In spite of not writing another 10,000k words, I just wrote Vali fighting Erza for funnies. I hadn't been showing him a lot, so it would be best to even out the screen time.
There's not much here to be honest, but it's less than 10k!
You all may be disappointed with how weaker Vali is now, but he won't be that way for long. I want to show how stronger the S class is from canon.
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"So… you fought your mother?" Sento asked from his spot on the far end of the couch. A pair of scuffed boots rested in his lap, his fingers methodically stitching new soles into place. The faint drip… drip from the bucket of melting ice beside him was the only other sound in the cramped apartment. The air had a bite to it, making the quiet feel even heavier.
Rias lay curled at the other end, crimson hair spilling over the pillow like fresh paint on canvas. Wrapped in a blanket from shoulder to toe, she'd cocooned herself so tightly that only her face showed. She hadn't moved since this morning. Her school uniform—ripped to near-rags during the fight—was shoved into a heap in the corner, the last tangible reminder of yesterday's chaos.
Lucy had gone out to get her clothes and food. That left only her and Sento, each pretending they were more focused on their tasks than they really were.
Rias broke the silence first, her voice low, almost careless.
"Yep." She popped the "p" as if it were nothing, but her unfocused gaze on the ceiling betrayed her. "It's just… in my head. All the time. And I don't know what to think anymore."
Sento's hands still on the boots. He glanced at her, though she didn't meet his eyes.
"She looked like her?" His voice was gentler now.
"She was her," Rias muttered into the blanket. "Same voice. Same eyes. Same… everything. Except she wasn't. Not my mother. Not really." She exhaled sharply, like forcing out air that had been trapped in her lungs since the fight. "And when I saw her, I thought—" She stopped, tightening the blanket around herself.
Sento leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Thought what?"
"That maybe… maybe I'd wake up. That it was just some stupid, cruel dream despite everything that has happened." She gave a humorless laugh. "But no. She shot me. Looked me in the eye and pulled the trigger."
Sento didn't respond. Words would have sounded too thin here.
"The thing is…" Rias's voice faltered for a moment. "I've read enough stories, watched enough anime to know what's supposed to happen next. You shout something dramatic, pull some impossible move, and suddenly everything makes sense. But it didn't. Nothing made sense. I just moved because—"
"Because you knew she was wrong," Sento said quietly.
Her eyes flicked toward him.
"You saw her. You saw what she did. And you still couldn't stop yourself from fighting. Even if it meant hurting her." His needle pulled through leather with a sharp tch. "Stories… they make it look easy. This isn't a story. And you're not in a manga."
She turned toward the back of the couch, hiding her face. The wall clock ticked. Somewhere outside, a cart rolled past on the cobblestones.
"Hey…" she murmured after a while. "Do you think we'll meet others? People we know… but different?"
She couldn't picture it. It had been hard enough to face someone wearing her mother's face. But her brother? Sona? Her peerage?
"Most likely," Sento admitted. "I'd like to say it's impossible… but it isn't."
"Figures." Her voice was flat, but her grip on the blanket tightened.
She rolled onto her side, the blanket slipping just enough to expose her shoulder, and watched him work. The movements were precise, almost ritualistic—press, scrape, fit, and press again.
"What are you doing?" she finally asked.
Sento's hands paused mid-adjustment. For a second, he looked like he was deciding whether to answer at all.
It wouldn't exactly help him to reveal the specifics, not when the details of what he could do were usually better kept to himself. And honestly, telling her might lead to tell others, it doesn't seem like mystery had any real effect in this world, but he wasn't gonna risk it.
But… he could also imagine what would happen if word got around when he obtained his goal. He can hide a secret, but there are people who tear down that defense like paper. They'd all come breathing down his neck for 'making the poor girl cry without provocation, the knights especially.'
And as much as Sento could be cold in the middle of a crisis, right now it isn't a crisis.
So he set the boot down and said, "I went back to Mt. Hakobe. I read up on it and heard the ice there has special properties." He gestured to the bucket at his side, where a few jagged, faintly glowing shards floated in the meltwater. "I was hoping to use it as a form of mystic code. Mainly for speed and mobility."
Rias's brow rose slightly. "Mystic code? Sounds like something out of one of those light novels. "
Sento smirked faintly. "Well, unlike in those light novels, I have to build mine from scratch. No magic system menus handing me new skills."
Her lips twitched. "Sounds like a pain."
"Everything worth using usually is."
She didn't reply, but she kept watching his hands—press, scrape, fit, press again—the rhythm almost hypnotic. For the first time since waking, her shoulders weren't bunched so tight.
But the calm didn't last.
The smell came first. Not here, not now, but in her head—the acrid tang of gunpowder still clinging to her memory. The weight in her chest returned, heavier than the blanket.
Her mind pulled her back to the fight, whether she wanted it to or not.
She could see it again—Venelana's face, that face, framed by smoke and chaos. The cold glint in her eyes, the subtle curl of her lips. The way the gun's metal caught the light for just a second before it roared.
Rias remembered the sound—not the shot itself, but the after. The ringing in her ears that swallowed everything else. The disorienting thud of her own heartbeat in her skull.
She had moved on instinct, not thought. A sidestep that was almost too slow, the bullet slicing past her leg—so close she felt the heat. Then another, grazing near her ribs. A third, whipping past her head close enough to pull strands of crimson hair into the air.
The world had narrowed to the two of them.
Every strike she threw, every grapple, every desperate block—it wasn't just about survival. It was about proving something. That she could stand her ground. That this woman wasn't her mother, no matter how much her face lied.
But between blows, she'd caught herself staring—at the eyes. The same shade, the same shape, the same subtle softness at the edges… the softness that, once upon a time, meant safety.
It made her hesitate. Just for a second.
A second was almost too much.
The memory cut off when she blinked, finding herself back on the couch, the steady sound of Sento's work filling the air again. Her pulse was faster now, her breath a little shallow—but she said nothing.
She raises her hand to look at,recollecting what happened with Venelana.
"Maou, it's still weird to call her by her name, alternate version or not." She mutters, taking another glance at Sento. A thought came to her.
"Hey, would you have held back if you fought your mother?"
"No."
"!"
Sento stopped working on his mystic code, he looked up, as if wondering. He turned to Rias, a shocked look on her face.
"I… had several mother-like figures. And most would be happy they get to fight me"
Rias's lips parted, but no sound came out at first. She couldn't tell if she was more stunned by the bluntness of his answer, or the way he said it without a flicker of hesitation.
"You'd… be happy?" she asked finally, her voice slow, cautious, as if testing the words in her mouth.
Sento leaned back slightly, one arm resting across his knee. "Happy might not be the word you'd use. But yeah—if it came down to it? I'd fight them with everything I had."
Rias stared at him, her brow knitting. "Even knowing it's them? That it's not just an enemy?"
"Especially then." His voice was steady—calm, but not cold. "Because it means they'd trust me to give them my best. Holding back would be insulting."
Rias's hands tightened under the blanket, the fabric bunching in her grip. The idea twisted something in her chest. "That's… not how it felt for me."
He studied her for a moment before answering. "No. Because you didn't see her as a fight—you saw her as a loss you didn't want to face."
She flinched, her gaze dropping. He wasn't wrong.
Sento picked the boot back up, pressing a new layer of treated leather into place. "Look… I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying that sometimes the best way to honor someone is to not give them a weaker version of you."
Rias swallowed, the words lingering. She thought of Venelana's eyes again—the way they looked so much like her mother's, but sharper, harder. She thought of how every hit she landed felt like she was tearing at a memory she couldn't afford to lose.
Her voice came out quieter than she intended. "…I don't think I could ever be happy about it."
Sento didn't look up. "That's fine. You don't have to be happy. You just have to decide what you'd do if it happened again."
The ticking of the clock filled the silence that followed.
She thought back on Sento's words. They were simple, blunt, and yet… they stuck deeper than she wanted to admit.
No comforting platitudes. No telling her she'd done her best. Just a quiet challenge—decide what you'd do if it happened again.
Her fingers loosened from the blanket, flexing slightly, as if testing an idea.
Maybe he was right. Maybe she had hesitated because she was afraid to face it head-on.
And maybe… that's exactly why she needed to fix it.
Her gaze drifted to him again—still focused on his work, calm, steady, like nothing she'd said had rattled him.
He didn't coddle her. He didn't flinch away from hard truths.
And, more importantly, he was the kind of person who could strip a fight down to its bare bones and build it back into something stronger.
Or at least she thinks he does. He gives off a scientist vibe from time to time, plus he's making a magic tool right now in front of her, so that counts for something!
Look, she knew what she needed to do.
And he was perfect to help her do it.
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"ERZA IS HERE!"
It was out of nowhere, everyone was simply minding their own business as those words were uttered.
Normally, when you hear that someone is coming, you'd be happy. Excited, even.
Not with Fairy Tail.
The moment the words rang through the hall, chaos erupted. Tables were flipped back upright, tankards swept off counters, and debris from earlier brawls vanished into hastily grabbed sacks. A few men had already been holding brooms—clearly seasoned veterans of this particular emergency.
Those who didn't know what was going on just stood there, blinking in confusion.
"Hey! What's everyone doing?" Kunou asked from her seat at the bar. Her juice was already empty, but she kept sipping the straw anyway, thoroughly amused by the sight of grown men sprinting around in a panic.
"Nothing much? It's just Erza returning," Mirajane said, though the smile on her face was way too sweet, like she was trying to cover the fact that she was nervous too.
"Erza?" Xenovia repeated, frowning slightly.
"Erza's an S-Class mage… like Cana," Mira explained, sliding a glass across the counter to someone who definitely hadn't ordered it—probably just to keep them busy.
She didn't look like she was affected much from yesterday. That's probably good.
"So she's really strong? Like… high-class or ultimate-class?" Rossweisse asked. Her tone was casual, but her warrior instincts told her the room's tension was way too sharp for this to be just about strength.
Mira tilted her head, not knowing those terms. "Well, I guess you could say she's pretty high if you look at it that way…" She trailed off as the sound of heavy, armored footsteps began to echo outside. The room went silent, the kind of silence that pressed on your ears.
Somewhere in the back, someone whimpered, "Too late… she's here."
THUD!
A massive thud shook the guild. Then another. And another. Each one rattled the tables and sent glasses trembling in place. The vibrations crept up the floorboards and into everyone's spines.
Vali leaned forward in his chair, eyes narrowing in interest. That familiar thrill of competition was already crawling into his grin. Finally, something to do.
The guild doors slammed open, the hinges creaking in protest.
Framed in the doorway was a hulking shadow, the sunlight behind her making the details hard to see. She stepped inside, her armored boots striking the floor like war drums.
As she drew nearer, the shadow resolved into the form of a tall, striking woman with crimson hair cascading down her back. Her iron armor gleamed, polished to a shine, and in her right hand—held as casually as one might carry a shopping bag—was a massive horn the size of three grown men. It barely fit through the doorframe, and the way she held it onto her body made the wood groan under the weight.
Her sharp eyes scanned the guild, locking briefly on every single person who wasn't already standing at attention. Several members straightened instantly, plastering on innocent smiles. Others stared at the floor like schoolchildren caught misbehaving.
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A member of Fairy Tail
S-class Mage
Titania: Queen of the Fairies
Erza Scarlet
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Kunou blinked, tilting her head. "That's… Erza?"
Erza set the massive horn down beside the bar with a heavy CLANG, the impact making several mugs rattle dangerously close to the edge.
"Mirajane."
Her voice was calm. Too calm.
"Yes, Erza?" Mira answered with her usual bright smile, though her hands were already behind the counter, discreetly hiding the evidence of a cake that had definitely been meant for the next customers, not the guild master's desk.
"I trust," Erza said slowly, scanning the room, "that there has been no… misconduct in my absence."
No one spoke. Somewhere in the back, a chair creaked as someone shifted their weight, and three separate people immediately elbowed him to stop moving.
Erza's gaze landed on a pile of splintered wood near the corner. "That table was new."
A beat of silence. Then, from the far side of the guild, Wakaba shouted, "It—it fell over in the wind!"
The wind inside the guild? No one dared point that out.
Another member asked about the horn. "Where did you get that?"
Erza's eyes narrowed for just a moment before she exhaled, turning her attention to the horn. "This came from a frost tusk beast in the northern mountains. A dangerous creature. But one whose tusk will serve the guild well, the villagers offered to decorate it." She patted it once, like it was a loyal dog instead of a trophy from something she'd likely fought bare-handed at some point.
"Is there a problem with that?" Her glare tore through poor Max as he shivered. "N-no ma'am!"
"Oh no…" Macao said nearby. "She probably knows about Hakobe."
"Where is the master?" Erza questioned
"He's at the monthly Guild master meeting, something wrong?"
"Oh, I needed to speak with him about a certain matter, though I can wait."
Only then did she seem to notice Kunou, Xenovia, Rossweisse, and Vali watching her with varying degrees of curiosity and wariness.
"You're new," Erza observed, stepping toward them with measured, deliberate strides.
Vali's grin widened. "And you look like you're worth a good fight."
The guild's air tightened like a bowstring.
Some leaned forward eagerly, others backed up toward the walls—because challenging Erza Scarlet was the kind of event you wanted either front-row seats to… or a safe distance from.
Erza's eyes narrowed, her presence in the guildhall suddenly heavier, like a blade being drawn an inch from its sheath. The chatter that had been buzzing around the room quieted as people leaned in, sensing the atmosphere shift.
"Are you… implying something?" Her voice was calm, but beneath it lay a dangerous edge, the kind that could cut with just a word.
Vali stood firm, his expression unreadable save for the faint curve of confidence tugging at his lips. "You're one of the strongest people here—barring the guild master himself. I want to fight you. I want to see how strong you really are."
The silence thickened, broken only by the scrape of a chair as someone leaned back to get a better view.
"You claim my strength is false?" Erza asked, her glare sharpening, testing him like a sword against steel.
Most people in the guild would have flinched, some outright backed down when Erza's eyes locked onto them like that. But Vali? He didn't waver.
"That's right," he said, steady, almost amused by the weight of her presence. "Unless…" His smirk widened just slightly. "You're afraid of losing."
A ripple of gasps and murmurs tore through the crowd.
"Dead man walking."
"Someone get the infirmary ready."
"I'm taking bets—ten jewel says he doesn't last two minutes."
Erza stopped in front of him, close enough that the light caught every polished line of her armor. Her gaze traveled from his stance, to his hands, to the faint but unmistakable shift in his posture that said fighter.
"You're confident," she said, tone even. "Good. Confidence is a tool… so long as it's not arrogance."
"Guess we'll find out which it is."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth—not mockery, but recognition. She had seen eyes like his before, and they were the kind that didn't back down until the fight was over, win or lose.
"Very well." She turned slightly, addressing the rest of the guild without raising her voice, but still carrying it to every corner of the room. "Clear the floor."
The response was instant. Tables scraped against the wood, chairs were stacked in hasty piles, and the bar's regulars pulled their drinks in tight to keep them from spilling. A rough circle began to form in the center of the hall.
Erza faced Vali again. "We will fight until one of us is unable to continue or yields. No magic restrictions—use everything you have." She raised one gauntleted hand and pointed to the center of the makeshift ring. "Step forward."
Vali's grin sharpened. "Gladly."
"MANLY!" Elfman roared from the back, fists pumping in the air.
"Uh… go Vali!" Kunou chimed in, her tail swishing as she cupped her hands around her mouth. The enthusiasm in her voice made up for the awkwardness of cheering in a room where half the guild looked like they were watching a funeral procession.
Rossweisse pinched the bridge of her nose. "He's already picking a fight… with her. Brilliant."
Xenovia crossed her arms and scoffed. "Hmph. I'll keep my cheers for warriors who fight in the name of God, not for their own ego."
Mirajane, ever the picture of calm, raised her hand to her lips in a faint gesture of surprise. "Oh my… Erza's getting bold to start a fight here, of all places." Still, there was a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes—like she was curious to see how far this would go before someone crashed into a wall.
In the center of the cleared hall, the two fighters circled each other. The air between them felt denser with every step, like the very space was bracing for the first blow.
Vali's grin widened, and with a soft hiss of energy, Divine Dividing unfolded behind him—sleek, white wings of segmented armor, the edges lined with faint blue light. The low hum they emitted was steady, deliberate, a predator's heartbeat before the pounce.
Across from him, Erza stopped, raising one armored hand in front of her. A magic circle flared into existence at her side—golden lines weaving and locking together, runes spinning like the gears of some arcane machine. From its heart, a blade began to emerge, forged of silver steel that caught every shard of light in the room.
She gripped the hilt without hesitation, and in one smooth motion, drew it free and dropped into a familiar stance—feet angled, blade poised diagonally before her, crimson hair spilling over her shoulder. The metal plates of her armor shifted with the movement, whispering against each other in preparation for what was to come.
Around them, the crowd had gone silent again. All that remained was the faint hum of Vali's wings, the shimmer of Erza's sword, and the sound of two fighters reading each other's movements—each waiting for the perfect opening.
"It has occurred to me now that I don't have your name. It would be a bit rude if I didn't ask the name of a comrade?"
"Vali Lucifer."
Vali exploded forward like a silver bullet, wings flaring wide as he cut through the air. The boards of the guildhall floor groaned under the sudden burst of force, tankards rattling on nearby tables. His fist came up, aimed straight for Erza's temple—a clean, brutal strike that would have caved in lesser opponents.
Erza slipped back a step, the wind of his punch brushing across her cheek. Her counter came instantly, blade whistling in a sharp arc toward his midsection. Vali twisted in midair, angling one gleaming wing into the sword's path. Metal kissed holy armor with a hard, ringing clang, the impact deflecting her strike off-course.
His feet barely touched the ground before he pivoted, snapping his leg upward in a sharp kick. Erza dropped low in a crouch, the kick sailing over her crimson hair.
Her sword came up again, slashing in a rising sweep meant to catch him before he recovered—but Vali surged forward, taking the blow on the flat of his wing as he rammed into her. The impact drove her back several feet, armored boots skidding across the floor.
He tried to lock his arms around her in a tackle, but Erza planted her gauntlet against his chest and shoved, using the momentum to twist into a tight spinning kick. Her heel caught him square in the side, knocking him off balance.
The two broke apart in the same breath, resetting their stances. The crowd erupted—cheers, whistles, and even a few bets shouted across the room.
Vali hovered a few feet above the floor now, his wings shifting in a slow, steady beat, eyes locked on her with an eager predator's focus.
Erza's grip tightened around her sword, the faintest smile tugging at her lips.
Vali's wings flared as he took to the air, shooting upward like a white blur. The gust from his ascent scattered papers and rattled bottles along the shelves.
"Oi! He's going to the second floor!" someone yelled.
The mood in the guild shifted immediately—gasps, murmurs, and one or two audible groans. Everyone knew that the second floor was S-Class territory only. No exceptions.
Though of course, Fairy Tail isn't known for following rules, no one dares in Erza's presence.
Erza's eyes narrowed, and her boots struck the floor with a sharp THUD. "Not so fast."
In one swift motion, her frame glowed as she leapt upward, catching him mid-climb. Her sword came down—not with the blade, but with the flat—slamming into his midsection with a force that sent him smashing into the banister of the second floor. Wood splintered, dust puffed into the air, and the entire railing groaned under the impact.
"That area is restricted," Erza's voice was firm, carrying through the entire hall, her being stilled glowed. "Only S-Class may set foot there."
Vali grinned despite the hit, clearly not taking the warning as seriously as he should.
"Requip:-"
Erza exhaled sharply, and in the next instant, magic swirled around her. Her armor dissolved into shards of light before reforming into something completely different.
Where the heavy plate had been, now only light, form-fitting pieces remained—more speed than protection. Her breastplate was reduced to a revealing, cheetah-patterned armored top, fur-lined at the edges and leaving her stomach bare. Black shorts hugged her hips, with a belt suspending a cloth over her left leg. Her left arm bore a cheetah-spotted pauldron and bracer, while her right remained bare save for a sleek dark armband.
Her legs were clad in thigh-high stockings, with mismatched high-heeled boots—left knee armored with a spotted guard, right boot cut lower for freer motion. A large fur collar circled her neck, a matching tail swayed behind her shorts, and atop her head, a pair of large cheetah ears twitched ever so slightly.
"-Flight Armor"
The room collectively froze.
Rossweisse blinked several times, her composure cracking. "What's she wearing?!" she hissed under her breath, unable to decide if she was scandalized, confused, or impressed.
Erza didn't dignify it with a reply—her magic surged, and she blurred forward in a cheetah-like burst of speed. The air cracked with the sound of her acceleration as she intercepted Vali before he could fully recover, her blade flashing in a horizontal arc aimed to cut off his escape.
Erza swung with blinding speed, the slash whistling past Vali's head as he dropped low. The wind from her blade stirred his hair, but she didn't slow—her sword bit through the chandelier's chain in a single stroke.
The massive fixture groaned, then fell in a deadly spin, its metal frame and crystal shards turning into a spiked wrecking ball aimed straight at Vali's skull.
She didn't wait to see if it hit. Using the falling weight as cover, Erza launched herself into the air, her form erupting in light as armor plates dissolved away. The cheetah-patterned attire vanished, replaced by the towering, fur-trimmed bulk of her new armor—barbaric and regal all at once. Massive upward-pointing pauldrons crowned her shoulders, blue ornamental stripes running over every plate, and a golden medallion gleamed at her collar.
"Requip: Giant Armor"
The guild members murmured in awe, Rossweisse's jaw actually dropped.
"She… she can just change armor mid-combat like that?"
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Mirajane said sweetly.
From behind the falling chandelier, Vali smirked. A surge of power lit the air around him—BOOM!—a burst of magic tore through the chandelier's core, shattering it into glittering fragments. But the instant his sight cleared, Erza was there.
"Got you."
Her gauntleted fist slammed into his chest like a battering ram, the blow rattling his bones through his reinforced devil power. The impact sent him rocketing backwards—through a table, past a cluster of startled guildmates, and straight out the open front doors in a crash of splintered wood.
Outside, the bright midday sun was suddenly blocked by a familiar figure walking toward the guild, two paper bags in one arm and a small shopping bag in the other.
Lucy's face lit up when she saw the doors.
"Perfect! I got clothes for Rias, I hope Mira can ma—"
WHAM!
Vali slammed into her mid-sentence, sending the bag of clothes skyward. They tumble with each other down the steps.
Erza's boots hit the ground with a thud that cracked the cobblestone beneath her. She straightened from her landing, her massive pauldrons catching the sunlight, and started walking forward with deliberate, measured steps—each one carrying the weight of inevitability. Her crimson hair swayed behind her, the faint jingle of her armor carrying over the murmurs from inside.
Macao shoved his chair back so suddenly it almost tipped over.
Wakaba glanced up from his drink. "Where are you going?"
"Where else?" Macao smirked, already fishing coins from his pocket. "To watch! Got money to burn on this." He strolled toward the doors with a bounce in his step.
Within seconds, half the guild was following suit. Card games were abandoned, meals left half-eaten, and anyone unlucky enough to be mid-brawl suddenly found themselves brawling alone. The entire guild seemed to shift toward the street like the tide going out—everyone wanted front-row seats to the chaos.
"Wait—was that Lucy?!" Rossweisse's voice rose above the chatter. Her eyes had gone wide, recognition dawning. She stood so abruptly that her stool clattered to the floor, then began shoving her way toward the exit, scattering a few guild members with sharp elbows.
"Move—she might be hurt!" she barked, forcing her way past a trio of men who clearly had no intention of moving until they saw her glare.
Kunou hopped off her stool and darted after her, weaving between knees and chairs, while Xenovia simply lowered her shoulder and followed in Rossweisse's wake.
It would've worked—if the doorway wasn't already jammed with spectators.
"Ugh—this is ridiculous!" Kunou complained, standing on tiptoe to see over the crowd.
"Need a lift?" Aston's voice came from behind them. He stepped up, casually rolling his shoulders before unfurling his wings with a soft rustle of feathers. Without waiting for permission, he scooped Kunou up under one arm and grabbed the back of Xenovia's collar like she was a sack of flour.
"Wait—!" Xenovia started, but then caught sight of the wings and froze, eyes wide.
"…Dear God, thank you for your patron's assistance," Xenovia whispered reverently, hands folding together in earnest prayer, her eyes still fixed on Aston's wings as if they were proof of the heavens themselves.
Aston, mid-flight, glanced down at her with a raised brow. "…Patron?" he muttered, clearly baffled, but didn't bother correcting her as they cleared the guild doors and the cool air hit them.
Back inside, Mirajane took a slow look around the now half-empty guild hall. The absence of overturned tables, broken mugs, and smoldering scorch marks was… unusual. She tilted her head thoughtfully, one hand already reaching for a broom and dustpan behind the bar.
"Well," she said with a light laugh, "looks like Erza's shown more restraint than last time."
She began sweeping up the few stray crumbs and splinters left behind, humming to herself. The lack of collateral damage meant cleanup would be almost relaxing—a rare blessing in Fairy Tail.
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We cut back to Vali and Lucy, who had rolled all the way to the bottom of the hill.
"Ow… what happened?" Lucy groaned, sprawled flat on the grass. She tried to push herself up, only to realize something heavy was pinning her down.
She glanced down—Vali was lying across her, his head squarely nestled against her chest.
Her face went crimson in an instant. "Wha—?! Get off!" she yelped, flailing her arms in embarrassment.
Vali didn't even flinch, nor did he bother to move. His eyes weren't on her—they were already scanning the hill above, searching for Erza's next move.
Lucy huffed, pushing herself free with a mix of indignation and confusion, while Vali's focus never wavered from the fight.
Vali rose to his feet in one fluid motion, wings flaring out as he locked onto the falling silhouette of Erza. Without hesitation, he blasted forward, leaving Lucy coughing in the dust.
"W-Wait! What's going on!?" Lucy scrambled up, brushing off her skirt. Her eyes darted between the airborne boy and the looming figure crashing down toward them. "Who is Vali even fighting!?"
"Erza," came a calm voice beside her.
Lucy nearly jumped out of her skin, turning to find Levy standing there, her arms folded with casual ease. Two guildmates—Droy and Jet—stood a little behind her, both wide-eyed as they watched the spectacle unfold.
Levy extended a hand to Lucy, helping her up. "You okay? That was a rough tumble."
"Y-Yeah, thanks…" Lucy muttered, still disoriented. But the name stuck in her head, clicking into place. Her eyes widened slightly. "Erza? Wait, that Erza? The former youngest S-Class mage ever!?"
Before Levy could answer, a sharp voice echoed down the hill.
"LUCY!"
Rossweisse was descending rapidly, her silver hair whipping in the wind. Clutched in Aston's arms like luggage were Kunou and Xenovia, the three of them making a very ungraceful landing.
Once they touched down, Aston promptly set Kunou on her feet and unceremoniously dropped Xenovia by the collar of her uniform.
"Lucy, are you alright? That was quite a fall," Xenovia asked, brushing herself off as if she hadn't just been hauled like a sack of grain.
Kunou, on the other hand, looked utterly delighted, her tails swishing. "That was amazing! Do it again!" she chirped, clinging to Aston's sleeve like a child begging for another ride at a festival.
Aston raised a brow, clearly not understanding how he ended up as transportation.
Lucy, meanwhile, just stared up the hill, where Vali and Erza were about to clash again. "O-Oh no… if that's Erza, then…"
Levy gave her a small, knowing smile. "Then things are about to get a lot more intense, though I'm surprised that a friend of yours can keep up, even made her switch armors."
She then cups her chin. "Though he was about to enter the second floor, accidentally or not and Erza's quite the stickler for the rules."
"Speaking of armor, is that her magic? To create armors and swords?" Xenovia questioned.
"She doesn't create, more like replace them." Aston said, clarifying the situation. "Erza uses a magic called Requip magic, with which she can store hundreds of them in her own pocket space."
"So, she just has a lot of them around for her to access at all times?"
Levy nodded, clasping her hands behind her back as she glanced toward the distant flashes of magic. "Exactly. Erza's arsenal is basically endless. She doesn't conjure things from nothing, she actually carries them all with her, stored away in her own pocket dimension. Armor, weapons, even clothes if she wants. She can swap them in and out mid-battle, instantly."
Kunou's golden eyes went wide, tails flicking with excitement. "So it's like… magical dress-up, but with giant swords?"
Levy giggled softly but shook her head. "Not quite. When Erza fights, she doesn't just change her outfit. Every armor enhances her abilities in a different way—speed, strength, defense, even flight." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Your friend-Vali, was it?-is pushing her harder than most newcomers ever have. For her to already switch to her Giant Armor… she's definitely taking him somewhat seriously."
Rossweisse, however, furrowed her brow, slipping into lecture mode as her Valkyrie instincts kicked in. "Wait. So every single one of those armors and weapons was crafted and forged beforehand? And she just… carries them all in her own space?" She folded her arms, visibly impressed. "That's an extraordinary logistical advantage. Even Odin would've-" She stopped abruptly, catching herself before invoking her god aloud. "-it's still an impressive system. Though… switching constantly in battle must require an insane level of focus."
"Exactly." Levy's expression softened with a kind of admiration only a guildmate could have. "That's what makes Erza so scary. She doesn't just have the gear-she has the mind and reflexes to use it. She knows every single armor inside and out, how it moves, how it defends, how it attacks. She can adapt to almost any opponent."
Lucy swallowed, feeling a nervous bead of sweat trace down her temple. "G-Great… so he's not just fighting someone scary, he's fighting someone scary and versatile."
"Versatile's putting it lightly," Jet chimed in, leaning forward with excitement. "They say Erza's so fast with Requip that she can switch armor in the middle of a strike. Blink and you'll miss it!"
Kunou's ears perked up. "Whoa… so she could fight forever if she wanted?"
Levy's expression softened, though there was a weight behind her eyes. "If anyone could, it'd be Erza."
Back in the battlefield, the two clashed with raw force, fists colliding like thunderclaps. Vali had expanded into his pseudo Balance Breaker, the white and silver of his Sacred Gear now coating both arms in draconic armor. Each punch carried the weight of a dragon's roar, shockwaves rippling across the earth.
Erza didn't flinch. She had changed into her Giant Armor, her fur-trimmed pauldrons and massive gauntlets gleaming beneath the sunlight. When Vali's blow came crashing down, she met it head-on, her own armored fist surging forward. The collision echoed through the hillside, kicking up dust and sending spectators shielding their eyes.
Vali broke into a grin, laughter rumbling from his chest despite the bruises forming along his jaw.
"You're really in a league of your own. The guild talks about how strong you are. I'm glad it wasn't all talk."
Erza's sharp gaze bore into him, her voice like steel drawn from its sheath.
"You should have known better than to make assumptions." Her fist pressed harder against his, the earth beneath their feet cracking like shattered glass. "A mistake like that could get you killed."
Then her strength spiked, an overwhelming surge that pushed Vali back step by step. His boots skidded against the dirt, wings flaring as he tried to stabilize, but she didn't give him the chance.
Vali growled, forced to disengage before his arms buckled completely. But before he could retreat to the air, Erza seized her opening. Her massive gauntlet snapped out, clamping onto his shoulder like an iron vice. With a single heave, she wrenched him off-balance and slammed him into the ground.
The impact rattled the hill, dust exploding outward in a cloud. Stones cracked, earth groaned, and the crowd erupted with shouts, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Vali burst from the crater with a snarl, his wings flaring wide as spheres of devilish-draconic magic formed along his arms. With a snap of his wrists, he launched them in rapid succession, blasts streaking toward Erza in blinding arcs of white and blue. Each one struck the ground like artillery fire, dirt and stone spraying into the air.
But Erza was already moving. Her body glowed as another requip circle engulfed her form.
"Requip: Black Wing Armor!"
In a flash of light, her barbaric giant plating was replaced by sleek, obsidian armor trimmed in silver. Black, dragonlike wings unfurled from her back, scattering dust with the force of their spread. Her crimson hair, now tied into a high ponytail, lashed in the wind as the silver crosses gleamed from her armor's plates. The waistguard flared outward like blackened feathers, regal and menacing at once.
With a single beat of her wings, she cut through the storm of blasts. Each one missed her by inches, her movements so sharp and precise they looked like threads being woven through the air. She slipped past the barrage, her black longsword flashing to life in her hand.
Her voice rang out, sharp as her blade:
"You've done well, Vali Lucifer… but it's time for this to end!"
Vali bared his teeth in a grin. "We still have time!"
He lunged, faster than before, wings driving him forward. His leg shot out in a high kick aimed straight for her head. Erza tilted back at the last instant, the strike whistling past her face. Her counter was instant, a downward slash of her black sword.
Vali pivoted, catching the blade's flat with his armored palm. Sparks burst as his Sacred Gear absorbed the edge, and with his other hand, he snapped a punch into her stomach. The blow made her armor groan, her body folding slightly with the impact.
But she didn't falter. Spinning on her heel, Erza whipped a backhand slash at his temple. He ducked under, the blade slicing clean air, and answered with a brutal uppercut from his other arm.
The punch connected with her face. A shockwave cracked outward from the impact, Erza's head snapping to the side as dust and fragments of stone scattered under her boots.
The impact of Vali's punch echoed like thunder, sending Erza skidding back across the dirt. Her boots dug trenches into the ground, wings flaring to slow her descent. She steadied herself, raising her blade again, but the faint bruise forming on her cheek proved he'd gotten through.
Vali laughed, exhilaration dripping from every breath. "That's more like it!"
He surged forward, fists and wings moving in a blur. Every strike came layered with draconic force, each blow hammering like steel on steel. Erza blocked two, three, but the fourth slipped past her guard, slamming into her ribs. She gasped, staggering, only for Vali to twist and bring his heel down toward her shoulder. She raised her sword just in time, the force driving her to one knee.
For a moment, it looked like he was pressing her back. The crowd of onlookers gasped, watching an outsider matching Erza blow for blow, even pushing her.
Then his wings spread wide, glowing with that ominous silver-blue light. The air around them shimmered.
"Divide!"
The world seemed to shift, Erza's strength slipping away, stolen in fragments. Her eyes widened, feeling the unnatural drag in her muscles, the sudden heaviness of her blade.
Vali grinned like a predator. "I'll cut you down piece by piece until nothing's left."
But that was when Erza's demeanor changed. Her expression voice was low, steady. "You stole my strength."
Vali froze for half a heartbeat. In that moment her magic power increased not only replacing but expanding on the half she lost. Her blade gleams as her feet dig into the ground ready to launch
She vanished.
One beat, two—then she was in front of him, her black sword gleaming with a lunar arc. He puts his arms in front of him to block.
"Moon Flash!"
The strike cut the air in a sweeping crescent, blindingly fast, a perfect technique sharpened by years of battle. The shockwave tore through Vali's guard, slamming into him with unstoppable force. His armor shrieked as he was sent flying, crashing across the field in a roaring plume of dirt and smoke.
When the haze cleared, Erza stood poised, sword lowered, her hair whipping in the fading wind of her attack. Her breathing was steady, controlled.
The fight was over.
Vali lay sprawled on the dirt, dust curling around him like smoke. His chest heaved, his armored hands trembling and cracked from the sheer force of her strike. Every nerve screamed from the impact, but still his eyes burned with that same feverish thrill.
A shadow fell over him.
Erza stood above, her Black Wing Armor fading in a shimmer of light, replaced once more by her standard Heart Kreuz armor. Calm. Composed. Not a hair out of place save for the strands stirred by the battlefield wind. Her gaze was steady, her voice even—commanding without cruelty.
"You have done well," she said, tone carrying the weight of genuine acknowledgment. "Your power, your speed, your skill—they are all quite incredible, if I do say so myself."
Vali forced himself to sit up, a crooked grin splitting his bruised face.
"Even without Balance Breaker, this was enough. A good measure of where I stand in this world." His smile faltered slightly as he muttered to himself, eyes narrowing with frustration. "But still… hiding that much power. It feels like you're looking down on me."
Erza's lips curved, the faintest shadow of a smirk. "Not bad yourself. Even with the added strength you pulled from me, you still managed to break through."
Vali blinked, the grin freezing for a moment. "…Added, huh? So you really did notice."
She folded her arms, calm and unwavering. "You didn't just weaken me. You took what was mine and tried to make it your own. An interesting magic—one I've never seen before. To not only disperse but to add it to yourself? That is quite the boon."
Vali's grin returned, sharper now. She figured it out after one use? His thoughts churned with grudging admiration. Her senses… they're sharpened to the bone.
Erza tilted her head slightly, her voice cutting like a blade honed by countless battles. "That trick may work against those who rely only on brute strength." She stepped forward, her presence towering over him like an unyielding wall. "But experience, resolve—those cannot be stolen."
Vali's smirk grew sharper, but there was a seriousness in his eyes. "Next time, I won't stop until I win."
The silence that followed was heavy, like the aftermath of a storm. For once, Vali didn't rush to break it.
Rossweisse approached first, her expression softer than usual. "That was reckless. You didn't even know what she was capable of, and you still rushed in."
Vali smirked faintly. "And I don't regret it. She's strong—strong enough to push me to the limit. That's the kind of fight I live for."
Lucy crossed her arms, pouting. "You nearly flattened me, idiot."
"I didn't even notice you were there."
"THAT'S THE PROBLEM!" she snapped, her face going red again.
The crowd only grew noisier, half congratulating Vali, half mocking him. Macao was already bragging about his winnings while Wakaba sulked in the corner, muttering about "unfair odds."
"Seriously, betting on whether or not someone would die?" Rossweisse scolded, hands on her hips. "What kind of guild is this!?"
"A fun one!" Cana shouted, already raising her mug.
Lucy puffed her cheeks, still red from earlier. "Fun for you maybe! Some of us got squashed like pancakes!"
Kunou bounced on her toes, eyes sparkling. "Does this mean we can have a feast now? All big fights end with food, right? That's the rule! Or at least I think that's how it goes."
"Feast?" Lucy repeated, the word snapping her out of her daze. Then her eyes widened, her hands shooting up to her cheeks as the realization struck. "FOOD! Oh no! I forgot about Rias's new clothes! And the food!"
Without another word, she shoved her way into the crowd like a woman possessed, muttering apologies as she searched frantically for her fallen bag. "Please don't be ruined, please don't be ruined…"
Watching her scramble, Xenovia tilted her head. "Clothes…?" She glanced down at her own battered uniform. "I think it would be alright if we had some new clothes ourselves."
Kunou smirked, tail swishing. "I want something cute!" She yelled excitedly.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[Clover Town; monthly Guild Master meeting]
In a grand chamber, a massive round table filled nearly the entire room. Gathered around it were the guild masters of Fiore, each seated in their place of honor. At the far end sat representatives of the Magic Council, led by Lahar himself, flanked by several officers.
Lahar cleared his throat, his stern gaze sweeping over the assembled masters.
"Now then, let us return to the matter of suspicious dark guild activity."
The atmosphere grew tense, the air almost heavy as he continued.
"If you recall, several of the weaker, lesser-known dark guilds have recently been moving in a coordinated manner. Their crimes have seemed random, petty even, but upon closer inspection…"
With a flick of his hand, a crystal-powered projector activated. A glowing display appeared in the air, showing nearly twenty dark guild emblems.
"…they have been attempting to distract us. Small thefts, brawls, isolated skirmishes—designed to avoid suspicion and make us dismiss them as minor nuisances. But their movements are too synchronized to be mere coincidence."
Murmurs rose among the guild masters, a low rumble of concern. One guild master-Dwarf Gear- spoke up.
"Are you sure? I know some boys in my guild that think too much to connect things."
Several voices agreed.
Lahar's voice cut through the noise. "You're right about that. However! Through the efforts of Magic Council intelligence, and the aid of several information-centered guilds, we have narrowed the list down to six central organizations—guilds that appear to be at the heart of this coalition."
The display shifted, six distinct emblems glowing brighter as a red circle surrounded them.
"Umbra's Embrace. Ring Haze. Blood Vade. Silver Hunters. Drought Zombies. And Eisenwald."
The names carried weight, drawing grim reactions from the room.
Lahar nodded toward one of his standing officers, a young woman in council uniform.
"Officer Emily will now distribute individual reports detailing the activities of each guild. Read them carefully—this information is not to leave this chamber."
Emily stepped forward, clutching a stack of neatly bound reports, moving around the table to hand them to each guild master.
The room was filled with the quiet rustle of paper as Officer Emily handed out the reports. One by one, the guild masters glanced over the contents, their expressions shifting.
Makarov Dreyar of Fairy Tail was the first to break the silence. He set the report down with a heavy sigh, stroking his beard.
"Umbra's Embrace… that lot again, eh? They've been skulking in the shadows for years. Always too clever to pin down. If they're really working with the others…" His eyes narrowed. "This could be worse than the Balam Alliance."
Goldmine, the master of Quatro Cerberus, gave a low whistle, leaning back in his chair.
"Blood Vade, huh? Just readin' their file makes my skin crawl. Whole guild's a pack of butchers. They don't fight for money or power—they just enjoy the killing." He tapped the table with a finger. "A coalition with psychos like that at the core? Bad news."
Ooba Babasaama, master of Lamia Scale, adjusted her extravagant glasses with a huff.
"Silver Hunters…" She scoffed. "Mercenaries dressed up as a guild. They'll sell their blades to anyone, as long as the coin is good. But the fact they've aligned themselves here instead of scattering… Someone must be offering them more than money."
Master Warrod Sequen, one of the original Ten Wizard Saints, sat quietly, his face unreadable. When he finally spoke, his deep voice resonated through the chamber.
"Drought Zombies… I thought they were long gone. That guild thrives on famine and ruin, like carrion birds circling a battlefield. If they've resurfaced, then this is no small matter. They must be preparing for war."
The mention of the last guild drew the sharpest reaction.
"Eisenwald?!" Makarov slammed a hand on the table, rising slightly from his chair. "I thought we destroyed them after their guild masters scheme! Don't tell me they've reformed."
Lahar's tone remained steady, though his eyes were grim.
"They are weakened, yes—but not eradicated. Survivors from Eisenwald have gathered under new leadership, and their grudge against the legal guilds burns hotter than ever. Reports suggest they've been quietly rebuilding for years, and now…" He gestured to the glowing circle of emblems. "…they've found allies."
A heavy silence hung over the table. Each master understood the weight of this moment.
Finally, Bob, master of Blue Pegasus, broke the quiet in his flamboyant yet serious tone.
"So what you're saying, darling, is that we may be looking at the birth of a new alliance of dark guilds… one that could rival Balam itself?"
Lahar gave a single nod.
"That is precisely what we fear."
The words fell over the table like a curse.
The weight of Lahar's words still lingered when one of the Councilmen leaned forward, clasping his hands together on the table. His tone was clipped, businesslike.
"We plan to deal with these guilds simultaneously—sometime next week."
The words landed like a hammer. Chairs scraped. Murmurs rose.
"That's awfully short to plan to do something about this!" Goldmine barked, his fist thumping against his armrest. "You're talking about striking six guilds at once, not some petty band of thieves!"
"Short or not, we don't have the luxury of time." The Councilman's eyes swept the room. "Every report suggests these dark guilds are consolidating. If they're allowed to strengthen their ties, we may be facing another Balam Alliance before the year is out. We want this snuffed out at once."
Ooba Babasaama frowned, tapping her long nail against the table. "And I suppose you expect us to march our guilds into a war on a week's notice?"
"Not war. A coordinated strike," Lahar corrected, his tone firm. "Each target will be dealt with simultaneously to prevent them from rallying together. We will assign guilds based on proximity and expertise."
Makarov grunted, folding his arms. "That's bold of you. But you're underestimating them. Eisenwald alone gave us trouble before, and that was years ago. If they've grown stronger…" His voice dropped. "Sending young mages into this blindly will only lead to blood."
Warrod finally spoke again, slow and deliberate.
"If the Council insists on haste, then at least ensure each guild knows their enemy. Knowledge will be the difference between victory and unnecessary death."
Officer Emily nodded sharply. "That's why we've prepared these dossiers. We want each master to return to their guilds, review the data, and decide who is best suited for the missions at hand." She tapped the stack of reports. "But understand—hesitation is not an option."
The room was tense, eyes shifting between the stern Council officials and the wary guild masters.
Bob, his flamboyance muted with seriousness, broke the silence. "Then it seems the question is not whether we'll fight… but whether we'll be ready when the time comes."
Lahar gave the smallest of nods.
"The operation begins in seven days. Use them wisely."
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Alright that was the end of that chapter
Let's go over the main bits shall we?
Rias's talk with Sento, I didn't want to simply brush off what happened to her. I hope the talk was decent enough.
Vali vs Erza! I enjoyed writing the fight scenes, showing off Erza's armors was fun, I plan to use more of them in the future.
And then we have the guild meeting, I want to expand the Eisenwald arc to be more than simply, 'Oh shit, your a terrorist!' When they ride on a train
Anyways enjoy your lives!