Laxus Returns

Freed knelt on the edge of the cliff, his body covered in wounds, his rapier stuck in the rubble for support.

Azuma's punch just now almost knocked him out of his Dark Form, leaving him barely able to stand up.

Then he saw the golden lightning.

A blond man emerged from the lightning, his right hand gripping Azuma's arm tightly, golden arcs of electricity crackling and dancing at his fingertips.

Azuma's fist froze in mid-air, suppressed and unable to strike.

Freed's pupils dilated suddenly, and he trembled as if he had been electrocuted.

"La... Laxus!"

His voice trembled when he called out that name.

Freed's eyes instantly reddened, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

During this time, he had imagined countless times what it would be like for Laxus to return, but he never expected it to be under these circumstances.

Laxus glanced at him sideways, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Hey kid, stop standing there."

Wendy then realized what was happening, and with a quick leap, she jumped back, creating distance between herself and Azuma.

She had just been nearly punched in the back by Azuma, and her heart was still pounding.

Suddenly, a huge, muscular man with an electric aura appeared, leaving her momentarily stunned.

Azuma looked up at Laxus, his face expressionless, but his eyes held a hint of scrutiny.

He sneered, and the flames on his arm suddenly exploded.

[Tower of Flames]

A massive pillar of fire rose from the ground, spreading outwards from Azuma as its center.

Flames surged, the intense heat distorting the air, and the pillar of fire rose higher and higher, engulfing Azuma entirely.

The boulders on the cliff edge were whipped up by the heat wave and swirled in mid-air.

Freed's pupils constricted sharply, and his heart nearly jumped out of his throat.

Laxus doesn't have an emblem right now!

The blessing bestowed by the Riyao through the Sacred Tree only applies to those who possess the Fairy Tail Crest.

When Laxus was expelled from the guild, his crest was erased.

Without the emblem, there is no protection; without protection, one cannot withstand this level of attack.

If you get hit, you'll be seriously injured, if not killed!

These thoughts flashed through his mind for less than a second.

Then he only felt a blur before his eyes.

A flash of lightning, Laxus was already standing in front of him.

He moved so fast that he left no afterimage; only a few wisps of electricity in the air proved that he had just moved.

"I was only away for a short time, and you've already become complacent."

Laxus had his back to him, his tone filled with self-righteous disdain, as if he were scolding a group of troublesome underlings.

Freed was stunned.

Then he laughed.

She was smiling brightly, but her eyes were still red.

He stood up, supporting himself with his rapier; his body was still swaying slightly, but his back was ramrod straight.

The smile on his lips was impossible to suppress; his fighting spirit was reignited.

"Laxus!"

He shouted, his voice filled with undisguised Joy.

This shout was different from the one before; the previous shout was one of shock, while this one was one of relief.

Laxus didn't turn around, he just waved his hand, then turned to face Azuma.

Are you ready to face the divine punishment?

His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried an electric, oppressive force.

Golden arcs of electricity crackled around him, and his coat gleamed in the lightning.

Azuma narrowed his eyes, a warlike smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Hmph, interesting. Looks like you're a bit stronger than them."

He crossed his arms, exuding an aura of a battle maniac.

For him, the weak are not worth wasting time on, but the strong are a different story.

He even disregarded Hades's instructions, or rather, he felt that Fairy Tail wasn't worth it.

Laxus ignored his words and instead gave instructions to Freed and the others.

"You guys go and clear out the island's scum; I'll handle this."

"But..."

Just as Freed was about to say something, Laxus interrupted him.

"Stop with the 'buts,' get out of here."

His tone was harsh, but Freed understood the meaning behind it.

Laxus didn't want them to hold them back here.

In just a short while, the injuries on Freed and the others had mostly healed.

While the Life Protection of the Riyao cannot heal severe injuries immediately, its effect on sustained recovery is indeed remarkable.

Freed took a deep breath, bent down and picked up the unconscious Lily.

When Lily leaned on Freed's shoulder, his breathing had become much more steady.

"They're gone."

He led Wendy and Carla away towards the woods.

Bickslow followed.

Wendy ran a few steps, then looked back, her face full of worry.

"Mr. Laxus, are you really alright? That wooden man was incredibly strong; he single-handedly wiped us all out..."

"Laxus will definitely be fine!"

Freed interrupted her, his gaze unwavering and resolute.

I believe him.

Seeing Freed's expression, Wendy swallowed back what she was about to say.

She bit her lip, stopped, and clasped her hands together.

[Enchantment Magic - Overall Boost]

[Enchantment Magic: Thor]

A pale green light emanated from her and enveloped Laxus.

With the two enhancement spells combined, the arcs of electricity surrounding Laxus became even more violent.

Laxus tilted his head slightly and nodded to her.

Wendy then turned around and jogged to catch up with Freed.

Azuma watched them leave without any hurry or intention of stopping them.

For him, fighting is the only way.

The small fry ran away, so be it; they weren't a threat anyway.

The man in front of him, radiating electricity, was the opponent he truly desired.

The two locked eyes, and magic surged between them.

The air at the edge of the cliff grew heavy, and the loose rocks trembled slightly as they were squeezed by the two magical forces.

The sea breeze howled, and the waves crashed against the cliffs with a dull thud.

A flash of lightning.

Laxus transformed into a golden bolt of lightning and vanished from the spot.

[Lightning Dragon's Crushing Fist]

He appeared in front of Azuma in an instant, and his right fist, crackling with violent lightning, blasted out.

The fist was covered in arcs of electricity, crackling and popping in a continuous stream.

Azuma blocked with his arms crossed.

Boom!

A fist slammed into an arm, lightning exploded, and the shockwave blew away all the loose rocks on the cliff edge.

Azuma's feet dug two deep furrows in the ground, and pebbles and dirt piled up into two small mounds at his heels.

"Good!"

An excited glint flashed in Azuma's eyes. Using the momentum, he jumped backward, his body flipping in the air before landing in the forest below the cliff.

Laxus snorted coldly.

"Trying to run?"

He transformed into a bolt of lightning and gave chase, moving so fast that his trajectory was almost invisible.

Golden arcs of electricity flashed through the trees, landing in the clearing in the blink of an eye.

He steadied himself and looked around.

The surrounding area was filled with towering trees whose canopies blocked out the sun, allowing only a few rays of sunlight to filter through the leaves.

The air in the forest was damp and stuffy, carrying the scent of earth and decaying leaves.

Suddenly, a leaf flew towards him.

No, they are countless leaves.

The edges of each leaf gleamed with a cold light, shooting in from all directions, densely blocking all escape routes.

Laxus remained completely unfazed by the situation.

He didn't move at all; he just stood there.

Crackling and popping!

The lightning spread rapidly outwards from him, golden arcs weaving into a dense electric net that pulverized all the incoming blades.

The leaf fragments turned to ash in the lightning and scattered in the air, not even managing to touch him.

Azuma emerged from the trunk of a nearby tree, half of his body blending into the bark, with only his upper body visible.

His expression remained indifferent, but a hint of approval flickered in his eyes.

A bolt of lightning struck him.

Boom!

Azuma patted the burn mark on his shoulder, his tone indifferent.

"It's a pity, the elemental weaknesses are countered. Your strength is insufficient to bridge this gap."

He raised his hand, his five fingers spread wide.

The surrounding trees trembled simultaneously, and ten thick vines emerged from the tree trunks, binding Laxus.

The vines were covered in barbs, each as thick as a thigh, and they moved incredibly fast, closing in from all directions simultaneously.

Laxus transformed into a bolt of lightning, flashing through the forest.

His speed was astonishing; each time he dodged, he slipped right through the gaps in the vines.

Golden arcs of electricity left afterimages in the woods, and vines chased after him, but always just a little short.

But Azuma still has a backup plan.

Suddenly, countless wooden swords shot out from the surrounding tree trunks, their blades sharp and whistling through the air.

The wooden sword and vines worked together seamlessly; the vines blocked movement, and the wooden sword blocked paths, constantly compressing Laxus's space to maneuver.

The entire forest was like Azuma's hunting ground.

Even with Laxus's incredible speed, it was still hit several times by this tight encirclement.

Puff!

A wooden sword pierced his coat and pinned it to a tree trunk behind him.

Then several more wooden swords shot out, slicing open his body.

Blood trickled down the blade of the wooden sword and dripped into the soil beneath the tree roots.

Laxus gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Azuma poked half his body out from the tree trunk, looking at Laxus.

"Oh right, you were expelled from Fairy Tail before, so you don't have a crest."

He paused, then added.

"Without the crest, there's no protection from that life mage; you can only tough it out when injured. It's a pity; if you had the crest, you might have been able to hold on a little longer."

"Noisy."

Laxus raised his head, his eyes showing no sign of submission.

He seized the opportunity while Azuma was speaking and unleashed a burst of lightning throughout his body.

An electric arc exploded in the air, and he transformed into a bolt of lightning, appearing in front of Azuma in a flash.

He kicked it out.

Boom!

The thick branch where Azuma was standing was kicked off, splinters flew everywhere, and the whole tree shook.

But he didn't panic.

The moment the branch fell, he emerged from the broken end, his body spinning in mid-air, and scorching magic gathered in his palm.

[Burst Claw]

It struck Laxus on the back with a claw.

Boom!

Laxus was blasted away by the claw, his body crashing into another tree. The tree trunk shook violently, and leaves fell from its crown.

Immediately afterwards, countless vines sprouted from the tree trunk, binding his body tightly so that he couldn't even move his fingers.

Azuma gave him no chance to catch his breath.

Chain Explosion

The explosion erupted from where Laxus was located, sending flames soaring into the sky, and the shockwave uprooted the surrounding trees.

Soil and gravel were blasted everywhere, and the entire woodland shook.

The aftershocks of the explosion continued to spread, and a small mushroom cloud rose in the forest.

After the flames subsided, Laxus knelt on the ground.

His clothes were tattered and torn, practically just strips of cloth.

His arms, chest, and thighs were covered in wounds, and blood flowed down his skin, pooling on the ground.

His breathing was rapid, his chest heaving violently, but his eyes remained sharp.

He braced himself against the ground, trying to stand up.

Just then...

A bolt of azure lightning struck down from the sky.

It wasn't ordinary lightning; that bolt carried an extremely terrifying power, its azure light so bright it was blinding.

Lightning cleaved through the clouds, tore through the air, and struck Laxus with pinpoint accuracy.

Boom!

Laxus gritted his teeth and forced out three words.

"Have a finger in the pie."