Just as Kael was still sulking over Cana's cold reaction, a sudden surge of powerful magic pressure slammed into the protective barrier around the camp, instantly alerting both Kael and Master Makarov.
The two frowned in unison, raising their eyes toward the darkened sky. Above, black clouds were rolling together, thick and heavy like a wall swallowing the heavens. Thunder rumbled endlessly, echoing across Sirius Island.
All around the campsite, Fairy Tail members froze mid-action—some holding plates, others mid-laughter—every one of them staring up at the ominous sky, confusion and unease spreading through the group.
"That spell… seriously, Laxus? Does he really have to go that far?"
Kael sighed inwardly, shaking his head. But knowing Laxus's stubborn personality, it didn't surprise him in the least.
Moments later, the clouds split open. A massive dragon's claw made entirely of lightning burst from the heavens, tearing through the sky. It gripped the air, pulling apart the storm to reveal a monstrous dragon's head roaring down from within the storm, its mouth a swirling vortex of thunder.
"Kael… what in the world is that?"
Makarov appeared beside him, face grim and voice low.
Kael nodded, confirming the old man's fears.
"Yeah. That's the spell Laxus and I developed together during our first S-Class mission."
"Damn it!" Makarov's mustache bristled as he stomped the ground in frustration. "He'll destroy Sirius Island at this rate! Kael, stop him—now! You're the only one who can catch up!"
"Understood, Master. Be right back."
Kael's form flickered—and vanished.
Minutes Earlier...
Laxus and Mirajane stood locked in combat.
"Ahhhh! Soul Eraser!"
Mirajane's voice rang through the battlefield as she gathered dark magic between her palms, forming a massive black vortex. It roared forward in a torrent of annihilating energy.
Laxus didn't flinch. "Roar of the Thunder Dragon!"
He drew in a deep breath, his chest crackling with lightning. When he exhaled, a blinding surge of thunder clashed with Mirajane's black wave.
The resulting explosion split the air apart, sending shockwaves tearing through the ground as smoke and debris erupted skyward.
When the dust began to clear, Laxus's steady voice carried through the devastation:
"Not bad… but for my S-Class standard, you're still a long way off. If that's all you've got, this exam's over."
Between them yawned a crater the size of a battlefield, the earth scorched and shattered as if hit by a missile. On one side, Mirajane knelt, breathing heavily, her magic nearly spent. On the other, Laxus stood almost unharmed, his expression as unreadable as ever.
But Mirajane wasn't listening to his words of dismissal. Her mind replayed memories—Lisanna's smile, Elfman's encouragement, the warmth of her guildmates. Fairy Tail's love and laughter.
Her breath steadied. Her heart calmed. Her eyes blazed anew.
"It's not over yet! I can't stop here. I need more power—enough to protect everyone! I'll pass this exam no matter what!"
Raising her arms, Mirajane released her Satan Soul transformation, closing her eyes as she reached deeper—touching a forbidden, untamed power she had always feared to use.
"Full Body Take Over—Demon God Halphas!"
A blue-black magic circle flared beneath her feet, followed by a flash of white light.
When it cleared, she stood transformed—her form wrapped in dark blue demonic armor, two azure horns jutting from her head, wings unfurled, and a tail flicking with dangerous rhythm. Every movement shook the earth, leaving craters wherever her tail struck.
The power radiating from her dwarfed even her Satan Soul.
Laxus's expression shifted for the first time—his stoic calm replaced by genuine admiration.
"Now that's more like it. That's the kind of strength worthy of S-Class."
He clenched his fists, lightning crackling around his body.
"Let's end this with one strike. If you can withstand my next attack… you pass."
Kicking off from the ground, Laxus shot skyward. His magic surged into the storm above, merging with the gathering thunderclouds.
Lightning spiraled, roaring into shape—the claw, the head, the body of a dragon, its maw filled with seething electricity.
The sheer pressure pressed down on Mirajane like a mountain. Her knees trembled, the ground beneath her splitting apart. Her pupils shrank as she stared up at the Thunder Dragon looming overhead. For the first time, she felt the true terror of an S-Class wizard's power.
"Damn it… I won't lose… I can't!"
She summoned every last ounce of her strength.
Dark energy swirled into a massive orb above her hands, a glowing sphere that screamed with destructive power.
The two forces clashed—light and darkness, thunder and void.
At that exact moment, Kael appeared beside Laxus, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Holding back a little, huh?"
He could feel it—the spell wasn't at full power. Still, it was more than enough to obliterate anything on the island. Kael gathered magic in his own palms, preparing to shield the aftermath if necessary, but he didn't interfere.
Laxus said nothing. He simply swung his arm down.
The thunder dragon roared, plunging from the sky. Mirajane unleashed her dark sphere upward. The two spells collided midair.
A blinding explosion erupted—energy blasting outward in a towering pillar of light that burst into a mushroom cloud reaching toward the heavens.
"Whew… that was close," Kael muttered, patting his chest in relief as the shockwave passed.
Mirajane collapsed to the ground, her Halphas form dissolving. Laxus, slightly singed but grinning faintly, stood beside Kael, both of them quietly admiring the massive explosion blooming in the distance.
Moments later, all three reappeared near the campsite.
Fairy Tail members didn't even react to their sudden arrival—they were too busy staring in shock at the enormous mushroom cloud rising far beyond the trees.
Then, a shadow loomed over them.
"Would one of you care to explain this?"
The deep, rumbling voice of Makarov rolled over them, so heavy with anger that Kael and Laxus both froze like statues.
They slowly turned around—just in time to see a giant fist coming their way.
"BAM! BAM!"
Two silhouettes flew skyward in perfect synchronization, disappearing into the clouds.
"And don't come back until you've fixed every bit of damage to the island!"
Makarov's furious voice echoed for miles, easily reaching the two airborne idiots as they vanished from view.
The old man sighed, shrinking back to his normal size.
"Honestly… two complete idiots."
He rubbed his temples and groaned, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward, betraying a weary smile.