### Chapter 17: Getting Serious
"?!"
**Laxus** was instantly enraged by **Shun**'s words; a mere brat dared to speak to him like that.
Who did he think he was? He was **Laxus**.
**Laxus** looked at **Shun** with a ferocious expression and said, "Stinky brat, now I'll make you regret what you just said!!"
*Crack! Crack!*
Golden arcs of electricity appeared around **Laxus**'s headphones.
*Boom————!!*
A bolt of golden lightning shot out from underground. **Shun** quickly dodged backward.
*Zzzzt————!*
**Laxus**'s figure appeared behind **Shun**, punching towards him. **Shun** quickly ducked to dodge.
Immediately after, "Hah—!"
**Laxus** swept his leg across. **Shun**, unable to dodge in time, had to block with his arms.
*Bang!!*
**Shun** was hit by **Laxus**'s kick, his body moving sideways, dragging out a deep trail on the ground.
**Laxus** quickly rushed at **Shun**, his fists constantly attacking. **Shun** was beaten without the power to fight back for a moment, only able to barely parry.
**Laxus** got more excited the more he fought, while taunting **Shun**: "I heard your speed was fast? Is this all you've got?"
"Where did that boastful attitude go just now?!"
"You're definitely taking the S-Class Mage title? Let me see you take it! Take one for me to see!!"
"What's going on?!"
Everyone was shocked to see **Shun** being suppressed by **Laxus**.
Was **Laxus**'s strength really this great, that even **Shun** couldn't fight back?
*Bang!*
**Shun** was knocked to the ground by a punch from **Laxus**.
**Laxus** jumped back, clenched his right hand into a fist, raised it high, and chanted a spell: "Resounding through the sky, the roar of summoning lightning, descend from the heavens and turn everything to ash."
A large amount of lightning gathered above **Shun**'s head, forming a thundercloud.
"Raging Bolt!!"
Lightning converged, and a huge ball of lightning appeared, falling rapidly towards **Shun** below.
"This is bad!"
**Makarov**'s face changed drastically seeing this scene. He hadn't expected **Laxus** to use even this move for victory.
It was too late to stop it now.
*Boom————!!!*
The huge ball of lightning fell, instantly causing a terrifying explosion.
The explosion engulfed **Shun**'s body.
Soon, the smoke from the explosion dissipated. A huge crater appeared where **Shun** was, and **Shun** lay in the center of it.
"**Shun**!!" **Natsu** shouted anxiously seeing **Shun** knocked down.
"Hahaha! The strongest rookie is nothing more than this! Under my lightning, you're vulnerable! I am the strongest Mage in Fairy Tail! Hahahahaha!!!"
Seeing **Shun** knocked down, **Laxus** laughed arrogantly.
"Old man, shouldn't you announce my victory? Or do you want me to announce it after I defeat **Natsu**?"
Seeing **Shun** knocked down by **Laxus**, **Makarov** thought to himself: *It seems **Shun** is no match for **Laxus** either.*
Just as **Makarov** was about to announce **Laxus**'s victory...
Suddenly, **Shun**, who had been lying on the ground, sat up.
"**Shun**!"
Almost everyone was startled.
**Shun** rubbed his neck and stood up: "Ah! That hurt!"
"?!!"
Everyone's eyes were about to pop out seeing **Shun**.
They had all witnessed how powerful **Laxus**'s move was just now.
But **Shun** took that hit head-on and seemed like nothing happened.
"Hmph!" **Laxus** snorted coldly. Although it wasn't clear why **Shun** was unharmed after taking that hit, if one hit didn't knock him down, another one would.
*Zzzzt——!!*
A current of electricity blasted from beneath **Shun**'s feet. **Shun** quickly jumped back, landing on a giant rock.
"As expected of **Laxus**, your strength is indeed formidable! Looks like I need to get a little serious too."
**Shun** said as he sat cross-legged on the big rock, then pulled up his pant legs. Two iron plate-like things were strapped to **Shun**'s legs.
"Hmph! Weights?"
**Laxus** showed a disdainful expression. He had done weighted training too. Thinking that taking off weights would allow him to compete was too naive.
Others thought similarly; after all, just two weighted plates couldn't change much.
But immediately, their thoughts changed.
**Shun** released the two iron plates, and they fell freely to the ground.
*Boom————!!!*
A loud noise shook everyone's hearts.
Everyone looked at the weighted plates and saw that they had smashed two huge craters into the ground.
"..."
Everyone was somewhat incredulous.
"Ah! There's more..."
**Shun** pulled up his sleeves, revealing two more weights.
"There's more?!!"
**Shun** threw the two weights down.
*Boom————!!*
With a loud bang, two more craters appeared.
Seeing this, everyone was dumbfounded.
**Gray** asked stutteringly, "**Shun**... **Shun**... how heavy... are your weights?"
"How heavy? Actually not that heavy, about 500 kilograms each. Four pieces in total, so just 2000 kilograms."
"Two... two thousand?!!!"