### Chapter 9: Tricks, Victory!!
"Ah, it hurts, it hurts! Bastard, you really didn't hold back at all!"
Covering his eye socket and grimacing in pain as he climbed up from the ground, Gray shouted at Jiro with grief and indignation.
But Jiro spread his hands with an innocent look and said:
"No, I stopped when I realized you couldn't dodge just now.
In that punch just now, I used at most half of my strength."
"Half strength? Are you kidding?!"
Even his brain was buzzing. After hearing that Jiro only used half his strength, Gray was immediately struck and shouted out in disbelief.
What concerned him even more was Jiro's speed when he attacked just now.
The speed of that punch was so fast that although he could see it, his body couldn't react in the slightest.
*No wonder he was fine after taking two punches from Grandpa Master. His physical fitness is really strong like a monster.*
But even thinking this, Gray didn't have the slightest intention of backing down.
Whether it was for his face as a senior or his instinct as a Mage to go forward bravely.
It all made him assume his fighting stance again and rush towards Jiro.
The exchange just now also gave Jiro complete confidence, and he also swung his fist to meet Gray.
It was just that Gray, who was prepared this time, didn't attack as widely as before.
Knowing that he didn't have the advantage in strength and speed, he began to focus on defensive counterattacks.
When Jiro was throwing punches randomly relying only on brute courage, Gray relied on his experience. First, he sideways dodged a straight punch coming straight at him, then barely blocked a quick jab from the left hand with both hands.
Although blocking made his arms ache, he gritted his teeth and immediately extended his left leg to hook Jiro's supporting leg, easily tripping him to the ground.
Seeing Jiro lose his balance, Gray's eyes lit up, feeling that the opportunity had come, and he rushed up to pursue the attack.
But at this moment, his supporting foot also seemed to be entangled by something, and then he was pulled hard and fell to the ground just as wretchedly.
*What the hell?!*
Having fallen on his back, Gray endured the dizziness from the back of his head hitting the ground and propped himself up to look at his ankle.
Immediately, his eyes widened in astonishment.
"T-Tail!"
At this time, Jiro's cheeky laughter also came.
"That's right, my tail is as flexible as my arm. Fighting me puts you naturally at a disadvantage of missing a hand."
Instantly, Gray's entire face contorted. That's too shameless.
Originally, his strength and speed were inferior, and now the opponent had an extra 'hand'. Could this fight even go on properly?
However, before he could voice his complaint, Jiro, who got up first, pounced on him.
No matter how Gray twisted his body and flailed his limbs, Jiro pinned him firmly to the ground by relying on brute force to hold down his arms.
After struggling like a caterpillar for a few minutes, Gray gave up.
"I give up, you win."
After saying these words, he completely lost his spirit, staring blankly at the sky as if he were a salted fish* that had lost its dreams.
*(Translator's Note: "Salted fish" is slang for someone with no ambition or energy.)*
After hearing Gray personally admit defeat, Jiro couldn't help but raise his arms and cheer.
Although the opponent was only a ten-year-old child, he was the second male lead of Fairy Tail after all.
Being able to defeat the opponent at a similar age gave Jiro quite a sense of accomplishment.
Of course, he also knew that Gray didn't use his full strength. If Gray used his best ice magic, the outcome would be hard to say.
At least the current Jiro, who couldn't fire energy waves, had no good means to deal with freezing.
After cheering, he hurriedly got off Gray, extended his hand to him with a smile, and praised:
"Phew, what a hearty battle. I didn't expect Gray to be so powerful just with hand-to-hand combat.
If you used magic, I definitely wouldn't be your opponent."
*That's right, I have magic!*
Gray, whose heart was like dead ashes, instantly had his eyes rekindled with light.
He grabbed Jiro's outstretched hand and borrowed his strength to stand up.
Then, as if he didn't care about the failure just now, he crossed his arms and said proudly:
"Of course. If I had used ice magic just now, you would have been frozen into an ice sculpture long ago."
"Wow, ice magic is such a tricky magic. Gray is indeed a formidable opponent."
"You're too kind, you're not bad either. At least in hand-to-hand combat, I am indeed not your match."
Looking at Gray, who was smiling so wide his mouth was almost crooked under the flattery, Jiro was also secretly suppressing his laughter inside.
*He's a brat after all. A little flattery and he's satisfied.*
At this time, Cana and Erza, who had watched the entire battle, also walked over.
Looking at Gray who was getting carried away after losing, Cana, who had been getting along with him for a few years and was quite familiar with him, teased directly:
"Before being happy, use ice to make a mirror and take a look at yourself, Mr. Panda."
"Panda?"
Gray really did as Cana said and made an ice mirror, looking at his face.
Seeing this, Jiro immediately turned his head and whistled nonchalantly.
The next second.
"Ah—!!! My eye!"
Gray fiercely grabbed Jiro's collar with one hand and pointed at his left eye socket with the other, which was punched by Jiro at the very beginning and was now purple. He gritted his teeth and said:
"You bastard, you really didn't hold back at all. Hitting the face so hard."
Coughing lightly, Jiro pushed his hand away while making an excuse:
"Don't just blame me. Didn't you aim for my face at the very beginning too?
Ah, by the way, the battle with you is over. Please go watch from the side, I'm going to start the second round."
"You bastard!!"
Gray was so angry that he immediately clamored to have another match with Jiro, but Jiro directly refused on the grounds that he didn't fight the weak.
This made Gray jump with rage, regretting not using magic directly to give this detestable guy a big one.
Ignoring a certain loser's clamoring, Jiro looked straight at Erza.
Just having defeated Gray, his self-confidence was bursting now, and he couldn't wait to 'cut Erza down from her horse' as well to show off his elegance.
But when meeting Jiro's burning gaze, Erza decisively shook her head.