The next morning, Wes arrived at the forest outside the city as promised.
He stood quietly amidst the pale morning mist, motionless like a statue carved from silence.
As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the fog, his eyes suddenly opened — his gaze fixed firmly to the east.
Before long, two figures emerged from the drifting mist — one short and one tall.
The shorter one was Makarov, the master of Fairy Tail, and the taller one was Porlyusica, a highly skilled healing mage and Makarov's old friend from his younger years.
Though she despised the conflicts among humans and chose to live in seclusion in a small cabin deep within the eastern forest of Magnolia, she never once refused Makarov's requests for help.
She was, as always, a stubborn old woman with a soft heart.
When Wes saw them, he politely bowed and greeted, "Good morning to you both."
Makarov and Porlyusica studied the young man before them carefully.
"These young people nowadays really are something," Makarov muttered.
"To think he actually managed to capture Erza alive."
He stroked his graying beard — his tone calm, yet his sharp eyes never left Wes.
Faced with such scrutiny, Wes remained perfectly composed and replied,
"Master Makarov, please rest assured — Erza's life is not in danger. I only did this to negotiate an exchange. I have no intention of making myself an enemy of Fairy Tail."
Makarov gave a cold snort in response, then tossed the box he'd been carrying on his back toward Wes.
Wes caught it steadily. Opening it, he carefully examined the contents inside.
Once he confirmed everything was in order, a satisfied smile crossed his lips.
Inside the box were tomes of magical theory — books filled with research and analysis, but no actual spells.
Exactly the kind of material Wes had been seeking.
"As expected of Fairy Tail," Wes said appreciatively.
"These magical theories and research documents are truly priceless."
He carefully stored away the precious books.
Though Makarov was inwardly tense with worry, he maintained a calm exterior, standing silently and waiting without rushing Wes.
Wes didn't waste time either. Raising his wand, he pointed it toward the open space between them.
A flash of light streaked across the clearing — and with a heavy clang, the Iron Maiden materialized from thin air, slamming onto the ground with a thunderous rumble.
The iron doors creaked open slowly.
Erza tumbled weakly out, collapsing to the dirt.
A moment later, the device vanished into nothingness.
"Erza!"
The ever-steady Makarov lost his composure for the first time.
He rushed forward, gathering the injured girl into his arms.
"M–Master…" Erza's voice was faint and weak. Blood continued to seep from the many wounds across her body.
"Porlyusica! Quickly — look at her!" Makarov barked urgently.
Porlyusica crouched down and examined Erza's condition carefully.
"She'll be fine," she said at last. "Just magical exhaustion and a few surface injuries — nothing life-threatening."
As Porlyusica spoke, she leaned down and sniffed the faint scent clinging to Erza's body.
"Additionally, she's been given a strong sleeping potion. Let her rest for a few days, and she'll make a full recovery."
Wes stood to the side, watching all this unfold, quietly impressed by Porlyusica's precision and professionalism.
In just a matter of seconds, she had accurately assessed Erza's condition.
Her expertise left even Wes inwardly in awe of her skill as a healer.
Hearing Porlyusica's diagnosis, Makarov finally let out a breath of relief.
He gently handed Erza over to her care.
Porlyusica sighed softly, supporting Erza as she turned to leave.
"Master, be careful," Erza murmured weakly before disappearing into the fog.
"That man… he's not simple."
Makarov gave a single nod, saying nothing.
He watched them until their figures vanished completely from sight — then slowly turned back to face Wes.
"It's been a very long time since I've felt this angry," he said, his face shadowed, unreadable — yet radiating a quiet, burning fury.
"Then vent it," Wes said calmly. "I'd like to see the power of one of the 'Ten Wizard Saints' for myself."
Wes had already prepared for battle.
As Makarov's anger surged, his body began to change dramatically.
His small, frail frame swelled outward; muscle after muscle bulged and expanded until he stood over three meters tall — a towering giant of raw strength.
It wasn't just a transformation of size — it was a surge of pure, overwhelming power.
With a single swing of his massive, pot-sized fist, the air itself split apart, whipping into a violent gust.
Facing that terrifying strike, Wes didn't dare hesitate.
He teleported instantly, reappearing behind Makarov — and in the same motion, he fired off five blazing fireballs straight toward the giant's back.
But Makarov moved with a speed that defied his enormous size.
He twisted his body, meeting the attack with one huge, open palm.
Smack!
The fireballs struck — and vanished instantly, snuffed out as if they were nothing but sparks.
He's not only stronger and faster — even his defense has reached absurd levels, Wes thought grimly.
After all, this was the man who had earned his place among the Ten Wizard Saints with his signature spell, Titan Magic.
Makarov raised his right leg high and roared,
"Axe Split!"
His leg turned into a gigantic blade, cleaving downward with terrifying force toward Wes.
Once again, Wes teleported, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow.
A glint of calculation flashed in Makarov's eyes — he had expected that.
He twisted his waist and swung backward, driving a colossal punch behind him with full force.
"Titan's Fist!" he bellowed.
That strike carried every ounce of Makarov's strength and will — a blow powerful enough to shatter even the toughest magical beast.
Wes had just reappeared behind him — only to see that enormous fist fill his entire vision.
There was nowhere to dodge.
He realized his teleportation had been predicted — but instead of fleeing, Wes clenched his jaw and faced the strike head-on.
"Layered Barrier!"
Ten layers of stone walls materialized instantly before him, meeting the massive blow.
Makarov's fist smashed through them, shattering stone and shaking the earth — but Wes was already countering.
The ground beneath him trembled violently.
From the earth, an enormous stone fist — even larger than Makarov's own — erupted upward, meeting the Titan's strike midair.
The two colossal fists collided.
BOOM!
The impact echoed like thunder through the forest, shaking the ground for miles.
°°°
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