Ice shards scattered through the air, trees toppled, and boulders tumbled down from the mountaintop in a roaring cascade.
On the far side of the lake, deep within a cracked pit in the mountainside, Nagrez stood on a bed of shattered ice, shaking his head to clear it.
Just before smashing into the rock, he had used the reverse thrust of his flames combined with an Ice-Make cushion to disperse most of the impact.
"He's a monster… that damn Chase!"
Even now, Nagrez felt a trace of lingering fear.
He could launch the same attack Chase had just used, but the opponent's God-Slaying Magic seemed to exert a strange suppressive force, throwing the flow of magic in his body into disarray.
"This is the first time I've fought against God-Slaying Magic," Chase called from across the lake. "And you still managed to use your magic's properties to minimize the damage. Not bad."
It was, after all, the perfect fusion of Natsu's instinct and Gray's intellect.
"But that's exactly what makes a fight interesting."
Chase's lips curved in a calm smile as he reached up, stripped off his casual short-sleeved shirt, and revealed well-defined, battle-hardened muscles.
"Why do they always have to take their clothes off before a fight?!" Lucy groaned.
Mira caught the shirt he tossed over and cradled it in her arms with a smile. "Because this way, you don't risk destroying them during battle."
"So he's… frugal?!" Lucy jabbed a finger at Chase, incredulous.
"Yes," Mira replied serenely. "Anything Chase accidentally damages, he compensates for at full price."
"…I feel like we're not having the same conversation," Lucy muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"Love~ Lucy, Chase is actually really stingy," Happy added from the side. "He even complained about a scratch I made on his wall!"
"It would've been nice if you'd told me that before," Lucy said dryly, thinking of the 30,000J pink dumbbell sitting at home.
Suddenly, she planted her hands on her hips and glared at Happy. "Then you'd better compensate me for the walls and pillars of my house too!!"
Close one. I almost walked right into this dead cat's trap.
While the banter continued, the other guild members were busy at their own… pastime.
After hearing a brief explanation about the God Card "Osiris the Sky Dragon" from Happy, Kana had taken the lead in spreading Fairy Tail's long-standing tradition, passed down from Master Makarov himself:
"Place your bets!"
With the gambling game in full swing, Chase's focus sharpened. Scarlet light burst from his body, transforming him into a blazing streak as he launched himself toward Nagrez across the lake.
It was clear enough they couldn't unleash their full power anywhere near the construction site of the new guild.
In an instant, Chase's figure appeared directly above Nagrez. His right leg, covered in crimson dragon scales, spun downward, crashing from the sky like the whip-tail of a sky dragon.
BOOM!
The impact unleashed a wave of magical light, carving a deep crack into the ground below.
Nagrez leapt back from the shockwave, his fists coming together as icy magic surged into them.
"Ice Flame Dragon's Lancer Meteor Volcano!"
From a dazzling magic circle, countless ice spears wrapped in scorching flames shot upward, densely packed and deadly, aimed straight at Chase midair.
Facing the barrage, Chase spread his arms wide. Scarlet magic coiled around them, shaping into mighty dragon wings.
Instead of retreating, he dived forward toward the spears of ice and fire.
"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"
Whsshh! Whsshh!
The moment the two magics clashed, ice shattered and flames were scattered into the wind.
With overwhelming force, Chase tore straight through the Lancer Meteor Volcano!
"Damn it! You actually stole my magic!"
Nagrez's eyes narrowed at the sight of the all-too-familiar technique. Slamming his foot down, he thrust out both arms.
"Ice Flame Dragon's Wing Attack!"
Two enormous "wings" of ice and fire formed at his back, their magic manifesting into the shadow of a colossal red-and-blue dragon.
From the ground, Nagrez's Ice Flame Dragon phantom soared upward, locking eyes with Chase's Sky Dragon phantom in a fearless, domineering clash.
BANG!
Their foreheads collided with a resounding thud, sending magical shockwaves rippling out in all directions.
"It hurts!" x2
The two "iron-headed idiots" stumbled back, each clutching their now-bright-red foreheads.
"Heh… I'm tougher than you," Nagrez smirked once he recovered.
But before Chase could retort, he felt a sudden chill spread from his forehead. Ice crystals began to bloom across his body, rapidly creeping over him.
"I see… so you hid an ice formation inside that Dragon Slayer magic just now," Chase said with a knowing chuckle. "Clever plan… but "
Before the ice could completely encase him, Chase's grin widened. "I left you a little gift of my own."
Sizzle!
The moment he spoke, a complex magic circle flared to life above Nagrez's head, arcs of white lightning leaping across its surface.
A thunder-charged energy sphere burst forth, slamming into Nagrez before he could react.
It was none other than the Sky Dragon's signature skill
A Thunder Bomb: devastating enough to instantly wipe out weaker foes, and sap the strength of even the strongest opponents!
BOOM!
The Thunder Bomb detonated with a deafening blast, sending Nagrez crashing down to the ground below in an eruption of dust and debris.
Crack… crack… crack.
Chase gathered his magic and shattered the ice encasing his body, breaking free of the frozen state and regaining full movement.
Down below, Nagrez also pushed himself up from the rubble.
"Damn it… that blow drained so much of my magic power!"
His tone now carried more of Gray's seriousness than the fearless bravado he'd shown moments earlier.
"No… if this keeps up, I won't be able to hold on to the title of 'strongest wizard in the guild,'" Nagrez muttered with a frown.
The situation wasn't hopeless he could still turn it around but the real problem was that Chase hadn't even played his best hand yet.
If Chase summoned the Dark Magician Girl from the shore, brought out the Dark Magician, and then stacked on cards that amplified their magic… Nagrez knew he'd have no chance.
At that moment, Lucy's chibi, deadpan face popped into the corner of the scene: By the way… wasn't it you who gave yourself that 'strongest wizard' title in the first place?
"It's settled! I'll end this with my next move!" Nagrez slammed his fists together, declaring his final blow to the opponent above.
"Come on!" Chase replied without hesitation.
By now, he'd gathered all the data he needed on the fusion's capabilities.
As for the upper limits of the Sky Dragon's God-Slaying Magic those would be tested with its most powerful roar!
The two locked eyes in silence, both drawing in every last drop of magic power they possessed in preparation for their ultimate techniques.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art Ice Flame Dragon's !"
"Wrath of the Gods Osiris's !"
"HEY, YOU TWO! Do you want to blow up the entire mountain range outside Magnolia?!"
A stern, commanding voice cut through the air. Crimson hair whipped in the wind as an armored figure appeared between them, halting the clash that could have racked up over ten billion J in damages.
It was Erza radiant in her armor, every bit the heroic, intimidating presence the guild knew so well.
....
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