Chapter 142

I leaned against the balcony railing, Irene warm against my side, watching the chaos unfold across Magnolia. The battle royale had turned into exactly what I'd hoped for—pure, unfiltered competition that pushed everyone to their limits.

"You're enjoying this way too much," Irene said, though her smile betrayed her amusement.

"Can you blame me?" I gestured at the magical explosions painting the sky. "Look at them go."

The battles were spreading across the entire city, each one telling its own story.

Near the eastern market, I watched Mirajane face off against Cana. It should have been an easy victory for Mira—she had the raw power advantage, the versatility of Take Over magic. But she wasn't using it.

She couldn't.

I felt a pang of regret watching her rely only on basic combat techniques. Two years ago, Lisanna had been caught by the Anima. 

I knew it was going to happen. I'd told myself I had time. That I'd handle it when the moment drew closer.

But life doesn't work on anime episode schedules. The Anima incident happened when I wasn't paying attention, distracted by a dozen other things. By the time I realized what had occurred, Lisanna was already gone.

The guilt still gnawed at me sometimes. I should have prevented it. Should have been paying attention.

But dwelling on it wouldn't change anything. Lisanna was alive in Edolas and soon enough, we'd be going there to bring her back.

Still, the incident had broken something in Mirajane. The trauma of losing her sister had sealed away her Take Over magic, just like in the original timeline. Now she fought like any other mage, relying on speed and technique rather than demonic power.

"Gravity Card: Crush!" Cana's spell caught Mirajane off-guard, slamming her into the ground.

Mira struggled back to her feet, but I could see the frustration in her eyes. Without her Take Over magic, she was outmatched.

Cana's card magic had evolved far beyond what it should have been at this point in the timeline. Thanks to Gildarts learning early that she was his daughter, he'd taken her training seriously. The result? Cana had gotten serious training early. Her card magic had always been impressive, but now she combined it with techniques Gildarts had taught her. 

"You're strong, Mira," Cana said, offering her hand after the fight ended. "But you're holding back. We both know it."

Mirajane took the offered hand, her expression complicated. "I know."

Seeing Mirajane, I thought about Lisana.

Two years ago, she'd been sucked into the Anima and thrown into Edolas. The event had happened while I was occupied with other things.

I'd completely forgotten about it until now.

I should have prevented it. Should have been paying more attention.

But what's done was done. And soon enough, we'd be going to Edolas anyway. The timeline was progressing, and that arc was approaching fast.

Oh well, when we go to Edolas, I'll bring her back myself.

"You okay?" Irene asked, noticing my change in mood.

"Yeah," I said. "Just thinking about something."

Below us, another explosion rocked the plaza as two more fighters were eliminated. The battle royale was reaching its climax.

"This really was a good idea," Irene said.

“Of course, it was.” I grinned cheekily.

She was right. Even the eliminated fighters were cheering from the sidelines, watching their guildmates continue the battle.

This was what Fairy Tail was about. Not just the fighting, but the bonds formed through it.

And as I watched my guild family push each other to new heights, I couldn't help but smile.

They're going to be ready, I thought. When the real challenges come, they'll be ready.

The battle royale raged on, and I settled in to watch the finale.

=====

The battle royale had thinned to its final combatants.

Across Magnolia's central plaza, four figures stood facing a single opponent. Simon with darkness swirling around his frame. Erza Scarlet—daughter of Irene Belserion—in her Armor of the Infinite Sky. Cana with cards spread between her fingers. Kagura with her hand resting on Enko's hilt.

And across from them, standing atop a ruined fountain with lightning dancing around his body like living creatures, was Laxus Dreyar.

"So," Laxus said, his voice carrying across the silent plaza. "It comes down to this."

His Pikachu perched on his shoulder, electricity crackling between its cheeks. But even the electric mouse seemed small compared to the storm of power radiating from its trainer.

From the guild hall balcony, Aiden leaned forward with interest. "Now this should be entertaining."

"Four against one," Irene observed, her crimson hair catching the fading sunlight. "Surely even Laxus will struggle."

Aiden just smiled. "Watch."

Down in the plaza, Simon spoke first. "Laxus, you know we respect you. But four of us working together—"

"Should make it interesting," Laxus finished, cracking his knuckles. Lightning arced between his fingers. "I was getting bored anyway."

Erza stepped forward, her armor gleaming. Despite her exhaustion from earlier battles, her stance remained perfect. Years of training under both Aiden and her mother Irene had taught her never to show weakness. "Don't underestimate us. We've all grown stronger."

"I don't underestimate anyone," Laxus replied, dragon scales flickering along his arms. "I just know exactly how strong I am."

Kagura's hand tightened on Enko's hilt. The Zanpakutō pulsed with spiritual pressure, sensing its wielder's determination. "Then let's test that strength."

Cana shuffled her cards, her Spinda swaying beside her. "Four of Aiden's students against one. Time to see if you really deserve that top spot."

The four attacked simultaneously.

"Dark Hole!" Simon's darkness erupted from the ground, trying to pull Laxus down.

"Heaven's Wheel: Trinity Sword!" Erza's three massive energy blades crashed toward him.

"Gravity Card: Crush!" Cana's card magic created a massive gravitational field.

"Enko's Binding!" Kagura's sheathed Zanpakutō pulsed, and invisible spiritual pressure chains wrapped around Laxus from all directions.

For one moment, the combined attack swallowed Laxus completely. Darkness, steel, gravity, and spiritual chains converging on a single point.

Then—

"Lightning Dragon God's Judgment."

The explosion was pure white.

Divine lightning erupted from where Laxus stood, not just pushing back the attacks but completely annihilating them. The shockwave sent all four opponents skidding backward.

When the light faded, Laxus stood untouched, electricity dancing across his entire body.

"My turn."

He moved.

"Logia Form: Lightning Elemental."

His body became pure electricity, crossing the plaza in a blink. He materialized in front of Simon, fist already swinging.

"Dragon God's Lightning Fist!"

Simon's darkness tried to absorb the attack, but the divine lightning cut through it. The impact sent him flying into a building.

"Requip: Adamantine Armor!" Erza's defensive armor appeared as Laxus turned toward her.

His fist struck her shield with the sound of thunder. The armor held—barely—but the force drove Erza to her knees. She gritted her teeth, thinking of her mother watching from above. She wouldn't fall here.

"Not bad," Laxus said. "Your mother taught you well. But defense won't save you."

"Enko: Pressure Wave!" Kagura swung her still-sheathed sword, and a wave of concentrated spiritual pressure erupted toward Laxus.

He felt the invisible force hit him—spiritual energy that could crush bones and rupture organs. It actually pushed him back a step.

"Interesting," he grinned. "That's no ordinary sword technique."

"Thunder Emperor Card!" Cana attacked while he was distracted, lightning striking down from above.

He didn't even look up. His body simply absorbed the lightning, making his own power surge brighter.

"You tried to hit me with lightning?" Laxus laughed. "Come on, Cana. You know better than that."

The battle intensified. Despite their exhaustion, despite the overwhelming power gap, none of the four gave up.

Simon's darkness created gravitational wells. Erza switched between armors with lightning speed, though Aiden had warned her that some of the most powerful ones in her collection were still locked—she hadn't met their requirements yet. 

Cana combined elemental cards in devastating combinations. Kagura's spiritual pressure techniques pushed Laxus harder than expected.

But Laxus was a monster forged by years of Aiden's training.

"Black Hole—Unlimited!" Simon's darkness amplified, the gravitational pull becoming immense.

"Enko: Spiritual Domain!" Kagura's Zanpakutō released a pulse of spiritual pressure that created a field around Laxus.

The combined spiritual and gravitational pressure actually managed to slow him down significantly.

"Requip: Celestial Armor!" Erza switched to armor that boosted her speed. She charged forward, her swords gleaming.

"Card Fusion: Elemental Barrage!" Cana's storm of fire, ice, and wind provided covering fire.

For the first time in the entire battle royale, Laxus was truly being pushed.

"Not bad!" He grinned, lightning surging as he fought against the dual prison. "This is what I wanted!"

The plaza became a war zone. The four moved in perfect synchronization—years of training under Aiden had taught them to coordinate flawlessly.

"Enko: Pressure Chains!" Kagura's technique manifested as visible chains of spiritual energy.

"Got you!" Simon's darkness wrapped around the chains, reinforcing them.

"Now!" Erza charged forward with every weapon she could summon.

"Astra Card!" Cana threw her most powerful card, celestial energy joining the assault.

The combined attack struck Laxus simultaneously. Spiritual chains bound him. Darkness crushed him. Swords pierced from all angles. Celestial energy burned.

For one precious moment, Laxus actually looked strained.

Then his eyes opened fully.

"You want to see my full power?" His voice echoed with electricity. "Fine. You've earned it."

Dragon scales erupted across his entire body. The storm clouds above turned pitch black.

"This is one hundred percent."

The spiritual chains began to crack.

Kagura's eyes widened. "He's breaking through Enko's binding!"

"Impossible!" Simon gasped as his darkness started to disperse.

"Dragon God's Liberation!"

The explosion of power was unlike anything they'd seen. The chains shattered. The darkness burned away. The swords melted. The celestial energy scattered.

Laxus stood at the center, his body completely covered in dragon scales, a crown of white lightning above his head.

"You pushed me this far," he said, respect clear in his voice. "So I'll show you the technique I've been saving."

He raised both hands skyward.

"Wait," Kagura said, her hand moving to actually grip Enko's hilt properly. "If he's going all out—"

"Then we do too," Erza finished, reaching for the armors she could access.

"Black Vortex!" Simon poured everything into his darkness.

"Final Gambit!" Cana threw every card she had left.

"Shine, Enko!" Kagura started.

Her Zanpakutō's Shikai release sent a shockwave through the plaza. The blade transformed, glowing with intense spiritual pressure that made the air itself heavy.

Erza desperately tried to access the locked armors in her collection—the ones Aiden had given her that required conditions she hadn't yet met. But they remained sealed.

She'd have to make do with what she had.

"Requip: Heaven's Wheel Armor—Maximum Output!"

All four unleashed their ultimate techniques simultaneously.

But Laxus was already complete his own.

"Lightning Dragon God's Secret Art—Heaven's Judgment: Ragnarok!"

The sky split open completely.

Four massive pillars of divine lightning descended, each one tracking its target. But these weren't just powerful—they were absolute. The accumulated power of one hundred percent of Laxus's strength, refined through years of training.

Simon's Black Vortex was overwhelmed, darkness unable to absorb lightning of this magnitude.

Cana's Final Gambit was scattered, every card disintegrating before the divine power.

Erza's maximum output Heaven's Wheel couldn't adapt fast enough, the armor's evolution unable to match the speed of the attack.

And Kagura—despite Enko's Shikai release, despite the spiritual pressure of her Zanpakutō—found that even her blade couldn't cut through divine lightning.

The four pillars struck simultaneously.

The explosion was visible from miles away.

When the light finally faded, all four were down, completely defeated.

Laxus stood in the center of the destroyed plaza, breathing hard for the first time. His dragon scales were fading. The crown of lightning flickered and died. Sweat dripped down his face.

He'd actually had to use everything.

"Good fight," he said, his voice hoarse. He walked to Erza first, offering his hand. "You almost had me there."

Erza took his hand, smiling despite her exhaustion. "You actually went all out?"

"Had to," Laxus admitted, pulling her to her feet. "You four pushed me harder than anyone except Aiden and Gildarts."

He helped Simon, Kagura, and Cana up as well.

"How?" Simon asked. "We used everything. Four of us, we—"

"And you almost won," Laxus said seriously. "If almost lost."

Kagura looked at Enko, now back in its sealed form. "Next time, I'll defeat you."

"So do I." Erza added, thinking of the sealed equipment Aiden had given her.

"Next time," Cana said.

Laxus grinned tiredly. "Guess I'll have to get stronger too then."

From the balcony, Aiden watched with pride as Laxus helped the four to their feet.

"He actually used everything," Irene said softly, impressed. "They pushed your first student to his absolute limit."

"They did," Aiden replied, watching Erza brush herself off. Pride swelled in his chest—not just for Laxus, but for all five of them. "And next time, the outcome might be different."

The crowd beyond the barriers erupted in cheers as the battle royale officially ended.

Laxus Dreyar—victor.