Natsu and Gajeel exchanged bitter glances as the results were announced.
Ken calmed his breathing, gathered his magic power back into his body, and slowly walked toward the two severely injured members of Fairy Tail. With a steady hand, he reached out and offered to help them up.
"When you become stronger, you are welcome to challenge me again. It's the same as today. If you defeat me, I will tell you everything about the Dragons," Ken said, his voice calm.
"By the way, if money is tight, the rent can be paid in installments~," he added with a smile.
He gently pulled them up.
Gajeel sighed softly, regret flashing across his brow. He had been watching the battle, waiting for the moment when Ken's magic power might deplete, only to realize that Ken's reserves were nearly endless.
Ken seemed to have limitless firepower, and even with reservations, each attack could still overwhelm both him and Natsu.
"You're definitely strong…" Gajeel rasped.
Natsu, still determined, grabbed Ken's hand and was pulled to his feet. He dusted himself off but raised his fist in frustration.
"Hey, Ken, even though I lost today, I'll definitely defeat you someday! And then, you'll tell me where Igneel is!" Natsu said with a grin.
Ken smiled faintly. "I'm looking forward to it. But remember to prepare next year's rent before your next challenge~."
Natsu paused, staring at Ken in disbelief. "Seriously?"
At that moment, Macao approached, a big smile on his face. He threw an arm around Natsu's shoulders affectionately.
"It's alright, Natsu! Don't worry about the rent! I'll cover part of it in the future! Here, take this 1000J!"
"Uh… Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" Natsu asked, confused.
"Well, you see, I placed a 5000J bet on Ken to win, and I won 3000J, so don't worry about paying me back for the rent... hehehe," Macao said, chuckling.
Natsu wanted to slap him.
After chatting with a few other members, Ken left the guild, heading toward the outskirts of Magnolia.
"Come to think of it, I've been wandering since I arrived in this world. I don't have a stable place to live yet… Hopefully, the house Lucy introduced me to won't be a trap," Ken thought to himself as he walked.
He knew that if he were to stay in Fairy Tail long-term, finding a proper place to stay would be a good idea.
As he passed the bustling streets, with carriages rushing by and the noise of the crowds, he finally reached a quiet area not far away.
He walked on, mentally planning his ideal place to live, but as he did, he sensed three magical presences approaching him.
"It seems I'm being followed…" Ken thought, his senses sharp.
He slowed his pace deliberately, choosing to observe and see what they were planning.
Hidden in the shadows, two men and a woman were following him closely, keeping their distance yet staying within range of a potential attack.
The three of them were not outsiders. They were part of Fairy Tail, a team under the command of Laxus, known as the Thunder Gods.
The Thunder Gods had just returned from a mission and had missed Ken's earlier battle with Natsu and Gajeel. Following an order from Laxus, they were instructed to test Ken by force if necessary.
After some hesitation, Evergreen, a female member of the Thunder Gods, couldn't hold back her concern.
"I still think… is it really right to attack someone from our own guild like this? What if his magic power is too strong and something goes wrong…?" Evergreen asked.
Freed, the most logical of the group, scowled and replied firmly, "This is Laxus's order. We follow it. He has his reasons."
Before Evergreen could respond, Freed's eyes flickered, and he quickly shouted, "The opportunity is here, prepare to act!"
Ken, unaware of the imminent attack, had just reached an open space, making it the perfect moment for a surprise assault.
"Go!" Freed commanded.
Without further hesitation, they launched their attacks.
"Dark Words: Severe Pain!" Freed cried.
"Light Kill Cannon!" Bickslow's orders rang out.
Evergreen gritted her teeth, using her ultimate technique: "Goblin Machine Gun!"
The three powerful magical beams converged on Ken simultaneously.
But to their shock, Ken kept walking forward, unguarded and unperturbed. The explosion that followed was massive, leaving a crater in the ground, but Ken didn't flinch. He didn't even break his stride. The dust didn't even touch him.
The three Thunder Gods stood in stunned silence, exchanging confused glances.
"What!? Did we miss?" one of them asked.
"It's impossible… He was standing right there! But then he disappeared…" another muttered.
Freed's sharp mind quickly pieced things together. "I understand now. What we saw wasn't Ken, it was an afterimage of lightning…"
"Thunder Shadow?" Evergreen asked, surprised.
"Yes, only someone with lightning magic like Laxus could do that… Ken must have the same lightning magic, and his speed is so fast we couldn't even perceive it," Freed explained.
Ken had moved so quickly that their attack had failed entirely, leaving them bewildered.
Before they could react, a burst of flames suddenly erupted from Ken's position, racing toward them with terrifying force.
Ken wasn't going to let them attack him without consequences, even if they were members of the same guild.
The flames were charged with the power of a Fire Dragon Slayer, and it was a retaliatory strike that could easily match their combined assault.
"Not good!" Freed shouted, his face contorted in fear as he prepared to defend.
The other two also quickly readied their magic, sensing the danger.
In an instant, a golden lightning figure darted from the side and punched the flames, breaking through the attack with a blast of energy.
The Thunder Gods' attack was neutralized, and the flames dissipated.
A calm, rich voice spoke from the golden light. "The three of you were only following orders. I apologize for the trouble."
As the light faded, the Thunder Gods saw a familiar figure: Laxus, the leader of the Thunder Gods, had intervened.
The three of them immediately relaxed, recognizing their leader.
"Laxus?" they asked in unison, their faces lighting up with relief.
Laxus stood there, his expression calm but slightly annoyed. "You three were testing Ken, huh? You'll need to train a lot more if you want to take him down. Ken controls eight types of magic, including lightning."
"Eight types!?" the three of them echoed, wide-eyed.
Ken, having stopped his retaliation, turned around, a friendly smile on his face. The tension had dissipated as if nothing had happened.
"Hello," Ken greeted, his tone warm and unbothered.
(Next Chapter: Tensions of Power)