Chapter 142: George, the Nemesis of the Iron Dragon Slayer

"Remember my name: Gajeel, the Iron Dragon Slayer from Phantom Lord!"

The long-haired mage sneered, his figure flashing forward at an incredible speed toward the three people and one cat.

"You must be the one who attacked our guild. Let me teach you a lesson!"

Sarusuke activated his "High Speed" magic, moving even faster than Gajeel, and leapt up, aiming a powerful kick at the man's face.

"Falcon Heavenward"

However, Gajeel didn't even try to dodge. His body instantly transformed into black, metallic skin, resembling solid iron, letting Sarusuke's kick land squarely on his face.

"Aaah!"

A bizarre scene unfolded—Sarusuke's powerful kick did nothing to Gajeel, not even slowing his charge. Instead, Sarusuke was sent flying backward by the impact. Clearly, the difference in their power levels was monumental.

By this time, Droy and Levy had recovered and launched a coordinated counterattack.

Droy scattered seeds across the ground, which rapidly grew into thick vines that coiled toward Gajeel. Simultaneously, Levy wrote the word "Stone," summoning a massive boulder that hurtled toward their foe.

"Iron Dragon Slayer Magic: Iron Dragon Sword!"

Unfortunately, these attacks posed no threat to Gajeel. His right arm transformed into a jagged, spinning steel blade that easily shredded the vines and boulder into pieces.

Before Droy and Levy could launch another attack, Gajeel was already above them, poised to strike.

"We're done for!"

Seeing their magic fail entirely, Droy and Levy realized the gravity of the situation. Gajeel, a Dragon Slayer mage with power rivaling an S-Class, was far beyond their ability to handle.

But just as Gajeel's attack was about to land, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Stop!"

To everyone's astonishment, Gajeel's body froze mid-air as though an invisible force had locked him in place.

It was George, who had been observing the fight, finally stepping in.

"Iron Dragon Slayer, your entire body reeks of metal," George remarked, spreading his wings and flying toward Gajeel. He turned to Droy and Levy.

"Get Sarusuke and retreat. I can't hold him for long."

If the intruder had been any other S-Class mage from Phantom Lord, George would have immediately fled with Levy to the safety of the Fairy Tail dorms. Even with his superior wand, he wasn't confident in facing someone on par with Erza.

But fate had brought Gajeel, whose metallic nature made him a perfect opponent for George.

"Got it! Be careful, George!"

Levy and Sarusuke quickly dragged the dazed Sarusuke to safety.

The two had always believed George wasn't adept at combat, but seeing him immobilize an S-Class mage like Gajeel without even visibly casting a spell left them awestruck.

"Interesting. I didn't expect a cat to wield such strange magic," Gajeel mused, attempting to move but finding himself restrained by an unseen force. His expression grew more serious.

"But this is nothing for Gajeel the Great!"

With a roar, Gajeel unleashed a surge of magic power, breaking through George's magnetic restraint through sheer brute force.

"Die!"

He swung his Iron Dragon Sword, its speed diminished slightly by George's interference but still far too fast for an average mage to evade.

"Watch out, George!" Levy cried from the sidelines, preparing to cast a spell to assist.

"Relax," George replied calmly, raising a paw.

With a flick of his claw, the force binding Gajeel redirected, launching the iron-clad mage into the air like a rocket. He stopped abruptly, suspended twenty meters above the ground.

George's magnetic control, honed over a year, could exert nearly a ton of force. By mutant standards, his magnetic prowess would rank at level three. While this wasn't enough to directly overpower someone of Gajeel's caliber, it sufficed to render him helpless mid-air.

In the air, with no footholds, even a Dragon Slayer like Gajeel found his strength nullified.

"What kind of sorcery is this?"

Suspended in mid-air, Gajeel's face showed genuine concern for the first time. He could neither sense nor counteract George's magic, nor even detect how it was being applied.

"Fine. If I can't move, then I'll end this with one strike!"

Gajeel inhaled sharply, his chest swelling as he prepared to unleash a devastating attack.

"Iron Dragon Slayer Magic: Iron Dragon's Roar!"

His plan was simple—obliterate the strange cat controlling him and break free.

However, just as his attack was about to release, George chuckled.

"Let's turn you around."

With a deft motion of his paw, George manipulated Gajeel's position, forcing him to face the sky. Now lying flat, Gajeel couldn't even see George, let alone aim his attack.

No matter how hard he flailed or twisted, Gajeel remained locked in place. Unable to aim, his Iron Dragon's Roar erupted harmlessly into the air.

"My turn now," George said, flying directly beneath Gajeel. Maintaining his magnetic control to keep the mage immobilized, he drew his wand and pointed it at Gajeel's back.

"Stupefy!"