Makarov's voice drowned out the thunder in the wasteland.
Laxus's magic had not dissipated. The electricity gathered beneath his feet continued to drill into the rock layers, and the scorch marks that were originally scattered everywhere lit up one after another.
Lin Yuan discerned the range of the attack.
Laxus wasn't planning to unleash another bolt of lightning; instead, he intended to detonate the current that had been buried throughout the wasteland simultaneously. Guild members standing outside the arena were already at the edge of the coverage area.
Mira took a half step forward, and black patterns resembling Demon Take Over appeared on her right arm. Erza also donned armor, holding her sword horizontally in front of Natsu and Gray.
"Step back," Makarov said.
His body had transformed into a giant tens of meters tall, with one hand blocking the crowd and the other reaching directly towards Laxus.
Laxus bent down and pressed his left hand to the ground.
"Lightning pressure--"
The enormous finger fell first.
boom!
The ground around Laxus sank, and the lightning that had not yet erupted was pressed back into the rock by Makarov's palm. Golden arcs of electricity surged wildly between the giant fingers, but they could not break through the massive magical power covering the outside.
Lin Yuan retreated with his sword drawn, simultaneously severing several streams of electricity spreading outwards. The last spark of lightning extinguished a dozen meters away from Mira and the others.
"Let go!" Laxus's voice came from beneath his palm.
"Dissipate your magic, and I will naturally release you."
Lightning struck twice more, but Makarov's hand remained unmoved. After a brief stalemate, the golden light on the wasteland finally began to dim.
Makarov then raised his hand.
Laxus stood in the center of the sunken ground, his clothes covered in dust, his face terrifyingly pale. He looked up at Lin Yuan, who had already sheathed his sword.
"The duel ends here." Makarov slammed his cane on the ground. "There is no winner. Whoever dares to lay a hand on me again, I will fight him myself."
"We're not done fighting yet," Laxus said.
"From the moment you prepared to use a move that could affect others, this was no longer a normal sparring match," Makarov said defiantly. "If you can't even control your power, there's no point in continuing."
Laxus clenched his teeth, but did not refute the statement.
Why did you stop?
"The president has already made his move."
You could have continued attacking.
Lin Yuan pushed Nameless back into its sheath. "Then it won't be a friendly spar, but rather you and I defying the guild leader together."
A crackling electric arc shot through Laxus's forehead, but he ultimately did not raise his hand again.
Makarov returned to his original size, jumped down from the edge of the pit, and tapped the two men's legs with his wooden staff.
"I've chased you all the way from the guild, telling you countless times not to fight!"
"I didn't count," Lin Yuan said.
"How dare you talk back!"
The wooden cane immediately struck again.
Natsu was laughing the loudest, completely forgetting that he had just been struck by lightning. Makarov turned to look, immediately covering his mouth, but his shoulders were still shaking uncontrollably.
Mira walked over to Lin Yuan, first checking his shoulder, then looking at the hand holding the sword.
Are you injured?
"No."
"I'll settle the score with you when we get back. The chairman disagreed, and you actually dared to come along."
"It's just a friendly exchange."
"If the lightning gathered by Laxus really erupts, what are your plans to do?"
Lin Yuan glanced at the lightning marks scattered across the wasteland. "Send the attack up there."
He pointed to the sky.
Mira looked up, then pinched his arm. "Having a solution isn't an excuse for you to go along with this nonsense."
Erza walked to the spot where the two had fought, crouched down to examine the scorch marks left by Nameless. Two bolts of lightning had entered the rock layers on the left and right respectively, disappearing completely only a dozen meters away.
"If all the lightning that just gathered explodes, our location will also be affected," she said, looking up.
"That's why I stopped you!" Makarov tapped the ground with his cane. "Sparring isn't about you just having a good fight. If even the people standing on the sidelines have to dodge, then this fight should end."
Laxus didn't argue and turned to walk towards the rock where he had left his coat.
The arcs of electricity on the wasteland had not completely disappeared, and golden light occasionally peeked out from the cracks in the rocks. Makarov watched his retreating figure and called out to him in a deep voice.
"Take back the lightning you left behind. Although this place is abandoned, hunters and townspeople from the surrounding area may still pass by."
Laxus stopped.
He didn't answer, but simply raised one hand. The electricity scattered across the wasteland simultaneously detached from the ground, transforming into dozens of tiny bolts of lightning that converged into his palm. The numbing sensation in the air then subsided, leaving only a layer of rock cratered from the explosion.
Once Natsu confirmed that his limbs had recovered, he immediately squeezed out from beside Gray: " Laxus, that doesn't count! Now it's my turn!"
Laxus put on his coat and walked straight past him.
Natsu turned and took two steps to chase after her, but Erza grabbed his scarf and dragged him back.
"Today's duel is over."
"We haven't even started yet!"
You've already been knocked down once.
"I wasn't prepared that time!"
The two resumed arguing. Laxus didn't turn around, only stopping as she passed Lin Yuan.
"When you slashed at my waist just now, you used the back of the sword."
I said it was just a friendly exchange.
Laxus glanced at Nameless was already sheathed.
Laxus withdrew his gaze and continued walking towards Magnolia. After taking a few steps, he left with his final words.
"This doesn't count."
Makarov's temples bulged with veins once again.
There will be no next time!
Laxus did not respond; his figure, draped in a coat, quickly disappeared into the woods.