Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense...
Suddenly, a voice rang in the minds of Lu Chongwei, Erza, and Gajeel simultaneously.
"Everyone! Can you hear me? It's me Warren!"
Warren used Telepathy Magic to forcibly connect with all the guild members still in the city.
"I have connected everyone's voices!"
"Warren shouted anxiously."
"I have found a way to break the Thunder Palace! We need to use divine power to destroy all the Magic Crystal in the sky at the same time!"
Upon hearing Warren's voice, the guild members who were originally scattered throughout the city responded one after another.
"I'm Macao! I'm alright!"
"I am Wakaba! I can still fight!"
"I'm Lucy! Let's go destroy the Magic Crystal!"
As everyone read aloud to confirm each other's safety, their previously low morale soared.
"If we all work together, we can definitely destroy the Thunder Palace!"
Warren loudly encouraged everyone.
Upon hearing her companions' voices, Erza's anger subsided, replaced by an unwavering resolve.
She turned her head and looked at Lu Chongwei.
" Zhongwei, I'm leaving this to you. You go and deal with Laxus."
Erza decisively issued the order.
" Gajeel and I are going outside to help destroy the Magic Crystal of the Thunder Palace."
Gajeel grinned, revealing a wild smile.
"That suits me perfectly. I'm going to destroy what this guy cares about most."
After saying that, Gajeel and Erza turned around and rushed out of the cathedral together without any hesitation.
Inside the empty cathedral, only Lu Chongwei and Laxus remained.
Laxus couldn't hear the words spoken, but watching Erza and Gajeel's departing figures, he guessed their intentions.
"You want to destroy the Thunder Palace?"
Laxus gave a disdainful sneer.
"That's simply overestimating themselves. They could never do it."
"You underestimate Fairy Tail."
Lu Chongwei looked directly into Laxus's eyes, his voice calm and resolute.
"Nothing is impossible if our teammates work together. I firmly believe they can do it."
Laxus's eyes turned sinister.
"Naive fool."
The two said no more.
The next second.
Their figures vanished from the spot at the same time!
"Bang!"
A deafening roar erupted from the center of the hall.
The blazing golden flames and the raging golden lightning collided violently!
A terrifying shockwave of magical energy spread wildly in all directions.
The hard stone slab beneath their feet cracked, and countless fragments of stone flew in all directions like bullets, Crush the stained glass windows of the church.
The two forces were locked in a fierce battle, neither willing to yield, and clashed violently in mid-air.
"Bang!"
The collision of magical forces reached a critical point and exploded violently.
Lu Chongwei and Laxus were both thrown back by the powerful reaction force, each sliding for more than ten meters before regaining their balance.
"Look at the guilds now! Weak! Degenerate! It's disgusting!"
Laxus steadied himself and pointed at Lu Chongwei accusing him.
The lightning on his body became even more violent.
"Only if I become the guild leader can I change this guild! I will turn Fairy Tail into the strongest guild and kick out all the trash!"
Lu Chongwei stood up straight, his eyes as cold as ice.
"With your twisted views, you are not worthy of being called Fairy Tail Mage."
Lu Chongwei slowly placed his right hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"I'm going to stop you right here and make you understand that your so-called strength is actually weakness."
"Clang--"
The crisp sound of a sword being drawn echoed through the church.
Lu Chongwei slowly drew his Ryujin Jakka.
As the sword was drawn, the temperature inside the cathedral rose rapidly.
Even the air was distorted by the intense heat.
"Stop being so arrogant!"
Laxus let out a deafening the Roar.
He activated the Dragon Force without hesitation.
Laxus grew taller, and a layer of fine golden dragon scales quickly grew on its originally fair skin.
The muscles in his arms bulged high, and violent lightning flowed across his body like liquid.
His aura surged to an extremely terrifying level.
I will defeat you here!
Laxus spread out his dragon-scaled hands, and golden lightning illuminated the entire cathedral as bright as day.
"Boom!"
Golden flames, like an ancient beast imprisoned for millions of years, burst forth from the blade of Ryujin Jakka.
The raging fire wave, centered on Lu Chongwei, swept wildly in all directions.
The intense heat, enough to incinerate everything in the world, caused the surrounding air to distort violently.
In the blink of an eye, the Kardia Cathedral was completely engulfed in an endless sea of blazing fire.
The exquisite stained glass windows shattered under the intense heat, turning into countless sparkling fragments scattered on the ground.
Laxus stood in the middle of a raging inferno.
The fine golden dragon scales on his body crackled with violent lightning, forcefully repelling the approaching flames.
Through the flickering firelight, he glared angrily at Lu Chongwei ahead.
A chilling, extremely mocking smile appeared on his face.
" Lu Chongwei, is this all the strength you have now?"
Laxus arrogantly raised his chin, his eyes filled with disdain and contempt.
"The temperature of your flames has weakened considerably compared to two years ago!"
He spread his arms wide, letting the surrounding flames lick his dragon scales.
"It seems that spending too much time in the guild has made even your once sharp blade rust and dull!"
Lu Chongwei stood silently amidst the sea of fire, holding a long sword.
Golden flames flowed gently around him, as if guarding their king.
His expression was calm as still water, and his eyes showed no emotion whatsoever.
"I've simply learned to restrain myself."
Lu Chongwei responded calmly.
"If we unleash our full power without restraint as before..."
Lu Chongwei raised his eyes and looked at the historic cathedral.
"The city of Magnolia has long since been reduced to ashes."
Stop spouting nonsense!
Laxus was thoroughly enraged by Lu Chongwei's nonchalant demeanor.
He suddenly opened his mouth wide, his chest bulging high.
A violent surge of lightning magic gathered wildly deep within his throat, emitting a chilling, ear-piercing shriek.
" The Roar of the Lightning Dragon!"
Laxus let out a deafening roar.
A thick, golden pillar of lightning, carrying a terrifying, all-destroying power, cleaved through the sea of fire in front of it.
Wherever the lightning bolt passed, even the air was ionized, emitting a pungent, burnt smell.
Like a raging dragon emerging from the sea, it hurtled straight towards Lu Chongwei's face, aiming to strike him deadly.
Faced with this devastating attack, Lu Chongwei didn't even flinch.
He did not take a single step back.
He gripped the hilt of the Ryujin Jakka sword firmly with both hands.
His eyes flashed with an extremely sharp killing intent.