### Chapter 23: All Out
Hearing Gildarts' words, everyone else knew that Gildarts and Riku, master and disciple, were about to start fighting.
"Come on! Riku, let me see how your current strength is."
"Okay!"
Riku didn't waste words; his right wrist turned into lightning.
"El Thor (Judgment of God)!!!"
A thick pillar of lightning shot directly at Gildarts. The ground it passed over shattered instantly. This move was like divine judgment, destroying everything in front of it.
Gildarts' eyes widened: "Stupid brat! Using an ultimate move right from the start! Are you really not afraid I can't catch it?"
Gildarts raised his palm towards the front.
"Crush!!"
Swish————!!
The lightning pillar Riku released was suddenly cut into cubes by an invisible force, then disappeared.
"How... how terrifying!!"
Everyone was shocked feeling the terrifying lightning pillar Riku released. They had seen this move when Riku joined the guild; its power was terrifying. They didn't expect Riku to use this move right from the start.
Gildarts was even more terrifying, actually crushing such a terrifying attack.
Gildarts looked at Riku with a smile: "Powerful attack, but relying on this kind of attack to defeat me is far from enough."
Riku was also very calm: "Of course I know this isn't enough, but this is just the beginning. Teacher, the next attacks will be very fast, be careful."
"Lightning!"
Riku stomped his foot, releasing a large amount of electric current instantly. It spread along the ground and rushed towards Gildarts.
Gildarts, unhurried, stomped his foot.
"Buzz————!"
All the lightning was decomposed.
"30,000,000 Volts · Hino (Thunder Beast)!"
Riku raised his left hand, releasing lightning in the form of a wolf-like beast.
"Crush!!"
Gildarts raised his palm and crushed the giant wolf-shaped lightning.
"30,000,000 Volts · Hino (Thunderbird)!"
Riku raised his right hand and released lightning in the form of a giant bird.
"Crush!!"
Gildarts stood still and crushed the giant bird-shaped lightning again.
Almost as soon as Gildarts crushed the giant bird-shaped lightning, he realized Riku's figure had disappeared from his sight.
At the same time, Riku appeared silently in mid-air behind Gildarts, high-compressed lightning particles gathering on his lower leg.
"Not good!"
Gildarts' expression changed, and he turned around immediately.
"Thunder God Kick!"
Seeing Riku kicking towards him with lightning gathered on his leg, he immediately raised his arms to block.
At the same time, he activated Magic under his feet.
BOOM————!!
The ground under Gildarts' feet decomposed into cubes like a spider web, sinking downwards to mitigate the powerful impact.
"Using the crushed ground as a buffer!"
Everyone was shocked seeing Gildarts' move. Even Riku didn't expect Gildarts to pull off such a maneuver.
"Smack!"
Gildarts grabbed Riku's leg and threw him towards the ground.
Bang!!!
Riku's body turned into lightning and dissipated as soon as it hit the ground.
Immediately after, he reformed in the distance.
"So amazing!!"
Natsu watched with surging excitement, and everyone else nodded in agreement.
Although Riku and Gildarts had only exchanged a few moves, the powerful strength both sides displayed was beyond the reach of others.
Gildarts looked at Riku with satisfaction: "Not bad! Your strength has become stronger again. Your Magic, whether in power, speed, defense, or attack power, is top-tier."
"Even your combat awareness, which used to be a shortcoming, is improving rapidly. Knowing my 'Crash' Magic, you still bravely stepped forward to attack, which is enough to prove your courage and confidence."
"Your strength is top-tier even looking at the entire continent of Ishgar."
Gildarts had been in Ishgar for so many years and had naturally seen all kinds of strong people. Those whose strength could compare to Riku were few and far between.
"It's all thanks to Teacher's teaching."
Riku flattered Gildarts a little.
Gildarts laughed: "Stop flattering me! I only taught you how to fight. Your Magic is all figured out by yourself; it has nothing to do with me."
"Although Teacher didn't teach me Magic, what Teacher taught me will benefit me endlessly for a lifetime. No matter how strong I become, I can't do without Teacher's attentive teaching."
Riku said with a serious expression. These weren't empty words. Although the Goro Goro no Mi ability wasn't taught by Gildarts, Gildarts' help in combat was huge. Riku truly regarded Gildarts as his mentor.
Hearing Riku's words, Gildarts was also moved. He didn't teach this kid in vain.
"Alright! Stupid brat, your strength is good, but to reach the pinnacle of Magic, it's slightly insufficient."
"It's time to let you know why I'm called the strongest mage in the Fairy Tail guild!"
"BOOM————!!!!"
Terrifying Magic Power radiated from Gildarts' body.
The entire forest seemed to shake. The terrifying pressure of Magic Power spread outwards. Sensing this terrifying Magic Power, the monsters in the forest fled in terror, staying far away.
Crack crack!!
The ground under Gildarts' feet shattered, and the powerful Magic Power caused the debris around his body to float.
"Wooooooaaaahhhhh!!"
Everyone looked at Gildarts in horror, their bodies trembling uncontrollably feeling that Magic Power. Let alone fighting him, they almost didn't even have the courage to stand in front of Gildarts.
"What terrifying Magic Power!"
Inside the villa outside the forest, although it was more than ten miles away from where the Magic Power erupted, Bob clearly felt that terrifying Magic Power from Gildarts.
"Gildarts... has he grown to this extent?!"
Makarov was also shocked. As one of the Ten Wizard Saints, he could somewhat sense the Magic Power in Gildarts' body, but he didn't expect Gildarts' Magic Power to have grown to this level.
Gildarts looked at Riku and said:
"Come on! Stupid brat, bring out your full strength!"
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