Laxus' battle was brutally straightforward.
"This… this is the strength of a current S-Class Mage!" Rebi propped herself on her hands, her clothes scorched and burnt, her eyes wide in awe as she watched Gajiru being relentlessly pummeled ahead.
Bang, bang, bang~
Gajiru had no strength left to counterattack, stuck in a passive state of being hit. The recently awakened Observation Haki he had barely controlled was now utterly suppressed by Laxus.
"Thunder Fury!"
With his final blow, Laxus' lightning-charged fist sent Gajiru flying. In midair, a magic circle flared into existence, and a massive sphere of crackling electricity roared outward. It was clear Laxus had not held back.
"Rebi, get behind me!"
Gajiru slammed his arms into the ground like iron rods, halting his backward momentum and shielding Rebi. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath—his stamina drained to the limit.
"Defend! Defend! Defend!" Rebi wrote defensive runes in midair, bracing herself as the electrified sphere hurtled toward them.
Bang… bang…
The first two defense runes shattered almost instantly under the force. The third was on the verge of breaking when…
"Iron Block!"
A massive iron slab appeared in front of Gajiru. Rebi whispered in his ear, "Gajiru, I believe in you!"
His tense expression softened at her words. His cheeks flushed slightly, and confidence surged through him. With a few bites, he absorbed the iron block, replenishing his strength.
"My power… restored!"
Gajiru fixed his gaze on Laxus. His magic erupted, transforming his skin into dark, metallic steel. The wind tore at his tattered clothes, and it was obvious his strength had increased dramatically.
He inhaled deeply, chest swelling with renewed power.
"Iron Dragon's Roar!"
A silver whirlwind combined with iron fragments, spinning into a tornado that smashed the defensive iron block to pieces. It shattered Laxus' lightning sphere, slamming directly into him.
Smoke and dust exploded in the air.
"Rest assured, I'll make sure you become an S-Class Mage!" Gajiru declared, his confidence unwavering.
"Oh~ full of confidence, huh? Then let's see!"
Lightning crackled wildly around Laxus. He gripped a massive halberd, every swing sending bolts of thunder tearing into the cavern walls.
The two clashed fiercely. At that moment, it was impossible to tell whether this trial was testing Gajiru or Rebi.
Meanwhile, in Uru's passage, the ceiling trembled as chunks of ice fell, sealing off the entire corridor.
"Gray, looks like this time… we might really get trapped here!" Loki gasped, helping Gray steady himself while surveying the frozen ice roses surrounding them.
Previous rounds had been impossible—Uru's ice magic, both offensive and defensive, had forced them to dodge endlessly. Finally, they found a chance to strike, but in a single instant, their magic was frozen midair. The freezing cold was terrifying.
As Gray approached Uru, he was immediately thrown back. Uru showed no mercy.
Ice Make—Scattershot Balsam!
Countless ice bullets shot forward. Fortunately, Gray braced himself in midair using Moon Step, absorbing the recoil and partially blocking Uru's magic. Without it, they would have been frozen solid on the spot.
"Gray, I see you've truly worked hard these past few years. I'm proud of you, my student."
Uru stood with one hand on his hip, a gentle smile on his face, as he looked at the panting Gray leaning on Loki.
Then, slowly, Uru extended his other arm from behind.
"What…?" Gray's energy surged.
Uru's forearm was encased in ice.
"But… there's still a long way to S-Class!"
"Don't take this lightly, or I'll get angry!"
Uru's voice remained gentle, his smile unshaken, but the growing chill in the air revealed that he was finally serious. Gray and Loki swallowed hard, shivering from the cold.
In the final passage, Wendy and Master, along with Freed and Bickslow, clashed fiercely. Neither side would give way.
"Seems like only the victor can enter that corridor!" Bickslow pointed to the iron gate sealing the next path.
"Sorry, Master, this is as far as you go!"
"I have to catch up to Laxus. Only by standing at his side can I truly follow him!" Freed drew his rapier, pointing with determination at Master.
"I want to see just how strong you two have become!" Master crossed his arms, paying no attention to the corridor, focusing entirely on the challengers.
"Master! Attack from the left!" Wendy shouted suddenly.
As she spoke, Freed leaped from Dark Wing, striking Master's left side. A stone split in two, but Master reappeared behind him, kicking him away.
"When~" Freed shouted, raising his rapier to block, but he was sent flying again, flapping his wings to regain balance.
"Power… grant me heavenly strength!" Wendy had fully charged her magic.
"Heaven Dragon's Roar!" she shouted, aiming for Freed.
But Bickslow deployed three puppets, each charging lasers from their mouths.
Magic Piercing Puppet Light Cannon!
The three beams combined to clash with Wendy's roar, holding it in a tense stalemate.
Master vanished and reappeared behind Bickslow, kicking him in the abdomen, disrupting the spell. Wendy's roar smashed into the wall, overpowering her foe.
Freed steadied Bickslow, nodding, "Teleportation magic? Impressive technique!"
"Seems we can't hold back any longer!"
"Dark—Demon Form!" Freed inscribed runes on his body, exuding a dark energy that slowly enveloped him.
At this very moment, three cats, led by Charuru, were rushing toward the battlefield.
Though Kael had repeatedly assured them that their allies would be protected, Lily, Tammy, and Simmi were still worried about Gajiru, Laxus, and Kael.
With a map in hand, they flew straight from the guild.
"Tammy, Charuru, Lily, look at that huge tree!" Simmi shouted excitedly.
"Yes! Seems the battles are intense!" Lily said, observing the shaking island seriously.
Tammy accelerated, dashing ahead.
"Hey~ wait for us!" Lily called.
Charuru frowned, deep in thought. She still didn't understand the brief vision she had seen—why Kael had reacted the way he did.