A/N: Edited on September 17, 2021
Chapter 8: Fury of the Slaying Moon
"Sting!" Rogue called after barging into his partner's room. "We got an intruder!"
"Everything's going BOOM!" Frosch exclaimed.
"That idiot must have a death wish," Sting remarked after getting up from his bed and putting on his clothes. "What person would storm in here and start messing with our guild!?" After a few short minutes, the twin dragons were racing down the hallway heading to the source of the commotion. "Who is it?"
"I don't know," the raven-haired slayer replied. "But if they think they're leaving here alive, then they're in for a shock."
Unfortunately, the Shadow Dragon Slayer will eat those words of his when he found out who was attacking their building.
"WHERE IS HE!?"
Bright roaring flames were coupled with a cry of fury. The door to the meeting hall exploded and sent whoever was in front of it away like ragdolls. The intruder then threw a flame-coated punch to one unlucky bastard and was immediately sent to unconsciousness. The members of Sabretooth got a good look at the intruder, leaving them surprised.
It was Natsu Dragneel.
"WHERE IS YOUR GUILDMASTER!?" Natsu roared. One idiot tried to get in a cheap shot but instead received a flaming foot to the gut. "BRING HIM OUT NOW!"
The ruckus Natsu caused finally brought the desired outcome as a tall, buff, older man with white hair and sideburns appeared before him. He wore a short, mildly loose, and dark kimono with light edges and cuffs paired with an open pair of soft pants. Around this man's neck were large Buddhist prayer beads while wearing a black oriental crown. In addition, he had the emblem of Sabretooth on his forehead. This person was Jiemma Orland, guildmaster of Sabretooth.
"If you have something to say to me, you should say it," Jiemma said, more annoyed than pissed at Salamander's intrusion.
"You're the master of this sorry bunch!?" Natsu questioned, his rage peaking upon finally meeting Sabretooth's leader. "So, it's one loss, and you're out on the street, huh."
The members of the guild knew precisely what or who Natsu was referring to. This elicited a grunt from Jiemma.
"Those are some hardcore rules, pal!" Natsu exclaimed. Slamming his fists together, he continued, "Let's see if you play by them too." Then, coating his hand in dragon fire, he cocked it back and dropped to a fighting stance. "If you lose to me, you've got to quit the guild too!"
"Did you truly come here to challenge me?" the buff guildmaster questioned with an arrogant tone. "Very foolish."
"I came here to teach you not to turn your back on people you're supposed to care for!" Natsu declared, clearly irked by Jiemma's arrogance. "So, you better listen!"
Meanwhile, Sting and Rogue recalled the events that occurred earlier and pieced together why Natsu attacked their guild.
"Is he talking about Yukino?" Rogue questioned internally.
"Where does he get off!?" Sting scoffed. "How our guild operates is none of his damn business!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jiemma feigned innocence. "…But it sounds to me that you think everyone should behave by your moral code."
"HOW THE HELL DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Natsu yelled at the guildmaster for feigning ignorance.
"Hey, Dobengal," Jiemma called one of his subordinates. "Deal with this intruder."
A man with light-brown hair appeared beside Sabretooth's guildmaster. He was wearing what resembled a ninja's outfit. "Yes, sir," the ninja mage obeyed.
"What? Are you scared?" Natsu taunted the Jiemma.
"I don't feel like wasting my time disposing of an insect such as you," the guildmaster countered. "I am the master of this guild; then, you must prove yourself to be a worthy adversary."
Enraged, Natsu charged at the proud man. "Don't hide behind your flunkies! Fight me!"
"I won't let you near our master!" Dobengal declared as he charged at the dragon slayer. He then jumped and launched a beam of rainbow light which Natsu easily dodged. The ninja tried a high jump kick, but Salamander dodged and threw backhand to the ninja wizard. It didn't hit, though, and Dobengal backflipped and readied himself once more to attack. "Although I may not be participating in the Grand Magic Games this year," he said right before teleporting behind Natsu. "…I am just as skilled as those who represent our guild! Now you will taste the true power of Sabretooth!" The shinobi mage teleported again, appearing above Natsu, and threw smoke bombs at the Fairy Tail wizard.
"You're hiding too!?" Natsu yelled at Dobengal. His vision was partially obscured by the smoke.
While in the air, Dobengal threw light daggers at Natsu. His target managed to dodge the projectiles. He quickly teleported behind the fire mage and charged with a rainbow light blade in his hand. "I suggest you leave or face the consequences!"
Unfortunately for the shinobi-themed wizard, Natsu ducked under the incoming attack. Instead, he engulfed his right hand in dragon fire and swatted Dobengal away. "Don't get in my way! I don't have business with you, pal!" the Dragon Slayer exclaimed as he hit him in the gut and sent the man through the rest of his guildmates. The ninja subsequently implanted himself on a pair of oak doors just behind Sting.
The wizards watching gasped at what just occurred.
"Holy crap!" a random wizard exclaimed.
"He just beat Dobengal," another one said.
"He beat one of the guild's toughest like he was nothing!" Lector said in surprise. Frosch wailed at the impossible sight he witnessed.
Sting approached Jiemma and requested to handle Natsu but was denied. "You'll stay out of this," he told the Light Dragon Slayer. He then faced Natsu, who was already charging at him with fists aflame. "No one in my guild has your spirit, boy," the buff wizard quipped, "… It's interesting." Then, just as Natsu's flaming fist was about to make contact, he raised his right forearm to block the strike. "But your spirit is not enough!" he then sent a small pulse of magical energy that pushed the dragon slayer back.
Natsu skidded a few feet from his target but managed to recover. Then, coating his left hand in a fire, he threw a left uppercut that hit the hulking man in the body. It caught Jiemma by surprise. Natsu didn't relent, though, as he sent a right cross that hit Sabretooth's guildmaster in the face. Engulfing his fists in dragon fire, he continued his assault on the arrogant guildmaster by delivering countless fire-powered punches.
This sight brought awe and terror to Sabretooth's wizards. Seeing their guildmaster receive such a beating was unbelievable.
Opting to end this fight, Natsu summoned a fire fist coated in lightning. Putting all effort into this last attack, he reeled his hand back for maximum momentum. "Lightning Fire Dragon Firing Hammer!"
From the outside, a massive explosion destroyed the upper part of Sabretooth's building. The onlookers could only stare in surprise at the amount of destruction. Inside also had the same reactions. Sabretooth's wizards were flummoxed and wide-eyed.
Thinking that his attack did what he intended, imagine Natsu's surprise when the smoke that covered his target was quickly blown away. Between him and Jiemma was a woman in a blue dress. Said woman had her arms extended and neutralized his attack.
"Minerva…" Jiemma trailed off.
"Milady?" Sting asked no one in particular.
"Certainly, you'll agree," Minerva began, "…this little quarrel of ours has gone too far."
"What?" Natsu asked the woman.
"How dare you get in my way?" Jiemma questioned Minerva. "This does not concern you."
It didn't faze the woman though she still apologized. "Please forgive me. You can easily defeat this man, so I'm not doing for your sake, father."
"He's your dad!?" Natsu asked, a little surprised.
"We must take into consideration how this altercation might appear to the outside world," the lady in blue began explaining. "Even though you are the aggressor in this situation, our master killing another competitor would leave Sabretooth in an awkward position in the very least. It would certainly put a damper on the games."
However, Natsu didn't buy it. He still preferred to pummel Jiemma to sleep. "You know what I think? You're scared of seeing this geezer put down!"
"You have enraged both my father and his men, and they are not the type to take this kind of provocation lightly," Minerva warned the dragon slayer. However, she opted to choose another tactic. "What do you say? Would you allow me to resolve this unpleasantness peacefully?" The Sabretooth mage then gathered some energy in her hands, and with a slight poof of smoke, Happy appeared all tied up. "Be aware, that is also the only way your kitten will be returned to you unharmed."
"WAAAHHH!"
Happy's cries brought Natsu into distress. He forgot that Happy followed him into Sabretooth's headquarters, and it was his fault the blue Exceed got captured. "Damn it!" he cried.
"Come on," Minerva taunted. She then summoned magical energy in her hand and aimed it at the restrained feline.
Natsu wanted to punish the arrogant master for treating his guildsmen like they were trash. That said, he can't risk Happy's safety. He thought long and hard, and when he was about to relent, someone came just in time.
"Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō."
Six rays of light slammed into Minerva's midsection, effectively immobilizing her. She let accidentally let go of her captive, and Happy quickly got out his bindings and headed straight for Natsu.
"What the hell is this!?" the younger Orland yelled as she tried to break free from her bindings only to fail.
Everyone was also confused. Where did these rays of light come from? It was strong enough to completely render someone powerful like Minerva immobile. It was assumed that whoever was the caster was, he or she must be stronger than the lady herself. The question is, who?
Sabretooth got there got their answer when a man clad in black appeared beside Salamander. Seemingly appearing from thin air, they were surprised since none of them could detect this stranger's presence. However, Sting and Rogue, along with their cats, recognized who this newcomer was. The visible flinch they did when they saw the new intruder caught the attention of their fellow guildmates.
Natsu looked to his side and beamed a smile at his ally. "Ichigo!"
"Is Happy alright?" the reaper asked in a neutral tone.
"Yes, he is."
Ichigo stayed silent for a moment. His eyes were scanning the hall and assessing the damage the fire mage did. Then, "Natsu," he called, "…what you did was completely reckless and irresponsible!"
"But..."
"No," Ichigo said, effectively silencing the wizard. "Diving head-first into Sabretooth's building not only caused damage that our guild will have to compensate, but you also got Happy captured. It was luck that I managed to get here in time and rescue him."
Natsu hung his head down in shame. Ichigo was right. His brash decision to storm Sabretooth and beat its master brought trouble to his guild. It put Happy in danger if not for the reaper's intervention.
"That said…," the Soul Reaper turned his sights to Jiemma, "…humiliating and expelling a guild member because of one measly loss isn't right."
"What do you care, stranger?" Jiemma questioned Ichigo pompously.
"What you did to that poor girl hurt her in more ways than you might think. First, you punished her in the most degrading way and then you kicked her out of the only place she called home."
"You think I care?" the guildmaster retorted. "If you're referring to the Celestial wizard I expelled, that little weakling doesn't deserve a place in my guild. Only the strongest are allowed to be in Sabretooth, and her loss was proof that she didn't belong."
Those words brought Natsu to the boiling point. Hearing this man say all that enraged him so much that he wanted to attack Jiemma again, screw the rules. However, the flame mage noticed that Ichigo remained silent. The reaper's hair casting a shadow on his eyes. It unnerved Natsu. He had never seen Ichigo this quiet.
That all changed when everything became heavy. The air suddenly became thick and oppressive. Everyone in the room began sweating bullets as the ominous feeling washed over them. Then a massive pressure surged throughout the entire room. It was so overwhelming that anyone who was weak-willed quickly collapsed into a heap. The strongest mages tried to resist, but even they can only keep their consciousness for long.
"That girl is practically homeless now."
They all looked up to see Ichigo with a glare sent right at them. His eyes were now reminiscent of a hollow.
"None of you know what it means to lose everything you have. Your cruelty and lust for power made that girl suffer."
The pressure further intensified; the power residing in the building embodied the rage Ichigo was feeling. How dare they kick out someone from the only place she called home? That emotional scar will take time to heal. He understood it all too well. The loss of his world may not be the best comparison, but it was similar.
The Sabretooth guildsmen were on their knees, gasping for air. Even the five strongest and Jiemma can't help but suffer the agonizing weight Ichigo's spiritual pressure exudes. It's as if the entire world was placed upon their shoulders. The five representatives looked to their comrades and saw a shivering sight. Nearly everyone's mouths were foaming, their eyes watering, and their pupils were rolling to the back of their heads as the pressure put them into trauma. Some were already convulsing from the sheer gravity of the power.
Natsu was terrified. He had a first-hand experience with Ichigo's spiritual pressure, and he never wants to go through it again. He was glad that it wasn't directed towards him and Happy, but seeing other people suffer its effects was just as disturbing. When he looked towards Ichigo, he felt his soul leave his body.
A mass of white substance began forming on the left side of Ichigo's head. It was similar to Kazui's back in the infirmary a couple of nights ago. This, however, was much more terrifying because it reminded Natsu of the image of the monster casting over the Soul Reaper. Unfortunately, his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the top left of the substance form into a helm with a sizeable bull-like horn protruding from the temple. And when he spoke, all they could feel was utter dread.
"I'm glad that you kicked her out, though," Ichigo said, his voice sounding menacing. "Now she can live a life without the pressure and cruelty from all of you. This guild doesn't deserve her." He slowly let his spiritual energy subside, letting the struggling wizards some form of levity. The broken helm above his head disintegrated, yet his eyes still held that demonic visage. He approached a fear-stricken Natsu and offered a hand. The dragon slayer was still apprehensive but accepted, nonetheless. As they began to walk away, the reaper glanced sideways to look at the paralyzed Sabretooth mages. "I'm not like the rest of my guildmates. Suppose you ever try to hurt anyone, especially that girl and my guildsmen. In that case, I won't hesitate to eliminate all of you." With the message sent, the trio of Fairy Tail members all vanished through Ichigo's Flash Step.
"WHAT!?" Lucy exclaimed. "You picked a fight with the master of Sabretooth!?"
"I can't believe you'd be that much of an idiot!" Gray shouted at Natsu. "Do you have a brain in your head!?"
Currently, the fire wizard was back in their team's inn. The rest of his teammates questioned him about what happened earlier, and suffice to say, they went ballistic. Natsu just remained silent, however. Usually, he shouts back if someone was berating him. The others noticed this and wondered why. They turned to Happy, but the blue cat was shaking in fear.
Curious, the blonde Celestial mage asked, "Why so quiet?"
Natsu looked to Lucy and answered with a question. "Lucy, did you saw an image of a monster when Ichigo was pissed at Sting and Rogue two nights ago?"
Lucy tried to remember that night, and the image of said monster caused her to tremble. Never again would she wish to experience something that horrifying. "I did," she answered hesitantly. "Why?"
"Because Ichigo almost transformed into that monster," Natsu answered with fear in his words.
Everyone fell silent for a moment. Then, the mages all tried to comprehend what Natsu just said. It was hard to believe that something so terrifying was lying inside someone they respect.
"What do you mean, Natsu?" Erza asked the Dragon Slayer for an explanation.
"Remember what happened to Kazui with that white thing appearing on his head?" This elicited nods from everyone in the room. "It also happened to Ichigo, but it was much worse. It looked like a helm with a massive horn sticking out of his temple."
"Tell us what happened."
Natsu proceeded to recount the events that occurred in Sabretooth's building. When he reached the part where Ichigo intervened, they all paled at what the Soul Reaper's spiritual pressure did. To think that some were convulsing and had their mouths foam was unbelievable. The last part made them tremble, though. When they heard that Ichigo threatened to eliminate the entirety of Sabretooth for any atrocity the guild may do, they began to question what led Ichigo to do something like this. How can a man so kind and caring say something like that? Wendy, Lucy, and Erza at least had an idea why. They also knew that the Soul Reaper had the power to back it up.
They all decided to rest for the night, knowing that thinking about what happened earlier wouldn't do much for them. But maybe the reaper will be willing to explain why he would go so far in ensuring the safety of not just the guild but of Yukino too.
Yukino was asleep in the inn where the Kurosaki family was staying. She had a rough day, so she needed the rest to ease her already fragile state of mind.
"How is she?" Ichigo asked his wife.
"She's fine," Orihime answered. She sat on the edge of Yukino's bed, a hand brushing over the silver-haired girl's tear-stained face. "Poor girl."
"The way she was treated was just uncalled for," Yuzu remarked, not liking how the girl ended up like this.
"They crossed the line between strict and cruel," Karin said with a scowl. "Bastards."
"You know…," Ichigo trailed off a bit, catching the attention of his family before continuing, "… she's like us."
"How so?" the Quincy twin inquired.
"Although the circumstances are a bit different, Yukino lost her home just as we did years ago."
Orihime, Yuzu, and Karin contemplated Ichigo's words. It was true. Looking at the sleeping mage, they couldn't help but feel pity for her. They knew what it means to lose a home, making them the best people to take care of her.
Ichigo, on the other hand, thought of something that could help Yukino heal from this ordeal. She needed a home, and they can provide that for her. "Hey, guys."
The three looked up to him. "What is it, dear?" Orihime asked.
"I think I might have a way to help Yukino, though I need all your approval for it."
"We're all ears," Karin replied.
When they heard the suggestion coming from the head of the family, they were taken by surprise. Of course, it wasn't out of character for Ichigo to suggest something like it, and they weren't against it. Still, they were just caught off guard. However, they all nodded, knowing that it was the right thing to do.
The third day of the tournament finally came. All teams have assembled at their respective booths and are preparing for the day's events. In the commentator's box was Chapati Lola with a blonde wig, former councilman Yajima, and guest commentator Marshal Lahar.
"Welcome to Day 3 of the Grand Magic Games!" said Chapati. "That puts us at the halfway point."
"How are we going to top the dramatic fights and the excitement from the last two days?" Yajima asked the audience.
"I'll personally be on my best behavior with our special guest from the Magic Council, Marshal Lahar!" the announcer exclaimed as he introduced the enforcer.
"It's been quite a while," Yajima told the marshal.
"Thank you for having me here," Lahar greeted the two.
"As the chief of the Custody and Enforcement Unit, your job is catching the bad guys. Isn't that, right?" the lively announcer asked the officer.
"Yes," Lahar nodded. "And let me remind any would-be cheaters that I'm watching you." The quip from the officer earned him some laughs from the audience.
"That's right, folks," Chapati told the audience. "He's got eyes at the back of his head, and he never sleeps. So, no funny stuff."
The special event for the day is Pandemonium. The rules for the event states that the participants will be taking turns entering a castle teeming with magical projections of monsters. These monsters are classified from D-class to S-class. Each contestant will enter the tower and choose the number of monsters they wish to face, regardless of their class. The game will only stop if all the monsters are destroyed or all mages don't have magic power anymore, whichever comes first. A contestant will be able to get points based on the number of monsters defeated. However, they aren't allowed to leave the structure unless they completed their task. If they ever lose while inside the tower, they will still retain the number of points they accumulated but will be out of the game.
The players for this event are Cana and Erza from Fairy Tail, Orga of Sabretooth, Jura of Lamia Scale, Obra from Raven Tail, Novali of Quatro Puppy, Hibiki Leytis of Blue Pegasus, and Milliana from Mermaid Heel. They decided to draw straws to see who goes first, and to her surprise, Erza got the first turn.
"You're lucky," Cana remarked as she approached the redhead. "I'm willing to bet you'll get the greatest number of turns. Meanwhile, I'll be stuck at number eight," she said while holding her stick with the number eight up.
"Interesting," Erza muttered. "I had assumed victory on this event relied on the luck of the draw."
"It's more than that," the mascot Mato replied. "It's a far more complex game than it is."
"No," the redhead simply stated. "This is no longer a competition." She approached the staircase leading to the castle's entrance. Her stance was firm, and her eyes filled with determination. "Inside this castle lie one hundred monsters. I choose to fight all of them!"
"WHAT!?"
The reactions were expected. No one ever predicted that a mage would try and fight all the monsters in the structure at once. However, some saw this coming and simply laughed. This was Natsu and Gray, of course.
"That girl is something else," Ichigo remarked while smirking.
Meanwhile, Mato was shaken by the armored wizard's declaration. "You're not serious, are you? We designed this event to be completed by multiple wizards."
Erza looked to the midget and simply brushed him off. "I don't care," she casually said before proceeding to the tower.
On the balconies, Team A was showing support to their fellow member. However, there were a couple who are worried, Wendy and Lucy, to be specific.
"Is she sure she can take on that many?" Wendy asked her teammates.
"Even the weakest ones look deadly," Lucy commented. "Do you think she has a plan?"
"Don't ask me," Gray replied. "I don't even know what goes on in her head."
"I do," Natsu said, earning the attention of his team. "She's got this."
In Team B's balcony, they also showed support and concern for the redhead by cheerfully waving at Erza.
"I know I wouldn't be able to take on that many," Juvia said, her concern for her guildmate showing.
"She'll get through it somehow," Gajeel lazily assured the water mage.
Laxus, meanwhile, had a smirk on his face due to the Requip mage's daring move. "That's the spirit. Just relax as she goes to work."
"I'm willing to bet 500 jewels that she'll say she took too long," Ichigo quipped.
"I'm willing to bet a thousand she won't," Gajeel challenged.
The Soul Reaper accepted the wager before they all began chuckling at the plausibility of the scenario.
On the stands, a particular Magic Council officer was watching the event. It was none other than Doranbolt. He was still apprehensive of coming to the games. Ever since the incident at Tenrō Island, he blamed himself for Fairy Tail's seven-year disappearance. Even though he learned that they were all safe, it didn't lessen the guilt he felt. "There's that recklessness they're known for," he thought with a chuckle. "Those seven years in Tenrō Island didn't change them as much as I feared."
Erza stepped into the castle, and not a moment too soon, monsters of all shapes and sizes began to appear. She quickly Requipped to her Heaven's Wheel armor and proceeded to engage the creatures.
The first set of beasts were the weaker D-class ones. Erza made short work of the creatures before the higher-tier monsters appeared. Erza fought the incoming beasts relentlessly and destroyed the realistic projection. However, as the fight continued to drag on, she was beginning to feel exhausted. Still, she persevered and fought through the onslaught of creatures.
The battle within the castle went outside of the structure and continued between its towers. Right now, the scarlet knight was dealing with the higher-class monsters, specifically, monsters ranked B-class and A-class. One could tell that she was already tired. She was kneeling while holding the massive sword from her Purgatory Armor for support. Panting heavily, Erza's determined look never faltered in the face of the monstrosities. She charged once more, her resolve still as strong as when she entered the castle which was something Ichigo found admirable from the redhead as she cleaved through the hoard.
Erza managed to finally thin down the monster projections into one creature which, surprisingly though, looks the least intimidating of them all. However, she knew that there was something off about the one-eyed creature. It was the only one that didn't engage her while she was fighting the rest inside the castle. Her guard was held up in preparation for whatever this eyeball-looking thing is up to. She had a suspicion that this could be the S-class monsters in the castle, so Erza changed into her Clear Heart Clothing and summoned her demon blade, Benizakura, as well as another katana. Much to her misfortune and to everyone's shock, Erza's hunch was proven correct when the little beast began growing in size and slowly morphed into a giant gruesome death knight that immediately lunged at the dual-wielding Requip mage.
The redhead mage was swatted into an arena inside the castle. Erza managed to recover from the intense attack but was kicked by the monster across the stage. It tried to step on her, but she managed to evade by jumping into the air, surprising the creature. Using the momentary distraction, Erza slashed the monster's hands and destroyed them. Enraged, the beast retaliated by swinging its handless arms at the mage, only to receive another slash on the left side of its helm. The monster decides to kick her again. She got hit but quickly got back up and struck the abomination's core, finally causing it to crumble into pieces.
Everyone thought she was way in over her head. Everyone thought she was desperate. What Erza did was completely reckless and foolhardy, but she was a mage of Fairy Tail. They were known to go headlong into the most unpleasant circumstances and come out smiling. This was no different. Just when everyone thought that she won't survive, Erza did the impossible and beat Pandemonium all on her own. As the magic castle vanished from Domus Flau, Erza emerged with her sword raised high signifying not just her triumph but all of her guild. This was their turning point.
Erza's victory left everyone stunned to silence while her guildmates celebrated with cheers and tears. None could come up with a way to describe the most amazing thing to have happened since the tournament's inception.
"THAT…WAS…UNBELIEVABLE!" Chapati Lola finally voiced his amazement of the Requip mage's accomplishment. "Erza Scarlet has singlehandedly defeated all one hundred monsters! Fairy Tail Team A has swept the contest in an ABSOLUTE UNDISPUTED VICTORY!" The bewildered announcer then made the most daring statement of the day. "Let it be known, WE JUST WITNESSED HISTORY! The strongest guild from seven years ago has returned from the grave!"
The crowd erupted into a frenzy. They just had a front-row seat to the best performance of any wizard in the tournament's history. They cheered and chanted the mage's name like there was no tomorrow.
"The crowd is going ballistic after that inspiring performance!" the box-chinned announcer remarked.
"I thought the suspense was going to kill me," Yajima added with a hand over his forehead. He was still reeling from the thrill of seeing the most spectacular performance to date.
"I must say, that was breathtaking!" Lahar commented, his hands were trembling with excitement.
Among the audience, Doranbolt was covering his eyes while it leaked tears of relief. "It took me a while before I saw it," he muttered with a smile, "…the strength behind your recklessness."
The rest of Team A rushed down to the arena to congratulate the victorious mage. Erza noticed them and smiled. "Hey guys," she called. "Sorry, it took so long than I expected." Her team didn't listen though as they just swarmed all over her throwing praises at how cool she was.
Ichigo looked to the rest of Team B and smirked. "Told you so," he said to Gajeel. He held his hand out and said "Pay up" to the dragon slayer. Losing the bet, the Iron Dragon Slayer pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and reluctantly handed it over to the Soul Reaper. The rest of Team B watched in amusement as Gajeel became a thousand jewels poorer.
Meanwhile, the organizers went through deliberation and decided that the remaining seven contestants still needed to be ranked. This will be done using a device known as Magic Power Finder or MPF for short. the remaining participants will cast a spell on the device which will then reveal the magic power they used in numerical figures.
"It's more of a contest of strength. I hope I can find a way around it," Hibiki thought aloud before turning his attention to Cana who was busy drinking a bottle of liquor. "…But the real question is if you're free later tonight?"
The brunette looked to the gentleman and smiled with a pinkish tint in her cheeks. "I could be, but then I wouldn't have enough room for another barrel."
Hibiki's sweat dropped from that reply. "We might have a problem with that."
"MIGHT!?" Novali yelled while pointing to a dozen beer kegs. "How is she not dead yet!?"
Fairy Tail Team B grew concerned over Cana's excessive drinking while in the contest.
"The boozer's drinking on the job!" Gajeel remarked after seeing Cana chug down another bottle of beer.
"Guess our team isn't scoring this round," Laxus said with a blank expression.
Juvia, on the other hand, was shouting at the drunk brunette. "Stop drinking! You still have to compete for us, Cana!"
Cana just gave them a dazed look that made Ichigo slap his forehead. "She's completely inebriated," he groaned.
The turns that were decided earlier by drawing straws will still apply in this competition. Milliana starts with her magic, Kitten Thrust, which swirled its way to the orb on the MPF. The attack hit and the score it registered was 365 points.
The audience was confused about whether this number was good or not since the organizers didn't set a benchmark for comparison. Luckily, Lahar was able to give insight into the scores generated by the MPF. He commented that Milliana's score would qualify her for squad captain.
Next up was Novali of Quatro Puppy who clocked up 124 points which was a bit on the low side. However, it was still higher compared to Hibiki who only got a pathetic score of 95. This embarrassing display from the pretty boy did manage to get Cana's sympathy when she consoled him. Following Hibiki, however, was the wizard from Raven Tail that caused Wendy's earlier trouble.
"That's the wizard who attacked Wendy," the three Exceeds remarked at the same time.
"Another Raven," Lucy said while observing the mage. There was something odd about this Obra character.
"I wonder what kind of magic he'll use," Wendy thought out loud before looking at the boy who promised to protect her. She could tell that the young reaper had a scowl as his gaze was directed upon the one who brought her harm. "Kazui."
"I wish dad would kick this guy's ass," Kazui growled while his hand was tightening his grip on his zanpakūto.
"Kazui," Yuzu placed her hands on her nephew. "Calm down."
The wizard in question just let the little creature that was always with him strike the lacrima on the MPF, garnering only a score of 4 points…the lowest of the entire competition.
"Does anyone buy that?" the blonde Celestial mage questioned.
"No," Erza simply answered.
"Oh. You're completely healed, Erza."
"Orihime managed to restore me to my peak. Her healing powers are unlike anything I've ever seen." The redhead then looked to Wendy and advised, "Maybe you could learn a few things from her, Wendy."
"I know," the girl replied. "I've been meaning to ask her, but I haven't had the time."
In the arena, Orga of Sabretooth stepped in front at charged his Black Lightning Cannon, earning him a staggering score of 3825. The ridiculous score shocked not just the audience but also the other contestants. The most flabbergasted, however, was Lahar who never in his tenure as an officer had witnessed a score of nearly four thousand.
Things were about to get more interesting as Jura, a Wizard Saint stepped forward. The bald man clasped his hands together and summoned his magical energy. The earth rumbled as his magical power emanated a golden light. Reaching his peak, the bald wizard released his most powerful attack, Rumbling Fūjin, which caused a pillar of blue magic power to skyrocket into the air and illuminated the arena in an intense azure glow. When the blast died down, the MPF registered a magic power clocking in at a whopping 8544. Needless to say, it left everyone, even Ichigo to a mild degree, flummoxed, bewildered…flabbergasted!
"Even as a Wizard Saint myself, I can't help but feel impressed at Jura," Makarov said to the first guildmaster's spirit. "He may be just as strong as Gildarts."
"That may be true," Mavis said before continuing, "…but let's not forget that we have someone who has Gildarts' blood running through her." She was, of course, referring to Cana.
Down in the arena, the aforementioned brunette slowly and lazily made her way to the MPF machine after throwing an empty beer bottle to the side. To everyone's confusion, she took off her white shirt, leaving only her black bra for upper garments. Nobody knew why she did this…that is until she revealed a familiar emblem tattooed on her forearm.
"And now, THE GRAND FINALE!" Cana yelled to the audience with a massive grin. The emblem on her arm flickered to life in a bright red glow.
"Ummm…First Master?" Makarov turned to Mavis who was sharing the same grin as the brunette in the arena.
"I let her borrow the spell just for this special occasion," Mavis replied all the while turning her head to Makarov's. The old man could see stars twinkling in the ghost's eyes. "Now she'll be sure to win." This left the wizened mage drained of all color.
"It's time to assemble!" Cana yelled as she began chanting the spell. "The bringer of light guided fairies!" She then aimed the spell at the MPF machine. "Shine your light, so that I may vanquish the fangs of wickedness. FAIRY GLITTER!"
A circle of intense golden magical energy formed atop the stadium that slowly converged on the machine. Once it hit, the MPF was engulfed in a dazzling display of light, explosions, and debris flying everywhere. When the dust finally settled, the Magic Power Finder was nothing more than a memory, but not before it registered a stupendous power of 9999!
"Damn," Ichigo said with a wide grin. "It's over 9000."
It was the maximum number the once-present machine could calculate and the moment the audience got to see the result, everyone went bonkers. They got even wilder when Cana hyped up the guild and boldly declared that they'll be number one again.
Fairy Tail has taken the tournament by storm. From coming in at the bottom place, they were steadily climbing the ranks of the competition. Two more victories will be coming in the individual battles; along with the much-needed justice that's been waiting to be served.
The battles finally commenced. The first bout was between Milliana versus Semmes of Quatro Puppy. It was a tough battle for the cat-dressing mage, but she managed to walk with the win by binding the stout man in her magical tubes.
The next battle was between Rufus Lore of Sabretooth versus Eve Tearm of Blue Pegasus. It was a one-sided match as Rufus used his Memory-Make to seize the victory. Eve was able to perform well despite the clear mismatch, but his efforts were all in vain once Rufus casts Memory-Make: Karma of the Burning Land to summon multiple fire pillars that burned the snow mage, leading to his defeat.
While the two previous matches were a spectacle in themselves, there was one match that everyone wanted to see.
"For our third match, here come our contestants!" Chapati began to call upon the next fighters. "First up, we have the mysterious new member of Fairy Tail. We have little info about this man, only that he is a skilled swordsman and has power that could rival any mage in the competition. His guildmates call him the Slaying Moon, give it up for Fairy Tail Team B's Ichigo Kurosaki!"
Said orange-head didn't mind the cheers he received. His focus was on the enemy he was about to face.
"…And going against him is the equally mysterious wizard in the metal mask, Raven Tail's Alexei!"
Fairy Tail was on full alert once they found out that one of their own will be facing a mage from Raven Tail. They were confident that Ichigo would win, but it was better to be safe than sorry. That's the reason why Makarov requested some from the guild to monitor the actions of the rival guild for any deviant behavior. Even Yajima requested Lahar to let his men observe Raven Tail for anything suspicious.
Down in the arena, Ichigo's scowl never faltered once he was face to face with Alexei. He was prepared for any trickery that this individual may pull just to snatch a win, so he wasn't surprised when the entire stadium went black, and everyone stopped moving.
"Care to explain what's going on?" Ichigo asked the masked man.
"It's a type of illusion magic," Alexei answered. "No one can see or hear what we're doing, only an image of us fighting."
"For what reason would you go to all this length just to have a private talk with me?"
"Simple, really," the masked man said as he snapped his finger. Behind him rose a column of sand that revealed the rest of Raven Tail's wizards. "If it was any other wizard, we'd have no problem dispatching them." Alexei removed his helmet to show that Ivan Dreyar, guildmaster of the former dark guild, was under the mask. "You, on the other hand, are an anomaly in our plans. You are the biggest threat to our goals and that we must eliminate you from the competition to get what we're after."
"It's Lumen Histoire, isn't it?" the reaper questioned the enemy mages which caught them by surprise. "Judging from your reactions, I'd say I hit the bullseye." He took out his short sword and pointed it to the wizards. "All the more reason why I'll beat the crap out of you."
Flare chuckled at the reaper's declaration before saying, "You think you can beat all of us at the same time? Even with your power, you can't take down all of us, let alone our master here."
"You only think I can't take you out," Ichigo replied with finality. "I guess it's time to show the world how lowly all of you are."
Raising his spiritual power, the Soul Reaper sent out a pulse that quickly shattered the illusion cast before them. The darkness that once covered the arena vanished and finally, Raven Tail was exposed for breaking the rules of the tournament. This caused the audience to go into an uproar at the blatant cheating the former dark guild had done.
"It was an illusion?" Makarov said in disbelief which quickly turned to relief. To them, they saw Ichigo getting pummeled by Alexei without any way of fighting back. The rest of the guild grew worried since they couldn't see anyone from Raven Tail to be doing anything illegal.
"What's this, folks!?" the announcer questioned the surprising turn of events. "It appears that Raven Tail has broken the rules and is ganging up on Ichigo!"
"Masters of guilds are prohibited to participate in the match!" Yajima yelled in fury from his seat. "Not only that, intervention from guild members during individual battles is illegal! This is grounds for disqualification!"
"I will ready my men to apprehend…"
"NO!"
Lahar's words were cut short when Ichigo shouted them to stop.
"This fight will continue," the reaper said. "No one will stop this match from commencing. I don't care if there were five of them, it'll just make this a lot more interesting."
"What?" the announcers questioned the carrot-top.
"That said," Ichigo looked towards Lahar. "Marshal Lahar," he called the guest announcer. "I request that you let me apprehend them in your stead. If they resort to anything violent while resisting arrest, then permit me to use lethal force if necessary."
This caused everyone to gasp in surprise, none more so than Lahar. He always thought that Fairy Tail wizards would just jump in and beat the heck out of Raven Tail, but this man requested permission to catch the fiends all the while letting the match continue. It was a strange request, but it was welcome to the marshal since Ichigo volunteered.
"You may," Lahar finally answered, shocking the crowd. "I also give you permission to use lethal force if they try to use violent means."
Ichigo mouthed a thank you to the enforcer with a smile before returning his gaze upon Raven Tail. The orange-haired man gripped his large blade, pulled it out, and then plunged its tip into the ground.
Up with the rest of the guild, Karin began to snicker while covering his mouth.
"What's so funny, Karin?" Makarov asked the older twin.
"Ichigo sees Raven Tail that low if he won't use the bigger Zangetsu," Karin replied. She already stopped laughing but her smirk remained.
"What do you mean?"
"It means he doesn't respect them," Yuzu answered. "He doesn't see them worthy enough to have Zangetsu in battle."
"I have a question," Happy interjected. "How come Ichigo used the big sword against Lisanna and Wendy during that spar months ago?"
"Yeah," Carla added. "Why did he?"
"The answer is simple. He saw that they were strong not just in body but in resolve. He respects them and that they were worthy to have Ichigo use the larger blade against them."
Back in the arena, Ivan grew irritated at Ichigo's meddling in his schemes. "If you think you can take us all out then you have completely lost your mind!"
"You know what," Ichigo said casually, "…why don't I give all of you one free attack before I make my move. Sound good?"
"Are you mocking us!?" Flare shouted.
"No. I'm just giving you this one chance."
"You're going to regret underestimating us! Raven Tail, attack him!" Ivan ordered.
Every member of Raven Tail used their most powerful spells to attack Ichigo. The Soul Reaper stood motionless and apathetic as he received all attacks from the wizards. He was completely engulfed in a shower of magic, sand, explosions, and debris. The dust that covered the area where he stood was so thick that no one can see his form.
"HA!" Ivan cackled in his supposed triumph. "That's what you get for messing with Raven Tail." His celebrations, however, were interrupted when the dust cloud was swept away. Standing tall was Ichigo with a bored expression and not a scratch on his body. "H-How?"
"That's it?" Ichigo questioned before tightening his grip on the smaller sword. "Now it's my turn."
Ichigo vanished, leaving a static sound in his wake. He appeared behind Nullpudding and swiftly kicked the midget across the arena. The movement was so fast that none of the Raven Tail mages were able to register it.
"Mom," Kazui called his mother. "That was Sonido!"
"I know," Orihime replied.
"Sonido?" Mirajane asked. "Is that similar to Flash Step that you use?"
"In a way," the Fullbringer replied. "It's a high-speed movement technique that only Ichigo, and to some degree, Kazui can do."
Kurohebi decided to engage the swordsman in close combat. He swung his hands downward and directed a sharp column of sand at the reaper. Ichigo didn't move. The blade of sand hit him in the shoulder, but to the sand mage's surprise, his attack simply skidded on the reaper as sparks began to fly. It's as if he struck metal instead of flesh.
The twins were wide-eyed at what their brother just did. "Hierro!" Yuzu and Karin both shouted.
Ivan launched a torrent of shikigami at the reaper. His attack struck true, but the effect was the same as that of Kurohebi. Irritated at how his attacks were bearing no effect, he ordered Flare to use her Hair Manipulation magic to burn Ichigo, not that it'd do anything. The redhead did as he was told and ignited her long hair before lashing it out to the Soul Reaper. Ichigo disappeared from her sights only to materialize right in front of her. He grabbed the Raven Tail wizard's face with his right hand and began charging up spiritual energy.
"This is for Lucy," Ichigo muttered to the wizard while casting a Kidō spell. "Hadō #11: Tsuzuri Raiden."
"GAAHHH!" Flare screamed as the surge of electricity flowed from her face then through her body. Every fiber of her limbs was having spasms while the rest of her was shaking uncontrollably. This continued for another minute before her body became motionless.
Seeing that Flare was neutralized, Ichigo let go of his hold and casually tossed her away. She was still alive, though the extent of injuries he inflicted was something he could care less about.
The rest of the mages from Raven Tail flinched at the ruthless way Ichigo took down one of their own. Kurohebi somehow got out of his daze and sent forth a torrent of sand to the death god.
Looking at the incoming sand, Ichigo simply countered with a Kidō. "Bakudō #44: Sekisho." A force field of condensed spiritual energy quickly appeared in front of Ichigo and blocked the converging sand. He then disappeared via Sonido and engaged the snake-like man with his short sword.
Kurohebi was taken by surprise but managed to dodge the initial swing. Using his sand, he created a protective layer around his arms to absorb the Soul Reaper's blows. "I need to disarm him," the wizard said. He jumped back and readied himself. When Ichigo attacked, he managed to capture the blade between his hands. "HA!" he exclaimed. "Not so tough without your sword caught now, huh."
Ichigo gave no expression whatsoever. He just moved his left hand and tapped the blunt side of his blade before whispering, "Getsuga Tenshō." Instantly, Kurohebi was covered in an intense burst of spiritual energy, sending him flying to the other side of the arena all battered, burned, and barely alive. "Try parrying that, filthy casual."
Meanwhile, the spectators were all silent at the one-sided ruthless beatdown Raven Tail's mages were suffering from one individual. Even Ichigo's guildmates were quiet as he efficiently defeated two of Raven Tail's best with an array of unique spells without breaking any sweat.
"Damn," was the collective expression every mage from Fairy Tail could voice out.
Nullpudding was just recovering from the ridiculously strong kick he received from Ichigo when said man appeared before him with a palm in his face. The little man trembled when he saw the cold hard glare the Soul Reaper was giving him.
"This is for Gray and Juvia. Hadō #88: Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho."
"OBRA, DISPEL IT!" Ivan yelled at the blue mage but to their surprise, it didn't work.
They were helpless as Nullpudding's image disappeared in a blast of blue plasma. When the attack faded, the body of their comrade lay unmoving inside a 20-foot diameter crater. His eyes were white, and his skin severely burned. The two remaining mages could tell he was alive, albeit barely.
"What is he?" Raven Tail's guildmaster was at a loss to how this one man obliterated his elite mages so easily. It was impossible. They had the numbers, but Flare, Kurohebi, and Nullpudding were summarily defeated.
Ivan suddenly noticed a black substance forming around Obra. The mage tried to escape but his efforts were futile. The black mass rose and formed into a giant box with multiple spires protruding out of it. He looked to the caster and found Ichigo with his hand held out.
"This is for what you did to Wendy. Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi."
When the Soul Reaper closed his hand, the sharp protrusions on the black box all sunk into the dark structure. As the spell disappeared, Obra fell to the ground full of very deep cuts and lacerations. Even the creature that was always with him did not escape from the dreadful spell.
Ivan Dreyar could only stare in shock and silence. His elite mages were all beaten in the most brutal yet efficient way. He thought that outnumbering this man would be advantageous, yet he was wrong. He underestimated the man, and it paid a costly price. Now his plans to acquire Lumen Histoire have been foiled thanks to Ichigo.
Raven Tail's master grit his teeth in anger and frustration. "How dare he get in the way of my plans and made a mockery of my guild!?" he seethed in his thoughts. Ivan's anger at Ichigo grew until he finally snapped. "You ruined my plans to destroy Fairy Tail. All my hard work to get the guild's sacred treasure now means nothing because you meddled. I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" He summoned his shikigami dolls and condensed them into a massive sphere that glowed dark purple. "DIE! SHIKIGAMI DARK BOMB!"
A blast of dark magic energy shot towards Ichigo. The power emanating from the attack was strong, but it didn't faze the Soul Reaper in the slightest. Looking at the incoming blast, he erected his strongest barrier with a blank expression. "Bakudō #81: Danku."
Ivan's attack was completely nullified by a massive transparent wall that stood between his attack and its target. He was completely left flabbergasted at how easily his most powerful attack was blocked. He didn't notice a static sound behind him and was struck by Ichigo, sending him flying into the sky.
"Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō." The Soul Reaper called forth six rods of light that slammed into Ivan's abdomen, effectively stopping his ascent. Ichigo didn't stop there as he sent out another Kidō. "Bakudō #79: Kuyō Shibari." Eight black holes began appearing beside the already restrained Ivan. Another black hole appeared only this time, it was in the center of his chest.
"What is this!?" the bound guildmaster shouted. "Why can't I move!?"
"Those are two of the most powerful binding spells I just placed on you," Ichigo replied. "This is justice for harming Fairy Tail…my family." He pointed his short sword forward and began chanting. "At the horizon of a thousand-armed one. Ye hands exalted of the darkness that comes not, ye archers of the heavens that casts no reflection. Assemble now, not on the path that illuminates, not cloth thyself in the wind that sparks the fan, but behold this hand of mine…"
Karin gasp as she recognized this particular spell. "Oh my god!"
Mirajane looked to the Soul Reaper twin in confusion. "What is it, Karin?"
"Ichigo's going to do a full-incantation Level 91 Hadō spell."
"What does that mean?" Makarov questioned the surprised reaper.
"Kidō or Way of the Spirit is the closest thing you can call magic from our world. It is divided into three major categories: Hadō or Way of Destruction, Bakudō or Way of Binding, and Kaidō or Way of Healing. They tend to become more powerful the higher their level. It can be done without the incantation but since Ichigo is reciting it, the spell's destructive power will increase exponentially!"
The Fairy Tail mages' eyes widened at this revelation. "You don't mean…?"
Makarov's question was cut off when Karin answered in a serious tone. "Ichigo has no intention of holding back. Unless he shows some mercy, your son won't survive this."
Several massive spears made of concentrated spiritual energy appeared beside Ichigo as he continued his incantation. "…Shot of light, bodies of eight, rays of nine, tome of heaven, great wheel, ashen turret. As I fire this arrow from my hands, vanish in a blaze of white radiance! Hadō #91: Senjū Kōten Taihō!"
Upon its completion, all spiritual spears converged on Ivan. The target could only stare in utter dread at his inevitable end. Once the attack struck, the guildmaster's visage vanished in a devastating explosion that greatly lit up the entirety of Domus Flau. Everyone, including the contestants, covered their eyes at the sheer intensity of the light the Kidō spell was emitting.
When the spell subsided, a figure came falling and crashing down into the arena. It was Ivan. His armor was broken; cracked and chipped in different places. His skin was badly burned to a third degree while his eyes held the expression of horror and futility. He was lucky that Ichigo showed a little bit of mercy in the end.
The audience couldn't mutter a single sound after the spectacle they just witnessed. One lone man was able to expeditiously take out four elite mages and one guildmaster with ruthless efficiency, all the while not breaking a sweat. As they looked to the unconscious and beaten bodies of Raven Tail, only one thought crossed their minds.
Raven Tail was no more, and justice was finally served.
A/N: This is my longest chapter to date. I need to apologize for taking too long in posting the previous chapter. That said, I'll be going through the previous chapters and do some rewriting. It's nothing major, just some grammar checks and working on some kinks to make the whole story better. So expect some random updates popping up now and then.
Until next time!