At the top of the Nirvana's tower, Chase leaned against the railing with his arms crossed, enjoying the cool breeze.
Not far away, Erza and Mira were cleaning up the chaotic scene, herding Natsu and the others toward the underground rest area around the dueling platform.
Even though those guys had inexhaustible energy, they had just been through an intense battle against Grimoire Heart. With Wendy, their professional healer, not around, if they didn't rest properly, there would definitely be problems.
"So, the Black Dragon was drawn here by Gandora's presence, then..." Chase murmured quietly after listening to the information Dark Magician had brought back.
According to Zeref in the original story, the Black Dragon had suddenly appeared on Tenrou Island because it was attracted by the strong evil thoughts emanating from Hades and his group.
So, its arrival at the Death Forest wasn't entirely unexpected. In fact, Chase had left Dark Magician behind to observe the battlefield partly to verify that possibility.
And the result? There was clearly a slight deviation.
What had attracted the Black Dragon wasn't Hades or Grimoire Heart, but Gandora—or, to be more precise, the "scent of a dragon"!
He would have to be much more careful when summoning Gandora in the future.
Thinking this, Chase glanced at Dark Magician and asked curiously, "If I were to face that thing now, what would my chances be?"
Dark Magician pondered for a moment, then gave a fairly precise number. "3.2%."
The Black Dragon's magic immunity wasn't so much an ability as it was some kind of rule-based blessing. In the magical world of Fairy Tail, it was practically an unsolvable existence.
The only magic that could harm it was Dragon Slayer magic of the same level. Clearly, Chase didn't possess that kind of power yet.
That left only physical attacks.
But against the Black Dragon's devastating destructive power, even getting close was a problem. Not to mention that its physical body was even more perverted than that of ordinary great dragons!
In Dark Magician's judgment, Buster Blader, with his anti-dragon specialization, might be able to break through the Black Dragon's defenses. But dealing a fatal blow would be quite difficult. His chances were about 1%.
Aside from Buster Blader, there was, of course, the higher-level power of Slifer.
Unfortunately, the upper limit of Slifer's power was closely tied to the summoner's—Chase's—own magic power. At this stage, it was still far from enough. Only a 2% chance.
As for the remaining 0.2%? That accounted for factors like the power of the heart, specific circumstances, and the ever-changing battlefield situation.
"Just as I thought. In the end, one's own strength is what matters most," Chase said with a light sigh, not overly discouraged by the slim odds. "What if I add this card?"
At his raised fingertip, a stream of light danced, revealing a brand new monster card.
A grim expression, a shimmering warrior robe, a dragon-slaying greatsword embedded with magic orbs...
It was the fusion of Dark Magician and Buster Blader—Dark Paladin!
"I didn't expect this card to drop," Dark Magician said softly, a bit surprised that the new card was related to him. "My magical knowledge, combined with Buster Blader's dragon-hunting experience... that should probably increase your chances by another 2% to 2.5%."
"For detailed data, we would need to fuse first before drawing conclusions."
Seeing Dark Magician's meticulous, serious expression, Chase couldn't help but complained, "You know, you don't have to be that precise..."
"The study of magic must be conducted with absolute rigor. In this regard, both you and my idiot apprentice have considerable room for improvement."
"Ahaha." Chase laughed, scratching his head.
So he's treating my potential victory over the Black Dragon as a satisfying magical study?
As expected of you.
"I'm going back." Leaving those words behind, Dark Magician dissolved into specks of light and returned to the Card Space.
Chase had just obtained from Ultear Hades's knowledge base, accumulated over many years, covering most of the magic in the Fairy Tail world. Dark Magician of Chaos, Dark Magician Girl, and Silent Magician were already studying it. Naturally, Dark Magician, obsessed with the arcane, couldn't wait to join them.
Compared to complex magical theories, Chase was more interested in the "Grimoire Heart" (Fairy Heart)—the Ultra-Magic that Hades had developed and improved.
If he could obtain "unlimited magic power," it would be a massive enhancement for both himself and the entire guild!
Of course, even with unlimited bullets, he still couldn't defeat the Black Dragon, the "nuclear bomb" of the magical world. But the effect would be undeniable. At the very least, he would be able to escape unscathed!
As for whether they could successfully research it? Chase had great confidence in Dark Magician and the others' abilities. It would just take some time.
Just as he was thinking this, two distinct, beautiful figures appeared in his field of vision.
It was Mira and Erza, having finished dispersing the others.
"Chase, are you alright?" Erza asked with concern.
Although she hadn't participated in the main battle, she had learned from Macao and the others just how perilous Chase's final showdown with Hades had been.
That was an enemy even the master couldn't handle. One slip-up, and the entire guild could have been doomed!
The pressure he must have borne was unimaginable.
"I'm fine." Chase took a deep breath, suppressing the exhaustion that flowed through his body after the great battle. He raised his hand to smooth back his disheveled hair and leaned against the railing calmly. "Just a little wear and tear."
"Pfft." Seeing him trying to look cool, Mira couldn't help but laugh. "Is that so? Then why do you look like you'd fall over if someone gave you a gentle push?"
If he can still show off, it means the card nerd probably didn't suffer any lasting damage from the fight.
Chase wanted to deny it, but seeing Mira actually reach her arm toward him, he very pragmatically raised both hands. "Alright, fine. It was a storm."
He was truly completely drained. Every last drop of his magic power had been drained by the old man Hades. He was running on sheer willpower alone.
"But Chase, you really are incredible. To be able to go toe-to-toe with Hades at his peak," Erza said with sincere admiration.
"Haha, you're pretty amazing too, Erza. Taking out multiple dark guilds in such a short time and still making it back," Chase said with a smile.
He wasn't just being polite.
The dark guilds Hades had stationed closest to headquarters were undoubtedly the strongest. Their combined strength was on a completely different level from the Phantom Lord branch Mystogan had wiped out!
"Hmph. That's nothing special. If I had gone, I would have been even faster than Erza!" Mira said, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks in discontent.
You card nerd, you praise her but not me? I defeated the strongest of the Seven Kin, you know!
"Come to think of it, Mira, the opponent you defeated was Azuma, the user of Arc of the Great Tree, wasn't it?" Erza's gaze sharpened, her competitive spirit immediately ignited. She nodded seriously. "Taking down one of the Seven Kin is a pretty good achievement. You can sit at Lucy's table at the victory banquet~"
Hearing this, Mira immediately flashed a genuinely kind smile and launched her counterattack. "Erza probably doesn't know this, but there's a considerable gap in strength among the Seven Kin, does she?"
"Let alone Lucy, if you had faced Azuma, you probably would have had to bring out your treasured Seduction Armor to have a chance at winning."
Erza simply imagined that scene for a moment, and her entire face turned bright red. "H-how do you know about the Seduction Armor?! I-I'm not like Lucy! I would never use that in battle, even if it killed me!"
Lucy: Why is it always me?!
"Oh? What if the opponent were Chase?" Mira asked with a beaming smile.
"I might... consider it," Erza admitted, nodding instinctively.
"Just as I thought. I simply can't get along with you, Iron Woman."
A black-purple magical array flashed. Mira instantly activated her Satan Soul Take Over, her face dark as she stared at Erza.
Realizing she had been tricked, Erza similarly donned her Purgatory Armor, her expression equally hostile. "Want to have a long-overdue fight, you damn violent woman?"
BAM!
As if reverting to their childhood, the two pressed their foreheads heavily together.
The next second, they simultaneously noticed Chase tiptoeing away like a sneaking cat. "STOP RIGHT THERE!"
"Ahem, ahem. You two go ahead. I need to go report to the master," Chase said, forcing a smile.
Normally, he wouldn't be intimidated. But right now, with his magic power depleted, if he got knocked unconscious by the shockwaves of their fight, he would never hear the end of it from Natsu and the others. He would be the guild's laughingstock for a week—no, a month.
"I heard from Lisanna, you know. Weren't you the one who boldly declared 'both'?"
"That's right. Lucy told me too. Quite the bold statement."
Mira and Erza, who had been at each other's throats just moments ago, instantly united on a common front.
Sensing the terrible pressure bearing down on him, the corner of Chase's mouth twitched.
They've been silent about this topic lately, and they choose to confront me now, when I'm at my weakest...
These two women definitely planned this!
But so what? What's a beating?
What's being the guild's laughingstock for a month?
Since I said it, there's no backing down!
"That's right! Only children have to choose!"
Chase straightened his back, facing the coming storm head-on. "So, you two need to figure out who's the big girlfriend and who's the—"
"GO DIE, YOU PERVERTED CARD NERD!!!" x2
THUD~!
***
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