Chapter 39 : Jose Vs Everit!!

"Don't startle me," Everit spoke quickly, his voice tinged with anxiety. "You know me, I'm quite timid. If my hand shakes, this photo could fall into Natsu's hands. His reaction upon seeing it might be quite a shock."

Laxus ground his teeth, nearly breaking them.

"Alright, Jose is formidable. If you were to fight alone, it would be rather embarrassing if you were to lose," Everit remarked seriously.

Laxus fell silent.

He had just clashed with Jose.

Although he detested admitting it.

Unless he resorted to that technique, defeating Jose would prove challenging.

But Jose wouldn't afford him the luxury of time to unleash that move leisurely.

"You've got to listen my orders!" Laxus gritted his teeth.

"Understood, Laxus. The attack is incoming; you move left," Everit nodded, then swiftly tossed the photo to Laxus before darting to the right.

Laxus caught the photo just as Jose's long-range magical assault zeroed in on his position, forcing him to dodge leftward involuntarily.

Once he evaded the attack, a realization dawned upon him.

*Boom.*

A gaping hole now adorned the ceiling.

Everit observed Jose, gradually emerging from the shadows.

He raised his hand and unleashed a "virtual flash" shot.

*Buzz.*

The three-meter-wide black beam tore through the darkness, yet a seasoned mage like Jose, possessing nearly full combat experience, wouldn't succumb easily to such an attack.

"Shade—"

A legion of shadowy figures surged towards Everit.

Their overwhelming magical presence bore down upon him.

Everit retreated and vanished.

"Are you toying with my senses?" Jose sneered coldly, his entire being suffused with magical energy as dark magic wove a net that enshrouded the entire battlefield.

Everit swiftly maneuvered behind Jose, swiftly transitioning to explosion mode and unleashing a shot.

'Boom'

A colossal burst of magic erupted, tearing a gaping hole through the shroud of darkness.

Everit seized the moment to make his escape.

Though Jose missed capturing Everit and Everit succeeded in shattering the web but it also alerted Jose of his approximate location.

Without hesitation, Jose unleashed a torrent of magical energy.

"Shade Arrows -"

Hundreds of shadowy arrows engulfed the openings, bombarding them relentlessly—a saturation assault!

Thankfully, Everit's flight speed proved swift, already beyond the reach of the onslaught.

'Boom'

A titanic demon crashed into the sea, sending towering waves cascading into the air.

Ferocious and awe-inspiring!

It was Deliora!

Deliora's colossal form dwarfed the Phantom Lord Headquarters. Upon its appearance, its demonic gaze fixated upon Jose.

"Ang——"

Deliora bellowed in fury, swinging its massive fist toward Jose.

"Oh, an ilusion." Jose remained unfazed, recognizing Everit's magic as a mere illusion.

But wait!

Something's amiss!

There's a surge in magical energy!

In the nick of time, Jose reacted, swiftly sidestepping.

'Bang'

A magical projectile whizzed past his cheek!

It was perilously close—a hair's breadth away from being a fatal shot!

Jose broke into a cold sweat.

"Death Storm——"

A beam of black-purple light swept across the expanse.

Faced with an enemy of Wizard Saints caliber, Everit adhered to his principle of constant movement, never allowing himself to become a stationary target.

Thus, he evaded the onslaught unscathed.

Yet, he couldn't help but marvel.

Truly, the Wizard Saints were on another level.

The weight of their presence was overwhelming—far surpassing the likes of Ward and Reed!

As the Guild Master of the Super Guild and one of the top ten mages, Jose wielded immense magical power, coupled with extensive combat experience and an indomitable will.

Everit's deception magic manifested in two distinct applications.

Deception is one aspect, and its potency remains unaffected by the opponent's strength.

The second is emotion manipulation, which employs subtle influence to sway the emotions of others.

Perhaps due to Everit's lack of profound exploration into the latter technique, or perhaps owing to the nature of magic itself, his current capacity to manipulate emotions is constrained by the resilience of the target's willpower.

If the opponent possesses formidable willpower, the efficacy of emotional manipulation wanes.

Thus, attempting to manipulate Jose's emotions would yield little success.

While the art of deceiving Jose's senses proves highly effective, allowing for flawless deception,

When Everit launches his assault, his magical prowess isn't employed through covertly infused deceptive spells but rather through direct magical attacks.

Deception magic and manipulation of five senses stem from secret infusion of magical essence, rendering it virtually undetectable. Even Guild Master Makarov could fall victim to its influence.

However, when Everit engages in actual combat, he relies on Tier and Haven.

Tier's six attributes serve to unleash an offensive magic, akin to Natsu's dragon slayer magic or Gray's manipulation of ice.

And the keen edge of Haven is sharpened by the augmentation of magical energy, much like Erza's mastery of various armors.

Neither of these methods adheres to the original intent of deception magic.

In essence, flaws become apparent at the moment of attack.

Though fleeting, even the slightest imperfection persists for only an instant.

Even a S-Class mage would struggle to discern it.

However, Jose is an exception.

Bolstered by his extensive combat experience, he swiftly evades and retaliates upon detecting any flaw.

This exemplifies the might of a Wizard Saints!

Be it magical prowess, resolve, or combat acumen and reflexes, Jose's proficiency is unparalleled!

"Annoying lad," Jose muttered, enduring the effects of Everit's magic.

At times, formidable enemies materialize before him, including a towering Makarov reminiscent of a demon.

Occasionally, the ground beneath him gives way, plunging him into a sensation of weightlessness so vivid it feels tangible.

Intermittently, darkness engulfs his vision, sound eludes his ears, and sensation fades from his body.

Periodically, glimpses of Everit's presence are "perceived" anew.

Everit utilized nearly every conceivable scenario and combination to deceive Jose. However, Jose always distinguished between deception and genuine attacks. 

He could snap out of the illusion the moment Everit revealed a flaw and swiftly counterattacked while defending.

This showcased the formidable combat prowess of the Wizard Saints Mage, a force not to be underestimated!

"Fairy Tail lad," Jose once again saw through the deception, executed a counterattack as he evaded the strike, and then commended with genuine emotion, "I must admit, you possess a formidable magic."

"Yes, it's a complete manipulation of the five senses, even attempting to infiltrate my heart and manipulate my emotions."

"If I were to grant you time to refine and strengthen your magic, I fear I'd face even greater challenges."

"Or if you were to join forces with Makarov, my defeat would be all but certain."

"Yet, speculation serves little purpose."

"Alright, I've deciphered your ploy. Now, it's my turn," Jose inquired, "Where do you conceal darkness, the most easily overlooked?"

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