Chapter 472: Javelin Squad

Wincent raised the God Hand, and a magic circle bloomed beneath his feet. Crimson lines spiraled outward, carving symbols into the cracked stone that pulsed with a sickly, shifting light. His voice dropped low, guttural, the words scraping against the air like rusted iron.

"By the void between stars, by the silence before creation..."

The magic circle flared brighter. The symbols writhed, twisting into shapes that hurt to look at. Chaos magic. The air itself recoiled from the sound.

"Let the unbound current flow. Let the veil between worlds tear."

Ignis staggered. Her flames flickered wildly, surging and dying in the same breath. The blue-white light that had blazed around her moments ago guttered like a candle caught in a storm. She clutched her chest, her knees buckling.

"What... what is this...?"

Wincent’s chant reached its peak. The magic circle blazed crimson, and he raised the God Hand high.

"Come forth, Chaos—"

Then an arrow whistled through the air.

Azrynn’s rune-tipped arrow streaked toward Wincent’s head, trailing a faint line of green light. He twisted mid-lunge, the arrow grazing past his ear and detonating against the ground behind him. The explosion tore a crater into the plaza, scattering debris in every direction.

Wincent landed in a crouch, his attack abandoned. His eyes snapped toward the rooftop where Azrynn stood, bow still raised.

"How troublesome."

Before he could react, a ripple of void energy shimmered beside Ignis. Alice stepped out of the shadows, her violet eyes scanning Ignis’s trembling form.

"What’s wrong with you?" Alice asked. "Why did your attack stop?"

Ignis clenched her fists, trying to summon her flames again. They sputtered weakly, barely more than sparks.

"I don’t know," she said, her voice strained. "That red light... it’s interfering with my power."

Alice’s eyes narrowed. She turned her gaze toward Wincent, toward the pulsing magic circle beneath his feet and the God Hand that drank in the chaos magic like a hungry beast.

"It looks like that man is doing something," she said quietly. "With that strange arm of his."

Before anyone could respond, a shadow fell over them from above.

A massive figure descended from the sky, a huge axe raised high above his head, aimed straight at Ignis and Alice. The blade carved through the air with a sound like tearing thunder.

Alice reacted instantly. Her hand snapped up, and a barrier of void energy bloomed in front of her, the same black kitten’s head she had used to shield Selena’s residence.

The axe slammed into it.

The impact was deafening. A shockwave ripped outward, shattering the ground beneath them and sending debris flying in every direction.

The attacker landed hard a few paces away, the axe still humming from the impact. He was enormous, easily twice the size of a normal man, with thick armor plating across his shoulders and a helmet shaped like a snarling beast. He straightened slowly, rolling his neck.

"Tch. I thought this would be easy," he said, his voice low and rough. "But it looks like it’s pretty sturdy after all."

Wincent glanced at him, a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

"Javelin Squad, huh."

The big man turned his head toward Wincent, his expression hidden behind his helmet but his tone dripping with disdain.

"Huh? What—you don’t want help? I saw you lose inside your own domain just now. Pathetic."

Wincent’s lips curled into a thin smile. He flexed the God Hand, the crimson veins pulsing brighter.

"That was just a warm-up. Besides, this is my first time fighting a dragon. It’s only natural I’m a little inexperienced."

The big man let out a short, harsh laugh.

"Failure is still failure. If you don’t have the stomach to win, then step back and let us handle them."

Behind him, several more armored figures emerged from the smoke and rubble, moving into formation. One of them, a woman with a long spear and a narrow visor across her helmet, glanced toward the big man.

"What’s the plan, Gladin?"

Gladin hoisted his axe onto his shoulder and grinned under his helmet.

"The usual. We hit them from the front."

The woman with the spear named Jeny stepped forward, her visor glinting under the firelight. Her voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding.

"Did you all hear that? We attack directly from the front." She gestured toward the other armored figures. "The rest of you, protect Lord Giorno."

The Javelin Squad moved as one, fanning out across the ruined plaza.

Alice watched them for a beat, then glanced at Ignis.

"Hey. Can you still fight?"

Ignis was still on one knee, her flames flickering weakly around her arms. Sweat dripped down her face, and her breath came in short, uneven gasps.

"Give me time," she said through gritted teeth. "I need to stabilize my body. That red light messed everything up inside me."

Alice nodded once. She turned toward the advancing squad, void energy already coiling around her fingers.

"Then I’ll buy you that time."

Before she could move, Azrynn dropped from the rooftop and landed in front of her, both daggers drawn.

"You’re not the only one who can fight," she said. She glanced back at Alice, then toward the approaching Javelin Squad. "I’ll handle the front line. You stay with Ignis."

Alice raised an eyebrow.

"You sure?"

Azrynn twirled her daggers once, the blades catching the crimson light of the magic circle. Her lips curled into a confident smirk.

"Let me show you how skilled I really am."

Alice watched her for a beat, then let out a soft, amused hum.

"Not bad~" She crossed her arms, her tail flicking lazily behind her. "But be careful with the weird-hand guy. He’s still hiding something."

Azrynn glanced back over her shoulder, her expression serious now.

"Understood."

She turned back toward the Javelin Squad. Her body lowered, muscles coiling like springs. The runes etched along her daggers began to glow faintly, humming with stored energy.

Then she moved quickly across the ruined plaza, jumping over the debris, and reached the Javelin Squad before they could react.

Gladin’s eyes widened under his helmet.

"What the—"

Azrynn’s dagger flashed toward his throat.