It seemed fate was constantly pulling the threads of Fairy Tail's members. Erza Scarlet eventually crossed paths with Midnight.
"Well, if it isn't the Titania," Midnight said, licking his lips. "What a fine prey you are. I hope you can entertain me."
"Haaah!" Erza swung her sword at him.
However, as the blade reached Midnight, it suddenly veered off course, bending away from him. Erza's eyes widened. It reminded her of a certain someone whose ability could also deflect magic, but the underlying principle felt different.
"Losing your patience already? You're the main attraction, Erza Scarlet," Midnight mocked.
Erza snapped out of her daze and leaped back twice in quick succession. If a sword beam can be bent, I'll just use something bigger and see if you can bend that.
A red magic circle appeared over her left hand, and a massive, broad-edged greatsword emerged. Erza gripped the hilt, pulled it free, and charged. She swung the giant blade with all her might.
But once again, she failed. Even the massive blade's path was distorted. "What? This too?"
Midnight flicked his hand, sending an arc of transparent, shimmering light toward Erza.
"What?!" Erza gasped.
Her armor began to twist and contract, tightening painfully against her body. Her grip failed, and both her swords fell to the ground.
The armor that usually gave her a sense of security had become a crushing burden. Erza struggled with all her might. Ping! Her armorwhich was, after all, a product of her magicexploded into a cloud of golden light particles and vanished. Midnight looked slightly surprised.
"I see... so that's your magic," Erza said. Another flash of light enveloped her, and a set of ornate, ornate armor appeared on her body.
"Correct," Midnight said arrogantly. "My Reflector magic can distort and twist anything. It can bounce back magic and even use the refraction of light to create illusions. That is why I am the strongest wizard in the world."
"Strongest? How boring. I've seen people far stronger than you. Let's go!"
Erza summoned a multitude of swords, raining them down on Midnight. But they were all deflected.
"I told you, it's useless," Midnight said. All the swords flying toward him were reflected back at Erza. She was forced to scramble, desperately parrying her own weapons.
Just as she knocked the last sword aside, Midnight waved his hand again. Erza's armor twisted once more. She threw her remaining sword with everything she had, but since it wasn't magical, it lacked speed, and Midnight dodged it with ease.
"Is that it? Then die!" Midnight shouted. He swung his arm, kicking up a massive storm of sand and stone that lunged at Erza.
"...!"
Everything seemed to freeze. "Who's there?! Show yourself!" Midnight yelled, startled.
"I'm right in front of you. Are you blind?"
As the dust settled, Chen Fan was seen holding Erza in his arms, standing right where she had been a moment ago.
"Who are you?" Midnight asked. He felt no threat from Chen Fan; the man felt like an ordinary person. But that was exactly what felt wrong. How could a normal human break his magic? He didn't believe it for a second.
"Who am I? Didn't Brain tell you?"
"Father?" Midnight looked confused.
"I guess he didn't. Well, let me tell you, so you don't die in ignorance. It's a story from a long, long time ago..." Chen Fan's face took on a look of reminiscence.
"Um, could you put me down? And what exactly is your hand doing?" Erza asked flatly, cutting off his trip down memory lane. She pointed to his "groping hand," which was currently inching toward her backside.
"It's rude to interrupt," Chen Fan said earnestly. "And as for my hand? It's just trying to confirm if you're injured. Why can't you appreciate its concern? Its love?"
Bam! Erza chopped Chen Fan over the head.
"Stop talking in the third person! You're making it sound like your hand has nothing to do with you, you pervert!" Erza shouted, her face turning beet red.
"Oh... is that not how it works?" Chen Fan asked with a look of feigned shock.
"Agh! You idiot! Put me down now!"
"Come on, where's your sense of romance? This is a classic 'hero saves the beauty' moment. Normally, ninety-nine percent of women would fall for the hero," Chen Fan sighed.
"Then I'm the remaining one percent!"
"The one percent that becomes the hero's bride?"
"Go to hell! A bride... a bride..." Erza's expression suddenly became dreamy. Chen Fan smirked; he knew Erza had a secret obsession with wedding dresses.
Suddenly, a surge of magic was fired toward them. Chen Fan's brow furrowed.
"...!" The sound of a superpower activating rang out.
The magic was flicked aside effortlessly. Neither of them was harmed.
"See? I'm holding you to protect you. Why won't you understand?" Chen Fan said, sounding like a martyr.
"If I don't understand you, nobody in this world does!" As soon as the words left her mouth, Erza regretted them. It sounded far too intimate. Her face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson.
"Heh!" Chen Fan chuckled.
But someone else was reaching his breaking point. Midnight was fuming. Since Chen Fan had appeared, he had done nothing but flirt with Erza, completely ignoring him. To someone who considered himself the strongest wizard in the world, this was a severe blow to his ego.
The waves of resentment and anger coming from him were so potent that both Chen Fan and Erza felt them.
"Fine! Put me down. I can beat him," Erza said. "His magic has two weaknesses."
This time, Chen Fan complied and set her down. However, he stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"I know you can beat him, but I'd rather you didn't. Forgive me; I'm a selfish man."
"Weaknesses? What weaknesses?! How could I have weaknesses?!" Midnight screamed, losing his cool. "I am the strongest wizard! Stop spouting nonsense!" He fired another blast of magic at Erza.
"...!" Again, the attack was neutralized instantly.
"Since when does the truth need a basis? Honestly, you're all idiots. If your brains don't work, you should just go to sleep," Chen Fan said.
"What did you say?!" Midnight was officially enraged.
His body moved in a blur, appearing directly in front of Chen Fan. He threw a punch aimed straight at Chen Fan's face.
"Watch out!" Erza cried.
"...!"
The punch was repelled. Chen Fan had amplified the kinetic energy of Midnight's own attack, sending the recoil back even harder.
"What! How?! You can reflect things too?" Midnight gasped. He suddenly recalled Erza's earlier words. "Is it you? Are you the one Erza said was stronger?"
"Oh? My little Erza finally admitted I'm stronger? That's great news. I like it," Chen Fan grinned. "As a reward, I'll let you in on a secret. Usually, I like to let my opponents die full of questions, but I'll give you a discount today."
Swish! Another magic attack flew at Chen Fan.
"You really should let people finish talking. It's impolite. Not that it matters," Chen Fan said.
Midnight, consumed by rage, ignored him and launched a relentless barrage of attacks. None of them did anything; every single strike was deflected away.
Then, Chen Fan said something that brought Midnight to a dead halt.
"Your magic is actually just a defective copy Brain made while trying to replicate my ability."
"A defective copy?" Midnight stammered, losing his focus.
"That's right. A defective copy. But don't be disappointed; being a copy of my ability is something to be proud of. If you kept refining and honing it, it could have become quite powerful."
"So if I just beat you... if I beat the original, I'll be the strongest in the world!" Midnight muttered crazily.
Chen Fan shook his head. "Honestly, you just don't listen. I guess I have to show you the actual gap between us through action."
Chen Fan took a step forward. "...!"
BOOM!
Midnight sensed extreme danger and instinctively vanished from his spot. The moment he moved, the ground where he had been standing erupted in a massive explosion. Midnight sucked in a breath of cold air. This was too eerie. There was no magical fluctuation at allhe had no idea where the attack had come from.
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