POV: Elior
A few days had passed since our return from Lunaris.
Things had settled back into their usual rhythm.
Training in the morning.
Fairy Tail during the day.
And occasionally dealing with Cana trying to convince me that buying sweets counted as an important life activity.
Today, however, Laxus had other plans.
"Come outside."
I looked up from my pudding.
"No."
Laxus frowned.
"You didn't even ask why."
"I know why."
"Then come."
I took another spoonful.
"I'm eating."
"You can eat afterward."
I stared at him.
He stared back.
Cana, sitting across from me, started laughing.
"Just go, El ni-san."
I sighed.
"Fine."
Laxus smiled.
"I've been training."
"So I've heard."
"I've improved."
"I hope so."
His eyebrow twitched.
"You sound pretty confident."
"I am."
"Good."
He stood up.
"Then prove it."
I smiled.
"Let's go."
We left the guild and headed toward one of the open fields outside Magnolia.
It was far enough from the town that we wouldn't have to worry about damaging anything.
Erza and Cana followed us, of course.
Luna came along too.
Apparently, nobody trusted us to have a private training session.
Once we reached the field, Laxus walked to the opposite side.
He rolled his shoulders.
Lightning began crackling around his arms.
Erza watched carefully.
Cana sat beneath a tree with Luna beside her.
I drew my sword.
"Ready?"
Laxus grinned.
"Try me."
Lightning flashed.
He disappeared.
I moved at the same instant.
His fist passed beside my face.
My sword swept toward his shoulder.
He ducked.
Lightning erupted from his body.
I stepped backward and let the attack pass through my Light body.
Laxus clicked his tongue.
"I still hate that."
"You've known about it for a while."
"I know."
He came at me again.
This time, I didn't attack immediately.
I watched him.
His feet.
His shoulders.
His breathing.
The flow of ethernano through his body.
The small changes in magical pressure whenever he gathered lightning.
My perception caught those details almost instinctively now.
Laxus shifted his weight.
I moved before his attack came.
My sword stopped just beside his ribs.
"Point."
He jumped back.
"Again."
I smiled.
"Sure."
We clashed again.
And again.
Laxus was faster than he had been before.
Much faster.
His movements were becoming sharper, and he wasn't wasting as much energy with his attacks.
More importantly, he was learning.
He had realized that I could read the changes in his body and magic.
So he started changing them.
He'd begin an attack from one direction, then suddenly shift his weight and change the angle.
He'd gather lightning more subtly.
He even began deliberately making small movements to confuse my perception.
I blocked one attack.
Then another.
Then he suddenly vanished from where I expected him to be.
My eyes widened.
He appeared beside me.
His fist struck my side.
I was pushed several meters across the grass.
I stopped myself and looked down at my clothes.
A small tear.
I looked back at him.
He was grinning.
"I got you."
I smiled.
"You did."
Cana jumped up.
"Whoa!"
Erza's eyes widened.
"Laxus hit El ni-san."
Laxus looked pleased with himself.
"I told you I'd improved."
I looked at him for a moment.
He really had.
That wasn't luck.
He had studied me.
Adapted.
And found a way to get through my usual defenses.
I raised my sword again.
"Again."
Laxus's grin widened.
"Now you're taking me seriously?"
"I was taking you seriously before."
"Didn't look like it."
"Then I'll make it look like it."
The atmosphere changed.
I let a little more of my magic flow through my body.
The air around us seemed to grow heavier.
Laxus's expression became serious.
He could feel it.
My magical pressure wasn't overwhelming, but it was enough to make the difference obvious.
Lightning crackled around his body.
"Come on."
He charged.
This time, I met him halfway.
Our attacks collided.
Lightning exploded across the field.
My sword deflected his fist.
He twisted and launched another strike.
I moved aside.
His lightning followed.
I raised a Light barrier.
The attack struck it and scattered across the field.
Laxus didn't stop.
He kept attacking.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Precise.
I moved with him, reading every shift in his posture and magical flow.
But he kept changing.
He wasn't giving me the same attack twice.
Then he suddenly lowered his stance.
My perception caught the change.
I expected him to attack from the left.
He went right.
I barely turned in time.
His fist stopped just short of my chest.
My sword was resting against his shoulder.
We froze.
Neither of us had landed the final blow.
Laxus looked at my sword.
Then at me.
I smiled.
"Looks like a draw."
He frowned.
"I almost had you."
"And I almost had you."
"Almost doesn't count."
"Exactly."
He lowered his fist.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
Then Laxus laughed.
"Next time."
"Next time."
We both sat down in the grass.
Cana walked over.
"That was actually pretty good."
"Actually?"
Laxus looked offended.
"I mean it was good."
She smiled.
"Better."
Erza came closer.
"Laxus."
He looked at her.
"Yeah?"
"How did you surprise El ni-san?"
Laxus thought for a moment.
"He reads movement really well."
I nodded.
"So I stopped making my movements predictable."
Erza looked at me.
"Can you still tell what he's going to do?"
"Not always."
Her eyes widened.
I smiled.
"That's the point of getting stronger."
Erza looked thoughtful.
Laxus glanced at her.
"You want to get stronger too?"
She nodded immediately.
"Yes."
"Then watch carefully."
Erza nodded seriously.
I looked at Laxus.
He had changed.
Not completely.
He was still competitive, stubborn, and far too confident.
But he was starting to understand what real combat meant.
Strength wasn't just about having more magic.
It was about learning.
Adapting.
Understanding your opponent.
And refusing to stop improving.
Laxus stood up.
"Race you back."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You'll lose."
"We'll see."
He took off.
I stared after him.
"Hey!"
Cana laughed.
"He's already running!"
I sighed.
"That bastard."
I picked up my sword and ran after him.
Erza followed behind us.
Luna happily chased after her.
By the time we reached Magnolia, Laxus and I were arguing about who had won the race.
"Obviously me."
"You were ahead because you started early."
"That's called getting a head start."
"That's called cheating."
Cana shook her head.
"You two are children."
I looked at her.
"We are children."
She paused.
"Fair point."
We returned to Fairy Tail together.
The guild was as loud as ever.
Makarov looked over from the counter.
"Back already?"
"Training."
Laxus answered.
Makarov looked between us.
"Who won?"
"Me," Laxus and I said at the same time.
Cana immediately burst out laughing.
Erza smiled.
Luna gave a happy "Kyuu."
I sat down at the counter and finally returned to the pudding I'd abandoned earlier.
It was cold.
I stared at it.
Then at Laxus.
"This is your fault."
He shrugged.
"You chose to come."
I took another bite.
Despite everything, I couldn't help smiling.
Laxus was getting stronger.
And that made me happy.
Because someday, I wanted to stand across from him and know that neither of us had any idea who would win.
That was what a true rival should be.
Someone who didn't let you become complacent.
Someone who forced you to keep moving forward.
I looked at Laxus.
"Next time, I'm winning."
He smirked.
"Keep dreaming."
I smiled.
"That's what I'm doing."