Prologue

This is the hardest battle they have ever fought.

This is the first time, this battle Will give them a scar on their heart. Many sacrifices had made between friends and families in order to bring their guild into victory. But now they must move on from this pain in order to face a greater future ahead.

War of the guild between Fairies and Demons finally is over. The mage finally settles the scorecard between the demon Tartaros and also save the world from destruction, but when the battle is happening. Acnologia made his appearance to the battlefield and will bring the destruction once more.

They only saw the beast with fear cannot move even a single muscle because, Acnologia something they can't overwhelm, something describe this beast is living apocalypse.

Everyone would've died in his hand if not for the dragon who also appeared out from nowhere and helped the human between their fight against the demon Tartaros and the black dragon king of apocalypse altogether.

Even everyone was happy with their victorious, Natsu only started tearfully at the Torn body of his poster dragon, that who now lay defeat on the ground and on Verge of death after taking brutal hits from the black dragon king. He only stands there helplessly as his father mercilessly killer in front of him. Unable to save him even after for all this year of training to be come stronger.

For a year, he's been searching for his poster father that one day they will be reunited again but-

.

.

Only once this time He's was once again leaving Natsu, this time finally forever.

He didn't want that he wants to share everything for the past year after his sudden disappearing, all journey he has, the experience, and also how strong he became in his life. Also, he wants to tell him, countless people and friend, he met all along the way.

There are so many things...he wants to tell about his life but-

.

.

It's was all over.

He never got a chance to say a single word from his mouth, that memories he experiences when he disappeared.

"Igneel... Don't leave me." His words followed with a wave of tears from his eyes as the body of the defeated fire dragon king started to begin to glow on bright light then-

.

.

"NATSU" a voice called the pinkete from behind he cannot look back he only sees his Foster father started to

Disappearing.

The voice was his exceed Happy, he flies toward his partner follow with other figures that started approach to him.

"Natsu-san... Is that... ?" Wendy only widen her eyes on shock to see the body of Foster father of the person he sees like an older brother, Carla that flying beside Wendy only nodded her head in silent, she knows there is no word can help on this situation

Besides Wendy, large muscular man Gajeel he also nodded his head, he remembers the day when the pinkete said they dragon disappear at the same day, and also this day they finally return with their dragons but this time it the separated again this time forever.

Despite his cries, there was no response, the body of dragon king started to glow much brighter than before after time passes the dragon finally gone forever.

.

.

.

"IGNEEL!!" Screamed of the pinkete cannot accept the loss of his Foster father, the blue young girl cannot hold it much longer wave of tears started to overflow from her little eyes. She knows this pain, the pain losing someone you love especially the one that you call a "parent", this happen when she lost Grandeney she then knelt down while Charla started to comfort her.

Gajeel on the other hand only nodded his head then small tear appears on his eyes despite he rarely cries this is the first time he feels this much of sadness.

"Why?! I So Goddamn Weak ?!" He cursed himself for not be able to be strong like his father wanted.

"Natsu..." Happy only look at him with tears on his eyes while he confronts his partner.

Dragon Slayer? is that title even worthy for him and rest of them? He didn't even slay a single dragon. At the battle in eclipse gate, he only knocked down Motherglare not fully kill him, this makes gas huge gap back then. He hated himself for not able to slay a single dragon, also cannot fulfill the role that Ignell in entrusted to him.

Is it their fate to lost their foster parent? Is this unavoidable? Or from the start, they must lose their parent in order to get strong?

Those question simply buried in the three slayer mind, unanswered, when Natsu notice something from his smell and Gajell also smell the same.

A smell of great evil, the smell of the same person that almost killed them in Tenrou Island seven years ago.

"So Igneel ever stood up a chance, huh ?" an unknown voice suddenly appear in the same direction of the smell the three slayers turn their gaze toward the location of the smell and the voice, Natsu is recognize this voice, alarmingly toward distance the infamous black mage standing over at the distance, staring at the place where Ignell resting place.

Despite his usual expressionless nature, he rarely shows sympathy toward others. It was odd to see him a sign of care of fallen dragon king.

"ZEREF!!" Uttering the name of black mage himself, Natsu gritted in anger as he found the perpetrator behind all of this.

The sky dragonslayer only shaking in fear because this is the first time she sees the Black Mage himself when she was young, Grandeney once tells her stories about a Black Mage that bring disaster to this word. She's thought that just a story, but now this more than just a story she finally saw him face to face the Legendary black mage Zeref.

Without thinking, Natsu lashed out to him on pure rage as Flames spew out from his fist and launched his attack on him. however, Zeref never showed any sign of backing away he Mets his flame directly, staggering himself in the process but sustaining no damage at all as of didn't hurt a single bit.

"Salamander! I back you up" after hearing that Natsu is backing away from his spot, then Gajell activates his iron-shadow dragon mode. he used the remaining magic power in his body to launch a single attack toward the Black Mage.

IRON-SHADOW DRAGON ROAR a torrent black winds accompany with metal shard and shadow element aim toward the black mage. and again Zeref didn't show any backing away when the blast is approaching him closer, then large blast and large dust is everywhere after the result of the attack.

A moment later the dust cloud started to disappeared hope, they finally defeated the black mage but the result unexpected... Zeref only stands there again without showing any sign of damage in his body even a single scratch.

(-No way... that attack... didn't... damage him ?-) The iron dragon slayer only looks at the black mage in pure shocked his last attack will not affect toward the black mage then Gajeel fall to the ground due running out of magic power.

While stand in there Zeref never ever regarded the dragonslayer's hostility and capability threat to him. After all, he possibly kills him anytime he wants to with his magic alone but-

.

.

He never wanted to all of that since he was...

After a failed attack from Gajeel, Natsu continues attacking the black mage, now this time all of his body covered in flame he rushed toward Zeref with inhuman speed, then Natsu raised his right arm and again flame spew out from his fist.

"You killed him!...-no you killed our parent I never forgive you!" Natsu shouted in rage as he continuously poured out of his power toward him without stopping as his attack hit the target and was pushing him back in the process but Zeref never showed any signs of pain in him and was freely taking his attacks head-on.

"it seems like, your power is still the same state like back at Tenrou Island... Natsu" he spoke in monotone but Natsu just ignored him and continue onslaught against him.

"This time will be different!!... This time I will destroy you once and, for all like you always wanted" He declared, but Zeref only gives him another blank smile.

His body suddenly begins to form up a scales and his face has scale-like features, signifying his use of the Dragon Force at his own free will for the second time.

The two dragon slayer that witness the form that shown by the pinkete, only make them say a few words.

"So that's Natsu-san... Dragon Force"

"He activates with his own free will... amazing"

Despite their Amaze the blue exceed stand beside Wendy begin to take a deep breath and then-

.

.

"NATSU YOU CAN DO IT!!" Cheering shout from Happy, make the fire dragon slayer smile when his power getting more powerful.

Then Natsu rushed toward Zeref with his enchanted power he lifts his right arm and once again flame started to appear and this time more and bigger, almost like the size of a house.

"Take this Zeref!!"

Secret Dragon Slayer Art: Great Flame Iron Fist the fist that delivered hit Zeref in the chest and sent him away from vicinity and crash to the nearest hill,

the last attack that delivered was spent a lot of magic power.

The form cannot stand much longer his scale begins to disappear from him once more, giving him a huge wave of exhaustion then he went down to his knees, heavily panting.

"*huff*...*huff*..."

"Natsu!!"

"Natsu-san!!"

The two dragon slayer begins to running toward Natsu and try to help him restore his magic energy.

"Natsu... Are you alright?" Said Happy with a worried look on his face.

"I'm... Fine... Just use too many magic energy" replied the pinkete.

"Let me heal you up Natsu-san" Wendy the begin using her sky dragon slayer magic to heal Natsu wound.

"But we cannot happy just yet, did Salamander really kill that Black Mage ?" Gajell known his attack was powerful, but since Zeref is immortal. The Iron Dragonslayer not sure that attack will finish him.

"I don't know *huff*... I use all remaining magic power I have to launch one single attack on him... Hope that can kill him" Natsu said while he returning his gaze toward the hills then something begins to shock him, Zeref only stand there never once took any real damage, not a single scratch, even there is no a single pain, like that last attack was meaningless to him, the three dragon slayer felt shocked that nothing can kill him.

(-What on earth is he... ?-)

(-Even Dragon Force and that last attack didn't work on him-)

(-just powerful is this person ?-)

That question buried inside the three slayers mind then . begins to speak.

"It seems you're not even strong enough to kill me Natsu... ...should

you become stronger at this era, the world might stand a chance once again and probably end the cycle of destruction but-

-you're not that powerful enough to match against him. Ignell had his own way for making you stronger but it seems he failed."

Hearing the name of his Foster dragon. Natsu look at him confusion ignoring his weary condition.

"W-what do you know about my father ?!" Instead of answering him, he simply gazes off into the distance, recalling the past events that he had with the late Fire Dragon King in which Natsu had no knowledge of.

There was a moment of silence between them until he began his side of the story.

"E.N.D" he spoke in which caught the three slayer attention as he began to mention the same book that Igneel wanted him to retrieve back from the underworld king but right now, the book is in the Black Mage's possession.

"E.N.D?" Wendy simply asked toward the Black Mage about the name of the book that made her curious when she's fighting Tartaros.

"That right... the guild master of Tartaros, the strongest demon I ever created" Zeref only explain toward her with blank smile accompany with a monotone voice.

Hearing the explanation the rest of the slayer except Natsu begin to think, what will happen if the book is finally unsealed, or the demon awakens.

That would be another apocalypse other than Achnologia that will destroy this world.

Zeref then returns his gaze toward the exhaustion fire dragon slayer.

"Natsu, the book that Igneel wanted to take from the demon of Tartaros... He longed to get in his hands since that book is contain my perfect creation"

"Of course he would! that book is dangerous for anyone to be held by someone like you!"

"You're wrong...It is not by the reason that it's dangerous to him but rather-

-it's something that he wanted to keep it in order to protect you"

He revealed which surprised the three slayers especially Natsu whom surprise even more as he somehow knew his relationship between Igneel as his foster son.

"Don't Say any more bullshit!" Gajeel began to speak that surprise the two slayers

"don't say anything that you like close to salamander!... Because of you, Metalicana must sacrifice himself in order to destroy the bomb!"

"I see... So your Metalicana foster son huh it seems he doesn't stand a chance as well" Zeref replied toward iron dragon slayer with a monotone voice, and also with a blank smile like he always do.

"What did you say!?" Gajeel cannot hold his anger he began to stand up but fall to the ground due to lack of magical power.

Zeref only looks at him with the same expression but later he said a word that completely confused the three of them.

"Please don't interfere this is between family manner" That word just come out from the black mage mouth make the three of them confused, somehow he like know about Natsu and said this is family manner.

"W-what are you trying to pull Zeref!?" He demanded an answer but Zeref could only shook his head with his eyes closed in wonder.

"With thing right now, I guess there no need to hide it any further..." he pauses before returning his gaze toward the exhausted fire dragon slayer.

"I'm Zeref Dragneel... I'm your older brother Natsu." He placed a blank smile as if it heeded no emotions fits his character

It was then group shocked that hear such ridiculous claim, but importantly the group switches his gaze toward Natsu that simply more shocked to hear that.

Zeref? His brother? That total bull? how in the world would he be related toward to a man in the past?

Sure he knows his relationship between Igneel but doesn't mean he claim to be his legitimate brother. Igneel only family he have. There must be some sort of mistake here.

"Natsu! Don't listen what he said"

"Yeah! Stop all saying such crap! That impossible!" He shouted defiance.

"Perhaps I could prove it to you in some other way..." He pauses and he summoned the book of E.N.D on his hand that caught attention toward the group.

"...This has been the attention of some other cults as well since I created this to be the most powerful Etherious that may even rival that of Acnologia as well. It's a coincidence of why Acnologia wanted to destroy E.N.D. Because it's a threat to his domination. I'm not here to explain a history of it. Rather, I'm here to show you what this book really is and why it's important to Igneel as well."

He dropped the book to the ground as the group carefully watched it fall as Zeref continued once more.

"E.N.D-no or should I say Etherious Natsu Dragneel." He slightly smirked as the group widened his eyes in shock at the real meaning of the book himself.

"W-what!"

"That is you, Natsu... you're the strongest demon I've ever created. My own brother infuses with the power of strongest serious."

"Cut the crap already! I ain't listening some shit you're trying to say-" a striking pain went up from his bottom chest as Zeref launched a dark beam toward the book itself in which case, it reacted to the same as Natsu's body who could only scream in pain as his body instantly shot up with huge loads of pain afterward.

"Aaaaarrrrggghhh"

"Natsu!"

"Natsu-san are you okay ?"

"Salamander... You! why did you do to him ?"

"I've only acknowledged his existence, every time the book takes damage, Natsu will feel the damage as well because both of them are the same"

"I-I-I won't!" He denied

"Then I remind you something again, Natsu... ...in time, only two will be meet me again in the future. Whether it would be you or E.N.D himself will be able to make it to the very end" He turned around to leave as he left the book before it started to glowing dark red as flames surrounded it before vanishing completely and turned into a sea of red fire before flying toward only to shield his eyes.

The rest of them knocked down to the other side by the flame think that Wendy and Gajeel getting his way.

"Wendy! are you alright?" Carla starts rush down toward Wendy location with happy.

On the side, Gajeel and Lily only witness the flame and then began re-group with Wendy.

"Sky girl are you alright?"

"Eh... I'm fine but where Natsu-san-"

Eventually, the group realize the and returning his gaze toward the ball of flame it was a process of fusing Natsu and the book of E.N.D

"Natsu!"

"Natsu-san!"

"Salamander!"

The group begins shouted hope something will not happen toward the pinkette.

Inside the fireball, the flame sipped into his bodies as a large of power was felt by him in which he goes for a dramatic change. His hair was starting to turn crimson and his eyes glowing in bright red color, signifying of a beast.

The once bright color of his flame. Forever replace with a dark crimson color. His canines become sharper than ever and two protruding small horns began to appear above his head until a large pain surged again all over his body, causing him to lose his strength and succumbed into its torture as the transformation continue.

The group then widened their eyes in shocked after seeing transformation toward pinkete and large magic power that he has.

"N-Natsu..."

"Natsu-san... Is that you?"

Many questions simply asked toward the pinkete, because their see no longer fire dragon slayer they know, their only sees his new form as a monster or demon to be exactly.

Natsu ignored those question and returning his gaze toward Zeref.

"W-what happening?!"

"I simply returned right where the book is... ...Mars geer was oblivious of this. There is no such thing a revival of E.N.D... After all, he just sleeping, waiting to be awakened once again. You and him are one... Both love by Igneel so much that he didn't want to finish you after all. And instead, he tried to teach you the ways of life..." A light smile went on toward his lips as he turned around away before vanishing but not before he parted with his last words over to the pinkette once more.

"The final battle is approaching... ... I want you to surpass me, Natsu... I hope you will gain your power enough to eradicate me and Acnologia altogether..."

And with that, his body faded into distance leaving the distraught pinkette alone with his group that only stand there in quiet, with many shocking truths and revelations that he still wanted to process inside his mind. The truth behind his past and his nature finally revealed.

There no other way to deny it

He was E.N.D

The person behind this pain and suffering. The one who inflicted a lot of scars towards his friend and brought them sadness.

Guilt instantly went through his heart as tears immediately for out from his eyes ignoring his transformation but rather realizing the fact that he caused all this mess and hurt his friend without knowing it.

He started it all.

"W-what have I done?"

"Natsu-san..." Wendy tries to confront the pinkette but.

"Stay away from me!"

"But Natsu-san..."

"Stay away from me I'm monster"

With that, he simply running toward the forest only leaving the sad sky dragon slayer and his fellow exceed. Gajeel only lows down his head with depression, he cannot think straight right now. while looking at Matsu before he vanished to the forest.

They can't hold their tear much longer than a wave of began to appear from their eyes.

The pain that Natsu has to affect them as well.