Lu Chongwei VS Laxus

"Zzzzt—"

Golden lightning surged wildly through the forest. Laxus moved at the absolute limit of speed, his figure nearly impossible to track with the naked eye, leaving only a trail of afterimages flickering between the tree trunks.

"Too slow! Too slow, Lu Chongwei!"

Laxus roared with laughter, appearing instantly to Lu Chongwei's left and sweeping out a whip-kick wreathed in crackling electricity.

"Lightning Kick!"

The strike was as swift as a thunderbolt, shattering the air and emitting a piercing shriek.

Yet, Lu Chongwei seemed to possess foresight; he leaned back slightly, his footwork shifting in a precise, rhythmic dance.

"Whoosh!"

The kick, powerful enough to pulverize solid rock, grazed the tip of Lu Chongwei's nose, the sheer force of the wind stinging his cheeks.

"Speed alone is useless."

Lu Chongwei smiled faintly, his Zanpakuto sweeping upward in a fluid motion.

"Clang!"

The blade collided with Laxus's lightning-armored calf, sending a shower of brilliant sparks cascading into the air.

The two separated as quickly as they had met.

But a second later, they clashed once more.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

In the span of a few short breaths, they had already exchanged dozens of blows.

Relying on the extreme speed granted by his lightning, Laxus circled Lu Chongwei like a phantom, his attacks pouring down like a torrential storm.

Lu Chongwei, however, remained as steady as a mountain, using his formidable physique and the perception of his Observation Haki to neutralize every single strike.

"Tch, like a turtle in its shell!"

Unable to break through after a prolonged assault, Laxus grew irritable.

He abruptly widened the distance between them, his hands forming seals rapidly before his chest as countless spheres of lightning coalesced around him.

"If melee won't work, I'll blast you to dust!"

"Thunder Pressure Raging Waves!"

With a thunderous shout, the orbs, each brimming with terrifying magical power, whistled through the air as they rained down upon Lu Chongwei.

Facing the overwhelming barrage of lightning, Lu Chongwei did not retreat; instead, he stepped forward.

He held his Zanpakuto vertically before him, and the flames upon the blade surged instantly.

"Rain of Fire!"

Lu Chongwei slashed his blade.

Countless crimson fireballs erupted from the edge, each one seemingly imbued with a life of its own as they accurately intercepted the lightning orbs in mid-air.

"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"

Lightning and fire collided violently, triggering a chain of explosions.

The entire forest was instantly transformed into a sea of fire and a prison of thunder.

Amidst the swirling smoke and dust, Laxus's figure turned into a bolt of lightning, attempting to dash through the blast zone for a surprise attack.

But he had clearly underestimated the density of Lu Chongwei's flames.

Though he dodged the majority of the fireballs, three of them clung to him like maggots on bone, having perfectly anticipated his movements.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The three fireballs slammed solidly into Laxus's body.

"Ugh!"

Laxus let out a muffled grunt as his clothes ignited instantly, a searing, agonizing pain radiating from his skin.

He skidded to a halt and ripped off his burning shirt, revealing his muscular torso.

Three charred burn marks were now visible across his chest and arms.

"Good! Very good!"

Laxus stared at his wounds, the fury in his eyes fully ignited.

"Lu Chongwei, you have thoroughly angered me!"

"Zzzzt—"

The lightning coursing over Laxus's body suddenly turned violent, and a hint of dark, blood-red light began to intermingle with the golden electricity.

His muscles began to swell, his frame growing a size larger until he looked like a humanoid tyrannosaur.

A suffocating wave of magical power erupted from within him.

"This is..."

Lu Chongwei's eyes narrowed.

He could feel the Dragon Slayer Lacrima within Laxus operating at full capacity.

"ROAR—"

Laxus threw his head back and let out a roar, the sound as deafening as a dragon's cry.

He took a deep breath, his chest swelling as the surrounding lightning elements surged frantically toward his mouth.

"Lightning Dragon's... ROAR!!!"

BOOM!

A massive pillar of lightning, carrying the momentum to destroy everything in its path, erupted from Laxus's mouth.

Trees and rocks along its trajectory were reduced to dust the moment they touched the beam.

This strike was powerful enough to pierce through the entire island!

Facing this world-shattering attack, Lu Chongwei's expression became grave as never before.

He did not dodge, for he knew that an attack of this magnitude could not be avoided.

It could only be defeated head-on!

Lu Chongwei gripped his blade with both hands and raised it high above his head.

At this moment, his aura retracted to its absolute limit, as if all his power had converged onto the edge of the blade.

"Sword Path: Severance."

"Nadeshiko!"

Lu Chongwei swung his blade down.

There were no flashy lights or shadows, only a sword pressure condensed to the extreme.

The sword pressure, like an invisible blade, sliced through the air with unstoppable force and slammed into the incoming Lightning Dragon's Roar.

"HISSS—"

A teeth-grinding sound of cutting rang out.

In the distance, under the shocked gazes of Makarov and Gildarts.

That terrifying pillar of lightning was actually sliced clean in half!

The lightning dissipated to both sides, carving two deep trenches into the earth, while the spot where Lu Chongwei stood remained completely unscathed.

"What?!"

Laxus's pupils contracted violently.

But it wasn't over yet.

The moment the lightning pillar dissipated, Lu Chongwei's figure vanished.

"Behind you!"

Laxus was, after all, a powerhouse of S-Class strength, and his combat instincts were incredibly sharp.

He spun around abruptly, his right fist wreathed in all his lightning power, and threw a heavy punch.

"Lightning Dragon's... CRUSHING FIST!!!"

This punch gathered all his strength and fury.

Opposite him, Lu Chongwei did not retreat either.

However, he did not throw a punch, but instead held his Zanpakuto horizontally in front of him.

"BANG!!!"

The fist slammed heavily into the blade.

The immense impact caused the ground beneath Lu Chongwei to collapse instantly, his feet sinking deep into the soil.

"Got you!"

Laxus grinned ferociously, the lightning on his fist pouring out wildly, attempting to travel along the blade to paralyze Lu Chongwei's body.

Lu Chongwei did indeed feel a tingling sensation in his arms as the high-voltage current eroded his nerves.

Yet, there was not a hint of panic on his face; instead, he revealed a meaningful smile.

"Laxus, your lightning is indeed strong."

Lu Chongwei spoke slowly, his voice so calm it was unsettling.

"But, have you ever witnessed true hell?"

"What?"

Laxus froze, a sudden surge of intense unease rising in his heart.

"Since you want to see my full power so badly, then I shall let you witness it."

Lu Chongwei's fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade.

An ancient, desolate, and scorching aura erupted from the seemingly ordinary Asauchi.

The surrounding air instantly turned bone-dry; leaves began to spontaneously combust, and the moisture on the ground evaporated in a heartbeat.

Lu Chongwei's gaze turned as indifferent as a god's.

He spoke slowly, reciting the Shikai incantation that made the entire Soul Society tremble:

"All things in the universe, turn to ashes..."

"Ryujin Jakka!!!"

BOOM!!!

As the final word fell, a monstrous firestorm erupted from Lu Chongwei, instantly sweeping across the entire island.

This was no ordinary flame.

It was the ultimate fire, possessing the surface temperature of the sun!

Laxus felt an indescribable heatwave rush toward him; his prideful lightning, faced with this heat, melted away like snow under the sun.

"Aaaah—"

He screamed, retreating violently as his skin turned bright red and his hair began to curl.

Meanwhile, at the center of the island, Makarov and Gildarts' expressions shifted drastically.

"What... what is this temperature?!"

Gildarts bolted upright, beads of sweat instantly popping out on his forehead.

Even from this distance, he could feel a terrifying heat that seemed capable of igniting his very soul.

Makarov's eyes widened, staring fixedly at the forest on the screen that had already turned into a sea of flames.

The trees by the shore withered, burned, and crumbled into ash in an instant.

The seawater boiled, and the earth cracked open.

The entire Tenrou Island seemed to have transformed into an erupting volcano.

"Is... is this Lu Chongwei's true power?"

Makarov's voice trembled, his face filled with shock.

Although he knew Lu Chongwei was strong, he had never imagined that the boy's flames could be terrifying to such an extent.