Chapter 683 - 683: Mira vs. Erza (Part II)

The instant Erza emerged from the smoke, Mira attacked again.

Still hovering high above the arena, she thrust both hands forward and unleashed a torrent of raging fire.

The orange flames compressed into a blazing pillar that swept across the battlefield toward Erza.

Erza immediately Requipped into the Flight Armor.

She twisted around the incoming fire, weaving left and right as she closed the distance.

Wrapped in golden light, she abruptly accelerated and charged Mira with a dagger in each hand.

Mira stopped her barrage.

Orange-red energy flared around her demonic claws, taking the shape of enormous dragon talons as she swung directly at the approaching Erza.

Erza did not retreat.

The two collided head-on.

BOOM!!!

The explosion was deafening.

Lucy and Levy swallowed hard.

Neither of those two knew the meaning of restraint.

When the black smoke finally cleared, a deep dagger mark could be seen across the armor covering Mira's abdomen.

Erza had not escaped unscathed either.

A claw mark had been carved across her left shoulder, and the Flight Armor's shoulder guard had been scorched black and shattered onto the ground.

Erza drew a deep breath.

Rather than being discouraged, the fighting spirit in her eyes burned even brighter as a smile spread across her face.

"Mira... fighting you really is the most fun."

Mira smiled back.

"I plan to enjoy this as much as I can too, Erza."

Erza Requipped the Sea Empress Sword once more while keeping two daggers in her right hand.

The Flight Armor continued accelerating her as she rushed toward Mira again.

Just before reaching her, Erza hurled both daggers like throwing knives.

Orange-red light flared around Mira's claws as she knocked them aside.

But by then, Erza had already slipped behind her with effortless agility.

The Sea Empress Sword rose high—

and came crashing down across Mira's shoulder.

Mira grimaced from the pain, but as she turned, her tail whipped around with tremendous force and slammed directly into Erza's unarmored abdomen.

The Sea Empress Sword was a water-element weapon and had also been Enchanted with Ice Devil Slayer Magic, making the blow particularly effective against Mira's Flame Demon form.

But Erza had taken Mira's tail strike directly with her own body.

Neither came out ahead.

The atmosphere in the stands grew increasingly tense as the battle became more brutal and evenly matched. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath.

"Do your best, both of you!"

"They're both real men!!!"

Elfman's declaration immediately ruined the tension.

Raizel quietly took a tactical sip of his drink.

At this point, the two women were almost perfectly matched.

The fight had become a contest of willpower, momentum, and who was willing to endure more pain.

Erza Requipped once again.

Ink Dragon Armor.

She planted her massive halberd against the ground, and the propulsion units mounted behind her roared to life, launching her into the air.

Erza rose high above Mira before swinging the halberd down with both hands.

Mira did not dodge.

Huge dragon-claw projections formed around both of her hands as she chose to block the strike directly.

She actually caught it.

But the sheer weight behind Erza's descending blow still knocked Mira out of the air.

Erza immediately changed direction.

She dove from above, crimson light gathering along the blade of her halberd before she swept it horizontally toward Mira.

Mira answered with another torrent of flame.

The scorching heat turned the falling snow into droplets, then instantly evaporated those into steam, filling the air with white mist that obscured Erza's vision.

Erza chose to push through the flames anyway.

Her halberd came down in a brutal overhead cleave.

BOOM!

The weapon smashed into Mira's crossed claws.

The impact cratered the ground beneath them and sent chunks of broken stone flying in every direction.

Gray's mouth twitched.

"That's terrifying..."

Kiria looked completely numb.

"Hey, hey! Wasn't this supposed to be a friendly match? Some Christmas entertainment? Why are they fighting like this?!"

Laxus shrugged.

"This is why I told you not to provoke those two. Once they start fighting, neither of them knows how to stop."

Whenever Erza and Mira were pushed into a corner, both had the same terrible habit.

They would gladly trade injury for injury.

Even if they lost, they intended to make sure their opponent paid for the victory.

Natsu clenched his fists excitedly, clearly wishing he were the one down there fighting.

"Of course! If you're gonna fight, you should go all-out!"

It would have been a more convincing statement if he were not still covered in bandages.

Mira's eyes sharpened.

Orange-red fire erupted around her right fist before she drove it straight into Erza's abdomen.

Erza's eyes widened from the impact, and she was forced to pull back.

Mira's presence surged again.

She spread her wings and shot into the air, orange light gathering around both claws.

Erza spun her halberd and followed her upward.

The fight became an aerial battle.

One figure became a dark blur, the other a streak of orange light as they collided, separated, blocked, countered, and crashed together again above the arena.

Mira's claws repeatedly struck against Erza's halberd, scattering sparks through the night sky.

Then both landed attacks at the same time.

BOOM!

An explosion erupted between them.

The shockwave hurled both women backward, sending them crashing to the ground.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then both began forcing themselves back up.

Mira planted both claws against the earth.

Flames poured from her hands directly into the ground.

The arena trembled.

Cracks spread across the battlefield, and orange-red fire erupted from them in violent pillars. Within moments, the entire arena had become a sea of flame.

Erza said nothing.

She spun her halberd faster and faster before driving its shaft into the ground upside down.

Crimson light gathered along the blade.

Then Erza kicked the lower end of the weapon.

A huge crescent-shaped crimson slash tore through the earth and raced toward Mira.

It struck her directly.

At the exact same moment—several pillars of orange fire erupted beneath Erza.

Flames swallowed her whole.

Both women's pupils contracted.

Their attacks had landed simultaneously.

BOOM—!

The arena shook once again.

A massive explosion consumed both fighters.

No one in the stands spoke.

They simply waited for the smoke to clear.

When it finally did, Erza had already released her Requip. She was kneeling on one knee, breathing heavily.

Mira had also released her Take Over.

She supported herself with one hand against the ground, her expression twisted in pain.

Ur took one look at both of them and immediately understood.

Neither had much strength left to continue.

And this was not a fight to the death.

She lowered her flag.

"That's enough! I'm declaring this match a draw!"

Lisanna, Yukino, Sherria, and the others immediately erupted into cheers and applause.

The Signario Sisters, Kiria, and Misaki had also gained an entirely new understanding of what Fairy Tail considered a "friendly spar."

Both Erza and Mira had taken fairly serious injuries, but fortunately, that was hardly a problem with August present.

He cast healing Magic over Mira, Erza, and Natsu at the same time.

All three, who ordinarily would have needed a proper period of rest, were soon back on their feet as though nothing had happened.

Naturally, Natsu immediately became excited again.

"Erza! Mira! Fight me!"

"I refuse," Erza answered without hesitation.

"I've had quite enough fighting for one night," Mira added with a smile.

Raizel put one hand firmly on Natsu's shoulder before he could start bouncing around again.

"It's already late. If you keep this up, the people of Magnolia are going to start filing complaints."

And so the Christmas Battle finally came to an end.

Raizel, Ultear, and the others did not immediately return to Guiltina afterward.

Ignia was still nowhere to be found, and there was little point in rushing back just to continue wandering around without a lead.

They might as well remain at the guild and rest for a while.

Winter stretched on.

Snow drifted over Magnolia, gathering along the bare branches of the trees.

For the first time in quite a while, Raizel put on his winter coat and scarf and went strolling through Magnolia's central streets with Ultear and the others.

Erza was in especially high spirits now that they were back home.

"Come on! Let's go have afternoon tea! I've missed desserts!"

Raizel looked at her.

"It's nighttime. What afternoon tea?"

Then he snapped his fingers.

"But the proposal passes anyway. Let's go to the café Irene and Selene opened!"