106 Chapter 100 - Cards and games.

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The amount of chapters can increase depending on how much I write so consider the numbers above the minimum.

On another note, I'm sorry for the delay I didn't have electricity until now.

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[Cana Alberona Clive. POV]

The sea crashed against the rocky shores of the Tower of Heaven as we surfaced from the secret passage below, one that Juvia had found. 

The imposing structure loomed above us, casting long, ominous shadows in the moonlight. 

We were here, at the heart of the enemy's lair.

"Let's bring this place down!" Natsu roared, flames erupting around him.

Nodding at Natsu, Erza issued her orders in a voice that brooked no argument. "Split up," she commanded, her eyes hard and focused. "We need to cover as much ground as possible and remember to take everyone you see down!"

I nodded, a grim determination settling over me, before I headed south, navigating the labyrinthine corridors of the Tower with a heightened sense of awareness. 

My heart pounded in my chest, in a mixture of anger, concern, and something else. 

Eventually after a few turns, I found myself face to face with a large hall that led to the upper levels. If Dad was right, and he usually was about these things, the leader of a villain group is almost always in the highest level available to their base.

Meaning I was getting closer to making the leader of these bastards pay.

That in mind, I pressed on.

However.

I had barely made it a few steps through the corridor before a flurry of cards whizzed past my face, narrowly missing me as I ducked under them. 

They exploded against the stonewall of the Tower, leaving a charred imprint on the otherwise pristine surface.

"And just where do you think you're going, pretty face?"  

If the cards hadn't given him away, his voice had. Sho, the one that wielded the same type of Magic I did. Card Magic. 

"Me? To kill your boss," I replied, turning around to face him.

Sho chuckled, his lips curling into a wicked smile as he twirled a few cards under his hands. "Bold words for a weakling like you."

"We'll see," I replied, my magic flaring in preparation.

"We killed the best you had to offer," Sho taunted, his voice echoing through the silent corridor as his grin widened, "Don't feel sad, though, it won't be long before you join him."

I knew what he was doing.

He was trying to get me out of my game.

I had to admit, the bastard knew what he was doing.

His words were a thousand punches to the gut. 

Adam. My big brother. Dead. 

The thought was unbearable, a cold, cruel reality that I would never be ready to face. 

That being said, I would not let his words shake me.

Besides, my brother wasn't dead. 

"As if you guys could do that," I replied, my voice steady as I glared at him. "He's not dead, but you will be soon."

We might have the same type of magic, but as far as similarities went, that's where ours ended.

Fellow Card Mage or not, I was ready to show him just how outmatched he truly was.

"I think we chatted long enough," Sho sneered, his hands flicking forward as he sent a barrage of cards hurtling toward me. 

Taking a step forward, I countered with a swift motion, my own cards splayed out in a defensive arc. The two sets collided in a flurry of light and color, the resulting explosion sending a shockwave rippling through the room.

"I can't wait to find out how long it takes before you break down," Sho hissed, circling around me as he sent another barrage of cards.

Keeping my eyes on him, I weaved under his attacks, slowly closing the distance between us with each step I took.

His attacks were relentless, a never-ending stream of cards that cut through the air with deadly precision, each one carrying their own unique spell, explosives, ice, fire, lightning.

There was no pattern to them, just a chaotic mixture as he flung out card after card.

It was madness.

"What's the matter? Is dodging all you can do?" Sho sneered, his expression growing even darker. "If so, this will be pretty disappointing."

"You love hearing yourself talk, don't you?" I replied, hurling a single card at the center of his upcoming barrage, summoning multiple rows overlapping ethernano shields that flickered and rippled, absorbing the power behind his spells.

"I do, but not as much as I will enjoy hearing you scream," Sho snarled, flicking his wrist, casting off a handful of cards.

I remained silent, meeting his attack head-on.

Our cards spinning and whirling around the place like a maelstrom, generating multiple explosions that shook the foundations beneath our feet.

As the battle continued, a smile crossed my lips.

There was no doubt now.

I felt like such a fool. 

To even think I would even consider for a moment, they had been able to take my brother down.

I don't know what my brother was planning, but there was no way he had lost against them.

"Thank you, for confirming what I should have known since the beginning," I said, summoning up a hand of cards as I weaved around another one of his attacks. "There's simply no way in hell you bastards could've defeated my brother!"

"He was your brother?" Sho cackled with twisted delight, sending another barrage of spells at me. "Now that makes things even better!"

I frowned.

All I could feel coming from him was pure hatred, and it wasn't directed at me, but Adam. This wasn't the first time this had happened. At the resort, it had happened as well, but directed at Erza.

Just why did they hate Erza and Adam so much?

"If I had known you two were related, I would've killed you in front of him!" Sho taunted, practically cackling insanely, sending another pair of cards at me.

I flicked my wrist, sending a few cards of my own, deflecting the attack. 

"What do you have against my brother?" I asked, only for Sho to laugh, shaking his head.

"Isn't that the million-jewel question, isn't it?" Sho spat, a twisted smile dawning on his face. "Those two, they took everything from us! And now, we will take everything from them!"

I wasn't sure what exactly he meant by that.

But I knew that whatever he meant, didn't sound like something Erza or my brother would do.

"Whoever made you believe that's the case, was fucking lying to you," I replied, taking a deep breath as my fingers slipped into my pouch, deftly selecting a single card from my deck.

Pulling the card out, it shimmered in my grasp, brimming with power as lightning coursed through it, zapping my fingers. 

"You don't know a thing!" Sho snarled, sending multiple barrages of cards at me.

As his attacks rained down on me, the air around me crackled with energy, the scent of ozone filling the entire place. "Card Magic: Lightning Dragon's Roar."

At this, the card in my hands shattered, as a brilliant bolt of lightning leaped from within, arcing towards Sho with a deafening roar, tearing through his attack in an instant, giving him no time to react.

The lightning struck him with a blinding flash, making him scream before leaving him immobile and helpless, as the corridor was bathed in an electric yellow glow, casting stark shadows on the walls as the energy surged and danced around Sho's body.

Eventually the lightning subsided, leaving Sho lying on the ground, his body scorched and smoking. His eyes were glazed over, his breaths coming as shallow, ragged gasps. 

"Perhaps using one of the prototypes was a bit overkill," I sighed.

I didn't expect the card to deal this much damage to him.

Still, I was happy to see that my prototype cards were working effectively, even if they could only use a tenth of the power the spell should have.

Well, time to...

I frowned, feeling a new presence enter the room. Yet, I couldn't see anyone around. 

"I'm not in the mood for playing hide and seek," I called out, keeping my senses alert. 

At this, a towering figure emerged from the shadows in the shape of a broad, muscular man, his gaze as sharp as flint, meeting mine with an intensity that took me aback.

One after the other?

Very well.

I don't mind, it makes things easier for me.

"Let's skip the chit chat and get straight to the point where we fight, I reached my quota of small talk with shorty over there," I said, readying myself to fight once again. 

The man remained silent, his gaze on me, before turning to his companion for a moment as he uncrossed his arms, raising his hands in a gesture of peace that took me by surprise. 

"I'm not here to fight," The man replied, his voice echoing down the long corridor. "On the contrary, I seek only to help you."

I blinked at him, trying to process his statement. And the strangest part was, that I don't know why, but I didn't believe he was lying, or tricking me, in fact, there was a strange level of sincerity in his gaze that made this turn of events hard to ignore.

"Why?" I asked, keeping my guard up.

His gaze softened, "You are wise not to trust me so fast, in fact, I advise not to trust me at all. As for why I'm doing this? Well, the truth is... I never truly believed in what they had told us about Adam and Erza, it always felt... too convenient, to the point I am more than certain that there's more to this than what Jellal has fed us all these years."

"And you decided just now that you didn't believe them?" I pressed.

"I decided that years ago, but until today, the opportunity to change things had never presented itself," He replied, his eyes gazing at the floor. "Alone, I stood no chance against Jellal, but with the help of your friends, this nightmare can finally end."

I might regret this later on. 

I might not.

But I would give this bastard the benefit of the doubt. But if he so much as blinked in the wrong direction I would throw him into the meat grinder.

"Lead the way then," I replied.