped charm on his necklace.
Streaks of blue-gray light attached themselves to the Voidgrubs.
Their bodies immediately grew larger, and their teeth sharpened visibly.
The Crown of shattered queen greatly enhanced summoned minions.
"As for numbers, I have a suitable spell," Rhodes continued. "It can also support Magicians from other guilds."
He gathered the three Voidgrubs together and pointed at them.
"Hiss hiss hiss."
The Voidgrubs roared toward the sky, releasing a purple aura that spread outward, reaching the edge of the capital.
Everyone present suddenly found themselves surrounded by a faint, translucent purple shield. Two purplish-red orbs revolved around each shield.
The orbs looked strangely familiar.
"What is this?" someone asked.
"This shield can block one moderate attack," Rhodes explained. "As for the orbs… Romeo, punch that railing."
With no enemies nearby, Romeo complied, striking the stone fountain railing lightly.
The stone immediately cracked.
The two orbs flew forward with his punch, transforming into Worms mid-flight. Empowered by the buff, they slammed into the railing and reduced it to rubble.
"So cool!" Romeo exclaimed.
Rhodes smiled. "Each person can only summon two, but there are thousands of Magicians in the capital."