Raising an arm, blocking Jiemma's attack, while the delayed explosion forced me several meters back, I quickly leaned back ninety degrees, dodging his flying kick while I leaped backwards, performing a bicycle kick to the back of his head. Landing, I slowly yawned, resting my hands on my hips as I turned and eyed Jiemma, who was removing himself from a pile of broken trees.
"This is boring, Jiemma. You've got the power, but that's it. I might as well be fighting a beast without a lick of technique… I can see all your movements, I can track your eyes, I know what you'll do before you even do it." Scratching my head, I smirked and raised my head, arrogantly looking down at him as I had the right to be.
Snorting, Jiemma lunged at me, causing me to tilt my head, dodging his punch before he proceeded to release a barrage of punches; smirking, I placed my hands behind my head and dodged every single punch of his, while his delayed explosions violently rang out behind me.
Evading yet another punch, I twisted my body and kicked his gut, forcing him a few steps back. "Ho, you took that kick pretty well. Are you learning from me mid-combat?" As I lowered my leg, he dusted his stomach off, lunging at me, prompting me to actually fight back, counter-attacking him repeatedly.
As I did, I began to notice that, unlike before at the beginning of the battle, my attacks, which could force him several meters back, were only taking him a few steps back; even now, as time passed, those few steps were turning into just a single step. Frowning, I diverted his arm to the side, giving him a quick jab to his face, merely snapping his head back before he kicked me, which I blocked, but I couldn't help but wince as I forced several meters back.
'Damn, that hurt like hell. My arm is all tingly now.' Rubbing my bruised forearm, I glanced down at it, only to narrow my eyes as I noticed black spots on my forearm. 'What is this stuff?' As I took a closer look, the black spots weren't just on my forearm; they were on my hands, and even my feet.
Suddenly, a faint feeling of weakness overcame me; my magic felt shaky, and my chest hurt. Clutching my heart, I took a few breaths, yet Jiemma offered me no respite. Seeing him lunge at me, I clenched my teeth, fighting through the pain as I swung my arm up, deflecting his frontal attack before leaning forward, headbutting him, only to follow up with a jump-kick, forcing him back.
As I landed, I dropped to a knee, clutching my heart while glaring at Jiemma, who patted his chest. "Bastard, d-did you poison me?" I asked between my gasps for air. "I don't know, nor do I care. All I can see is you kneeling before me." Without another word, Jiemma lunged at me, sending me flying with his explosive punch despite my blocking his attack.
Crashing through several trees, I reoriented myself and landed on a tree before leaping off it, breaking it in the process. "W-Well, whatever, if you do poison me, that won't be enough to end me!" Spitting a clump of blood onto the ground, I spun mid-air, slamming my heel downwards onto Jiemma, who raised both arms, blocking my attack.
He pushed me off him before leaping into the air with a punch, snaking my arm outward. I grabbed his arm, pulling myself to the side before driving my other fist into his gut, sending him crashing into the ground, uplifting the ground in our vicinity.
"I-I just need to take this fight seriously." Wiping away my sweat, I used this brief respite to catch my breath while the poison slowly grew worse. 'Tsk, this is what I get for toying with him.' Clicking my tongue, I dashed at Jiemma just as he emerged from the ground.
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3rd POV
Sitting down, Kyôka watched one of her subjects violently react to the experiment she was conducting. Eventually, though, after some time, the subject, which was in the process of transforming into a demon, suddenly began to inflate like a balloon before exploding within the tube.
Seeing yet another failure, Kyôka clicked her tongue, impatiently tapping her finger. "Tsk, so not just any mage can survive demonization; they need to be decently capable of being a mage." As she glared at the tube, where chunks of flesh floated in the greenish-red liquid, Kyôka shifted her gaze upward to the ceiling.
"Hmm, I wonder how that test subject is performing? I probably shouldn't have added the bane particles; it's probably the reason why he was unstable… Oh well, I couldn't help myself." Pursing her lips, Kyôka softly chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, completely shifting topics as her one successful test subject was sent to the back of her mind.
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Tenrou Island
"You look like shit, Natsu." Approaching Natsu, Cana gave him a once-over while he laughed. "Hehe, lots of battles will do that to you! What are you doing?" "I'm trying to take down the Airship. I got a powerful spell from the first guild master; I think I might be able to do it." Lifting her sleeve, Cana showed Natsu the markings of Fairy Glitter on her forearm while pointing at the Airship.
"Hehe, awesome! C'mon, let's go then!" Grinning, Natsu Grabbed Cana's hand, practically dragging her along as he, Happy, and Cana ventured through Tenrou Island, heading straight for the Airship, though along the path, they happened to bump into Wendy and Carla.
"Eh, Natsu, Cana?" Looking between her two comrades, Wendy heaved a sigh of relief and lowered her arms. "What are you doing out here, Wendy? It's dangerous, you know, you should regroup with the others." Frowning slightly, Cana placed her hands on her hips while glaring at Wendy, who awkwardly averted her gaze.
"I-I know, but I-I can still fight. I didn't want just to sit there while my friends were fighting." "Heh, damn right, Wendy! That's a true Fairy Tail!" Grinning, Natsu proudly pointed to himself before pointing to the Airship, sharing his and Cana's plan. "... C'mon, we could use your help." Without even waiting for a reply, Natsu started walking, followed by Cana, and, since Wendy didn't want to be alone, she also joined them.
"Um, that sounds very dangerous, Natsu, don't you think we should wait for the more heavy-hitters before doing something reckless like that?" Carla, flying through the air beside Happy, skeptically eyed Natsu, who smirked. "Heh, don't worry about that. Cana's our secret weapon."
While Carla shifted her skeptical gaze to Cana, Natsu led the four out of the forest, stepping into a small clearing, only for someone to block their path.
"Tsk, looks like another enemy. C'mon, we'll have to fight." Frowning, Natsu eyed the enemy in the distance while raising his arms, prompting Wendy to nod as she mirrored him; only Cana was the one who didn't seem ready to fight. "G-Guys, we can't fight him." Calming her nerves, Cana whispered to the two while staring at the man in the distance.
"Eh, why not?" "He's the one talked about, the big bro fled from." At Cana's words, Wendy went a little pale while Natsu narrowed his eyes, shaken by her words. "T-Then, d-does that w-we'll die?" Cana took a deep breath before shaking her head. "No. I can use my secret move, just try to keep him busy… He uses gravity magic. Be careful."
"Got it. Wendy just follow my lead." Natsu, taking on a rare seriousness, glanced at Wendy before lunging towards the man, the young dragon slayer following closely behind. Yet, they barely closed the distance before the man attacked.
"Fall." Instantly, the entire clearing cracked as it was pressured by gravity several times the norm, forcing Natsu, Wendy, Happy, and Carla to the ground, the four unable even to move. "Argh! I-I can't move!"
Clicking her tongue, Cana grabbed a few cards before throwing them at Bluenote; the cards transformed into lightning, prompting him to block it, briefly relieving the four as they didn't hesitate to put distance between them. "D-Dammit, I couldn't do a thing!" Cursing, Natsu leaped back, only for Bluenote, who was originally on the other side, to appear behind him.
Bluenote, standing in the middle of them, raised his hand and pushed his palm forward, creating an explosion of gravity that separated them, sending them flying.
"You were with Cooper when I confronted him." Ignoring the others, Bluenote approached Cana, who grunted, weakly rising to her feet as she glared at him. "Y-Yeah, so what bastard?" Spitting blood onto the ground, she met his gaze. "That magic, give it to me and I'll make you death's quick." Narrowing her eyes, Cana suddenly smirked.
"You want it? Fine, you can have it!" Grinning, Cana suddenly raised her arm into the sky, channeling her magic power into the marking, causing it to glow. As the marking dissolved, Cana was enveloped in a thick beam of golden light that pierced the dark clouds above, continuing into the very heavens.
"You wanted this, right!? Well, here, come have it! Fairy Glitter!" Shouting, Cana grinned, controlling one of the three great Fairy Magics, Fairy Glitter, a magic that denied the existence of enemies.
Pointing her arm at Bluenote, who frowned, the golden light converged into a radiant hoop that circled him, quickly tightening around him, pinning him in place. Resisting the spell, Bluenote's magic power flared, yet despite his actions, it seemed to have no effect.
"Take it!" Clenching her palm into a fist, the hoop of golden light surrounded his body, its luminosity growing by the second as it seeped into the ground, illuminating half of Tenrou Island before it exploded, sending the mages flying through the air.