Fairy Tail: Igneel's eldest son in Anime Multiverse Chapter 499: Sparring Partners

Upon spotting Raizen, Charles couldn't avoid likening him to a lamp with its oil nearly exhausted.

Little wonder the demons guarding outside had blocked Charles's way; Raizen's frailty was obvious instantly.

Still, even a tiger brought low keeps its ferocity, and Raizen hadn't perished. His overpowering aura continued to raise goosebumps on Charles's skin.

Raizen raised his head, gazed at Charles, and surprisingly grinned. "An unfamiliar face! And a human, no less!"

"Allow me to introduce myself," Charles replied. "I'm Charles, a traveler. I came here on purpose to meet you this time."

Raizen's lip curved slightly. "You didn't come just once to see me. Your disappointment upon seeing me was all too clear."

Charles hesitated briefly. "That was indeed impolite of me. I knew your state was dire, but witnessing it firsthand still sparked unintended emotions."

Raizen burst into laughter, head thrown back, before adding, "Same here! Had we crossed paths seven hundred years ago, we'd definitely have ended up as sparring partners.

"Regrettably, as you can tell, even rising to my feet is a challenge now."

Charles pondered briefly, then settled down before Raizen. From his ring, he pulled out various items, stacking them between the two.

"Give these a try. Check if any can aid you."

Raizen sat up straighter and met Charles's gaze. "I've never laid eyes on these before. They're surely precious treasures.

"Then why lend me aid? A powerhouse like you likely doesn't require any favor in return."

"If it's about repayment," Charles answered steadily, "once you recover, battle me."

Raizen's hearty laugh echoed once more, drowning out even his stomach's growls.

"Restoring your rival's power, eh? Hahaha, you truly are one-of-a-kind sparring partner!"

S-class demons abound in the Demon World; even top-tier S-class ones outnumber just the heads of the three major factions.

Curiously, many hermits are Raizen's former comrades—his so-called sparring partners.

As the term suggests, these were comrades bonded through fierce clashes with Raizen.

Yet after Raizen swore off eating, they all retreated into isolation.

Raizen never imagined encountering someone like Charles—matching his power and spirit perfectly—as a sparring partner right now.

Thus, he wasted no time, grabbing the items from the floor and devouring them one by one.

These included potions and resources Charles gathered from other realms, plus remedies crafted by fusing tech and ingredients across worlds.

For Charles, such concoctions mostly built EXP for his [Mystery] development skill. Still, he sincerely wished they'd benefit Raizen.

Charles saw spiritual and demonic powers as systems rivaling those of other worlds in potential.

Departing without clashing against a peak master like Raizen would render the journey a total waste.

After gulping a murky potion, Raizen froze momentarily. His demonic energy thickened abruptly, muscles bulged noticeably, and his hair regained its shine.

"The potion works!"

That raced through Charles's mind first, recalling exactly which one Raizen had consumed.

Its core was a plant from Purgatory in The Seven Deadly Sins world—a fruit sprouting from fallen Purgatory beasts' remains.

Charles had mixed in extras to brew a tonic restoring both vitality and spirit.

To him, it was merely an unused restorative gathering dust in his ring, its haze from minor crystals formed over time.

No shock that this obscure brew aided Raizen; Charles promptly emptied his full supply.

Raizen guzzled them without complaint, bottle by bottle.

Truth be told, their bizarre flavor was why they lingered unused, yet Raizen swallowed without a grimace.

With the final bottle down, Raizen shut his eyes.

The century-old stomach rumbles halted—only for a far mightier uproar to ignite.

Raizen remained still, silent, eyes closed in place. Yet his demonic aura rocketed upward, altering even the heavens.

While battling Stella, Hokushin despaired the instant Raizen's gut quieted, fearing Charles had slain their weakened king.

But the explosive demonic surge that hit next catapulted him from despair to ecstasy.

No matter his current state, Raizen's unmatched might was why Hokushin pledged loyalty.

And now, the Battle God who earned that devotion had returned!

Stunned, he lost track of the fight. Stella, too, held back and glanced at the tower.

Boom!

The stone keep's side burst apart, two silhouettes bursting out in pursuit toward the remote wilds.

A wide forest tract got leveled by their crash-landing.

Rubbing his stomach, Raizen declared, "It's been ages since my glutton felt this satisfied. I owe you big, Charles!

"In return, I won't hold anything back."

Charles cracked his knuckles. "That's exactly what I want. I'm pumped!"

Their forearms collided in the blink of an eye.

Charles's sleeve and Raizen's wrist wrappings exploded apart, sending both reeling backward.

That clash let each gauge the other's prowess.

They lunged once more, arms blurring in a frenzy.

Their basic parries and strikes whipped up fierce winds, gouging the earth's surface.

Charles snagged Raizen's wrist in a gap, but Raizen countered by clamping Charles's arm.

Simultaneously, they chose to headbutt fiercely.

A sharp crack rang out, forcing both to stagger steps back.

Raizen's approach mirrored Yusuke Urameshi's closely, though executed on another level entirely.

Of all foes Charles had battled, Raizen's battle passion and instincts ranked supreme.

No gaudy moves from Raizen—he flawlessly infused demonic power into every blow.

Charles grasped now why Raizen bore the Battle God moniker. His might transcended raw demonic reserves; it was his warrior essence.

A rival such as this justified the voyage.

"Raizen, you good? It's about to intensify."

"Don't kid yourself," Raizen grinned back. "I haven't brimmed with vigor like this in forever. Even if you begged to quit, I'd refuse!"

Eye contact sparked grins between them. Flames and demonic aura burst forth together, splitting the skies evenly.

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