Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 168: Takeover: Blue Sentinel

Laxus raised his hand, and with a crackle of electricity, the wooden flagpole embedded itself unnaturally into the mountainside, purely by force of lightning.

A glowing sphere of lightning sparked to life in his palm. With a sharp flick of his wrist, it elongated into a crackling whip that lashed out toward Rhodes and Cana.

Both of them leapt to opposite sides to dodge, but the group of summoned Raptors wasn't as lucky. The lightning whip struck them mid-air, and with a flash, the magical beasts vanished in puffs of smoke.

Laxus slammed both fists into the ground, and arcs of lightning slithered across the terrain like angry serpents. The bolts split into two, snaking toward his targets.

"Wahh~!"

"Ack—!"

The lightning struck Rhodes and Cana, lighting up their bodies as they screamed in unison. Sparks danced over Rhodes' body as he gritted his teeth and forced magic through his limbs to dull the impact, refusing to collapse.

Even before regaining her balance, Cana hurled two more cards forward. "Sun's Explosion! Emperor's Wind Blade!"

Flames and razor-sharp wind erupted from the cards, churning up dust and rushing toward Laxus in a chaotic storm of destruction.

Engulfed in the attack, Laxus raised his arm to shield his face. He stormed forward, breaking through the flames and slicing wind like a force of nature. His violet shirt was torn, revealing his chiseled frame beneath, but he bore not a single wound.

Cana didn't let up. With nimble steps, she leapt backward, flinging golden-glowing cards in all directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each card exploded either on impact or mid-air, forcing Laxus to slow his advance. The ground shook from the chain of explosions. A few cards stuck to the rocky floor—silent, waiting.

"Take Over: Murk Wolf!"

With a sharp roar, Rhodes transformed into a fierce werewolf, fur bristling and eyes gleaming with primal power. He bounded forward and brought a clawed slash straight down toward Laxus's head.

But Laxus caught his wrist with ease.

Rhodes growled and slammed his other palm onto Laxus's chest. "Summon: Murk wolves!"

With a sudden shimmer of magic, three wolves materialized behind Laxus. Two regular ones sank their fangs into his right arm and left side, while a large two-headed wolf clamped down on his shoulders.

Seeing her chance, Cana darted forward, cards flicking between her fingers as she raced toward the flag.

Laxus sneered. "What a joke."

A blast of lightning exploded from him, surging across his body.

The summoned wolves yelped and vanished as if short-circuited. But Rhodes clenched his jaw and refused to let go, pressing his claws tighter around Laxus's wrist. With a howl, he launched a claw strike with his left hand.

His claws raked across Laxus's chest, tearing away part of his shirt and revealing a black tattoo beneath it, along with a few fresh, red claw marks.

But then:

crack!

Golden lightning struck Rhodes in the chest, surging through his body.

"GrrRAHH—!"

Rhodes howled, stumbling back several steps. He dropped to a half-crouch, clutching his chest, coughing hard.

"Cough... cough..."

Thankfully, no blood, but his wolf fur had puffed up from the shock, making the once-ferocious werewolf look awkwardly fluffy.

Laxus didn't even glance at Rhodes. He turned to pursue Cana, but another card at his feet detonated in a thick puff of gray smoke.

"Fool's Smoke," Cana said with a smirk.

Laxus immediately covered his mouth and nose. The smoke wasn't just for show, it had a subtle, hypnotic quality.

As he made to push through it, two more cards exploded beside him.

Suddenly, the world twisted. A monstrous demon with horns and claws loomed in front of him, maw wide open, ready to devour him.

"Magician's Illusion."

"Demon's Intimidation."

Laxus's expression didn't even flinch.

"These tricks might work on amateurs," he muttered, lightning sparking in his eyes. "But I'm not one of them."

Still, despite shrugging off the illusion, he knew one thing for sure—even with his strength, that smoke was crawling with traps.

Laxus leapt high, soaring above the smoke in one clean jump. As the haze cleared from his view, he spotted Cana scrambling up the rocky cliff face, the flagpole in her grasp.

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At the same moment, Rhodes had flanked to the opposite side of the smoke. With a sharp motion, he raised his hand, and a wolf launched through the air, sinking its fangs into Laxus's ankle.

"You little—!" Laxus growled, sparks flashing from his leg.

"Hehe"

Rhodes grinned beneath his lupine snout and slashed his right hand downward. "Drag him down!"

The murk wolf tugged violently, and Laxus was yanked down mid-air, landing in a rough half-crouch. Snarling, he slammed a fist into the shadow beast, dispersing it in a flash of smoke.

He stood up at the edge of the smoke field, lightning crackling in his palm. With a flick, he hurled a bolt straight at Rhodes.

Rhodes dodged, but as he moved, Laxus lifted his right hand again. A crackling orb of lightning the size of a small human formed, arcs of electricity dancing around it like a living creature. He hurled it with force, the ball tethered to him by a whip of lightning.

"Lightning Pressure Bomb!"

"GRAHH—!"

Rhodes cried out in agony as the massive bolt struck him dead-on. The sheer force dwarfed anything Laxus had thrown before.

His fur was nearly scorched off, his body sparking and steaming as he crashed onto his back.

With another sharp wave, Laxus swung the tethered lightning ball toward Cana.

Cana had just yanked the flag free from the rock wall and was mid-jump down when Rhodes' scream made her freeze midair. She turned, panic in her voice. "Rhodes!"

Rhodes, barely conscious, lifted a shaky thumb and rasped, "Go... finish it..."

Whether she heard him or not, Cana clenched her teeth and took off running with the flag.

But lightning was faster than any runner.

"Defense Wall!" she shouted, throwing a glowing card behind her as she sprinted.

A shimmering barrier flickered into place—thin, but better than nothing. The moment the lightning struck it, the barrier shattered with a crackle. A stone beetle-like creature burst from the mountain wall in an attempt to intercept, but it was too late.

The lightning ball slammed into Cana's back, and she screamed as her body was engulfed in electric current.

"Aaaahhh—!"

Her eyes nearly rolled back, and she collapsed, the flag slipping from her fingers.

It clattered to the ground, the tip landing just shy of the glowing edge of the magic circle.

"Just a little... further..." Cana whispered, trembling as she pushed herself up on her elbows, refusing to give in. Dust clung to her skin, and her long dark hair fell over her face, tangled and dirt-streaked.

"Just a little more..."

Cana's voice trembled as she struggled to lift her head. The flagpole was within reach, so close. If she couldn't walk, she'd crawl.

But instead of the finish line, what appeared before her... was Laxus's boot.

Without hesitation, Laxus raised his leg and delivered a merciless kick, sending her flying out of the narrow passage.

"Cana!" Rhodes had already reverted from his werewolf form. He sprinted forward and caught her just in time, gently lowering her to the ground.

"Cana? Hey—Cana!" Rhodes called, lightly patting her cheek. "Can you hear me?"

Her long lashes fluttered, and her eyes cracked open.

Tears welled up in them almost instantly. She bit her lip, trembling as she reached out and clutched a handful of his sleeve with her fingers. Her voice was hoarse. "I was... so close..."

"It's okay," Rhodes whispered, forcing a calm he didn't feel. "It's not over. We've still got one last shot."

With effort, he helped her to her feet. She leaned on him for support as they limped toward the tunnel entrance, shoulder to shoulder.

At the far end, Laxus stood tall and unmoving, arms crossed, guarding the magic circle like a thunder god. He gave the fallen flagpole a lazy kick, sending it clattering across the stone floor.

He raised an eyebrow and sneered. "You two still haven't figured it out yet? Time to give up."

Rhodes met his gaze, unflinching. "Laxus... in that moment earlier, there were plenty of ways to stop Cana. You didn't have to kick her like that."

"Huh? What are you, her babysitter now?" Laxus scoffed. "Do you even know what this S-Class exam is? This isn't some friendly spar. This is a battlefield."

He turned his gaze to Cana. "And you, Cana. You've taken this exam more than once, haven't you? So why are you still here, scraping the bottom of the barrel? You still don't know your limits?" His tone turned harsh. "Weaklings like you aren't fit to carry the same title as me!"

Cana's eyes burned with defiance. "I'm not giving up. Not now!"

Laxus snorted. "Oh? Even after all the magic you wasted on traps and flashy spells? You took my lightning head-on and now you can barely stand. What's the plan? Gonna throw your lot in with him?" He jerked his chin at Rhodes. "That half-baked summoning magic and second-rate Take Over magic? Please. Don't make me laugh."

To Laxus, they weren't a threat anymore. The fact that they'd lasted this long was already a miracle—probably thanks to cheap tricks and lucky timing. But in terms of real strength? They were miles behind.

A sudden rumble interrupted his thoughts. A Krug burst from the mountain wall again, determined to protect Cana.

Laxus didn't even blink.

A bolt of lightning exploded from his palm and split the creature clean in two.

With a smirk, he stretched out a hand and beckoned with one finger. "Come on. Let's see what else you've got left."

Rhodes gently moved Cana behind him and stood tall.

"Then let me show you, my final move."

He raised one arm horizontally, his voice calm but resolute.

"Take Over: Blue Sentinel!"