54-56

Chapter 54: An Unexpected Discovery  

"Tch. You’re pretty fast for a guy who just needs to take one good punch."  

Rayne retracted his fist, clicking his tongue in irritation as he glared at Laxus, who’d narrowly dodged.  

"Hell no!"  

Laxus, still shaken from the near-hit, scowled.  

Even without direct contact, the sheer force behind that punch had made his skin prickle with warning. Taking it head-on would’ve been brutal.  

"Too bad. You started this fight—now finish it!"  

A wild grin split Rayne’s face as magic-enhanced muscles coiled. Dirt exploded beneath his feet before anyone even saw him move.  

He shot forward like a bullet skimming the ground, closing the distance before his taunt finished echoing.  

His right knee drove upward in a vicious strike—the air itself whined from the pressure.  

Laxus didn’t doubt it could snap a tree trunk in half.  

"Hngh—!"  

Bending backward at an impossible angle, Laxus arched his body just enough to let Rayne’s momentum carry him overhead.  

The second Rayne passed, Laxus twisted upright, already tracking his opponent’s trajectory.  

Rayne had already pivoted mid-air, now flying backward but still facing him.  

"Lightning Spear—!"  

Golden electricity crackled in Laxus’s palm before lashing out like a whip.  

The condensed bolt screamed through the air, its mana density making even the surrounding grass tremble.  

Rayne landed hard—and instead of dodging, his clawed hand swung up, wreathed in crimson flames.  

BOOM!  

Lightning and fire collided in a deafening explosion. A shockwave flattened the meadow, sending ripples through the grass like waves.  

Rayne, still off-balance from the impact, skidded backward, boots carving twin trenches into the earth.  

"Hmph!"  

Laxus scoffed at Rayne’s monstrous resilience, but didn’t pause. The moment his Lightning Spear dispersed, he slammed both palms into the ground.  

A golden magic circle flared beneath Rayne’s feet.  

Twin chains of lightning shot up, coiling around his legs like serpents.  

"Game over!"  

Laxus grinned triumphantly—but kept pouring mana into his next spell.  

"Let the heavens roar—"  

The air crackled as a storm cloud of pure lightning gathered above Rayne.  

Yet Rayne didn’t even glance up. He just stared at the chains around his ankles.  

To the watching guild, it looked like surrender.  

Guildside Reactions:  

"Shame. Rayne’s lagging in magic versatility."  

"Can’t blame him. Requip relies on stocked weapons—kid’s probably only got one decent blade."  

"Holder-type mages do struggle early on..."  

"Still, he pushed Laxus to the edge. That’s impressive."  

"Damn right. That brute-force style’s terrifying."  

Murmurs of sympathy spread. To them, this wasn’t Rayne’s loss—just a mismatch in resources.  

**"Gramps, do something!"**  

Carolyn gripped Makarov’s sleeve, eyeing the brewing storm with dread. That spell’s aura screamed lethal.  

But before Makarov could intervene—  

"Unnecessary."  

Conanna’s calm voice cut through the panic.  

"This won’t stop Rayne."  

Every head turned to the white-haired girl, who simply pointed at the field.  

"Watch."  

Battlefield Insight:  

"...Huh. So lightning resistance is a thing now."  

Rayne flexed against the bindings, surprised. He’d braced for paralysis—but the chains felt no different than rope.  

Conanna’s influence?  

Her true form was a lightning dragon. Some of her traits must’ve seeped into his physiology during their bond.  

Might even unlock thunder magic later.  

A feral smirk tugged at his lips.  

Laxus’s Finisher:  

"—CRUMBLE BEFORE THE LIGHTNING’S WRATH!!"  

The chant climaxed. The storm cloud pulsed, mana condensing into a single, annihilating strike.  

"Boost."  

Rayne’s whisper was barely audible.  

The green jewel at his wrist flashed.  

Power flooded his veins—his heartbeat became a war drum, blood burning like magma. Mana doubled in an instant.  

"What—?!"  

Makarov and Gildarts jolted at the sudden spike. Even Laxus faltered mid-cast.  

"Too late for power-ups!" Laxus roared, hands slamming down.  

The sky split.  

A torrent of lightning crashed toward Rayne—  

—who punched upward, flames erupting into a crimson dragon of pure mana.  

The beast howled, its maw wide as it clashed against the storm.  

Chapter 55: Clash of Fire and Lightning  

Flames from the earth. Lightning from the heavens.  

In an instant, the two forces collided.  

BOOM!!!!  

A deafening explosion shook the plains as shockwaves erupted outward, flattening the grass beneath them.  

Scattered embers and golden arcs of electricity Rayneed down, igniting the earth like firecrackers—leaving behind a field of smoldering craters.  

Even the onlookers in the distance had to shield their faces from the blast, though none dared to look away.  

Their eyes burned with the afterimage of crimson and gold.  

The stalemate between the fire dragon and the storm didn’t last long.  

With his boosted magic power—doubled by the enhancement—Rayne had pushed himself to a level rivaling Laxus’s.  

And with the combined feedback from the Red Dragon Emperor’s Gauntlet and Kanna’s draconic essence, even his raw magical energy carried an overwhelming, tyrannical force.  

A force that surpassed even Dragon Slayer magic.  

The cascading thunder couldn’t extinguish it. Instead, the flames surged upward, defying the storm.  

The crimson "dragon" roared silently, its maw tearing through the thunderclouds.  

Though its form grew faint afterward, the sheer dominance of that phantom beast left the spectators trembling.  

"Impossible!!!"  

Laxus’s voice cracked with disbelief. His carefully charged spell—shattered by a single punch?!  

CRACK—  

A brittle sound reached his ears. Laxus glanced down just in time to see Rayne rip apart the lightning chains binding his legs with brute strength alone.  

That absurd, barbaric display made Laxus’s pupils shrink.  

He’d never seen anyone counter magic like this.  

Every battle he’d fought had been magic against magic.  

But this boy?  

He fought with nothing but raw power and reinforced magic—like a human-shaped monster.  

The sheer impact of it sent a jolt of fear through Laxus—yet his blood burned hotter in response.  

No matter how much he denied it, the Dragon Lacrima inside him made him a Dragon Slayer.  

And like a beast, he craved battle.  

Fear and fury clashed within him—until his pride as Makarov’s grandson, as a mage of Fairy Tail, crushed the hesitation.  

"DON’T FUCK WITH ME!!! I’M LAXUS DREYAR!!!"  

His roar shook the air as golden magic erupted around him like flames.  

Muscles bulged beneath his torn shirt, veins throbbing with power.  

The arrogant demeanor he wore in the guild was gone.  

Now, there was only the hunger to win.  

The only way to conquer fear was to face it head-on.  

If he feared close combat with Rayne, then he’d break him in it.  

"Whoa! What’s happening to Laxus?!"  

"His magic’s going wild!!"  

"These two are insane…"  

"Did Rayne really push him this far?"  

"Hah! Even Makarov wasn’t this strong at their age."  

The crowd buzzed with excitement, their eyes glued to the spectacle.  

"Laxus…"  

Makarov’s expression darkened with concern.  

"Abandoning his strengths, huh?"  

Gildarts stroked his stubble, sighing.  

Laxus’s "Lightning Dragon’s Raiment" was a close-combat spell—coating his body in lightning to enhance his physical abilities to monstrous levels.  

But…  

"The problem is, the guy in front of him is an even bigger monster."  

Gildarts’ gaze flicked to the little girl in Carol’s arms.  

Kanna’s tail swayed slightly, her face blank—as if she were watching something mildly interesting.  

Or perhaps… something edible.  

"Hoh~"  

Rayne grinned, sensing Laxus’s blazing fighting spirit.  

BOOM—  

Without a word, they charged at the same time, the ground quaking beneath them.  

A crimson streak. A golden flash.  

BANG!!!  

Their fists collided, compressing the air between them into a visible shockwave.  

"QUIT LOOKING DOWN ON ME!!!"  

Laxus snarled when he noticed Rayne wasn’t even using his gauntlet.  

Rayne didn’t answer. The sheer force of the impact sent pain shooting up his arm, bones vibrating from the recoil.  

But the pain only fueled him further.  

The flames in his eyes burned brighter.  

His magic, resonating with his emotions, churned like molten lava inside him.  

Crackle…  

Faint golden sparks flickered along his skin—but against Laxus’s storm, they went unnoticed.  

"Hah—"  

A scorching breath escaped Rayne’s lips.  

For a split second, Laxus swore he saw a dragon’s shadow behind the boy.  

But the thought vanished as Rayne pulled back his fist and swung again.  

Laxus met it head-on.  

BOOM!!!  

The second impact was heavier. The ground beneath them splintered.  

"He’s getting stronger?!"  

Laxus gritted his teeth, pouring more magic into his muscles.  

"I WON’T LOSE!!!"  

He retaliated with another punch.  

"HAHAHA—MORE!!"  

Rayne laughed wildly, his strikes growing heavier with each blow.  

BOOM!!!  

BOOM!!!  

BOOM!!!  

Fists like warhammers.  

Each collision sent shockwaves rippling through the earth, cratering the battlefield.  

The crowd stood frozen, mesmerized.  

This wasn’t a battle between mages anymore.  

It was something primal.  

A clash of beasts.  

And yet—  

No one could deny the thrill burning in both fighters’ eyes.  

The heat of their struggle made even the onlookers’ blood boil. 

Chapter 56: Double Boost—The Battle is Decided!  

Unlike the stunned onlookers, Laxus was the one suffering in silence.  

At first, his pride had driven him forward—his refusal to lose kept him swinging.  

But as the seconds ticked by…  

Their fists collided again and again, each impact sending shockwaves through their bones. Even with magical reinforcement, blood seeped from their knuckles.  

Yet, Laxus realized something terrifying—  

Rayne wasn’t slowing down.  

If anything, his grin grew wider, his strikes heavier.  

Like pain meant nothing to him.  

And worse—  

Each punch was stronger than the last.  

An endless escalation, as if his power had no ceiling.  

That realization snapped Laxus out of his rage.  

"This is bad."  

His mind raced.  

Lightning Empress Armor drastically enhanced his physical abilities, but the magic drain was insane.  

He’d already burned through a ton of energy with his earlier spells—all of which had failed to put Rayne down.  

Now, after just nine seconds in his lightning form, his reserves were nearly empty.  

If this dragged on, he’d lose.  

"One shot. I need to end this in one shot."  

Gritting his teeth, Laxus funneled every last drop of magic into his right fist.  

Crackling gold lightning coiled around his arm like a thousand shrieking birds—  

"KIIIIII—"  

"Trying to finish it in one hit? Too late."  

Despite his manic grin, Rayne’s voice was eerily calm.  

"Huh?"  

Laxus blinked.  

Then—  

The emerald gem on Rayne’s crimson gauntlet flashed.  

"BOOST!!!" 

A roar—deeper, wilder than Rayne’s own voice—exploded inside his mind.  

THUD.  

For a split second, Laxus heard it—a heartbeat, drowning out the screech of his lightning.  

Then—  

BOOOOOOM!!!  

A tsunami of crimson magic erupted from Rayne’s body.  

Scarlet flames engulfed him, ripping his black shirt to shreds as his muscles swelled, veins pulsing with raw power.  

His hair whipped wildly in the blazing aura, his eyes glowing with the fury of a dragon.  

"So damn noisy—"  

Laxus barely caught the mutter before—  

DOUBLE BOOST. 

After weeks of training—and Conann’s constant feedback—Rayne’s body could finally handle it.  

But with the second doubling came the whispers.  

The cursed voices of past hosts, clawing at his mind.  

Their despair, their rage—all trying to drown him in madness.  

Yet—  

Rayne’s will burned hotter.  

Like a furnace, his sheer bloodlust incinerated the whispers before they could take root.  

For the first time in centuries, the cursed souls hesitated.  

"What… is this guy?"  

They recoiled, melting like snow under the sun.  

(They weren’t gone—just waiting for a weaker moment.)  

Meanwhile—  

"HAHAHAHA!!!"  

In the depths of Rayne’s soul, Ddraig’s laughter shook the void.  

Her massive draconic eyes gleamed with pride.  

This host…  

He’s perfect.  

REALITY— 

The crimson inferno around Rayne peaked.  

His muscles, his magic—all quadrupled.  

But the cost?  

Stamina and focus draining fast.  

"Let’s end this."  

Rayne clenched his fist, magic condensing into a scorching blaze.  

The sheer density made his armor glow white-hot, residual energy licking his skin like flames.  

Opposite him, Laxus gritted his teeth, his own fist dripping with liquid lightning.  

He knew he’d lost.  

But pride wouldn’t let him back down.  

THE FINAL IMPACT 

"RRRAAAAAGH—!!!"  

Two fists—  

One wrapped in a storm.  

One blazing like a sun.  

BOOOOOOM!!!!  

The golden lightning shattered.  

Laxus’ arm bent at a sickening angle as he rocketed backward, crashing into Makarov’s giant palm.  

Unconscious.  

(Just a broken arm and magic exhaustion—nothing serious.)  

Meanwhile—  

Rayne stood in a crater of upturned earth, steam rising from his body.  

The Boosted Gear hummed, its glow fading.  

Silence.  

Then—  

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" 

The guild exploded.  

"HE DOUBLED HIS POWER—TWICE?!"  

"THAT’S CHEATING!!"  

"SINCE WHEN CAN MAGIC DO THAT?!"  

Even Gildarts and Makarov looked stunned.  

"That artifact… is something else."  

They exchanged glances.  

"We might need to keep an eye on it."  

Winner: Rayne.  

Laxus: KO’d.  

Fairy Tail’s balance of power—officially shaken.