Chapter 285: The Strongest Wizard of Fairy Tail Faces Off (Third Update)
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Fried's purpose in participating in the tournament was to clear the obstacle that was George for Laxus.
Even if he ultimately lost, as long as he could drain a significant amount of George's magic power, he would lighten Laxus's burden.
Although Laxus would undoubtedly disdain such tactics, Fried was willing to do whatever it took for his sake. This wasn't cheating—it was strategy.
"You're quite strong. Let's begin."
George nodded and curled his cat-like paw, beckoning Fried toward him.
George wasn't entirely familiar with Fried's magic—not just him, but even the other wizards in the guild had only a vague understanding of it.
After all, the Thunder God Tribe, much like Laxus, were a solitary bunch who rarely mingled with others.
The only thing George knew for certain was that Fried specialized in enchantments and Dark Écriture magic.
He had already experienced Fried's enchantment magic firsthand at the guild's entrance—it was indeed formidable. It had taken both him and Levy quite some time to break through it.
As for Dark Écriture, he had witnessed Fried use it in the previous battle. By inscribing magical words like "Fear" and "Pain" onto his opponents with his rapier, Fried could inflict terror and agony upon them, leaving them easy prey.
Fried was also highly skilled in close combat and swordsmanship.
But considering he was the leader of the Thunder God Tribe and had defeated multiple S-Class wizards, it was clear his abilities extended far beyond what had been seen so far.
"Forbidden Art: Dark Écriture – Abyss!"
Without hesitation, Fried activated his most powerful technique. Using his rapier, he inscribed Dark Écriture upon his own body.
A dense surge of dark energy flowed into him through the enchanted words, and in an instant, his human form transformed into that of a demon with twin horns.
His physical strength and magical power surged dramatically.
"Dark Écriture – Wings!"
Immediately after, another set of dark runes appeared on his body, and black energy wings unfurled from his back.
With a single movement, he became a streak of black light, launching himself at George.
"Interesting."
George's eyes lit up upon witnessing this unexpected application of written magic.
He had always believed that written magic functioned similarly to Levy's—used to cast spells through the power of words.
He had never imagined it could be applied directly to one's own body for enhancement.
It reaffirmed a truth he had long suspected: the spells found in libraries were merely the foundation of magic. The truly powerful wizards took these basics and adapted them to suit their own styles.
Just as Erza had evolved simple Requip magic into her unparalleled Knight Magic, it was no surprise that most wizards in this world only specialized in a single magic type.
After all, unless one was a prodigy like Jellal, mastering a single type of magic to its highest potential was already an extraordinary feat.
"It's over."
Just as Fried circled behind George, preparing for a sneak attack, George's small feline body suddenly expanded at an alarming rate.
In the blink of an eye, the tiny cat transformed into a colossal beast over thirty meters tall, crackling with electricity.
With a paw the size of a building, George swatted at Fried as if he were nothing more than an insect. The strike landed with the speed of lightning, sending the demon-transformed Fried crashing into the arena floor, unconscious.
A one-hit knockout!
The crowd, which had just moments ago been worried for George, instantly fell into stunned silence.
Even Laxus, who had already finished his own battle, widened his eyes in shock.
He had anticipated that Fried might not be able to defeat George, but he had never expected him to be taken out in a single blow.
After all, the demon-form Fried had previously bested multiple S-Class wizards—his strength was undeniable.
"Winner: George!"
Snapping out of her daze, Mirajane soared above the arena and announced the match's result.
George, now victorious, shrank back to his normal feline size.
Fried's demon form was indeed powerful, but it was no match for George's abilities. With his gigantic transformation, electric-enhanced physique, and the inherited traits of a dragon, George's overall strength had already surpassed the giantized limits of a Wizard Saint like Makarov.
Even in his demon form, Fried was far from being a threat.
Moreover, cats naturally possessed lightning-fast reflexes. Before Fried could even make use of his speed advantage, George had already swatted him down.
With the conclusion of the fifth round, the final round's matchups were drawn.
Laxus vs. Erza.
George vs. Lucy.
The winners of these two battles would face off for the championship.
Meanwhile, the losers would fight for second and third place.
The Semifinals Begin
Thirty minutes later, the semifinals commenced.
Following Makarov's decision, these matches would not be held simultaneously but instead be conducted one after the other.
Match 1: George vs. Lucy
There was no suspense in the outcome—Lucy lost.
However, she did not surrender outright. Instead, she used the lake outside the arena to summon Aquarius, nearly drowning the entire island in the process.
This alone proved that when she unleashed her full potential, her strength was far from weak.
Match 2: Erza vs. Laxus
This was, without a doubt, the most anticipated battle of the tournament—even George watched intently.
After all, both Erza and Laxus were true S-Class wizards, officially recognized by the guild master.
They were both at the peak of S-Class, possibly even nearing Wizard Saint levels.
While Erza's strength may have been slightly inferior to Laxus in the past, her experiences at the Tower of Heaven had allowed her to overcome top-tier S-Class wizards like Ikaruga. Now that she had gained clarity in her heart, the outcome of this match was impossible to predict.
Even George couldn't be certain—would Erza emerge victorious, or would Laxus prevail?
As soon as the battle began, Erza immediately equipped the Lightning Empress Armor, which granted her high resistance to lightning-based attacks.
Clad in her armor, wielding a thunder-infused spear, and sporting a braided ribbon in her hair, she cut a striking figure—so much so that the spectators on the shore erupted in cheers.
Laxus, taking the match seriously, responded by unleashing his Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic.
The battle was a fierce, back-and-forth exchange of power.
In the end, Laxus's Dragon Slayer magic proved superior. He devoured the lightning discharged by Erza's spear, shattering her Lightning Empress Armor before she could swap into another. Taking advantage of the moment, he struck her unconscious.
However, even Laxus himself was completely drained, securing only the narrowest of victories.
"I never expected Erza's strength to have reached this level!"
At that moment, Laxus finally realized he had underestimated his guildmates.
The Erza he had once looked down upon was now only a step behind him.
Even Natsu and Gray, who had fought in earlier matches, had demonstrated far greater strength than he had originally thought.
Could it be… that his ideals were wrong all along?
Was the old man's way truly the right one?
The Grand Finals
Half an hour later, Mirajane hovered in the air, microphone in hand, addressing everyone:
"Now, we move on to the final match!"
"This battle will determine the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail this year."
"At the same time, it will also decide Fairy Tail's next guild master."
"Will it be Laxus, the wielder of Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic, or our future 'Cat Guild Master' George? Stay tuned, everyone!"
(End of Chapter)