A New Era?
Faced with Hope's bold declaration, Hades hadn't said anything yet, but Makarov was the first to be stunned. Wasn't he, this old guy pushing ninety, also a person from the old era?
Don't drag me into your cool-kid act, you brat... However, neither Makarov nor Hades, who was over a hundred and ten, were like that "Whitebeard" from next door. They still possessed the power to dominate in this new era.
Especially Hades. After leaving Fairy Tail for forty-eight years, this centenarian not only had greater strength than before, but even his physical condition was better than Makarov's.
The powerhouse who once dominated the magical world for an era had returned, still that peerless strongman.
However, the young man's soaring ambition slightly affected Hades's heart. If he remembered correctly, the guild spirit Mavis passed down was "Friendship and Adventure," right?
Where did this little brat suddenly pop out from?
Was it Makarov's teaching that was the problem, or had he himself become too disconnected from the youth of today...? Yet, when he sensed the magical power Hope released, all the confusion in Hades's heart completely vanished.
"This magical power... just how many magics have you mastered?!" A trace of incredulity flashed in his eyes as he looked at Hope.
A typical Mage's magical power is influenced by their primary magic. For example, Natsu's power leans towards the passion of flames, while Gray's carries a hint of ice's chill.
But Hope's magical power was completely different.
In Hades's perception, his magic was like a palette scrambled with different paints.
A complete mess.
He could only think of one reason to explain this situation.
That was, the number of magics Hope knew far exceeded the limits of a normal Mage, causing his magical aura to give off a chaotic, jumbled feeling.
Hades himself knew many magics too, but none could produce such a sensation.
"Remarkable. I consider myself, with my experience and knowledge, to be the person in Ishgar who has mastered the most magics. Yet, at such a young age, the magics you know have already surpassed mine."
Even in this adversarial state, Hades couldn't help but praise, "Without a doubt, you possess a magical talent far superior to mine. Perhaps in just ten or twenty years, you might be able to peer into the abyss of the magical path with your own power."
"Unfortunately..."
Hope looked at Hades, who had suddenly showered him with praise, and curled his lip. He was using cheats; knowing a bunch of magics was as easy as having hands, wasn't it?
Although he was quite satisfied with the old man's praise, Hope didn't want to hear what came next.
When a typical villain gives a long speech followed by a transition word like "unfortunately" or "but," nothing good is coming next.
He didn't want to hear the old guy's tough talk, full of condescension from age.
"That's about enough, right? If we don't start fighting soon, the food I'm waiting for will get cold." Hope spoke up, cutting Hades off.
A villain of this level came with a built-in immunity-to-lectures buff. No grand reasoning was greater than his. Only physical communication was the most effective way to converse.
Hades naturally understood this as well.
Normally, he would have finished killing and left long ago. The reason he'd spoken so much today was simply because, reunited with Makarov after so long, he couldn't help but linger a bit.
"Amaterasu Hundred Style!"
Skipping the trash talk phase, without any warning, Hades opened with a major move. The complex 'Amaterasu Style' Magic Circle was child's play for him.
If Makarov's magical power was a towering peak, then Hades's power was an endless, sky-piercing mountain range.
Such immense power allowed him to complete any complex magic in an instant.
However, the response to Hades's attack was... several intricate Magic Circles composed of countless pitch-black magical characters, arranged in an orderly fashion before Hope.
It was unmistakably the 'Amaterasu Style'.
And it was even more complex than Hades's Hundred Style Magic Circle.
Two magics of the same origin collided. The violent roar shook Tenrou Island itself.
The shockwaves spread, churning up towering waves on the nearby turbulent sea. Amidst the explosive sounds, the waves, swept up by the scattered magical currents, crashed towards the ocean surface further away.
After that one exchange, Hades was forced back a step. Staring at the identical magic, more complex than his own 'Amaterasu Style,' he was shocked.
"You've actually developed the 'Amaterasu Style' to a higher level than I have?!"
Hearing this, Makarov couldn't help but let his jaw drop.
Wasn't it Hades—Precht—who, before leaving the guild, left his life's work, the 'Amaterasu Style,' with the guild, hoping one day a junior would inherit his magic?
But because this 'Amaterasu Style' was too complex and difficult to understand, and demanded extremely high magical power and intellect, it had been gathering dust in the guild library.
Until Hope discovered it.
Makarov knew Hope had used 'Archive Magic' as an aid to master the 'Amaterasu Style.'
But he never imagined that in such a short time, this kid had developed the magic to a level surpassing even its creator, Hades.
Seeing the two old men looking like country bumpkins visiting the city, Hope proudly raised his head.
Sorry, but having cheats means you can do whatever you want.
Hope waved a single hand. The previously deadlocked magical clash was instantly broken, and Hades was immediately pushed back repeatedly by his magic.
How could Hades's "Amaterasu Hundred Style," painstakingly developed over years of research, compare to the system's "Amaterasu Thousand Style," fused together using multiple magics as materials?
Thousand is greater than hundred.
Just the name alone had the upper hand.
Facing the ferocious onslaught, Hades had no choice but to get serious. Raising his hand, he unleashed the ultimate move of the former Six Members of Grimoire Heart member, Brain: "Nocturne of Eternity."
The dark magic was like a bottomless abyss, swiftly deflecting the incoming attack towards the distant sea.
Amidst the explosions, Hades gathered his magical power once more, palms facing upward.
Two black spheres, continuously collapsing in on themselves, slowly materialized.
The moment these magical spheres appeared, the surrounding light and shadow began to Coفر. Gravel and sand on the ground were unnaturally sucked into them and vanished, as if they could devour everything.
"Let me show you the essence of dark magic!"
"Darkness: Gravity Well!"
Hope's expression finally turned serious. When this old guy was beating up Makarov, he probably hadn't even used half his strength. As expected, he still couldn't bear to deal a lethal blow to the disciple he raised from childhood.
Just like his disciple's disciple, another tsundere who didn't dare to face his own heart.
Speaking of which, they're both old men, so why is our old man so weak compared to the one across from him... Oh, right, it's a master beating his disciple. Never mind then.
Makarov, watching from the sidelines, saw the sudden look of sympathy Hope shot his way. He didn't understand why, but he just felt this brat was making fun of him.
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