Erza switched armours again—Lightning Empress Armour. The air crackled yellow around her, small arcs sparking off her gauntlets.
"Don't blink," she warned.
"I wasn't planning to," Mira said, floating slightly off the ground. Darkness pooled under her feet.
The next few seconds blurred—Erza closing in with bursts of lightning speed, Mira countering with delayed shadow bursts. The exchange became rhythm: flash, strike, counter, dodge. Each hit sparked light against darkness—literally.
Erza's telekinetic control guided stray blades in midair. Mira's darkness tendrils shot from the ground, parrying unseen angles. The longer it went, the smaller their movements became—each one anticipating the next.
Lisanna and Happy were circling each other nearby—Lisanna in her Cat Soul form, Happy growling like a house pet defending territory.
"Stop copying my moves!" Happy shouted, slapping with a paw.
"I'm not! I invented this!" Lisanna batted back, ears twitching.
They both lunged—and ended up rolling in the dirt, claws and tails flailing.
Erza and Mira both froze mid-motion, watching the absurd spectacle.
"Are they… wrestling?" Mira asked.
Erza sighed. "I can't take this seriously."
Happy squeaked as Lisanna pinned him. "Okay, fine—you win! Mercy!"
She grinned triumphantly. "Cat queen reigns supreme."
"Why are you proud of that?" Mira muttered, feeling second-hand embarrassment for her sister.
Erza coughed, regaining composure. "As I was saying—"
Mira cut her off. "Right. Back to our battle."
Both surged forward again—no hesitation this time. Mira's wings cut through the air as she tackled Erza mid-dash. They crashed through a tree, rolling before separating.
Erza re-equipped mid-roll again—Armadura Fairy. Pink armour shimmered across her body, radiating pure, steady magic pressure. It wasn't her strongest, but it was built for endurance.
Mira's voice dropped to a growl. "That armour… different."
Erza's eyes sharpened. "It's my strongest armour. It's to symbolise that I am part of Fairy Tail."
Mira's grin widened. "Then I can stop worrying about breaking you."
She gathered black energy in her palms. "Dark Burst!"
Erza blocked, the explosion pushing her back. She countered with a sword swing that released a compressed shockwave. Mira weaved through it, claws clashing against the blade. Sparks and dark flares exploded on contact.
Their movements became faster, almost synchronised—two mirrors in different colours. Sword met claw, light met shadow, step met step. At this distance, there was no room for spells—only reflexes and instinct.
Mira ducked a sweep, kicked Erza's shin, and followed with a punch that grazed her shoulder. Erza countered with an elbow to the ribs, then drove her knee upward, but Mira blocked, twisting into a backflip, landing hard.
They both froze again, breathing heavy, dust swirling between them.
Mira's Satan form flickered, then stabilised. "You've gotten sharper."
Erza wiped blood from her lip. "So have you."
For a moment, neither moved. Only the sound of waves and distant birds filled the pause.
Erza lowered her sword slightly. "If we keep this up, we'll take too long. Both of us would lose."
From the edge of the clearing, Happy called out, still dazed. "Can we be done? I think my fur's on fire."
Mira clicked her tongue. "Fine. Call it a stalemate?"
Erza nodded. "Until next time."
They both relaxed, their magic fading. The light and darkness dispersed like mist, revealing the torn ground beneath them—cratered, but intact.
From Tenrou Island's projection hub, cheers erupted. The audience might not have known who won, but it didn't matter. The display alone was proof of why both belonged among Fairy Tail's strongest.
***
The air trembled as Gildarts's presence alone warped the magic around him. Even from a distance, Kazu could feel his lungs tighten — like the world itself was bracing for impact.
"Simple rule," Gildarts said, tapping the silver pendant that hung loosely around his neck. "Take this from me, and you win. Don't hold back."
He smiled the way only a man used to demolishing mountains could — easygoing, terrifying, and amused.
Kazu flexed his fingers once, cracking the joints. "So, just this little thing?"
"That's all."
"Alright," Kazu said flatly, eyes narrowing. "Don't regret it."
He moved first.
The ground burst as he kicked off, Ethernano flaring blue around his boots. Three orbs of condensed energy appeared beside him and fired like gunshots — bang, bang, bang. The magic bullets streaked forward, trailing faint azure lines.
Gildarts raised one hand, and the air split. Each bullet shattered midflight, scattering into harmless sparks.
"Fast," Gildarts said mildly, lowering his hand. "But predictable."
"Good thing I didn't expect that to hit."
Kazu's barrier spell formed midair — a translucent plane that bent light as he landed on it and launched himself sideways. He came in from the flank, Ethernano boosting his speed. His palm glowed as he aimed for Gildarts' ribs.
Gildarts turned slightly. A single tap of his knuckle dispersed the spell like smoke.
The counter came faster than Kazu could blink. A casual backhand that never even connected — the shockwave alone sent him skidding across the dirt, boots carving twin lines.
"Enhancement," 'Constructive Intereference Times 5' Kazu muttered under his breath, a layer of violent energy spreading through his muscles.
From the side, Natsu stood near the treeline, silent. His fists clenched, eyes tracking every move. He wasn't just watching — he was counting.
'Seventeen… eighteen… nineteen…'
Gildarts didn't chase. He stood where he was, relaxed, like this was all warm-up. "You've got good reflexes, kid. Little rough around the edges."
"Rough's fine."
Kazu twisted his wrist; another set of orbs formed — five this time — but he didn't fire. Instead, he used them to redirect his movement, darting between them like stepping stones. Each one burst as he kicked off it, sending concussive ripples outward, making him blur through the clearing.
He appeared behind Gildarts — a faint shimmer of blue. "Destructive Interference."
A pulse spread outward, disrupting the flow of Crush magic for an instant. The world seemed to glitch — just enough for Kazu to swing cleanly.
His reinforced fist hit Gildarts' jaw—
—or should have.
The man didn't even move. He just looked at him, unimpressed. "You need to put more force behind that if you want to push me back." A flick of his wrist sent Kazu flying again, the barrier mage barely catching himself with a thin wall midair before rolling across the field.
Dust settled.
Kazu's breathing was sharp but steady. "Guess that's why they call you Wizard Saint level."
"Guess so."
From the edge of the field, Natsu's lips moved silently — "thirty-two… thirty-three…"
Kazu shot him a glance. The tiniest nod passed between them.
Gildarts caught it immediately. "Oh? You two planning something?"
Kazu didn't answer. His right hand lit up, symbols rotating around his arm.
"Check out my newest spell."
Three golden constructs appeared around Gildarts — tall, glowing spires forming a perfect triangle.
He arched an eyebrow. "Three Pillar Gods?"
"Lock."
The spires pulsed. Lines of light connected them, forming a lattice that clamped down around him. The air rippled as the structure sealed — a prison of sheer magical density.
For the first time, Gildarts frowned. The air inside warped under the pressure. "Impressive." White Ethernano exited his body, as various spells formed around him, trying to break the barrier.
Kazu didn't relax. Sweat ran down his temple. "You've got about five seconds before it breaks."
"Five, huh?" Natsu heard him despite the long distance.
"Not that you'll need that long."
Natsu inhaled deeply. His chest expanded, all the Ethernano he was building up since the battle started, converted into flames building behind his teeth.
'Forty-seven… forty-eight… forty-nine—'
"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"
The world went white-orange.
A beam of pure flame roared across the battlefield, tearing the air apart. Just as it was going to hit Gildarts, he broke the barrier before punching at the incoming roar.
"Pretty good plan. But, did you really think that your barrier would hold me for 5 seconds?" Gildarts grinned, skidding back due to the fire.
"Did you actually think that I would think it would last 5 seconds against you?"
Gildarts's eyes widened as he looked to his right.
Kazu's right fist shone with Yellow Ethernano—50 percent of his Ethernano concentrated there.
His other hand was holding the pendant. A wild grin was present on his face.
Before he could even say anything, Kazu's punch connected with Gildarts's abdomen, sending the latter flying.
"Got you." He released the breath he was holding.
Kazu straightened slowly, his right arm still faintly glowing. He looked down at his fist — trembling — then at Gildarts, sprawled amid the rubble.
The silence stretched.
Then, a low chuckle came from the debris. "One… hit KO, huh? Is this the spell which Cana created?"
Kazu's lips twitched. "Yeah. Though I used it with 50 per cent of my Ethernano, not 100."
Gildarts sat up, groaning, rubbing his abdomen. "Not bad, kid. You actually made me drop my guard. Pretty good plan."
Kazu raised his left hand. Between his fingers, the silver pendant glinted.
The projection lacrima floating high above shimmered, broadcasting the image to the guild members on the other island.
Makarov, watching from afar, smirked.
Natsu stumbled toward them, still half-burned out. "You're kidding me… You actually won against Gildarts?"
Kazu shrugged, wiping a trace of blood from his lip. "Team effort. You set the stage."
"Yeah, but you stole the show!"
"Someone had to finish it."
Gildarts pushed himself up, stretching. Despite the hit, he seemed more amused than hurt. "You two did pretty well, especially Natsu. I didn't think your fire would get this hot. "
Natsu grinned weakly. "Haha. I have been training. We passed, right?"
"Stage one," Gildarts confirmed. "Don't get cocky. The next one won't be this straightforward."
Kazu glanced at the lacrima projection fading out overhead. "Didn't expect it to be."
'Next stage would be on Tenrou island...Maybe, I will meet that ghost.'
***
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