Natsu continued running, like he was in a hurry and couldn't even think about stopping. That was partially true since he wanted to mow down anyone and everyone that was standing in his way. "Come on, where are ya!?" The dragon slayer shouted out to anyone who may have been nearby. Just his luck as a rune barrier formed right in front of him and he smacked right into it, comically sliding down the wall before hopping back up. "Who's there!?"
"Yare yare…" None other than the Wizard Saint, Anri. Looks like even she stepped out of Black Phoenix to get some action. "Natsu-chan, how wonderful it is to see you here~"
"Eh…?" Natsu blinked once before shaking his head, flames erupting around his body. He wasn't exactly in the mood for pleasantries, but at the same time he remembered Anri's title as a Wizard Saint and he was more than willing to challenge her for this. "This ain't so bad…sorry, but I'm going to have to make this quick!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Anri waved a dismissive hand while a grin crept onto her lips. "But come on, Natsu-chan, we may never have this chance again, and I've been waiting to fight you for a while you know~ So please, give me something to be excited about~"
"Heh…" Natsu nodded; Anri was right about one thing: it wasn't everyday anyone ever had the chance to take on a Wizard Saint…and this would make a great story to brag about to Gray later. The flames around Natsu grew more intense as his lips curled into a smirk. "Fine by me!"
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"Watch out!" Wes exclaimed while strumming his guitar, taking sporadic steps around the field. Each strum brought forth a geyser that erupted from the ground, striking Gajeel, Levy, Bickslow, Freed, and Evergreen. Freed was taken out instantly while Ever and Bickslow sustained heavy damage. "Come on, feel the beat!?"
"What the hell is this guy…?" Gajeel groaned in pain before standing up, quickly shooting his arm forward as it morphed into an iron pole that made contact against Wes' side. Impact was strong enough to send the Commandant to the side a few steps as a girlish yelp of pain. "And why is he such a fruitcake!?"
"That was pretty girly…" Levy said while shaking off some of the water on her.
"Really, I don't think my voice goes that high…" Ever stated.
"Okay, enough!" Wes lost his temper at everyone poking fun at how high his voice rose when he was hit. A few strums were given to his trusty guitar and arrows of water formed before him, now shooting towards the conscious Fairy Tail wizards.
Bickslow was up next, bringing forth his dolls in a horizontal line. "Line Formation!" The six dolls gather seith magic within their mouths, unleashing several spheres of said magic to clash with the arrows of water Wes sent towards them. There was a massive explosion in the middle once the two magics collided.
Wes brought his arm up to protect his eyes from the smoke. "Man, what a party crasher!" He exclaimed with a groan. But in the next instant he looked, Bickslow was right in front of him with his mask of, eyes glowing a fierce green color as he locked eyes with Wes.
"We don't have time for you, baby! Now be a good boy and listen to me!" Bickslow was aiming to have complete control over Wes' soul. It was only a matter of seconds….
"Hey, get off me you old man!" Wes shouted while swinging his guitar at Bickslow's side with force; the impact sent the Raijinshu member crashing into the ground in an unconscious state, leaving the other's wide eyed.
"He resisted Bickslow's eyes!?" Levy shouted. "But isn't that impossible…!? Unless…"
"Unless…" Ever started. "He doesn't have a soul…?!"
"But how can that be?!" Levy questioned.
"Man, who cares about the details?! Let's just have a good time!" Wes exclaimed while strumming his guitar again, unleashing several beams of high pressurized water towards the trio. They were all hit and sent spiraling backwards until they hit the ground, sprawled along the surface with bruise marks covering their skin.
"Ugh…" Levy groaned before pushing herself up, panting heavily while tracing her finger in the air to spell the word: hole. "Solid Script: Hole!" The letters formed under Wes, simulating a pitfall that trapped the Commandant.
"Wha!?" Wes was temporarily stuck in the hole Levy created, desperately trying to free himself. "You can't interrupt the jam session like this? Let me out!"
"Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!" Ever took into the air with her fairy wings spread out, swiping her fan horizontally to unleash a multitude of bullets that flew down towards the trapped Wes. All that was heard was Wes' girlish cries of pain as the bullets rained down on him, creating a large cloud of smoke.
"Did she get him…?" Gajeel leered into the smoke since it fell too quiet for his liking.
Suddenly, Wes emerged from the smoke with incredibly dense water covering his already hard guitar. He slammed it down on Ever's chest, sending her rocketing into the ground with a slight rumble afterwards. He then strummed his guitar, a shockwave of water pushing Gajeel and Levy back a great distance. The damage was dishing out was high... "Man, you guys are great! Too bad you pass out too early, the main concert hasn't even begun yet!? How can you guys keep up!?"
"This guy is getting on my last nerve…" Gajeel growled before pounding both fists together, raising one arm into the air as it turned into a gigantic, jagged iron blade. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Iron God's Sword: Karma Demon!" In one swift motion Gajeel brought his arm down right onto Wes. But to his surprise, the guitar of the man stopped the blade cold. "Huh!?"
"Hah! You think you can cut into my rhythm? I don't think so!" Wes said with an annoying grin, beginning to slowly push Gajeel backwards. At this rate, he was going to overpower Gajeel! He thought he was going to win, but then, a blade cut into his back. "Ack?!" It was Freed, who quickly regained consciousness.
"Even without my magic, I'm not going to be such an easy target!" Freed exclaimed while dashing past Wes, whose stance faltered a little bit. "Ever! Bickslow!"
Evergreen and Bickslow were up next. Bickslow's dolls were lined up in another Line Formation, while Evergreen gathered up plenty of fairy magic in front of her. "Line Formation!"
"Fairy Bomb: Gremlin!" Evergreen shouted. The combination of Fairy Magic and Seith magic exploded against Wes' back, causing his stance to falter even more.
"Agh...!" Wes grimaced, his legs buckling from the impact of the Raijinshu. This gave Gajeel enough leeway to push forward with his attack, overpowering Wes with his Iron Sword. The blade itself cutting deep into the earth while creating a tremor that shook everything within a few miles. Gajeel then withdrew his arm, panting heavily as he stared in Wes' direction. "O-Oh come on…I just…wanted to rock out again…" Wes wept as his form began to disperse, and on that cue his body faded and the rune barrier around them was dispelled.
"Gajeel!" Levy rushed over to Gajeel who was on a knee, looking him over to see if he wasn't too hurt. "Are you okay? Can you still move?!"
"I'm fine…" Gajeel grunted before forcing himself to stand up. "Where the hell did that guy come from…?"
"Who knows..." Freed said while wincing.
"That was unpleasant..." Evergreen let out a heavy sigh. Their problems weren't over yet, because a few wizards were slowly approaching, and they didn't look friendly.
"More?" Bickslow let out a small laugh. Out of the oven and into the frying pan. They weren't done fighting by a long shot, but he was already accepting of this situation. "Guess they want some of this! You guys keep going!"
"It's not far from here!" Freed said, keeping his sword at the ready.
"Are you going to be okay!?" Levy didn't feel right about abandoning her friends.
"What a silly question to ask. Do you not have faith in us to handle a few thugs?" Evergreen gave a haughty laugh. It was hard to argue against that.
"They'll be fine…" Gajeel replied before walking off. "This way, right? Come on, shrimp, we're almost there."
As Gajeel and Levy walked off, the male watching them closed his book while letting out a slight sigh of disappointment. "It seems the Remembrance of Time is still incomplete. He was far weaker than he was back then…no matter, all will be fixed…in due time." With that, the mysterious Commandant vanished without a trace.
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The Client could feel the vibrations of Gajeel's attack from his hideout. "What on Earthland…?" He blinked slowly, bringing up a lacrima camera only to see Levy and Gajeel slowly approaching his hideout. "I see…I can't have you finding me so quickly, no. Things are progressing too smoothly. It's far too soon for this little game of mine to come to an end!" He wasn't ready to face them. He needed more magic. He couldn't let the annoying sting that Hisui left him fester...
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Lucy and Yukino were in a standoff; the two celestial mages holding their key rings close to each other. This was an unfortunate encounter, for the loser would lose their ability to summon spirits for who knows how long, and they both had the drive to fight for their fallen comrades. "I'm sorry it had to come to this." Lucy said with a frown. "I wanted to fight you again, Yukino…but not like this."
"I agree, Lucy-sama…" Yukino gave a nod. "But Sabertooth and the others are counting on me, just as Fairy Tail and the others are counting on you. I just ask that we can make this a good fight, yes? I wouldn't be satisficed if you held back. If I'm going to put myself on the line for Sabertooth, I want your all."
"Of course." Lucy nodded before a bright light wrapped around her body. When the light faded she was standing in her Stardress: Leo.
"Stardress…" Yukino mumbled before a sly grin stretched onto her bruised lips. "You know, Lucy-sama…you are not the only one who's capable of this power." A similar bright light wrapped around Yukino's body; when that light faded Yukino was donning an entirely new appearance: a black and white scaly dress that left part of her chest exposed, a circlet with fins appearing on her forehead. In her arms: a sword and shield forming in both of her hands. "Stardress: Pisces."
Lucy's eyes widened in surprise at Yukino being able to use Stardress as well; she was not expecting such a feat to say the least. But at the same time, this only made things more interesting…she couldn't help but give a grin as she and Yukino stood in their respective Stardresses. "This is a surprise…! But opposing Stardress or not…I'm not going to be losing this, Yukino."
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Reve looked at the number of unconscious opponents at his feet. All familiar faces, but none of their defeats his doing. Rufus Lohr, Hikaru Frost from Black Phoenix, Rocker from Quatro Cerberus, and a few unnamed mages at well. They were all defeated at the hands of Fairy Tail's ace - Gildarts Clive. "Hah..."
"I know you've been here the whole time." Gildarts looked over to Reve with a grin. There were a few scratches on him, but that was as far as the damage went. A good warm up for the Ace. "I told all of you to come at me at once. Figured it would save time that way."
"I don't need their help to beat you." Reve replied with a cocky laugh. "They were just the opening act." Reve stared at his opponent, the wind blowing just enough to cause his hair to waver. There was that cocky grin on his lips once again, nothing but confidence flowing through the S class's mind. "So, here we are again. This time, things are going to play out a lot differently. I hope you're ready to taste the bitter sting of defeat."
Gildarts let out a hearty laugh before rubbing the back of his head. "I see you're still as lively as ever, Volver! I hope you've gotten as strong as your ego, otherwise this won't be very fun for either of us." The joking expression of the Fairy Tail ace then shifted to a serious one. "You should know this by now, but I've always wanted to say it myself. The White Eclipse tradition is that the weaker opponent moves first, right? Then make your move, gunslinger."
Reve felt his lips twitch at Gildarts' words. This was going to be the greatest moment of his life. "Gladly."
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[Flashback]
While the Wizard Saints were still talking with one another, Kemuri was the one who posed a question. "Say, Makarov? I got something to ask you. We gotta talk about your guild."
"And what about it?" Makarov asked while downing a few drinks. Since Kemuri offered the alcohol.
"That bomb of a dragon slayer you have. What's her name again...Cynthia?" Kemuri asked while taking a puff from his cigarette. "You don't need me to remind you or anything, but she's dangerous."
"She's perfectly fine." Makarov said with a stern nod. "She has a controlled grasp of her power these days. And if anything should happen, I will take responsibility. She's my brat, after all."
"Is it really a big deal?" Anri asked while looking at the others. "She's got a lot of magic, but its only a problem if something tries to use it for evil."
"That kid ain't evil." Mac shrugged.
"But she is a magnet for people like Aiden Viscard." Zios had a neutral stance. He understood the concerns on both ends. "There are many problematic wizards about in the country..."
"That kinda power, especially in the hands of a Dragon Slayer..." Satoshi tipped his hat down. Even if Cynthia weren't a dragon slayer, he'd still have a problem with it. Her being one just exacerbated his issues with them.
"She is my child." Makarov said firmly. "Whatever comes her way, as her parent, it's my duty to protect her from it. Would you all not do the same for those in your guilds? If your child was in danger, or was the danger...would you protect them?"
"What would I do if my child was in danger...? How would I protect them?" It was a question posed to none other than Makarov himself. With the way things in Fiore were progressing, protecting those you cared about was growing a more and more difficult task with each day. "Isn't the answer obvious? I would do anything...and I mean anything..." Avani's voice dipped a little bit.
[End Flashback]
They didn't want to fight. But Hosonaga wasn't giving them a choice. Fight or die. Neither of them had any intention of dying... "I'm sorry about this…!" Cynthia shouted out at Avani as her signature red flames flared around her body. "I really don't want to do this. But I have important people who need me to fight for them…so I can't hold back no matter what." After she said that she sprinted forward with trails of red flame extending from her arms; she aimed to run past Avani while slashing her with wings of flame.
"This child…" Avani crossed her arms, defending herself against the blow but her arms were scorched from the impact. She hissed quietly in pain before glancing down at her stomach. "I'll protect you." She whispered before turning towards Cynthia and raising her fist up, earth scales forming along her arm. Avani then punched the ground, creating a green seal above Cynthia that began dirt and rock to snuff out her flames. "Rockslide!"
'Who is she talking to…?' Cynthia questioned to herself with her sensitive ears picking up Avani's whisper. There was not time to think about this as the dirt and rock began raining down on her. Cynthia's flames were beginning to snuff out due to the force of them while she was taking damage in the process. "Gah…!?" Questions aside, Cynthia had to act fast before she was pummeled into submission. She just leapt forward once again, reigniting her flames while taking aim at Avani. "Twin Talons!" Cynthia swung her flaming feet forward, aiming two consecutive roundhouse kicks at the Wizard Saint. One struck Avani's shoulder and the other was a direct hit to the elder woman's skull, forcing her head to snap to the side while she staggered back a step. Cynthia landed on the ground, preparing herself for what may have been coming next.
Avani's head turned back, blood slowly trickling down her forehead from Cynthia's kick…the usual look in her green eyes faded for something a little more lifeless. Something in her snapped with that impact. An instinct took over and it was one she was fully leaning into. She lunged forward with pieces of earth wrapped around her fist; she slammed said fist right into Cynthia's chest, the force more than enough to send the young girl tumbling violently along the ground. Avani wasn't done there, she inhaled, sharp rock swirling around her lips in a miniature vortex. "Earth Vortex..."
Cynthia slid along the ground, placing her hand flat on the surface to slow her momentum. She didn't even have the chance for a counter attack as Avani unleashed her roar right after. Arms crossed and Cynthia took the brunt of the roar; the sharp rock cut deep into her arms and sides, but she refused to cry out in pain. "Ngh…" After the roar-like attack, she felt her knees quiver yet she still stood. "I guess she's not a Wizard Saint for nothing…but I need to do something..." Cynthia grumbled before leering at Avani. She could tell something was different about the woman but she was unsure what…instead she inhaled before unleashing her own roar, the funnel of crimson flame consuming the opposition. Avani slid across the now charred ground while Cynthia began to close the gap between them for a move she believed would finish it. "You're not the only one who can use Earth!" The young wizard reared her arm back, pieces of sharp rock forming along her arm and at the same time flames blazed around it to deal extra damage.
Avani looked like she had the same idea, a blade of earth forming along her arm. She lunged towards Cynthia with a dull look in her eyes. "…."But as Cynthia drew near, her eyes widened. She could tell Cynthia was about to slash her in the stomach. "...NO!" She suddenly exclaimed, realizing she needed to do whatever she could to protect herself.
Cynthia was going to slash Avani right in the stomach…but as she neared Avani she realized something. The stomach, the way Avani was talking to herself earlier. She wasn't talking to herself…she was… "…!" Cynthia couldn't do it. She couldn't follow through. So that's why at the last second she shifted aim from Avani's stomach to her side, cutting deep into the woman's body. Aside from that impact, it didn't look like anything happened... As for Cynthia, Avani cut deep into her side and she fell to a knee, grimacing at all the blood leaking. "O-Ow…" Before she knew it, her body started to turn to stone, starting from the wound. "W-What…!? W-Wait! W-Wendy..."
"…." Avani's expression was cold as Cynthia's body began turning to stone against her will. Before Cynthia could even utter another word, she was completely encased in stone. "I won't...let you hurt...them..." Her hand was placed on her stomach. She had to. If she didn't do that, Cynthia would've hit her there. Cynthia would've...
One final exhale escaped Cynthia, her consciousness was completely swallowed in darkness...and she breathed no more, petrified with that shocked expression on her face.
"Oh ho!" The Client exclaimed. "How surprise! We have our first kill, from a Wizard Saint no less! Now this is what I wanted to see!" Finally, something that pointed to HIM being right! What a selfish and cruel way to off someone! But the way Avani killed Cynthia…obtaining her magic was impossible now. A double edged victory that left The Client annoyed he missed out on something so exclusive….but did he enjoy the thrill of watching people die.
"Ngh..." Avani didn't quite grasp what she just did. She held her stomach, that was the only thing important to her right now. She turned to the direction of Onibus, simply wanting to go home. But she couldn't; there were more wizards approaching. More of a chance to get hurt. She had to try a different path. Maybe the best path...was to take down Hosonaga himself, the greatest threat to her. "Nobody hurts you..." She told herself, trudging onward.
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Wendy stopped in her tracks, feeling like half of her heart was just ripped from her being. Her eyes widened and she looked around frantically. She clenched her heart, feeling her own heartbeat go off kilter. "C-Cynthia!?"
"Wendy…?" Carla stopped, looking at Wendy with concern. "What's wrong…?"
"D-Didn't you feel that…?" Wendy looked over to Carla. "Cynthia...she's..."
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Next Time: The Greatest Clash.