Fairy Tail: You call this Celestial Magic?!

Chapter 225 Eavesdropping (Please Subscribe!)
"Erza vs. Pacas".

"Natsu vs. Hibiki Retis".

As Moen announced the semi-final matchups, the four players on the court displayed a variety of expressions.

Hibiki Retis was already at peace; the remaining three opponents were all the same to him.

Three incredibly brave melee fighters, all powerful geniuses with immense magical abilities, were a great counter to him.

Faced with overwhelming combat power, no matter how strong his intelligence capabilities were, it was useless; he couldn't defend against it, he simply couldn't defend against it.

Pacas's expression was also grim. He was confident in himself whether facing Natsu or Hibiki Retis, but only Erza...
"Damn it! Pakas! How could you back down before the battle even begins?!"

Realizing his own worries, Pakas slapped himself, then grabbed his gourd and gulped down several mouthfuls.

"Erza! You may be strong, but I'll show you what a real man is made of!"

After taking a few swigs of alcohol, Pacas got really into it and started spouting nonsense at Erza.

Although he shouted loudly, his actual words seemed rather unconvincing, as if he was implying that he was just trying to "show off his skills."

"Looking forward to your performance."

Erza stood ramrod straight and answered with a serious expression, looking more like an examiner.

"I will make it to the finals and defeat Erza!"

On the other hand, Natsu's tone was much more arrogant, looking down on both of them.

First, he was convinced that he could defeat Hibiki Rettis, and then he was certain that Pakas would lose to Erza.

"."

Hibiki Retis and Pakas both looked at Natsu; the former said nothing, but the latter glared at Natsu angrily.

If he could, Pakas would love to replace his opponent with Natsu. This "Fire Dragon" is not weak either, but he is not in the same league as Erza.

"Alright, go back and rest. The assessment starts this afternoon."

Moen spoke up to stop the standoff between Pakas and Natsu, telling them to save their energy for the afternoon's battle.

Especially Natsu, that kid also expended a lot of energy fighting Gray, and his weakness wasn't just an act.

But it's easy for Natsu to regain his magic power; he just needs to eat some flames to replenish it.

The effectiveness of "Dragon Slayer Magic" is also overpowered in this situation, as their mana replenishment is much simpler and faster than that of other mages.

After the draw, everyone dispersed to have lunch or a nap, while Moen returned to the infirmary.

Grandma Poliusica is no longer here; she obviously went off to live a quiet life after healing Gray.

Gray had woken up and seemed to be mostly recovered, though he appeared somewhat listless.

"Brother Moen"

Seeing Moen enter, Gray looked up and greeted him, but seemed a little hesitant.
Gray acted this way, of course, because he felt he had let Moen down after losing the match.

It was under Moen's guidance that he began to change his combat mindset and start to make better use of his magical advantages.

But in the end, he still lost to Natsu, and Gray felt that his performance must have greatly disappointed Moen.

But what he didn't know was that Moen had actually bet on Natsu to win this time, and Joey, who still firmly believed he could win, was disappointed.

"You've done a great job."

Moen came to the bedside, patted Gray on the shoulder, and comforted the boy.

"If I could become stronger."

Gray clenched his fists, the pain of being surpassed by a newcomer lingering in his heart after losing to Natsu twice in a row.

He wasn't jealous or hateful towards Natsu; he knew all too well how hard Natsu worked. He just felt useless.

Despite being ahead of Natsu, he was overtaken. Despite knowing Natsu's high talent and strong magic, he didn't put in more effort.

At that moment, Gray couldn't help but think of Moen's magic.

He thought of the "Diamond Star Fist" and the Cygnus Celestial Spirit Magic.

If he masters this magic and wears the Cygnus Suit, he definitely won't lose to Natsu.
【Ding!

Detected that a direct disciple can be registered, do you want to enter the disciple information? 】

Moen, who was standing to the side, suddenly froze, his expression turning strange.

"Grey, do you want to join the Sanctuary and learn Celestial Magic?"

Moen tentatively asked, "Is 'Sanctuary' the name of Moen's 'sect'?"

Of course, it is not independent of "Fairy Tail", but rather a team like "Thunder God Group".

"."

Faced with Moen's invitation, Gray fell silent, for a longer time than usual.

Clearly, the child is engaged in a fierce internal struggle, and this is not a decision that can be made lightly.

"No, I already have a master."

In the end, Gray gritted his teeth and refused; he still couldn't become Moen's apprentice like Lucy and Emerald.

"."

Looking at the system pop-up window, Moen fell into deep thought.

So, this child really wanted it, and even had the system's approval, but because of his feelings for his mentor, he forcibly suppressed those thoughts.

Well, even Moen was a little moved, that guy Gray.
This aligns with Moen's consistent impression of Gray; the boy is indeed a very sentimental person.

"Sorry, Brother Moen."

Seeing that Moen remained silent, Gray quietly apologized, after all, it was he who had refused Moen's kindness.

Moen smiled and shook his head; he wouldn't get angry over something like that.

"It's okay, you can sit in on Lucy's classes from now on."

Seeing Gray's distressed expression after refusing to become his apprentice, Moen spoke slowly.

"what?"

Moen's words startled Gray, who seemed somewhat confused.

"I won't teach you; how much you learn is up to you."

Moen then spoke, and Gray finally understood. His expression changed from shock to joy.

"Is it really possible?!"

Gray jumped up, ignoring the pain in his body, his ecstasy blocking out the pain.

"Of course, I mean what I say, but if you can't learn it, I won't take responsibility."

Seeing Gray's expression, Moen smiled helplessly. This child clearly wanted to learn a lot, but he kept suppressing it, which was not easy for him.

"I will work hard!"

After receiving a definite answer from Moen, Gray immediately made a solemn promise.

Gray knew very well that Moen's current actions were tantamount to giving him a break.

He doesn't need to become an apprentice or join the "Sanctuary" to learn Celestial Magic, but he has to learn it all on his own; Moen won't teach him individually.

"But can I really learn it this way?"

After his initial euphoria, Gray began to worry again.

As Moen explained before, this celestial magic requires the approval of a celestial constellation to master. And becoming Moen's apprentice is the easiest way to gain that approval; there is no other way.

Can someone like him, who is neither a member of the "sacred realm" nor a disciple, really gain the approval of the celestial constellations?

"Sincerity brings results."

Moen's answer was very brief. Of course, he made up the story, but in a sense, it wasn't wrong.

Sincerity moves mountains.

Gray was a little confused. He had been quite "sincere" before, but he hadn't been able to sense any constellations in the sky.

"You have already gained my approval, and I believe you will also gain the approval of the constellations in the sky."

Seeing Gray's puzzled expression, Moen continued, trying to give Gray some confidence.

He just tested it, and Gray's compatibility with Cygnus is extremely high, ridiculously high.

Lucy's overall score is 81 points, her magical aptitude is 92 points, and her compatibility with Cygnus is only 70 points, which is a huge drop in compatibility.

Gray's overall score is 97 points, his magical aptitude is 94 points, and his compatibility with Cygnus is a perfect 100 points!
When Moen saw the perfect match score of 100, he was momentarily stunned, but upon reflection, he realized it made perfect sense.

Gray, that kid, has been rolling around in the snow and ice since he was a child, and he even uses ice-shaping magic. He was born to play with ice.

"I'll do my best!"

Gray himself was clearly unaware of this; he only felt that he had to work twice as hard and not let Moen down again.

"Gray! How's your recovery going?!"

As Moen and Gray were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside, with Natsu shouting loudly.

Upon hearing Natsu's voice, Gray, who had been about to lie back down on the bed, immediately stood up straight. He no longer felt any pain in his body!

"I'm fine now."

Gray shouted, trying his best to make his voice sound strong.

The door to the infirmary opened, and a bunch of people squeezed in—all of them were Fairy Tail friends.

"It looks like the recovery is going quite well."

Erza glanced at Gray and saw that the boy's face was rosy and he was standing upright, so he seemed to be alright.

"Grandma Poliusica's medical skills are truly amazing!"

Wendy spoke up, saying that she was probably the person most familiar with Poliuska among those present.

"That's one reason. Another reason is that Natsu was too weak. He didn't hurt me at all. I just ran out of magic power."

Gray shook his head and began making excuses for his failure.

As soon as Gray said that, Natsu's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You bastard! You just lost to me and you're already refusing to admit it!!!"

Natsu stared at Gray in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"You used to be like this too."

Gray spoke calmly, immediately silencing the furious Natsu.

Because what Gray said was true; he had never admitted to losing before, and he could even selectively forget it.

"A temporary victory is not a true victory; let's wait and see."

Looking at Natsu, Gray's eyes burned with fighting spirit, showing no intention of admitting defeat.

"Fine! Fine! I will absolutely not let you overtake me!"

Gray's fierce fighting spirit spurred Natsu into responding with a serious expression.

Beating Gray didn't make Natsu lower his standards, because he still had several goals to surpass.

But Gray, who had already been overtaken and left behind, was still catching up with great effort, which made Natsu feel a strong sense of urgency.

Mirajane, Erza, Laxus, and Moen, who were running ahead, were still far away, while Gray, who was chasing behind, was very close!
"Alright, Gray, continue resting. Natsu, go prepare for battle."

As the two boys drew closer and closer, glaring at each other head to head, Moen grabbed them both and pulled them apart.

"Hmph! I will take first place! I will become an S-class mage!"

Moen picked him up and threw him aside. Natsu didn't resist. He shouted something and ran out of the infirmary.

Unfortunately, no one took his declaration seriously. Erza was still standing there; how could anyone else possibly be number one?

"Let's all go and rest."

Moen ignored Natsu and smiled as he addressed the others, saying that Gray wouldn't obediently go back to bed unless they left.

A man's life is full of ambition. Although Gray is not yet an adult, he already carries some burdens.

Led by Moen, everyone left the infirmary to take their afternoon naps, without disturbing Gray's rest any further.

Soon it was afternoon, and the semi-finals began.

The first match is Erza vs. Pacas, and everyone is looking forward to a fierce battle.

No matter what, Pacas is the ace of the "Four-Headed Hounds," so he has to put some pressure on Erza.

The mages of "Four-Headed Hound" cheered for Pakas, hoping their ace could prove them wrong.

On the field, Pakas gulped down several mouthfuls of wine, emptying his gourd. He had drunk quite a bit before going on the field and already appeared quite drunk.

Erza frowned, somewhat dissatisfied with Pacas's condition. Could this guy really still exert his strength when he was so drunk?

"what!!!"

With a shout, Pakas charged toward Erza, much faster than before, and even faster than when he fought Elfman.

Clearly, Erza's worries were unnecessary; being drunk was actually an advantage for Pacas.

Erza's gaze sharpened; she was also taken aback by Pacas's sudden outburst, as his strength far exceeded what she had previously known.

"But...it's not a big problem."

Erza drew her sword and charged forward. She actually quite liked opponents like Pacas; this kind of straightforward fighting was the most enjoyable.

Packas concentrated his magic in his palms and continuously unleashed "Drunken Chopping Palms." His fists and feet combined physical and magical damage, making him a true master of both magic and martial arts.

"Bang bang bang!"

Fists and feet collided repeatedly with the sharp blade, producing dull sounds, and magic energy splashed everywhere.

In a short period of time, Pakas, in his drunken and berserk state, managed to fight Erza to a standstill with his superb martial arts skills.

In his Drunken Fist state, Pakas's attack trajectory is unpredictable, and his "Drunken Chopping Palm" is several times more powerful than in his normal state.

"Excellent martial arts skills!"

Erza couldn't help but exclaim in admiration; Pacas really does have some skills.

"Change gear! Heavenly Wheel Armor!"

Erza quickly completed the transformation magic, turning her ordinary armor into a magnificent silver-white suit of armor.

The armor has a strong steel feel and looks very sharp, making one worry that it might scratch the wearer's skin. The most eye-catching feature, of course, is the two pairs of large, outstretched, blade-like wings on the back of the armor.

"Heavenly Wheel: Sword of Chaos!"

With her wings spread, Erza soared into the sky. This "Heavenly Armor" is known for its ranged combat capabilities.

As Erza's magic surged, countless swords were summoned, forming a stunning scene of a sea of ​​swords behind her.

(End of this chapter)