BOOM—BOOM—BOOM! Deep in the forest, a brutal battle raged on. Dragon Slayer magic collided with God Slayer magic—orange flames clashing violently against black ones.
This wasn't quite the same Natsu everyone knew. Jehfrit's influence had shifted him, just a little—adding a few more points into his reckless genius trait. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Fear? What even was that? Retreat? A waste of time.
Even facing an opponent whose strength clearly surpassed his own.
But would he lose ?
Natsu stood unwavering.
His confidence burned brighter than his flames.
"Nah, I'dd win."
The declaration came not as boast but as natural law following the order of the world.
"Dragonfire is strongest. MY fire is strongest!"
He was Natsu—the Dragon's Son.
Orange flames flared around him as his skin started to change— Dragon Scales erupted across his skin as the transformation accelerated.
"What the hell?!" Zancrow staggered under the mounting pressure, eyes widening as the pressure from Natsu's aura kept rising.
Each emerging scale bolstered Natsu's defenses until he stopped dodging entirely, tanking hits that should have felled a lesser man.
"The dragon breathes fire… its scales melt flame… and its claws seize it…" Natsu walked straight through Zancrow's black fire, his own flames growing hotter by the second.
"Damn it, what the hell are you even talking about?!" Zancrow's voice cracked, he was starting to panic.
Only another fire mage could comprehend the terror of witnessing Natsu's evolution firsthand.
Crack—! The environment warped violently. The light exploded—so bright it looked like the sun had descended into the forest. Most people on the battlefield couldn't even open their eyes anymore.
Grass withered and died in seconds. Trees shriveled. Stones dried and crumbled into dust. The heatwaves rolling off Natsu put even midsummer to shame.
He kept walking.
His eyes were changing now—
Through the distortion, Natsu's eyes now glowed with draconic authority.
"What ARE you?!" Zancrow recoiled.
"Dragonslayer magic transforms humans into dragons." Natsu bared fanged teeth—four of them, now sharp and deadly fangs.
"Forget which is stronger - dragon or god. I only know this: I'm stronger than you. Stronger than any fire mage. Like Jehfrit says—"
He lunged.
"What matters is protecting my family!"
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
"Insolent worm!" Black flames erupted from Zancrow. "Kneel before your god!"
The collision sent shockwaves through the island. Natsu's voice cut through the inferno: "No one rules from above! This world stands because people lift each other up! That's what guilds mean! Your 'Grand Magic World' will never happen!"
His conviction burned tangible in the air: "The whole world will stop you! Fairy Tail will stop you! Gray, Erza, Gildarts—everyone! You've already lost!" A devastating hook smashed Zancrow's jaw. "Here's some advice from Jehfrit—"
"People like you only understand fists!"
Zancrow's sanity frayed. "HOW DARE YOU!" Godflames reached critical mass. "DIE, YOU DELUDED INSECT!"
"Prominence—"
"FEAST!"
Zancrow's ultimate move. Twin blazing claws of divine fire slammed down on Natsu, encasing him in an inescapable cage of black inferno.
BOOM!
Natsu took it head-on. The flames turned into a furnace of darkness around him.
"Dragons can't consume godfire!" Zancrow panted victoriously. "Burn to nothing, salamander!"
Through the flames, Natsu's voice came calm: "This was never about dragons or gods."
The black prison shuddered.
"Only one thing matters—"
Orange light pierced through like dawn.
"MY VICTORY!"
BOOM! Natsu erupted with pure magic energy.
His flames surged. The black fire began to retreat—pushed back by a roaring blaze of orange flame.
"AAAAAAAAAHHH!" Natsu screamed to the sky.
With his rising will, the fire grew stronger.
"What… what is this?!" Zancrow stammered.
"This can't be happening! No one's ever broken out of this before!"
"That's just because you've been looking at the world through a keyhole!" Natsu roared.
"There are plenty of strong people out there. In my guild alone, I need two hands to count them!"
"Like hell I'm losing to you!"
"If I lose, what right do I have to even take the S-Class Trial?!"
"I'm Natsu Dragneel—Fairy Tail's Fire Dragon!!"
ROAAAAAR!!
His voice carried with it a dragon's cry—so powerful it echoed across the entire island. Everyone heard it.
"Was that… a dragon?!" Dark mages all around froze in fear.
"...Natsu?" Lucy stared toward the eastern forest, silently praying. "I believe in you. You won't lose."
Snap! A twig cracked. Zancrow instinctively stepped back—and then realized.
He was backing away.
He was afraid.
His eyes trembled as he looked into the inferno, at the figure walking through fire.
What the hell is he? Is he even human?!
BOOM! Natsu's flames flared with such intensity they twisted time and space.
"...Dragon," Zancrow whispered.
"Clench your teeth—you bastard!" Natsu took a stance.
"Crimson Lotus—Fire Dragon Fist!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Fist after fiery fist slammed down like an avalanche, a mountain made of flame.
"I'm not stopping here!!" Zancrow snapped back to his senses, struggling in desperation.
He blocked one punch. Then ten. Then fifty.
But not a hundred.
Not five hundred.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Natsu was relentless. The overflowing fire magic nearly set the entire forest ablaze.
BOOM! Zancrow crashed into the ground, no longer able to fight back. As the last punch rained down, he shouted:
"Even if you beat me, your guild will fall! Hades will destroy you all! Today is the end of Fairy Tail!"
BOOOOM!
The ground caved in, a blackened crater forming, scorched to glassy fragments.
Natsu finally pulled back his fist. Zancrow lay motionless, barely recognizable.
Natsu staggered.
Tap.
A hand caught his shoulder.
Natsu didn't turn. He looked at Zancrow and muttered, "Man… even a fist couldn't knock some sense into you."
Then he turned back to the one who supported him—Jehfrit.
Grinning with a mouthful of teeth, Jehfrit said, "I—won."
Natsu smiled. "Awesome."
Jehfrit held out a photo. "Lookin' good."
It showed Natsu mid-punch, fire swirling around him.
"Hahahaha—!" Natsu laughed, took the photo, then flopped flat on his back, arms wide, staring at the sky.
The breeze brushed through his cherry-colored hair like petals drifting in the wind.
"Hey, Jehfrit…" he murmured, "...do you think Igneel would be proud of me now?"
Jehfrit nodded, smiling. "Anyone would be proud of a guy who fights to protect his family and defeats monsters like that."
"Maybe…" Natsu whispered, hope in his eyes, "...if I try hard enough… maybe one day Igneel'll come back just to say 'good job.'"
"Natsu." Jehfrit looked at him. "Don't force yourself. Dragons follow their hearts. And you—are a dragon's son. Just follow yours."
"Yeah." Natsu nodded. "Don't worry about me. Go help the others."
"Actually," Jehfrit grinned. "I'm in the middle of a bet. The guy didn't exactly agree, but once I win, he'll see."
"A bet?" Natsu asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I bet every member of that guild is a natural at boomerangs."
"Boomerangs?"
Jehfrit laughed. "Like this guy—came out throwing around all his big talk, only to get his ass kicked. Classic boomerang."
Natsu chuckled. "Sounds fun."
Jehfrit turned to leave. "Next round's about to begin."
Natsu gave a thumbs-up. "Go for it."
Jehfrit tossed a card to the ground—an explosion of firewood appeared. Then another card hit the stack—igniting it into a roaring blaze.
Enough to warm Natsu up. With his Dragon Slayer constitution, he'd be back on his feet in no time.
"Rest up. Half-tank should be enough for round two."
---
Meanwhile, in another corner of the island…
Lucy watched anxiously as Leo battled Capricorn.
She'd tried joining at first—but no matter what she did, her attacks had no effect.
Leo explained: "His magic—'Human Subjugation'—is designed to specifically weaken humans. It can even turn them into puppets. Celestial Spirits, though, are immune."
Lucy realized she was more of a hindrance than help. Even though she had protection from both Horologium and Crux, she chose to sit this one out. For the first time, she was just a spectator.
The real enemy wasn't Capricorn—it was the spirit possessing him: Zoldeo.
Soon, Leo started falling behind under Zoldeo's onslaught—summoning historical legends to overwhelm him.
Feigning defeat, Leo gave Zoldeo an opening.
"Hehehe…" the spirit cackled in the shadows. "This time, I'll take your body, Leo… Humans are so much better…"
And he succeeded. During a moment of weakness—Zoldeo took over Leo's body.
"...Leo?" Lucy noticed the change immediately.
Same stance. Same clothes.
But not the same person.
She tensed—until—
Tap.
Someone touched her shoulder.
Lucy shrieked and jumped—only to turn and see…
"Jehfrit! You're just in time! Something's wrong with Leo!" she said, relieved.
Jehfrit's arrival always made her feel safe. Strangely, more than even Natsu or Erza, or even Master Makarov himself.
Because when Jehfrit showed up, it didn't feel like they might win.
It felt like they'd already won.
"No rush," Jehfrit said casually. "Loke's no fool."
Zoldeo, inside Leo's body, was unaware of Jehfrit's arrival. He turned toward Lucy with a twisted smile.
"Hehehe… Lucy. You look just like your mother."
"I could only admire her from afar back then…"
"But now… now I can have someone just like her…"
"You."
"Hehehe…"
He started walking toward her.
Lucy turned to Jehfrit, utterly unimpressed.
Jehfrit? Was… taking photos?
"Gotta capture this," he muttered. "When else am I gonna see Loke make that pervy face?"
Lucy: "…"
"By the way," Jehfrit added, patting her shoulder and giving her a thumbs-up, "Congrats, Lucy. Someone finally acknowledged your beauty. You've tried so many times to use your 'charms' and failed spectacularly—but look, now someone's actually falling for you!"
"Stop saying that kinda thing right now!!" Lucy yelped, grabbing his sleeve. "He's getting closer! You better protect me!"
"Relax," Jehfrit stepped aside, Lucy quickly following.
Zoldeo walked right past them—completely unaware.
"Wait… what?" Lucy blinked. "Was that magic?"
"Yup," Jehfrit said, adding her to the localized illusion network.
Now she saw what Zoldeo was seeing:
*Lucy* trembling, stumbling back, falling helplessly to the ground—eyes wide in fear.
"That's how you see me?!" Lucy deadpanned.
"Shhh." Jehfrit held up a camcorder, grinning.
"Hehehehehe…" Zoldeo crept toward the illusion, drooling with anticipation.
"I broke the rules… mastered forbidden magic… and finally… I've reached the pinnacle—!"
Lucy's eye twitched. She deadpanned at Jehfrit: "My first admirer is a body-snacking creep?"
"Congratulations." Jehfrit kept filming. "After all those failed 'seduction' missions where shopkeepers gave discounts just to make you leave—"
"THAT'S NOT HELPING!"
Zoldeo stalked toward empty air where his magic showed Lucy cowering. The real Lucy gaped at the illusion—herself sprawled dramatically like some damsel from cheap romance novels.
"You see me like THIS?!"
"Shh." Jehfrit adjusted focus. "This is gold."
"I broke every rule for this power," Zoldeo monologued to the phantom Lucy, hands outstretched. "Now you'll be—"
His fingers passed through empty space.
The realization struck just as Leo's true spirit erupted from within: "Joke's over, parasite!"
The camera kept rolling.