As soon as she felt the ground shift, Yin knew they were close. She let Erza handle most of the beasts that came their way. Given she was actively suppressing her magic and presence, they weren't going to try and avoid them. And despite needing some more battle experience and honing her magic, Erza was doing exceptionally well.
Below S-class Fairy Tail level, sure. But she'd definitely be one of the top ten in any other Guild. Yin figured she'd be ready for the exam next year.
"Haah.. hah.." Erza panted, using her requip magic to store her Dragonsage armor away.
As soon as it was off, she wobbled and started to fall when Yin caught her and sat her down on one of the nearby fallen trees. Erza nodded her head in thanks before taking the flask of water Yin offered and chugging the warm liquid.
"Thank you. I admit.. I wasn't as prepared for the magic beasts as I thought." Erza stated, wiping the water off her lips.
"I would say you're doing really well. With how many are coming over, they must be drawn to your potent magic." Yin mused, internally adding on the enchanted armor as to why so many beasts were coming.
"You-You think so?" Erza asked hopefully.
Yin nodded and leaned against a tree, throwing a fist back and smashing a rolling giant armadillo creature several meters away.
*CRACK!*
"I do, Erza. You have incredible potential and all that training you do? Is realizing that potential. You have a great foundation in place. Your requip magic is strong, able to store large quantities of different items and you can equip them quite fast. You've reached a stage where you have to branch out and develop your magic and skills in the way that suits you." Yin explained, ignoring Erza's blank stare as the 'Rollidillo' limped away, armor plates crushed after that casual blow.
Erza clenched her fist and nodded with a smile.
"Even so. I'd still like you to teach me what will benefit me!"
Yin quirked her brow and gave the little redhead a small smirk, "Is that so? I guess I could teach you a thing or two about swordsmanship. I feel like I've been neglecting it lately anyway."
And with a small flash of light, a red, sparking katana appeared within Yin's hand. Giving it a few swings, she hummed and sheathed her blade before looking at Erza again.
"Come on. We still have a few minutes until our path converges with Yang and Natsu's. I'll show you some moves my Mother taught me."
.
.
.
*CRACKLE!*
Laxus panted, sweat caked all over his body, not just from the heat of the island but also from the exertion. The magic beasts here were not to be fucked with, he thought. Reluctant as he was to take Gajeel with him at first, he had to admit the kid made for a great match with him. He pinned the beasts with iron spikes, Laxus hit the metal rods with his lightning magic and that was usually enough to take one out.
"Haha! That one was huge eh?" Laxus heard the excitable Gajeel cheer from atop the Rollidillo he spent five minutes beating.
Turns out, these things were one of the apex predators on the island. They were heavy, armored and hit like a wrecking ball. Loathe as he was to admit it, Laxus knew taking one down would take him longer if the little brat wasn't there.
"Psh.. yeah. We did good work here, I guess." Laxus said, wiping the sweat off his face and folding his arms as he took a breather.
"No time to dawdle though. I intend to make it to the checkpoint first. C'mon." Laxus ordered, walking in front of Gajeel quickly.
"Eh my money's still on Big Sis though." Gajeel shrugged as he walked behind a now irritated Laxus.
"She may have beaten me but-" Laxus stopped talking, both his and Gajeel's ears picking up something weird nearby.
The sounds of.. singing and slashing?
"Everybody's acting different when a baddie walk in the room"
*SPLATTER!*
"They said they needed saving, why the hell they sending you?"
*CLANG!*
"You know if I'm sliding ya can bet my twin is too.
Hear the blade?"
*RIIP! SPLATTER!*
"Bitches' soul got split in two~"
Laxus turned his head and looked to his left. Further past the trees, Yin was walking the path next to his. But not only that. She was singing while her blade swept out and killed a number of creatures. Rollidillos, some sort of Dinosaur called Doscadons and massive boars with dark spots on their skin.
Every swing was a kill and she was still casually walking in front of Erza and singing while she worked. And despite the brutal cuts, she avoided the blood splattering with measured and oddly graceful steps as she approached the checkpoint.
"Bitch I walk 'em down, walk it, walk 'em down- Oh look Erza, we're first." Yin stopped and looked behind her, flourishing her blade before sliding it back into the sheath.
Erza walked behind her with wide eyes, blinking as she sheathed the sparking red blade. While not fast enough so she couldn't see, Erza was damn near stun-locked by Yin's prowess with a blade. While not as refined as her unarmed skill, it was a sight to behold.
"Thank you for the display.." Erza muttered, already thinking about how to use the techniques she saw.
"Yeah! And for the song too. I liked the 'twin' part." Laxus looked further to the left and saw Yang on a parallel path, walking in front of an equally gobsmacked Natsu.
"Thank you~ Thank you~." Yin smirked, stopping right at the checkpoint where the paths converged.
Laxus shook off his lingering shock and walked over, arriving with Gajeel right after Yang and Natsu. All three teams looked at each other, faces tense. With the exception of Yang and Yin, of course.
"Since it'll be a while until the Master gets here, let's kick off the last part of the exam, shall we?" Yin asked, looking around and huffing in annoyance as she realized Wakaba and Macao probably won't be arriving anytime soon thanks to Irene's enchantment. Though thankfully, it seemed Ur had gotten there in time.
"Finally..!" Ultear groaned as she walked in front of her Mother, their path just to the right of Laxus'.
Ur sighed in relief, having arrived at the checkpoint after a long and somewhat uneventful path taken with her Daughter. The very same daughter who hurried off to see Yin and Erza to ask how their chosen path went.
Unfortunately for Sting and Rogue, their lesson about S-rank Exams would need to end prematurely. But for Natsu, Erza, Ultear and Gajeel, this would be the most important event.
"Ya wanna start now, Sis? I've been itchin' for a no-holds barred fight with ya." Yang grinned, punching her fist hard enough for the air pressure to knock over Natsu beside her.
"Er.. wait? The next part of the Exam is to fight?" Ur asked, trepidation leaking into her voice.
Laxus felt his fists clench. He finally had a chance to fight these two in an all-out brawl. He'd prove himself here and now. But as he stepped forward, he felt his foot sink into the hardened dirt. Two pillars of pure magical power radiated from the twins as they faced each other. One pillar a bright golden hue, the other a dark purple.
The weight of it slammed his body down and fear overcame his earlier excitement. Laxus looked up and saw all the other kids had fallen back too, staring into the pillars of released magic as they grew in intensity.
"How...?" Laxus whispered to himself, feeling Ur's cool hands pull him back a few meters as the weight slamming into him disappeared.
"Hah.. those two're monsters, you know?" Ur sighed, already moving to move the kids away from the two excited Dragons.
Laxus shakily stood up, shaking his head as if to deny it. That he'd go back in and prove himself. Then it happened.
*WHAM!*
Yang's fist struck Yin's, creating a gust strong enough to put him on his ass again. He almost felt pathetic, but then he felt Ur rest her hand on his shoulder with a kind smile. As if she knew.
"Don't compare yourself to others, Laxus. Be better than your past self. That's what we should all aim for. Now, might as well enjoy the show eh?"
Laxus would never admit it, but Ur's words soothed that tiny spark of self loathing in his heart. Reluctantly, he sat down and watched the twins begin their fight, feeling far lighter after her advice began to sink in.
.
.
.
*CRA-CRACK!!*
Yang grinned as she was punched over a dozen meters away. Ember Celica rattled from the force but held up otherwise. The heat of Yin's Fire Dragon punch was barely felt but the force got her aura flashing like a Christmas tree.
She ducked under a haymaker and rose up with a flaming uppercut. Unfortunately, it only passed through her sister's glossy black hair, but Yang pivoted and punched down, striking at Yin's rising knee and hissing from the numbness she felt in her knuckes as a consequence.
Yin only smirked and continued her onslaught of attacks, punches meeting Yang's open fists, kicks being leapt over or ducked under and grapples met grapples.
"Light Dragon's raking claws!" Yang shouted, swinging her hands down as slashes of light magic flew out of her fingers. Then, she added another attack.
[Light Mana claws: Activated]
A blinding flash lit up the area as Yang's Light Dragon magic was supplimented by the magic skill. Yin crossed her arms and moved back as the light slashes descended, shredding through a significant part of the forest leading away from the checkpoint.
*HSSSS!*
Yin felt her aura sizzling through the attack, having been pushed back over a hundred meters, her feet carved tracks through the ground and upheaved more than a few shredded and burnt trees and foliage.
"Clever.. I never thought to use the claws like that." Yin muttered appreciatively, grinning as she aimed a palm at Yang.
"Night City Two: Electric Boogaloo."
Gravity magic erupted from her palm, creating a twenty-five meter sphere of gravity magic that erupted into Yin's merged black flames. Yang's eyes widened comically as the upgraded spell that killed several Adam Smashers flew at her, plowing through the forest and tearing everything in came into contact with apart.
"Holy fuck.." Yang gaped.
The ball of superheated death smashed into Yang as her magic surged. Yang's hands burned as she caught it, the Darkness element making her aura hiss and crackle as she was smashed through several hundreds of trees and rocks.
"Grrrrrr...!!" Yang growled, muscles straining as she finally threw the black star up and away from her before rearing her head back..
"Creation Dragon's ROAR!"
▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!
A golden energy flew out of Yang's mouth, utterly consuming the black star and dispersing its energy into raw magic that gently blanketed the immediate area. Yang nearly let out a sigh of relief before her instincts screamed at her to dodge.
*FSSSH!*
Luckily, she listened, as Yin's foot smashed into the giant boulder beside her, shattering it completely. She looked at her twin, almost in slow motion as both of their fists swung at the same time. One coated in blue flames, the other in golden flames.
*BOOOM!!*
The punches each hit their marks. Yin and Yang tumbled back, their cheeks slightly smoking as they both laughed and threw even more punches. Unlike earlier, where it was a martial exchange, this was just a slug-fest. No dodging, just two women punching the shit out of each other.
*THUD!*
Their fists connected with their foreheads again, aura flashing as their eyes changed colors. Yang's a burning crimson, like twin suns. Yin's a darker purple, like gazing into the abyss.
"I think that's enough of a warm up, don't you?" Yang asked, hair lighting aflame in gold.
[Burn: Active]
"I fucking love you so much. You know just what's on my mind~." Yin replied, hair lighting aflame in blue.
[Ignition: Active]
"I know~. Love ya too. Now LET'S FUCKING GO!"
[AN: GIMME STONES? Plz. :)]