In the open square outside the Strauss residence.
Igor and Mirajane faced each other from a distance.
“Gulp.” Elfman Jr.
and Lisanna hid behind the villa gate, watching the two confront each other with anxious expressions.
“Then let’s go over the rules one more time…” “Rule 1: The moment either person’s magical power runs out, the duel ends immediately.
The one whose magical power runs out first loses.
If both run out at the same time, it is a draw.” “Rule 2: If either side declares defeat, the duel ends at once.
No further attacks are allowed.” “Rule 3: Since this duel is mainly a friendly spar, lethal-level magic is forbidden…” Igor stood right beside Mirajane, repeating the duel rules to her.
“I get it, I get it.” “This is really tedious.” “I’ve already memorized the rules.
Can we start the duel now?” Mirajane looked at Igor with a hint of irritation.
She always felt that Igor was indecisive and far too cautious.
“Understood.” “In that case… let the duel begin.” Unmoved by Mirajane’s impatience, Igor smiled faintly and quietly announced the start of their duel.
The instant Igor finished speaking, Mirajane and Igor almost simultaneously shouted, “Take Over!” In the next moment, dazzling magic circles appeared above both of their heads.
Before Elfman and Lisanna appeared, a demon with hair long enough to reach the sky, limbs covered in black scales, and demon wings spread behind her — and a bomber whose combat skirt was made of bombs, his head transformed into a torpedo.
Screech!!
The moment Mirajane transformed into her “demon” form, her wings beat once.
Riding a sudden gust of wind, she charged straight at Igor.
Following the principle of “the first to attack wins, the one who attacks later loses,” Mirajane planned to use her high mobility to seize the initiative.
“Smart.” He never forgot to praise Mirajane’s combat wisdom during a fight.
But praise aside, a fight was a fight… Igor could not afford to lose so easily.
Right in front of Mirajane, he turned his toes into bombs, created a huge crater in the ground, and blasted tens of square meters of earth high into the air, blocking her vision.
“What?” Wrapped in a mass of yellow sand, Mirajane’s pupils twitched slightly.
She constantly moved her eyes, trying to observe movement in every direction.
With her vision blocked, she did not dare act rashly.
“BOOM!!” The instant she heard a sound, Mirajane suddenly raised her fist and smashed through the earthen wall on her right, shouting, “Found you!” “Bang!” But when Mirajane punched through the sand, what appeared before her was an explosive device whose fuse was slowly burning.
“Ah, I was tricked.” Mirajane was shocked.
She tried to turn and defend herself, but it was already too late.
The moment she turned, Igor’s exploding fist slammed into her.
“BOOM!” Another ear-splitting roar rang out.
A massive shockwave blew the sand away.
Caught in the violent gust, Mirajane dropped out of her Demon Soul Take Over state and was sent flying backward.
She landed perfectly on the mound of earth Igor had prepared in advance, unharmed.
After the shockwave gradually subsided, Igor withdrew from his stance of receiving a demon’s attack.
Pretending to look helpless, he muttered to himself, “Ah, all my magical power is gone!
Looks like I lost.” Saying that, Igor walked over to the mound, gracefully bowed to Mirajane lying on the ground, and offered his hand with a smile.
“This time it seems we’re evenly matched.” “Igor, you’re really strong.” “But as you said, failure is the mother of success.
I’ll work even harder to become stronger.” Mirajane took the hand Igor offered with a slightly embarrassed look.
She understood that he was giving her a way out.
His claim that his magical power had run out was nothing more than social courtesy.
“Haha.” Igor laughed and pulled Mirajane up from the ground.
“Clap clap clap!” “Big Sister Mira and Big Brother Igor, you two are really amazing.” The moment Igor and Mirajane’s fight ended, applause from Elfman and Lisanna immediately echoed through the villa.
However, because of the sand, young Elfman and Lisanna had not been able to see the fight clearly… But the enormous crater created by Igor and Mirajane’s battle opened their eyes.
“Hahaha~” “So-so, so-so~.” Igor smiled.
Humility showed on his face.
“Hmph.” “Of course I’m amazing.
I’m your older sister, after all.” In contrast to the humble Igor, Mirajane proudly acknowledged her own formidable strength.
As the eldest daughter of the Strauss family, Mirajane bore the responsibility of looking after her younger siblings.
To support them, she had to be a fearless, strong woman.
“Clap!
Clap!
Clap…” Just as Igor and Mirajane finished fighting, their stomachs growling, and were about to return inside for a warm meal, unexpected applause suddenly rang out in the courtyard of the Strauss residence.
“Huh?” The moment Igor heard the applause, his expression instantly changed.
The person who had appeared behind him without him noticing.
“Who?!” Instinctively, Igor shielded Mirajane behind him and looked toward the source of the sound.
What entered Igor’s vision was a middle-aged man with short orange-tinged red hair, wearing a tattered cloak, sporting stubble, and looking slovenly.
“Haha.” The middle-aged man with short orange-red hair brushed it back and couldn’t help laughing at Igor’s serious expression.
“I originally came to this village to deal with the so-called ‘demon’ invasion, but instead of meeting a demon, I ran into an exceptionally talented pair of little demons.” “Everyone!
Have you heard of the Fairy Tail Guild?” The slovenly middle-aged man radiating an overwhelming aura asked Igor and Mirajane with a smile.
“Fairy Tail?
Never heard of it…” Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna stared blankly at the uncle in front of them and told the truth.
“…” The middle-aged man looked a little awkward, then turned toward the silent Igor.
“Phew.” The moment Igor realized who it was, he let out a sigh of relief.
The anxiety and irritation that had been rising in his heart instantly vanished.
“Eh?
You know me?” The short orange-haired middle-aged man noticed the change in Igor’s expression and raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Mm.” “If you’re from the Fiore Kingdom, there’s no one who doesn’t know Gildarts, the strongest trash Wizard on the Ishgar Continent.” Igor solemnly announced the name of the person who had arrived.
Yes — the slovenly, orange-haired middle-aged man standing before them was none other than Fairy Tail’s strongest Wizard, Gildarts.
“Yes, yes, yes.” “I’m the biggest trash Wizard on the Ishgar Continent…” Gildarts still wore a proud smile when he heard the first half of Igor’s words, but the moment he heard the word “trash,” his expression completely changed.
“Ah, wait!
I’m not trash!” …