Fiore Kingdom, Magnolia Town, Fairy Tail Guild…
“Boom!!”
Amidst the rising dark magic power, Bluenote finally retracted his outward energy, casting a proud glance at Gildarts. His eyes seemed to say, “See? This is the power I pride myself on!”
“Do you understand now, Gildarts? Known as the strongest in the West, you must realize the magnitude of my strength! After feeling my power, you must understand that those weaklings are not worthy of being called my comrades,” Bluenote arrogantly declared.
“Huh? Sorry, I completely don’t understand what you’re trying to say,” Gildarts stood there calmly, his expression confused and indifferent to Bluenote’s magic and words.
“Heh, stop pretending, Gildarts! I don’t believe you see those weaklings who can only watch from below as your comrades. It’s like a dragon in the sky never becoming friends with ants. Gildarts, I know you never truly considered those weaker than you in your guild as comrades. After all, as the strongest mage in the West, the effort required to achieve that title is incomprehensible to ordinary people, but I understand you! We are alike, followers of power. We both strive for stronger magic, constantly pushing towards the abyss of magic. We cannot be friends with those who haven’t even stepped through the gate of magic.”
Bluenote’s eyes flashed with anger as he accused Gildarts of hypocrisy, believing he had exposed Gildarts’ true feelings. In his view, Gildarts couldn’t possibly befriend those weak, insignificant mages.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but ever since I joined Fairy Tail, I was quickly labeled as the strongest mage in the guild. I never felt that power was something to pursue; I just enjoyed adventuring and challenges. My strength grew naturally from those experiences. To be honest, being too famous is a hassle. Many girls I meet during my adventures look at me with disdain when they hear my name, calling me a scumbag mage. Frankly, these titles are a nuisance! They don’t play with me anymore. As for power, I’ve never been proud of it. Power is for protection, not showing off.”
Gildarts displayed a look of annoyance, admitting he was grateful to the Magic Council for consistently deeming him unfit for the Ten Wizard Saints due to his ‘poor character.’ This saved him from the burden of the title. He preferred being a lesser-known mage, quietly enjoying his adventures and interactions.
“…”
Bluenote fell silent, his face darkening as he stared at Gildarts, his body trembling. He couldn’t understand why Gildarts could nonchalantly prioritize women over power and fame. For Bluenote, strength and fame were the ultimate goals, the means to acquire anything, including women.
“Why?! Why can someone like you, with no dedication to magic, no ambition to delve into the abyss of magic, possess such immense power?!” Bluenote pointed at Gildarts, spitting in rage.
Bluenote couldn’t comprehend why someone like Gildarts, who seemed to care so little about strength, could become so powerful while he, despite his efforts, remained on the threshold of the abyss of magic.
“I don’t know either. I never thought my power was that great; it’s just enough to keep me alive. Once you’ve seen higher peaks, you’ll understand your insignificance. Only by recognizing the vastness of the world and feeling fear can you continue to grow.”
Gildarts spoke with a reflective tone, having never been arrogant about his strength. Since the arrival of the Belserion family in Fairy Tail, he had lived in constant fear, which became a driving force for his growth. For Bluenote, strength was a goal; for Gildarts, it was a necessity for survival.
“You say the motivation for strength is fear?” Bluenote was stunned, unable to grasp Gildarts’ words.
“Yes! True growth comes from a primal fear of death. I face this fear daily, and it drives my continuous growth,” Gildarts’ eyes sharpened, his expression serious. He nodded affirmatively at Bluenote.
In the original story, Gildarts realized this truth after encountering Acnologia on Tenrou Island. Recognizing his own weakness and understanding fear led to his growth. He shared this wisdom with Natsu, helping him grow as well. However, this version of Gildarts lived in constant fear, driving him to grow stronger than ever.
“You say you feel this fear of death every day? What kind of life are you living?” Bluenote asked, shocked.
“Yes, what kind of life indeed?” Gildarts smiled bitterly, reminiscing about his carefree days before Irene Belserion and Selene joined Fairy Tail.
Unlike the original story, Gildarts now lived in constant fear, surrounded by powerful beings like Irene and Selene. This fear drove him to surpass his previous limits, transforming him into a formidable mage. Bluenote’s pursuit of power paled in comparison to Gildarts’ instinct for survival.
“You said your motivation is fear? What do you experience daily?” Bluenote asked, trembling.
Gildarts chuckled bitterly. Sometimes he missed his old life before Irene Belserion and Selene joined Fairy Tail. Unlike in the original story, he now lived in constant fear, forcing him to become stronger.
In the original story, Gildarts grew stronger after encountering Acnologia on Tenrou Island, realizing the need to face fear and weakness to grow. Now, he lived this reality every day. This fear became his driving force, leading him to surpass his original limits.
“You live in fear every day?” Bluenote asked, bewildered.
“Yes. I sometimes miss the old days before Irene Belserion and Selene joined Fairy Tail,” Gildarts chuckled bitterly. Unlike the original story, he now lived in constant fear, forcing him to become stronger.
Bluenote’s pursuit of power was driven by desire, while Gildarts’ was driven by necessity. This fundamental difference made Gildarts’ strength incomparable to Bluenote’s.
“Disappear, you bastard!” Bluenote, unable to tolerate Gildarts any longer, prepared to attack.
“Oh, we’re starting?” Gildarts remained calm, understanding Bluenote’s jealousy. Despite his powerful appearance, his strength came from constant fear and survival.
“Super Gravity Ball!”
Bluenote summoned his strongest attack, a black sphere of compressed gravity that devoured everything around it.
“What is that?!” Elfman exclaimed, watching the terrifying gravity ball.
“Such powerful gravity magic! Besides Evan, he’s the strongest gravity user I’ve seen,” Kagura noted, recognizing the difficulty of creating such a spell.
“Gildarts will be fine, right?” Happy asked, worried.
“Gildarts will be fine. He’s Gildarts,” Natsu replied confidently.
“Disappear!” Bluenote hurled the black sphere at Gildarts.
“Sorry, you picked the wrong opponent,” Gildarts said calmly, raising his right hand.
“Crash!” A white light shot from Gildarts’ hand, shattering the gravity ball instantly.
“Huh?!”
Bluenote was stunned as his strongest spell was destroyed. Before he could react, the white light hit him directly.
“Boom!!”
Bluenote, the stage beneath him, and the front wall of the Fairy Tail guild were engulfed in a blinding white light, everything disintegrating before Gildarts’ crash magic.
Outside the guild, the river was split into countless fragments, the fish inside neatly sliced and scattered on the banks. The white light finally dissipated into the sea.
“Ah…”
Tourists along the river were stunned by the scene, some thinking Magnolia’s river now had self-fishing capabilities.
“Fairy Tail is at it again,” an old man muttered, smoking calmly. “Hope it’s just a minor thing like an earthquake or tsunami. Last time I thought the moon was falling.”
Inside the guild, the light faded, revealing half the stage gone, countless destroyed tables, and a missing wall. The guild members could see the river and sea through the gaping hole Gildarts had created.
“Sorry, I’m not good at holding back,” Gildarts said, feeling a bit guilty.
“Are you a monster? This is too much!” the guild members exclaimed, unable to believe the extent of Gildarts’ power.
“So, the match is over?” Gildarts asked Evan.
“The match is over. The winner is Gildarts!” Evan announced.
“Finally over,” Gildarts said, not even glancing at the defeated Bluenote as he walked off the stage to get a drink.
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