178 A Memory of X787
Morning of July 6th, X791
Meliodas, Erza, Laxus, Gray, and Gajeel sat around a table in the backroom of the tavern facing Mavis.
"So what did you call us all here for, First Master?" Erza asked.
"I have a plan to guarantee your victory. I've been watching the contestants of the other guilds over the past four days and I managed to predict the enemy's potential movement patterns, results, and location information. Even down to their very psychology. With this, I will ensure Fairy Tail's victory. Right now as a team, without a plan you have a 98% chance of winning this final round. However, since a friend is on the line, we can't afford to let that two percent ever happen and I've come up with a plan to make sure there is a 100% chance of winning." Mavis said.
"I like those odds. I'm curious about this plan." Laxus said.
"I have two plans. The main one and the contingency in case the main doesn't go as planned." Mavis said.
"At the start of the round, wait exactly fifteen minutes without taking a step from your starting location. I predict Mermaid Heel will earn their points a bit later than everyone else. Once any of the Mermaid Heel members make their points, Meliodas is to go in first and everyone else stands back. You will be the one to lead the charge. At your 11 o'clock position, charge straight through the first ten buildings. At the eleventh one, you can take down both Ren and Eve who are at the other side. Your goal is to cause as much destruction as you can while doing so. Everyone in this competition naturally fears your raw power, so they'll know that's your location and try to avoid it. Not only will Meliodas have scored points, he will now also be close enough to Rufus to where Rufus cannot use his technique he used back in "Hidden." At this point, Meliodas can fly to Rufus' location which should be four rows of houses north and defeat him swiftly." Mavis explained. "It's crucial Rufus is taken down first as he can pinpoint the location of everyone."
"Actually." Gray interrupted. "I want to be the one to take him down."
"My calculations say that a match up between you and Rufus will put you at a heavy disadvantage." Mavis responded.
"I don't give a damn about that. I want to save Lucy and I got a score to settle with him!" Gray interjected. "I'm asking as a Fairy Tail mage, please let me do this!"
"Then I'll leave Rufus to you then." Meliodas said with a grin. "I'm sure Gray can beat him. So what's next in the plan?"
"Very well then. Gray will fight Rufus. Which means right after Meliodas starts moving, Gray needs to follow after Meliodas. There should be no obstacles in your path considering Meliodas will quite literally level the playing field. Afterwards, Laxus is to go Northeast. With your speed, you could traverse the entire town in no time at all. After about a kilometer, there is a 50% chance of you encountering Orga and a 49% chance of you encountering Lyon and Sherria. I'm confident you can defeat any of those pairs."
"I'm assuming the 1% chance is all three?" Laxus asked.
"The one percent is something else entirely that is out of my prediction." Mavis answered.
"Not a problem. I'll take them all." Laxus responded.
"Erza and Gajeel you will both head east then split up once you reach Fountain Park and dispatch those in that area. I expect Gajeel to run into Rogue around this point and I believe Gajeel has what it takes to defeat him. Erza is to run three blocks down and stop there as Jura should still be in the area. Meliodas is to head straight to Erza's location and defeat Jura who is nearby. As Meliodas arrives, Erza is to head north where she should encounter Kagura. From there, I suspect an even matchup, but Meliodas is close enough to sway the battle in your favor once he's dealt with Jura." Mavis continued.
"What about that woman from Sabertooth, Minerva?" Erza asked.
"I predict she will be biding her time and waiting for a chance to strike. However, she hasn't been participating long enough for me to get an exact prediction of where she'll end up. Based on previous experience though, there is a 64% chance she'll be watching Meliodas and waiting for a chance to catch him by surprise with her magic and a 36% chance she'll be elsewhere. If she's elsewhere, it won't affect us at all and we can pursue her at a later time." Mavis said.
"And at this point, we will be at such a far ahead lead that we are guaranteed victory! I will call this, Operation Fairy Stars!"
"Well, well, well. This is quite the plan." Meliodas commented.
"What's the contingency plan you mentioned though?" Gray asked.
"Oh... that…" Mavis said as she looked down and started twiddling her thumbs. A moment later, she looked back up at the group.
"I was just gonna have Meliodas do his flashy sword stuff and take out as many people as he could!" Mavis said enthusiastically with a large smile on her face.
---
"Looks like Gray already left to follow Meliodas just like the plan." Erza said.
"Let's win this thing!" Laxus said with a grin as his body became cloaked in lightning. He jumped up into the air, hopping across the rooftops at blinding speed.
"Come on Gajeel!" Erza said as she turned to her right and started running, with Gajeel close behind her.
---
"If this all goes according to Master Mavis' plans, Rufus should be right around this corner!" Gray jumped out from the alleyway he was in and began molding his magic the moment he saw Rufus.
"Ice Make - Freeze Lancer!"
Gray said as he shot out several large shards of ice at Rufus, Rufus jumped into the air, dodging them and landing on a nearby roof.
"Memorized." Rufus said as he stood atop the roof, looking down on Gray. Gray immediately jumped up into the air as he prepared his next attack."
"Memorize this you masked creep! Ice Make: Ice Impact!"
A large hammer that dwarfed Rufus in size appeared just above him and slammed down onto where he was standing. Rufus looked up and immediately jumped backward, landing on the street behind the building as the building he was just standing on was destroyed.
"Memorized." Rufus said once again.
From the dust cloud caused by the collapsed building, Gray emerged in his ice make stance running straight towards Rufus.
"You just keep rumbling to yourself huh? Ice Make: Freeze Lancer!"
As several large shards of ice formed in front of Gray, they immediately vanished, much to Gray's surprise. Rufus tilted his hat as he looked at Gray with a small smile on his face.
"W-what happened?" Gray questioned.
"I simply memorized your attack. But as fast as I memorized them, I simply "forgot" them." Rufus said. "Whatever it is you do, it does not matter. Burn this into your memory as you cannot win against me."
Rufus closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath in. 'I don't sense Meliodas nearby. It appears he didn't focus his attention on me. Which means I can go all out now without fear of intervention.'
"I'll combine Orga's Magic with your Ice Make." Rufus said as he raised his hand up in the air. "Memory Make: Sword of Frozen Black Lightning!"
Numerous black lightning bolts rained down from the sky, hitting the ground around Gray as pillars of ice rose from the spots the lightning struck. Gray put his arms up desperately as he attempted to form a shield.
"Ice Make: Shield-"
"Memorized. And Forgotten." Rufus said as Gray's forming ice shield vanished and his body was stuck directly by the black lightning bolts.
Gray fell to the ground on one knee, his clothes singed and his body tattered and breathing heavily. He looked back up at Rufus who had a smug smile on his face while he walked towards Gray.
"I'm not...going down here!" Gray shouted as he ripped off the tattered remains of his shirt and charged towards Rufus, clasping his fist on to his hand.
"ICE MAKE…" Gray yelled out.
"Hmm, this again, I'll just memorize this and…
"UNLIMITED!" Gray screamed as a myriad of blades appeared in a spiraling ice structure.
"My memory… I can't keep up with this!" Rufus said, his eyes wide with shock as the spiraling formation of icicle blades of different shapes and sizes were launched straight at him. Through his shock, his face relaxed and a small grin appeared on his face. 'I suppose it's time I show this off.'
"Go!" Gray cried as he released a spiraling chain of swords towards Rufus.
Rufus smiled as he reached out to his side and drew his sword.
"If I recall…"
"A sword?.." Mavis narrowed her eyes as she watched the screens.
'What is he doing?' Gray thought as he stared at Rufus.
Just as Rufus was about to be struck, he swung his sword towards the attack.
"Full counter!"
