The Magic Merchant in Fairy Tail

Although Kira had decided to rely on time magic as a decisive weapon, he knew the timing wasn't right yet. Fire magic was still the best option to weaken Ace's ice-based attacks and gain the upper hand.

As flames clashed against ice, the violent collisions produced dense water vapor, quickly obscuring the vision of both combatants. The battlefield was enveloped in a thick haze, reducing their surroundings to silhouettes and faint outlines.

Suddenly, dozens of sharp projectiles pierced through the mist, flying in from different directions.

"Fire Arrow!"

Kira unleashed a barrage of fiery arrows, each imbued with speed, heat, and destructive force. While the attack wasn't designed to cause significant damage, its primary purpose was to locate Ace's position in the fog.

But Ace was no novice. As a demon who had lived for nearly a century, he anticipated Kira's strategy. With a wave of his hand, the moisture on the ground—created from Kira's earlier fire magic—froze into sharp ice thorns that erupted upward, filling the entire icy chamber.

Kira clicked his tongue. "The same trick again? It's just like that Ice Fountain move Gray uses! I guess I can't blame you, though—it's effective."

The fire arrows collided mid-air with the rising ice thorns, producing a cacophony of sizzling sounds. The flames burned fiercely, melting some of the ice, but the thorns were so numerous that they extinguished most of the fiery projectiles.

The outcome was a stalemate. Neither side had gained any significant advantage, but Kira wasn't discouraged. He had already verified that his fire magic could effectively counter Ace's ice. For now, he decided to keep his stronger spells in reserve.

Fire vs. Ice: A Clash of Magic

Kira's fire magic and Natsu's Fire Dragon Slayer Magic shared similarities but were fundamentally different.

Natsu's flames, fueled by emotions and soul, were uniquely destructive, even against other magic itself. They bordered on the idealistic, almost as if they operated on sheer willpower rather than the laws of reality.

Kira's fire magic, created through Word Magic, represented the "True Name of Fire." It was the embodiment of pure heat and flame, untethered to any emotional source. While it lacked Natsu's versatility in combat, its raw power made it devastatingly effective in its own right.

This dynamic mirrored the relationship between Gray's Ice-Make Magic and General Winter's pure ice magic. General Winter's ice could supposedly "freeze everything," yet Gray defeated him by shaping ice of equal nature—a logic-defying tactic that only made sense within Fairy Tail's whimsical world.

Back in the present, both combatants prepared for their next move. Following the stalemate, it was time for a more focused attack.

The Battle Escalates

"Pillar of Fire!" Kira shouted, summoning a towering column of searing flames that roared toward Ace's position.

"Ice Explosion!" Ace retaliated, releasing a shockwave of frigid energy that expanded outward, freezing everything in its path.

The two spells collided with devastating force. The impact reverberated through the chamber, shattering sections of the icy floor and causing cracks to spiderweb across the walls. The ceiling gave way, revealing the wintry sky above.

Snow drifted into the ruined chamber, the cold air seeping into every crevice.

Winter, who had been watching from the sidelines, was in awe. She knew both combatants were powerful, but witnessing their magic firsthand left her speechless.

When the battle began, Winter had immediately received the soul of the water demon, transforming into her half-demon form. She had even conjured a protective water curtain to shield herself. Yet despite her preparation, the intensity of the battle rendered her unable to intervene.

"I thought I wouldn't be a burden," she muttered, clutching her transformed claws. "But I underestimated just how strong they are."

As the battlefield shifted outdoors, Kira and Ace silently agreed to continue their fight in the open. The wider space offered both combatants more freedom to unleash their full power without the constraints of the icy chamber.

Kira wasted no time in testing Ace's strength again.

The battle thus far had been a series of calculated exchanges. Kira and Ace had tested each other's casting speed, magic strength, and tactical awareness. Each side now had a sense of their opponent's capabilities, and the next phase of the battle would push both to their limits.

Kira took the lead in breaking the silence.

"Impressive," he said, flashing a cocky grin. "You've lived nearly a hundred years, and it shows. Your magic is powerful!"

Ace narrowed his eyes. While Kira's words sounded like a compliment, he could sense the underlying provocation.

"And yet," Kira continued, "I can't help but wonder why someone as strong as you would waste your talents serving a legendary tyrant like the Sea Demon King."

"Silence!" Ace roared, his icy aura flaring as his anger took hold.

Kira smirked inwardly. He had struck a nerve.

Seizing the opportunity, Kira launched a surprise attack. "Energy Shock!"

A burst of concentrated magical energy shot toward the massive ice sculpture in the center of the battlefield—the frozen body of the Sea Demon King.

Ace's eyes widened in panic. Instinctively, he waved his hand, conjuring a shield of ice to protect the sculpture. But as the attack dissipated harmlessly against the barrier, realization dawned on him.

"A feint?!"

Before Ace could react, Kira changed tactics.

"Magma Shower!" Kira roared, summoning a deluge of molten lava that rained down from above.

The blazing magma melted the ice spikes and turned the surrounding snow into steam. The sheer heat overwhelmed Ace, forcing him to retreat and transform into his elemental ice form.

"What?! Lava magic?!" Ace exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "How can you wield both fire and magma at this level?!"

Ace's fragmented body struggled to reassemble under the relentless assault. In his centuries of existence, he had never encountered a wizard capable of manipulating such opposing forces with such precision.

Kira, meanwhile, grinned triumphantly. His magma magic, though not as versatile as his fire, was far more effective against ice. Each glob of molten rock left Ace scrambling to recover, buying Kira precious time to prepare his next move.

As molten lava dotted the battlefield, the snow beneath it hissed and turned to ash. Though the magma's temperature wasn't as high as Kira's pure flames, its prolonged effect was far more devastating.

Ace, battered and struggling to reform, glared at Kira with a mix of rage and desperation.

"You… How many tricks do you have?!"

"Enough to keep you on your toes," Kira replied. He raised his hand, a golden magic circle materializing in the air.

"This ends now."

With Ace weakened and the tide of battle shifting, Kira prepared to unleash his most powerful spell yet. The battle between magma and ice was nearing its conclusion, and Kira was determined to emerge victorious.

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