Fairy Tail: Perfect Projection

"Yeah!"

"When?"

"When we first met!"

"How ridiculous. I thought I had the upper hand all along, but I'd already lost from the start." Looking at the stone ceiling, Ikaruga laughed bitterly.

"I've lost. Kill me."

With that, Ikaruga closed her eyes, waiting for Xi Feng to deliver the killing blow. Yet the seconds ticked by, and the attack never came. After hesitating for a while, she opened her eyes.

The moment she opened them, her gaze met Xi Feng's. She immediately blushed, then stammered, "Why haven't you done it?!"

"I told you, I have a soft spot for beautiful women." Xi Feng pinched Ikaruga's cheek as he spoke. It was so soft that he almost couldn't bring himself to let go.

"Besides, two of the Three Ravens are already dead. How about joining our guild? If you decide to accept, go wait for me at Akane Beach."

With that, Xi Feng turned and walked away, waving to her. Ikaruga stared blankly at his retreating back before calling out, "Don't go any farther! Etherion will strike in five minutes!"

"..." Xi Feng paused, then smiled at Ikaruga. "It'll be fine!"

Then he disappeared down the corridor. Ikaruga looked at the spot where he had vanished, climbed to her feet, and slowly made her way outside.

"How boring. The game ended so quickly." Looking at the chessboard, Jellal smiled, then turned toward Xi Feng. "Long time no see, Xi Feng. You're a little late, though. Etherion will strike in three minutes."

"Really? I think my timing is perfect... Projection-Senbonzakura..."

As Xi Feng's words fell, a longsword glowing pink appeared in his hand. Its blade instantly dissolved into beautiful pink cherry blossom petals that danced through the air, drifting gracefully around him with an air of incomparable elegance and nobility.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

As he spoke, breathtakingly beautiful cherry blossoms scattered through the air. Coupled with Xi Feng's indifferent expression, he looked as though nothing in the world mattered to him.

For a moment, Jellal was stunned by the sight. But his strength was on par with the Ten Wizard Saints, and he quickly recovered, bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha! Xi Feng, are you celebrating my success with this flashy, useless trick? Well, thank you very much. To show my gratitude, I'll let you witness my success! Binding Snake!"

Jellal flicked his hand, sending a snake-like cord formed from red magic circles hurtling toward Xi Feng.

Whoosh! The moment the Binding Snake touched the cherry blossoms, the petals turned into slashing blades and destroyed it.

"What?!"

Jellal's pupils suddenly contracted. He now realized these cherry blossoms were far more than a flashy trick. What had just happened told him that every petal could deal lethal damage.

If he became trapped among them, he would undoubtedly suffer. Even if he survived, he would be gravely wounded.

"Just a little more time. That's all I need." Watching the cherry blossoms drifting before him, Jellal gritted his teeth and swept both hands out, unleashing several more Binding Snakes.

But it was useless. Whenever the snakes touched the cherry blossoms, they were destroyed in midair.

"..." Xi Feng said nothing. With a slight movement of his right hand, the scattered petals gathered into a mass and charged toward Jellal.

"!!!"

Jellal's pupils contracted as the mass of petals rushed toward him, and he swiftly dodged. But every time he evaded them, another part of the Tower of Heaven was destroyed, making his heart bleed.

"Does it hurt to watch something you spent eight years building get destroyed?!"

Xi Feng watched Jellal leap back and forth, amusement in his eyes.

"It's fine. They're just decorations!" Though his heart was bleeding, Jellal stubbornly kept up his bravado.

"Is that so...?" Xi Feng smiled and moved his right hand slightly again. The petals attacked even more fiercely, leaving greater destruction in their wake.

"Damn you! Stop!" Watching the Tower of Heaven crumble around him, Jellal finally lost his composure. He flicked his hand and unleashed another Binding Snake.

"Can't take it anymore?" Xi Feng smiled without dodging; the cherry blossoms would block the attack for him. But Jellal's distraction allowed the mass of petals to slam straight into his body.

"Aah!"

Countless cherry blossoms became countless slashes, cutting into Jellal's body. The agony was unbearable, and at last he screamed in pain.

"It's over," Xi Feng said quietly, looking at Jellal lying on the ground, covered in wounds.

"Yes, it's over..." Yet Jellal smiled.

Chapter 61: Etherion descends (please send flowers)

"Is this the right way, Natsu?!"

Aboard a boat, Erza kept shaking Natsu.

"We're counting on your nose to find the Tower of Heaven!"

"Y-yeah..." Natsu nodded, foaming at the mouth, and groaned, "I really want to throw up right now..."

"Are you seasick?! Wendy!"

Hearing that Natsu wanted to throw up, Erza immediately tossed him to Wendy.

"Yes..." Wendy caught Natsu and answered awkwardly. She had lost count of how many times she had treated his dizziness since they set sail. Stroking his head, she said softly, "You've been through a lot, Natsu..."

"Aye, I don't think Natsu's seasick at all. Erza's just shaken him dizzy," Happy said helplessly, shaking his head nearby. But the instant he saw Erza's sharp gaze turn toward him, he clapped his paws over his mouth.

"Erza's just worried about Xi Feng. After all, we still don't know how he's doing." Lucy walked over, gazing at the blue sea with worry written all over her face.

"Honestly, why wouldn't Lord Xi Feng let Juvia come along?" Juvia was just as worried, her face full of resentment.

"Look! There's a boat ahead!"

Gray's voice caught everyone's attention.

"That's...!"

Erza reacted fastest to Gray's call, running straight to the bow to look. When she spotted several familiar figures, her pupils contracted. Her armor instantly changed into Black Wing Armor, and she flew toward them.

"Erza!"

Gray and the others cried out as Erza suddenly flew away, then immediately sped up their boat to follow her.

Simon, who was steering the other boat, felt puzzled when a black speck suddenly flew toward him from ahead. But when he saw it clearly, his bewilderment turned to utter shock.

"Erza..." Simon stared at Erza before him, completely stunned.

"Sis!"

"Little Erza!"

"Erza!"

Shu and the others were equally shocked to see Erza. They had never expected to meet her here.

"Tell me... where's my brother?!"

Unlike yesterday, Erza stared coldly at the four of them.

"Xi Feng..."

At Erza's question, Simon and the other three fell completely silent.

"Tell me! What happened to my brother?!"

Seeing their silence, Erza thought something had happened to Xi Feng. Her heart clenched, and she shouted again.

"..."

Simon glanced at Shu and the other two, then looked back at Erza. "Xi Feng went to face Jellal alone..."

Simon then explained what had happened between them and Xi Feng earlier.

"I'm sorry, Sis..." As soon as Simon finished, Shu approached Erza with tears streaming down his face.

"It's all right..." Seeing Shu cry, Erza's icy expression softened. She patted his back to comfort him, then turned toward the Tower of Heaven. "I'm going to find my brother."

"No!" Hearing that Erza intended to go to the Tower of Heaven, Simon hurriedly stopped her.

"Xi Feng said you weren't allowed to go to the Tower of Heaven. He told us to leave this to him."

"But... what's that?!" Erza had been about to protest when a huge magic circle suddenly appeared above the Tower of Heaven.

"Is the Magic Council going to fire Etherion at the Tower of Heaven?!"

Gray and the others, who had rushed over, arrived just in time to witness the shocking sight.

"Etherion!"

At Gray's words, Erza's pupils contracted, and she moved to fly away. "No! I have to find my brother!"

"Erza, don't do anything rash!"

Seeing Erza about to take off, Gray and Simon grabbed her and held her back.

"Let go of me... let go... I have to find my brother...!" Erza struggled relentlessly before finally breaking into sobs.

Watching Erza cry, Shu and the other three were overwhelmed with guilt. If it hadn't been for them, none of this would have happened.

Just as Xi Feng was wondering what was going on, a massive magic circle appeared above the Tower of Heaven. A beam of light containing tremendous magical power shot straight down, engulfing the entire tower.

For a moment, Etherion's radiance bathed the entire area in pure white light, while its immense magical power stirred wave after wave across the sea.

Even the Magic Council, which had been monitoring the Tower of Heaven the entire time, could not determine the outcome at that moment. But everyone in the Magic Council believed that the entire tower, along with everyone inside, had surely ceased to exist. Although they had sacrificed many lives, they had saved the world, prevented Zeref's resurrection, and brought peace to the world.