Draw

Gildarts was beside himself with excitement, constantly rubbing his stubbly face against Cana's tender cheeks.

At first, Cana did not mind in the excitement of having just reunited with her father. But after a while, she could not take it anymore and raised a hand to stop Gildarts. "Dad, you should shave. Your beard is prickly."

"Ah, even Cana's disgusted expression is adorable."

Everyone in the guild shuddered at those words. Gray could not help saying, "Ugh, he sounds like such a pervert."

The people around them nodded in agreement.

Gildarts did not care in the slightest. After Cana broke free from his embrace, he continued running around and waving his arms, telling everyone he saw, "Cana is my daughter! Isn't she adorable?"

Watching Gildarts act like a child, Cain patted Cana on the shoulder. "You've had it rough."

Cana sighed, then said solemnly to Cain, "Cain, thank you."

Cain understood why Cana was thanking him. He was the only one in the guild who knew she was Gildarts's daughter.

If he had not spoken to Gildarts for her, who knew how long it would have taken before she could say it herself.

Cain waved it off. "It was nothing. When I first joined the guild, didn't you help me a lot too?"

"Eh? Gildarts, you're back?"

"Hey, Ivan, little Laxus, you know Cana is my daughter too? Isn't she adorable? Hahahaha!"

Ivan and Laxus, who had just returned from a request, stared at each other in bewilderment. They knew Cana was Gildarts's daughter?

Ivan snorted, ignored Gildarts, and headed upstairs.

Curious, Cain asked Laxus, who had come over to him, "How did your first S-Class Request feel?"

That was right. Laxus had been away for so long because he had gone on an S-Class Request with Ivan.

Of course, Ivan, an S-Class Mage, had been the main force. Laxus had only assisted him, but even so, it had greatly benefited Laxus's growth.

Laxus smiled. "Yeah, it felt great. It's just that I'm still too weak. I couldn't help Dad much at all."

After briefly lamenting that fact, he began telling Cain and the others about what he had seen during the S-Class Request.

As Cain listened, he could not help thinking that Laxus was still such a cheerful child.

But later, Ivan would be expelled from Fairy Tail by Guild Master Makarov. On top of that, no matter how hard Laxus worked or what achievements he made—

It would all be casually dismissed with, "Just as expected of Makarov's grandson." Unable to gain recognition, he gradually became rebellious and began wanting to create the strongest guild to prove that he was stronger than Makarov.

In the end, it escalated into a guild civil war, and he too was expelled from the guild by Guild Master Makarov.

Cain could not help complaining to himself. It was all just being overly dramatic. Wasn't having a grandfather among the Ten Wizard Saints something to be proud of?

In his previous life, all Laxus would have needed to do was write an essay titled "My Grandfather Among the Ten Wizard Saints," and he would have gotten full marks on the college entrance exam.

Come to think of it, Cain had been surprised when he learned that Ivan was an S-Class Mage, but after thinking it over, it made sense.

After being expelled from Fairy Tail, he established Raven Tail, a Dark Guild. It was not disbanded until Laxus defeated it all by himself during the Grand Magic Games. (Honestly, wasn't it bizarre for a Dark Guild to participate in the Grand Magic Games? Wouldn't the other guilds gang up on it?)

The fact that it had lasted so long showed that Ivan himself was fairly strong. Otherwise, once other Dark Guilds learned that he had once belonged to a Light Guild, they would have wiped him out long ago if he lacked the strength to back it up.

"Cain, want to have a spar? It's been a while."

"Sure." Having just completed three magical developments, Cain was itching for a fight himself.

There was no suitable opponent in the guild, after all. Even if Laxus had not brought it up, Cain would have suggested a match himself.

Once they had decided, Cain, Laxus, and Gray headed for the mountain behind the guild. Cana did not follow this time. Gray wanted to witness their strength, so he came along.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author. It may have simply been renamed!

Cain removed his weighted vest and the weights on his wrists and ankles, stretched his body, then looked at Laxus across from him with blazing fighting spirit.

Once Gray saw that both of them were ready, he shouted, "Start!" and kicked off the duel.

The moment Gray's voice fell, three magic circles appeared around Cain: Holy Light: Guard, Holy Light: Speed, and Holy Light: Strength.

While Cain buffed himself, Laxus was not idle either. Golden arcs of electricity flashed continuously around his body.

Clearly, Laxus was also applying some sort of buff to himself.

After both had finished enhancing themselves, they exchanged a glance and moved at once. Dirt sprayed into the air as they charged toward each other.

Lightning Dragon's Crushing Fist

His right fist, carrying violent lightning, crashed toward Cain. Cain did not retreat and threw a punch of his own, but he had still underestimated Laxus's strength.

Even with the boost from Holy Light: Strength, he was sent flying by the savage power of that crushing fist.

Fortunately, the defense enhanced by Holy Light: Guard meant Cain was not seriously injured, and Laxus's lightning could not paralyze him.

Just as he steadied himself, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky.

With a boom, smoke engulfed Cain's figure.

Gray stared at the scene in disbelief. He had not expected Cain, who had defeated him so easily, to be put at a disadvantage from the very start.

Laxus, however, did not relax. He stared gravely at the smoke.

Suddenly, six arrows of light shot out from the smoke. After dodging them, Laxus laughed. "I knew it wouldn't be that easy to take you down."

"Laxus, the warm-up is over." Cain rolled his neck and smiled in reply.

Gray could not understand how Cain had avoided that bolt of lightning.

In truth, Cain had already been too late to dodge when he noticed it. Laxus had calculated where Cain would land beforehand. After sending him flying with Lightning Dragon's Crushing Fist, he had fired lightning at that very spot.

Just before the lightning struck him, Cain created a Light Shield in front of himself. That was how he avoided being injured.

Lightning Dragon's Roar

Light Feather Explosion

The lightning storm collided with countless feathers of light. Just as Laxus thought he could tear those feathers apart as easily as the arrows of light—

Cain softly said, "Explode."

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The countless feathers exploded at once, their force tearing apart the lightning storm.

"What?!"

As Laxus stared in shock, a golden figure burst from the explosion.

A fist glowing with golden light slammed hard into Laxus's face. But Laxus reacted quickly as well, using Cain's punch to twist his body and sweep his left leg viciously toward Cain.

Laxus's counterattack made Cain's eyes light up. He had not expected Laxus to think of retaliating even at a moment like that.

Faced with Laxus's sweeping kick, Cain could only raise his arms to block it.

After separating, the two looked at each other and saw the surging battle intent in the other's eyes. Then they collided again, throwing fists, elbows, and knees at one another.

Lightning ran wild and dust flew through the air. The lightning scorched line after line into the ground, while the golden light was like an impregnable wall, blocking Laxus's electricity outside.

Laxus's attacks were as violent and relentless as waves, crashing forward one after another. Cain, meanwhile, stood his ground like a reef by the shore. His occasional counterattacks gave Laxus no end of trouble.

In the end, both of them ran out of strength and lay motionless on the ground. The match ended in a draw.

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