Su Yan Vs. Acnologia

A terrifying shockwave erupted in the clash, and everything around was obliterated by the force.

"Waaaahhh!!"

"Ughhh!!"

All around, members of Fairy Tail were blown away by the brutal impact. Massive waves churned offshore, buffeting the fractured Magic Council warships that had ventured closer after hearing the initial battles. On seeing the black dragon Acnologia descend upon Tenrou Island, the Council's vessels had hastily retreated.

Meanwhile, the colossal black dragon was knocked back by a single swing of Su Yan's weapon.

"He repelled it?!" Everyone in Fairy Tail looked on, stunned.

"That's… a real dragon…" Lucy muttered, trembling.

Erza stood slack-jawed. "Su Yan really… knocked it away with one blow?"

Yet despite hurling Acnologia away for a moment, Su Yan's face showed no satisfaction.

His attack had been shallow – not enough to deal lasting harm to Acnologia.

Across the battlefield, Acnologia rose, blood trickling from the corner of its jaw. It hadn't expected a mere "bug" of a human to repulse and wound it, however slightly.

"RROOOAARR—!!!" Acnologia roared at Su Yan in fury.

"What are you howling about?" Su Yan shot back, gripping his mace. "You can speak the human tongue, can't you? Or are you nothing but a beast with a roar?"

A deep, gravelly voice emanated from the black dragon's maw. "Human… you court death!"

Fairy Tail members jolted.

"It… can speak?!"

Wendy managed, "Yes—dragons have high intelligence. If it chooses, it can speak our language…"

"Keh, courting death? You attacked us for no reason, so if anyone's picking a fight with death, it's you!" Su Yan's eyes narrowed dangerously.

With a snort, Acnologia whipped its massive tail at Su Yan.

Boom—!!!

Su Yan's mace rose to meet the strike. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the force. Man and dragon seemed deadlocked, an unbelievable sight.

Whoom—!!

Su Yan's Conqueror's Haki burst outward in a mighty wave.

"Grrrhh…!" Acnologia staggered, tail thrown off for an instant.

"God Foot!" Su Yan vanished in a blur, reappearing at Acnologia's flank—a move akin to the Navy's "Soru," so swift it resembled teleportation. He swung the mace at Acnologia's face.

Boom—!!

"Grruaaagh…!" The blow smashed the black dragon to the ground. But in the same moment, Acnologia's razor-sharp claws slashed across Su Yan's torso.

"Guh—!" A red gash opened on his body.

"Su Yan's injured?!" Mirajane cried, startled. She knew Su Yan's defenses best, and for someone to wound him now was alarming. Though the cut wasn't life-threatening, it proved Acnologia's ferocity could break Su Yan's guard.

Even so, Su Yan himself didn't falter, only acknowledging that, at his current level, he couldn't inflict decisive damage on the black dragon. At least he confirmed good news: his attacks could hurt Acnologia. The bad news was that Acnologia could hurt him more easily, and it wasn't even going all out.

"Interesting," Acnologia rumbled, regarding Su Yan. "A mere human with enough power to bruise me… a feat unheard of in centuries."

Su Yan spat back, "Don't treat all humans like insects. Some of us bite."

His aura exploded again, swirling storm clouds overhead, lightning flickering among them. A bolt of thunder struck near Su Yan, blowing the rubble beneath him into dust.

Bone and muscle contorted once more. His eyes turned to vertical slits, scales and horns enlarging. With crackling sounds, they began covering his skin. Clouds and wind whirled around his expanding figure.

Finally, with a single bound, he transformed into that huge blue dragon and took flight, swirling in the storm-laden sky. Fiery red vapors wrapped around his forelimbs, the swirling mass of azure overshadowing the black scales of Acnologia. Even from afar, one could see that Su Yan's draconic form dwarfed the black dragon's build.

Acnologia's reptilian pupils narrowed at the sight.

"Grrr…?!!"

No one had told it there was another real dragon in this era. With a hateful roar, it spread its wings in a gust that swept everyone off their feet.

"Waaaah!!"

"Uhhgh—!!"

Fairy Tail wizards tumbled back. Then Acnologia's mighty hind legs sprang, propelling it skyward to meet the blue dragon.

Over Tenrou Island, Su Yan and the black dragon faced each other, thunder rending the sky as if signaling the apocalypse.

Zeref, watching from a distance, murmured, "Two dragons are fighting… That's a scene not witnessed in centuries."