The forest was quiet, save for the rustling leaves and distant chirping of birds. The morning sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting speckled patterns on the forest floor. This place, far from the city and deep in nature, was perfect for what we had planned.
Laxus stood across from me, his stance firm, shoulders squared. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power already pulsed through him, faint sparks of electricity crackling at his fingertips. He wasn't used to it yet, but the raw potential was there. The Lightning Dragon God Lacrima I had given him had also begun integrating into his body, but that process would take longer.
For now, this was a test.
"You ready?" I asked, rolling my shoulders.
Laxus smirked. "Tch. Always."
I chuckled. "Alright, here's the deal. I'm going to hold back."
His smirk faltered. "What?"
"If I fought you seriously, we wouldn't be having a fight—we'd be having a funeral," I said, deadpan.
Laxus scowled. "You cocky—"
I raised a hand, cutting him off. "Not saying that to brag, just stating facts. You need time to adapt to your new powers, so I'm giving you a chance to figure them out. Treat this like a real battle, though, because I will hit back."
Laxus huffed but nodded. "Fine."
NIMO, floating to the side, projected a countdown in the air. "Training match: Aiden vs. Laxus. Starting in three… two… one…"
I shoved my hands in my pockets. "Come at me."
Laxus cracked his knuckles, electricity sparking around his fingers. "You're really pissing me off, y'know that?"
I smirked. "Yeah, it's a gift."
"You're not even taking this seriously."
I shoved my hands in my pockets. "You haven't given me a reason to."
Laxus' eye twitched. "Oh, you're so asking for it!" He stomped forward, fists crackling with raw lightning. With a surge of energy, he vanished—reappearing above me in a flash, fist raised.
I barely shifted my stance as he swung down.
BOOM!
The ground cracked beneath my feet as his punch landed. Dust and debris shot into the air, obscuring the battlefield for a moment.
Then, a low whistle.
"Not bad," I said from behind him.
Laxus spun around just in time to see my foot swinging toward his side. He barely raised his arms before—
WHAM!
He skidded across the ground, tearing through dirt and leaves before slamming into a tree.
"Fast, but predictable," I said, stretching. "You gotta mix it up."
Laxus groaned, standing up. "Yeah? How about this!"
Lightning surged from his body, flickering wildly as the air around us grew charged. Then, in a burst of speed, he lunged forward, appearing in front of me in a blink. His fist shot toward my face.
I caught it with one hand.
Laxus' eyes widened. "What—"
Before he could react, I twisted his arm slightly, using his own momentum against him. He stumbled, and I lightly flicked his forehead.
CRACK!
The force sent him flying backward, skipping across the ground like a thrown rock before landing in a heap.
Laxus groaned. "You... bastard..."
I grinned. "Lesson one: don't rely on brute force alone."
He growled, pushing himself up. "Yeah? Then how about speed?"
His body shimmered with lightning, and in a flash, he vanished.
Hoh?
A sharp boom echoed as he appeared at my side, leg swinging toward my ribs. I barely dodged before—
BZZT!
A second Laxus appeared behind me, throwing a punch. Then a third on my left. Then a fourth above.
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Afterimages?"
The four Laxuses attacked at once, their fists crackling with energy.
I dodged the first. Blocked the second. Weaved past the third. Then—
BAM!
The fourth connected. My jaw tilted slightly from the impact.
Laxus grinned. "Gotcha!"
Then, his expression shifted as he saw my own grin.
"Did you?" I asked.
His eyes barely had time to widen before my hand shot forward, gripping his face.
BOOM!
I slammed him into the ground, shaking the forest. Dust and debris erupted from the impact.
I stepped back as he groaned, lying flat. "Not bad," I admitted. "You're figuring things out."
Laxus coughed, pushing himself up. "Figuring out how much of an ass you are."
I chuckled. "That too."
NIMO hovered beside us, voice calm. "Laxus has sustained mild injuries. Would you like me to activate healing protocols?"
Laxus wiped some dirt off his face. "Hell no! I'm not done!"
I smirked. "Then get up, kid. Show me what you've got."
Laxus steadied himself, shaking off the dirt, his fists clenched tight. His breathing was heavy, but his eyes burned with determination.
I rolled my shoulders, exhaling slowly. He's getting better.
But strength didn't come from just talent or determination. It came from breaking yourself down and building back up—over and over again.
The Fountain of Youth? A cheat code. No aging, no lasting injuries. I could push myself beyond normal limits without worrying about the consequences. If I tore a muscle, it healed. If I broke a bone, it mended. That meant no rest days, no excuses—just constant growth.
Then there was the Gravity Ring.
It never came off. Not once. Every second of every day, my body fought against crushing weight. Eating, sleeping, walking—every movement was training. What started as a minor increase had escalated over time. My muscles adapted, my endurance skyrocketed, my strength became something beyond human.
Of course, I could just get a potion that would instantly boost my strength, toughen my body, or even let me absorb physical damage permanently. With the Celestial Inventory, there were a dozen shortcuts I could take.
I wasn't satisfied with that.
Power isn't given—it's built. And I built my body through blood, sweat, and sheer stubbornness.
I looked at Laxus, watching as he steadied himself. His fists sparked with lightning. He wasn't backing down.
Good.
I smirked. "Come on, Laxus. Again."
—
Laxus lay flat on his back, staring at the sky, his breathing ragged. His coat was singed, his fists still crackling with faint traces of lightning. He had fought hard, pushed himself further than before—but in the end, I was still standing, barely even winded.
I crouched beside him, resting my elbow on my knee. "You good, champ?"
He groaned, throwing an arm over his face. "I hate you."
I smirked. "That's not what you were saying when you begged me to train you."
Laxus lifted his arm just enough to glare at me. "I didn't beg."
"Eh, sounded close enough to me."
He grumbled something under his breath and let his head fall back again. "This sucks. No matter how much stronger I get, you're still miles ahead."
"Yep," I said cheerfully.
His eye twitched. "You're not even gonna deny it?!"
I shrugged. "I mean, it's true. But hey, don't feel bad. I've got a head start. You'll catch up… in, like, fifty years."
Laxus sat up just to throw a fistful of dirt at me. I dodged effortlessly, grinning. "Nice try."
He scowled. "I will surpass you."
I patted his head like a proud father. "That's the spirit."
Before he could retaliate, a voice cut through the trees.
"Aiden!"
Laxus and I both turned to see Alma walking toward us, hands on her hips, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
Uh-oh.
She stopped a few feet away, scanning the battlefield—scorched trees, craters in the ground, smoke rising from several impact points. Then, she turned her sharp gaze on me.
I gave her my best innocent smile. "Hi?"
Alma pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do I even want to know what kind of destruction you caused this time?"
"Training," I said quickly. "Completely controlled. Totally safe."
Laxus, still catching his breath, snorted. "Yeah, sure. 'Controlled.' He threw me through three trees."
Alma's eyes narrowed. "Three?"
I pointed at him. "He's fine."
Laxus pointed at the broken trees. "They're not."
Alma sighed, rubbing her temples. "Aiden…"
"Before you yell at me, consider this—" I grinned. "Laxus is stronger now!"
Laxus nodded. "That is true."
She turned her unimpressed stare to him. "And do you think nearly getting obliterated is a good training method?"
He hesitated. "...Maybe?"
Alma sighed again, muttering something about idiots and their obsession with brute force. Then she crossed her arms, leveling me with a look. "At least tell me you're fixing all this."
I waved a hand. "Of course, of course. I got it covered."
Alma didn't look convinced, but before she could argue, I clapped my hands together. "Now, since you're here, how about we all get some food? I don't know about Laxus, but I worked up a huge appetite watching him struggle."
"Stop talking," Laxus grumbled, dragging himself up.
Alma sighed but finally relented. "Fine. But you're paying."
I grinned. "A small price to pay for great company."
Laxus scoffed. "He just doesn't want to cook."
I gasped, placing a hand over my heart. "How dare you."
Alma shook her head, already turning back toward town. "Let's just go before you two destroy anything else."
With a victorious grin, I followed after them, Laxus still grumbling beside me.
All in all, a solid day.
—----------
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