"Laxus is out!"
Natsu got excited the moment Laxus stepped forward. Laxus had been crushed by Takeshi once, but his strength was beyond question—both in magic power and overall ability, he towered above the rest.
"His opponent's from Ivan's guild." Erza worried the other side might pull something dirty.
"Relax, I'm watching." Takeshi said.
[So the father-and-son guild showdown is finally here.]
"Both sides, step forward!"
[Let the match begin!]
Aleksei shot in, ramming an elbow into Laxus and sending him sprawling, then rained blows without pause, leaving Laxus no chance to fight back.
"What the…?!" Natsu's eyes bulged in disbelief.
"Laxus is getting pummeled?!" Lucy stared, stunned.
"Who the hell is that masked bastard?!" Gray couldn't imagine anyone besides Takeshi suppressing Laxus like this.
"Takeshi…"
Erza sensed something off. Knowing Laxus's true level, this wasn't it.
"Mm, relax. Laxus is perfectly fine."
Takeshi had already activated Transparent World, such illusions couldn't fool his sight.
"Perfectly fine?"
Erza glanced down—Laxus looked half-dead, yet Takeshi claimed he was fine.
Could it be…
[Aleksei's relentless onslaught—Laxus can't even defend!]
In the arena, Laxus watched the battered image of himself. "What is this thing?"
"A mirage spell. To everyone here, even while we talk like this, they can't see the real us—only the fighting illusion. Pretty neat, huh? Not a soul noticed, the crowd just sees that hopeless version of you."
—
"Why's Laxus taking such a beating?" Makarov couldn't believe it.
With Laxus's power, facing some random Mage, even one of the Ten Wizard Saints, he wouldn't go down like this.
"Laxus! Show them your real stuff!"
"Damn it!"
The Thunder God Tribe tensed up seeing Laxus pounded like that.
"Warren, contact Takeshi." Makarov told Warren.
"On it!"
Warren instantly cast Telepathy. "Takeshi! Takeshi! Respond if you hear me!"
"Hm? What's up?"
Takeshi heard Warren's voice in his head and asked.
"Master wants to know what's going on. Do you know?"
Takeshi replied, "Tell the old man not to worry, Laxus is fine. If anything happens, I'll step in."
Warren reported to Makarov, "Master, Takeshi says Laxus is fine—no need to worry."
"Laxus is fine?!"
Everyone around the guild heard Warren.
The Laxus below looked half-dead, how could he be fine?
Makarov, equally puzzled, closed his eyes to sense. Then he snapped them open and shouted, "Wrong! That's not Laxus's magic signature!"
He'd lost his cool from worry but now he realized the reality.
Every Mage's signature differs, and those with keen perception can tell them apart. Rufus, for instance, could easily identify people by their unique pulses.
Makarov naturally could too, concern had clouded him. Coupled with Takeshi's words, he instantly judged.
"It's a mirage."
"A mirage?!"
The whole guild exclaimed.
Though Laxus was safe, Makarov's face darkened. "That bastard Ivan... What's he plotting?"
"Seems your guild really looks up to you. How do you think they feel seeing this?"
"I've no idea what you're on about. So what if you beat my illusion?"
Laxus didn't get their game. Standing right here, they'd expose the fake sooner or later if they didn't beat the real him.
"Exactly—our goal isn't 'victory.' This mirage is just smoke for the crowd. Illusions can end any way we negotiate. We can even script you as the winner."
Laxus shrugged off his coat, ready to act. "Seems talks have failed. Mirage or not, I'll just crush the real you right now."
"Impossible." Flare stepped out from behind.
"Reality is cruel."
Then came Nullpudding, Kurohebi, and Obra—Raven Tail's five were all present.
"Even you can't beat Raven Tail's elite alone. You know how strong I am, foolish son."
"An anti-Fairy Tail guild?" Laxus raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly. Our guild is made up of mages whose magic leaves Fairy Tail members helpless. These four are our elites. Want to fight us? I know your weaknesses inside-out. Care to see the power we've stockpiled these seven years?" Ivan looked at Laxus smugly.
Laxus sneered. "Just you clowns? Gramps has done his homework—your members' techniques, guild location, funds, every move these seven years."
"What?!" Ivan gasped.
"It's Gajeel, we were duped by that bastard."
"So he was a double agent?"
Ivan finally realized, only Gajeel knew all their intel.
Laxus said, "Gramps knows everything, yet he never lifted a finger. Had he given the word, your guild would've been dust long ago."
"Shut up!"
Ivan, humiliated, flung a swarm of paper dolls.
Laxus raised an arm to block.
"I've lived in darkness for this day! All for Lumen Histoire!"
"The guild, the town, Tenrou Island—everywhere linked to Fairy Tail—I searched them all! And still nothing!"
"Where is Lumen Histoire? Where is it hiding? Tell me, Laxus!"
"You're my son!"
"Obra! Move! Erase his magic! Unleash the power of our anti-Fairy Tail guild right now!"
Obra lunged, but Laxus beat him to it, turning into lightning and kicking Obra aside.
Crimson Hair!
Flare's hair lashed at Laxus but he sidestepped effortlessly.
"Take this!"
Nullpudding charged, thorn-studded arm swinging at Laxus.
Laxus scoffed, "The guy Takeshi farmed points from on day one? Think losing to him means you can touch me?"
Crack!
"Aahhhh!"
With one punch, Laxus slammed Nullpudding into the sand.
Whoosh!
Crimson strands coiled around Laxus's arm.
"Gotcha!"
"Can't even beat Mira and you want to beat me?"
Laxus opened his mouth, wild lightning roaring out.
"Kyaaahhh!"
Flare screamed and flew back.
Sand swirled behind Laxus, forming into Kurohebi.
"The creep who loves wrecking what others cherish?"
"Uwaahhh!"
With a wave, Laxus blasted golden lightning through Kurohebi, erasing him in an instant.
"I-impossible! My elite squad—"
Ivan watched in disbelief as his carefully built team was easily eliminated.
When had Laxus grown this strong? Was this still the Laxus he knew?
"Dad, you missed my growth. I'm not the kid you could push around anymore."
"W-wait! I'm your father! Your family! You can't raise a hand to your own dad!"
"Oh? Yet I heard you planned to sell my Dragon lacrima for cash."
"N-no… that was…"
Laxus firmly said, "Enough. Once I was naive and called you family. Now I see clearly. Fairy Tail is my family, and I'll crush anyone who threatens them."
Laxus then threw a punch at Ivan.
"Uwaaah!"
Ivan screamed, and crashed into the arena wall.
The illusion shattered, revealing the real scene to everyone.
[W-what is this?! What happened?!]
[Master Ivan! Alexei's true identity is Master Ivan!] Mato was stunned.
[So the Laxus and Alexei we saw were illusions?! Standing here is Laxus!]
[The battle's over! As you saw, all five of them ganged up, even their Guild master joining—an outright foul!]
[Laxus single-handedly defeated all five from Raven Tail! Winner: Laxus of Team Fairy Tail B!]
"He wiped out Raven Tail alone?!"
"First Erza, then Mirajane, and Takeshi who beat a Wizard Saint—are Fairy Tail all monsters?"
The crowd buzzed. At first, they thought only Takeshi was strong, yet even without him, these two days, Fairy Tail still ranked first and second.
It wasn't one mage's might—the entire guild was a powerhouse.
Makarov glared at Ivan. "That move was despicable, Ivan."
Ivan was his son, but his ends-justify-the-means ways left Makarov wishing he'd acted sooner.
Laxus stepped down, expressionless.
Ivan said, "Laxus, I lost this round. But remember: Lumen Histoire is Fairy Tail's darkness. The day will come when Fairy Tail's true face is revealed."
Laxus dismissively said, "Hmph! I don't care, and I trust Gramps, not you."
Though Ivan's words nagged at him, Laxus knew right from wrong and his father was wrong.
Guards soon dragged Ivan away, along with the rest of Raven Tail.
[The verdict: Raven Tail's results are voided! Banned from the tournament for three years!]
[Despite this fiasco, we proceed to the fourth match of the day!]
[Gray Fullbuster of Team Fairy Tail A vs. Lyon Vastia of Lamia Scale!]
"I'm up!" Gray grinned.
Lyon had always outdone him since childhood—time to settle the score.
"Gray? Let me show you how wide the seven-year gap really is." Lyon's fighting spirit flared at facing Gray.