Dannis vs Gildarts

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[Tenrou Island]

— Dannis Martell —

We moved simultaneously. Mirajane took to the sky while I dashed forward with tremendous speeds, Obsidian already cloaked in darkness as I swung it towards Gildarts. From above, Mira unleashed a barrage of dark energy blasts.

Gildarts caught my blade with his bare hand, he raised his other arm and with a casual flick, turned Mira's blasts into harmless cubes that dissipated into nothingness. "You'll need to do better than that." He taunted, a grin spreading across his face.

I say nothing in reply as I concentrate my magic to the tip of my sword, a single point that evolves into a dot of black light. 

"Void Burst!"

Gildarts had no choice but to take the full blast point blank as a devastating explosion happened right in front of his face. I use the chance to dash away from his attack range and use the smokescreen to my advantage.

"Avidya Wild Slash!"

"Evil Shower!"

I swing my blade in a disorderly manner, crescent blades of darkness being launched towards Gildarts position. Mirajane worked in tandem with me as she attacked from another angle, a sphere of darkness in her hands that split apart into numerous bullets that bombarded Gildarts position.

"Crush!"

A searing wave of power extended from Gildarts' form as every single one of our attacks disintegrated in a deafening boom. 

"You two have spirit, I'll give you that." As the smoke dissipated, Gildarts was shown completely untouched by our power.

"Your magic power is bullshit." Mirajane mumbled as a bead of sweat rolled on her forehead.

"Ahahaha! It sure is. But then again, I always did have trouble holding back. I'm going on the offense now, try not to die kiddos." 

Gildarts body blurred, I could barely follow his movements. It was only my Clairvoyance that allowed me to know what he intended to do.

"Mira! Your right wing!"

My warning allowed Mirajane to tuck her wings in time for Gildarts' attack to miss. He had launched himself at impossible speeds and cleared the distance with the flying Mira in a single jump.

As Mira fell in a backdive, I took the chance to target him in midair. I pull back my sword before thrusting it forward, launching a focused blast towards the Ace of Fairy Tail.

"Death Thrust!"

"Woah woah! Going for the kill already?! I underestimated your resolve, Dannis!" Gildarts bellowed as he pulled back his fist and smacked the spell away.

I grimaced at the sight of him destroying my attacks with ease. Below him, Mirajane raised both her arms as she launched a dark purple beam, trying to take advantage from the moment of distraction.

"Soul Extinctor!"

Without even looking at Mira, Gildarts moved in midair as he shifted his body slightly, letting the attack pass harmlessly through the air.

He then raised an arm in her direction, a wave of magic that sent her crashing to the ground. When the smoke cleared, It revealed Mira's unconscious form.

"Mira!" I cry out in disbelief. 'He just beat Mira unconscious with one hit!' I realize.

"You should focus on yourself, brat!"

My instincts reacted, as I formed a dome of darkness that protected me from Gildarts's heavy blow. I felt my knees buckle just from the impact, my shield riddled with numerous cracks from that attack.

"Decent defense, but nowhere near enough."

A simple clench of Gildarts' fist destroyed the dome, as another fist connected with my stomach, sending me flying back. I crashed into a tree with tremendous force, the impact rattling my bones.

I vomited spittle and blood as I struggled to my feet. Gildarts smiled. "Knew that wasn't enough to take you down. I know this isn't all you're capable of kiddo. Come on. Show me what you can really do."

My eyes narrowed as I wiped the blood off the side of my mouth. "Alright then."

With a deep breath, I focused my magic. After Makarov told me to become stronger, one of the things I really put focus on was to increase the potency of my magic. I realized that the amount of magic I had didn't really matter in the long run since my absorption ability could turn other people's magic and use it to supplement myself.

Which means if I play it right, I would never run out of magic in a fight. Increasing the overall raw potential and force of my magic was one of the main things I could do to become stronger.

The result?

Wafts of darkness flowed from my body like smoke, swirling around me in a dense, inky cloud. The air grew colder as shadows coalesced, forming a tangible, solid shape. Piece by piece, dark energy began to materialize on every part of my body. 

"Dark Cloaked Armor: Black Samurai."

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— Mavis Vermillion —

Unseen by anyone, she stood atop a cliff gazing at the battle that was currently underway. 

She looked at the younger combatant, whose form was now covered in armor created by his own magic.

The armor was as pitch black as midnight, absorbing all light that touched them. Intricate designs, reminiscent of ancient runes, glowed faintly along the surface of the chest plate, pulsating with dark energy.

His arms were encased in vambraces and gauntlets that ended in sharp, claw-like fingers. As the transformation neared completion, the darkness swirled up to form the helmet. It enclosed the young mage's head, leaving his glowing red and black eye visible through a narrow slit. 

The helmet's design was reminiscent of a traditional samurai, but twisted with dark, gothic elements. A long, flowing plume of dark energy trailed from the top, giving the appearance of a mane made from shadows. 

To complete the look, a long and tattered cape of darkness draped from his shoulders, billowing and shifting like smoke in the wind. 

[Armor Image]

It wasn't just his physical appearance that changed, his magic did as well. The presence that the boy now had was not something that could easily be brushed off. 

She had been watching the exams since the start. As far as she knew, he was already S-Class material. The strength of his magic, mind, and heart are all worthy of the title. 

However, she didn't expect him to pull out something like this. 

There was something about Dannis Martell that's bugging her. Something about him is eerily familiar. She can't put a pin on it exactly, but there is something within him that attracts her attention. 

Nevertheless, the battle had ascended into another level. Despite her feelings, she genuinely smiled. She had heard his declaration in the first phase of the trials. His goal to protect his home is one to be admired. 

She's glad that despite being a hundred years since its founding, Fairy Tail remains to be a guild that is built on love and camaraderie. Whatever the result of tonight's fight, she knows that Dannis Martell would continue to grow to become a wizard worthy of carrying Fairy Tail's mark.

The guild will remain safe with him as the future ace. Like Gildarts, he will become a great pillar for the next generation to lean on.

That she believes wholeheartedly.

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— Dannis Martell —

As the swirling darkness coalesced into the form of my armor, I felt the familiar surge of power wash over me. My body felt light, my senses heightened, and my resolve steeled. Gildarts stood a few paces away, still standing in his casual stance belying the immense power I knew he held.

"Impressive," Gildarts remarked, his eyes glinting with approval and a twinge of excitement. "Looks like you're finally getting serious."

Without a moment's hesitation, I launched myself forward, breaking the ground beneath me as my steps echo with a faint, otherworldly resonance. 

I closed the distance between us in an instant. My first strike was a powerful downward slash, the blade of my sword humming with dark energy. Gildarts parried it with ease, but I was already moving, spinning into a swift roundhouse kick aimed at his head.

He blocked it with his forearm, but the force pushed him back slightly. Taking advantage of the momentum, I followed up with a rapid series of slashes, each one leaving trails of darkness in the air. Gildarts deflected and dodged with remarkable speed, but I could see the slight surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected this level of aggression.

"Not bad," he said with a grin, before countering with a powerful punch. I barely managed to block it with Obsidian, but the impact sent a shockwave through my arm. Gritting my teeth, I used the force of his blow to propel myself backward, gaining some distance as I raised a palm in his direction.

"Darkhold."

A dark aura emanated from Gildarts as I telekinetically froze him in place. A dark mark in the shape of a hand visible on the center of his chest that is already starting to crack. 

I knew this wouldn't stop him for more than a second. It's purpose is to simply give me enough time to unleash one of my most powerful moves.

"Hell's Accompaniment!"

The sphere of darkness was launched forth at the same time that Gildarts broke free from my hold. He met the spell head-on with a blast of his Crash Magic, grinning all the while. The two forces collided in a dazzling explosion of light and darkness.

The ground beneath us shook, and trees nearby were uprooted by the sheer force of our clash. I could feel the strain on my body, but I pushed through, charging at Gildarts once more. Darkness formed at the edge of my blade. This time, I focused my attacks on his midsection, trying to break his defense.

"Extend!"

My sword lengthened at the last second as it clashed with his fists. Gildarts met each strike easily, his movements fluid as he blocked and countered. "You've certainly gotten better, kid. But you'll need more than that to take me down!"

With a roar, he unleashed a massive wave of Crash Magic. I crossed my arms in front of me, summoning all my dark energy to form a barrier. The wave hit with the force of a hurricane, and for a moment, it felt like I was being crushed under the weight of a mountain. But my barrier held, and I emerged from the smoke, my armor cracked but still intact.

I lunged forward once more, aiming for his exposed side, but Gildarts was faster. He sidestepped and delivered a devastating punch to my ribs, sending me flying across the clearing. I crashed into another tree, the impact shattering it into splinters. Pain flared through my body, but I forced myself to stand.

'Stop attacking mindlessly!' I scream to myself. 'Use your head! Focus on his movements! '

"Dark Dimension!"

Waves upon waves of dark energy poured out from my body as it covered the entire clearing that we stood on. Complete and utter darkness blanketed the area, taking away all sense of sight from everyone present.

"Eye of Midnight."

My right eye glowed as everything around me turned clear as if we were beneath the bright sky. I could see a smirk on Gildarts' face as he looked from side to side, still utterly confident despite losing the ability to see anything in pitch black darkness.

I moved towards him, doing my best to keep sounds to minimum as I aim to swing at his torso.

"This is one hell of a spell. But you're still too green."

My clairvoyance told me about what was gonna happen next, but I was powerless to stop it. Without saying a word, Gildarts unleashed a burst of pure Crash Magic. The shockwave that was formed knocked me off balance as the Dark Dimension cracked and dissipated into black cubes.

Gildarts immediately appeared in front of me and followed up with a series of brutal punches, each one hitting with the force of a sledgehammer. I tried to counter, but he was too fast, too strong.

The final blow came in the form of a devastating uppercut that lifted me off my feet and sent me crashing into the ground. I felt my brain rattle as my armor shattered, and I lay there, gasping for breath, unable to move.

Gildarts stood over me, his expression one of respect and pride. "You've fought well, kid. Congratulations on becoming S-Class. I'm glad to choose you as my future successor."

That was when I noticed, Gildarts had not one hair out of place. He didn't have a single injury marking his body. That entire fight, I didn't even land a single hit on him.

'What a fucking monster,' was my last thought before I fell into blissful unconsciousness.

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— End of Road to Glory arc —

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AN: I hope I managed to properly show just how large the shoes that Dannis aims to fill in the far future. At this point, there was literally nothing he could do to even touch Gildarts unless the man was being lenient.

Fun fact, Gildarts didn't unleash a single named attack. Crazy huh.

Fight scenes have always been a weakness of mine, so I hope I do this one with justice.

This brings an end to the S-Class trials, and subsequently the end to the Road to Glory Saga. It encompassed Dannis's solo missions, the Strauss Siblings, Dannis's magic being revealed as demonic in nature, and the S-Class trials. 

Next, we'll dive a little deeper towards the demon side of things.

I hope you enjoyed the story so far, I've had a blast in writing it.

Cheers lads.