Chapter 26 (SC)

Third Person POV

Laxus struck out his fist, covered in lightning towards Itachi.

Itachi swerved his head, dodging the attack as he struck his palm towards Laxus's chest.

Laxus winced in pain as he delivered a counterattack by releasing a surge of electricity in the surrounding air.

Itachi fell backward, evading the lightning.

Laxus looked downwards and clenched his fists, enshrouding himself in another layer of lightning.

He then raised his hands outward and redirected the lightning surrounding his body into a large sphere of electricity.

Laxus grinned as he stared down at Itachi before roaring.

"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!"

As Laxus fell, he threw the powerful ball of lightning towards Itachi who calmly looked up at the oncoming attack.

Laxus grinned as he shouted, "Now what will you do?!"

BOOM!

Simultaneously, Laxus and his halberd shook the ground once more.

The surrounding ground that spanned for miles shook in a frenzy.

In the forest clearing that Itachi and Laxus fought at, dust and smoke seemed to cover everything.

Laxus stood up, waving off the dust as he stared intensely at where his attack landed. His eyes were now open.

"Is it... over?"

However, he could only look on with wide eyes as he realized that Itachi had come out unscathed from his all-out attack.

"What! No way! You took that head-on!"

As the dust and smoke slowly moved out of the way, Laxus saw a flame-like aura that surrounded Itachi. It was like Natsu's only that it was more transparent.

"What is this?" Laxus began to feel nervous. He didn't know what just happened.

Itachi silently gazed at Laxus before lifting up his right arm, as if analyzing the damage done to it. He then looked at Laxus and said,

"You completely obliterated the first form."

Laxus slightly froze.

"First...?"

Itachi then stepped forward, a heavy surge of magic energy surging outwards.

The combination of his scarlet red eyes and the waves of magic exploding forth made for an intimidating sight.

Laxus then narrowed his eyes in anger, not willing to fall back.

He stepped forward, his own magic energy flowing outwards, countering Itachi's own.

The lightning and transparent flames seemed to clash with one another but Laxus didn't like this feeling.

He knew.

He knew that Itachi was holding back his magic.

Laxus grit his teeth in anger and stepped forward, unwilling to back down from the fight. He glared at Itachi, saying,

"Itachi... Do not look down on me."

Itachi stared at Laxus silently before sighing as he shook his head.

"You are far too arrogant for your own good."

Laxus clenched his fists, lightning flickering around them.

"You may be stronger, but I do not believe that I will lose this! I am a Dragon Slayer!"

Laxus then launched himself forward sending rocks and dirt flying outwards.

Itachi stared at the image of Laxus enclosed in lightning, speeding towards him.

He then calmly smiled as his magic power slowly fell.

"Then show me. What a Dragon Slayer can truly do," he lightly muttered.

Laxus widened his eyes in shock and confusion as he noticed Itachi unbothered to defend himself against his attack.

'No, he must have done something!'

CRACK! BOOM!

There was a loud sound of bones cracking as Laxus impaled his fist through Itachi. A huge wave of magical energy expanded outwards as Laxus had landed his first hit on Itachi.

"W-What?"

Laxus stared at Itachi in confusion.

"Why didn't you...-?"

However, he was interrupted as he saw the facial features of Itachi begin to deform into black shapes.

The caw of crows could be heard as the body surrounding Laxus's fist transformed into dark crows.

CAW! CAW! CAW!

Dozens of crows burst from where Itachi formerly stood.

Laxus covered his eyes and stepped back, now realizing he seemed to have fallen for some illusion of Itachi's.

"A simple illusion like this won't work on me..."

Laxus confidently smiled as he felt the slight fluctuations within his magic. Closing his eyes, he began to meditate, calming his heart and breathing.

Gradually, his magic energy pool began to restore its calmness.

Laxus laughed mockingly saying,

"Not enough. Itachi, you may be powerful but that is only when your illusion works. Otherwise-"

BOOM!

Laxus was interrupted as he heard a thundering stomp, dozens of meters from where he stood.

His eyelids lightly trembled as he began to have an ominous feeling.

"No! It's an illusion! Whatever it is! It's an illus-"

He could not continue as he was suddenly knocked off his feet and sent flying backward for hundreds of meters.

"Argh!"

Laxus crashed against dozens of trees, collapsing all of them.

A large trail of dust can be seen from where he was launched.

Laxus pulled himself up and doubled over, coughing blood.

He opened his eyes, which were now glazed over.

A dreadful feeling came up as he stared down at his splattered blood.

"No way! No way! This can't be real!"

He then lifted his head up, staring at the sky above.

"This can't be..."

He couldn't believe his eyes.

A yellow monster, several times larger than the Fairy Tail building itself towered over the surrounding mountains. Its demonic red eyes stared down at Laxus, almost as if it was peering into his soul.

"Impossible... a dragon"

"Run... I have to run..."

As Laxus stared at those giant satanic red eyes, he felt fear and only fear.

He was no Dragon Slayer.

Laxus stood up with shaky feet.

He took a small step back as he stared up at the dragon in terror.

The dragon narrowed its eyes, its throat rumbling.

Laxus gulped in horror.

It then stepped forward and let loose a roar, a roar that seemed to resound through all locations of the world.

"ROOOOAAAAAR!"

"Aaaah!"

Laxus fell back down in fear.

He felt it.

Felt his imminent death.

*Thump-thump*

Laxus turned around in fright as he heard small footsteps behind him. He looked up, his face drenched in sweat.

Itachi's scarlet red eyes seemed to reflect the intent of that dragon.

The intent of a killer.

Itachi stayed silent for several minutes as he continued to stare down at Laxus.

It was during these minutes that Laxus slowly regained his calm.

Laxus shifted uncomfortably as he sat, gulping in slight fear.

"That... that was an illusion wasn't it? I was under your control since the beginning of this battle."

Itachi's glowing red eyes seemed to answer for himself.

He then closed his eyes before saying,

"Release."

---

Laxus felt a sudden pull on his vision as he stared up at Itachi.

He blinked and then opened his eyes to the usual sight of the second floor of Fairy Tail.

Laxus eyes lightly shook as he turned to look at Itachi who leaned against the balcony, arms crossed.

Itachi's red eyes that spun in the black spiral curve gradually reverted back into the three tomoes that Laxus was used to seeing.

There was a silence between them for a moment before Itachi broke it.

"Laxus. You possess overwhelming power and arrogance. However, if you do not watch your step, that arrogance will be your downfall."

"It may be too early for you to truly understand what I mean, but in time, you will."

Itachi's words were solemn and had the purpose of teaching Laxus.

Laxus nodded slowly, still slightly fearful of what had just occurred.

"We will meet again soon."

Itachi then burst into crows that flew out of the guildhall.