Chapter 6: True Power of Darkness

OCs are mine

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Memememe: Thanks bud.

Sorry it took so long again, once again life's been kicking me in the ass and isn't showing any mercy. I'm tryin my best to stay on top of things, but I really wanna do better. Anyway...

On with the show!

"Fairy Tail's Strongest Mage: Gildarts Clive." I whispered in awe as I observed Gildarts greeting everyone, including our newest teammate Happy. From what I saw, the guilds strongest wizard was totally kind hearted man who was just as powerful. If I didn't know his title I would simply see him as another foolish wizard who had no idea what he was doing, cause he was so laid back. It was amazing.

Gildarts finally came to greet me, and he was even more towering up close. He was intimidating and kind looking at the same time. "You're the kid who came back from the dead, huh? Uh what was your name?" He asked himself.

"You only heard his name from everyone else here, how can you not know yet?" Macao asked rhetorically.

"My name is Michael Williams, I'm a Darkness Dragon Slayer." I introduced, extending my hand. Gildarts chuckled at my gesture and I started thinking that he thought he was to important and proud o shake my hand.

"Sorry, it's just not the best idea to shake my hand." He apologized. I was confused but Gramps decided to fill me in.

"Gildarts uses Crash magic, everything he touches is destroyed." I thought back to when Gildarts entered the guild and completely destroyed the doors.

"Oh I get it." Meanwhile on the inside I was itching to fight him.

"I heard about your first mission and how you got out of the tight spot you were in, impressive." Gildarts complimented. Now I had to ask.

"Gildarts!" I blurted out. He flinched at my outburst and everyone stared at me us. "I want you to fight me, now!" I challenged. "There's nothing I love more than a tough fight with a powerful opponent! You're this guilds strongest mage and I'll go ballistic of I don't get a chance to fight you!" Gildarts started laughing at my words, but not for the reasons I thought.

"I love to see this new generation's urge to fight. I'll be happy to fight you, kid!" I grinned, anxious to get the fight underway. "We'll take this outside." I nodded and we went outside, with the rest of the guild following us.

The guild formed an even bigger circle than the fights I had with Natsu and Laxus, obviously because of Gildarts's incredible power. Every fiber of my being could hardly wait.

"I'll give you the first pu-" I cut Gildarts off with a strong punch square in his jaw. I normally wouldn't do such a thing, but Gildarts was going to be my strongest opponent ever, I couldn't wait another second.

Soon after I hit his jaw, Gildarts merely flexed his muscles and I was sent through the crowd and into a building. 'He didn't even touch me and he did this much!?' I asked myself in shock.

"Sorry, force of habit. I'm not very good at holding back you see." Gildarts said sheepishly. I got out of the hole I made in the building and smiled.

"That's what I get for throwing a cheap punch like that, I just couldn't contain myself anymore. And I'm glad you don't know how to hold back, cause I just hate to do it!" I spread my wings made of my fire and took to the sky. Then I dived down, head first, back to the ground. I extended my arms and spun around as I plummeted. "Darkness Dragon's Sky Raid!" I shouted as I started surrounded myself in black flames.

BGM: Dragon Slayer Theme

But when I finally reach Gildarts, he just grabbed my fists, completely unphased by the attack. In fact, he completely extinguished my flames. I grunted before I spun around in his hands and kicked him in the face. But once again he didn't seem affected in the least. I jumped out of Gildarts's grasp and got back on the ground.

'He's not even countering my attacks, not feeling them either.' I thought.

"If you wanna stop now, feel free." Gildarts exclaimed. I growled in response.

"I'm just getting started!" I engulfed my hands in flames and repeatedly started hitting Gildarts. "Darkness Dragons's Black Barrage!" With every punch I threw Gildarts caught it, but still didn't counter. After awhile Gildarts hit me on the top of my head with his elbow and I was almost introduced to the concrete. I barerly caught myself with my hands and I brought both my legs up to kick Gildarts, but he grabbed my legs and just by pushing them back a me-shaped hole was formed on the ground.

"Last chance, kid." Gildarts offered, kneeling down to get face to face with me.

"If you're gonna fight me, you'd better be ready to finish me!" I yelled from my downed position. Gildarts sighed and brought his fist down but my body evaporated into black flames and smoke which got caught in his eyes, blinding him.

"Darkness Dragon's Ethernal Blaze!" I shouted from above. Gildarts hadn't been fighting me just then, he was fighting a copy I made of myself out of my flames. I set the whole thing up during my first Sky Raid. When I summoned the flames to surround my body, I switched places with them. In hindsight my flames took the form of my body and I turned myself into the flames that surrounded my body. When Gildarts dispersed the flames it was really me taking to the sky again preparing my next attack and studying Gildarts's fighting style.

This next attack I was using consisted of a giant ball of black flames in my hands. Gildarts still couldn't see me as I came down right on top I him with my flames connecting perfectly. It seemed I had won but when I landed back on the ground and the smoke vanished Gildarts was still unphased. Then I saw that Gildarts had formed a crater to cushion the impact of my attack.

'Incredible even when he was blind he knew what to do just by the feeling of the impact and he did it so quick it was like he prepared for it the entire time.'

Gildarts wiped the smoke and dust out of his eyes and said "Good strategy, Michael, you almost had me." I didn't waste any time before I started attacking him again.

"Darkness Dragon's Hellbound Blaze!" My torrent of black flames quickly approached Gildarts, who just stood there. When my attack seemed to have connected, my flames broke apart into multiple blocks, as if a net cut right through, and then they faded into nothing. "Damn!" I said through gritted teeth.

'He hasn't even moved his feet from that spot, so this is Fairy Tail's strongest.' I looked behind me and observed my shadow. 'It's been awhile since I used this move.'

My shadow shifted it's position, on it's own, so that it was now facing forward. It slowly rose from the ground and completely took my form, more like just a black silhouette version of me.

"This is another multiplication move, Shadow Copy." I sent another Hellbound at Gildarts, who used his disassembly magic again. What he didn't notice was my shadow self unleashed my most dangerous attack, Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Thi is the closest I've gotten to mastering the attack, since my shadow is pure darkness it had complete control over the dragon. The dragon scooped Gildarts and rose up with Gildarts holding it back, but once it was about to dive back down it was completely obliterated into nothing by Gildarts's crash magic.

As Gildarts free-fell back to the ground, I launched myself into the air preparing myself with my Darkness Dragon's Black Fist. My shadow did the same from behind Gildarts. But he caught both our fists, slammed us together, and quickly flung us back into the air before he landed heavily on his feet.

We spread our wings and hovered in the air while I thought of another plan. 'He completely destroyed the dragon, my best attack,even if it's a weaker version.' I was scared that i was going to lose to Gildarts, but kinda happy as well Gildarts was smiling up at us signaling e was enjoying the fight as much as I was. 'If this doesn't phase him, I've lost.'

I looked to my shadow, who nodded and dived to the ground. Gildarts readied to attack him but he split in two, each piece going around Gildarts and landing on his shadow. Meanwhile I dived down preparing another Sky Raid. But when Gildarts tried to counter, he couldn't even move. My shadow has the ability to poses other people's shadows, think of it as a sort of mind control but with shadows.

I finally connected with Gildarts, causing a small explosion on the field. When the smoke cleared I was on one knee while Gildarts was still standing upright. My shadow had returned to it's original place. All that was different with Gildarts was that he was actually injured. I groaned and weaved to the side as I struggled to stand up again.

"Not yet." I muttered. I slowly moved forward towards Gildarts. "I won't stop... Until you're lying flat on the ground." I started running as fast as I could in my current condition. "Darkness Dragon's Black Fist!" I landed an uppercut on Gildarts and sent him into the air. Then I jumped up to him, feeling immense pain in my legs as I did so. Gildarts appeared shocked, yet impressed as I placed my palms on his chests. "Darkness Dragon's Hellbound Blaze!" I shot my flames at him at point blank range and sent Gildarts plummeting to the ground.

I disposed of my flames and limply plummeted as well, losing consciousness due to exhaustion.

Gildarts's POV

I stood back up after Michael's point blank attack, and I actually felt sore. For such a short kid he sure could pack a punch. I looked back up and saw the kid falling, he seemed to have used to much power and passed out. I caught him with one arm and he he had look of satisfaction on his face.

'Cant blame him. That was one hell of a battle.' I thought to myself as the other young wizards gathered around me.

"That was awesome!" Natsu cheered.

"I've never seen him so into a fight like that!" Xander said happily.

"I never knew he was that strong!" Erza complimented her unconscious teammate.

"That's enough you all!" Makarov yelled. "Take him to the infermary and let him rest, I need to speak with Gildarts." I handed Michael to Natsu who, along with Gray, slung Michael's arms over there shoulders and carried him to the infermary, while everyone else returned to the guild.

"The kid's one heck of a fighter, a bit reckless, but strong an quick on his feet." I summed up his performance. "In fact he reminds me a bit of myself when I wayo around his age."

"So what do you think, Gildarts?" Makarov asked, I knew exactly what he was asking me.

"I say yes. He was actually able to knock me down, anyone who can do that deserves to be an S class mage. And he'll only get stronger from this point out." I answered.

This whole thing was a test to see if Michael had what it took to be an S class Mage. Normally the master wouldn't do something like this because it wasn't very traditional to our usual means of selecting an S class Mage. But he saw potential in that kid, and so did I.

"Very well then. I'll tell him when he wakes up, care to join me?" Makarov asked me.

"You kidding? I'd love to see the look on his face when we tell him."

1 Hour later

Michael's POV

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself in the, already familiar, infermary. I must've passed out after my fight with Gildarts. I was once again surrounded by my guildmates. Gildarts and Gramps were here too.

"Glad to see you're awake." Gildarts said. He had a smile plastered on his face, but not the kind one gets when he defeats their opponent, it was the kind one gets when one is happy for another.

"That was one of the best fights I've ever seen!" Natsu cheered. Happy gave a small "Aye" in agreement.

"You were amazing out there!" Gray cheered as well, only in his underwear.

"Gray your clothes!" Cana pointed out.

"When did that happen!?" He asked.

"That's enough kids." Makarov exclaimed then turned his attention to me. "I have an good news for you, Michael." He said to me.

"Master?"

"Your performance in your fight against Gildarts, your true strength and power against our strongest, you have shown me and everyone else that you have what it takes to be an S class Mage. Will you accept your new rank?" He asked.

I was utterly shocked to hear what he was saying. An S class Mage? Me? I had no idea how to respond to this. My eyes were wide and my mouth was open, not a sound being uttered from me. Meanwhile everyone was looking and smiling at me, waiting for my answer. I looked at all their faces, Gildarts's being the last. That's when I made my decision.

"Master?"

"Yes?"

"I'm afraid I must deny my rank, for now." Everyone gasped in shock.

"What are you talking about!? You can't be that stupid can you!?"" Mira asked, angered by my rejection.

"I want to be an S class Mage, and I'm honored to know I have what it takes, but I want it to be because I actually defeated Gildarts, otherwise it'll feel like a hollow victory. I deny my rank for now..." I looked at Gildarts again "But when the day comes I can defeat you Gildarts, that's the day I accept my rank."

Makorov shut his eyes as he spoke "I can see that there is no changing your mind. I understand your reasons. But you will still be seen as an S class Mage, and there's nothing I'll be able to do about it."

"People can view me however they please, but I won't accept myself as an S class Mage until I defeat Gildarts." I said.

"Then I suppose we should leave you to your rest." Granps said before he walked out the door, the others following one at a time. Natsu, Xander, and Lisanna were the last ones left.

"I don't care what you say! You're an S class Mage and I plan to beat you one day!"

'Were you not listening to a word I said?' I sighed in my mind. Xander repeated what I said to myself, aloud, to Natsu.

"Well he has what it takes, and that's enough to get me all fired up!" Natsu yelled.

"*sigh* You're hopeless." Xander sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Come on. Let's leave Michael to rest." Lisanna stated. They all said their goodbyes and left me alone in the infermary. Shortly after I stood up from the bed, my muscles still sore. I walked to the window and adjusted to the pain in my muscles. It was still bright out.

"Hmmm." I pondered what I would do next. After a few minutes of self thinking, I knew what I would do now. I found a piece of paper and a pen. Once I wrote what I wanted I snuck out through the window.

3 hours later

Elfman's POV

"He's gone!" I yelled down to everyone in the guild. I ran down with the piece of paper I found on the infermary. "He's gone you guys! He left!"

"Slow down, Elfman. Who left?" Cana asked.

"Michael! He left!" I answered.

"What!?" Everyone, even Laxus, gasped.

"Whadya mean he left!?" Natsu asked.

"I went to the infermary to bring him something to eat but he wasn't in his bed am the widow was open, all there was was this note he left." Mira snatched the note from my hand.

"Lemme see that!" She then read it aloud.

My friends and fellow guildmates,

By the time you read this I'll be long gone. I'm sure you're all wondering why I've left, as well as where I'll go and for how long. Well I left because I need to get stronger if I'm gonna be able to beat Gildarts and accept myself as an S class Mage, I had been think of leaving for some time, since my first mission with the Strauss siblings and how far south it went. If something like that were to happen again and I have to use my dragon, I know I won't survive the next time. So I need to get stronger.

As to where I went and how long I'll be gone, I can't tell you that because even I don't know. But I can assure you that I will return one day. Don't even bother looking for me because I won't be staying in one place for very long. I hope you all stay well and I look forward to seeing you all again.

Until we meet again,

Michael Williams

"That bastard! How dare he just leave us high and dry!?" Mira crumbled up the note and chucked away. She was angry yes, but I knew my sister well enough to know she was also sad.

"He wants to be able to protect us." Lisanna answered her.

"What makes him think we NEED protection!?"

"Knock it off, Mira!" Erza ordered.

"Make me, pig!"

"Enough!" Our heads toward Master Makarov "Michael had his reasons for coming to Fairy Tail, just as he has his reasons for leaving. I am just as upset a the rest of you that he left, but I respect his decision and reasons for doing so, as long as he comes back."

We all sighed sadly and nodded at his words an we all started waiting for our friend's return, no matter how long it'll take.

Michael's POV

I had finally reached the outskirts of Magnolia with nothing but my thoughts and memories to keep me company. I had no weapons, other than my fists, no clothes, except for the ones on my back, and no food, except for what I would find while I was alone.

I stopped to take one last glance at Magnolia, while it was still visible to me. "Until I return, I hope you all stay well." I turned back and started walking again, not sure of where I would go, all I knew was that I was going somewhere to get stronger.

Okay so now I can get into the time skip for the next chapter. I'm done with the childhood bullshit, now we get to actual plot and shit. Hoo fucking ray! Remember guys I wanna know what you think of te story, or of you have suggestions to make it better. Just don't flame my ass.

And I'm sure there are a lot I questions with this chapter so just send me a message with your question and I'll answer it ASAP.

So next is the time skip an I look forward to writing that and I pray it won't take forever again.

Next Time: The Return