"It would be terribly rude of me not to return the favor!" Night declared, dispelling his light barrier once the relentless barrage of blades had finally ceased. A soft smile touched his lips as he asked in a quiet, almost conversational tone, "Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
"What?" Erza gasped, falling into the exact same momentary stupor that Laxus had experienced once before. By the time she snapped back to reality, Night was already standing right in front of her. He was so incredibly close that she could distinctly make out the length of his eyelashes.
Lightspeed Kick! A brilliant golden radiance flared around his leg. The strike was so blindingly fast that it did not even leave a blur in its wake. Although Night felt a twinge of guilt about striking such a lovely girl, he knew her stubborn and fiercely proud nature well enough to follow through. Carefully calculating the force behind his attack, he landed a solid blow against her armor. Yet, even with Night deliberately holding back, Erza—who had not yet become an S-Class Mage—simply could not withstand the impact. Absolute speed was nothing short of a cheat code in battle. When facing an opponent of lesser strength, an overwhelming advantage in speed completely stripped them of any chance to retaliate, guaranteeing an effortless victory.
The harsh screech of rending metal echoed across the street. Sent flying by Night's kick, Erza skidded backward, her steel boots carving a trench more than ten meters long into the ground before she finally ground to a halt with a stifled groan.
"Erza, you've lost," Night's gentle voice murmured right beside her ear. Snapping her gaze upward, she realized he was already standing directly in front of her, having closed the distance without making a single sound, gazing down at her with an easy smile.
"How is this even possible..." Erza gritted her teeth, utterly refusing to believe she had been unable to withstand a single blow. She was still capable of fighting, of course, but the harsh reality was undeniable: against such imperceptible speed, she had absolutely no chance of winning. In the fleeting fraction of a second it took for Night to materialize before her, he could have easily ended her life several times over.
"Again!" Erza cried out, her fierce spirit refusing to yield. "Requip: Black Wing Armor!"
In that very second, her body was once again enveloped in the radiant glow of magic. Night narrowed his eyes slightly. During that fleeting instant of Requip, the girl appeared to be entirely unclad. Naturally, due to the blinding brilliance of the magic, no ordinary observer would have been able to discern anything. However, Night was standing incredibly close. Furthermore, as an exceptionally gifted Light Mage, he possessed the ability to peer through almost any luminescence, including the flash of Requip magic. Because of this, in that split second, it seemed he had... seen absolutely everything. It was only a pity that Erza had not yet blossomed into the stunning woman she would become in the future; otherwise, the sight would have been truly unforgettable. Still, it would be a sin to complain—after all, he had just been treated to the unclad form of the future Fairy Queen herself!
While Night was mentally savoring the view, Erza completed her change of equipment. Her scarlet hair was now tied back in a sleek ponytail, her body was clad in pitch-black armor, and a pair of bat-like wings unfurled from her back. This was the Black Wing Armor—the absolute fastest set in Erza's current arsenal!
"Enough!" a cold voice suddenly barked. Everyone looked up to see Laxus standing on the roof of the guildhall. He glared down at Erza with icy eyes and stated harshly, "There is no point in continuing this pointless farce. If Night hadn't held back just now, you would already be eating dirt!"
"You..." Erza stared at Night, her eyes wide with shock.
"Laxus, honestly, is that any way to speak to a beautiful girl?" Night chided him playfully. He then turned back to Erza, his tone softening. "Don't pay him any mind. We're guildmates now. Whoever heard of friends crippling one another?"
Guildmates! That single word echoed deep within Erza's heart, stirring a whirlwind of emotions. She tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword, and in that moment, her attitude toward Night underwent a subtle, yet profound shift.
But then Night cheerfully added, "Of course, there are different kinds of guildmates! When it comes to thick-skinned meatheads like Gray, Natsu, or Macao, there's no need to hold back—you can just knock them out in one punch!"
"What?! Night, you bastard!" the peanut gallery erupted in outrage. Hearing the first half of his speech, the guild members had been genuinely touched, but his final remark instantly ignited a firestorm of indignation.
"What happened to camaraderie?! How cruel!" Gray cried out, theatrically bursting into fake tears.
"What camaraderie? You just traded your bros for a pretty face, you little punk!" Macao swore with a hearty laugh.
Up on the roof, Laxus heard Night's words and fell back into a brooding silence. Erza, too, found herself amused by the stark contrast in the boy's attitude. Any lingering resentment over him holding back vanished without a trace. However, the memory of her crushing defeat quickly resurfaced, and she immediately turned away, projecting an aura of feigned aloofness. 'What a proud and stubborn queen she is!' Night chuckled to himself.
"Alright, the duel is over. It's time to head out on a quest and earn some money for my house! Laxus, let's move out!" Night called out. But just before he left, he suddenly leaned in close to Erza's ear, whispered a few words, and strode away with a loud, ringing laugh.
Left standing alone, Erza took a moment to process what he had just said. In the next instant, her face flushed a deep, furious crimson, and she cursed inwardly, 'Night, you absolute scoundrel!' What he had whispered to her was this: "Erza, you look absolutely stunning while Requipping! I can't wait for the chance to admire the view again!" The girl clenched her fists and swung them fiercely through the air, vowing in her heart, 'There definitely won't be a next time!'