The gloomy sky was shattered in an instant by a platinum glow; the swirling, rampaging dark specters, like snow illuminated by sunlight, let out silent screams as they dissolved into nothingness.
Ah—
Joseph let out a desperate, unwilling roar; the excruciating pain in his broken leg and the feeling of his magic being completely suppressed drove him into madness.
He frantically tried to summon the remaining dark magic within him to forge a defense, but in front of that cold light representing absolute judgment, all resistance seemed futile.
Watching Joseph, utterly powerless as Makalov's magic engulfed him, the Fairy Tail members also within the light wore a different expression.
What's with this beam of light!
So warm... so dazzling...
Why are we okay?!
...
Hoping, lifted by Natsu and panting heavily, stared fixedly at the tiny figure at the center of the light, murmuring, "'Fairy Tail Law', is this the holy light that Mira-chan said could encompass everything...?"
'Fairy Tail Law'? What's that?
'You've been in the guild for seven years; don't tell me you don't know?' Hop tilted his head, his tone tinged with disbelief as he looked at Natsu's bewildered expression.
Natsu's eyes were filled with clear stupidity; he instinctively scratched his head, "Huh? Should I know?"
Hop had only heard Mira mention it in passing, so he assumed Natsu knew about the 'Fairy Tail Law', but it seemed that wasn't the case.
Erza, supported by Lucy, walked over. "Hop, Natsu really doesn't know the 'Fairy Tail Law'; only after becoming S‑rank can one learn it from the Guild Master."
So it's a spell only S‑rank mages can comprehend!
Everyone looked at Erza, curiosity sparkling in their eyes.
Erza thought for a moment; since Makalov had already demonstrated the technique in front of everyone, she figured sharing a bit of what she knew wouldn't hurt.
'Fairy Tail Law', a judgment spell created by the founding Guild Master Mavis, can emit terrifying mental intimidation.
It smites darkness with holy light, only harming enemies identified by the caster within its range, regardless of how many there are...
It is one of the few legendary 'super spells'.
Our guild actually has two more spells like this, but the early death of the founding Master prevented their transmission...
Listening to Erza's explanation, everyone's faces shone with pride and aspiration.
Hop felt a surge of enthusiasm; ever since arriving in this world he had been voraciously studying magic.
'Super spells' and 'forbidden spells' have always been synonymous with absolute power in the magical world.
'Forbidden spells', due to their overwhelming power and potential severe repercussions, are prohibited by the council.
'Super spells', formally called 'Super‑Advanced Magic', possess power far beyond ordinary spells and can only be wielded by mages with exceptionally strong mana.
If an ordinary mage forces a super or forbidden spell, not only is the success rate terrifyingly low, but the insufficient mana can cause a life‑threatening mana deficiency.
As the light faded, Hop looked at Natsu beside him and said, "Natsu, let me have a bite of your fire."
Huh? Sure.
Realizing the person he was supporting was also a Dragon‑Slayer, Natsu instantly gathered a ball of Dragon‑Slayer fire in his hand, which Hop inhaled in one gulp.
In an instant, Hop's depleted mana and stamina recovered a bit; the side effects of Dragon‑Slayer magic are indeed harsh, but they're negligible compared to its benefits.
Taking a deep breath, Hop again drew upon the power of the Deliola soul and surged into the light that enveloped Makalov and Joseph.
The sight left Natsu completely stunned.
There are still people more reckless than him in this world!
Although Makalov's 'Fairy Tail Law' wouldn't harm them, its power that could crush Joseph's magic was real; forcing through would only put pressure on themselves.
Even with Deliola's power, Hop's current condition couldn't withstand the pressure from Makalov's overwhelming magic.
No need to worry about him.
Erza blocked Natsu, who tried to pull Hop back.
She had deduced that Hop could copy others' spells, so she understood he coveted Makalov's magic.
The reason Hop rushed forward was that Makalov would never casually use the 'Fairy Tail Law'; once this village is over, there's no more chance.
When the light faded, they saw Joseph, his skin pallid as if he'd aged a decade, with despair and terror frozen on his face.
And behind the stone‑statue‑like, motionless Joseph stood Makalov, and on the ground lay the unconscious Hop; the shattered ground beneath him vaguely resembled a massive fist.
Everyone's gaze instinctively fixed on Makalov.
The old man, a bit embarrassed, said, "That kid burst in suddenly, making me think the two hidden ghost mages were about to ambush, so my giant‑fist attack was a bit over‑done...
Everyone nodded; it was a reasonable explanation.
But there were still some stragglers hiding in the shadows... without Makalov or Erza even speaking, Natsu, as a Dragon‑Slayer, relied on his keen sense of smell to discover Alia and Soul hidden among the ruins of a nearby building.
Fire Dragon—Roar!
Natsu didn't hesitate to attack Alia and Soul, because he hadn't achieved a good record in the previous battle; this time he wouldn't let those little bosses get away.
Alia and Soul, thinking they had hidden well and planning a last‑ditch ambush on Makalov, were exposed far too quickly.
Having already been defeated by Elfman and Erza, their mana was nearly depleted; facing a fully healthy Natsu, they were instantly knocked down.
Amid the screams and explosions, Hop slowly regained consciousness; as soon as he opened his eyes, a system notification in his mind captured all his attention.
[Detecting host's combat exposure to multiple transcendental forces, automatically recorded—Life‑form magic 'Giant', Super Judgment magic 'Fairy Tail Law', 'Darkness' magic, 'Flame' magic]
[Analysis complete—]
[Estimated time to decipher 'Giant' magic: 56 days]
[Estimated time to decipher 'Fairy Tail Law': 100 days]
[Estimated time to decipher 'Darkness' magic: 30 days]
[Estimated time to decipher 'Flame' magic: 12 days]
Automatically ignoring the last two spells recorded from Joseph's rabbit‑like form, Hop grinned widely, momentarily forgetting all his pain.
Hehe, snagged two super‑powerful spells.
Even a punch from the old man is worth the price of admission!
Watching Hop lying on the ground, laughing foolishly, Erza and Mira exchanged a glance; perhaps the Guild Master had knocked him senseless.
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