"Wait, wait didn't you all say the goal was to get the last hit?! Why are you unloading everything right at the start?!"
Lucy stood frozen, watching the battlefield in disbelief.
The massive demon Lalabai was now engulfed in a dome of swirling flames, smoke, and blinding explosions.
"…Why does it feel like we're the ones acting like merciless demons right now?"
She stared at the blazing inferno, then quietly bowed her head and offered a second of internal silence for the poor, incinerated beast.
Rest in peace, big guy.
But before the smoke had even cleared, four streaks of light suddenly flashed by in front of her accompanied by a powerful gust of wind.
Chase, Erza, Natsu, and Gray all shot forward like comets, magic already flaring at their fingertips.
None of them were willing to fall behind.
Blades, flames, ice, and cards tore through the air in waves.
The moment their attacks landed, magic circles burst to life all across Lalabai's body glowing, shifting, exploding. Each one erupted with wild force, sending shockwaves across the forest.
"Of course they're going all-out," came a playful voice beside her.
A swirl of pink sparkles floated through the air as the Dark Magician Girl hovered down, sitting cross-legged atop her magic wand.
She grinned, flashing a peace sign. "The early bird gets the kill, right~?"
Then she glanced sideways at Lucy.
"Hey, Lucy, aren't you going to jump in too?"
"E-Ehh?! Me? Ahaha…" Lucy gave an awkward laugh and scratched her cheek.
"All my Celestial Spirits are out of power today."
"Oh, I see," the Dark Magician Girl giggled. "Well then, I better go. Can't have Master fighting without me!"
With a spin and a flick of her wand, she soared off into the sky.
Her target?
Lalabai's head.
A second later
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield once more.
Lucy watched in stunned silence.
"…Dark Magician Girl really is a monster…"
As a fellow blonde, Lucy couldn't help but compare herself and instantly felt a pang of shame.
Even though they looked like they could be sisters, the difference in combat ability felt like comparing a goldfish to a dragon.
Just then, Happy appeared at her side, flapping his wings smugly.
"Hey, Lucy, you look pretty hyped right now," he said with a teasing grin. "You sure you don't wanna join in?"
He reached into his little bag and dramatically pulled out a grilled fish.
"If your magic's out, here! Eat this! It'll refill your magic in no time!"
Lucy accepted the fish with a strangely warm smile.
"…Thanks, Happy."
Smack!
She immediately turned and smashed it over his head with a sharp whap.
"JOIN THE GHOST, MY FOOT!!"
Then she jabbed her finger toward the fiery battlefield ahead.
"If you're trying to get me killed, just say it straight! No need to sugarcoat it!"
"And who even told you grilled fish replenishes magic power?! Where'd you hear that?!"
"Oh wow! What a surprise!" Happy rubbed his now fish-smeared head and sighed exaggeratedly.
"Lucy suddenly got smart? I honestly thought you'd take a bite out of sheer stupidity…"
He gave her a wounded look, then muttered, "Guess it's my fault for sneaking in that spicy pervert sauce."
Lucy twitched.
"...YOU FILTHY DEAD CAT!"
Just as she raised the ruined grilled fish to give Happy a taste of his own sauce-covered medicine
FWOOSH!
A dazzling purple light flashed across her eyes.
She froze mid-swing.
Looking up, her expression shifted from fury to alarm.
Lalabai, now thoroughly battered from the barrage of spells, had finally snapped.
Beaten the moment he appeared, the demon was burning with rage. He gathered his power into a pulse that blasted Chase, Erza, Natsu, and Gray back with a shockwave, buying himself space.
Then he threw back his grotesque head and let out a piercing roar.
The sound wasn't just loud it was unnatural.
The scream carried a venomous curse, laced with dark energy. As it passed over the land, grass withered, and yellow leaves were ripped from trees, swirling through the air like dying embers.
"Oh no! Cover your ears!!" roared Goodman, the guildmaster of Four Hounds, eyes flashing.
"That thing's about to cast a soul-reaping curse!!"
At once, panic surged through the group.
Everyone scrambled to press their hands over their ears.
But Lucy and Happy, who were at the very front of the team, had no time to react.
The shrill, splitting cry cut through their palms like daggers, stabbing straight into their eardrums.
A wave of death swept through the air like a black wind.
"Ahahahaha!!" Lalabai howled with twisted glee.
"Be it annoying little flies or pompous guild leaders, all of you turn to dry bones under the sound of my flute!!"
His laughter echoed through the forest like rusty bells.
He raised his thick, grotesque arms to his mouth in the shape of a flute and
"Puff… puff… puff…"
A strange, wet, constipated-sounding noise came out.
And that was it.
Nothing happened.
No curse.
No soul devouring.
Just awkward, gassy toots echoing through the devastated forest.
"...What?" Lalabai blinked.
"What's going on?! Where's my flute's curse?! Where's my beautiful, soul-shattering melody?!"
All three of his eyes bulged in disbelief.
But the only thing that followed… were more embarrassing sounds seeping out from holes in his damaged body high-pitched squeals and notes like a dying kazoo.
"Pffffft… pfft… whiirrr..."
Toot.
"Look at the holes on that thing!!" one sharp-eyed guild leader shouted.
"Ah, I get it now!" said another. "The main body the flute mechanism that channels the curse was destroyed by the last wave of attacks!"
"Without the core intact," someone else added, "the sound has no power. It can't activate the curse!"
Sure enough, Lalabai's chest was riddled with giant holes, the result of Erza, Natsu, Gray, Chase, and the Dark Magician Girl's combined attack.
The magical circuits that had once channeled its deadly song had been completely shattered.
"Huh? So you made the whole atmosphere tense and depressing… just to do this?"
Lucy threw her hands up and complained, her voice full of frustration.
Across from her, Happy added salt to the wound:"Lucy, I'm hungry. When are we going back for dinner?"
That sentence…It was sharper than a blade.
It pierced straight through Lalabai's monstrous heart like a fatal stab of emotional damage.
"AAAAHHHHH!! DAMN IT!! DAMN IT ALL!!"
Lalabai stood frozen for two and a half seconds, dumbfounded.
Then, realizing he had just made an absolute fool of himself, his three eyes bulged with rage.
He let out a furious roar and began stomping around, kicking entire hills away like crumpled paper.
"Not only is he huge," someone muttered from the crowd, "he's got a massive temper too. Are all the demons in Zeref's book this emotionally unstable?"
It was a passing comment, thrown out by an unknown guildmaster.
But Lalabai heard it.
And that was it.
The last thread of his dignity snapped.
"RRRRRGHHH!!!"
With all reason gone, the enraged demon spun around, gathered violent magic in his mouth, and unleashed a blinding, condensed energy cannon toward the direction of Lucy and the gathered guild leaders.
The beam roared across the ruined landscape, so fast and powerful that Lucy couldn't move.
"Not good!" shouted Gray, instantly forming ice magic in his hands.
But before he could finish casting
"Relax~" said a gentle voice next to him.
It was the Dark Magician Girl, striking a confident pose.
"Master already planted a trap card right there."
Gray blinked in surprise.
Meanwhile, the attack had already closed the distance.
The air screamed as the cannon of destruction surged over shattered stone and scorched earth
Then suddenly
FWOOM!
A magic circle ignited on the ground right in front of Lucy, shining like the sun.
From the center of that circle, an enlarged card slowly emerged, flipping open as though guided by an invisible hand.
It gleamed gold and white, inscribed with divine energy.
The words burned into the sky:
[Trap Card: Holy Shield – Reflection Power]!
The earth and sky were bathed in radiant white light.
A holy barrier surged upward, vast and unbreakable, locking the world in a moment of awe.
Then
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
Lalabai's attack slammed into the barrier.
But instead of piercing it
It rebounded.All of it.
A colossal blast shot straight back in the direction it came from.
Lalabai's light cannon blasted directly into the holy barrier.
At that moment, a tempestuous wind surged, and the earth itself trembled beneath the impact.
Chunks of stone and soil were swept high into the air, only to be shredded into dust by the howling, explosive energy storm!
Lucy stared in awe, her eyes wide and breath growing shallow.
The sheer force unfolding in front of her was unbelievable But even while standing this close, she couldn't feel the slightest tremor from behind the glowing wall of protection!
It was like watching the apocalypse through glass… and feeling nothing.
And yet, it wasn't over.
As Lalabai's destructive beam finally faded, ripples began to shimmer across the surface of the Holy Shield – Reflection Power.
They started small then spread faster and wider until, in a flash, the entire barrier exploded into a dome of white light that shot straight back like a heavenly rainstorm!
Thousands of glowing streaks of holy energy poured down in a relentless counterattack, battering Lalabai's towering form from every direction!
"W-What is this…?!" Lucy gasped, stunned into silence.
"That," said Happy, stepping beside her like a seasoned commentator, "is the real terror of Chase's card magic Duelist's Soul."
He pointed ahead with a serious look on his face. "He predicts the opponent's moves in advance and sets down his cards beforehand. If you attack recklessly, the trap activates and you get crushed."
He gestured at the still-glowing barrier, now dissolving into shimmering light.
"Holy Shield – Reflection Power is a Trap Card that completely bounces back an opponent's attack as long as Chase's magic power can sustain it, of course."
Lucy blinked. "Wait, wait… That's card magic?!"
Her mind immediately jumped to Kana the kind of card user she was more familiar with.
A wizard who used cards as tools, sure… but laying traps ahead of time, before the battle even starts?
That was something else entirely.
Lucy instinctively pictured herself facing Chase in battle…
And immediately imagined herself losing in every possible way.
She took a step back, sweating slightly.
There's no way I'd ever win. Not a chance.
Happy nodded solemnly, his expression unusually serious."So yeah. Fighting Chase is a real pain. Not only does he summon monsters with different powers, he's also got magic cards with tricky effects… and those hidden traps? They'll get you every time."
He turned to Lucy and stared at her with deep gravity in his eyes.
"Lucy… you must be extra careful if you ever fight him."
Lucy stiffened.
"…Why are you warning me so seriously?!"
"Because I figured it might come in handy for Lucy if she ever challenges Chase one day."
"Thank you so much. So in your heart, I'm such a bold, ambitious hero, huh..."Lucy pointed at herself, white fingertip trembling in disbelief.
Just imagining that scenario in her head had already maxed out her courage.And actually challenging that monster Chase?No way. Not happening. Not ever.
Across the battlefield, the guild presidents were still in shock over the sheer power of that sacred barrier Holy Shield – Reflection Power.
Their eyes shifted back to Chase and Erza, now closing in on the demon from Zeref's book.
Everywhere around them, the murmurs grew louder.
Voices full of awe, envy, and admiration echoed through the gathered crowd.
Fairy Tail… how many monsters do they actually have?
Makarov heard it all and couldn't help but beam with pride, laughing heartily to himself.
He folded his arms and puffed out his chest like a proud old rooster.
In the middle of the battlefield
The thick smoke finally cleared.
Lalabai's enormous figure stood exposed, riddled with wounds and punctured with holes. The aftermath of the first wave of magic had left him a wreck.
Searing flames, icy spikes, cutting blades…
And worst of all, his own devastating light cannon had rebounded straight back into him.
Now his breathing was ragged, his posture unsteady. He swayed on his feet, barely holding himself upright.
"Damn it! Damn it all!""How could mere humans… do this to me?!" Lalabai's voice shook with fury and disbelief.
Humiliation, rage, and desperation surged through him like wildfire.He let out a guttural roar, then raised his massive, shattered fist to the sky.
But before he could take another step
Thud!
A heavy crash rang out behind him.
Turning his head slowly, Lalabai saw something that made his eyes twitch.
The rock giant soldier, equal in size to himself, stood still and calm.
With no emotion in its glowing eyes, the giant reached for the titanic sword slung over its back… and drew it.
The blade gleamed under the sun, humming with raw energy.
At that same moment
Natsu, Gray, and Erza charged in from three directions.
Their auras flared to the max. Each of them radiated magical energy so strong it bent the air around them.
None of them were holding back.
They surged forward, racing toward the same target with the same goal.
This was it.
Lalabai had reached his end.
The next hit this final blow would decide the winner of their unofficial contest.
And in each of their hearts, the same thought burned:
"No matter what, I can't lose to Chase!"
If Lalabai had somehow heard what they were thinking right now…
He would probably regret everything.
Regret coming out of that flute.
Regret trying to act all mighty and terrifying.
He should've just stayed curled up in there and kept quiet.
Boom!
Amid Lalabai's furious and desperate roar, the four powerful attacks collided in midair.
Magic clashed with magic.
Force pushed against force.
The sky split with a deafening blast.
Boom!
A blinding flash followed. The impact tore through the forest, shaking the mountain range and sending waves of heat and smoke into the sky.
When the dust finally settled…
When the flames calmed and the smoke began to fade…
The monstrous body of the demon had vanished.
In its place was a bottomless crater, still radiating heat, the earth scorched black all around it.
"Ahaha… ahahaha…"Lucy stared wide-eyed at the massive pit in front of her, expression blank.After a few seconds, she mumbled to herself, "So… who's the winner in this situation?"
No one answered.
And just as Lucy was muttering in a daze
She heard a soft scraping sound near her feet.
Shff… shfff…
Startled, she looked down.
Right there at the edge of her boot lay the cursed flute.
Somehow, Lalabai had been forced back into his original flute form.
But the terrifying thing was
Those three sinister eyes at the end of the flute were still glowing scarlet.
They stared directly at Lucy.
"Ahhhhh! You're not dead yet?!"
Reflexively, without thinking, Lucy screamed and lifted her foot.
"Lucy Flying Kick!!"
Crack!
Her heel slammed down hard. The already cracked cursed flute shattered into several jagged pieces.
The eerie red light in its eyes blinked twice then flickered out.
Gone.
In the next moment, everything was still.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
A heavy, stunned silence.
"...Damn it!"Natsu came running over and dropped to his knees beside the broken flute.He pounded the ground with both fists, his face twisted in disbelief. "Lucy actually snatched the final blow!"
"I should've just frozen her and the flute together with my Ice Lancer spell…"Gray sighed deeply, looking genuinely regretful.
His casual muttering sent a chill down Lucy's spine.
She took a cautious step back, eye twitching.Was this how Fairy Tail handled things?
They were talking about freezing their own teammate just to win a bet!
"I miscalculated," Erza admitted seriously, resting her chin on her palm. "I focused all my attention on Chase and the others… and completely overlooked Lucy. That's a mistake I won't make again."
"Huh? Huh??"Lucy blinked blankly, still not understanding what was happening. She looked around in confusion.
Whoosh
A stream of pink light zipped through the sky.
The Dark Magician Girl gracefully descended from the air, stowing her wand beneath her knees before landing lightly on the ground.
She looked at Lucy with a teasing smile and said, "It's obvious that you delivered the final blow to that big guy."
Then she placed her hands on her hips and added, "Although I'm reluctant to admit it, the final winner is Lucy!"
"What? Winner? Me?!"Lucy's eyes flew wide open. "Wait Darcy, are you serious?!"
"Lucy is secretly devious," Happy muttered, his eyes narrowed slyly. "She acted like she didn't want to join the fight, but was actually waiting for the perfect chance to snatch victory at the last second."
"Don't describe me like some shady backstabber, you rotten cat!"Lucy stomped her foot and glared at him, fuming."I'm not the kind of person who cares about being the winner, alright?!"
She was sure this scheming furball was holding a grudge from earlier…Especially after she smashed that grilled fish on his head.
"Hey, hey, Happy. That's enough teasing,"Chase stepped forward, brushing the dust off his coat with a smile.
"Lucy just happened to be lucky enough to land the final blow in that chaotic moment. It's not something you can plan."
As he spoke, he remembered something.
Lucy's name Lucy Heartfilia had a special origin.Her parents, Jude and Layla, had first met at a business guild called Love & Lucky. The "Lucky" part of the name had inspired Lucy's own name, symbolizing good fortune.
And sure enough, that luck had shown itself time and time again even in the original timeline.Though, admittedly, Lucy also tended to be the one who suffered the most.
Chase chuckled quietly at the thought.
"Wow… Chase…"Lucy looked at him, touched. Her eyes were glistening.
Hearing such a kind, sincere explanation moved her more than she expected.
Chase was really… so gentle.
"I see. So luck is also a kind of strength."Erza nodded with conviction, looking as if she had just realized something profound.
Lucy nearly stumbled. Wait, wait, are you actually believing what that harpy said just now?!
Before she could say anything, Chase suddenly turned to her.
"So Lucy, how about we find an opportunity to train together?" he asked, cracking his knuckles with a serious expression.
He wasn't joking. His tone, his posture everything screamed intensity.
He was clearly thinking: If Lucy's luck is this good, maybe she'll end up drawing an amazing card from my deck…Hehehe…
"Chase… why do your eyes look so scary all of a sudden?"Lucy instinctively took a step back, goosebumps running down her arms.
Just a moment ago she thought he was so gentle… and now? She took back everything she said.
"Ahaha!"Everyone around them burst out laughing.
The battle was over. Spirits were high. Fairy Tail was back to being its usual chaotic and joyful self.
As laughter echoed through the forest, Makarov stood at a distance, staring at what used to be the Council's meeting hall.
Or rather, the pile of ashes that remained.
Tears began to stream down the old man's cheeks, trailing along the wrinkles of his face.
I finally managed to put on a serious front for once… and now it's gone. All gone. Again!
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