Seeing the arrival of strong reinforcements, Salamander's face immediately lit up with joy, and Droy also felt at ease.
"Finally, someone decent has arrived."
As Esel landed from the air and steadied himself, a flicker of wariness flashed in his eyes, which was immediately replaced by a cruel killing intent.
He licked his lips, "State your name, human."
Laxus did not answer, merely keeping his back to Esel. This attitude of completely disregarding him and ignoring him infuriated Esel.
"I'm talking to you, human trash!"
Esel's four arms transformed simultaneously, turning into four giant blades, as he lunged at Laxus's back with a gust of bloody wind.
"Watch out!" Salamander cried out, struggling to stand up, but he stumbled due to his injuries and exhausted magic power. A strong and powerful hand steadily supported his shoulder.
Laxus didn't even look back.
Golden lightning erupted from all over his body, forming a spherical lightning field. Esel's blades were repelled the moment they touched the surface of the field, and sizzling electric currents followed them up, immediately filling the air with a burnt smell.
"A mere human, how is it possible..." Esel stepped back in shock, looking at the burn marks left on his four blades by the high temperature of the current.
Azuma, who had already left, returned to the battlefield at some point. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes as he looked at Laxus, "It's actually you! Laxus Dreyar... one of Fairy Tail's S-Class Mages."
"So what if you're an S-Class Mage?"
Esel snorted coldly and grinned, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth, "The Underworld King said that anyone who obstructs our 'Tartaros' will be killed without mercy!"
"With just you?" Laxus showed a look of disdain.
"You humans and your constant chatter are a pain in the neck!"
Esel roared, "I am one of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros, Esel the Child-Cutter! Soon, you lightning brat will become another lost soul under my 'Demonic Blade Curse'!"
"Five Swords of the World: Juzumaru!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Demon's eight octopus legs suddenly elongated, strangling toward Laxus like giant pythons. At the same time, he swung his four arms, sending four dark purple magic blades cutting through the air toward Droy and Salamander.
He actually intended to attack all three at once!
But Laxus was faster than him.
"Lightning Dragon's—" With a flash, a golden electric light crossed ten meters, appearing in the path of the Demon's blades. Laxus clenched his right hand and punched out violently.
—Heavenward Halberd!"
With one punch, the exploding lightning erupted in a fan shape. The four blades collided with the thunder and instantly shattered into points of light.
At the same time, he opened the five fingers of his left hand and aimed at the pouncing Esel.
"Lightning Strike!"
A golden pillar of lightning as thick as a bucket fell from the sky, striking directly at the top of Esel's head. Even though Esel's four Demon blades danced so fast they were airtight, he was still blasted by the blinding white light.
The burnt smell in the air grew even stronger.
Esel was slammed hard into the ground, smoke rising from his upper body.
"You damn human!"
"Slash Mode!"
After a furious roar, Esel used the 'Demonic Blade Curse' to turn his entire body into steel, greatly increasing his attack and defense power.
"Five Swords of the World: Onimaru!"
His body spun rapidly, crushing toward Laxus like a cannonball.
The forest was shredded in patches, and the ground was plowed into deep trenches.
Laxus's gaze sharpened, and the moment Esel approached, he slammed his fists together, more violent thunder erupting from within him.
"Lightning Dragon's Jaw!"
The golden thunder transformed into the roaring maw of a giant dragon, meeting the Demon's blade-wheel storm head-on.
The two forces collided and annihilated each other crazily. The blinding light made Droy and Salamander in the back almost unable to open their eyes.
The stalemate lasted only for a few seconds.
Esel's figure shot backward from the center of the explosion. Several cracks appeared on the surface of his steel body, and dark purple blood seeped from the wounds.
His blond hair fluttered slightly in the lightning. Laxus's eyes were cold as knives as he turned to look at Azuma, who had let Esel take the beating, "Are you also from 'Tartaros'?"
"Don't misunderstand, I am an officer of 'Demon Heart', Azuma."
The corners of Azuma's mouth curled up slightly as he crossed his arms with interest. His gaze toward Laxus was very intense, "I thought I might run into the 'fairy queen' or the 'Demon', but I didn't expect you to be on Tenrou Island as well. This is wonderful."
"I don't mean anything else, I just simply want to beat you to death, or... be beaten to death by you."
Feeling the enemy's excited gaze, Laxus sneered and raised his right hand, lightning coiling between his fingers, "I don't have the habit of remembering the names of the dying."
Without warning, several thick, pillar-like golden lightning snakes burst up from the ground around Azuma, instantly weaving into a lightning magic circle that trapped him within.
At the same time, a golden lightning pillar also shot up from the ground beneath Esel's feet on the other side.
With his eight octopus legs kicking the ground, Esel narrowly avoided the lightning pillar, but two of his legs were still grazed, leaving charred wounds.
Azuma broke through the lightning array, "To actually want to deal with both of us alone, you truly are Makarov's grandson."
"Hmph! I've already surpassed the old man!"
Laxus didn't bother to waste any more words. His figure suddenly disappeared, and in the next second, he appeared directly above Esel, his right leg raised high, the entire leg wrapped in golden lightning condensed to the extreme.
He stomped down.
Thunder fell from above, and the terrifying shockwave snapped all the trees around, except for the tenrou tree, in half.
Esel let out a miserable scream as he was slammed heavily into the ground, exploding into a charred deep pit. Three of his four arms were broken, and only two stumps remained of his eight tentacles.
He looked up in disbelief, "How... is it possible..."
One move, just one move, could heavily injure a Demon of the 'Nine Demon Gates' like this.
"Whether it's Grimoire Heart or Tartaros."
Laxus looked down at him, lightning gathering on his fist, "Anyone who dares to touch my comrades... must have the resolve to be struck into ashes by lightning!"
Another bucket-thick lightning bolt fell, and Esel became silent.
The nonchalance in Azuma's eyes completely disappeared, replaced by solemnity and a faint hint of excitement, "Such strong magic power... Is this the strongest of Fairy Tail's younger generation?"
"It's your turn."
Laxus landed back on the ground, the hem of his coat flapping in the gale. He didn't even look at Esel in the pit; his sharp gaze locked directly onto Azuma.
"'Arc of the Great Tree'? You've absorbed the magic power of Tenrou Island, haven't you?"
Azuma's lips curled up, "That's right, the magic power contained in this island is exceptionally abundant."
He opened his hands, and dense green magic power gathered from all directions like a whirlwind, pouring into his body. The ground trembled, and more wooden spikes and vines burst out of the soil, as if the entire forest had become an extension of his body.
"Lightning can counter Plants..."
Azuma smiled, "Just as well, let me try..."
"Idiot, no matter how much magic power Tenrou Island has, how much can a piece of trash body like yours withstand? How much can you actually use?"
Before he could finish, Laxus appeared at Azuma's side, his lightning-wrapped fist striking directly at his face, sending him crashing down with just one punch.
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