Rayne's fist sank into dense, moonlit fur.
The force behind his punch dissipated against the creature's glowing hide, its magic dampening the impact. Though the blow still landed, it wasn't enough to shatter the knee as he'd intended.
"Next time, I'm summoning a damn weapon."
Rayne leapt back, his expression calm but his mind seething.
Punching things was satisfying—until you faced an enemy with hide thicker than a castle wall.
"ROOOAR—!!!"
The Moonlight Bear's roar shook the valley. Pain didn't deter it; instead, the beast's eyes burned with primal fury. It rolled to its feet, its right leg visibly faltering from Rayne's earlier strike.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Like a runaway freight train, the silver-furred titan charged. The ground trembled under its weight, its speed belying its size. The sheer pressure of its charge would've frozen a lesser fighter.
"Still refusing to use me, child?"
Ddraig's voice purred in his mind, dripping with temptation.
Rayne ignored her, focusing on the bear's injured leg. His attack had left a mark—its gait was uneven.
"Not yet."
He dashed toward the beast.
[Boosted Gear] was powerful, but their synchronization was still imperfect. Activating it was like revving an overclocked engine—once started, it would keep escalating beyond his control.
Every ten seconds, another "Boost" would stack.
His current body couldn't handle a third.
That meant he had twenty seconds, max, to end the fight.
He'd only get one shot.
The bear didn't slow, aiming to crush Rayne beneath its bulk. At the last second, Rayne vaulted sideways.
Confusion flickered in the beast's gem-like eyes as it tracked his midair trajectory—but momentum carried it forward.
Rayne twisted, landing in a crouch before exploding toward the bear's injured leg.
This time, he put everything into the kick.
CRACK.
The moonlit barrier shattered. The limb bent at a grotesque angle.
"RROOOAAAGH—!!!"
The bear collapsed, its massive body tumbling like a derailed train. Dirt and grass sprayed as it skidded across the ground.
"Ddraig!"
Rayne's eyes flashed.
"Took you long enough!"
Her voice seared through his skull like molten steel.
Crimson light erupted from his right arm. Scales surged forth, weaving into armor—thick, jagged, alive. A dragon's claw encased his hand, its emerald jewel pulsing with contained power.
The air itself grew heavy under the weight of its aura.
"Maji yabakune~"
Kanna blinked, her monotone praise at odds with the spectacle. Then her eyes narrowed.
"Thieving cat!!"
She recognized that presence—the one clinging to Rayne.
"Incredible…"
Bartolo, though no mage, felt the raw dominance radiating from the boy. It was like watching a storm given human form.
"Is that… Take-Over magic? Or Requip?"
Wakaba's cigar nearly fell from his lips.
"To think he'd make me feel threatened… No wonder Makarov's so invested."
A grin spread beneath his mustache.
"Fairy Tail's got another monster. I wonder how Laxus will react."
"BOOST!!!"
The jewel screamed.
Power flooded Rayne's veins—doubling, tripling his strength. His heart hammered like a war drum; his blood burned like dragonfire.
A wild grin split his face.
CRUNCH—!!!
The earth cratered as he launched forward, moving twice as fast as before. His body became a blur, closing the distance in an eyeblink.
The armored fist drew back—
—and uplifted a mountain.
THOOM.
The bear's multi-ton body left the ground.
For one impossible moment, the scene defied logic: a teenager, fist raised, suspending a beast the size of a house in midair.
Wakaba and Bartolo's jaws hit the floor.
The cigar dropped. Wakaba caught it on reflex.
Rayne's mind, however, was eerily calm.
"One."
He began the countdown.
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