Fairy Tail: Strongest Creature

The ground beneath Su Yan's feet shattered, and Freed was sent flying back.

"Baryon Formation!!"

Bickslow arranged his dolls into a pentagon—this was his strongest magic. A powerful burst of energy radiated from the dolls, blasting straight at Su Yan.

Boom—!!

A fierce explosion rippled outward, splintering the ground.

"Did we get him?!" Bickslow asked, watching the smoke.

Freed shook his head. "No. Su Yan isn't someone who can be taken down that easily."

A shockwave rippled from the center of the smoke, dispersing it in a gust of air. Freed and Bickslow shielded themselves with their arms. Then they saw Su Yan standing unscathed at ground zero of the attack. There was no doubt the explosion had hit him—yet it hadn't even singed a hair.

"Impossible?!" Bickslow couldn't believe his eyes. He'd unleashed his most powerful magic, but it hadn't fazed Su Yan. The blow to his pride was immense.

"This is the Undead Demon Emperor Su Yan," Freed said solemnly.

"Not bad. But that alone isn't enough to keep me here."

"Om—!"

Su Yan's Conqueror's Haki erupted again. Bickslow and Freed braced themselves, but there was no way to fully defend against that all-encompassing wave of pressure.

Boom!!!

Both were knocked back.

Su Yan shot forward, targeting Bickslow first. He delivered a heavy punch straight to Bickslow's face.

"Watch out, Bickslow!!" Freed shouted.

"X Formation!" Bickslow hastily rearranged his dolls into a defensive pattern.

Boom!!!

Su Yan's attack smashed the dolls aside. Freed fired a dark magic bullet at Su Yan, momentarily forcing him back and tearing up the ground under his feet.

"Boom!"

Su Yan rebounded with a single kick, propelling himself toward Freed again.

Seeing him rush closer, Freed leapt into the air.

"Tch—!"

To his shock, Su Yan jumped right after him.

"How is that possible?!" Freed couldn't believe Su Yan was able to keep up midair. He knew Su Yan didn't ordinarily fly, so was he using sheer leg power to leap?

"Got you." Su Yan grabbed Freed's face midair, hurling him downward.

"Ughhhhh!" Freed smashed into the ground.

"Baryon Formation!!"

Spotting Su Yan suspended in the air, Bickslow seized the chance—Su Yan shouldn't be able to move freely mid-leap.

Tssss—!!!

A thick beam of magic roared upward, trying to nail Su Yan in midair.

"Boom!"

But Su Yan stomped seemingly on empty air, boosting himself up just enough to dodge.

"No way?!" Bickslow cried, watching in disbelief. Su Yan then fell back to the ground, landing with a heavy crash.

"Guess I've no choice but to use it," Bickslow muttered, his expression grim.

He ripped off his mask, revealing his eyes beneath.

"Figure Eyes!"

Su Yan, well aware of Bickslow's magic, closed his own eyes at once. He remembered that if anyone looked directly into Bickslow's eyes, they'd become a mind-controlled puppet. Even if Su Yan suspected his Conqueror's Haki might protect him from that, he saw no need to risk it.

"Close your eyes, Babies—Attack!" Bickslow commanded.

The dolls soared up, firing beams of light at Su Yan.

"Hmph!"

Su Yan gathered intense Haki energy around himself. A violent shockwave erupted.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!

The ground split and trembled. Every one of Bickslow's dolls shattered under the pressure, and the Conqueror's Haki blast slammed into Bickslow himself.

Boom—!!

"Ughhh!!"

Bickslow let out a wail as he crashed backward through several walls before slumping, unconscious.

"Bickslow!!" Freed groaned, watching his ally go down. Now that Bickslow was out, Freed had to face Su Yan alone.

"…I'll have to resort to forbidden magic," Freed muttered, steeling himself.

"Dark Écriture: Darkness!!"

He etched the dark runes onto his chest, transforming into a demonic figure. Charging at Su Yan, he unleashed fierce blows that Su Yan met head-on.

Boom—-!!!

Their clash blew out the ground around them.

"Your power's not bad," Su Yan acknowledged. "You're almost catching up to Mira."

Freed pressed his attack, and Su Yan traded blows without defending. Freed realized with mounting horror that his hits weren't even slowing Su Yan, while every punch Su Yan landed made Freed's body scream in pain.

Freed soon understood the hopelessness of fighting a monster like Su Yan at close range, even in his demonized form.

"Arghhh!!"

Flapping demonic wings, Freed retreated skyward. Blood trickled from multiple gashes, and he panted, glaring down at an utterly unscathed Su Yan below.

Su Yan smirked up at him. "What's the matter? Tired of this already? Or are you just stalling for time?"

Seeing Su Yan so calm and unhurt, Freed's face twitched in frustration.

"You… monster!"