A/N: Episode 179.

Enjoy!

edited on october 18th, 2024 @ 9:23pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚈-𝚂𝙸𝚇,
𝓖𝚁𝙰𝚈 𝚅𝚂. 𝚁𝚄𝙵𝚄𝚂.       

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𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗬 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬 with a determined look on his face as he recalled his lost against Rufus during the competition on the first day.

"Memory Make Magic..."

Gray then remembers Samuel telling him how he was injured by Rufus.

"That Rufus guy... He severely injured me during our battle last year."

"I swear I'll get you back!" Gray claimed. "You'll pay for hurting Sam, too."

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"Oh, my! Fairy Tail's Gray and Sabertooth's Rufus are going to duel in the library area!" Chapati announced as the two men were shown on the Lacrima Vision.

"Molding Magic versus Molding Magic..." Levy muttered to herself.

"That guy gave Gray a whuppin' before. Is he gonna be okay?" Elfman asked.

"Not to mention, Rufus left Samuel severely injured last year." Takashi pointed out.

"Yeah. He barely held his own against him." Kali added.

"Did you calculate this too, Number One?" Romeo questioned, turning towards the founding master.

"Yes." Mavis simply replied.

"Then Gray's gonna win this fight." Warren said.

"What kind of strategy did you give him?" Max asked.

"I don't know if he's going to win or lose." Mavis answered.

"You don't know?" Levy quoted.

"Then how can he have a chance at winning?" Elfman asked.

"I don't know. But he just has to win." Mavis responded. "Rufus is the key to Sabertooth's fall."

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The night before . . .

"Wait a minute, Number One. Then Rufus has pinpointed the locations of Juvia and the others?" Juvia asked as Team Fairy Tail was still at Bar Sun with Mavis.

"That's right. I believe Rufus should be defeated first." Mavis replied.

Gray suddenly stood up from his spot next to Juvia. "Let me do it." He declared.

"Gray-sama..." Juvia muttered.

"Number One, it's okay, isn't it?" Gray asked.

"According to my calculations, you and Rufus aren't a very good match for each other. The chances of you winning are very..." Mavis started to say.

"I don't give a damn about that!" Gray exclaimed. "I'm gonna help Lucy. And also pay him back for kickin' my ass before." He narrowed his eyes. "That bastard also injured Sam during last year's Games. Let me fight not only as a Fairy Tail wizard, but as an older brother, too."

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"Sometimes feelings outweigh calculations. Please show me your feelings." Mavis thought.

Rufus smirked as Gray put his fist in his palm. "Here I go, masked bastard!" He exclaimed as frost appeared from his hands. "Ice-Make: Freeze Lancer!"

Rufus jumped into the air, avoiding Gray's attack. "Memorize..." He mumbled before landing back on the ground.

"You're not getting away! Ice Impact!" Gray shouted.

Rufus avoided his attack once more. "Memorize..." He muttered, landing back down on the ground.

"What are you muttering about?" Gray asked.

"Memories become weapons." Rufus replied as Gray gave him a confused look. "I can memorize magic that I see, then use those memories as a base to mold new Magic."

"What the hell is that?" Gray questioned.

"Your Magic, Ice Magic. Orga's Magic, Lightning Magic." Rufus replied.

"Orga..." Gray thinks to himself.

"I remember. Memory Make: Sword of Frozen Black Lightning!" Rufus called out as black lightning surrounded Gray and ice soon appeared in front of him.

"What is that?!" Warren asked.

"He can make original Magic, however he wants?!" Max questioned.

"That's Memory Molding Magic." Levy claimed.

"That's too convenient!" Elfman added.

"Shrine of the Raging Wind Fang!" Rufus shouted, swiping his arm as tornados soon appeared. Gray placed his hands together once more.

"Ice-Make: Shield!" He called out, creating an ice shield in front of him.

"Shield... Memorize... And then..." Rufus trailed off as Gray's shield was destroyed, shocking him. "Forget."

Gray got caught in the tornado as he flew into the air. "H-His shield disappeared!" Romeo exclaimed as Gray soon collapsed to the ground.

Juvia looked at the screen to see Gray struggling to get up. "Gray-sama!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, my! Rufus has Gray on the ropes with a fierce attack!" Chapati announced.

"Oh, no... He can even make people forget Magic?!" Levy asked.

"Even though that Rufus bastard can mold whatever kind of new Magic he wants..." Elfman said.

"So once Gray uses a spell, he won't be able to use it anymore..." Warren trailed off.

"Seriously? Then the odds are totally against him!" Max exclaimed.

Rufus chuckled as he walked forward. "What's wrong? I thought this was the end of the line for me." He taunted. "Hm? What's this?"

Rufus uses his Magic to pick up a book on the ground. "The Magic System, The Book of the Heavens..." More books floated around him. "The Book of the Abyss, Advanced Dark Magic... Awakening Alchemy in the Subliminal Mind, Ancient Fairy Magic..." He chuckled. "I found some good things here."

"Bastard... This is no time for casual reading!" Gray said as the books dropped to the ground.

"Memorize..." Rufus stated.

"By memorizing, he's..." Max trailed off.

"Don't tell me he can even use Magic he read about in a book?" Warren questioned.

Gray slowly got up. "Gray has managed to get up!" Chapati announced.

"You can still move? Well, if you couldn't... I'll make the most of our time together by letting you have a taste of Ancient Magic." Rufus claimed, placing his head to his temple again and frost appeared. "However, I can put a different spin on the Magic I memorized and combine it with other kinds of Magic to produce completely new Magic. That is, it's Ancient Magic with a new interpretation!"

"What?!" Makarov questioned in shock.

"I didn't forsee this. But..." Mavis trailed off.

"Line of Ancient Master Swordsmen!" Rufus called out as a horde of lance-wielding swordsmen made of ice soon appeared in front of Rufus. "Feast your eyes on this wondrous Ancient Magic! To think, I can create soulless soldiers out of stray elements... But this is a 'new interpretation.' The memories I have of your Ice Molding Magic have made this brillant dream come to fruition!"

"He can make that many ice soldiers..." Romeo trailed off.

"Do something, Gray! You're a Man, aren't you?!" Elfman exclaimed.

"Do a pathetic dance for me." Rufus said as the ice swordsmen charged forward.

"Go to hell! You and your second-hand knowledge!" Gray shouted as he tried to attack the swordsmen but it deflected as the swordmen attacked Gray.

"Ouch..." Warren muttered.

"Who is that guy?! Is he just using this to, like, test out new Magic?!" Max questioned.

"This... is nothin'..." Gray mumbled as the ice swordsmen disappeared.

"I see. It seems I should combine forms of Magic, that are a bit more powerful in battle. Memorized Blade of Flashing Lightning!" Rufus shouted as Gray appeared on the ground once more.

"Oh, my! W-Will Gray be able to get up again after that fierce attack?!" Chapati wondered.

"Gray-sama! If I could, I would rush to your side... but Juvia believes in Gray-sama! So I'll follow Number One's plan." Juvia said to herself, watching the screen.

Gray was hunched over as Rufus continued reading. "This interpretation would be interesting. Memorized." He said.

"Hey, jackass. This is a library. After reading the books, you're supposed to put 'em back!" Gray exclaimed, creating an ice wall to block the bookshelves. "And there's no cheating, either."

"That's too bad. However, I've already memorized them." Rufus claimed as lightning and flames soon appeared. "Colorful Slashing Attack Flames!"

The red flames engulfed Gray, causing an explosion and getting Juvia's attention. "Gray-sama is over there..." She muttered to herself before shaking her head and continuing on her way.

"This battle is a requiem that I sing to you. Remember this. You'll never beat me." Rufus said as Gray gritted his teeth.

"This is a one-sided fight so far. In the battle of Molding Magic, will Rufus win?" Chapati asked.

"I see Rufus hasn't changed his tactics. Using flames to attack an ice wizard... Just like he did with Sam." Takashi pointed out.

"Yeah." Kali agreed.

"Infinite combinations, and once he remembers the Magic he saw, his opponent can't use it." Levy stated.

"How can that Magic be overthrown?" Elfman wondered.

"He's a terrible match for Gray." Romeo pointed out.

"I told Gray. Molding Magic is easy to remember. He was well aware that Rufus could wrap him around his little finger." Mavis stated.

"What kind of strategy did you give him?" Makarov questioned.

"There is no strategy." Mavis replied, shocking Makarov. "The power of feelings... I'm betting on his feelings, Number Eight."

"I'm Number Four..." Makarov pointed to himself.

"Number Six!" Levy and Elfman exclaimed in unison.

"I wonder if things are going well for Natsu and the others." Romeo muttered.

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"We keep walking and walking, but there's no exit?" Lucy complained.

"Didn't we pass by here before?" Lily questioned as Natsu was sniffing around.

"Well, Natsu-san?" Samuel asked.

"No good. Nobody's gotten out of here in a long time." Natsu responded.

"That spells trouble for us." Mira stated.

"Come to think of it, Dragon Slayers have a strong sense of smell, right?"

"But human odors don't hang around for long."

Lucy soon realized someone was missing from the group. "Huh? Where's Happy?"

Happy appeared with a skull on his head as Lucy screeched. "What are you doing?!" She exclaimed as Natsu was holding a skull in his hand.

"Look at the skulls lying over there." He commented.

"Don't pick it up!" Lucy scolded.

"What's with you?" Natsu asked.

"Well, this is the capital of death... I guess I could say." Lily stated.

"Princess Hisui said this is the final freedom, where all criminals end up." Carla recalled.

"This is freedom? Not despair?" Lily questioned.

"She said we wouldn't get outta here, but gimme a friggin' break." Natsu pounded his fists together. "Just for that, we're definitely gonna get out. I'm fired up!"

"That's right! If she thinks we'll give up, she's sorely mistaken!" Lucy agreed.

"If we split up, I'm sure we'll find a clue to an exit." Wendy added.

"You're all so strong." Yukino commented.

"Well, most of it is that we just don't give in." Mira stated.

"Let's hang in there! Every pinch has some kind of way out." Lucy said.

Later . . .

Everyone soon regrouped. "Um... Everyone..." Yukino started to say.

"No matter how many rocks I destroy, there are more rocks!" Natsu complained.

"I guess there are pinches that have no way out..." Lucy muttered.

"Even though we split up, we didn't find anything." Wendy added.

"'Hell' is the right word for this place." Lily commented.

"I bet that princess is watching us struggle and laughing." Carla said.

Happy turned around. "She's watching?" He questioned.

"Nice hobby she has..." Samuel said in a sarcastic tone.

"Hobby?!"

"Happy?" Natsu questioned.

"I thought of a good idea!" Happy exclaimed.

"What's your idea?" Lucy asked.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Carla added.

"Yeah..." Lily agreed.

"You said somebody's watching us and that it's a nice hobby, right?" Happy asked.

"Yeah, yeah." Natsu and Lucy nodded their heads in sync.

"I bet the kingdom's soldiers are having us under surveillance." Happy said.

"You mean they're guarding us?" Natsu questioned.

"I see..." Lucy mumbled.

"True, it seems like they'd do that." Mira added.

"Right? So let's get the guards' attention and lure them here." Happy said.

"Then we'll hit 'em!" Natsu exclaimed.

"No! As soon as the guards come down here, we brilliantly escape!" Everyone looked down to see what Happy had drawn on the ground. "Well?"

"I understand what you're saying, but this drawing is..." Samuel started to say.

"Scary, isn't it?" Wendy concluded.

Happy had a gloomy expression. "Lure them here, you say?" Carla repeated.

"We don't know where they are or if they're watching us, so how do we get their attention?" Lily asked.

"I've got it!" Natsu exclaimed.

"That's my Natsu!" Happy praised.

"Strip!" Natsu and Happy ordered Lucy, pointing at her.

"Excuse me?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"After all, the soldiers are all men!" Happy informed as pictures of Lucy and Mira in bikinis were in Natsu's hands.

"Like this!"

"D-Daring!" Yukino stuttered as her face turned bright red, backing away a bit.

"It was only for work!" Lucy defended. "And we don't need to get that much attention..."

"Isn't this really old?"

"A Weekly Sorcerer from about seven years ago, right?"

"Seven years ago?"

"You probably don't know about it, Yukino-san." Wendy informed.

"This makes me feel nostalgic." Mira commented.

"Why do you have that in the first place?" Lucy asked.

"It was lying over there." Natsu answered, pointing to some remains.

"There's a journal. 'It's been three years since I was shut up in here. As I wait for the end, these cheesecake photos soothe my mind. Mira-tan is cute. Losing consciousness as Mira-tan gazes at me from the page... Together with Mira-tan...'" Lily reads as he pales. Everyone else did as well.

"I'm suddenly starting to get scared." Carla commented.

"The guy never mentioned Lucy." Natsu noticed.

"What do I care?! I shouldn't even make a comment!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Then let's do this thing! I call it 'Appeal to Men's Instincts! Operation: Cheesecake Escape'!" Happy declared.

"I'm fired up! Let's go, Lucy!" Natsu said.

"I'm gonna do it?!"

Mira posed in a red bikini. "I'll support you!" She encouraged.

"You're too into it!" Lucy commented. "And where am I gonna get a swimsuit?!"

"Is Fairy Tail always like this?" Yukino asked.

"There's one on the ground over there."

"No, not always." Wendy replied.

"I hate this in more ways than one!"

Lucy was finally in a bikini. "Jeez! If I'm gonna do this, I'm going all out!" She claimed.

"But of course!" Natsu said.

"They may be able to hear you too, so let's include a commentary!" Happy suggested.

"Entry number one! Lucy Heartfilia!"

"Meow! If you don't let us out of here, I'm gonna punish you!" Lucy said.

Lily held up a 4. "I don't know what she means!"

Happy was holding up an 8. "Erotic!"

Carla held up a 9. "Well, not bad..."

"What is this?" Lucy questioned.

"Entry number two! Mirajane Strauss!"

"You want to see me go all out? Then come and get me, but be prepared to die." Mira threatened as she was in her Sitri form.

"That's not what we're supposed to be doing here!" Lucy complained.

"Um... After going this far, it's hard for me to say this..." Wendy trailed off.

"... but if no one is actually watching, then isn't this meaningless?" Yukino concluded.

"I do feel like we're just wasting time." Samuel agreed.

"It's better than doing nothing!" Happy claimed.

"Better?" Carla quoted.

"Yeah! I'm sure they'll be right out! Don't sell Fairy Tail short!" Natsu said before addressing Lucy. "So I'm countin' on you!"

"You're putting it all on me?!" Lucy exclaimed as Yukino smiled a bit.

"Yukino-san, did you smile?" Wendy asked.

"Huh? Did I?" Yukino questioned, not realizing she did as Lucy and Natsu continued to bicker.

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Another explosion went off as Gray rolled on the ground. "Oh, dear! An awesome follow-up attack! Is Gray helpless to do anything but lick the floor?!" Chapati announced as the audience cheered.

Rufus chuckled as he was sitting on the railing. "I admit it, I underestimated you a bit. I didn't think you would hang on this long. And I'm grateful to you. For being my guinea pig today as I test the Ancient Magic I memorized! Showering Ancient Wisdom!"

Gray was soon held onto the ground by gravity. "The ancients certainly did come up with some heartstoppers. There's nothing I can't do with Magic. You're sensing that firsthand, aren't you? I can even control gravity. At this rate, you'll be crushed by the light. And there's no way you can escape!" Rufus claimed.

"Oh, boy! Gray can't get up! Will Ice Molding Magic be defeated by Memory Molding Magic?!" Chapati announcced.

"Gray-sama, Juvia has faith in you! In your strength... In the strength of your feelings... That's why Juvia won't turn around! Juvia won't worry!" Juvia thought.

"Yeesh. As if..." Gray muttered as he stood up.

"You can still move?" Rufus questioned in shock.

"Defeated, you say?" Gray quoted, as Ul crossed his mind.

"Molding Magic is Magic that gives you freedom. Isn't that right, Ul?" Gray thought. "On top of that, my memories..."

Flashes of his previous battles crossed his mind. "Ul, the battles I won with your Magic, and what I got from them. The feelings I sensed from them..." Gray's thoughts trailed off.

"Hey, Nii-san!" Samuel's voice was soon heard. "Stop slacking off and do what you do best!"

Gray opened his eyes in deterimation as he smiled. "Right, Sam. That's just what I was going to do. " He said, getting into a fighting stance as ice soon appeared from the ground.

"Oh, my! Has Gray Fullbuster started to counterattack at last?!" Chapati wondered as Juvia smiled to herself. Rufus landed on the ground.

"It looks like you want me to hurt you some more." Rufus claimed.

"Nah, I had plenty of that! Memory Make is pretty damn impressive. But you know, my own memories can turn into big-ass power, too." Gray informed.

"That's an interesting thing to say. What kind of memories do you have?" Rufus asked as the ice disappeared around them.

"I doubt you'd understand. The pain of getting hit, the frustration of losing, the joy of winning, all of that. They've been driven into this body, these fists, and this head. It becomes my strength in the next fight. All of my battles up to now, those memories, they are all of my power! The power that's gonna knock you for a loop is my memories!" Gray exclaimed, removing his shirt.

"He took it off! He took it off! He took it off!" Chapati shouted as the women in the audience went wild.

Juvia was covering her eyes. "Gray-sama!" She squealed.

"He took off his shirt." Mavis said.

"He did." Makarov stated.

"Yeah! That means he's in serious mode!" Warren claimed.

"Everything you've taken up to now, dish it out to him, Gray!" Max cheered.

"That's a unique logic. But I don't care for it. Typically, the weaker the dog, the more it barks. Or so they say." Rufus commented.

"You don't like it? Not that I give a damn..." Gray said.

"Remembering is learning. You shouldn't use it to focus on emotions. Your memories are only emotions. There's not enough honor." Rufus stated.

"The memories you have are going to destroy you." Gray claimed.

Rufus narrowed his eyes. "What?" He questioned.

"Since getting the seal of Fairy Tail, I've never lost against the same opponent twice." Gray responded.

"Do you have some kind of plan?" Rufus asked.

Gray placed his fists together. "Ice-Make..." He started to say as Rufus placed his fingers on his temple.

"Memorize..." He began.

"Unlimited!" Gray finished his spell. Swords began spinning around as they aimed at Rufus.

"What is this?" Rufus asked.

Swords soon began to spiral upward. "How can his molding be so fast?!" Rufus exclaimed. Gray placed his fists together again.

"Have you memorized it?" Gray questioned.

"I see!" Romeo exclaimed.

"If he does all that molding at once..." Takashi started to say.

"My memory... can't keep up!" Rufus stated.

The swords soon charged forward. "Powerful Dance of Chaos!" Gray called out.

The swords attacked Rufus, encasing him in ice as the audience cheered. "Except it's unfortunate that it's only ice. I remember flames that can destroy ice!" Rufus claimed.

"Memory Make: Karma of the Burning Earth!" He shouted as the flames engulfed Gray. Rufus smirked but Gray ended up appearing from the flames, charging forward.

"So that's the spell you used to take down my little brother, huh? I remember flames hotter than that!" Gray said. "Ice Bringer!"

Rufus soon landed on the ground in defeat, making the audience cheer. "He did it." Makarov said.

Mavis sighed in relief. "You showed us... the power of your feelings and their strength." She said as Gray grabbed Rufus's hat from the air, placing it on his head.

"Gray did it! Fairy Tail won! Rufus lost!" Chapati announced, making the audience cheer as the Lacrima Screen showed Gray smirking.

Juvia had hearts in her eyes. "That was wonderful, Gray-sama!" She exclaimed.

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"I quit!" Lucy whined as her and Happy paled.

"Just showing them was a waste of time." Mira stated, transforming back into her normal outfit.

"Nobody's come..." Natsu muttered.

"That operation failed." Carla commented.

"They showed off for nothing." Lily stated.

"And I was so sure it would work..." Happy said.

"I guess that means they're not monitoring us."

"Maybe we should look for another means..." Samuel suggested.

"That's all we can do."

The group began to walk away. "I'm tired from thrusting my chest out." Lucy complained.

Everyone was unaware of the single-eyed flower that sprouted, watching them.

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A/N: Another chapter is finished! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 3372 words.