[He's transformed again! This is Takeshi's fourth transformation since the Grand Magic Games began!]
[Who knows how many forms he still has? Each one seems to possess extraordinary power. Yajima-san, do you know what kind of magic this is?]
"Mm. I do. Takeshi's magic is Take Over."
[Take Over? Like Mirajane and Elfman?]
"Exactly. Mirajane's is Satan Soul, she takes over demonic beings. Elfman's is Beast Soul. Takeshi's would be Heroic Soul. He summons heroes from another world and then takes over their powers. It's a bit like a fusion of Celestial Spirit Magic and Take Over."
[Another world? So the people Takeshi transforms into actually exist?]
Yajima nodded. "In theory, yes."
[I see! I wonder what kind of power he'll show this time!]
Everyone in the stands turned their eyes to Takeshi.
Makarov asked Mirajane, "Mira, what abilities does this form of his have?"
Mirajane shook her head. "I… I don't know. Takeshi never shows his transformations, and he keeps coming up with new ones. I haven't seen any of these before."
Takeshi had always been secretive, and she respected that, never prying.
"No matter what form you take, it's useless." Minerva still felt victory was hers.
Whatever Takeshi became, one thing never changed: magic power.
For a Mage, magic power is life force. Attack needs it, defense needs it. Usually, the greater the magic power, the stronger the Mage.
Yet magic power is finite. While a Magic Origin keeps producing it, it's like a pool with only one inlet pipe—refilling takes time.
After fighting her, Kagura, and Jura, Takeshi must have burned through a huge amount. How much longer could he last?
At that moment, Takeshi spread the fingers of his left hand.
"What are you doing?"
Minerva and everyone else stared, puzzled. It didn't look like an attack.
"Five minutes. I'll give you five. For five minutes, you can attack however you like. I won't retaliate, won't dodge. When the time's up, I'll end this. No—'end the fight' is the wrong phrase. A fight is between equals. Against you lot, it's just a game. Yes, when the time's up, I'll end the game."
"What did you say?!"
The five Sabertooth Mages' faces darkened, Takeshi had utterly belittled them.
[Takeshi… has declared victory!]
[He's letting all five Sabertooth Mages attack freely for five minutes—isn't that far too reckless?!]
"Takeshi, you're insufferably arrogant." Minerva said coldly.
"Arrogant? Where? I'm simply telling the truth. You're too weak—so weak I can barely muster any interest. I've already stooped to playing with you. Instead of being grateful, you call me arrogant? I can't understand it." Takeshi, now in Escanor's form, looked genuinely puzzled, as if that was exactly what he believed.
"…"
The audience and even Fairy Tail were stunned. Even comrades from the same guild thought Takeshi's pride was off the charts.
"No… this doesn't seem like Takeshi's personality." Jet was dumbfounded.
Mirajane smiled. "I know a bit. After each transformation, Takeshi is influenced by the original character's personality. It's the same for anyone using Take Over. Takeshi just happens to pick very… distinct people."
Takeshi said, "Come on. Try to beat me. Er… wrong again. You can't possibly beat me, so that option doesn't exist. Then—let's play."
"Bastard! I can't take this guy anymore!"
"Take this!"
120-mm Black Lightning Cannon!
The hot-tempered Orga snapped first. The transformed Taleshi was too arrogant, oozing pride that begged to be punched.
A sphere of black lightning formed in Orga's palm and released in a blinding beam. Takeshi neither dodged nor even braced.
Boom—
The black lightning obliterated everything in its path, crackling with terrifying force.
"Hmph! Still so cocky now?" Orga smirked.
As a Lightning God-Slayer, he had utter faith in his black bolt.
"Mm… yeah. This smoke's nasty, makes it hard to speak." Takeshi's voice came through the haze.
As it cleared, he stood unscathed.
Orga's pupils shrank, his full-force spell had done nothing.
[Unharmed! Takeshi took Orga's black lightning without a scratch!]
The crowd gasped.
Orga's black lightning was famed, yet Takeshi had shrugged it off.
Takeshi looked down disdainfully. "Hurry up. When time's up, I'll end this boring game."
Minerva's face darkened. "If you're asking for death, don't blame us! Everyone—full power! Wipe him out!"
Sting and Rogue immediately activated Dragon Force.
"Sorry, I have to rescue Lector."
White Dragon's Claw!
Sting fired a white shockwave and a white stigma appeared on Takeshi's abdomen to seal his movement.
Takeshi recognized it from Sting's fight with Natsu.
"Pointless. I told you I'm not dodging, no need for such tricks."
Shadow Dragon's Slash!
Rogue appeared behind Takeshi, turning shadows into a blade.
Thud!
The strike landed on Takeshi's back but he never budged.
"What?!"
Rogue was shocked, his attack hadn't inflicted the slightest damage.
Takeshi glanced back with a dazzling smile. "You can use more force. No worries, I can take it."
Memory-Make: Hell's Skeleton King!
Rufus used Memory-Make. A colossal skeleton mirroring Susanoo appeared, its massive fist smashing toward Takeshi.
BOOM—
A violent shockwave burst outward, the earth quaking under the impact.
"So you memorized my Susanoo? This is merely its first stage. There are second, third, and fourth forms, plus the Complete Body."
"Interesting spell, but not very strong. My Susanoo was never this weak."
Holy Ray!
Sting raised twin magic circles, and a deluge of white light rained upon Takeshi.
Boom... Boom...
Black Lightning Sphere!
Orga hurled a gigantic sphere of black lightning.
Shadow Dragon's Roar!
Rogue blasted a torrent of shadows from his mouth.
Memory-Make: Yasaka Magatama!
Rufus copied Takeshi's move. The skeleton formed three magatama in its hand and flung them.
Territory Explosion!
Minerva added her own, firing a piercing blast of space.
BOOM!!!
All five spells struck Takeshi at once, unleashing a titanic explosion.
"Did we get him?"
Every eye locked on the heart of the blast.
Smoke cleared and Takeshi stood without a single scratch.
[Not a scratch!!! After all those devastating hits, Takeshi is unmarked!]
"He's a monster!"
Seeing him unscathed after that barrage went past 'monster', there was no word left.
"Is that guy even human?!"
"All those heavy-hitters and he's fine. Seriously?!"
"That's Takeshi for you."
The stands buzzed.
Takeshi languidly stretched. "Not bad. Felt like a nice massage."
[What?! A massage?! All that firepower was just a rub-down for him?!]
***
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