Laxus's Challenge

"Damn it..."

As the guild wizards cried out in shock, Laxus, who had smashed through several tables and chairs, staggered to his feet. He gently rubbed his chest. The spot where Erza had struck him still throbbed with pain, making his face turn somewhat pale.

"Laxus..."

Just as Laxus rubbed his chest and glared viciously at Erza, Gildarts suddenly stood up.

"Is he going over to comfort Laxus? He usually seems unreliable, but at a critical moment, he's still quite..."

Ywen, who had been paying attention to Gildarts beside him, silently pondered as he watched him rise and walk toward Laxus.

"Pwahahaha..."

"Laxus, you actually got beaten by a little girl younger than you! That's so lame!"

Before Ywen could think any further, Gildarts burst into laughter, clutching his stomach with one hand and pointing at pale-faced Laxus with the other.

Ywen silently took back his earlier thoughts...

"You're so annoying, old man!" Laxus glared at Gildarts before walking up to Erza and saying indignantly, "I let my guard down just now! Let's go again!"

"Hmph, I don't want to fight a rude, uncultured little punk who hasn't even introduced himself!"

Erza turned her head away and ignored Laxus.

"My name is Laxus Dreyar!" Laxus gave his name, then looked at Erza and asked, "Woman, can we continue our fight now?"

At that moment, Laxus no longer saw Erza as an ordinary brat, but as someone he could call an opponent.

Having never found a rival his age in the guild, Laxus felt a faint thrill rise in his heart after being struck by Erza!

"I refuse!"

"I'm not interested in you anymore!"

Erza shook her head at Laxus. Her gaze swept around the room before finally settling on a corner of the guild.

A girl about Erza's age was sitting there. She had delicate features and wore a simple white dress. Unlike the boisterous Fairy Tail guild members, she looked very quiet and reserved.

When Erza looked toward the corner, the girl happened to be looking in Erza's direction as well. After their eyes met briefly, the girl shyly lowered her head.

"This girl looks like she could become a friend!"

Satisfied by the girl's reaction, Erza nodded before striding toward her.

"Hello, my name is Erza Belserion!"

Erza walked up to the quiet girl with long dark brown hair, extended her hand, and introduced herself with a smile.

"My name is Cana, Cana Alberona..."

The girl introduced herself somewhat shyly.

"From today onward, we're friends!"

Erza gently patted Cana on the shoulder and unilaterally decided that they were friends.

In truth, Erza had no idea how to make friends. Back in the town, Ywen had been her only playmate her age.

"Um, okay!"

Cana nodded. She was not surprised by Erza's overly familiar manner, because everyone in this guild...

Was exactly like that, all overly friendly and familiar.

"..."

After becoming friends with Erza, Cana's expression flickered with hesitation. She seemed to have something she wanted to ask Erza, but was too embarrassed to say it.

"If there's something you want to ask, just ask! We're friends now, after all! Friends should be able to talk about anything!"

Erza keenly noticed Cana's hesitation. Smiling, she indicated that Cana could ask her whatever she wanted. In fact, Erza had already practiced what kinds of questions friends would ask each other and how they should talk, so she was quite confident about that.

"Um..." After receiving Erza's permission, Cana nodded lightly. Tears seemed to glimmer in her eyes as she tightly grabbed Erza's small hand and asked, "Is Ywen really Gildarts's illegitimate son?!"

"Huh?!"

Erza, who had already prepared answers about where her family had lived, what they did, how many people were in her family, and similar topics, froze on the spot. She had never expected Cana to ask something like that.

"Not... interested in me anymore?!"

On the other side, Laxus, having been rejected by Erza, felt as though his heart had suffered a devastating blow. He dropped to one knee as cold sweat continuously streamed down his forehead.

"Pwahahaha..."

"Laxus, the first time you invited a girl to fight, you got rejected! That's so lame!"

Standing beside Laxus, Gildarts clutched his stomach and laughed, relentlessly mocking Laxus's embarrassing performance.

"Stop being so annoying, old man!"

Laxus's expression changed as he snapped back at Gildarts.

"Getting embarrassed and angry now..."

Gildarts stroked his abs, the corners of his mouth nearly reaching the sky.

"Hey! Gildarts's illegitimate son! You fight me!"

Rather than paying attention to Gildarts, Laxus turned to Ywen.

"Huh?!"

Ywen looked around. Once he confirmed that Laxus was calling him, his brow immediately furrowed.

"Hey! Laxus, don't cause trouble for me!"

Before Ywen could say anything, Gildarts's fist had already landed on Laxus's head.

"That hurts!" Laxus rubbed the bump on his head, but did not care. He stared straight at Ywen and said, "Since you're that woman's brother, you should be strong too, right? How about sparring with me?"

"The current you would be taken out by me in a second."

Ywen looked calmly at Laxus, expressionless. He was merely stating a fact.

"Oh?! Interesting. I'd like to see how you take me out in a second..."

Rather than getting angry after hearing Ywen's words, Laxus became eager to give it a try.

"If that's the case..."

Ywen loosened up his body and looked at thirteen-year-old Laxus.

Soru!

Intending to teach Laxus a small lesson, Ywen did not waste any more words. The power of the Six Powers erupted from him in an instant. He transformed into an afterimage, appeared directly in front of Laxus, and threw a punch straight into Laxus's stomach.

"Ugh..."

The tremendous force drove Laxus to his knees. He kept dry-heaving, his eyes rolling back...

Ywen was so fast that young Laxus had no time to react at all before he clutched his stomach, collapsed to the ground, and lost consciousness.

"Actually, compared to Laxus, I'd rather have a match with you."

After knocking Laxus unconscious, Ywen looked at Gildarts beside him.

Having raised everything to level eight, Ywen wanted to have a proper match with Gildarts, the man standing at the very pinnacle of Fairy Tail.

"So that astonishing magic power outside the guild just now was released by you after all!"

Gildarts looked thoughtfully at the unconscious Laxus.

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