41 The Dragon Sin of Fairy Tail

"The Dragon Sin?" Laxus asked. He looked at Meliodas and briefly saw on his left arm, another tattoo, opposite of the Fairy Tail symbol on his right arm.

"Why the hell do you call yourself that?!" Laxus laughed.

"Because I once failed to protect everyone…" Meliodas said coldly as he looked down at the ground. Laxus stopped laughing and looked at Meliodas. Meliodas suddenly vanished from his sight as he felt a sharp paint to his stomach. Meliodas's fist sunk into his torso as he heard the sound of his own ribs crack, sending him flying across the debris of the cathedral into the wall of a nearby building. As he crashed through the wall, he caught a glimpse of Meliodas walking towards him. 'Is he serious now?! There's now way he was holding back that much against me earlier!'

Laxus wearily got up from the hole in the wall he was lodged into. As he stood up, parts of the building began to collapse around him. He wiped the blood dripping from his mouth as he smirked at Meliodas.

"It's about time you got serious!" Laxus shouted. A cloak of lightning enveloped his body as he charged forward at Meliodas, who was still walking slowly towards him with a serious look on his face.

"Lightning Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Meliodas narrowed his eyes as he put a hand on Mel Force and jumped into the air towards Laxus. He quickly drew out his sword and swung down, faster than Laxus could even see.

"Enchant: Hellblaze!"

Black flames enveloped Meliodas's sword as he cut straight across Laxus's body before Laxus's fist could even reach him.

"GAAGHHHH!" Laxus screamed in pain as he fell to the ground. He looked down at the wound inflicted by Meliodas. He was heavily bleeding and he could feel a painful burning sensation unlike any other. 'Shit...that wasn't normal fire...what the hell were those flames?!' Laxus questioned in his head.

"You little shit!" Laxus yelled, angrier than before. He grit his teeth, trying to ignore the searing pain as he leaped forward at Meliodas. His open wound bled profusely as he moved at speeds even faster than he had shown before. Laxus charged at Meliodas, with Meliodas slashing forward towards Laxus. The blade cut at Laxus, leaving a gash in his side as he rolled mid air before kicking Mel Force out of Meliodas's hand. Mel Force soared through the air and landed on the ground several meters away.

As Meliodas rebounded from the kick, Laxus charged lightning magic in his fist as a bright magic circle appeared in front of him.

"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!"

With his lightning charged fist, he punched the magic circle. An even larger fist of lightning shot out of the circle, striking Meliodas and creating a large explosion of lightning in a dome of bright light.

Meliodas held his ground and raised his arms up as the attack pushed him back several meters away from Laxus. Meliodas looked back at Laxus who was already preparing another attack. As Meliodas tried to move his legs, to his dismay, he found his legs unable to move as most of his body was stunned from the massive shock of magic.

As Meliodas was unable to move away, Laxus stood facing him, his arms outstretched with palms facing him. Lightning magic was forming between his palms, taking form into the shape of a massive spear.

"Try and counter this you weak shit!" Laxus yelled as he finished charging his attack. The air around him crackled loudly as bolts of lightning shot out in all directions from his body.

"Lightning Dragon's Heavenly Halberd!"

The massive yellow spear of lightning was launched at Meliodas. Meliodas, unable to move his legs as he stood there, managed to move one of his arms out in front of him. Just before the supercharged halberd was about to collide into Meliodas, he faced a palm out at the attack and connected his thumb and pinkie finger.

To Laxus's shock, his attack completely vanished, dispersed without a trace. Laxus looked at Meliodas with a dumbfounded expression.

Meliodas, having gained feeling again in his legs, started stretching his legs in place as Laxus watched him. 'The hell kind of technique was that? My attack is just...gone?' Laxus thought to himself, in complete disbelief that one of his strongest attacks vanished without a trace.

"You're just full of tricks aren't you!" Laxus shouted. Meliodas turned his attention back at Laxus. He took a wobbly step towards Laxus as he slowly recovered from his temporary paralysis.

"Well, well well. I think that's enough, Laxus. There's no reason for us to fight like this any longer." Meliodas said with a grin. Laxus looked at Meliodas angrily and took a wobbly step forward. He nearly fell to the ground but managed to catch himself on one knee. The wound Meliodas had inflicted earlier was still heavily bleeding and the pain got worse by the second.

"You...no...everyone...ALL OF YOU WILL DIE BY MY HAND!" With blood still gushing out of Laxus's open wound, he stood back up and hunched over with his arms bent in front of him, palms facing each other. Between his palms, a bright light began to form.

Meliodas sensed the immense magical power coming from Laxus. A power made of light. Meliodas began walking faster towards Laxus, getting over his paralysis as he observed the attack. 'I don't think I want to get hit by something like this…'

"Laxus don't do it!" A voice shouted.

Meliodas and Laxus turned their heads at the same time. Barely able to keep himself up, was a man with long green hair and a red coat who was limping over to them.

"Freed?!" Laxus exclaimed. "You lost your fight too didn't you! Don't you dare tell me what to do!"

The light shining between Laxus's palms began to grow brighter and the magical power emitted from it continued to rise drastically. Light began to erupt from the ground around them, filling the skies with radiant beams and the area began to shake in a small earthquake.

"Laxus… your actions and passion… Deep inside, you want this guild to improve and you still care about the guild. But seeking power isn't the way! Trust me on this! I thought seeking power was the way to save my friends, but in the end, they were the ones saving me…" Meliodas said solemnly as he clenched his fist.

"And what do you know about this guild?!" Laxus yelled as the light grew even brighter.

"This guild is one where they value each other above all else. They see me as a comrade, and I see them as mine as well! I know they would be willing to stake their lives for me, so I will do the same for them!" Meliodas yelled back as he charged at Laxus.

"Then you can die with them!" Laxus yelled as the brightly shining light began to engulf the whole area, growing rapidly in size.

"Fairy..."

"No Laxus don't!" Freed yelled.

Through the bright shining light of Laxus's attack, a figure burst through the light. In that instant, Laxus looked up, his rage filled eyes turned into surprise as he saw Meliodas.

As he looked straight into Meliodas's emerald eyes, a change began to occur. The bright green color completely disappeared and turned pitch black. A black, spiral shaped henna formed above Meliodas's right eyebrow. An ominous magical presence was expelled from Meliodas's body.

"I WILL PROTECT MY FRIENDS UNTIL THE VERY END!" Meliodas yelled as he wound back his fist, clad in darkness.

"Your friends…" Laxus mumbled to himself as he watched the fist come at him at slow motion. "That's where your strength came from?"

"Laxus... You threw away your precious comrades in exchange for the worthless power you're seeking. That is your sin!"