Chapter 94: A Solution to Addressing Flaws, Erza's New Equipment

Erza smiled and spoke: "Miss Polyushka's medical skill is excellent. My eyes can now see normally."

Gaal nodded and said: "That's good. The Guild Master assigned you a task earlier, didn't he? It seems Laxus and Gray are particularly troublesome at the moment."

Erza hesitated and then nodded: "Yes. Laxus and Gray are far too powerful; I haven't discovered a good solution yet. But please, rest assured, I will do my best."

Looking at Erza's serious expression, Gaal scratched his head and said: "Well... don't put too much pressure on yourself. After all, I was the one who suggested this task to the Guild Master. Honestly, things are quite fine as they are."

Erza shook her head firmly and declared: "No. This is the task given by the Guild Master, and it must be completed."

Gaal could only nod in agreement before asking: "How is your Requip magic training coming along? How many sets of equipment have you acquired?"

Erza's cheeks reddened as she replied: "Um... none yet. However, once I can take on missions, I'll be able to buy them from a mage shop."

Gaal laughed and said: "Previously, the Guild Master asked me to get you a few pieces of equipment. I thought that introducing you to gear right after learning Requip magic might lead you astray, so I did not agree. No matter how powerful the equipment may be, it ultimately depends on the mage himself. Only with a strong foundation can you maintain balance, or else you risk losing your true self and becoming nothing more than a puppet chasing after every sacred treasure. Now that your fundamentals are solid and your mindset is stable, it's time to add to your arsenal."

Erza looked stunned and began to protest: "This is not—" 

Before she could continue, Gaal interjected: "This is a gift from me to you. Please, don't refuse." 

Gaal then produced several pieces of equipment he had just exchanged from his System Space. He continued: "This is Thunder Blade. Its sharpness exceeds that of ordinary mage swords." 

A blue-green long sword was placed in Erza's hand.

Next, he presented a piece of leather armor and said: "This is Darknight Armor. It can resist some residual magic aftereffects and boost your defense against magic." 

After that, he handed over a pair of boots and explained: "These are Resistance Boots. They too absorb residual magic energy, and thanks to their enchantments, they even improve your resistance in harsh environments." 

All of these items were the most basic mage equipment Gaal could obtain using points. For Erza, who had only been practicing magic for a few months, they were nothing short of sacred treasures.

Erza cradled Thunder Blade, Darknight Armor, and the Resistance Boots in her hands, her eyes sparkling as she gasped: "Is this... is this really mage equipment? No wonder... just by touching them, I can sense the power they contain."

Erza finally understood why Gaal had warned her about losing her way. If she had been exposed to such equipment right from the start, she might not have been able to remain true to herself in her strenuous training.

After all, the bonus from months of hard work would pale in comparison to even the boost provided by those Resistance Boots. Without a steadfast will, it would be all too easy to lose oneself completely.

Gaal then said: "This is only the most basic mage equipment. In the future, you can visit auction houses or merchant groups in the big cities. They sell all kinds of mage equipment – items to amplify magic power, items that come with inherent magic, and even ones that increase speed. However, the better the equipment, the more expensive it is; so if you want superior gear, you'll need to work hard. And if there's a particular type you desire, feel free to come to me."

Erza's eyes shone as she asked: "Mr. Gaal, are you still the master of crafting equipment?"

Gaal cleared his throat and replied: "Not exactly—a side business, really. Mainly, I have so many pieces of equipment stored in my System Space, and with the Arc of Embodiment, I can actually create gear with almost any effect you wish for. You know where my Magical Cottage is, right?"

Erza responded: "Are you referring to Gaal's Magical Cottage? I caught a glimpse of it while I was out shopping."

Gaal nodded and explained: "That's right. Lately, I've been staying in town. When you have some free time, come take a look inside. There are plenty of things, including my latest invention: a Potion of Disenchantment. When applied to a sword, your enemy is truly in for a treat."

Erza's expression turned incredulous as she asked: "Potion of Disenchantment? Is that a potion that can make someone vanish? If such a substance were applied to a sword, it would indeed be extremely dangerous."

Gaal shook his head and clarified: "No, it's a potion meant for use alongside Requip magic." 

Erza, a bit confused, stammered: "Requip… Requip magic Disenchantment?"

Gaal grinned and replied: "Exactly. Just imagine: you unleash a burst of sword energy, and your opponent's clothing bursts apart. That scene… even the sturdiest mage armor wouldn't hold up for long." 

Erza's face flushed as she stuttered: "This… this is just too evil! Please, make sure to save one for me!"

Gaal smiled warmly and said: "Sure thing. My shop also stocks other items – a Potion of Corpse Dissolution, a Magic Power Amplification Ring, and Instant Speed Boost pills. You name it."

Then he added: "Now, carry on with your work. I must be off. Put the equipment away, equip it, get used to it, and see if you can put those two troublemakers in their place."

Erza solemnly nodded: "Yes."

Night fell at Gaal's Magical Cottage. Inside the room, the magic book in Gaal's hand began to move on its own, and before him a summoning magic circle appeared with the inscription: "Summon Squirtle."

Far away in a lake within the West Forest, a Squirtle wearing sunglasses was sleeping. With a flash of light beneath it, the Squirtle instantly vanished from the lake. Meanwhile, a group of soundly sleeping Squirtle remained unaware that their leader had disappeared.

A dull thud resounded as a turtle shell struck the ground, startling the sunglasses Squirtle awake. Rubbing its eyes and looking around warily, it called out in a trembling tone: "Squirtle?"

Immediately, it went on high alert. Gaal's large hand gently rested on top of the Squirtle's head as he said: "It's alright. Just a test of magic." 

Upon hearing Gaal's voice, the sunglasses Squirtle looked up excitedly, nodded vigorously, and shouted: "Squirtle, Squirtle!"

At that moment, based on the summoned Pokémon, Gaal—while performing the summoning spell—already had in mind the moves that Squirtle could perform. He nodded in satisfaction.

This new magic would prove especially useful, considering that earlier in the day Gray's water attack had left him speechless. Now, with this summoning technique, commanding his Pokémon would be far more convenient.

Gaal's hand shimmered with surging magical power as he pressed his palm against the Squirtle. The Squirtle furrowed its brow and, just as it was about to cry out "Squirtle, Squirtle!", a whoosh sound filled the air—it had been teleported back to the lake in the West Forest.

Summoned Pokémon possess a defensive threshold; if a Pokémon absorbs damage exceeding that threshold, its teleportation magic is automatically triggered to return it to its original spot. This mechanism was barely functional for now, and with time, I'll need to create more Pokémon.

This summoning technique comes with no class restrictions. Any mage, as long as they possess magic, can use it.

However, whether or not a Pokémon accepts you depends on the Pokémon itself. Moreover, I have absolute control over this magic—it isn't something just anyone can use at will (at least, not for foreign mages).

I have recorded this spell in my book and left it on the table, as I plan to teach it at the guild tomorrow.

Shortly thereafter, Gaal teleported to the skies above Magnolia Town. Gazing down at the town and the layout of the Fairy Tail Guild, he settled into midair and began contemplating how to address the flaws inherent in Fairy Law. Before him, enormous magic circles materialized, their ephemeral outlines marking various locations throughout Magnolia Town.

After a moment, Gaal shook his head and sighed: "It still won't work." 

Changing and rearranging magic circles has its limits. Even if one were to deploy a magic circle spanning the entirety of Magnolia Town, it likely wouldn't supply enough energy for the consumption demanded by Fairy Law.

Moreover, setting up such a conversion circle would drain the town's overall magic—what would become of the other guild members then?

Since Fairy Law can instill such fear in Hades, it is evident that his dark magic source cannot support that level of consumption. 

During the battle in the Rock Mountain Range, Hades expended various dark magic spells trying to wear down Gildarts.

But once Gildarts donned my 'Sage's Wrath' magic hat, his magic surged, and Hades couldn't deplete it fast enough—he was instead overwhelmed and forced to the ground.

This clearly shows that Hades' dark magic source cannot supply enough power to counteract even a modest 30% boost in Gildarts' magic.

That is why Hades fears Makarov; if both were to truly employ the 'Law', there's a high probability that Makarov would perish, while Hades—with his dark magic source—might only barely survive. Such an outcome, however, is utterly unacceptable to Hades.

Gaal thought about it. If something were to instantly supply a vast quantity of magic, it would have to be a Magic Crystal, for they can store magic energy and release it at will—even if all the stored energy is expended in an instant (albeit at the cost of some bodily harm).

But the problem is, there is no Magic Crystal of such magnitude. I can't simply remove the Thunder Dragon Magic Crystal from Laxus's chest—and even if I could, it might not be sufficient.

Gaal estimated that, based on Gildarts' magic power and mass, even with a 30% boost, if one Magic Crystal could support Fairy Law for one second, then to support Fairy Law for five seconds, its volume would need to be at least twice that of Magnolia Town.

Not only is it questionable whether this world could manufacture such an enormous Magic Crystal, but the real challenge would be where to place it… underground, perhaps?

"Underground?" Gaal suddenly paused, rising to contemplate the possibility. Whether it would lead to an explosion was another matter entirely.

Although such a gigantic Magic Crystal does not exist, attribute-neutral Magic Crystals that can be charged are plentiful. If I can lock one inside a magic circle and surround it with an Amplification Magic Circle… 

Gaal's thoughts drifted to that ancient sealing array used to imprison the plague Demon God for countless years—a sealing formation that even the System Space had managed to violently refine in just a few seconds.

The integrity of that array was such that it could easily contain the combined magic power equivalent to about five Gildarts.