Chapter 5: Water Against Lightning

Erza was silent the entire way back, lost in her thoughts, probably trying to figure out her own issues... or maybe even trying to understand me. Whatever it was, it seemed heavy on her mind. When we finally arrived at the guild, Master Makarov was there to greet us.

Makarov: 

"Welcome back! Erza, I'd like to have a word with you..."

It seemed like the Master had noticed the problem with Erza. That was to be expected from him.

Erza went off to Makarov's office, and I headed over to where Gray was sitting.

Gray: 

"Oh, so you completed the Wyvern mission. I knew you were strong, but Erza? How was she? Tell me a bit."

Soma: 

"Hm? Oh, the mission was easy. Erza's not bad either, but I'd advise you not to mess with her. She's definitely stronger than you, haha. By the way, where's Cana?"

Gray: 

"I don't know. She hasn't been around the guild today... AND STOP MESSING WITH ME! I'M THE STRONGEST ONE HERE, GOT IT?!"

After messing with Gray, the person I'd been most eager to see finally walked through the guild doors.

Laxus... As soon as he entered, he turned toward us and said:

Laxus: 

"Oh, the old man's turned this place into a daycare with all these kids... tch, what a shame."

I'd forgotten what a jerk he was...

Gray: 

"..."

Soma: 

"Oh, and who are you? The babysitter?"

That seemed to irritate Laxus a bit.

Laxus: 

"Who the hell are you?"

Soma: 

"I'm Soma... Nice to meet you....?"

Laxus: 

"Laxus Dreyar, the future master of this guild."

Soma: 

"Oh, so you're the jerk everyone's been talking about, the old man's grandson, huh?"

This time, I'd really pissed him off.

Laxus: 

"YOU'VE GOT THE GUTS TO SAY THAT TO MY FACE, HUH?! COME OUTSIDE, AND I'LL TEACH YOU SOME RESPECT!"

Gray: 

"Hey, no need to go that far—"

I cut Gray off. I'd been waiting for this fight for a long time.

Soma: 

"Let's do this, Laxus!"

We headed outside. I knew I'd probably lose this fight, but it would be a valuable experience.

The air in the guild was tense. Laxus stared at Soma, his usual confident expression replaced with a serious determination. The other guild members gathered around, sensing that this wouldn't be an ordinary duel. Despite his young age, Soma had already gained some notoriety within the guild, and now he was facing one of its strongest members.

Laxus cracked his knuckles, sparks of electricity flickering around him. "You think you can keep up with me, kid? You've got guts, but that's going to cost you."

Soma remained calm, clenching his fists. He knew Laxus was stronger, but he had no intention of backing down.

Laxus made the first move. In an instant, he dashed forward, his body crackling with electricity. He threw a powerful punch at Soma, who barely managed to dodge. The spot where Laxus's punch landed exploded, debris scattering everywhere.

Soma quickly countered with a Water Dragons Roar!,. Laxus smirked, easily dodging the attack with his superior speed.

"Too slow, kid!" Laxus taunted, appearing behind Soma in the blink of an eye. He unleashed a barrage of lightning-charged punches, each one more powerful than the last. Soma's ice barriers, formed for defense, shattered under the relentless assault.

Soma knew he needed to change his strategy. As Laxus prepared for his next lightning strike, Soma suddenly summoned a massive wave of water, flooding the entire area. He combined it with his ice magic, quickly freezing the water and trapping Laxus's legs in solid ice.

"You're not the only one who's fast, Laxus!" Soma shouted as he used the ice to create a path beneath his feet, allowing him to glide across the battlefield with incredible agility.

Laxus growled, electricity surging from his body and shattering the ice around his legs. "Not bad, but it's not enough!"

Before Soma could react, Laxus sent out a powerful wave of lightning in all directions. The icy path Soma was gliding on shattered, and Soma was thrown back several meters, crashing into a nearby pillar.

Soma groaned as he tried to stand up. Laxus wasn't just strong; he was overwhelming. But Soma wasn't ready to give up just yet. He had one final move left.

Taking a deep breath, Soma focused all his remaining magic power into a single, concentrated attack. His eyes glowed with intense blue light. "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art! Raging Dragon: Leviatus WRATH!"

Soma gathered water in his palm and shaped it into a dragon, directing the surging torrent straight at Laxus. The attack surged forward with deadly precision.

Laxus's eyes widened in surprise, but his reflexes were sharp. He raised his arm, countering the dragon with a bolt of lightning. The clash resulted in a blinding flash of light and a downpour of water, forcing the spectators to squint against the brilliance.

When the dust settled, Laxus was still standing, though he had taken some damage this time. He looked at Soma with newfound respect. "Impressive. You're stronger than I thought, but this ends now!"

Laxus gathered all his power, his body enveloped in a golden aura of electricity. He dashed toward Soma at lightning speed, delivering a devastating punch to Soma's gut. The shockwaves from the impact rippled through Soma's body, and he collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe.

But Laxus didn't stop there. Even though Soma was defeated, Laxus raised his hand, gathering sparks of electricity in his palm, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

"It's time to teach you a lesson, kid."

Before Laxus could strike, a powerful voice echoed through the guild hall. "That's enough, Laxus!"

Master Makarov appeared suddenly, his small frame radiating authority. He reached out, grabbing Laxus's arm with unexpected strength. "This fight is over. You've made your point."

Laxus hesitated, glaring down at the barely conscious Soma. The tension in the air was palpable, but under Makarov's firm grip, Laxus finally relented, dispersing his electricity.

"Fine," Laxus said, stepping back. "Hmph, this won't be our last fight, kid. You may have been saved by the old man today, but one day, he won't be here."

As Laxus walked away, Makarov knelt down beside Soma, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "You fought well, Soma. You've got great potential, but you need to learn when to step back. You're not alone here—rely on your guildmates."

That was the last thing I heard before I blacked out...