Jose was, after all, one of the Ten Wizard Saints—he wouldn't go down from just a single Fire Dragon's Iron Fist from Charles.
Surging with dark magic, Jose stood up again.
He looked far more battered than before. A massive fist mark was imprinted on his face, scorch marks from the flames visible across his skin. His tall, pointed wizard hat had long since flown off somewhere, making him appear a little less sinister.
Perhaps it was because of his long tenure as a guild master—Jose had grown used to defeating his enemies with schemes and manipulations. But he had forgotten: in the end, a wizard could rely on nothing but their own strength.
After being blown away by Charles's punch, Jose finally woke up. Only now did he assume the mindset of a true wizard and start displaying the level expected from a member of the Ten Wizard Saints.
Jose wasn't angry from the blow—instead, he burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Brat, I should thank you for the reminder. Let me repay you… with a nightmare!"
With that, Jose spread his fingers, and dark magic rapidly gathered at his fingertips. The darkness condensed into bullets, which fired at high speed toward Charles.
Charles darted around Jose at lightning speed, the dark bullets only gouging craters into the walls as they missed.
Jose then swept his arm, summoning a barrage of ghostly arrows in the sky. They launched toward Charles's predicted path.
Charles abruptly stopped and slashed with a flame-wreathed hand, slicing every ghostly arrow to pieces.
Flames burst forth from his other hand, and he clasped both hands together to hurl a massive fireball at Jose.
"Flame of the Fire Dragon!"
The blazing sphere incinerated the incoming arrows and continued surging toward Jose.
A black-purple magic circle formed in front of Jose, dark energy spiraling forth to collide with the fireball.
For a moment, the two forces clashed in stalemate—then both exploded simultaneously.
Charles narrowed his eyes, watching the flames roil before him—when suddenly, several tendrils of darkness shot out from the blast.
Four of them coiled around his limbs, lifting him into the air. As the flames dissipated, Jose emerged from behind.
"See now, brat? This is how powerless you are before me!"
Charles lifted his head calmly. "I knew I'd never be into tentacle play."
Steam hissed from his body. The dragon-scale markings spread across his face.
Jose's eyes widened as the dark tendrils binding Charles ignited, and within two seconds, they were burned clean through.
Charles landed on the ground, but before he could regain balance, a beam of dark energy blasted toward him.
The beam pierced straight through Charles's body, gouging through the floor beyond—but there was no triumph on Jose's face.
The figure pierced by the beam suddenly blurred and vanished into thin air.
"An afterimage?!"
Even for a Wizard Saint, such speed was rarely seen. But the real question now was: where had Charles gone?
Jose's pupils contracted—he felt heat, as if he were standing next to a furnace. Yet the sensation sent a chill down his spine.
Before he could react, pain lanced through his side.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!"
Charles's leg crashed into Jose's waist, launching him through a wall and into another room.
Charles chased after him, entering the wide, open space just in time to be greeted by another blast of dark energy.
But Charles, like a flame-wreathed war god, shattered the beam with a brutal punch.
Facing him now was a furious Jose.
"You've truly pissed me off now! Witness despair!"
Suddenly, Charles realized the room was saturated with gathering magic.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Dark-red light exploded all around—the negative energy had been pushed to its limit.
The entire fortress trembled under the explosions. Red mushroom clouds filled the room, even Jose unable to see what was happening within.
Meanwhile, battles raged throughout the fortress.
Natsu frowned as he faced off against Gajeel, who was still wrapped in bandages.
"You feel that? That's Master Jose's magic. Sucks for whoever ran into him!"
"Shut up!" Natsu yelled. "Charles isn't losing!"
Gajeel paused. He had meant to mock Charles, but the words just wouldn't come out.
"You've got enough problems worrying about yourself. You should be more concerned about surviving me."
Natsu slammed his fists together. "Tch... I'm gonna knock you out! Charles isn't gonna lose!"
…
Erza was up against Aria of the Heavens. A moment ago, she'd taken a hit and had part of her magic drained—putting her in a tough spot.
Aria wept theatrically. "I wonder who it was that got defeated by Master Jose. How tragic!"
Leaning on her sword, Erza stood up, her voice resolute. "Charles wouldn't be taken down that easily. And before he defeats their guild master, I'm going to finish you off first!"
…
Gray looked up at the storm clouds and then at the blue-haired girl holding an umbrella.
"Time to end this rain."
Water Elemental Juvia—one of the Four Elements—blushed furiously for some unknown reason mid-battle.
…
"Manly men!!" Elfman roared, summoning his magic circle.
"You dare insult my family?! I'll never forgive you!"
Before him stood numerous figures—but their movements were stiff, puppet-like.
More importantly, they were the spitting image of his sister Mirajane and their "deceased" younger sister Lisanna.
His opponent, Sol of the Earth, could manipulate sand and stone—and had recreated these fake bodies using his memory-probing magic.
But Sol's trick backfired. By defiling such precious memories, he had enraged Elfman.
And in that fury, Elfman overcame the very ability he once feared.
"Take Over Magic: Full Body Take Over – Beast Soul!"
…
The last of the Four Elements, Totomaru of the Flame, wielded fire-based magic. At first, he fought Natsu to a standstill—neither able to overpower the other, since one controlled fire and the other ate it.
But Totomaru was soon frozen by Gray, then finished off with a blow from Erza.
The tide of battle was shifting—victory slowly but surely tilted toward Fairy Tail.
But everyone knew—the battle between the two guild masters would decide the war.
Would Charles fail them?
That answer was already clear.
As the smoke from the explosion cleared, Charles emerged with arms crossed above his head, shielding himself.
Steam rose from wounds on his arms and body—but within seconds, they had completely healed.
Jose's eyes widened. "Impossible… Who are you, brat?!"
Charles smiled. "Forgot to introduce myself. I'm Charles, child of the Fire Dragon King Igneel, mage of Fairy Tail… and the one who's about to take you down!"
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