บท 64: Chapter 63 : Gray vs Bickslow!!
Makarov listened to Laxus's response, his expression growing stern. "Laxus, you don't seem to understand what a guild truly is or what it means to be a companion."
He paused to let his words sink in, then continued in a grave tone, "Being guild master isn't an honor; it's a responsibility—a responsibility to protect your family. If you understood that, you wouldn't treat the guild as your personal property."
Laxus's frustration was clear. "So you're saying I can't become guild master because of those weaklings? What right do they have to question me?"
His face twisted in anger at Makarov's words.
Makarov replied firmly, "The guild isn't just a title or a position. Even if I wanted to, I can't just hand it over to you."
Natsu jumped in, looking equally serious. "Why do you always say stuff like this, Laxus? It doesn't matter if someone's strong or weak!"
"If you want to be a guild master, you need everyone's approval. You can't just take it by force," Natsu added.
"Approval?" Laxus sneered, glaring at Natsu. "You think I need your approval? We'll see how much that means when I'm done." With that, he disappeared.
Natsu clenched his fists, teeth gritting in frustration. "That jerk! I'll straighten him out for sure!"
"But we're stuck here," Gajeel reminded him.
"Don't worry, Gray will figure something out," Natsu replied confidently.
Meanwhile, battle information continued to flash across the barrier. Some fights were ending in defeat, while others were just getting started.
Gray was having his share of victories, but then came the latest update:
[Gray vs. Bickslow]
Everyone frowned. This wasn't going to be an easy fight.
"Happy, Bickslow is strong, and he's probably guarding a magic circle. Go help Gray," Natsu said.
"Aye, sir!" Happy replied enthusiastically, taking off to find Gray.
On the other side of the square, Gray spotted Bickslow with his unusual appearance: black clothes with white vertical stripes, a thick purple band from his chest to his waist, a helmet covering half his face, and his tongue sticking out just enough to show the guild emblem.
Behind him, a stone statue of Mirajane was placed within a magic circle.
"Gray, you're challenging me?" Bickslow grinned.
Gray steadied his breathing, his resolve firm. "Looks like I have no choice, so let's get this over with."
Bickslow laughed maniacally. "Let's do this!" His magic involved puppet possession—he could attach his soul to a puppet and control it. The battle was about to begin.
The most common ones were a set of five small puppets—cylindrical in shape, each with a different painted expression and some really cute names.
These five puppets could be arranged in various combinations, each yielding a different magical effect.
"Hahaha, Gray, get ready to feel the heat from these little guys!"
Bickslow was manipulating the puppets, rapidly changing their formations to launch magical attacks at Gray.
Gray used his ice magic to block the onslaught, but it was a challenge.
He spotted an opening and quickly fired a spell at it, freezing all five of the dolls in place. Gray immediately seized the chance and charged toward Bickslow.
"That's pointless, Gray," Bickslow said without a hint of panic. The distance between them was still considerable. He continued, "My magic allows me to transfer the soul from one doll to another. Even if you freeze the puppets, I can just move the soul to another one."
With a smirk, Bickslow pulled out five more dolls from a nearby clothing store.
"What a troublesome kind of magic," Gray muttered to himself. It seemed like the magic energy he conserved during his fight with Everit was going to get used up here.
"Then what if I freeze your actual body? Can you still move your soul then?" Gray decided to go all out, releasing a massive burst of ice magic.
"That's dangerous!" Bickslow exclaimed as he turned and sprinted away.
"Stop right there!" Gray yelled, giving chase. He ran after Bickslow but quickly found himself caught in a trap.
Oh no! It was Fried's trap!
Gray was now stuck in a small barrier with only one exit, but he couldn't fly out.
"Gray, Gray, fighting Natsu all these years has made you as thick-headed as he is," Bickslow taunted with a smug grin.
'Om'—a line of text appeared before Gray, reading: "No Magic Allowed Inside the Barrier!"
"Damn it!" Gray growled, gritting his teeth.
Bickslow laughed, his voice echoing with triumph. "Ha! Magic might be useless inside the barrier, but outside? That's where I shine. And I'm a long-range attack type, so you're in trouble."
He waved his hand, signaling his puppets into action.
"Time for some fun! Give Gray a good night's sleep!" Bickslow commanded, sending five puppets zooming toward Gray, ready to unleash a barrage of magic bombs.
"Gray!" A voice called from above.
Gray glanced up and saw Happy descending from the sky. He tried to warn him, "Happy, don't come in here! You won't be able to fly inside the barrier."
Too late. Magic bombs rained down, detonating with ear-splitting blasts. The force of the explosions tossed Gray's clothing and left streaks of blood on his body.
Bickslow watched with wide-eyed surprise. He hadn't expected Gray to be hit so easily, and his magic output faltered for a moment.
"Gray!" Happy dived down, grabbing Gray by the back of his shirt and pulling him from the chaos.
With a swift flap of his wings, Happy whisked Gray out of the barrier's range, where the injured Gray could recover.
Bickslow cackled as he commanded his puppets to pursue them. "Catch up, my little pets!" he shouted, enjoying the thrill of the chase.
Happy flew as fast as he could, but Gray, hanging from his grasp, knew they couldn't outrun the puppets forever. "Happy, throw me back!" he urged, his voice strained.
Happy hesitated. "But Gray, you're hurt!"
"It doesn't matter!" Gray insisted, his expression hard as steel.
With a burst of speed, Happy swung Gray around and launched him toward Bickslow. The puppeteer smirked as Gray flew through the air, defenseless. "You must have a death wish, Gray! How do you expect to dodge my magic if you can't fly?"
Gray grinned in defiance, his body brimming with magic power. "Come on, then. Let's see what you've got!"
Bickslow didn't hold back. He cranked his magic output to the max, his eyes filled with maniacal glee. "Magic Doll Light Kill Cannon!" he roared, sending a blinding beam of light shooting straight at Gray.
The battle was reaching its climax, and the fate of Gray and his friends was hanging in the balance. Would Gray's daring gamble pay off, or would Bickslow's deadly attack be the end of him?
"Gray!" Happy shouted in alarm as the beam of light cannoned toward his friend.
"Ice-Make—" Gray didn't falter as he unleashed his magic to counter the approaching attack.
"Shield!" A massive wall of ice erupted in front of him.
As the wall rose, it created a barrier between Gray and Bickslow's attack. But the light cannon was too powerful, and it blasted through the ice with a deafening crash.
"Ha! Gray, you can't stop my magic!" Bickslow exclaimed with a smug grin.
"Is that so?" Gray retorted.
Just as the light beam tore through the ice, Gray nimbly slid down the side of the wall, narrowly avoiding the blast. He took advantage of the dispersing ice shards to obscure Bickslow's line of sight, giving him the opening he needed.
Bickslow's instincts kicked in as he tried to back away, but Gray was already too close for him to escape.
"Ice-Make—"
"Sevenfold Dance!"
Ice crystals enveloped Gray's right arm and left elbow, forming two sleek, razor-sharp blades. He spun into Bickslow, striking seven times in rapid succession.
Bickslow was hit by the barrage and sent flying backward. The force of the impact was enough to throw him to the ground, where he landed with a heavy thud, unconscious.
As he hit the ground, the light from Bickslow's magical array faded, and with it, the petrification effect on his surroundings dissipated.
"Phew..." Gray exhaled, feeling the rush of adrenaline subside.
"Gray!" Mirajane and Happy rushed over to check on him.
Back at the guild, the tension had broken.
"I knew Gray would come through!" Natsu exclaimed with a wide grin.
Makarov, the guild master, let out a sigh of relief. His trust in his wizards had paid off once again.
****
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