Chapter 165: The Law of the Fairies
Laxus, buried to his waist in rubble at the far end of the shattered cathedral, was shaking. It wasn't from his injuries. It was from pure, unadulterated rage. He stared at the figure standing atop the deity's statue, a figure bathed in a serene pillar of moonlight, his arms spread in that arrogant, god-like pose.
That pose. That infuriating, self-satisfied, blasphemous pose.
"I... am the strongest!!!" Laxus roared, his voice raw.
He pushed himself from the debris, his body erupting in a violent aura of golden lightning. The Dragon Slayer Lacrima inside him burned, flooding his system with power. He took a deep, ragged breath, his chest puffing out, gathering every last bit of lightning and rage in his lungs.
"Lightning Dragon's... ROAR!!!"
Laxus unleashed a violent, massive pillar of golden lightning from his mouth. It was not a simple blast; it was a torrent of draconic power, a concentrated storm that tore through the remaining pews and pillars, destroying everything in its path as it rocketed toward the figure on the statue.
Ren, still in his pose, merely tilted his head. He raised his right index finger, and a small, impossibly dense red sphere, no larger than a marble, condensed above it. The air around the sphere warped and shimmered with intense heat and a powerful, repulsive force.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
[Akarin's Note: Cursed Technique Reversal: Red (Jutsushiki Hanten: Aka) is a high-level Cursed Technique from Jujutsu Kaisen. By reversing Cursed Energy, it creates an explosive, all-powerful repulsive force, the opposite of the attractive force of Blue.]
Flick.
Ren launched the tiny red sphere. It shot down, meeting the massive, raging torrent of golden lightning.
Two powerful, ultimate energies collided.
Boom... BOOOOM!!!!
A terrifying, deafening explosion erupted, a cataclysm of red and gold. The shockwave was not a simple gust of wind; it was a physical, concussive force that shot upwards, shattering the remnants of the cathedral's domed roof.
The Kardia Cathedral, a landmark that had stood for centuries, already in ruins, finally succumbed to the immense pressure. The remaining walls, the floor, and the bell tower all began to collapse in this final, apocalyptic explosion.
As the smoke and dust slowly settled, Ren and Laxus stood on opposite ends of the newly formed crater, the moonlight now shining down on a field of pulverized stone. Ren's expression remained relaxed, his blindfold perfectly in place. Laxus's face, however, was heavy, his chest heaving as he panted.
From the very beginning of the battle, he had been at a disadvantage. He had been played with, dodged, and systematically beaten.
He originally thought that activating his Dragon Slayer Magic would finally give him the upper hand, that he could crush Ren with its raw, primal power. But he was still at a disadvantage.
Each time he attacked, he felt like he was just a little bit away from breaking through that infuriating, untouchable defense. He was confident that if he could just land one solid blow, he would win. But that 'little bit' remained an unbreachable chasm.
The continuous fighting, especially the Roar, had significantly depleted his magic power. Yet the opponent... the opponent looked as if he still had plenty of reserves. He wasn't even sweating.
'Should I continue with a war of attrition?' Laxus thought, his mind racing. He firmly believed he would win. He had to. His magic power was inherited from his grandfather, a Wizard Saint. It was vast, deeper than this upstart could possibly imagine. It was absolutely impossible for it to be lower than this kid's.
'This... thing... in front of me is just a Take Over,' Laxus reasoned, gritting his teeth. 'It must have a terrible magic consumption rate. He's just putting on a show. He must be running on fumes.'
Just as Laxus was contemplating his next move, steeling himself for a prolonged battle, Ren raised his palm towards him. A new, small red sphere of Red appeared in front of it.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
The red sphere rushed towards Laxus.
"Damn it! Does this monster not need a break after using such powerful magic?!"
Laxus's expression changed instantly. He knew he couldn't block that. His body immediately transformed into a bolt of lightning to dodge.
The sphere of Red was extremely fast, hitting the spot where Laxus had just been in the blink of an eye.
Boom!!!!
A powerful repulsive force erupted, and the ground exploded into another massive crater, sending shards of stone flying.
Sizzle!
Laxus's body reappeared behind Ren, his fist crackling, ready to launch a sneak attack. But Ren, without even turning his head, simply pointed his finger at Laxus's new location.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
Laxus's face changed drastically. Having just materialized, he had no time to elementalize and escape. His instincts screamed. He immediately raised his scaled arms in a desperate block.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!
"Ugh... ah... ah... ah... AH AH AH!!"
Laxus felt a terrifying, incomprehensible impact erupt against his arms. It wasn't a punch; it was a wave of pure, repulsive force that shattered his guard, broke his arms, and slammed into his chest.
Crash!
Laxus's body was blasted backward, tumbling through the rubble of the cathedral.
"Ugh... ah!!"
He tried to stand up from the rubble, but as soon as he pushed himself up, his legs gave out, and he almost fell. He had taken a direct hit from Ren. In addition to the damage from the Black Flashes and the Cursed Energy-infused punches, his body was now severely, undeniably injured.
At this moment, Laxus finally understood. Ren was a complete monster.
He had thought that the magic, equivalent in power to his own Roar, was Ren's ultimate move in this form. But now, he realized with dawning horror, it was just... Ren's normal attack.
'I can't win,' the thought echoed, a cold, sharp blade of reality piercing his pride. 'Not like this.'
"Ren," Laxus growled, his voice a low, painful rasp. "Don't... think you've won!"
He spat a glob of blood onto the stones. "How long... how long do you think I've been preparing for this moment? To change this weak, pathetic, joke of a guild... I absolutely... I CANNOT LOSE!!!"
RUMBLE!!!!
Terrifying, world-ending magic power erupted from Laxus's body. It wasn't just lightning. It was a pressure, a holy, golden light that blasted the rubble away from him. The ground beneath his feet began to crack, not from his power, but from the sheer weight of the magic he was summoning. The magic power converged into Laxus's palms, creating a blinding, golden sun.
Ren's expression finally... finally... changed. The lazy, arrogant smile faded, replaced by a look of genuine seriousness.
'Fairy Law,' he thought, his Six Eyes analyzing the torrent of holy magic. He recognized the signature instantly. It was one of Fairy Tail's three great super magics, created by the first Master, Mavis Vermillion.
It was a strategic-level magic, an ultimate judgment that smites darkness with holy light, targeting anything and everything the caster perceives as an enemy.
He remembered its strongest feat from the records: Makarov, using this very magic, had once single-handedly almost wiped out a million-strong army of the Alvarez Empire.
Facing such a conceptual, super-magic, Ren knew he couldn't be careless in the slightest. His Infinity wouldn't work. It couldn't block a "concept."
Ren intertwined his index and middle fingers, forming the hand seal. He began to channel his own Cursed Energy, preparing to counter with his own ultimate technique.
'If he's using that, then I have no choice. I'll have to use my Domain...'
Just then, a frantic, screaming voice cut through the magical stand-off.
"STOP!! Stop it!! Don't fight anymore!!"
Swish!
A figure stumbled out from the shadows of the ruined guild hall. It was Mira. She ran onto the battlefield, her face pale and streaked with tears.
"Mira! Why are you here?!" Ren's voice was sharp, his hand seal faltering as his concentration broke.
Mira, her body shaking, looked at Laxus with tear-filled eyes. "Laxus... stop! The Master... your grandfather... he's... he's critically ill!!!"
"What?!"
The news hit Ren like a physical blow. "Master... what happened?! Didn't the old man have good health? Why is he suddenly critically ill?!"
Ren's expression changed drastically. Although he had only been in Fairy Tail for a little over a year, the old man had treated him extremely well, like real family.
He couldn't remember the plot completely, he couldn't remember this. The old man was supposed to live until the very end. This... this was a divergence. A serious one.
"Master already had heart disease," Mira sobbed, "and had been taking Madam Porlyusica's medicine to maintain it. When Master saw the Thunder God's Palace appear in the sky, he... he became too excited, too angry... and his heart disease relapsed..."
Suddenly, Laxus, who had been listening, sneered. The holy light of Fairy Law in his hands did not dim. "Isn't this perfect?" he said, his voice cold and devoid of all sympathy. "Now my chances of becoming Master are even higher."
"How... how could this be..." Mira couldn't believe it when she heard Laxus say that. She stared at him in horror. "Laxus... is this still the Laxus I knew?"
Laxus ignored her, his eyes, now burning with a mad, fervent light, looked up at the sky. He would not be stopped. Not by this monster. Not by the old man's weakness. This was his moment.
"WAAAH AH AH AH AH AH!!" he roared, unleashing all his power.
"Disappear, Fairy Tail!!"
"I will rebuild the strongest guild! One that will not lose to anyone! One that will make everyone tremble in fear!!"
"FAIRY LAW!!!"
"ACTIVATE!!!!"
Clang!!!!!!
A dazzling, pure, golden light erupted from Laxus's body. It was not a beam. It was a wave. A silent, all-encompassing wave of judgment that obstructed nothing, yet passed through everything. It spread rapidly outwards with Laxus at the center, washing over Ren, over Mira, and over the entire city of Magnolia.
After a few seconds, the light slowly dissipated.
"Ha... ah! Ha... ah!"
Laxus panted heavily, his body steaming. The activation of a super magic like Fairy Law required an enormous amount of magic power, and even for him, activating it once was extremely taxing. He was almost empty.
"I... finally... won..."
"Cough... cough!"
Mira's soft cough caught Laxus's attention.
Laxus quickly turned to look. He saw Mira standing there, completely unharmed. And beside her, Ren was standing, his arms crossed, his blindfold still in place, his expression one of mild annoyance. He, too, was completely unharmed.
"This... this is impossible!!" Laxus shouted, his voice cracking in disbelief. "This is the super magic, Fairy Law!! Even if your 'Limitless Cursed Technique' is strong, it shouldn't be able to withstand this attack!! Why is this happening!!"
Laxus's mind shattered. Fairy Law was his grandfather's signature magic, smiting darkness with holy light. He had never seen anyone able to withstand his grandfather's magic attack.
He had also worked hard to train in this magic, considering it his greatest trump card. This magic was unavoidable; the opponent couldn't dodge it. Even if Ren was strong, he shouldn't be unharmed after being hit by this magic.
And besides, Mira was also there. Mira had long been unable to use her magic and was now even weaker than an ordinary Mage. How was she unharmed?!
At this moment, a figure stumbled out of the ruins. It was Freed, his body bruised and his arm in a crude sling, having been defeated by Ren earlier.
"It's... it's because..." Freed panted, his face pale. "The guild members... and the people in the city... everyone is fine. Laxus... you didn't hurt a single person."
Hearing Freed's words, Laxus loudly retorted, "Impossible!! My Fairy Law is perfect!!"
"That's your 'heart,' Laxus," Freed said sadly. "Fairy Law is a holy magic. It is only effective against those the caster's heart identifies as enemies. You... you understand what I mean, right, Laxus? Magic doesn't lie. This... this is your 'true feelings.' Deep down... you don't see a single one of us as your enemy."
"Stop, Laxus," Freed pleaded. "Go to the Master's side now. He needs you."
Laxus's expression became very flustered at this moment, as if his innermost secret thoughts had been exposed to the world. He staggered back, his body trembling.
"No..." he whispered, his eyes wide and panicked. "No... that's not... that's not true!"
He clutched his head, forcing himself to shout, "NO!! Everyone who obstructs me is an enemy!! An enemy!!"
"I don't care if that old geezer lives or dies!! I am me!! Not that old geezer's grandson!! I am Laxus!! I AM LAXUS... ah ah ah ah!!!"
Bang!
A boot, moving with casual, brutal speed, instantly appeared and connected with Laxus's face.
"Ugh!!"
Laxus's body flew sideways, his roar cut off by a choked grunt, and he crashed into a broken wall.
Ren, who had reverted to his original form, stood where Laxus had been, his expression one of pure, unadulterated annoyance.
"You're so annoying with all that chattering," Ren said, his voice cold. "I'll give you two choices: one, you obediently go to the Master yourself, or two, I beat you half to death and drag you to the Master. Choose."
[Akarin Note:
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