Middle level of the Tower of Heaven. The area where the prison cells were located.
Shō used his own card magic to pack away the last batch of laborers and guards.
"With this, there's no one else left in the tower."
Shō handed all the cards to Wally. His eyes still flickered with madness and resentment.
Only now, the target of that hatred had shifted from Erza to Jellal. "You guys go ahead. I'm going to kill Jellal!"
Under Simon's somber explanation Simon who had shared the same experience Shō finally woke up. He believed the truth Chase had told him. He recognized that all their suffering came from Jellal.
His gentle, strong sister Erza had been silently carrying the weight of all their lives, suffering as she moved forward.
This was something Shō couldn't accept in the moment. He wanted to tear the root of all evil, Jellal, into a thousand pieces!
Compared to his anger or foolishness Millianna and Wally hung their heads in silence, their expressions dark.
Erza was the one who could never betray them. Simon had been so firm.
And yet they...
"Wait, Shō!"
In the end, Simon — the most rational of the group — reached out and grabbed Shō. "Trust Mr. Chase. We need to evacuate the tower now."
What had made him decide to step forward and reveal the truth was the overwhelming combat strength Chase and Mira had displayed.
Those two — Erza's current comrades — might actually be able to defeat Jellal!
"Don't be ridiculous. This is our own problem. I have to—"
"That's enough, Shō! How much longer are you going to be an idiot?!"
Simon rarely roared in anger. "After all this time, you still can't trust the comrades Erza has chosen?! If we go, we'll only get in Mr. Chase's way!!"
Shō — and even Millianna and Wally — were stunned frozen by the sudden outburst.
In all their years together in the Tower of Heaven, this was the first time they had seen the usually good-tempered Simon so angry.
"If... if I had the power, do you think I'd be willing to leave like this? More than any of you, I want to kill that bastard Jellal — with my own hands — for Erza!"
Simon looked up at the ceiling. His single eye was filled with bloodshot veins. His fists were clenched tight. "But I'm just too useless. Countless nights, I've cursed my own weakness!"
"This heart-wrenching pain, this suffering — do you understand it, Shō?!"
"Hey, Shō... let's just take everyone and leave here for now..." Millianna advised weakly.
"I hate it, but... this really is the most we can do to help," Wally sighed deeply.
"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!" Shō knelt on the ground, pounding the floor like crazy.
Only after he had bloodied both his hands did he regain some of his composure and accept reality.
And so, the group quickly evacuated to the lower levels, preparing to take a boat and leave the Tower of Heaven — which was about to become a battlefield for the truly strong.
Top floor, command hall. The faint glow of blue magic crystals brought a bit of light to the dim environment.
CRACK, CRACK.
Steady, powerful footsteps approached from afar, echoing through the spacious, silent space.
Jellal sat on a raised platform, his legs crossed. He propped one hand on his cheek, marked with a crimson pattern.
His casual, relaxed gaze looked down, falling on the man who had slowly walked to the center of the hall.
"Welcome to my paradise. I hope you've been having fun, Mr. Chase?" Jellal sat up slightly.
"Pretty mediocre. Didn't even count as a warm-up."
Chase stopped walking and stretched his muscles. "If you're at that level too, I'll be very disappointed."
"Heh. Just as arrogant as the rumors say."
Jellal's pupils shifted slightly as he looked at the empty space behind Chase. He asked curiously, "Where's the demon Mirajane who came with you?"
There were cameras all over the Tower of Heaven.
But not long after Chase and Mira parted ways with Shō and the others, at a certain blind spot, Mirajane had vanished as if into thin air.
"Who knows? Want to guess?" Chase smiled mysteriously and spread his arms.
Jellal was unmoved. He hadn't expected an answer anyway, nor did he particularly care. His gaze gradually turned cold as he got straight to the point.
"Remove the magic you've placed on Ultear. I'll pretend nothing ever happened."
So it really was because of Ultear's sudden change that he targeted me.
From the moment the Three Crows appeared in Magnolia, Chase had already guessed the reason. So he wasn't surprised by Jellal's words.
That said, from this angle — had he somehow been saddled with a blame he didn't deserve?
"And if I don't?" Chase asked.
Having received his "personal admission," Jellal's gaze turned cold. His voice was low. "I will kill you. Then I will make Fairy Tail disappear from Fiore!"
"Compared to the hypocrisy back at the Magic Council branch, honestly, I like your current personality much better — Siegrain. No... Jellal!" Chase said with a smile.
Hearing this, Jellal was shocked. He could no longer remain calm.
His thought projection disguise hadn't even been detected by those old men at the Magic Council yet this man had seen through it after just one meeting?!
"I really did underestimate you..." Jellal's eyes, now calm again, revealed murderous intent.
He didn't know how much information that woman Ultear had leaked. But no matter what, he absolutely could not let Chase leave the Tower of Heaven alive.
For the sake of his supreme ideal to revive Zeref!
With that thought, Jellal slowly stood up from his raised seat. Surging golden magic power swirled around him.
Chase, naturally unafraid, stepped forward and liberated his own magic power.
A dark gold storm roared out, matching Jellal's output. It brought a palpitation-inducing pressure to the entire command hall.
The two resulting magic powers collided. The energy waves picked up gravel and debris, suspending them in mid-air in an anti-gravity state, trembling continuously.
The moment the magical clash reached a certain balance and the gravel fell back to the ground—
"Meteor!"
Jellal moved first. He turned into a golden streak of light, barely visible to the naked eye, and charged straight at Chase.
Despite his outward confidence, he was still wary of Chase's card magic. He wanted to end the fight as quickly as possible.
What he didn't know was that Chase also understood the Heavenly Body Magic he used and had been preparing for it long ago!
A magic circle lit up on his right arm. Chase planted his feet and swung the Right Arm of the Forbidden One with full force at the golden light that had suddenly appeared before him.
BOOM!!
He successfully caught Jellal's attack trajectory. Their fists collided in mid-air, exploding into a wild, raging gale!
Almost at the same instant, Chase lost his balance and uncontrollably tilted forward the Jellal who had traded blows with him had suddenly vanished into thin air.
"Too slow."
Jellal's mocking, low voice came from behind.
Chase looked back. The magic circle Jellal had drawn was blazing with golden light, filling his entire field of vision!
"Who's really slower, though?"
HUM!
The moment Chase spoke, a card flipped beneath Jellal's feet. The Trap Card Hexagram Curse — activated instantly!
Golden light traced a hexagram pattern over Jellal's body. Binding force was released, forcibly interrupting the Light Magic he had been charging!
A magic similar to my Binding Snake?
While Jellal was caught off guard, the ground behind him cracked inch by inch. The Rock Giant Soldier emerged from the falling debris, its massive form appearing. Its twin rock swords spun and stabbed down heavily!
CRASH!
The heavy force pierced through the ground. But Jellal, struck, remained expressionless. He turned into specks of golden light and rapidly condensed in mid-air.
The moment he re-formed his body, Jellal cleanly and swiftly swung his arms, sending several Light Magic blasts. He shattered the Rock Giant Soldier and sent them flying at Chase.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Meteor light fell from the sky, causing a chain of explosions in Chase's area!
Jellal, hovering in mid-air, had just revealed a triumphant smile when his pupils suddenly contracted.
Deep within the smoke from the explosions, flames erupted. Curse of Dragon, bathed in blazing fire, spread its wings and soared. Carrying a wave of scorching heat, it charged straight at him!
He was a Ten Wizard Saint, after all. Jellal reacted very quickly. He gathered Light Magic into his clenched right fist and confronted Curse of Dragon with brutal dominance, smashing it — along with its flames — into monster fragments flying through the air!
The next second, Chase, hiding behind Curse of Dragon and using the flames to conceal his presence, threw a fierce punch and slammed it into Jellal's cheek.
That's right. Curse of Dragon was just a feint.
This guy?!
Jellal was sent flying by the unexpected punch. He fell from mid-air, crashing directly onto the raised seat where he had been sitting, exploding gravel everywhere.
And Chase, who had successfully landed a punch, was also hit by a streak of light that shot up from the ground — Jellal had hidden one of his Meteor attacks!
BOOM!!
The two explosions happened almost simultaneously. The dust they kicked up took several seconds to gradually dissipate.
In this initial exchange, neither Chase nor Jellal had gained much of an advantage over the other.
"I see. Not only is your card magic on a much higher level than trash like Shō, but you yourself also have considerable reaction speed and combat skills..."
Jellal walked out of the dust, raised his hand, and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He sighed. "No wonder the Three Crows failed to assassinate you."
After this brief clash, he had probably assessed Chase's level. He was much more troublesome than the intelligence had suggested.
"You're not bad either. Lives up to that Ten Wizard Saints badge on your chest."
Chase casually glanced at the superficial wound on his arm.
Setting aside who was stronger, a speed-type fighter like Jellal was indeed much more oppressive to him than Jose who was also a Ten Wizard Saint!
During that temptation, there had been several times when Chase wanted to play a better card combination, but he had never found the opportunity.
Jellal's speed was just too fast. And his attack power was insanely high!
"The warm-up ends here. Let's move on to the second round, Jellal."
Chase grabbed the collar of his cape and yanked it off, revealing his muscular upper body.
"Heh. It's been a long time since I've faced an opponent like you."
Jellal smiled and similarly tore off his cloak. "Chase... you should be able to entertain me well, don't you think?"
Unlike Chase, he still wore a black, form-fitting base layer short-sleeve shirt. But the contours of his muscles were still very distinct.
Between the strong, no words were needed — nor did they need reputation or rumors to set the stage. Their clash just now had already made them acknowledge each other.
For that very reason, the coming battle was destined to be exceptionally fierce!
Unfortunately, the Strongest Team — having dug the truth out of Makarov — was still on a boat, rushing toward them. Otherwise, Lucy would have certainly complained:
But seriously... why do both sides have to take off their clothes?!
BOOM!!
Chase activated his God Slayer magic state. He stood within a violent field. Faint dragon scales appeared on his skin and even on his cheeks.
Dark red magic power bloomed like a surging tide. Around him, it condensed into the imposing phantom of Slifer the Sky Dragon naturally commanding respect without anger.
"An ancient Lost Magic like Fire Dragon Natsu's? No... this mysterious, ancient aura... what is it?"
Jellal was suddenly shocked. Deep within his wide eyes, the majestic phantom of Slifer the Sky Dragon was reflected.
A visual impact unlike any he had ever experienced made every nerve in his body tense. He unhesitatingly released all of his magic power to resist the invisible pressure that came with it.
Amid the sky full of golden light, he attacked first. He crossed his arms above his head and continuously poured magic power into his palms.
SWOOSH, SWOOSH, SWOOSH.
A fierce wind raged. Space trembled. A pitch-black sphere with stars flowing across its surface constantly expanding, as if it would suck in everything around it.
Even the shadows cast on the ground were affected, stretching in the opposite direction!
That was one of Jellal's ultimate moves the spell that had killed Simon in the original story: Dark Paradise!
"Posturing is useless. Let's see if you can take this, Chase!"
Jellal roared. He shifted his body and hurled the black hole, nearly three meters in diameter, toward Chase with all his strength. "Devour all matter, devour the enemy — Dark Paradise!!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The pitch-black sphere flew close to the ground. Wherever it passed — whether floor tiles or the concrete and steel beneath — everything was reduced to dust in an instant.
Tearing winds howled.
Chase stood still. The Dark Magician's staff in his hand spun rapidly and pointed at the approaching black sphere.
While Jellal was charging his killing move, Chase hadn't been idle either.
Slifer's God Slayer magic was for the close-quarters combat to come. Against Jellal's Dark Paradise — well, using magic to defeat magic was the simplest and most brutal way!
"Dark Magic!"
HUM, HUM, HUM.
Dark, deep energy accumulated at the tip of the staff. Accompanied by crackling arcs of electricity, a dark purple sphere — similar in form to the Dark Paradise black hole — shot out.
Wherever it passed, it too mercilessly destroyed everything in its path!
This was Dark Magician's signature magic. Under the double boost of its exclusive magic card and Chase's God Slayer state, its power had become terrifying!
The two speeding spheres pulled each other, growing faster and faster — until they collided with a mighty crash.
BOOM!!!
In an instant, a fierce wind erupted. Thunder roared. Extremely violent energy blasted the entire hall.
A dark purple beam, rising from the ground, pulverized the top of the Tower of Heaven and shot straight into the clouds!
Under this collision of magic power, the entire Tower of Heaven trembled violently. Countless gravel and abandoned steel pipes rained down into the sea!
***
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