Alex really enjoys watching Laxus's battle with Orga. It didn't happen in the series because Jura just one-shot Orga. That battle was very unsatisfying for him.
Also, it was very strange because Jura just dashed and slammed Orga with a very strong attack. Yet he took his time fighting with Laxus ike he didn't intend to win from the beginning.
Well, he could be wrong about it, but he sure was disappointed by how that battle went. He's sure many people were hyped up for the battle between Laxus, Orga, and Jura. But the way it went was quite unsatisfying for him.
Alex's disappointment about the series during the Grand Magic Games Arc actually started from the 2nd Origin plot. That was a too convenient power up method. While using Ultear's Arc of Time to forcefully activate their 2nd Origin was very painful, it was still too convenient nonetheless because it could close the gap of 7 years with everyone else.
Though that being said, he was very impressed with Laxus and other Fairy Tail Mages who didn't get such a convenient power up like Natsu's group, yet still managed to grow so much in just 3 months.
That being said, Alex always wanted to see a more exciting battle between Laxus, Orga, and Jura. Now he has seen it although it's just Laxus and Orga because Jura will fight him.
The battle between Laxus and Orga was satisfying to watch. He knows that Laxus held back in that battle and didn't show all of his cards though. After all, Laxus has shown more power and skills when sparring with him.
But he is satisfied because he knows the current Laxus can grow so strong because he has time to grow. Without being frozen for 7 years, Laxus's and everyone else's growths are making much more sense.
They actually got stronger without using any shortcut like using Time Magic or the Power of Friendship buff. He knows that when people want to protect people they love, they can suddenly gain some more strength because their strong feelings push their adrenaline.
But he thought that the Power of Friendship in the Fairy Tail series was so ridiculously strong that it didn't make sense sometimes. It was also used too much, so it lost its charm slowly, at least for him.
Alex doesn't hate it, but he wanted to see the characters actually get stronger through hard work and experience. The power gained from those is real and won't be inconsistent like power gained from feelings that fluctuate.
After all, Alex can't guarantee that the great Power of Friendship will still work in this world because those Gods that gave Alex his power could have tweaked the rules of this world and erased that power or made it very weak, so he needs all of them to truly grow their power.
That's why he's happy with his friends' growth over the last 7 years. They grew amazingly and gained valuable experience. Sure they become older than themselves at this time in the series, but they are also more mature.
"That was a good show. Do you want to be an entertainer now? Was that why you hold back?" Alex asks Laxus when they meet in the arena corridor.
"Why would I need to entertain them. I just have the same reason as you whenever you fight strong opponents. To know more about their magic and learn from them. Also, there's no need to reveal all my cards just on the 1st day. If I can win without using all my power, then I'll do it. This is a tournament anyway, not a real life threatening battle. I ought to enjoy my fight here. That's what you always did whenever you fought us in sparring matches." Laxus answers while shrugging his shoulders.
"Good points."
"More importantly, I'm looking forward to your match with Jura. His current power is nothing like 7 years ago."
"How'd you know?" Alex is confused because he never heard that Laxus and Jura have ever fought.
"Gramps told me that ever since your supposed death, Jura has been training hard. He even sparred with other Wizard Saints, including the remaining 3 Gods of Ishgar. It was because he believed that Acnologia would return sooner or later and without God Serena, the other Wizard Saints would need to step up. But he knew his power wasn't enough, so he needed to get stronger."
"I see." Alex smiles. He knows Jura is always very serious with his duty and responsibility. So this is not surprising. Rather, he's more confused that the Magic Council and other Wizard Saints don't seem to prepare for Acnologia's return like Jura.
Well, hopefully they already prepared something and he just doesn't know it. Though he quite doubted it seeing how the Council was very unprepared when Tartaros attacked them and when Alvarez attacked a year later.
'Right, it's almost time for Tartaros to show up after staying so well-hidden for years. Then there is also the Alvarez invasion next year. But the closest problem is the Dragons from the past. I don't know if the plot will still be the same after all the changes I made, but I still need to prepare for it.'
The whole time-travel bits might not happen because of the changes he has made. In that unknown future timeline, the 10 thousand Dragons might not come, so future Rogue and Lucy won't travel back to the past.
He really wanted to just destroy the Eclipse Gate before the Dragons could come, but he doesn't know where it is. Too bad that he is not a ninja who can sneak into places without getting detected or he would've sneaked around to find the location.
It makes him sigh dejectedly when he realizes that his abilities come from a Ninja World, yet he doesn't have any ninja skills except for walking on water and vertical surfaces like trees or walls.
But anyway, from what Laxus says, Alex can assume that the current Jura is stronger than the Jura in the series during the Grand Magic Games arc. Acnologia's attack that killed God Serena and him has become a motivation for many to get stronger in the last 7 years.
It's especially the case for the Wizard Saints who witnessed Acnologia's might with their own eyes. Even those old folks who had been taking it easy after getting old are now working hard to improve Ishgar's power.
They have gone past their primes and getting stronger is already too hard at their ages. So they are more focused on nurturing young talents which include the youngest in their rank, Jura. They also try to develop magic and magic weapons more seriously.
Even the Magic Council has also become more serious with Ishgar's Magic development over the past 7 years. They didn't even bother Fairy Tail too much because they knew it would reduce the continent's power significantly.
Another reason was because people's opinions about Fairy Tail have become very great after Alex's great contribution to get Acnologia away from Ishgar which prevented any death among civilians, so the Council will face the public's wrath if they mess with Fairy Tail.
Alex's "death" inspired many Mages to grow much stronger. After all, while God Serena had much more power in the fight against Acnologia, it was Alex who saved the continent by taking Acnologia away at the cost of his life after Serena's death.
The strongest Mage met his death while still leaving the threat on their faces. But the weaker Mage, someone who's not even a Wizard Saint was actually the one who saved people because he took the threat away from them even though he wasn't as strong.
Mages older than Alex were ashamed they couldn't do anything when a young man traded his life for the continent's safety and the younger Mages idolized him as a hero.
Alex became a spark that started changing Ishgar's Magic World development. Though if he knows it, he will say that it's also thanks to Serena. After all, if Serena didn't get killed by Acnologia, then the news wouldn't be so big and people wouldn't know about his deeds either.
Nevertheless, because of that, he has become a star. That's why when he walks into the arena for his match with Jura, the loudest cheers in this tournament erupt in the stadium and every place that broadcasts this event.
People are cheering very excitedly for Alex. Children and even many adults are holding his name, wearing shirts with his face printed on them, and carrying more of his merchandise. This fame feels really strange and he doesn't know how to react to it.
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Ch. 228. Killing Acnologia