Chapter 209: Shattering Darkness with Thunder

"I shall create a land of freedom! In pain and fear, Zeref whispered to me, saying I am the chosen one destined to create this realm of liberty with him. Why can't you understand? In the face of my grand ideals, all sacrifices are justified!"

Jellal unleashed his magic in a frenzy, conjuring magic circles one after another. Starlight rained down like missiles, obliterating all of Erza and her comrades' resistance into nothingness.

Erza's magic swords shattered, Natsu and Gray were covered in wounds, barely able to stand. Lucy's Aquarius spirit was forced back to the Celestial Spirit Realm, while Juvia survived slightly better due to her water transformation ability. Simon and the others, however, were all severely injured, lying on the ground.

"Jellal, your so-called ideals will never come to fruition, because we still have George!"

Erza gritted her teeth and yelled as she struggled to her feet, her gaze fixed on Jellal's now-distorted face in the sky.

At that moment, seven minutes had passed. She could already see the thunderclouds laden with lightning in the sky and the towering Thunder Giant forming behind Jellal.

Boom!

As soon as Erza finished her words, countless bolts of lightning, directed by George's staff, streaked toward Jellal in the sky.

Jellal waved his hand, conjuring a protective shield of starlight with a magic circle in front of him, deflecting the lightning. He turned, startled, to see George standing atop the massive Thunder Giant.

"I thought Erza would be the hardest to deal with, but it turns out it's you, cat!"

While Erza and her team's strength exceeded his expectations slightly, they were still within his calculations. The only unexpected factor was George, the seemingly insignificant feline.

According to the initial intel, George was only proficient in a repair-like magic akin to Arc of Time and had recently shown minor fire and offensive magic skills. At most, his power matched an average S-class mage.

Thus, when George discreetly distanced himself from the battlefield earlier, Jellal paid him no mind. After all, once Erza and the rest were defeated, what could a mere cat do?

But now, the relentless barrage of lightning strikes was no weaker than those of a typical S-class lightning mage, and worse, they kept coming.

"You have underestimated much more," George replied.

Seeing Jellal withstand the lightning barrage, George commanded the 30-meter-tall Thunder Giant to raise its right hand.

"Go!"

With immense electric power enveloping iron sand and rocks, an oversized railgun shot forth.

"Hmm, stronger than before, but still far from enough to defeat me," Jellal said confidently.

Maintaining his starlight defense with one hand, he extended his other to form a golden magic circle.

"Celestial Magic: Six-Star Assault!"

Six golden star-like projectiles emerged from the magic circle, colliding with the oversized railgun.

A deafening explosion followed, leaving both the stars and the railgun obliterated.

"So it's still not enough. Then let's do this," George muttered.

Realizing the Thunder Giant's railgun couldn't harm Jellal, George decided to use his ultimate move—a fusion of ancient thunderstorm magic and his lightning-based superpower.

George closed his eyes, entering a state of deep magical attunement. Wielding his staff, he redirected the lightning from the sky—originally aimed at Jellal—into the Thunder Giant's body.

As countless bolts of lightning poured in, the Thunder Giant rapidly swelled in size. More iron sand, stones, and even seawater from beyond the island were absorbed, merging into its form.

In seconds, the 30-meter Thunder Giant—powered by a Level 4 ability—surpassed the 100-meter height of a Level 5 Electromaster like Mikoto Misaka. Finally, it grew to a towering 200 meters before stabilizing.

"This seems to be the limit," George noted.

Two hundred meters was the maximum his Level 4 power combined with magic could manage. Any further and the Thunder Giant would become uncontrollable unless his abilities advanced to Level 5.

"What kind of magic is this?"

For the first time, Jellal's composure cracked. The towering Thunder Giant—twice the height of the Magic Crystal Tower—shook even him.

He was aware of Makarov's mastery of Giant Magic and had seen George use a similar spell to enlarge his form. However, no version of Giant Magic he knew could create a giant like this.

"Is this the ultimate move George mentioned?" Lucy asked weakly, sitting up alongside the others.

Looking at the massive Thunder Giant, everyone, including Lucy, was dumbfounded.

"Even Laxus couldn't pull off something like this," Gray murmured.

Fairy Tail's strongest lightning mage was Laxus, who had once electrocuted Natsu unconscious with a single strike.

But now, Gray felt George deserved the title of the guild's strongest lightning mage.

"George, give him a good beating and show him the strength of Fairy Tail mages! Teach him that freedom stolen from others is not true freedom!"

Natsu, recovering astonishingly fast, shouted excitedly, releasing a burst of flames into the air.

"Only a steadfast will to change the world can propel history forward. Since it has come to this, you shall all perish!"

Bloodshot eyes blazing, Jellal swiftly drew a massive black magic circle in the air.

"That's Purgatory Shatter! Jellal, are you planning to destroy the Magic Crystal Tower too?" Erza exclaimed in horror upon recognizing the spell.

Purgatory Shatter, a forbidden spell combining wind, water, fire, and earth elements into dark energy, was a destructive force. Previously, it required four Elemental Users and Jose to activate it during a battle with the Phantom Lord's mobile fortress.

Yet now, Jellal was casting it alone, demonstrating his overwhelming power.

"If it's destroyed, so be it. I can rebuild another in five years," Jellal said coldly, pouring all his energy into the black magic circle.

Even he felt immense pressure facing the 200-meter Thunder Giant. Despite the risk to the Magic Crystal, he could no longer hold back.

"Forbidden Magic: Purgatory Shatter!"

A massive surge of dark energy erupted from the magic circle, aimed directly at George.

"Shatter the darkness with thunder—Ultimate Railgun!"

Unfazed, George channeled all the electricity from the Thunder Giant into its right hand, firing his ultimate railgun to counter Jellal's forbidden magic.