Laxus drove all the way out of Magnolia and finally stopped in the wasteland to the east.
This area was originally a quarry, but after it was abandoned, only large and small rock pits remained. The nearest road is separated by a forest, so there is no need to worry about the fighting affecting the residents.
He threw his coat onto a rock and turned to look at Lin Yuan, who had followed him.
"This place is big enough."
That's enough.
Just as Lin Yuan grasped the hilt of Nameless's sword, Makarov's wooden staff appeared between the two of them.
"I haven't agreed yet!"
Makarov's beard was a bit disheveled from running. After glaring at Laxus, he turned to glare at Lin Yuan: "Why are you joining in his nonsense?"
"It's just a friendly spar," Lin Yuan said. "I won't use large-scale True Magic."
"You're talking about yourself!" Makarov pointed to the other side with his cane. "This kid's only thinking about proving he's better than everyone else; he doesn't seem like he's ready for a sparring match at all!"
A flash of lightning appeared on Laxus's shoulder.
"To fight or not to fight?"
"Beat."
"I can't say for sure—"
Before the last word was uttered, Laxus had already vanished from the spot.
Golden lightning streaked across the ground, piercing the space between the two. Lin Yuan drew his sword and turned, the blade, covered in black and silver spatial magic, perfectly blocking the fist that came hurtling from his left.
Lightning crackled and exploded along the sword's blade.
The roar kicked up a cloud of dust, and Lin Yuan slid half a meter backward. Laxus missed his attack, but without pausing, his body transformed into lightning and circled backward once more.
Lin Yuan did not turn around.
Nameless thrust his sword backward from under his ribs, the tip stopping in time to position where Laxus was about to appear.
Laxus abruptly changed direction, golden lightning almost grazing the blade before reforming into a human form a dozen meters away.
Two years ago, you couldn't keep up with this speed.
There's no need to chase after it now.
Lin Yuan held his sword horizontally in front of him.
When Mira and the others arrived, the first round of fighting had already ended. Natsu was being carried on Gray's back; his limbs were still somewhat numb, but his mouth didn't stop.
"Put me down! I can move now!"
"First, try to stop your legs from shaking."
"You're walking too fast!"
Gray immediately let go. Natsu fell face-first into the grass, but instead of being angry, he excitedly shouted towards the center of the wasteland, " Lin Yuan, beat him up!"
Laxus kept his eyes fixed on Lin Yuan, then raised his hand and waved it forward. Dozens of bolts of lightning did not directly attack Lin Yuan, but instead struck the surrounding ground.
The charred marks quickly merged into one, with fine arcs of electricity dancing back and forth between the rocks. As soon as Lin Yuan stepped into it, lightning would approach from several directions simultaneously.
"It's the same old routine," Lin Yuan said.
"It's enough that it works."
Laxus charged forward again.
This time, he did not approach in a straight line. The electric currents buried in the ground erupted one after another, and the flashes obscured everyone's vision. His figure blended into the lightning and kept changing direction.
Lin Yuan took a step forward.
The space beneath his feet seemed to shrink, Nameless simultaneously slashed towards the empty right side. Just as the sword struck, a fist crackling with lightning appeared from the flash.
Fists and swords clashed.
The space compressed on the blade's surface suddenly expanded, Laxus's fist was pushed off its original trajectory, grazing Lin Yuan's shoulder and slamming into the ground. The rock shattered with a bang, and lightning shot out several meters along the cracks.
Lin Yuan spun the hilt of his sword and slashed at Laxus's waist with the unsharpened side.
Laxus raised his knee to block the sword, and grabbed Lin Yuan's wrist with his left hand. Lin Yuan released the hilt, Nameless spun half a circle in mid-air before being grabbed again by another hand, which lifted his palm upwards.
The sword's edge stopped in front of Laxus's jaw.
Laxus, however, did not retreat.
A bolt of lightning, which had been hidden underground, rose from behind Lin Yuan. Just as Mira was about to warn him, Lin Yuan had already turned his body to the side, and the sword blade covered in black and silver magic swept backward.
The rising lightning was cut in half, striking both sides and blasting out two charred, shallow craters.
"It can even slice through lightning?" Gray's eyes widened.
"He didn't cut through the lightning," Erza, staring intently at Nameless. "He cut through that small section of space through which the lightning passed."
Laxus stepped back a few paces and glanced down at his side. His clothes had been cleanly ripped open by the sword's wind, but his skin was unharmed.
He wasn't angry at all; in fact, his smile became even more pronounced.
"It seems that ordinary lightning can no longer force you to use any more skills."
The arcs of electricity on the wasteland converged at his feet. The increasingly powerful magic caused the gravel to tremble slightly, and a low, muffled sound came from the once clear sky.
Makarov gripped his wooden staff and stepped between the two men again.
" Laxus, disperse those lightning bolts."
Laxus raised his eyes but did not comply.
Makarov's body began to swell, casting a shadow that stretched across half the wasteland.
I don't want to say it a third time.