Laxus had studied and grown up alongside Allen since childhood, so he naturally never fought battles he was not confident of winning. Just as Allen's fist was about to hit him, Laxus's body suddenly erupted with tremendous power, and countless dazzling bolts of lightning burst forth.
"Lightning Armor: Berserk Volt!"
With Laxus's furious roar, the lightning spread rapidly outward from his body like wildly dancing silver snakes. At the same time, a powerful electrical field permeated the area. Even Allen could not help but falter when faced with this sudden Berserk Volt. The next moment, he was blasted away like a kite with its string cut, sent flying hard through the air.
Allen adjusted his posture in midair before landing somewhat unsteadily. At that moment, a flash of excited battle intent passed through Allen's eyes as he looked at the imposing Laxus.
Without hesitation, Allen dispelled his Reception of Aegis, though he retained the armor made of Chrono-Adamantium. He then clenched both fists and charged straight at Laxus like an enraged lion.
Seeing Allen charging toward him, Laxus immediately understood his intention. He did not choose to retreat. Instead, he maintained the Lightning Battle Suit around himself and charged forward to meet Allen without the slightest sign of weakness.
In an instant, the two collided fiercely on the training ground like a pair of shooting stars. Every punch and kick they threw contained tremendous force, and the heavy sounds of flesh meeting flesh filled the people nearby with worry. Unlike an ordinary battle, both of them were protected by incredibly sturdy armor and battle suits, making the confrontation even more intense.
The one-on-one battle had continued for quite some time, yet neither side had gained the upper hand. Finally, during another clash, Allen seized an opening and suddenly threw a heavy punch with overwhelming force. The punch passed precisely through Laxus's guard and struck his Lightning Battle Suit. With a furious roar from Allen, the suit's defenses were forcibly shattered. Allen's fist then followed through and slammed into Laxus's abdomen.
After taking such a heavy blow, Laxus let out a muffled groan and involuntarily staggered several steps backward. He then clutched the spot Allen had struck and dropped to one knee.
"Not bad. You've improved a lot, but you still need to keep working hard."
Laxus looked up as Allen extended a hand toward him and said this. Laxus grabbed Allen's hand and stood up, then said:
"I'm still no match for Big Brother, though. Your physical strength keeps getting greater. You don't even need to receive LordKnightmon anymore. You can defeat me with your body alone."
Seeing Laxus looking somewhat dejected, Allen laughed heartily and slapped him hard on the back. "That's only because you're still growing. You haven't learned how to use the power of the Lightning Dragon Slayer Crystal inside you yet. Right now, you only understand its most superficial applications. But as you continue to grow, you'll become stronger and stronger. There's no doubt about that. Of course, the same goes for me!"
Laxus then began treating his wounds. The three children who had been watching the two of them fight from a distance also ran over. Unlike the excited Ultear, Sorano and Yukino were full of worry.
When Laxus saw the expressions on their faces, he forced a smile and said, "Don't worry. I'm fine. This is just the level of intensity in our usual training."
The sisters were still young. How could they know anything about training intensity? They simply could not bear to see Laxus get hurt!
At dinnertime, after they had eaten their fill, Allen set down his bowl and chopsticks and looked at Laxus across from him. "Start packing your luggage. In a few days, we'll head to Rainbow Port and take a ship to the Northern Continent. Grandpa has already asked the Council to negotiate with the country over there."
Upon hearing Allen's words, a trace of unconcealable excitement instantly swept across Laxus's formerly calm face. He replied impatiently, "That's great! We can finally set off. Waiting all this time was driving me crazy." As he spoke, he could not help rubbing his fists together.
Meanwhile, the three children sitting on the other side of the table looked utterly confused. They blinked their curious, wide eyes, completely unable to understand what Allen and Laxus were discussing. Unable to hold back, Yukino asked, "Big Brothers, what are you talking about? Why are you going to the Northern Continent?"
Allen smiled faintly and patiently explained, "We're going to the Northern Continent because Little Ultear's mother is there. We're going to help Little Ultear find her." As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Ultear beside him and said gently, "Your body has fully recovered, and I've successfully sealed the uncontrolled magic power inside you. So, in a few days, I'll be able to take you to look for your mother."
When the word "mother" entered Ultear's ears without warning, she first froze slightly, as if the word were somewhat unfamiliar to her. Then, a memory buried deep within her heart surged forth like a raging tide.
In the scene, her mother gazed at her with a heartbroken expression, tears continuously sliding down her cheeks. Ultear had looked haggard then, and her physical condition had been terrible, leaving her mother frantic with worry yet helpless. In the end, after a struggle and a difficult choice, her mother believed someone else's words. That person told her that only by sending Ultear to the Magic Development Bureau could her terrible condition possibly improve and return to normal. Thus, filled with reluctance, her mother handed her beloved daughter over to someone else with trembling hands.
Later, Allen told Ultear that her mother had been deceived. Not only that, he also told her the story behind the origin of her name. After learning the truth, Ultear felt a jumble of emotions. She was furious that her mother had been deceived, yet immensely excited that she would soon be able to search for her mother again.
Now that she knew she could finally set out to find her mother, tears of joy burst from her eyes like a breached dam. She could no longer restrain the emotions surging through her heart. She threw herself into Allen's arms and sobbed, "I miss Mom!"
Sorano silently watched Ultear weep uncontrollably, her eyes revealing a trace of sympathy and concern. After a while, she turned her head toward Laxus and asked softly, "Laxus, can Yukino and I come too?" Her voice held a hint of anticipation and unease.
Laxus shook his head slightly. "The Northern Continent is too dangerous for you. If Ultear's mother weren't there, Big Brother and I wouldn't take her either. So just stay in the guild and wait for us."
Sorano felt somewhat disappointed by Laxus's words, but could only nod helplessly. Yukino, however, was unwilling to give up. She tugged on Laxus's clothes and shook them as she said, "Hey, Laxus, Sister and I are very strong. We can protect ourselves." Laxus gently rubbed Yukino's head. "Good girl, Yukino. When you grow up and become strong enough, you'll be able to come with us."
After hearing this, Yukino knew that the matter had been settled, no matter how unwilling she was.
A few days later, Allen, Laxus, and Ultear were ready to set out. Ultear's eyes sparkled with anticipation at the thought of finding her mother. Laxus instructed Macao and Wakaba to take good care of Sorano and Yukino. Macao and Wakaba had long been unhappy with the sisters constantly clinging to Laxus. Now that Laxus was finally leaving, they would have plenty of time to build a relationship with the sisters. They had already decided that their own sons were not important compared to this. The two old fathers could already imagine the moment when the sisters married their sons.
Seeing Macao and Wakaba inexplicably smile as drool dripped from their mouths, Laxus shook his head helplessly. These two old fools were beyond saving.
After saying goodbye to their elders, the three boarded a train bound for Rainbow Port. With the train's help, they arrived at Rainbow Port after a week.
Upon returning to Rainbow Port, Allen and Laxus unexpectedly encountered a familiar face who should not have been there.
"Hello there~ Little Allen, Little Laxus."
"Gildarts, what are you doing here?"
The newcomer was none other than Gildarts!
In fact, the moment Allen stepped off the train, he had already spotted Gildarts's exceptionally bright orange hair and the dark green cloak he wore year-round.
Gildarts smiled as he watched the puzzled expressions on Allen and Laxus's faces, then calmly began to explain. "Hehe, the Guild Master sent me. He wasn't comfortable letting you head to the Northern Continent so rashly. Besides, I'm extremely interested in wiping out those dark forces! Especially after I learned that this operation would be connected to Ur. Then I had all the more reason to come help!"
When she heard her mother's name mentioned, Ultear's already-large eyes widened even further. She stared intently at Gildarts, her eyes filled with curiosity.
When Gildarts saw the adorable Ultear, the daughter-obsessed instincts buried in his bones kicked in, and his smile grew even brighter. "Well, well, this adorable little one must be Ur's child, right? She looks exactly like Ur! Just as you'd expect from mother and daughter!"
Allen was practically covered in black lines as he looked speechlessly at Gildarts, who now resembled some strange middle-aged uncle. He stepped forward and blocked Gildarts's line of sight. "This is good, too. With Gildarts here, our chances will be even better."
This was merely a small interlude before their departure. Soon afterward, the group successfully boarded the ship heading for the Northern Continent.
Before you continue