Chapter 114: FTRJ: Chapter 114

A figure entered the guildhall.

Silence fell immediately.

“Huh?” Wendy looked around, confused.

“Carla, why are everyone’s faces so strange?” Wendy whispered to Carla.

“It’s probably because of him,” Carla replied, glancing at the newcomer.

He had yellow hair, wore a coat and metal headphones, and a lightning bolt scar over his right eye.

“Laxus…” someone murmured his name.

“Laxus!!” His Thunder God Tribe greeted him joyfully.

Since the Fantasia arc, Laxus had been on a string of missions, only returning today. His legion had missed him.

The others, while Laxus had participated in the Fantasia arc, hadn’t interacted much with him, so they weren’t sure how to react.

Seeing the silence, Laxus took a deep breath and spoke loudly, “You guys…”

He surveyed the room. “Why have a party without me?”

At this, everyone exchanged glances, smiles playing on their lips.

Makarov breathed a sigh of relief, a look of contentment replacing his earlier apprehension. He watched Laxus.

Finn raised his glass high.

“I think you’re the one who’s late! You’re going to have to drink a few penalty shots for that!”

Finn addressed the assembled guild members loudly. “Don’t you all agree?!”

“Hahaha, that’s right, that’s right! Laxus, you’re late, penalty drinks first!”

“Come on, Laxus, I’m getting you drunk tonight!”

“We’ll see if you’re up to the task,” Laxus replied with a grin.

Fairy Tail once again descended into boisterous chaos.

The next day at the Fairy Tail Guildhall.

“Finn, you haven’t forgotten our fight, have you?” Natsu immediately accosted Finn upon his arrival.

“Hey, Natsu, are you serious about this?” Gray asked, his face etched with a look of disbelief and apprehension.

Gray was aware of Natsu’s challenge, but he hadn’t expected Natsu to still dare challenge Finn after witnessing Finn’s battle against Nothingness.

“A challenge?” Finn pondered for a moment, recalling the previous agreement.

He shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips. “It seems you’re brimming with confidence, Natsu!”

“If that’s the case, then let’s proceed,” Finn said, his tone calm yet resolute.

“Perfect! Let’s head to South Park. I’ve gotten significantly stronger recently!” Natsu exclaimed, his fists clenched tightly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

…

South Park.

Finn and Natsu stood facing each other, a palpable tension hanging heavy in the air.

The cheers of the Fairy Tail members echoed around them.

“Um… are they really going to fight?” Wendy and Carla whispered anxiously, peering through the crowd towards the two figures standing before them.

Erza nodded, her expression calm and reassuring. “After all, this is a formal challenge, and Natsu has indeed become considerably stronger. Daring to challenge a stronger opponent and learning from one’s shortcomings is a positive thing.”

“I see…” Wendy murmured, nodding slowly, her understanding of the situation still somewhat hazy.

“Speaking of which, it’s been quite some time since we’ve witnessed a proper, formal battle between Finn and Natsu,” Macao remarked, his arms folded across his chest, a contemplative expression on his face.

“Indeed,” Wakaba agreed, nodding in agreement.

“However… why is Gajeel also challenging Finn?” Levy asked, her gaze directed towards Gajeel, who stood silently beside them, his expression serious and determined.

Gajeel let out a short, sharp scoff. “If the Fire Dragon dares to challenge Finn, then I can’t possibly lag behind. Besides…”

Gajeel’s gaze shifted towards Finn, who stood poised and ready for battle, his eyes blazing with intense fighting spirit.

“I also want to gauge my current level of strength. It’s not just Natsu who’s been getting stronger!” Gajeel declared, clenching his fist tightly.

“Watch closely, Happy,” Natsu announced, striking a fighting stance.

His words, brimming with confidence, echoed through the air.

“Aye sir!” Happy responded instantly, his unwavering loyalty and support for Natsu unwavering.

Even Happy himself harbored doubts about Natsu’s chances of victory, but the mere fact that Natsu could withstand even a few blows against Finn would be a remarkable feat in itself.

Finn spoke slowly and deliberately. “It seems like quite some time has passed since our last duel.”

“Heh, back then, I was just a little kid. But things are different now!” Natsu replied with a confident grin.

“Natsu’s only a year younger than Finn,” Gray muttered under his breath, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

Ignoring Gray’s comment, Natsu focused his attention on the impending battle, flames erupting from his clenched fists.

“Happy, you should probably move further back,” Natsu instructed, glancing towards Happy, who hovered in the air nearby.

“Natsu, you’ve got this!” Happy yelled, his voice filled with encouragement.

“Got it,” Natsu replied curtly.

With Happy having moved to a safe distance, only Finn and Natsu remained in the center of the clearing.

“ROOOOOAR!” A deafening roar erupted from Natsu’s throat as flames began to engulf his body, his aura intensifying.

A palpable aura of magical energy began to emanate from Finn as well, the air growing heavy with anticipation.

The intense pressure emanating from the two mages filled the air, causing a palpable tension to settle over the assembled onlookers.

“This is so nerve-wracking,” Wendy whispered, her gaze shifting rapidly between Finn and Natsu.

“Now that I think about it, Natsu is a Fire Dragon Slayer, and Finn is a Fire Mage. Looking at it that way, Natsu doesn’t stand completely without a chance,” Lucy mused thoughtfully.

“Don’t get your hopes up. Even Natsu has his limits. Finn’s flames aren’t just ordinary flames,” Laxus’s voice cut through Lucy’s contemplation.

“Huh?” Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise. Even Laxus had come to witness the battle.

Laxus, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the two combatants in the center of the clearing, continued, his words laced with a hint of awe.

“One could even say that this guy is a monster who uses Super Magic as if it were basic magic!”

“Alright, let’s see how much you’ve grown,” Finn said, casually shoving one hand into his pocket while gesturing with the other for Natsu to begin his attack.

“Then you’ll see!”

With his body engulfed in a raging inferno, Natsu planted his foot firmly on the ground, launching himself high into the air with explosive force. His hands blazed with intense flames, leaving long trails of fire in their wake.

“Dragon Slayer Secret Art—Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!”

“That magic? It’s a Dragon Slayer Secret Art!” Happy exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment.

Natsu unleashed his full power from the outset, employing his most potent magical technique.

He understood that if he didn’t unleash his full power from the very beginning, he might not get another opportunity against an opponent of Finn’s caliber.

High in the air, Natsu spun his body with breathtaking speed, his hands ablaze with intense flames that resembled razor-sharp blades. With each rotation, he unleashed a devastating barrage of fiery slashes.

At that instant, Natsu poured forth the entirety of his magical energy.

Even Laxus couldn’t help but acknowledge the significant growth Natsu had demonstrated.

As Natsu hurtled towards him, Finn slowly extended his fist.

BOOM————

A deafening explosion reverberated through the air, causing the onlookers to widen their eyes in shock and disbelief, their expressions frozen in a mixture of awe and terror.

In an instant, the magical energy that had permeated the air around Natsu vanished completely without a trace.

Natsu lay sprawled on the ground, a large lump forming on his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Natsu’s completely out cold…” Happy sighed, his voice laced with a mixture of disappointment and resignation.

“It was over in one punch, just as usual,” Macao said, scratching the back of his head, his eyes still wide with astonishment.

“Same as always, a one-hit knockout to end it,” Wakaba added, picking up the cigarette he had dropped in his surprise.

“That’s the difference in strength. Finn’s a true champion!” Elfman declared, his fists clenched tightly, his gaze fixed on Finn with undisguised admiration.

“Finn… he’s so strong!” Wendy, ever the devoted fan, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

While the others were filled with surprise, Gajeel was gripped by stark terror.

A cold sweat began to bead on Gajeel’s brow.

He had initially assumed that, even at his worst, he would be able to exchange a few blows with Finn.

After all, during their previous encounter, he had managed to land a couple of hits.

However, judging by Finn’s current display of power, it was clear that his strength had ascended to another level entirely. What was even the point of engaging in a battle? How could he possibly hope to win?

Finn retracted his fist, his expression unreadable.

“Next up is you, Gajeel,” Finn stated calmly, turning his attention towards Gajeel, raising his fist slightly in a gesture of challenge.

“Um… I suddenly remembered I have a mission I need to attend to. I’ll have to take my leave!”

Gajeel, despite the beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, spoke with unwavering seriousness.

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