Lucy's surrender was so sudden and matter-of-fact that Gajeel, who had already been poised to strike, staggered. He had already assumed a battle stance and was preparing to launch his attack, only for Lucy to suddenly raise both hands in surrender.
Gajeel froze for a moment, then frowned. A hint of displeasure colored his voice. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Lucy shrugged and said casually, "I don't have any suitable Celestial Spirit Keys left to fight with. Rather than surrender after getting hurt, I figured I might as well raise my hands now."
The instant Gajeel heard that, his face darkened. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately shut it again. He merely snorted and turned toward the treatment area.
Gajeel was in a terrible mood. The battle had been incredibly frustrating for him. Although Lucy had surrendered, she had displayed the versatility and tactical wisdom of Celestial Spirit Magic, while he had only shown off Iron Dragon's Roar, which could not break through her defense. He had demonstrated nothing else. The thought that Natsu would definitely mock him later filled Gajeel with irritation.
After Lucy stepped down from the stage, Kana came up beside her and patted her shoulder with a grin. "Lucy, that was really something! Did you see Gajeel's dark expression? He looks furious."
Lucy gave an helpless smile, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "I couldn't help it. I have all the keys to the twelve zodiac spirits, but the requirements for signing contracts with those spirits are too high. I haven't gained the recognition of a single one yet, so even if I have enough magic power to summon them, they won't help me fight."
Kana nodded with understanding. "That's how Celestial Spirit Magic is. Still, you did