The Magic Merchant in Fairy Tail

"Sand Dance!"

Thor struck first. Fine yellow sand swirled toward Lucy, aiming to trap her completely.

Lucy stepped back, her fingers wrapping around one of her Celestial Keys. "Open, Gate of Pisces! Biskace!"

Two giant catfish-like spirits, one black and one white, materialized in midair. The duo swam gracefully as if the air was water, their movements smooth yet powerful.

"A Celestial Mage?" Thor raised an eyebrow in surprise. "How rare." His gaze shifted to the key pouch on Lucy's waist, his eyes widening. "So many golden keys?"

Pisces charged forward, their enormous tails smashing into the approaching sand, scattering it.

"You've miscalculated," Lucy said, her voice steady. "Using sand magic here is a bad idea."

Thor scowled as the residual rainwater, courtesy of Juvia's earlier arrival, began to soak the sand. Wet and heavy, the sand became far harder to control.

"It's Juvia's rain," Thor muttered under his breath, cursing his current partner.

When the sand failed, Thor switched tactics. With a twist of his wrist, the ground around Lucy trembled. "Rock Concerto!"

Large stones shot toward Lucy from every direction, their speed and weight capable of shattering bone.

Lucy didn't flinch. "Open, Gate of Sagittarius! Sacchius!"

With a shimmer of light, a tall, lean figure appeared. Sacchius, dressed in a horse costume, held a longbow in one hand and a quiver on his back.

"Moshimoshi!" he greeted cheerfully, saluting Lucy.

"Take care of those rocks!"

"Leave it to me!"

Drawing his bow with lightning speed, Sacchius released a flurry of arrows. Each arrow struck its mark, shattering the flying rocks into harmless pebbles.

Thor's jaw tightened. "You're better than I expected."

Lucy smirked. "This is nothing compared to what Fairy Tail can do!"

Thor growled, summoning even more magic. "You'll regret underestimating me. Plaster Concerto!"

The air shimmered as thick, concrete-like plaster formed into a massive, glowing fist. It hovered above Thor before launching toward Lucy with tremendous force.

Lucy didn't hesitate. She reached for another key. "Open, Gate of Libra! Libra!"

A celestial spirit with wheat-colored skin and black hair appeared, clad in Egyptian-style clothing. Libra held golden scales, her presence radiating calm authority.

Libra raised her scales, strings of magic pulling taut. The plaster fist wavered in midair before crashing to the ground with a deafening thud.

"What?!" Thor exclaimed. "Gravity magic?"

"Exactly," Lucy replied. "Your attacks won't even reach me."

Thor's frustration boiled over. "If magic won't work, I'll do it myself!"

Thor rushed forward, his body twisting unnaturally, showcasing his unparalleled flexibility. With incredible speed, he aimed a flying kick at Lucy.

Lucy's hand trembled slightly as she reached for her ultimate weapon. "Open, Gate of Ophiuchus! Ofukus!"

The air grew cold as a massive, mechanical serpent materialized. The black serpent coiled protectively around Lucy, its glowing red eyes fixed on Thor.

Thor's kick connected with Ofukus's body, but it was like striking steel. The serpent's tail lashed out, slamming into Thor with overwhelming force.

Thor flew backward, spinning uncontrollably before crashing into the ground with a resounding thud. Dust and debris flew up as his body went limp.

Lucy stared at the unconscious Thor, her chest heaving with exertion. "I… I won?"

The realization hit her all at once. "I actually defeated an S-Class wizard from Phantom!"

Her moment of triumph was short-lived. Remembering Mira's battle, Lucy turned toward the sound of distant water crashing. "Mira-san!"

Juvia's water flow carried Mira to a secluded area. The moment Mira stood, Juvia attacked.

"Water Restraint!"

A giant sphere of water formed around Mira, trapping her inside.

"Juvia doesn't understand," Juvia said coldly. "How someone so weak could have been S-Class."

Mira floated calmly within the sphere. Three seconds passed before a puff of smoke appeared inside. The water rippled as Mira transformed into a small blue fish, slipping effortlessly through the watery trap.

"What?!" Juvia's usually stoic demeanor cracked in surprise.

The fish leapt out of the sphere, transforming mid-air into a massive shark. Mira's new form shattered the water sphere entirely, causing Juvia to recoil.

Mira landed gracefully, her human form restored. "I've never heard of a fish being trapped in water."

Juvia recovered quickly, summoning another torrent of water. Mira dodged, using her advanced transformation magic to adapt to each attack.

"Water Jet!"

A high-pressure stream of water shot toward Mira, but she transformed into a bird, soaring above the attack before shifting back to her human form.

"You're strong," Mira said, her voice steady. "But strength isn't everything."

Juvia's frustration grew. Her attacks became more reckless, allowing Mira to close the distance between them.

Mira's hand glowed with magic as she struck Juvia's side, sending her flying into a tree.

Juvia struggled to stand, her eyes wide with disbelief. "How…?"

"You relied too much on brute force," Mira said gently, extending a hand. "But you're not a bad person, Juvia. If you ever want to leave Phantom, Fairy Tail will welcome you."

Juvia hesitated, her expression softening briefly before she turned away. "Juvia cannot… abandon Phantom."

Before Mira could respond, Lucy appeared, running toward her.

"Mira-san! Are you okay?"

Mira smiled warmly. "Of course. How about you?"

"I won!" Lucy exclaimed.

Mira's smile widened. "Good. Let's head back. The guild is waiting for us."

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