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"Remember my name—Phantom Lord's Iron Dragon Slayer, Gajeel!"
The long-haired mage sneered, his figure flickering as he charged at the trio and their cat at an astonishing speed.
"So, you're the one who attacked our guild? Let me teach you a lesson!"
Saru Sook activated his Godspeed magic, countering Gajeel's velocity with his own superior swiftness. Leaping forward, he aimed a powerful kick at Gajeel's sharp-featured face.
"Falcon Sky Dive!"
However, Gajeel didn't flinch. Instead, his body turned pitch black, as if transforming into solid iron. With a mocking grin, he met Saru Sook's attack head-on, using his iron-like face to absorb the blow.
"Argh!"
The scene was bizarre—when Saru Sook's foot connected with Gajeel's face, the latter remained entirely unscathed, his movements unaffected. Instead, Saru Sook was sent flying backward.
The gap in their power levels was painfully evident.
By this time, Dorel and Levy had recovered from their initial shock. The two, known for their seamless teamwork, quickly coordinated their efforts.
Dorel scattered a handful of seeds onto the ground, which sprouted into thick vines that lunged at Gajeel, attempting to entangle him.
At the same time, Levy inscribed the word "Stone" into the air, conjuring a massive boulder that plummeted toward the now-bound Gajeel.
"Iron Dragon Slayer Magic: Iron Dragon Sword!"
Unfortunately, these attacks posed no threat to Gajeel. His right arm morphed into a jagged, whirling steel blade, effortlessly shredding the vines and pulverizing the boulder into rubble.
Before Dorel and Levy could launch another round of spells, Gajeel was already looming above them.
"This is bad!"
Realizing their magic had been ineffective, Dorel and Levy knew they were in serious trouble.
The Iron Dragon Slayer of Phantom Lord, Gajeel, possessed power rivaling that of an average S-Class mage—far beyond their ability to handle.
Just as Gajeel's attack was about to land on Levy and Dorel, a calm voice rang out.
"Stop!"
Incredibly, Gajeel's entire body froze in place, immobilized by the sheer force of that command.
It was George, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, finally stepping in.
"Iron Dragon Slayer, your entire body reeks of metal—even your magic," George remarked, unfurling his wings as he hovered before Gajeel. He turned to Levy and Dorel, saying:
"Take Saru Sook and retreat a bit further. I can't hold him like this for long."
If the attacker had been any other S-Class mage from Phantom Lord, George admitted he would have grabbed Levy and bolted straight for the Fairy Tail dorms.
Even with his high-grade wand in hand, he wasn't confident in facing an S-Class mage like Erza.
But the opponent happened to be the Iron Dragon Slayer, saturated with the essence of metal. Against such an adversary, George had no reason to fear.
"All right, George—just be careful!"
Levy and Dorel quickly dragged the dazed Saru Sook, who was still lying on the ground, to safety.
They had always thought George wasn't particularly skilled in combat. Yet, not only had he immobilized an S-Class mage like Gajeel, but he had also done so without any visible signs of casting magic.
"Interesting. I didn't expect a mere cat to wield such peculiar magic," Gajeel said, attempting to move. However, he found his body restricted by an invisible force, and his expression grew serious.
"But this little trick isn't enough to restrain the great Gajeel!"
With a roar, Gajeel's magic erupted in a violent surge. Through brute force alone, he shattered the magnetic restraint holding him.
"Die!"
Although Gajeel's Iron Dragon Sword was slightly slower due to George's magnetic interference, it still moved at a terrifying speed—far beyond what an average mage could evade.
"Watch out, George!"
Levy and the Others Prepare to Help
Upon seeing Gajeel break free and move again, Levy, Dorel, and Saru Sook immediately shouted a warning to George while readying their magic to assist.
"George, watch out!"
But George didn't evade. Instead, he calmly raised a paw and made a sweeping motion.
The force that had previously restrained Gajeel's body concentrated in a single direction. With that, Gajeel shot straight up into the air like a rocket, coming to an abrupt halt, suspended 20 meters above the ground.
George's magnetic control, after a year of development, had reached its peak—a force capable of lifting nearly a ton.
While such power wasn't enough to completely restrain Gajeel's S-Class physique, it was more than sufficient to launch him skyward.
In midair, without any surfaces to push off from, Gajeel's strength was rendered largely ineffective. His abilities, impressive as they were, had been severely curtailed.
*Gajeel's Struggle*
"What kind of magic is this?"
Dangling helplessly in midair, Gajeel stared at the flying cat now hovering at his altitude. For the first time, his expression showed genuine concern.
If his opponent had used magic like levitation or wind manipulation to control his body, Gajeel would have sensed the magic and dodged it. Even if hit, he could have relied on the immense power of his Dragon Slayer magic to brute force his way out of its effects.
But in this case, Gajeel couldn't detect anything—no trace of a spell, no fluctuation of magic energy. Somehow, he had been inexplicably immobilized.
Even now, trapped midair, he couldn't discern the mechanism behind this strange ability, much less figure out how to counter it.
Suspended in the sky, no matter how wildly he flailed his arms and legs, he remained stuck, unable to move or descend.
"Looks like I have no choice!"
Determined, Gajeel focused his gaze on George, then took a deep breath. His chest swelled as he prepared his signature attack.
"Iron Dragon Slayer Magic: Iron Dragon's Roar!"
His plan was simple: eliminate the cat controlling him. Once the caster was incapacitated, the magic restricting him would undoubtedly vanish.
*George's Counterplay*
But just as Gajeel was about to unleash his devastating roar, George smirked.
"Let's spin you around!"
George had witnessed Natsu's Fire Dragon's Roar before, fully aware of its destructive power—it could carve a massive crater into the ground.
Considering Gajeel was even stronger than Natsu, George wasn't confident that his own Three Pillars spell could block such an attack. So, he opted for a different approach.
Using his magnetic control, George forced Gajeel's body to rotate midair. What was once a standing position shifted into a flat, horizontal posture. Gajeel's face now pointed skyward, while George strategically positioned himself directly below, hidden in Gajeel's blind spot.
Gajeel thrashed, trying to reposition himself, but with no foothold in the air, his efforts were futile.
He twisted his neck, attempting to aim his attack at George, but without being able to see his target, his precision faltered.
In the end, Gajeel's powerful Iron Dragon's Roar blasted harmlessly into the sky, dissipating into the distance.
*George Takes the Offensive*
"My turn!"
George floated directly beneath Gajeel, maintaining his magnetic grip to prevent any movement. At the same time, he drew his high-grade wand and pointed it at Gajeel's back.
"Stupefy!"
The spell hit its mark.
(End of Chapter)