Chapter 218

A Shocking Wet Final Part 3

NO POV

The entire crowd was cheering wildly in a mix of loving what they saw while shocked as to what had just transpired as Willy and Orga lay on the arena floor, appearing unconscious.

At the commentator's section, all three men, including Yajima, couldn't help but be shocked.

Then, as if a light switch flipped inside his head, Chapati couldn't help but scream into his microphone as he shot to his feet.

"Oh, my lanta! This fight has been nothing short of a thrilling match, but even I couldn't have predicted this! Let's see an instant replay!"

A lacrima screen showed, and it played out the last few seconds of what had happened, showing as Willy and Orga charged at each other while swinging their fists, their fists each connected to their target's face, resulting in them both knocking each other's block off.

"I may have said this before, but I'll repeat it!" continued Chapati. "In all my years of watching the Crocus Fighter's Tournament, I've never seen a match like this! We could have a double KO on our hands! But as much as I would hate to say it, we need a champion! So, I want to take the time to remind everyone that if a double KO occurs, per the rules, Orga will still retain his title while the match will be declared a draw!"

There was then a chorus of boos from the crowd amongst the cheering, which took Chapati by surprise at first, but he paid no mind.

Mato quickly scampered over to the two, worriedly looking back and forth, wondering what call to make. But just as he did, Orga's body began to stir until he finally managed to sit up before eventually getting back up on his feet. He was doubled over with exhaustion, holding his hands on his knees and gasping.

"D-Damn it all," he groaned as he shook his head. "That lousy punk almost knocked me out. But lucky me for - I'm still in this."

"Orga is the first to get back on his feet!" Chapati cried out. "But Willy's still down for the count! If he doesn't get up soon, Orga will be declared the winner and retain his title as champion! Has the goddess of fortune finally turned her back on him and Fairy Tail?!"

Everyone in Fairy Tail's section was silent, the atmosphere tense and somber as they stared at the worrying situation for the boy.

"No way... It can't be..." murmured Happy with a trembling voice.

"Come on, damn it. There's no way," Macao spoke worriedly. "Is it all over for the kid?"

"Well, after a hit like that, anyone would be knocked out," said Wakaba. "Even I'm not sure Willy'll get up after that."

Most of the other guild members started to lose hope as well. Even Tu Chi frowned a little. But then, two tiny little voices caught their attention.

"Come on, Willy! You can do it!"

"Don't give up now! You can't lose to that meanie!"

Everyone looked up and saw that Asuka and Lapis, still on their parents' shoulders, held their hand-drawn giant banner up high while cheering as loud as they could.

Some of the other members were cheering, too.

"You got to get up, kiddo!" Sieri shouted. "I know you still got some fight left in you!"

Lisanna had her eyes brimming with tears as she screamed out loud, too. "You can't let it end like this! Please, Willy! You've got to get up!"

Elfman was now on his feet in the infirmary, scowling in frustration even more as he glared at the lacrimatron, now showing a shot of Willy lying on the ground.

"What the hell are you doing, Willy?!" he yelled. "You can't tell me you'll let it end like this! Don't you know if you lose, we'll lose you again! And I know you don't want that to happen! We already lost you once! We can't lose you again!"

Everyone in the infirmary looked across at Elfman, surprised by his reaction.

Evergreen planned to tell Elfman to calm down again, but then she stopped herself, noticing how desperate Elfman looked, his unbandaged eye filling with tears.

"Elfman…"

"Come on! You gotta get up, Willy!" Natsu roared. "That jerk's got nothing on you!"

"Quit lying there on the ground, man!" Gray also shouted. "This fight ain't over! You can still win!"

"We know you can hear us, Willy!" Erza called out. "You're never alone because you're a part of Fairy Tail! We're right here with you!"

Mira chewed on her lip, growing tense enough for her heart to grow with worry as she stared at Willy's form. While this wasn't her first time seeing Willy weakened, seeing him like this made the memory of him being ill back in their childhood flash in her mind.

Despite it being a distant memory, it made her anxiety grow.

"Willy…"

WILLY'S POV

Dizziness and disorientation were the first two feelings filling my head, along with an achiness and soreness on my left cheek, making me wince. Not long after that, I could hear the muffled sounds of multiple shouting and felt that I was lying down on the ground. Believing I was asleep, I tried to ignore it, thinking I was sleeping in my bed at my apartment.

"Damn it… Natsu and the others must be in Lucy's apartment again, and she's tearing them a new one. Can't they keep the noise down a bit? But - there seems to be more people than usual from the sound of it. Maybe Lucy's having a party? Wait a second. Lucy's not the type to do stuff like that."

Then, as I breathed, I felt something get caught in my throat while my tongue was introduced to the taste of dirt, causing me to cough.

"What the hell?! Why is there dirt in my bed? Is someone pranking me?!"

I blinked open my eyes, wondering what was going on. While my vision was blurry, I could see I wasn't in my apartment, finding myself staring at numerous people.

"Wait.. what's going on? Why are there so many people?"

Then, I heard a familiar voice reach my ears.

"Willy! Please! Get up!"

"Wait, who's that? Who's calling me?"

Then, my eyes fell upon a person amongst the sea of people in the corner of my eyes. A female with silver hair was shouting with all her might.

The minute I saw her, I recognized her.

"M-Mira…"

And she wasn't alone. Natsu, Erza, Gray, and even Laxus stood beside her while shouting. At that moment, something like a switch flipped inside my head as I suddenly remembered where I was and how I got there.

"That's right! I was fighting with Orga! He and I must have knocked each other out! I got to get back up!"

I took a few deep breaths as my senses slowly returned to normal while my body still felt heavy. Then, while summoning my willpower, I placed my hands on the ground and slowly began pushing myself up.

"Come on! Move, body! I still have a lot more left in me! Don't fail me now!"

I planted both of my feet on the ground and, with one more bit of effort while my limbs trembled, was able to stand up.

The crowd around the arena erupted into cheers no sooner than I did.

"He's done it! Willy's back on his feet, ladies and gentlemen!" came Chapati's voice. "Therefore, this match will continue!"

Orga scowled as he stared at me, once again wholly baffled. "Damn it! What's the matter with you?!" he snarled. "Why can't you just stay down?!"

I lightly chuckled. "Sorry, but I ain't the kind to give up," I panted. "Besides, I like seeing the look on your face as I keep proving you wrong."

The lightning god slayer's eyes narrowed in anger. But he calmed himself down.

"Well, I have to admit, you're quite tenacious," he said. "But even with that, you still won't be able to win."

"Keep telling yourself that, bud," I said while wiping my mouth. "But I won't stop fighting until I put you into the dirt. I promised myself I would win no matter what, and I intend to keep it!"

Orga then sneered. "And let me guess, was that a promise you made to your little band of friends? How trivial and pathetic."

I was now glaring. "What did you say?" I growled.

"I said your promise is trivial and pathetic," Orga snarked. "You think that by making such an empty vow, everything would magically go your way? I hate to break it to you, but that kind of crap only exists in fairy tales. Clinging to such an ideal is not only pointless but also will lead you to more pain and suffering." He then leered. "And I'm willing to bet you don't believe in that either, do you? Considering that you lost your poor daddy and your village. Just admit it."

I couldn't help but fall silent at this.

Orga then laughed. "You see? That's the difference between you and me," he went on. "Unlike you, I'm fighting for something that can't be easily ripped away! Not just for the glory of being a champion but to show the world the power of Sabertooth! Our name will strike fear into people's hearts as they witness our might! That is the meaning of strength!"

Still, I remained silent as I stared at Orga as he finished his speech. Then, I gave my response.

"Do you even hear yourself right now?" I finally spoke. "I swear, you're starting to annoy me more by the second."

Orga rose a brow in confusion as I continued.

"You're right about one thing. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fighting for my guild and everyone I've met who helped me get to where I am today," I went on. "After all, I was made into a pariah for a crime I didn't commit, and it got to a point where I started to believe myself as one and didn't even think of myself as a person who didn't deserve anything, just by living and surviving.

I clenched my fists tightly as I fiercely glared.

"However, you're also wrong, too! I'm fighting for something that means more to me than anything else! Something that was robbed from me all those years ago and something I'm willing to fight for no matter what hardship or pain I go through! And also, thanks to everyone I've met, I finally feel like I have it back!"

I paused impressively before yelling out what that something was.

"And that's my pride!"

Orga was taken aback. "Your pride?" he repeated.

"That's right!" I continued. "My pride in being a member of Fairy Tai! My pride in being a dragon slayer! My pride in being Tu-Chi's disciple! My pride in being the son of dad, Finn, Aquadia, the water dragon, and my first mom and dad! My pride in being the sole survivor of Nomekop! And most of all, my pride in being who I am no matter what anyone thinks or says about me!"

My body began to glow bright blue as my magic power began to show itself, causing surprise to fill Orga's features.

"So you and everyone else can talk all the crap you want! You can beat me until I'm a bloody pulp, tear every fiber of my muscles into ribbons, break every last bone in my body, drain every drop of blood until I'm nothing but a husk! You can even use that lousy lightning magic to shock me until I'm nothing but ash! But there's one thing you can't break, beat, destroy, or take away from me! Never again! And not only won't it lose to your so-called strength, but you and everyone else, friend and enemy alike, will see and know what that is!"

My body then exploded in bright blue as I entered Dragon Force again with an even more intense aura of magic as I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"AND THAT'S MY PRIDE OF BEING WILLY FALCONER!"

Orga, at first, was speechless, but while regaining his composure, his body began radiating with the black crackling sparks of his magic power. "Fine then. I'll just have to see about that," he growled with a glare. "Regardless of what you said, I'll incinerate you with my lightning and end this once and for all. We'll see if you're standing after all your big talk!"

I stanced up, my magic exploding from my body as I launched myself, slugging a left fist at Orga, causing him to cross his arms to defend himself. However, I feinted and gave him a right hook square in the jaw and another punch to the gut, sending him flying backward as I pursued him. But as I did, Orga managed to skid to a stop and counter with a head butt to my chest, the force of it sending me back.

As I skidded to a stop, refixing my eyes toward Orga, we launched at each other again while roaring at the top of our lungs as we started attacking each other with all our remaining speed and might.

NO POV

As Willy and Orga attacked each other, each unyielding, refusing to back down, the crowd's cheers grew even louder, loving what they saw. During their flurry, one fighter would manage to land a hit while the other returned the favor, making things look dead even.

As they cheered, Mira couldn't help but be in awe as she watched the two fighters clash, her eyes fixed solely on Willy.

Seeing his face made her remember seeing that same look before. The same look that changed her life since she was a teen. The one she saw when Willy rescued her and defended her and her siblings from the villagers, and what she thought she would never see from Willy again.

The look of pure determination mixed with sureness and pride.

While her heart was still anxious, Mira could feel another emotion taking hold of it. That feeling was joy.

"I know it's been some time since Willy came back," she thought. "Ever since he did, I've always thought that the Willy I knew was gone forever due to the trauma he went through. But now… seeing him like this… "

Her eyes began to water as her hand slowly went to her face, covering her mouth.

"It's like the Willy I've always known from back then… has finally and truly come back."

Everyone in Sabertooth's section was now aghast in shock along with amazement.

"Orga, what the hell are you doing?!" Sting yelled crossly. "You can't let that punk beat you! Hurry up and take him down already!"

"I can't believe what I'm witnessing," Rufus spoke wide-eyed. "I've never seen Orga getting overwhelmed like this before, and by Dragon Force no less."

Minerva wore a frown, showing her tranquil fury. "Neither have I," she spoke in an icy tone.

Even Rogue was disturbed but chose to keep silent.

WILLY'S POV

I can't remember how many times Orga and I have clashed, parried, stuck me, or even how many times I did the same to him. But this fight had to be one of the most intense and prolonged I've ever experienced. To make things worse, my body was growing sluggish despite my Dragon Force, and it felt like I was losing steam as I continued to parry and punch while taking the blows.

Orga swung with a left punch to my face. "LIGHTNING GOD, HEAVY BLOW!"

While taking the blow in stride, I countered with a water-laced kick to the stomach. "WATER DRAGON TALON!"

Orga coughed as the wind was knocked out of him but attacked with another heavy blow, striking me right in the chest and sending me a great distance back. He then held up his arms as he unleashed another beam of black lightning.

"LIGHTNING GOD, CHARGED PARTICLE CANNON!

I took a deep breath while chuffing my cheeks and met him with a beam of my own in the form of my breath attack.

"WATER DRAGON ROAR!"

The collision of our attacks created a powerful explosion, kicking up smoke and dust. However, Orga shot out from the murky fog and swung with another punch.

Seeing it coming, I parried a blow, pushed it away, and attacked with a series of hits.

I swung with a kick again, nailing him square in the gut.

"WATER DRAGON TALON!"

I slugged him in the same spot with a punch.

"FLOWING FIST!"

And I swiftly turned while bashing him again in the chest with an elbow.

"GUSHING ELBOW!"

All the attacks caused him to stagger but miraculously tank them. While clenching a fist imbued with lightning, Orga clocked me right in the cheek, sending me skidding backward as I braced my legs to stop myself.

"What's the matter, punk?" Orga taunted. "You losing steam already? That punch was weak!"

He prepared to attack me again, but suddenly, he grimaced in pain while freezing up, clutching his stomach.

"Wait, the hell is going on? Those attacks shouldn't have hurt me that much!" Orga groaned.

"So what was that you said about my kick being weak?" I teased with a confident smirk. "It seems to me that you're the one who's looking weak at the knees."

At first, Orga was confused, but his eyes soon lit up with realization, knowing what I had done to him was happening, causing him to growl in anger, lunging for me with another punch.

"You damned punk! You've been striking me in the same spot, accumulating the damage! Didn't think you'd do something so cheap!"

But as he did, I instantly closed the distance while placing my hand right where I'd been striking him and unleashed my next attack.

"RIPPLE PALM THRUST!"

The shockwave I released from my palm shook the ground as Orga was sent backward from the blow but somehow remained standing.

I gasped for breath from the exchange, feeling more drained than ever.

Orga coughed a bit but was still smiling as he wiped his chin. "That was a pretty good attack, but how long can you keep it up? I can do this all day if I want to!"

"I hate to say it, but he's right," I thought. "Even with the accumulated damage I've been putting on, he's still not going down. It figures since, unlike Dorma Anim back in Edolas, he's got monstrous stamina. At the rate this is going, he'll wear me down. And I only got enough in me for one more strong attack, so I need to make this count!"

"In that case, why don't we just put an end to this right here and now?!" I yelled at him as my magic power flared wildly with water. "Because I'm getting tired of hearing you talk!"

Orga blinked, appearing surprised that I was exhibiting so much power despite my current state as I started to taunt him.

"What's the matter?! You ain't scared, are you?! Or was that speech you were spouting just a bunch of crap?! You were going on about me being scared of being weak, but it looks like you're the one who looks afraid, you lousy hypocrite!"

A vein popped close to Orga's forehead as he glared. "The hell you say?" he growled.

"You heard me!" I barked. "I called you a hypocrite! And if you don't like a hypocrite, then how about scaredy-cat?! It's fitting, considering you're from a guild named after a cat! Or how about being called a pussy instead?!"

Orga's face grew red with fury as his magic power rose rapidly, and black lightning emanated from around his body. "That's it, you little shit!" he snarled. "You've opened your mouth for the last time! If you want this fight to end so bad, I'll end it with this one!"

Lightning erupted throughout his body, cracking and booming in response to his anger while he punched his right fist into his left palm. Then, as he removed his left hand and threw his right arm to the side, the lightning in his hand covered his entire arm like armor, letting out another bellowing yell.

"GOD SLAYER SECRET ART…!"

In the face of this overwhelming power, I stood my ground and let out a roar of my own as I summoned up whatever magic power I had left in my body.

"It's now or never!"

I slammed my fists together by the knuckles twice before thrusting them forward and bringing them back to my sides. My magic aura intensified, and a magic circle appeared below me, water enveloping my form.

"DRAGON SLAYER SECRET ART! HIDDEN WATER FORM!"

The two of us gazed grimly at each other while our magic powers made the ground tremble as water and lightning emanated from the surrounding area. Then, as if the two of us sensed a signal going off in our heads, we simultaneously leaped toward each other as a giant serpentine creature made of water surrounded my form while a feline-like creature shrouded Orga.

"RAGING! THOR'S SLEDGEHAMMER!"

"AQUA LOTUS: LOCH NESS JAVELIN!"

While screaming out the names of our final attacks, we swung our fists with all our strength, intending to go for the knockout. But just as our fists were about to collide, a sphere formed in Orga's hand. At that moment, something in my body told my mind one single word.

"MOVE!"

At that split second, I moved my body to the right, obeying my impulse in time for the sphere to explode in a devastating beam of black lightning as Orga yelled out in victory.

"YOU'RE FINIIIIIIISHED!"

The attack completely blasted my arm while shocking my body. However, seeing the opening, I launched one final punch with my right fist, aiming straight into his stomach.

"NO! I'M! NOOOOOOOOT!"

As my fist slammed straight into its mark with incredible force, the serpentine creature made of water shrouding my body opened its maw and slammed its jaws shut around my target as it exploded upon impact. Rubble and dust flew, the ground cracked and ripped apart, and water showered everywhere.

I stood there gasping for breath while the water shrouding my body faded along with my aura, my magic wholly spent. But as I looked up while the smoke cleared, I saw a sight that made me full of dread and horror.

For Orga was still standing while my fist stayed right on his stomach.

"N-No way…! He's still standing?! And after putting every last bit of my magic into that blow?! Damn it!"

A tremendous wave of vertigo hit my body, causing me to stagger backward and almost collapse from overexertion. But while clinging to whatever strength and willpower I had left, I stopped myself from doing so as I stood resolute.

"Fine then! I can keep fighting! Even if I have no magic, I'll fight with whatever strength I have left! As long as I can stand and swing my fist!"

I clenched my right hand, bringing it back, and while letting out another brave yell, prepared to punch. But as I did, I suddenly stopped, my hand inches away from Orga's face, noticing something.

Upon noticing his face, I could see his eyes were rolled to the back of his head, showing nothing but white, while his body remained as still as a statue.

"I-I don't believe it," I murmured as I stepped back. "The guy passed out while staying standing?"

Mato then quickly rushed over and inspected Orga, and upon seeing him, he also couldn't help but be surprised. However, he raised his hand while he addressed the crowd in an excited voice.

"Oh my goodness! Orga Nanagear has somehow passed out while remaining standing! Therefore, the winner of this match as a result of a KO and the champion of the Crocus Battle Fighter's Tournament is Willy Falconer of Fairy Tail!"

There was a long silence, the crowd eerily quiet. Then, there was the ding-ding-ding of the bell. This was the signal for the entire arena to explode with deafening applause.

NO POV

"IT'S OVER, FOLKS! AFTER A LONG AND GRUELING FIGHT TO THE FINISH, WILLY FALCONER TAKES HOME THE WIN FOR FAIRY TAIL AND HAS BECOME OUR NEW CHAMPION OF THE CROCUS BATTLE FIGHTER'S TOURNAMENT!" Chapati screamed into his mic with a shrill voice as he stood on the announcement table excitedly. "REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE AT THIS MOMENT, FOLKS BECAUSE THIS MATCH WILL SURELY GO DOWN IN THE BOOKS AS ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC MATCHES EVER!"

"That had to be one of the most heart-stopping and dramatic matches I've ever seen!" Rabien also cried as he fidgeted in excitement. "Thank you so very much!"

Yajima was all smiles as he nodded in agreement.

Fairy Tail's section was filled with loud and wild cheering as they joined the crowd.

"He did it! He did it! He did it!" Lisanna shrieked with joy as she jumped while hugging Juvia. "He won! He won!"

Asuka and Lapis also couldn't help but be excited as they waved their banner.

"He did it, Mama!" Lapis cried to her mother. "He won! Willy won!"

"You bet he did!" Sieri yelled out as she kissed her daughter on the head. "That's our boy out there! That's our boy!"

Tu Chi, on the other hand, kept silent while applauding. But she also had a big smile across her face filled with pride.

"Well done, Willy."

She then looked up at the sky.

"And Finn… I'm sure you must be proud as well. Your little boy has grown."

Everyone in the infirmary was also celebrating.

Lucy and Wendy hugged each other tight. Elfman and Evergreen did so, too, but Elfman couldn't help but lift Evergreen up out of joy while he spun around, which made her quick to get flustered.

"Hey! Put me down, you big lummox!" Evergreen cried.

But Elfman didn't care as he continued to spin while holding her up before setting her down and hugging her tight.

"He did it! Willy won! He actually won!" Elfman cried with pride. "That means he gets to stay with Fairy Tail!"

At first, Evergreen was ready to smack or push him away, but after seeing the guy look happy, she let him have this moment just this once. But just as she did, she noticed Wendy, Lucy, Carla, and even Porlyusica staring at her.

"Wh-What?! What are you looking at?!" she couldn't help but bark with flushed cheeks.

The four didn't say a word as they slyly grinned, much to Evergreen's chagrin.

The waves of anxiety in Mira's heart had finally gone as she exploded with joy and relief, jumping up and down like an excited child.

"You did it, Willy!" she thought. "You really did it!"

Natsu and Gray were grinning from ear to ear, and they couldn't help but fist-bump each other.

Erza was also excited but was a bit more reserved.

Laxus remained silent, arms crossed with his usual stoic body language, but he was also grinning as he nodded in approval and looked across at Mira who was still jumping out of celebration.

"Looks like she won't have to worry about losing her boyfriend," the lightning dragon slayer thought knowingly. "Good for you, Mira."

At another section of the crowd, someone was seething with so much anger that their body radiated with ominous magic power and killing intent, which didn't go unnoticed by the people, causing them to nervously back away from him.

That someone was Jiemma.

"Holy crap! This guy looks like he's gonna blow his top any second!" cried a male.

"That's Sabertooth's master!" cried another. "You can't blame him after his members lost to Fairy Tail twice in one day!"

Jiemma remained seething where he sat, ignoring the comments while keeping his gaze fixed on the arena.

WILLY'S POV

As the crowd cheered loudly, I couldn't help but stand there, still processing what just happened, wondering if I was dreaming.

"I… I won?"

I skimmed over at the crowd, thinking they were cheering for the wrong person, but I quickly found that they were cheering for me.

Mato also approached me, carrying the championship belt. "Congratulations, Willy," he chirped. "In commemorating your victory, here is your prize, the Crocus Fighter's Tournament Championship belt!"

I took the belt into my hands, staring at it. I couldn't help but start to tremble as I held it against my head while my eyes filled with tears. Then, while holding it up high, I let out another massive roar of victory at the sky.

"AND WITH THAT, THE CROCUS BATTLE FIGHTER'S TOURNAMENT HAS COME TO A CLOSE!" Chapati continued to shout. "LET'S GIVE ONE LAST ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR NEW CHAMPION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! AND CONGRATULATIONS TO WILLY FALCONER!"

At that announcement, the crowd cheered once more as a chorus of chants rang loud and clear as I basked in the sun from my victory.

"Willy! Willy! Willy! Willy! Willy!"

NO POV

The cloaked figure with blue eyes stood among the cheering crowd. However, instead of being happy, the female kept a neutral expression.

"Everything's proceeding like I thought it would," she murmured. "Which means it's about time for me to make my move."

She then got up and left, turning away from the arena.

But as she walked down the halls, the woman couldn't help but feel a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. However, she stayed resolute.

"Stop it. Remember why you're doing this. It's to save everyone. No matter your guilty conscience, I must see this through till the end. To save countless lives and our future…"

She held up her left hand, which showed it to be a demonic claw that radiated with ominous power as she finished her sentence with conviction.

"Willy Falconer must die! By my hand!"

And that's it, folks! Willy Falconer's triumphed and is now the champ!

This was a doozy to write, not gonna lie, but I had loads of fun doing it!

If you liked what you read, feel free to fav and review if you're new!

As always, thank you very much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

Dragomaster, signing off!