Chapter Text
The air in the train cabin was thick with tension. Gray avoided looking at the center of it, while Lucy fidgeted nervously in her seat beside him.
Lucy was a young woman with a voluptuous figure, blonde hair, and brown eyes. She wore a blue skirt, a white shirt with a black belt, and knee-high boots.
Gray, on the other hand, was a young man with black hair and dark eyes. He was wearing dark pants, boots, and a white coat over a dark shirt.
“Soo—” Lucy began, “My name is Lucy. I joined Fairy Tail last week. Erza brought me to the guild!”
Erza, pleased that someone had started a conversation, smiled. However, she quickly noticed the glare from the Dragon Slayer sitting to her right.
Erza was a striking woman with long, scarlet hair and brown eyes. She wore armor on her upper body, a blue skirt, and black knee-high boots.
And next to her was Natsu Dragneel.
Natsu was an enigma in Fairy Tail—one that Erza was determined to understand.
He had shoulder-length, pale pink hair that almost looked silver. His slit-like dragon eyes were a sharp purple. His face was mature and chiseled, with pale skin. He wore a dark, midnight black coat over a white shirt, black leather arm guards, and fingerless gloves. Dark, knee-high combat boots with silver details completed his outfit.
Natsu almost growled, his eye twitching in irritation.
Erza, maintaining her composure, smiled. “How about you guys also introduce yourselves? Lucy here only knows me.”
Gray glanced at Lucy. “Hey, I’m Gray Fullbuster. Nice to meet you.”
Lucy looked at Natsu, who had his arms crossed. He sighed deeply while glaring at the smiling redhead.
“Natsu Dragneel.”
“Was that so hard?” Erza teased.
“I’ll throw you out the window, Titania.” Natsu muttered.
Erza ignored the jab with a shake of her head.
“So, what exactly is the job about?” Gray asked.
“A dark guild named Eisenwald has an artifact called Lullaby. We need to take it and defeat the guild.” Erza explained.
“And your brilliant plan was to bring someone who’s been an active guild member for less than a month on a Dark Guild Extermination mission?” Natsu asked.
“It’s not an Extermination Job, we don’t kill we defeat—”
“Same thing to me.”
Erza’s eye twitched. “Lucy can take care of herself. Besides, Eisenwald isn’t that strong.”
“…Then why do we need four of us?” Natsu complained. “This is a waste of my time. I’d have finished this by now. But noo, you had to drag me onto a bloody train!”
“Natsu, you can’t always do things alone—”
“Eisenwald is a weak guild. There was no need for four of us.” Natsu responded. Erza stayed calm. “And don’t tell me what I can or can not do.”
Erza sighed and shook her head, crossing her arms.
Lucy leaned towards Gray, whispering, “Are they… always like this?”
“Natsu’s not exactly the sociable type.” Gray whispered back. “He usually works alone. Erza’s been trying for a while to get him on team jobs.”
“But... why her? I heard something from Mira, but I’m not sure if it’s true.”
“Don’t believe everything Mira says. She likes to stir up trouble.”
“Of course, she’s always gossiping.” Natsu interjected. “She was a second-rate mage anyway. At least she’s good at one thing.”
Erza clicked her tongue in irritation. “There you go again, attacking everyone for no reason.”
“I’m not attacking anyone. If I were, there’d be screams.”
Before the argument could escalate, Lucy quickly intervened.
“What about Magic?” she asked, trying to change the subject. “If we’re doing this job… and we are, we should at least know what each of us can do, right?”
She pulled out her Celestial Spirit keys. “I’ll start. I’m a Celestial Spirit Mage. These keys allow me to summon—”
“Spirits from the Celestial Spirit Realm. I know.” Natsu interrupted, his eyes half-closed.
Lucy sighed, a little annoyed. “Right. What about you, Gray?”
“I’m an Ice Mage.” Gray replied. “I use Ice-Make Magic. I can create ice and shape it however I want.”
Erza nodded approvingly. “You already know mine. I store items in a pocket dimension, mostly armor and swords.”
Lucy turned to Natsu. “What about you, Natsu?”
“Twilight Dragon Slayer Magic.”
“Uh… what does that do?” asked Lucy.
“It’s Light and Darkness Magic.” Gray added helpfully.
Natsu let out a low chuckle. “Ha, it is far more than that, but not everyone can understand the complexity.”
Erza raised an eyebrow. “Then enlighten us.”
Natsu leaned back in his seat, and took a pause, contemplating if she should entertain the question, “It’s Dragon Magic, old even among the dragons . Yes, Light and Darkness are the main elements, but my magic is far from just that.”
“So it can do more?” Lucy asked, intrigued. “Light and Darkness Magic sounds amazing—what else can it do?”
Natsu went silent, not responding anymore.
“Natsu?”
“...I’m not going to explain the my magic to someone who just joined the guild… I don’t know you girl.”
Lucy frowned, “That was mean.”
Erza rolled her eyes, unbothered. “What, you think Lucy’s a spy?”
“No.” Natsu scoffed. “She’d be terrible. And I'd have buried her by now—”
“Stop with the murder talk!”
“Hmm….no.”
Erza’s eye twitched. “That’s why you’re not an S-Class!”
“I’m not S-Class because the old fool—”
“Don’t call Master Makarov that!”
“—couldn’t turn me into some emotional sap who believes in the ‘Power of Friendship.’ That’s why I’m not S-Class. I could still easily defeat you, Titania.”
“Oh you could try!”
“I will… when you show me you're worth my time.”
“You—insolent—GRRRR, you’re impossible!”
“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Natsu nodded and turned his gaze out the window.
Lucy leaned toward Gray, whispering, “This is like a walking disaster.”
“I know, Natsu’s always excessively grumpy on trains.” Gray whispered back. “It’s like he has something against—”
“I will drop you into an endless void of darkness.”
“…See?” Gray muttered.
Lucy stifled a giggle, covering her mouth. The tension in the cabin seemed to settle for a moment, and Erza and Lucy began chatting while Gray stared out the window.
Natsu, his eyes closed, thought to himself, “Damn it Mother … motion sickness? How humiliating” He grumbled, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “I should blow up this whole damn train.”
It was a fact that Dragon Slayers suffered from motion sickness. Dragons, being creatures of the sky, created an imbalance in the bodies of those who inherited their magic. While Natsu could endure it and dull its effects so he wasn’t rendered completely useless, it still gave him a pounding headache, and the longer it lasted, the worse it became.
Half an hour later, as the train came to a stop, Erza stood up. “Okay, Onibas, this is our stop.”
Natsu’s eyes snapped open as his senses spread over the train station. “Shadow Magic… and an Etherious? Must be the Lullaby.”
He glanced at his guildmates before turning back to his seat, cloaking his presence from them. He let them believe he was following, staying hidden while they left.
–With Erza–
“And the Ace of the Guild is named Erigor, a Mage known for taking assassination jobs. I know he’s involved—” Erza stopped suddenly, looking around.
“Where’s Natsu?” she asked, looking at the train that was already pulling away, and she remained staring at it in disbelief.
“Oh boy.” Gray muttered.
“Did… did we leave him on the train? He didn’t get up?” Lucy said, wide-eyed.
“That… that…!” Erza fumed, her face turning red with frustration. “He’s planning to do this by himself! I won’t let him! Mark my words, Natsu! I-WILL-NOT-ALLOW-IT!”
“Don’t you think it’d be easier to just let him—” Gray began, but Erza shot him a death glare
“Magic Mobile.”
“Aye, ma’am! Going after a Magic Mobile! Be back in five!”
–With Natsu–
“Young man, is this seat taken?” A tall man with dark hair tied in a pineapple-like style asked.
“...There you are.” Natsu thought, opening an eye as he glanced at the man. With a dismissive gesture, he motioned to the seat across from him.
Eisenwald Mage, Kageyama.
“Not a talker, are you?”
“...You have something to say?”
Kageyama tilted his head, eyeing him. “I noticed you were with Fairy Tail members earlier. Are you a member too?”
“Occasionally.”
“Occasionally?” Kageyama chuckled. “Interesting... I envy you.”
“...Lots of people do.”
Kageyama smiled at the jab, “Must be nice, being surrounded by all those beauties in your guild. Mirajane, right? She’s in the magazines all the time. You’ve got a lot of cute girls in your guild, huh?”
“Is there a point to this? Past your lack of women?”
Kageyama laughed. “Well there’s no chance of any cute girls coming to my guild, so i guess you’re right.”
“Yeah, I can see why.” Natsu smirked. “You’re not exactly anything special. And I’m guessing the rest of Eisenwald is just as pathetic, right? Am I wrong?”
Kageyama’s smile faltered for a brief moment, but he quickly regained his composure. “You’ve got quite the mouth. Maybe I’ll cut it out?”
Natsu laughed, he tilted his head, eyeing Kageyama. “You? Against me? Tell me, do you even know who you’re standing in front of?”
Kageyama’s glare hardened. “Tell me then, which loser do I get to kill?”
Natsu rested his hand on the armrest, palm facing up as two small orbs materialized in his grasp—one of Light, the other of Darkness.
Kageyama stared at them, his expression shifting from curiosity to alarm. His eyes widened, and before he could react, he leaped to his feet.
“Ragnarok—”
Before he could finish, Natsu flicked his finger. The orbs shot forward, crashing into Kageyama’s chest sending him flying through the benches of the train car.
The sound of splintering wood and metal filled the air as Kageyama groaned, struggling to rise to his feet. Natsu, however remained completely unfazed, his chin resting casually on his palm.
From beneath Kageyama, hands of shadow shot up, clawing toward Natsu. “Take this!” Kageyama yelled, desperate.
Natsu waved his hand dismissively, and the shadow spell immediately broke apart, “I won’t even bother eating that... Some Dark Guild you are. Can’t even use decent Darkness.”
“Don’t underestimate Eisenwald—” Kageyama began, but was cut off as Natsu appeared in front of him in a flash.
Before Kageyama could react, Natsu’s fist slammed into his stomach, sending him crashing into the train’s wall. The steel bent around Kageyama’s form as he crumpled to the ground.
“Well, well, well… What do we have here?” Natsu glanced down at the flute lying on the floor. “Lullaby, I assume?”
He picked it up, “So pathetic. You should be ashamed of yourself. You can’t even manage to be a decent artifact of Zeref.” With a scoff, Natsu tossed the flute toward Kageyama’s feet. “Keep it for now.”
Natsu walked toward the window, glancing back at Kageyama, who was still on the floor, blood on his lips, glaring up at him.
“See you very soon.” Natsu called as he stepped closer to the window and jumped out the window.
–With the Others–
Erza pushed as much magic as she could into the Magic Mobile, her eyes locked on the train they were rapidly approaching.
And then, without warning, Natsu leapt out of the window.
“What the—?”
Natsu crashed into Gray, who had been standing on the roof of the car.
“Do you have any idea how to drive?!” Natsu shouted, but remained unfazed as he landed in a heap on top of Gray. “I was going to land perfectly on the ground.”
Gray stumbled, barely managing to keep his balance as Natsu rolled off him.
Erza, still steering the Magic Mobile, muttered a curse under her breath. “I swear, sometimes I wonder if you have a death wish, Natsu. I took this job as a team, and we’re going to finish it as one—”
“Member of Eisenwald on the train. He has the Lullaby. Follow it.”
Erza blinked, “It was on the train? Then why didn’t you take it?!”
“I did grab it…” Natsu shrugged, “ I decided to let the moron take it and see what they’ll do with it.”
“You what?” Erza’s voice rose in disbelief, her grip tightening on the wheel. “You’re unbelievable, Natsu! What if they do something stupid with it?”
Natsu shrugged, “That’s the point.”
Erza growled in frustration, her teeth gritted. “Grrrr, one day, Natsu… one day.”
“Wait, Natsu… was the Lullaby in a flute form?” Lucy suddenly asked, her voice tinged with concern.
“Yes.”
Lucy’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait… no, no, no… that means… Natsu, you should’ve destroyed it!”
Erza turned to Lucy in confusion. “Lucy, what do you know about this?”
“Lullaby... sleep... death,” Lucy stammered, her voice trembling. “The Lullaby releases a song of death—it’s death magic!”
Erza’s shock was palpable, but Natsu remained unbothered, his expression unreadable.
“Do you see what you’ve done?”
“Should I care?”
Erza snapped, her frustration boiling over. “You let a bunch of Dark Mages get their hands on a Death Flute! Why does this not concern you?”
“Correction –It’s a Demon of Zeref.” Natsu replied, “It’s only sealed in flute form.”
There was a long, heavy silence in the Mobile.
“… What?” Erza finally managed to say, her voice shaking with anger and disbelief. “That’s even worse!”
Natsu waved his hand dismissively. “The demon’s weak. ”
Erza’s face flushed with a mix of anger and disbelief. “Weak? Are you seriously telling me a Demon of Zeref is weak?”
Natsu shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back in his seat. “It’s weak to me. The only reason it’s still sealed in the flute is because it’s not strong enough to do anything on its own. Besides, it’s not like they can use it properly. It’s just a flute.”
“Just a flute?” Erza repeated, “Do you understand what this means, Natsu? Death Magic! You’re letting them play with a weapon that could wipe out entire villages if they’re not careful.”
Natsu leaned back in his seat, “It’s an exaggeration, Erza. As powerful as Zeref is, if any of his demons could potentially wield actual Death Magic it would be E.N.D.”
Erza’s eyes widened slightly. “E.N.D?”
Natsu interrupted, cutting her off with a wave of his hand. “And the difference between E.N.D. and Lullaby is like comparing an ant to the sun. Lullaby’s sealed, it can’t do anything on its own. And besides, the mages from Eisenwald are weak—they wouldn’t even know how to use it properly if they tried.”
Erza narrowed her eyes, still not satisfied with his answer. “So you’re saying it doesn’t actually have Death Magic?”
“No, at best, it has an ability that makes it look like it does. Nothing to worry about.”
He paused for a moment, his tone growing more serious as he continued, “Any demon created by Zeref that’s actually worth a damn won’t be found and controlled by a bunch of weaklings like Eisenwald.”
Erza’s expression remained tense, but she couldn’t completely argue with Natsu’s reasoning. “I understand that, but that doesn’t mean we should take it lightly. They still have the power to try.”
Natsu sighed as he leaned forward. “You’re worrying too much, Erza. The Lullaby’s sealed, the mages are weak, and even if they try something stupid, they won’t stand a chance.”
Lucy, looking uncertain, glanced between the two. “But what if they figure out how to break the seal? What then?”
“Then the demon dies. It’s weak, that is the end of it.”
Erza’s eyes narrowed slightly, “I still think we shouldn’t underestimate it.”
Natsu leaned back again, hands behind his head. “Underestimating is for amateurs. I’m telling you, it is more bark than bite.”
Lucy sighed, a little more reassured but still uneasy. “I just hope you’re right, Natsu.”
Erza grumbled under her breath, “He better be.”
–Oshibana Station–
Erza, Gray, and Lucy struggled to push their way through the crowd gathered at the station entrance. The hustle and bustle of civilians made it nearly impossible to move quickly.
Natsu, however, stood still for a moment, observing the scene with a faint smirk. He shook his head and muttered under his breath, “Out of my way.”
A thin purple glow spread over the crowd, “There’s a Dark Guild inside this station. Move and let us through.”
The people in the crowd all began to tremble slightly feeling their very will pressured to listen. Slowly, they began to part, creating a clear path for Natsu and his group.
As Natsu walked past Erza, he glanced over at her with a smirk. “See how it’s done?”
“I prefer not to use intimidation on civilians.”
Natsu’s smirk didn’t waver as he turned his gaze toward a trembling station guard. “You. What happened here?”
The guard swallowed hard before answering, his voice unsteady. “T-The station was taken over by the Dark Guild. An army platoon went in to stop them, but… they haven’t come back.”
Erza nodded firmly, “Then we’re going in.”
As the group stepped inside, the air was thick with the scent of blood and burnt metal. Bodies littered the floor—some unconscious, others dead.
Lucy’s breath hitched. Her fingers curled around the strap of her keys. “Did they…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“It’s a Dark Guild.” Natsu said flatly, stepping over a motionless body. “And this is a battlefield now.” His sharp eyes flicked toward Lucy. “This is the nature of Dark Guilds, girl. ”
Lucy swallowed, gripping her keys even tighter.
They arrived at the train platform, where Dark Guild members lay scattered across the station floor.
Atop the train, there stood a mage with more magic than the others.
“I knew you’d come… Fairy Tail.” Erigor greeted with a smirk.
“Wow…very smart are you?” Natsu responded sarcastically, “I beat one of your boys and told him, ‘See you very soon’. Are you sure you are not a detective?”
Erigor’s smirk faltered for a brief moment before he regained his composure. “Hmph. Cocky little brat, aren’t you? Who do you think you are?”
Natsu tilted his head. “Why don’t you ask your friend over there?” He casually gestured toward Kageyama.
Kageyama, still nursing his injuries, visibly paled. “Erigor… that’s… that’s Ragnarok, the Prince of Twilight!”
The air in the station grew tense. Erigor’s eyes widened in shock, as did those of every Eisenwald member in the room. Even Lucy stiffened, her breath hitching.
“Ragnarok…” she whispered. Even she had heard the stories.
Ragnarok was a name wrapped in terror. Some doubted he was even human, a mage whose mastery over both Light and Darkness surpassed any. He first gained notoriety by hunting Dark Guilds, but two years ago, his legend took a far darker and more awe-inspiring turn.
When the Alvarez Empire attempted to invade, the Magic Council had threatened to use Etherion to deter them. But rumors whispered of a different truth—that it wasn’t the Council’s warning that stopped the invasion. It was Ragnarok.
The Prince of Twilight, a lone force standing against the might of Alvarez, battling against the two members of the Spriggan 12 that led the attack.
And now, that very figure stood before them.
Erigor clenched his fists. “Tch… That’s impossible.”
“Is it?”
Erigor gritted his teeth. “You think that matters?! Only power does!”
“I’m sure that is the only correct thing you’ve ever said in your life. However, you have none yourself.”
Erza stepped forward, her scarlet hair flowing behind her. “Are you backing down already, scoundrels?”
One of the Eisenwald grunts stumbled backward, his voice trembling. “Boss… that’s Titania!”
The moment Erza took a step forward, the Dark Guild members instinctively tensed. Her reputation alone sent shivers down the spines of seasoned mages. Few could stand against Titania and walk away unscathed.
Erigor’s glare flickered with hesitation, but he quickly masked it. “Tch. I don’t care if you’re Titania, Ragnarok, or the damn Wizard Saints themselves! Eisenwald’s mission won’t be stopped by you!"
Natsu cracked his knuckles, “Mission? You mean that pathetic stunt with Lullaby? You really think a bunch of weaklings like you can handle something created by the Black Wizard Zeref?”
“Watch your mouth, brat.”
Natsu’s expression turned almost amused. “Or what?” He stepped forward, the pressure of his magic pressing down on the room, “Your guild is already trembling, and I've yet to cast a spell. You are out of your league.”
Erigor’s aura flared with rage. “Big words! Let’s see if you can back them up!”
With a sudden gust of wind, he vanished from sight, reappearing mid-air. His scythe gleamed under the station lights as he swung it down at Natsu’s head.
But Natsu didn’t step away. His hand shot up—catching the blade between two fingers.
The room fell into a stunned silence.
Eisenwald’s members froze, their already fading confidence shattering in an instant.
Erigor’s eyes went wide. “W-What?!”
Natsu tilted his head slightly, “This is it? This is all you’ve got?”
With a squeeze of his fingers a fracture formed along the edge of Erigor’s scythe. “Pathetic.”
In the next instant, his left arm erupted with magic, twin forces of Light and Darkness swirling around his fist.
Erigor’s eyes barely had time to widen before—
BOOM!
Natsu’s fist buried itself in his gut. “Twilight Dragon’s Oblivion Fist!”
A shockwave exploded from the impact, rattling the entire station. The sheer force distorted the air itself, sending gusts of wind howling through the station.
Erigor’s was launched backward like a cannonball, crashing through several support beams before slamming into the far wall. The entire station trembled from the collision, dust and debris raining down from the ceiling.
Natsu lowered his fist, “Yeah… that’s about what I expected.”
A groan echoed through the ruined station.
Erigor slumped against the rubble, blood dripping from his mouth as he gasped for air. “W-What… the hell… was that…?”
“Power, Erigor.” Natsu rolled his shoulders. “Real power.”
Erigor gritted his teeth, his fury overriding his pain. Wind magic swirled around him as he began to fly, his battered body rising into the air. “Kageyama! You and the others, keep them off! I’m moving forward with the plan!”
Erza turned to Natsu. “Go after him!”
Natsu groaned, rubbing his neck lazily. “Gray, you can handle this one.”
Erza shot him a glare. “Natsu—”
“You’re nearly out of magic, Titania.” Natsu interrupted, his tone calm but firm. “You burned through a lot of power just getting here. I’ll deal with the grunts—you focus on recovering.”
“But Erigor—”
“Gray can take him.” Natsu repeated, “He’s been waiting for a shot, anyway.”
Gray rolled his shoulders. “Fine by me.”
Erza hesitated, but Natsu was right. She clenched her fists before giving a firm nod.
Natsu turned back to the trembling Eisenwald grunts, cracking his knuckles. “Alright, then…who’s next?”
“Well, now you’re relatively nice.” Erza remarked, crossing her arms. “How come?”
“We’re not on a train now.”
“...You have motion sickness, and you can’t convince me otherwise.”
Natsu growled, his purple eyes glowing with magic. Without a word, he vanished in an instant.
He reappeared in the midst of the crowd of Dark Mages.
“What the—?” one of the mages shouted.
Natsu’s fist flew toward the mage’s face, and with a single, devastating blow, his jaw and skull cracked.
The mage dropped like a ragdoll. In the same fluid motion, Natsu swept his leg around, taking down three more mages in one swift move. He was back on his feet before they even hit the ground, grabbing one by the leg and smashing him into the other mage to his right, taking them both down in the process. With a grunt, he tossed the broken mages aside.
“N-no, please!” cried the third mage, but Natsu didn’t even spare him a glance. His foot crashed down on the mage's face.
Natsu turned toward the train, pointing his index and middle fingers at it. “Twilight Dragon’s White Blast.”
A thin, concentrated beam of light shot forward, exploding on contact with the train. Dark mages near the blast zone were hit by the explosion and sent flying.
“Twilight Dragon’s Shadowed Wrath.”
Natsu’s shadow expanded rapidly, rising from the ground like a living entity. It twisted and coiled around the remaining mages, their screams echoing in the air as the shadows wrapped around their legs, dragging them down into the darkness below.
Erza watched, eyes narrowing as Natsu unleashed devastation upon the Dark Mages. His movements were precise—too precise. There was no wasted effort, no unnecessary movements. Every strike shattered bones, every movement sent bodies flying.
It was efficient. It was brutal.
The remaining Eisenwald members trembled as Natsu’s shadow tendrils tightened around them, dragging them down into the darkness beneath them.
“N-No! Please!” one of them begged, his arms flailing as he sunk deeper.
Natsu didn’t even glance at him. His glowing purple eyes remained cold, unreadable. His outstretched hand clenched into a fist, and the darkness swallowed the last of them whole.
Natsu vanished once more, appearing in front of a Dark Mage. His purple eyes shifted, turning completely black—no pupils, no irises. Just a dark void.
His hand shot forward, clamping down on the Mage’s face. “Twilight Dragon’s Grip Strike.”
Darkness exploded from Natsu's grip. The Mage gasped, his body convulsing before going limp as the darkness crushed him.
Natsu slowly turned his head, his eyes glowing a deep purple, staring at the remaining mages.
“Anyone else?”
His voice was cold, his magic presence pressing down on the room like a weight.
Then, for a brief moment, above Natsu, the form of a massive dragon flickered into existence—a beast of breathtaking beauty and terrifying power.
The dragon was sleek and elegant, it's dark purple scales shimmering in the dim light. White scales lined its underbelly, running from its chin down its neck, along its limbs, and trailing down its tail.
Its head was triangular, with two silver horns curving backward. Silver tattoos spiraled around its glowing purple eyes, and a mane of white hair cascaded down from its neck to its tail, contrasting against its dark form.
The entire room seemed to expand as the dragon's form flickered, its presence dwarfing the mages around it. For a few seconds, they appeared almost insignificant, their fear palpable as they faced the terrifying vision before them.
One by one, the Dark Mages fell to their knees, trembling, some of them even crying in terror with broken wills, unable to bear the weight of the force suffocating them.
Natsu stood tall, his presence overwhelming the station, the dragon form above him slowly dissipating.
"Good." Natsu said simply, “Let’s go.”
Erza’s usual stern expression softened for a brief moment. "I suppose that'll work." she replied, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
“...Suppose? I can do more, if you'd like. Many of them still breath–”
“Don’t start.”
Gray came running back, looking frantic. "Guys! There’s a problem!"
“What?”
“Erigor left! He put the station under a Wind Barrier, and he's heading to Clover! He wants to use the flute on the Guild Masters!”
Natsu sighed, “Well, supposedly that Kageyama guy knows how to unseal stuff. Go grab him.”
“What, you can’t do anything about the barrier?” Erza asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I could, but that would crumble the station around us.”
“What about Erigor?” Erza asked.
“I’ll take him.” Natsu sighed, irritated.
“Wait, didn’t you just say you’d have to reduce the station to rubble to get us out?” Lucy asked, confused. “How are we going to get out?”
“I can get out without breaking the barrier, but to get you out, I’d have to break it. So, use Kageyama.” Natsu said as his own shadow began to whip around him before completely swallowing him.
“...”
“...”
“...Couldn’t he just take us with him through the shadows?” Lucy muttered.
Erza's eyes narrowed. "I think that's exactly what he could've done... but I suppose Natsu has his own reasons."
–Clover Town–
“Makarov! How are all your cute, little wizard guild members? I’m so jealous!” boomed the voice of Bob, the Blue Pegasus Guild Master.
“I heard all about how your members gave a local desperado a beating!” he continued, his voice dripping with amusement.
Makarov chuckled heartily. “Yeah! That was my new member, Lucy! She’s great! Especially around the chest area!” he added with a mischievous grin.
Bob chuckled in response, but then his tone grew slightly more serious. “It’s all well and good to be active, but you people tend to overdo it a lot.”
Goldmine, the Guild Master of Quatro Cerberus, chimed in, “There are people on the Council who are worried your members are going to destroy ANOTHER city, especially with Ragnarok and Titania around.”
Makarov grumbled in response. “Well, I'd like to see you try and tell someone like Natsu or Erza 'no’.”
Suddenly, a bird flew into the room, carrying a letter. “Master Makarov!” it squawked.
Makarov took the letter, opening it, and a projection of Mirajane’s face appeared before him. “Good evening, Master!” She greeted cheerfully.
Makarov laughed, looking at the other guild masters. “What do you guys think? This is Mira, Fairy Tail’s poster girl! Isn’t she the sweetest thing?”
The projection of Mira continued, her voice filled with excitement. “Master, you won’t believe what happened! Erza formed a team with Natsu and Gray! And Lucy too! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Makarov’s smile faded slightly, and he fell silent. His eyes widened, as the realization hit him like a train.
The projection continued, oblivious to Makarov’s sudden stillness. “I just wanted to pass on the news. Have a good day, Master!” And with that, the projection of Mira dispersed.
And then… Makarov fainted.
–Close to Clover–
Erigor soared through the sky, his wind magic propelling him effortlessly. The train track stretched over a small ravine, and he could already see the town in the distance.
“HA HA HA! I can see the town! Soon, I shall have—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a beam of light descended from above, crashing down onto his back with a deafening crack.
Erigor was thrown from the sky, plummeting to the ground below, landing hard on the rails. He groaned in pain, struggling to push himself up.
“H-How did you get past my wind barrier?!” he demanded, his voice full of disbelief and anger.
A few steps away from him, Natsu casually stretched with a yawn as if he had been taking a leisurely stroll.
“That weak thing? I could have disabled it with a flick of my wrist. But then I’d have to deal with my 'guild mates,'” he said, “So I just teleported out.”
Erigor's eyes blazed with fury. "You... you won't defeat me!"
“Yeah…yeah I will. You are nothing special.”
Erigor's eyes narrowed. With a fierce snarl, he pointed his hand at Natsu and unleashed a powerful blast of Wind Magic. The gale howled as it rushed toward him.
Natsu didn’t even flinch. As the wind neared, he raised his hand, covering it with light. With a casual swipe, he slapped the blast aside.
“That won’t work.”
Erigor snarled and tried to fire another blast of wind, but in his haste, he made the mistake of blinking.
In the time it took him, Natsu was already mere feet away, his fist inches from Erigor’s face.
BAM!
The blow landed with a sickening crack, sending Erigor flying backward, his body bouncing off the rails, crashing and skidding across the metal tracks like a ragdoll.
Natsu walked calmly toward him, “Is it that hard to understand?” he said, "You’re just a Wind Mage in a weak Dark Guild. I am a Dragon Slayer."
He stopped right in front of Erigor, looking down at him with a smirk. "If that wind of yours was something like Wind Dragon Slayer Magic, now that might have been a challenge. But how’s mere Wind Magic supposed to even scratch me?"
Erigor groaned, struggling to push himself up, but it was clear he was already outclassed. His body ached, the remnants of Natsu's earlier blows already having broken a few bones.
But he refused to give up. His pride as a Mage burned within him. With a growl, he soared upwards, arms outstretched, calling upon the wind around him.
“Wind Magic – Storm Bringer!”
A violent tornado of wind spiraled downward toward Natsu. Erigor’s eyes glowed with determination as the storm raged.
Natsu, however, only looked up, his smirk widening in amusement.
“You call that a spell?” he chuckled, almost casually leaning back with his chest puffed out. “This is a spell!”
In an instant, Natsu leaned forward, his mouth opening wide. His magic flared, and with a bellow–
“Twilight Dragon’s Roar!”
–A beam of Light and Darkness erupted from his mouth, its size dwarfing Erigor’s tornado by at least fifty times. The sheer power of the spell was overwhelming, it shot toward Erigor's attack with ease.
Erigor barely had time to blink.
The beam struck the tornado head-on, and in the blink of an eye, Erigor saw nothing but a blinding flash. His own wind magic evaporated into nothingness as the beam tore through it and continued onward, swallowing him whole.
The world around him spun as his vision was consumed by the powerful clash. He couldn’t even form a coherent thought before it was all over. The storm was gone, and so was Erigor.
All that remained was the stillness of the shattered battlefield, dust settling as Natsu lowered his head, a faint smirk still on his lips.
“Yeah... I’d say that’s a spell.”
–With Erza and the Others–
Gray scowled, his eyes narrowing as he kept a watchful eye on Kageyama across from him. “Don’t even think about it, punk.”
Kageyama, barely able to keep his eyes open, grinned weakly. “I’m half-dead, what could I possibly do? Besides, I’ve already won. By now, Erigor has arrived at Clover and killed the Guild Masters!” he shouted, his voice dripping with smugness.
But before anyone could respond, a deafening roar echoed through the valley, sending a shiver down their spines. The ground trembled beneath their feet as the distant sound reverberated through the air.
Then, without warning, a massive beam of light and darkness shot into the sky.
Gray’s eyes widened, and a cold sweat formed on his brow. “I think that means… Erigor did not make it to Clover.”
Lucy gasped, her hand clutching her chest as she stared in disbelief. “Is-is that Natsu?”
Erza nodded, her gaze steady as ever, though a hint of concern flickered in her eyes. “Yes, that’s his ‘Roar,’ I’m guessing.”
“His ‘Roar’?”
Erza’s expression softened slightly as she turned to explain. “Every Slayer-type Magic has a breath attack. For Dragon Slayers, it’s called the ‘Dragon’s Roar.’ It’s the simplest, but one of the most powerful spells a Dragon possesses. That was Natsu’s ‘Twilight Dragon’s Roar.’”
“Unbelievable…” Gray muttered under his breath, “I think that beam was bigger than our guildhall.”
“It was.”
Lucy gulped, her eyes wide with disbelief. “And he’s not an S-Class Wizard?”
Erza sighed, her expression softening as she glanced at Lucy. “Unfortunately, what Natsu said on the train about S-Class is true. He’s very much on the same level. But Master Makarov hasn’t granted him the rank, and it never ceases to cause tension between them.”
“Why’s that?”
Erza’s mind wandered to the past as she focused on the road ahead. “Master Makarov found Natsu wandering around the forest near Magnolia when he was just a child. Even back then, Natsu’s magic was immense—much, much larger than most adults.”
Lucy and Gray listened intently.
“Natsu didn’t want to join when Master Makarov first asked.” Erza continued, “And Master did not have it in him to turn his back on a child alone in the wilderness, even if the child wanted to be there. Master kept finding Natsu around and making sure he had food atleast, all the while he tried to convince Natsu to come to Fairy Tail. Eventually the Master did succeed when he explained guilds take jobs that require Mages.”
Lucy’s eyes widened, “So, he joined just for the work?”
Erza nodded, “At first yes. Over the first few weeks, Master took a real liking to Natsu. Natsu is … a prodigy to say the least. Especially when it came to magic. Natsu could master spells in a matter of hours, and in just a few days, he’d have them improved. It was incredible.”
Erza paused, her gaze turning distant. “But there was always something… different about Natsu. He had trouble interacting with the other kids…actualy he had trouble interacting with anyone. He started avoiding the rest of us his age, he tried to stay with the adults, but that did not last long.”
“Natsu thinks in a … different way than anyone in Fairy Tail. He hated being compared to others. The older he got, the worse it became. He would always challenge any opinion or ideal that came his way. Master Makarov and Natsu’s fights were more philosophical than anything else—origin of magic, battle ideals, strength, the meaning of it all. Natsu would argue against everything. But it wasn’t like he was a child who didn’t make sense. It's just…”
Lucy glanced at Erza, “What ARE his ideals?”
"He's... complicated," she admitted. "To him, things like Good and Evil don't carry the same weight. It's more about standing firm in what you believe, no matter what. A coward who switches sides or betrays their ideals... that's the worst thing in his eyes. He doesn’t care for reason or what others think. To Natsu, power is the only thing that matters. Everything else, like emotions or compromise, is secondary."
“That’s... kinda cruel.”
“...It is.”
As the Magic Mobile finally came to a stop, the group could see the aftermath of the battle. The area was littered with debris, the air still thick with the remnants of the magic that had been used.
Natsu stood in front of the canyon calmly, hands in pockets as he waited.
“Where’s Erigor?” Erza asked, stepping out of the Magic Mobile and walking toward him.
Natsu tilted his head slightly, “Probably scattered all around the canyon...” he said, his voice tinged with indifference. “If there’s any trace of him left, it’s probably just ashes. I didn’t see him escape my attack. No one would have gotten away unnoticed by me.”
Erza’s eyes narrowed slightly, her concern evident, though she wasn’t completely surprised by Natsu’s response. “You killed him?”
Natsu shrugged nonchalantly. “I casted a spell. He could not defend against it. It’s not like it’s a loss anyway, he was a Dark Mage.”
Erza hesitated for a moment, considering his words carefully, “Natsu, we can’t always think of it that way…”
Natsu’s gaze hardened as he met her eyes, “Why do you even care? Half of the Dark Mages we catch end up executed anyway. The Magic Council and the Royal Family don’t keep criminals in their prisons, they get rid of them. It’s not like it changes anything.”
Erza took a deep breath, her expression softening a little. “I don’t disagree with you. But that doesn’t mean we should take pleasure in it.”
Natsu scoffed, shaking his head. “You think I take pleasure in killing someone insignificant to me? Please, have some class, Erza.”
He chuckled as he looked behind them, “Though, you should’ve taken care of Kageyama. He just robbed you, after all.”
Before Erza could respond, Gray spun around, his eyes narrowing as Kageyama spoke, holding Lullaby in his hands.
“If Erigor can’t do it… then I will!”
Kageyama said the Magic Mobile speed by them.
"Damn it!" shouted Erza.
"What did you expect?" Natsu asked, "Dark Mage, remember?"
“Yeah, and how are you any different?” snapped Gray.
Natsu glanced over his shoulder. "Dark Mages, like the ones you just witnessed today. They're nothing. Worthless. In life, in society, in existence. They murder, pillage, and cause chaos just to feel a little bit better about their pointless existence. I’m worth more than their entire bloodline ever would.”
Erza’s gaze hardened, her emotions a mix of understanding and frustration. “This is not the time, Natsu.”
Gray scoffed, clearly irritated. “Not everything is about power, you know.”
Natsu’s expression didn’t change, “We’re on a battlefield. And until we get off it, your perspective is wrong.”
–Clover Town–
When Kageyama arrived in Clover Town, he'd long since abandoned the Magic Mobile.
"Good! Looks like the meeting's still going on!" he thought, feeling a surge of confidence. "And at this distance, they should all hear the Lullaby!"
As he hurried to find the right spot, a finger poked him in the face.
Kageyama turned, irritated, only to see a drunken man –Makarov– laughing, his face red with mirth but the old man’s laughter was interrupted by a sudden coughing fit.
“Makarov Dreyar, Master of Fairy Tail!” Kageyama thought, “Just who i’m looking for!”
Makarov staggered slightly, trying to steady himself as he prepared to run. But before he could take a step, Kageyama stopped him.
“U-um, would you like to hear a song?” Kageyama stammered, trying to cover his intentions. “They won’t let me play in the hospital.”
Makarov raised an eyebrow. “Mm?”
“I really want someone to hear me play it!” Kageyama added, pretending to be excited.
“That’s a creepy flute.”
“But it sounds great!” Kageyama pushed, trying to keep the conversation going.
Makarov scratched his chin, still unsure. “I’m in a hurry, so make it a quick one.”
–With The others–
“Look, there’s the Master!” Erza pointed, noticing Makarov.
“Shh!” Bob, who had appeared out of nowhere, silenced everyone. “We’re just getting to the best part!”
Bob looked over at Natsu and Gray. “Well, aren’t you just the cutest—”
“I’ll kill you and skin everyone in your guild if you finish that sentence.”
Bob chuckled nervously and quickly turned back to watch Makarov.
–With Makarov–
"Of course!" Kageyama smiled to himself, gripping the flute tightly. “I've won.” he thought.
He lifted the flute to his lips, ready to play.
But then—hesitation.
The events of his life as a Mage flashed through his mind. The failures. The betrayals. The overwhelming power that crushed Erigor in an instant.
"I should just play it! All I have to do is play it!" he told himself. "And that will change everything."
But before he could act, Makarov’s voice broke through the silence.
"Nothing will change."
Kageyama froze.
"Weak people will always be weak." Makarov continued, his tone steady. "But not everything weak is evil. Humans all start out weak. That’s why guilds exist—not just to fight alone, but to stand together."
Kageyama clenched his teeth. “What is he talking about?”
“We band together and march in step, not because we’re strong, but because we strive to become strong.” Makarov said, his voice filled with something Kageyama couldn’t quite place.
Even as he spoke, Makarov could feel the unspoken disgust radiating from the treeline.
Beyond the trees, Natsu’s magic presence loomed. Though he hadn’t said a word, Makarov knew exactly what the boy thought of this conversation. He could almost hear the scoff and the roll of his eyes.
“A lot of people are clumsy.” Makarov continued. “They stumble, they take the long way around. But if they keep moving forward, if they trust in tomorrow, strength will come naturally.”
He tried not to smile, knowing full well that Natsu was probably spitting on the ground in contempt.
“And if you learn to laugh and choose to live strong, you’ll never need that flute again.”
Kageyama’s grip on the flute tightened, his hands trembling as doubt gnawed at him.
Something inside him wavered.
With a shaky breath, he dropped to his knees. His head hung low, the flute slipping from his grasp. “I… I’ve lost.”
From behind the trees, the others emerged. Erza, Gray, and Lucy approached with smiles of relief, their tension easing now that the danger had passed.
Natsu, on the other hand, let out a scoff—one that Makarov was, unfortunately, all too used to hearing.
“Master! I’m glad you’re alright!” Erza said, striding forward.
Makarov chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, of course I am! I may be old, but I’m not that easy to take down!”
Lucy exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness. When we saw Kageyama run off, we thought we were too late.”
Gray crossed his arms. “Looks like this idiot had a change of heart at the last second.” He eyed Kageyama, who remained kneeling, his expression hollow.
Erza nodded. “Master’s words must have reached him.”
“Tch.” Natsu clicked his tongue, his expression unimpressed. “Words didn’t do a damn thing. He just realized he was too weak to go through with it.” His gaze flicked to Kageyama, filled with nothing but disdain.
“Congratulations, Kageyama. You just realized you’re not worth anything.”
Kageyama flinched as if he had been struck. His fingers clenched into fists, but he didn’t lift his head.
“Natsu.” Erza warned, her tone sharp.
“What?” Natsu scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’m just telling the truth. He ran around causing all this trouble and in the end, he gave up, like all cowards do.”
Lucy bit her lip, shifting uncomfortably. “Still… that was kinda harsh.”
“Reality is harsh.” Natsu responded. “This entire job was a waste of my time.”
Before anyone could argue further, a deep, unnatural rumble filled the air.
The Lullaby flute, now lying abandoned on the ground, began to tremble violently. A thick, dark aura spiraled around it, tendrils of cursed energy slithering out. The air grew heavy, charged with an ominous pressure.
“Oh no…”
A sinister, echoing laughter rumbled from the flute itself. “Ha ha ha… All you wizards are cowards! I can’t stand this anymore! I will feast on you myself!”
The flute twisted and expanded, grotesquely warping as it morphed into a massive demonic form that towered over the buildings in the distance.
Jagged wooden limbs sprouted from its body like gnarled branches, glowing cracks running along its surface as if pulsing with cursed energy.
Erza gritted her teeth, readying herself.
Gray dropped into a stance, his hands already beginning to frost over. “What the hell, man?! You said this thing wasn’t strong!”
“It’s not.” Natsu replied, “You’re just weak.” He patted Gray on the shoulder mockingly. “But hey, don’t worry—you’ve got two friends to back you up. Good luck.”
Gray twitched. “You—!?”
Before he could finish, Lullaby let out an ear-splitting roar, shaking the very ground beneath them.
Natsu smirked as he looked up at the massive wooden demon. “Ah, finally, some entertainment for me at least.” With that, he sat down on the grass watching as Erza, Gray, and Lucy rushed into battle.
“Natsu!” Makarov barked. “Go help them—”
“Why?”
Makarov frowned. “What do you mean, ‘why’?!”
“Why do they need my help?” Natsu’s tone was almost amused, but there was a sharp edge to it. “Isn’t it enough for them to ‘believe’ in themselves really, really hard? Since you’re so sure that I’m wrong about what power is… that must mean they don’t need my power, right?”
Makarov clenched his fists, glaring at Natsu, but the dragon slayer simply leaned back, resting his arms behind his head, watching the fight unfold.
“Natsu, this is not the time—”
“This is the perfect time!” Natsu shot back, getting to his feet in a quick move, “Time to see it again! Your view, that it doesn't matter if you're a weak individual as long as you're surrounded by a bunch of other weaklings, or mine. Is this not what you've been trying to prove all these years? That you're right and I'm wrong? You’ve spent all this time trying to show that your 'power of bonds' can overcome everything. Why are you suddenly not so sure?”
Makarov’s brow furrowed, his hands tightening into fists. He could feel the weight of Natsu's words, each one landing like a blow.
“You think I’m just sitting here hoping to prove you wrong?” Makarov said, his voice quieter but tinged with frustration. “It’s not about me proving anything, Natsu. It’s about them. It’s about showing that there’s something more to life than power. That no matter how weak someone is, they can find strength in each other. That’s what keeps us together. That’s what makes us strong.”
Natsu's expression remained unchanged. “So, you’re telling me you’d put everything on the line—your guild, your friends, your children—just on the hope that they’ll find strength in each other? In a world that is out there to tear you apart if you don’t have enough power to protect yourself? You seriously think your bonds will save them from reality?”
Makarov’s eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to respond, “It’s not just about power.” Makarov started, his voice firm, “It’s about the reason to fight. If all we had were power, what would we be? What would we stand for? Power isn't everything, Natsu—”
“In the world we live in, it is everything!” Natsu's voice thundered, filled with cold truth. “In a world where we send people to war, it is. In a world where people are expected to face Dark Guilds head-on, it is. In a world where death and conflict exist every single day, power is the only thing that dictates the outcome. Nobody cares about your ideals or your reasons—nobody cares who you fight for. The only thing that matters is whether you’re strong enough to win. Wake up, you senile fool! We are meant to be warriors, meant to bring victory, not just throw our hands up in the air and hope our ‘bonds’ will do the rest! There is no place that in battle! There’s no place for the ideals of a long-dead child on the battlefield!”
Natsu’s eyes narrowed, his tone harsh as he pointed at Lucy, “Look at Lucy! She’s been with the guild for less than a month. She’s barely an average mage. Does she look ready for this fight? Does she look ready for combat?”
Natsu looked back at Makarov, “Tell me, was Lissanna ready when she went on that damn job with Elfman and Mirajane? Was she? Or did you only realize how unprepared she was when Mirajane and Elfman came back without her? How much of your so-called children do you need to see dead before you realize that you’ve been filling their heads with the ideals of children and civilians, when they’re supposed to be more than that? When will you see it, ‘Guild Master’?!”
Makarov’s chest tightened at Natsu’s words. Was Natsu right? Had he been so naïve, so desperate to hold on to something pure, that he ignored the harsh truth staring them all in the face?
Natsu was still staring at him, unwavering.
For the first time in a long time, Makarov was uncertain.
Makarov stood silent, the weight of Natsu's words pressing down on him. The battle raged on in the distance, but in that moment, he could hardly hear it.
“Strength... power... warriors...” Makarov muttered under his breath. “But at what cost, Natsu? At what cost?”
Natsu didn’t respond immediately. He merely stared at the battle, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. “At any cost.” he said flatly. “Without strength, we have nothing. Without strength, you can’t protect yourself, let alone others.”
Makarov was silent for a moment, his thoughts drifting back to the day when Mirajane and Elfman had returned alone. It still haunted him.
“What would you have me say?” Makarov asked, his voice quiet, a trace of weariness in his tone.
“I don’t need you to tell me anything. You have nothing to tell me.” Natsu said, his voice cold and sharp. He slowly got to his feet, pointing towards Erza, Gray, and Lucy as they continued to fight Lullaby. “You have to tell them.”
Makarov’s gaze followed Natsu’s finger, his eyes lingering on the three guildmates who were fighting for their lives. He could see the determination in their eyes, but the doubt crept into his own heart.
“They’re not ready, Natsu.” Makarov said, his voice faltering slightly. “They still have so much to learn, so much to grow.”
“And they never will be if you don’t let them,” he retorted sharply. “They’ll never be ready if they die young, deaths that can be avoided.”
He took a step forward, heading toward the demon, “And it will yet again be your fault.”
Makarov flinched at Natsu’s words. There was truth in them—too much truth—and for the first time, the doubt that had been creeping into his heart began to show.
With a heavy sigh, Makarov finally spoke, though it was more to himself than to Natsu. “I just... I just don’t want to see them hurt, Natsu.”
“The world’s cruel, and the longer you let them live in the fantasy, the more it’s going to shatter when they finally face reality. The only way they’ll be ready... is if you let them fight.”
With that, Natsu vanished.
–With the others–
“Ice-Make: Lance!”
Dozens of ice lances shot toward the demon, piercing its massive wooden shoulder.
“HYA!” Erza dashed forward in her Heaven’s Wheel Armor, her blades slicing into the demon’s legs, splintering the cursed wood.
“Open! Gate of the Bull—Taurus!” Lucy cried out. A magic circle appeared, and in an instant, a towering humanoid bull wielding a massive axe materialized.
“MO~OOO! Time to chop this tree down!” Taurus bellowed, charging the demon. His axe cleaved into its leg, forcing the beast to momentarily stumble, but it barely lost balance before recovering.
Lucy’s face paled. “Erza, what do we do?! We barely even scratched it!”
Erza glared up at the towering monster. “Lucy is inexperienced and has too little magic. I still haven’t fully recovered. Gray… No, he can’t handle this alone. Not yet.”
“Ice-Make—!” Gray started, but then he froze mid-spell, his eyes widening.
Something was happening.
Natsu was already on the demon’s arm, running up towards its face with terrifying ease.
“You dare—?!” the demon roared, but Natsu ignored it.
With a feral grin, he launched himself into the air, fist drawn back.
“Twilight Dragon’s Oblivion Fist!”
A shockwave exploded outward as his punch connected with the demon’s face. The sheer force sent the massive creature tumbling backward, flattening trees and shaking the ground as it crashed.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment.
“He punched a Demon of Zeref?!” one of the Guild Masters watching from afar blurted out in shock. “Who is that?!”
Another Guild Master’s eyes widened. “Did you see that spell?! That that was Light and Darkness Magic! That’s Makarov’s rumored mage… Ragnarok!”
“He’s real?! I thought that was just a story Makarov spread to make Fairy Tail seem more dangerous!”
Meanwhile, Erza rushed up to Natsu, her armor clanking as she skidded to a stop. “What took you so long?!” she snapped. “This thing is insanely powerful!”
Natsu waved her off dismissively. “It’s not.” he said flatly. “It has less magic than you do at full strength. If you’d listened to me back at the station and recovered your magic, you could’ve killed it yourself by now.”
Erza’s eye twitched. “Infuriating as always…”
Natsu stepped forward, raising his open palm toward the demon as it struggled back to its feet.
“Twilight Dragon’s Black Blast.”
A surge of dark energy erupted from his hand, crashing into the demon in a violent wave of raw destruction. The beast screeched in agony as the darkness consumed its form, yet somehow, it remained standing.
Gray narrowed his eyes. “Shouldn’t it be more resistant to Darkness Magic? It is a demon, right?”
Natsu barely spared him a glance. “Dragon Slayer Magic breaks elemental resistances.”
Gray blinked. “That’s a thing?”
The demon let out a thunderous roar, its voice shaking the very air around them.
“DETESTABLE DRAGONKIN! I WILL KILL YOU FIRST FOR THIS!”
Natsu clicked his tongue in irritation. “The only Etherious that might have a chance against me is E.N.D. But since we’re not even sure he’s real…” A cruel smirk crossed his face. “I’ll just consider all of your kind worthless.”
He held his hand towards the Demon, magic surging immediately over it.
“Twilight Dragon’s Light Vestament!”
The magic pressure around Natsu skyrocketed, the sheer force of it cracking the ground beneath him.
Erza and Gray were forced back, struggling to maintain their footing as the winds lashed against them. Their hair and clothes flapped violently in the overwhelming pressure.
"This much power? In an instant?!" Gray thought, shielding his eyes.
Beams of light shot from his hand. The force of the blasts drove his feet deeper into the earth as countless streaks rained into the demon.
The demon let out one final, bloodcurdling scream before its voice was swallowed by the blinding torrent of energy.
Natsu grinned, his laughter wild and unrestrained. "Ha ha ha!"
As the blast subsided, the demon lay sprawled on its back, its massive body riddled with gaping holes, wisps of cursed energy escaping from the wounds.
And yet, against all odds, it still clung to some semblance of life, its body rising and falling in something akin to breath.
Natsu’s expression darkened.
“Now to finish this.”
He took a step forward and vanished.
Gasps rang out from the watching guild members.
Erza barely had time to register his movement before she spotted him high above in the air.
"Twilight Dragon’s Roar!"
He unleashed a torrent of light larger than the demon itself. It crashed down engulfing the creature in a brilliant explosion. The ground beneath it shattered, folding inward into a crater. The force of the impact sent shockwaves rolling through the land, toppling trees and shaking the foundations of Clover Town in the distance.
When the light finally faded, there was nothing left of the demon—no remnants, no ashes, just a gaping, smoldering crater where it had stood.
In a flash, Natsu reappeared next to his guildmates, a casual smile tugging at his lips. "And that’s demon extermination."
"A-amazing!" one of the Guild Masters stammered, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Such power..." another murmured.
"Wait… he destroyed the building... and the forest!" someone else shouted, pointing at the ruin left in Natsu's wake.
Makarov spun on his heel, his eyes flashing with irritation. "Alright, brats, time to leave!" He began running away, with Erza, Gray, and Lucy following closely behind.
"Where do you think you're going, Makarov? Someone has to pay for this!" one of the Guild Masters shouted angrily.
"Master, we caused you trouble! We’re so sorry!"
“I’m not.”
Erza glared at Natsu while he flashed her a mocking grin.
"Arrest them!" one of the Guild Masters demanded.
Natsu turned, his eyes narrowing as he formed a ball of Twilight Magic in his hand.
“Natsu, no murder!” Erza warned, stepping forward.
Natsu groaned in annoyance. "I’m not gonna kill them. Just make them wish–”
Erza's glare intensified. “Natsu…”
"Fine." Natsu said with a huff. “They wouldn't be a challenge anyway.” With a snap of his fingers, his shadow stretched and twisted, engulfing Makarov, Erza, Gray, and Lucy in an instant.
“What the—?” Gray shouted, eyes wide with confusion.
"Wait, wait, wait—" Lucy started to protest, but it was too late.
The shadows swallowed them whole, and in the blink of an eye, they were expelled from the dark vortex and landed with a soft thud in front of Fairy Tail’s Guild Hall.
Natsu dusted his hands off. “There. All safe and sound.”
The group tumbled onto the ground outside the Fairy Tail guild hall, Lucy landing with a yelp, Gray cursing under his breath, and Erza quickly regaining her footing.
Makarov dusted himself off, sighing. “Teleportation now? Since when could you do that?”
“Always could. Just never had a reason to tell you.”
Lucy groaned, pushing herself up. “Could you at least warn us next time? That was terrifying!”
Gray shook his head. “Not the worst way I’ve traveled.” He glanced at Natsu. “And you were really about to fight those Guild Masters?”
“Did you really think they could stop me? I did them a favor by leaving.”
Erza crossed her arms, glaring at him. “You need to be more careful with your actions, Natsu. Destroying a forest, an entire building—you’re not making things easier for Fairy Tail.”
Natsu shrugged. “That was me holding back.”
Makarov rubbed his temples, exasperated. “You’re giving me a damn headache.”
“I know.”
The guild doors suddenly burst open, and the familiar chaos of Fairy Tail spilled out. Cana, Macao, Wakaba, and a few others had clearly been drinking, while Elfman flexed and proclaimed something about being a real man.
Mirajane smiled from behind the bar. “Oh, you’re back!”
Levy rushed up eagerly. “How did the mission go?”
“It was… okay?” Lucy said, hesitating. “Natsu just killed a Demon.”
“...Not surprising in any way.”
“Well, how is Fairy Tail’s strongest team?” Mira asked, her gaze turning toward Natsu.
Natsu glanced at Erza, who quickly looked away, a sheepish smile on her face.
“Titania.” Natsu growled, “What did you do?”
“I… may have had Mira register us as a team…” Erza admitted, avoiding eye contact.
“Did you ask my permission for this?”
“I’m an S-Class. I don’t need your permission,” Erza said, resting her hands on her waist confidently.
“Tomorrow. Prepare,” Natsu said firmly.
“Prepare for what?” Erza asked, puzzled.
“Prepare. Get your magic back, wear your lucky panties or whatever. Your ass is mine,” Natsu growled, his grin almost predatory.
“E-excuse me?” Erza’s face flushed with an unexpected blush.
He turned and glanced at her over his shoulder, “In a fight. Don’t get excited."
With that, Natsu walked off, leaving a stunned and slightly embarrassed Erza in his wake.
Erza stood frozen for a moment, her cheeks still burning red at the words that Natsu had just thrown at her. A mix of shock and frustration bubbled up inside her, and she crossed her arms tightly to suppress the flush creeping up her neck.
Mira raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smirk. “Well, that’s one way to make an exit…”
“Wait, wait, wait... remark aside.” Cana chimed in with a grin, “Did Natsu just tell Erza they're going to fight tomorrow? Either you pissed him off, or you caught his eye…”
Erza’s face flushed even deeper at Cana's remark, and she immediately shot her a glare. “Cana, that’s not what he meant!” she snapped, “I— I had Mira register Natsu into a team with me, Lucy, and Gray…”
“…So, you pissed him off?” Cana asked, clicking her tongue. “Still entertaining, but it would’ve been even more entertaining if you two, like… started secretly hooking up in the guild while everyone just kind of knew—” Cana was unable to finish the sentence, as Erza swiftly knocked her out. Cana slumped limply on the table, her drink spilling everywhere.
“Was that necessary?” Mira asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Do you want to be the next one?”
Mira chuckled. “You’re a tough one, Erza. But no, I’ll pass on the knockout.”
“Good.” Erza muttered, turning around still blushing.
Lucy, still a little confused, glanced at Levy. “Is… it really that much of a deal that Natsu and Erza are fighting?”
“Well.” Levy began, “Normally, it’s Erza or someone else who challenges Natsu… but when Natsu wants a fight, he just goes up and punches whoever he wants, no warning, no ‘we’re fighting tomorrow’... Plus... Erza’s never actually beaten Natsu in a fight.”
Lucy gulped. “I know Natsu’s S-Class level, and Erza wasn’t at full strength for this job... I wonder how it will go.”
“Me too, Lu. Me too.”