The clean cut left behind by the mysterious slash was as smooth as glass. The severed upper section of Phantom's mobile castle trembled for a moment before sliding down along the inclined plane, succumbing to gravity and crashing to the ground with a deafening roar.
"Nani??!!" × N
The sound of collective disbelief echoed across the battlefield. Everyone—Fairy Tail members, Phantom mages, and even the bystanders—stared slack-jawed at the spectacle.
Even Joseph, a seasoned mage who had seen decades of battles, could not fathom the sheer power behind that single slash.
His mind raced. "How could a single sword strike deflect the Jupiter Cannon? And what kind of monster can split my mechanical castle in two with one swing? This isn't the power of a human—it's absurd!"
Joseph's voice trembled with fury and confusion. "Who are you?!"
The red-haired swordsman before him sighed dramatically, brushing his hair back with an air of exaggerated coolness. "I've already told you three times, old man. Are you hard of hearing, or just senile?"
He posed theatrically, his sword resting casually on his shoulder. "But since you're begging to know, I'll enlighten you one last time!"
Joseph glared, but his frustration grew as the swordsman ignored his glare and continued.
"I am a man who does good without leaving a name. Admired by thousands of boys and girls, feared by all who cross my path. Remember this name, for it will echo through history: I am Kira Disper, the World's Number One Swordsman!"
The Fairy Tail members who had gathered nearby exchanged confused looks.
"Kira... Disper?" Cana murmured. "But isn't Kira's last name Hopelet? What's going on here?"
"Are they... twin brothers or something?" Max whispered.
Kira Disper didn't give Joseph time to process the introduction. His form blurred as he launched himself forward, his sword flashing like lightning.
"One-Sword Style: Infinite!"
Joseph barely registered the name of the attack before it was too late.
Swish!
The sharp edge of the blade sliced through the air, a blur of pure white light. In the blink of an eye, Joseph was sent flying backward, blood spraying from a precise, clean wound across his chest. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
The battlefield was eerily quiet. No one moved, no one spoke.
The scene was too surreal to comprehend. Joseph Pola, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, had been defeated—felled in a single strike by an unknown swordsman.
Mira's voice broke the silence. "Incredible! He took out Joseph with just one move. Even Kira couldn't..." She trailed off, recalling the times she had seen Kira fight. "...could he?"
Lucy, too, thought back to Kira's duel with Ace, the Ice Demon King, in Zonia. She shivered. "Maybe Mira's right. Maybe Kira wasn't that strong."
Mistgun, seated on the ground, exhaled heavily. "Disper... why are you here?"
The swordsman turned, the same cocky grin still plastered across his face. "Why? Isn't it obvious? I came to see Kira Hopelet, of course!"
Disper gestured wildly with his free hand, his excitement almost childlike. "Everywhere I go, I hear people talking about the great 'Sage' of Fairy Tail. Kira this, Kira that. It's so annoying!"
Mistgun raised an eyebrow. "So, you're here to challenge him?"
"Challenge?" Disper scoffed, flipping his hair again. "Don't insult me! The word 'challenge' implies I think he's stronger than me. No, no—I'm just here to spar. To see which is better: magic or swordsmanship. Don't you think that's worth finding out?"
Mistgun sighed. "Not really."
Disper pouted like a child denied his favorite toy. "You're no fun, Mistgun. No wonder your skills are still so basic."
Kira Disper turned his attention to Mira, Lucy, and the rest of the guild members emerging from the battered Fairy Tail tavern.
Mira stepped forward cautiously, her eyes scanning Disper's face and posture. "If you're looking for Kira, then yes, we're his companions. But..."
Her voice faltered for a moment. "You saved us. Thank you. But who are you really? What's your connection to Kira Hopelet?"
Disper's grin widened, and he raised his little finger mockingly. "I'm his long-lost twin brother! Same first name, different fathers, different mothers. A true miracle of the universe!"
The Fairy Tail extras began whispering among themselves.
"That... can't be true, right? He's joking... right?"
"I don't know. They do look exactly alike!"
"But why does this guy seem even cockier than the Kira we know?"
Disper strolled casually into the damaged guild hall, making himself at home. As he passed Mira, he leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "By the way, are you Kira's... you know..." He wiggled his little finger suggestively.
Mira's face turned crimson. "No! We're just companions!"
Disper shrugged. "Good. Wouldn't want him to be distracted by beauty. That would be disappointing."
Mira scowled but held her tongue. Despite his arrogance, this man had just saved the guild.
By the time Kira Hopelet and the rest of the Fairy Tail members arrived via airship, thirty minutes had passed since Disper's showdown with Joseph.
As they descended, Natsu immediately pointed out the massive, severed structure in the distance.
"Hey! Isn't that Phantom's headquarters? What the heck happened to it?"
Erza narrowed her eyes. "Those cuts... they're too clean. Those aren't the marks of magic. They're sword slashes."
Kira stepped forward, his curiosity piqued. "Swordsmanship strong enough to destroy an entire castle? I thought Erza was the strongest swordsman in Fiore."
Erza didn't respond, her expression unusually grim.
As the group reached the battlefield, they found Joseph unconscious on the ground.
Kira crouched down to inspect the wounds on Joseph's body. His eyes widened slightly.
"These are sword wounds."
Before anyone could process this revelation, a familiar voice echoed from the guild's ruined entrance.
"Oh? Finally decided to show up, huh?"
Kira Hopelet turned toward the voice and froze. There, standing in the doorway, was his exact double, leaning casually against the wall with a confident smirk.
"Who..." Kira began, but the man interrupted him.
"You're late. I've been waiting for you, Kira Hopelet."
The guild members looked back and forth between the two identical figures, their confusion deepening.
.
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